#fma live action

Fullmetal Alchemist is finally going to be released worldwide on Netflix in a few hours.  We would like to hear what you think about the movie on here and on Twitter.  If you are watching the movie and want to share your thoughts, can you please use the hashtag #FMANetflix?  It will be easier to search the tag. Hey, maybe we can make this trend!  Thanks!

It’s coming!  So far, in addition to US and Canada, I have seen fans from the Singapore, Italy, and the UK confirming the listing on their respective country’s Netflix, so it looks like it will be a pretty wide release.

As you already know, Netflix is all about viewership, especially viewership in the first week of release.  This is like the box office numbers for them and they make future business decisions about FMA or even other films in the same genre using those numbers.  Please try to watch it on Netflix (not pirated) as soon as possible.  There is a 1-month free trial anyway.

Edit:

In US and Canada, the shows are usually released at midnight PST. I’ve been told that Netflix released shows at the same time worldwide, so the movie may not be available until the afternoon your time, depending on where you are.  You will have to check with your country’s Netflix.

Thanks for the confirmations in the comments! It is also confirmed for Argentina, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Mexico, Australia, Dutch, Sweden, and the Philippines so far.  I don’t think I can keep up with the confirmations, so please leave a comment or check the comments for your country. :-) It does look like it will be available to most of the countries Netflix operates in.

fma-facts:

So to reiterate, just to nip it in the bud before people start freaking out about this:

The movie coming to Netflix in February is NOT “Netflix Fullmetal Alchemist”. It’s the 2017 Japanese FMA live action movie, made lovingly in Japan by dedicated fans of the series, with input from Hiromu Arakawa. Netflix may have obtained the rights to license it in the U.S., but they did not make the movie itself. It’s the same movie we’ve been hearing about since early 2016.

Netflix often buys the licensing rights to foreign shows, and then markets them as “Netflix originals”, but contrary to what it implies, that doesn’t always mean they were madebyNetflix. Rest assured that this is not Death Note. I actually saw the FMA live action at its New York premiere back in November, and I can tell you that although the plot is different from anything we’ve seen before (think of it as an AU), it’s a fantastic Japanese movie that stays true to the spirit of FMA, with a great cast as well. So don’t miss it!

Dear followers!

This is a bit late for me to say, but HAPPY NEW YEAR! We have been blessed in 2017 for the Fullmetal Alchemist live action movie, the sole reason why we started this blog in the first place! And thank you for following us throughout 2016-2017! It has been an awesome journey.

Sorry for being inactive for the past weeks. Our admin has been really busy with our lives and we haven’t managed to catch up with the later half of the promotional stuff (interviews, variety show appearances, etc). We will try to finish the remaining untranslated interviews and possibly some variety show appearances featuring the cast. We’d like to thank @ryoosukeyamada fansub team too for doing most of the subbing for their variety show appearances.

Though its already 2018, there is still no news of the international release dates, but we will make sure to update you guys ASAP once the info comes out! As soon as I am done with my real life stuff I’ll do my best to share more stuff about the movie here!

-Nikka-

thecrazyexfangirl:

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The report on FMA’s Christmas stage greeting event on December 19th.

In this interview, Yamada Ryosuke and Dean Fujioka talked about the film, their approach to their respective roles, their filming experience, and most importantly, how mesmerized they are with each other’s beauty and talent. :) 

Special thanks to weibo user 草莓要配白巧克力 for the clear scans.

You can see the magazine’s photo shoot between these two here 

Born under a lucky star—–?

— Since it was the first time you two co-starred, what were your impressions of each other?

Yamada: I wondered what kind of person he was. Doesn’t he give off a mysterious impression? When I watched him on TV, he looked like a prince who stepped out of a shojo manga. Even in the eyes of men, he was cool.

Dean: (Smiles)

Yamada: I wanted to find some weaknesses. I wondered what he was not good with. When I met him on set, he was extremely friendly. The more I know him, the more I realize that he has no flaws. “There are [actually] people like this” was what I discussed with (Winry’s actress Honda) Tsubasa on set.

[T/N: He just called her Tsubasa in the original text, not Tsubasa-chan or Tsubasa-san.]

— He does not have any flaws, does he?

Dean: Quite doubtful though (laughs).

Yamada: Er, is there something [I should know]?

