Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

This anime is based on the Fullmetal Alchemist manga by Hiromu Arakawa and revolves around two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric. Due to their father being a very gifted alchemist, the boys themselves began to show signs of having the same capabilities , at a young age. The main plot is driven by the boys' quest for the famous, Philosopher's Stone, but along the way, they discover a deep government conspiracy aimed at keeping the properties of the Philosopher's Stone, a secret. 

Let me begin by saying that even if you are not a fan of anime, this is one that you should definitely check out. Not only does it have strong, amazing characters but the action sequences are done brilliantly as well. The series also does a good job of portraying moral conflicts of various characters, both the good and the bad, and is very interesting to watch them overcome obstacles. The viewer may find themselves invested in the characters before they even realise it and with each episode, become more curious as to what's going to happen. 

It is a really fun show, but at the same, possess the right amount of suspense and thrill, in terms of the plot and the characters. The series aims for the depth of human emotion and will have the viewer hooked from the start. Even more so was the perfect ending; the finale felt like closure to this 64-episode series and nothing was left unanswered. 

I know I did not mention any negative points, but that is simply I did not find one big enough that was worth mentioning. Of course, each viewer may have thoughts as to what they thought were drawbacks of the show but I can't come up with anything major. 

Happy binge-watching! 

The Legend of Korra

This show is a sequel to 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' and the unique factor remains to be the same; some people can 'bend' certain elements and only one person, the Avatar, can master and bend all the elements in order to maintain balance in the world. The series' protagonist is Avatar Korra, who is the reincarnation of Avatar Aang from the previous series and follows her journey as she attempts to help overcome the unrests that terrorise the world. 

Although the first season's plot line was not something mind-blowing, it was certainly a good start to get people hooked on to the show. The show does not introduce Korra as someone who has mastered all the elements with ease. Rather, they show her struggles not only as an Avatar, but simply with the fact that she wants to leave her home at the Water Tribe in order to see the world outside and pursue her training at Republic City. Apart from that, the first season also does a great job of introducing us to other great characters and exposes the viewer to the sport of 'pro-bending'. The second season was one of my absolute favourites. The main reason is due to the origin story that is portrayed in this season, wherein it is explained through Korra's experience, how the very first Avatar came to be made. 
The art style and animation throughout the episodes were brilliant as well. Additionally, the entrance of dark spirits was captivating as well, much like the plot line. 

Whilst the third season was not as great as the previous two, it does possess a strong and capable villain and that helped to keep the pace going. This season also focusses a lot on the Earth Kingdom, which was a nice change from the other two seasons. Lastly, the fourth season is where I must express my disappointment. Compares to it's three predecessors, the fourth was a let down and even though the plot took a different direction, it did not match up to the pace and intensity of the previous three. 

Overall, this show remains to be one of my favourites and is definitely a must-watch, especially for those who have seen the prequel. 

Happy binge-watching! 

Avatar: The Last Airbender

For those who have already watched this show, you might be a bit surprised as to why it's on my review list, considering it's a series that was targeted at kids. However, it was only recently that I had been exposed to Avatar: The Last Airbender, and I just cannot help but write a review on it. 

Set in a world wherein the population is able to manipulate the four elements (Earth, Fire, Air & Water) with an ability known as 'bending', the story follows the journey of Avatar Aang and his friends, who must save the world by defeating the Fire Lord. Whilst the four nations had lived in harmony years before, it was the Fire nation that declared war and dominance and according to legend, only the Avatar can bring world peace. The unique characteristic about the Avatar is his/her's ability to master all the four elements with the utmost power, thereby managing a balance in the world. 

Since the first season mostly just sets the stage for the show, it is not as exciting as the second and third seasons. Nonetheless, it most certainly helped in getting me familiarised with the characters and their integral role in the whole story. Whilst it may have been seemed like everything was black and white for the twelve year Aang, as the show progressed, I watched him battle his inner conflicts and demons, which was at times worse than him being indulged in physical combat. After all, it cannot be all that easy for someone as young as him to shoulder the fact that the fate of the world really does depend on him. But the character that turned out to be my absolute favourite was Zuko, prince of the Fire Nation, whose complexity and transition was unmatched. Initially seen as the Avatar's primary enemy, he was not an easily liked character but as the episodes and seasons proceeded, he began to question his actions, and ultimately his destiny. 

The graphics of the show was pretty amazing as well and though the target audience may have been kids, the series' storyline and characters make it worth a watch even now. It consisted of three seasons, aired on Nickelodean and ended in 2008. 

Happy binge-watching!