'Fullmetal Alchemist' Director Is Relieved Fans Like The Film

Anime fans aren’t secretive about their wariness towards live-action adaptations. Over the [...]

Anime fans aren't secretive about their wariness towards live-action adaptations. Over the years, Hollywood and other industries have churned more than a few subpar takes on anime, and fans have grown to expect the worst when a new one is announced. Fans of Fullmetal Alchemist learned that the hard way when Warner Bros. announced it was making a live-action take of the series.

So, you can guess how relieved the film's director is knowing fans love the adaptation.

Earlier this month, Sori Fumihiko attended Anime NYC for Fullmetal Alchemist's U.S. premiere. The director welcomed fans lucky enough to nab a ticket, and Fumihiko recently spoke about his experience with Japanese press (via Natalie). It was there the director admitted he's pleased fans have embraced the movie so far.

"Since I was a fan of the original story, I wanted to express the brotherly love, friendship, and bonds with important comrades that are in the core of the original work," Fumihiko said. While the West is its setting, the work's message is very Japanese, so I think the message [creator Hiromu] Arakawa wanted to tell is packed."

"Since I'm using a Western setting with Japanese people, I was honestly very stressed about Americans would accept it, but since you really enjoyed this movie from the bottom of my heart, it's really cool," he continued.

"There were a lot of fans who understood the core part of the story and not the surface layer. I was very touched. The story Arakawa drew was made in Japan, but I realized I was feeling sympathy from all over the world. I will never forget the applause which happened after the movie ended."

So far, fans have given the live-action take on Fullmetal Alchemist positive reviews. Aside from some peripheral changes, the film largely stays true to the vision Arakawa first made in the manga. The movie is slated to debut in Japan on December 1, but it will also have a limited screening in the U.S. at a later date. Keep up with ComicBook to find out when the U.S. theatrical run will go down!

Do you plan on seeing the live-action take of Fullmetal Alchemist? Hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to let me know and talk all things anime!

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