Dean: There are a lot [of flaws]. If I start listing them, it will probably go on forever (laughs).  [Now,] the following lines are indeed “coming out of a manga”. If I have to describe your face, it is one I can look at forever. It’s like he was born under a lucky star. When I look at Yamada-kun’s face, I feel so very fortunate.

Yamada: I’m happy to hear that (laughs).

Dean: I don’t think it would be possible [for someone] to be born under such a star. Although you may think you heard a strange comment, it is precisely the line to use to if I am describing such a person.

—- How was it like to co-star?

Yamada: I truly admire his attitude in tackling the role. Although we have only worked together in this project, [I think] he understood every bit of the role properly, from the expressions and gestures, the way to show it… His whole characterization was like painting an artwork, and he was cool as a man.  He took everything extremely seriously.

— Dean-san’s Colonel Mustang was awesome indeed.

Yamada: Well, he really was Mustang. I am a huge fan of the original work, and since Mustang is as popular as Ed, [initially] I was really worried about his casting.  When it was decided to be Dean-san, as a fan of the manga, [I felt everything] would be okay now.  Looking at him on set wearing the uniform, I thought “Mustang is here”.

Dean: Thank you very much.

Yamada: There was a scene where Dean-san snapped his fingers and then fire erupted everywhere. I think only Dean-san can create that image. It was so cool.

Dean: Everyone knows that all you need is one glance and you will feel Yamada-kun’s presence; I think this is a talent he is born with. But while Yamada-kun is attractive, at the same time, he is very rugged. Speaking for myself, I felt that he is very strong. Even when he was playing the character Ed, he was very lively and Yamada-kun’s acting was just right.  I think that as a real life person, he was able to draw out the charm of the original manga character, this man is cool to the core. Somehow I became interested to hear many things about him, like “How did you get started with your current job?” Whether it was good to ask them, I don’t know (laughs).

Yamada: No, no, it’s okay.

Dean: Tell me everything. As far as the Japanese entertainment industry is concerned…I have only 4 or 5 years of experience in Japan, so there are a lot of things I do not know. In a sense, I think that this film is representative of Japan in the 2017/2018 season. I was very interested in how they adapt an original manga that has [such widespread] appeal, even from the overseas; actually I am working in another country, and everyone have heard about this work.  As the lead actor of such a massive project, he must have a very strong will to play the role of Ed.  Even if you act a certain way, [there are more that] are conveyed by the eyes and the delivery of the lines; in other words, it is not just about acting. Even if you played the role as you understood it, it may not come out easily, since there are parts of you that are exposed, whether good or bad. In that sense, I think that Yamada-kun on screen as Ed will grab the hearts of many people.

Yamada: Thank you very much.

— Dean-san said, “As Ed, there is a strength [within him]”.  How do you prepare yourself while on set?

Yamada: I’m not talking about creating a role here, but I do make it a rule to not carry the role with me [while we are not filming]. If I take a role with me, then I cannot talk with the staff, and indeed it will be impossible for me to talk to anyone who plays the role of an enemy.  I don’t think that is an entertainment show. Of course, I was there in the position of the lead, but because I was also Yamada Ryosuke, the person, Dean-san asked me a lot of things, for me as well, I asked him about filming overseas and private stories, and I listened to the music Dean-san made privately.  To go further, even if someone told me not to socialize with the actors on the homunculus side (the homunculi trio are the antagonists) during filming, it would be impossible to do.

Dean: You were mainly talking about games on set (laughs).

Yamada: We were doing that (laughs). Regardless, I am not that type [of actor]. I can switch to the role when we start shooting.

— Anything else you you guys talked about?

Dean: I ask things like who likes comedy and stuff (laughs)

Yamada: Dean-san, I like comedy (laughs).

Dean: Yamada-kun told me about a number of comedians.  We were watching videos together, Maple Superalloy and so on (laughs).

The Deep Connection between Ed and Mustang

— How was the role of Ed?

Yamada: Ed is an existence I have known since I was a child, so I do not have to force it.  I already have a [firm image of him] in my mind.  [Instead], I thought about how I could paint the role with my own colours.  I could not break the character by what I do but I also have to make sure that I do what I intended to do. So I thought about how to properly mix the [two objectives].

— Romi Park-san, who voiced Ed in the anime, had said in the media that Ed was a really hard role.

