Anime Source an in depth guide of characters from Fullmetal Alchemist. Spirited Away’s Hayao Miyazaki gives us a piece of his mind. Neon Genesis Evangelion and its Christian imagery. Contents 22 Cover Story Fullmetal Alchemist A glimpse into the world of two brother alchemists in search of the Philospher Stone in order to set something right. Gain insight into the many characters that occupy the Fullmetal Alchemist universe. Sections 2 Fan Art 8 Your Comments 22 Cover Story 36 DVD/Movie See the work of What do you have Anime of the month. Releases, previews other artists. to say? and reviews. 4 Letters to the Editor 10 Anime Application 26 Spotlight 46 Manga Ask us your questions. How anime applies to Understand what the Anime on the go. real life. directors are thinking. Article Finder Anime Application Wolf’s Rain. 17 Hideaki Anno. 30 Appleseed. 43 Bleach. 19 Cover Story Seiji Mizushima. 27 Howl’s Moving Castle. 41 Naruto. 11 Fullmetal Alchemist. 22 Hayao Miyazaki. 26 Venus Wars. 39 Neon Genesis Spotlight DVD/Movie Manga Evangelion. 10 Akira. .36 Samurai Champloo. 46 Trigun. 13 Noriyui Abe. 32 2 Anime Source Nov 06 Anime Application Anime and Religion Finding religion is a common occurrence in many SEELE’s logo and the mask of Lilith have seven eyes, and the people’s lives. Finding religion in anime however is not main Evas (Eva-00, 01, and 02) have a total of seven eyes. The so common. The hit anime series Neon Genesis number seven has a number of meanings Judeo- Evangelion draws much of its ideas and Christian and other religious traditions. symbols from Christianity and Judaism. In Japan and many Western traditions Throughout the series, there are many it is viewed as a lucky number. The obvious and not so obvious examples being made up of the combined Rei of this. All the Evangelions in the series and Lilith has twelve wings, twice are based on barons of hell. Unit 00 is the number posessed by the based on a baron with only one eye for highest rank of angels, the Seraphim, a face. Unit 01 is based on the baron of as described in. There are also twelve darkness, which had one horn and giant chairmen of SEELE. The number teeth. Unit 02 was based on a blood twelve has several other meanings: red baron who had four eyes and two for example it is also the number jaws. The Tree of Sephiroth or Tree of of Apostles of Jesus and the number Life is an illustration of ten orbs that of Tribes of Israel. It has been theorized shows the relationship between heaven by some that the 17th Angel, Kaworu, and earth is mentioned. Adam and Eve represents Jesus due to his forgiving and (also known as Eva) are a direct reference to thoughtful nature. On the other hand, Kaworu may the first human beings from the book of Genesis. represent Judas, who betrayed Jesus. The Christian cross is The Angels are a The Magi computers are Lilith is impaled with the often shown, frequently reference to the angels named after the three Lance of Longinus, the represented by energy of God from the Old wise men) who were spear used to pierce the beams shooting Testament. Their origin mentioned in the Gospel side of Jesus during up skyward. is never explained in the as having visited Jesus his crucifixion. series, however. at his birth: Melchior, Balthasar and Casper. 10 Anime Source Nov 06 Cover Story The Military The military is comprised of Fullmetal Alchemist soldiers and State Alchemists. Two of the main people within the military are Colonel Roy Mustang and Lt. Colonel Maes Hughes. Edward and Alphonse Elric are two their attempt. Unfortunately, some- Mustang is Ed’s immediate brothers gifted with the ability of thing goes horribly wrong and in supervisor, and is also known as alchemy, the science of taking one the process Ed loses his leg while the Flame Alchemist. He is a very thing and changing it into another. Al loses his body. Ed manages to private individual, having his own However, alchemy works on the save Al by attaching his spirit to a agenda. Lt. Colonel Maes Hughes theory of Equivalent Exchange -- for suit of armor, but at the cost of his is a military investigator. Hughes something to be created, some- arm. Now determined to correct is a very easy-going, likable guy. thing else of equal value must be what they have done and get their Although not an alchemist, he has sacrificed. When their mother dies, bodies back, the brothers decide to a talent with knives. He is currently Edward decides to do the unthink- become State Alchemists to gain obsessed with