# Full Metal Alchemist and Nazi Germany.



## Sollertis (Aug 2, 2012)

I recently started a thread asking people why Anime has become so popular in the United States, and a number of the responses made me think that I should watch some of the better series. One in particular that was mentioned in the thread, and was also recommended to me by a friend was Full Metal Alchemist. I decided the show might be worth my time so I started watching it. Now, about 20 episodes in, I'm glad I did. 

One of my very particular interests is military history, specifically WWII, more specifically the German perspective. Since I'm reasonably well read on the subject I was extremely surprised and thrilled to find that what seemed like a relatively simple show, was actually a representation of a fantastical Nazi Germany. I immediately picked up on a few correlations, such as the similarities between Shao Tucker and Josef Mengele, Red Water and the Nazi's "Heavy Water" nuclear program in Norway, but I'm still puzzling over some of the symbolism. Admittedly I was a little disappointed early on in the series when some character outright addressed the guy in charge as the "fuhrer", in my mind it took a little bit of the joy out of the symbolism, but I still think the show is pretty interesting. For those of you who have seen it, I'd like your thoughts. Please don't spoil anything.


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## Krelian91 (May 2, 2012)

Amestris is actually a bit nicer (but not too much as you will understand later) than Nazi Germany, I think it's more like "what if the German Empire (Second Reich) was a republic.

Anyway, if that makes you happy in the original japanese version the "Fuhrer" is just "Daisoto", meaning Supreme Commander or something like that.

Which version of the show are you watching? The original one or Brotherhood?


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## Sollertis (Aug 2, 2012)

Krelian91 said:


> Amestris is actually a bit nicer (but not too much as you will understand later) than Nazi Germany, I think it's more like "what if the German Empire (Second Reich) was a republic.
> 
> Anyway, if that makes you happy in the original japanese version the "Fuhrer" is just "Daisoto", meaning Supreme Commander or something like that.
> 
> Which version of the show are you watching? The original one or Brotherhood?


original.


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