Yamada: After the filming ended, I had the opportunity to eat with Park-san, while we talked about the difficult experiences that are only known to those who have played Ed, I felt that I also gained some insight into what it means to play Ed.

Dean: Oh.

Yamada: I could not perform [this part] using minor acting; if I can’t let what was inside of me emerge explosively in an instant, I could not play Ed [that way].  I poured everything I have into the role, so hopefully, you will find [my performance] convincing.

— About how the way Ed talks?

Yamada: I [had planned on] changing the tone of my voice. I asked Park-san’s and we talked for about 4 to 5 hours, and I had a strong impression of Ed in my mind, but [by the time] I heard Park-san’s thoughts on Ed as someone who had played the role for many years, the movie was already finished, so I made an impossible request of the director, “Could I do that part again?”, so there were some parts where I did re-dubbing again. I was glad we [him and Romi] had been able to talk.

— For Dean-san, how was it like to play Mustang?

Dean: At first glance, you do not know what kind of person he was. Was he a good person or was he not very good?  However, he was actually very strong willed and prepared, therefore, sometimes it seemed like he was emotionless; he was the best friend of Lt. Colonel Hughes played by Sato (Ryuta) san and he was also concerned about the brothers Ed and Al, right?  He was caught between his relationships to others and the feelings he held for the opposite side, but still, he moved forward with a strong will.  I thought it was important to maintain a balance there.

— In the film, Colonel Mustang was a “leading man” type, but in the manga, he also had a comedic side.

Dean: When I read the manga, there are times when he was in proper human form and there are times when he was shown in the “three-head form” in comedy mode.  I wondered how the “three-head form” could be shown in the live action film (laughs). I was interested in reading those in the original work.  However, this time, [Roy Mustang] was drawn as the “adult form” [in the film].  If the “three-head form” can be shown in future, I think you will Roy Mustang exhibiting a different type of charm.

[T/N: Santoushin refers to the style of drawing human figures where the head is literally ⅓ of length of the body. I’m just going to call it “three-head form” because I have no idea what the correct term should be.  The adult form / human form refers to the serious side and “three-head form” refers to the comedic side of Roy Mustang.]

— This movie was also filmed in Siena, Italy. Yamada-san, how was it in Italy?

Yamada: As expected, if I film in Japan in this costume, it would be fine if I felt in character. Since at crank-in for any work, I would feel a bit uncertain [about the character], so for me, it was a great thing that we could crank-in in Italy. That scenery, atmosphere… it was just like the world of Hagaren, so by shooting in that [environment], I was able to get into [the character] for the duration.  Then there was the train. It is not on a regular schedule; the train only runs once or twice a year.

Dean: That’s right.

Yamada: Ten hours, we shot all the scenes at once without leaving [the train].  Although it was tough, it was a valuable experience.  That said, the filming [conditions] were quite shabby (laughs).

Dean: What? Where (laughs)?

Yamada: We spent ten hours on the train and those were wooden chairs without cushion.

Dean: Ah! I see, I see.

Yamada: We could not go to the bathroom. And for meals, we just had bread and apples for the whole day… It was just a [long and glorious] story though (laughs).  I had never been in such a situation before, so it was hard to get used to it, right? However, the Italian and Japanese crew held my hand and encouraged me with, “Just a little bit more and we are done!”  Since it was bright until 10pm over there, they could take forever to finish shooting (laughs). Although I was only there for two weeks, I was able to get past these challenges, finished [filming there] with a sense of Ed’s character intact, and approached the shoot in Japan with a positive feeling. Because there were a lot of important scenes that were filmed in Japanese.

— Dean-san did not shoot in Italy, but the Toho Studio’s set was also magnificent.

Dean: Well, I was excited [to see] the scale of the set. [I wondered] what kind of filming will start from there.  There was an overwhelming use of CG in this project, and I had once participated in a CG heavy work in China.  Having the [prior] experience, I tried to imagine the different approaches [to CG] used by different countries in various scenes, as that provided good stimuli and discoveries.  Director Sori was amazing.  While filming, the complete image was firmly planted in the director’s head.  There was no confusion at the production stage, and the lack of hesitation was really amazing.

Yamada: He was amazing.

Dean: Our eyes would meet, he would say “For this part, please do it like this”, it was just [the right thing to say], so I also had a lot of confidence in doing it and I thought that was wonderful.  While filming, I was looking forward to the finished product.