his baby daughter, of able -- bringing her back to life by access to the State’s enormous whom he can’t stop talking about. preforming Human Alchemy. How- library on alchemy. There, they learn ever, both Edward and Alphonse of the legendary Philosopher’s know that by doing so they will be Stone, an item that could help breaking one of Alchemy’s biggest them get their bodies back. They taboos. Believing they have noth- soon learn, however, that they are ing more to lose, Ed and Al goes not the only ones after the Stone ahead with their plan and make as even the military has their own agenda for its use. Edward and Alphonse Elric Scar First known as the State Alchemist Killer, he believes State Alchemists are defying the sacredness of the Almighty God. He vows to kill all State Alchemists and anyone who gets in his way. Though his intentions seem evil, he may prove to be a great help to Ed and Al. 22 Anime Source Nov 06 Nov 06 Anime Source 23 Cover Story Wrath Wrath has the appearance of a child, Homunculi but he can use alchemy with Ed’s Whether due to the loss of a loved well as their regenerative and other arm and leg. With them, he can use one, malicious purpose or simply special abilities. All Homunculi bear a kind of alchemy that’s pretty foolish curiosity, human transmuta- the mark of the Ouroboros, though different than what Ed and Al use. tions are attempted; that is to say, the location of the tattoo varies from He can merge himself with the attempted resurrection of a dead Homunculus to Homunculus. The inanimate objects and also morph person. Unfortunately, when these winged serpent consuming its own his body. He was created by Ed and attempts backfire, a separate life is tail represents the cycle of life and Al’s Sensei. created. On initial creation, Homun- death through which the Homunculi culi do not possess human features, constantly pass. Each is named but rather resemble hideous beings after one of the seven deadly sins; of decay; for example, organ piles Lust, Gluttony, Envy, Pride, Sloth, Greed and bones jutting out at odd angles Greed, and Wrath. As such, some of Not much is known about Greed, in a horrific display. If left alone, their personality or character traits as he’s only in the series for a they would remain in this deformed are defined by the sin of which they little while. Another one of Dante’s yet helpless state. By feeding on are the embodiment. They are cruel creations, Greed is “The Ultimate Philosopher’s Stones, complete or sociopaths, as one would expect Shield,” as he likes to call himself. otherwise, they gain the ability to of incarnations of sin, although not take human shape,specifically the incapable of questioning their nature appearance of the human who they or the validity of their existence. are an attempted resurrection of, as Lust She was created by Scar’s older brother, whom she was once in love Sloth with. Her fingernails turn into deadly You see her throughout the series, claws that extend outward to pierce working as the Fuhrur’s secretary. her enemies. She can turn herself into water. You don’t figure out she’s a homunculus until later in the series. She was created by Ed and Al when they tried to resurrect their mother. Gluttony Gluttony may look like a big oaf, but he can eat through anything. He’s always hungry, usually for humans. And trust me, he will eat them. He’s especially close to Lust. He was Pride created by Dante. Throughout the series, you see the Fuhrer acting strange at times. A homunculus is in charge of the Envy military. His ability is that he has an Envy is the most dangerous of all ”all-seeing” eye. You don’t really get the homunculi. He is able to change a glimpse of his abilities until the end into anyone he wants, making it of the series. He was also created impossible to tell the difference by Dante. between him and the real person. He was created by Ed and Al’s father. 24 Anime Source Nov 06 Nov 06 Anime Source 25 Spotlight inside the mind of Hayao Miyazaki Yes, there is an internal order, the my work. I really don’t want to be a demands of the story itself, which slave to my work by working a year lead me to the conclusion. There longer than it already takes, so after are 1415 different shots in Spirited he says this I usually return to work Away. When starting the project, I with more concentration and at a had envisioned about 1200, but the much faster pace. Another principal film told me no, it had to be more I adhere to when directing, is that than 1200.