I binged all 27 volumes of this series over the course of a week, so I am doing a collective review of the series rather than reviewing each individual volume. This was my first time reading the series - I'm incredibly late to the game - and it is very much worth all the hype and critical acclaim.

The story it tells is still relevant today. It was actually kind of unsettling to read at times due to that relevance. I know that the author interviewed Japanese veterans to get a handle on the story being told in regard to the Ishvalan war and it really shows.

It made for a realistic look at how the military as a collective - and on an individual level - work to dehumanise those they see as the enemy, paving the way for crimes against humanity to appear justified to both ordinary people and those directly involved. The way way those in power can manipulate public opinion to legitimise terrible injustices is also far too familiar, as is the way that that same public is seen as cannon fodder that can be sacrificed in exchange for power.

Sacrifice is a major theme of this series, and the different ways it is employed make for an interesting contrast; personal sacrifice versus sacrificing others to serve personal aims. Within alchemy's rule of equivalent exchange, personal sacrifice is always going to be more powerful, as the loss is more deeply felt by the giver and is therefore more valuable. Complementing this is the theme of kindness, something done for its own sake without a goal in mind. There are no limits to the kindness that can be given and no limits to how far that kindness can go in terms of inspiring others to do their own future kindnesses to pass on what they've received. Which leads to being able to form a supportive community based on how kindness naturally becomes a self-sustaining exchange between people, passed on from one person to the next. This series is full of very flawed people doing their best to try to move forward and make amends for their pasts. They struggle with the knowledge they gain in the course of the story that forces them interrogate their past from a newer, less ignorant perspective. But instead of looking away, they seek out further knowledge, endeavouring to keep learning and trying to do better. It is through the supportive communities they find that they are able to become better people and refine their ideas of what it means to be human. And it is both kindness and community that are vital in how the culmination of the series ultimately play out. 

Of course, it's not all dark themes and high stakes! There is a very well done blend of serious scenes and humour in the series. The characters are flawed yet endearing and there's someone for everyone to love. The character growth experienced over the course of the series is a joy to read and all the characters are complex and well formed. The plot arcs are satisfying and feed into the main plot in a cohesive way with no threads left dangling. And the art is full of personality and conveys so much, even without the text. My only note is that

I could do without the magical curing of disability at the end and the random fatphobia.

This is a really rewarding and enjoyable series to read and I'll be thinking about it for a long time.