— The relationship between Ed and Mustang was not very serious on the surface, but there was a [shared] understanding deep inside their hearts and I think it was great. You can see it in the movie too.  

Yamada: In this work, [Ed] was a child living among adults, right?  While he was a State Alchemist, he was the youngest; he counted Hughes as one of his close friends and allies, Mustang was a tough but trustworthy presence, and Ed was going back and forth between all these relations.  I think that being thrown in the midst of the adult world, Ed was nipping at adulthood in this very charming manga.  Still, Mustang and Ed were connected by a warm friendship that could not be seen.  Mustang’s background was not explored in the movie yet.  However, Hughes and Mustang did have a meaningful conversation.

Dean: Yeah, yeah.

Yamada: For me, I want [Mustang] to be characterized properly. In the future, if there is a 2nd or [even] 3rd part, I think we will definitely delve into [his story], and if someone who is not familiar with “Fullmetal Alchemist” saw this, [they will finally know] there was such a past for Mustang, so I think they will now understand how he got to his position and that he was aiming for the top. Then, as their impression of Mustang changes, the way they look at Ed will also change accordingly. I think everything connects to the relationship between these two people. Because I already knew it, so it shall be (laughs).

Dean: (Laughs)

Yamada: I want people to know this properly. Otherwise, they do not understand why these two people are in such a relationship.

Dean: That’s part of the background, if we look at Ed and Mustang’s relationship in real life, they do not hang out every day, so when they saw each other after a long time, they will update each other; they have that type of relationship.  When he hears the other person’s stories, there is a feeling of “wow” and regret [at the same time]. He may think that it is something he wanted to do himself, so by leaving a memento of the time they were apart, they become the inspiration of the other person, and the relationship is properly updated.  I think that such a provoking relationship is very important, perhaps if things are to continue as is, a friendship will emerge… well, that is how I feel.

Yamada: [Ed and Mustang] were chasing after different things, but I guess they were similar. Both of them were very strong willed (laughs).

Dean: (Laughs)

Yamada: So, sometimes there were conflicts between them, but there was a certain respect as well, even though they did not want to admit it.

Dean: I chose a different approach, perhaps they were the same fundamentally. Since those two resemble each other, I wonder if there would be conflicts.

What underlies the stars’ styles?

— There is a scene where Yamada-san jumped from the height of about 7 meters at the beginning of the movie. When the director [wanted to] proceed with rehearsals, you said you would do the real take right away. Weren’t you afraid?

Yamada: No, I was scared. However, even if we rehearsed [the scene], it would not change the fact that I had to leap [off the building], so even if the rehearsal was good, it would not have helped.  So, I said, “let’s just do the leap!”  There was nothing else left to do because even if I was afraid, it could not be helped.  I was already out there.

—Did you cultivate that kind of resolve while doing this job?

Yamada: What is that? I guess it is my personality.  I’ve been doing things [based on gut] feelings since I was little.  It is like “I will do anything!” (laughs).  I think there were many times where my feelings were aroused at this film set.  As this is my first time appearing in a world famous property, there were many things I could learn from this role, and since I have put every experience I have accumulated in my life so far into this role, I feel that I have renewed my resolve for the future again.

— Next, for Dean-san’s Colonel Mustang, there was a great deal of heat.

Dean: Oh, the fire was hot (laughs)?

— Although the fire was hot too (laughs), in the second half, there was nothing but heat. You could not go to such a place with normal level of awareness.  Of course Dean-san was acting, but even in variety shows as an example, you take every single thing seriously.  You put your heart and soul into it.

Dean: Thank you for your kind words. I’m glad [to hear this]. Working as an actor, I spend a part of my life in a role, so shouldn’t I completely pour that part of my life in there?  Since I am doing what I desire to do, I want to treat it with importance.  Everyone wants to make their life better, but it can only be done through their own hard work.  Every single job, even when I am not working, one way or another, my life is changing based on the path I chose.  I have this feeling whether I am acting or working with music and other things.

— Finally, please tell us what you think is the charm of the story.

Yamada: I think this work properly described the fundamental weakness that exists in human beings.  It is a masterpiece in fantasy entertainment where even the antagonists, the homunculi, were fully formed emotionally.  “We are not human beings, but we wanted to be thought of as human beings.”  Since these weaknesses are shown, it grasps at your heart and touches your soul.

Dean: The last words of Lust (the name of the homunculus played by Matsuyuki Yasuko) sums it up the best.  I thought you were a hateful enemy a while ago, but it seemed to have come a full circle.

Yamada: That’s right. Every single character has a background story and his or her own personality and each character is portrayed very delicately. I think this is one of the charms of this work. In the manga, [the motivation for each action] was clear, so it was also very easy to read.  I would like to take a peek into [Arakawa] sensei’s head. I wonder how she came up with such a story.

Dean: There are many metaphors and symbols drawn from the real world in this work, so won’t those images be conveyed to those who have a strong desire to see them [better] by real life actors working on the live action them?  I think it is normal for young children like Ed and Al to want to see their mother again.  However, because they missed their beloved mother,  the brothers took the wrong approach and the two paid a price.  In order to return his brother Al to his former body, Ed took a series of action with a selfless (self-sacrifice) intention, I think that emotional side strongly appealed to the viewers by filming with real people. Even the homunculus, who are the antagonists, has such a place in the story; Mustang pushing forward with a strong will in order to reach his goal; things happening at times that pushed emotions and advanced the story; and all other characters had a delicately drawn backstory; since this work is unique in the film world, I think many people would like to see it.

“Director Sori talked about the charm of Yamada Ryosuke”

I think that Yamada-kun’s sense as an actor was outstanding, but Ed is a very masculine role. I saw [Ed] as an unparalleled, explosive force (laughs).  I asked myself what would I do if Yamada-kun was really quiet or very feminine (laughs). However, when we met, [I noticed] he was very manly. He was Ed and it was fun for me to make request after request. Sometimes when I asked for impossible things, there was disgust written all over his face. However, he would still respond brilliantly. For example, there was a scene in the beginning where he had to leap from about 7m tall. It was a very difficult scene because it was a leap in the middle of an action scene, but he did it without difficulty. When I said, “Yamada-kun, let’s rehearse the jump”, he said, “It’s ok. Just do the real take.” “Well, don’t you want a run through to get used to it?” I said. “I do not want to jump many times.” So just like that, I turned on the camera, and I saw Ed wearing his heavy coat flying through the air. I thought it was soooooo cool (laughs). He is a movie star indeed! I guess he’s a gutsy guy. When I asked him whether he was afraid, he said “Scary!”  He added, “Even if I am scared, I have no choice but to do it.” As someone who carried the responsibility of the lead, he could not hamper [the production], I think that the staff responded to his spirit, and the other actors were also considerably fired up by his earnestness.

"Director Sori talked about the charm of Dean Fujioka”

The enthusiasm for everyone on set was unusually high, you wouldn’t know it unless you were there. Mr. Dean was very masculine and he was the one who spread the enthusiasm on set. Everyone had expectations and he met that expectation. Since he was someone who could fire up the passion of those around him, the excitement level went up steadily, so when we finally reached the climax, it was awesome, wasn’t it? I don’t think I had seen such a Dean Fujioka before. I think the passion on set was possessing Dean-san. Dean-san, with the heat contained inside him, was absolutely amazing. Noticing it, I could tell that the switch had now been turned on. At first glance, he looked like a cool guy, but once the switch was flipped, he couldn’t be stopped. I think the young people around him was also switched on [as a result].

Because he is rich in sensibility, I guess there was an understanding [between him and] Yamada-kun. Although there were sparks flying when these two men were acting together, but once the scene was done, it seemed like they obtained some sort of understanding of each other. When I was watching Yamada-kun and Dean-san, I felt like I was actually seeing the relationship between Ed and Mustang. While they were not stuck together on the surface, it seemed that these two were completely connected at the root level. You got to admit it.  I think that it was great that these two men were able to see each other and foster a good relationship as men and as actors.

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fma-facts:

Real quick cause I gotta go to class in a few minutes, but! The Gangan official twitter just posted this: https://twitter.com/shonen_gangan/status/1498674421568921601?s=20&t=P3uvzWuVegH8iZ6u_O9_HQ 

Looks like the news is a sequel to the live action movie! I’ll try to get clearer info when I’m not dying of allergies, but from skimming the site it seems it’s going to be released in two parts, is titled “Scar the Avenger”, and will also include other characters such as Ling and friends, Father, Hohenheim, Izumi, Selim, Kimblee, Bradley, etc.

Here’s the trailer!