Episode 01

Synopsis: Edward and Alphonse Elric have arrived in the city of Lior, in the East. They hear of a priest named Cornello who can perform miracles, but could he actually be in possession of the one thing that they search for, the Philosopher's Stone?

Early Thoughts
This episode seems to be visually unedited, but the audio is where the problems lie.

First up, voices:
Edward- I don't like it. He's only supposed to be 15, and the voice is deeper. Also, even though they have him making wise-cracks, the voice sounds too serious in other times... I just don't think it fits him.
Alphonse- I like that they got a kid to voice him (the kid's only 12, apparently), but I think that they would've been better off with an experienced adult woman doing the voice. The kid's sounding too unnatural. It doesn't help that they made Al sound too hollow as well, but part of it is the kid's voice as well. It should've been a little higher (maybe the kid hit puberty after he was cast?).
Winry- Only  heard a little bit of hers, but ugh, I hate it. The voice was much too old for a 10-year-old (or so... don't think Winry's age is ever said), so they must be having the 'present' actors doing the voices for the past as well (Ed and Al's were, at least). The voice just doesn't fit her. I would've much rather seen Amanda Winn Lee do her voice, since I LOVE Amanda Winn Lee as Mimiru, and Mimiru's seiyuu, Megumi Toyoguchi, also does Winry's voice. She does Mimiru so well, fitting with Toyoguchi-san's performance, so I have no doubt she'd do great as Winry.
Pinako- Again, only a line, but Pinako wasn't that bad. Not what I'd prefer (I think Kaede's voice actress would've done good), but it's much better than the others we've met to this point.
Rose- I LOVE Rose's voice. It's really good. Depending on how Winry's 'present' voice ends up, it may be that the women of FMA are well done, while the men are not (although there are still many we haven't heard).
Mysterious Woman- (Yes, I know who she is, but as viewers I don't think know at this point, I'm not naming her) As I said before, the women are a lot better than the men. Her voice is wonderful, and fits her character perfectly.
Cornello- I don't like his voice, but, then again, I don't like the character. The voice fits the character, though, and that's really all that matters.

Next, names / pronunciations:
No name changes yet, although there are some pronunciation changes. Alphonse (Al-fonse-ey) has become simply Al-fonse, and Rose/Roze (Ro-zey) has become Rose (like the flower). They're also not sure what to call Cornello. They call him "Sir Cornello", a prophet, and "Father Cornello". I guess they're trying to get around the religious context, but not sure. Ed's name is fine, as is "Elric." I don't remember if Winry is named or not (the full version will have it).

General Notes:
The opening was removed, as is usual Adult Swim policy (although Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex had its OP left intact), and the ending was replaced with PART of Ready, Steady, Go! (for those of you who don't know, RSG! is OP 2). Now, I knew that they were using RSG!, but I didn't know they were going to turn it into the ending. And the song is cut off. They should've at least edited it so that it didn't SOUND like it was getting cut off (.hack//SIGN had the same problem, as does GitS: SAC). This might've been just for the first episode, but I don't think so. Because of the lack of OP (I hope that they at least put in the dialogue before the OP, since it IS important, and it is changed in episode 37 or 38... and very funny), the commercial break is earlier in the episode. I'm not sure if the commercial break was moved as well (I'll have to compare it with the original episode), but it is the only commercial break in it, so...

Dialogue Changes:
First off, I noticed two places with major dialogue changes (MDCs), but I can only remember one (and I can't remember the original conversation). It's where Ed and Al are following Rose to the church. They are NOT talking about the woman at the cafe in the past. There's another spot (I think it's at the "Miracle Showing" thingy) where the conversation is very different, but, as I said, I can't remember where. Oh, and rest assured, the stupid "Wrong leg, right arm" comment is NOT in the original. I think they changed most of the dialogue in that battle. It was really a shock to hear these changes, too, since a lot of the dialogue was almost word-for-word my subtitles (fansubs, but from various groups). One thing I AM pleased with (other than the general accuracy), is that the Philosopher Stone's name wasn't changed. My subs of the first episode changed it to the "American" name for the stone, the "Sorcerer's Stone" (which was started by the Harry Potter books).

Final:
I suppose my expectations were high (they usually are), but I really do hate the dub. The voices I could've gotten over if they didn't completely change conversations. I'll record it Thursday night and watch it dual with the original to note all of the dialogue changes (and to catch visual changes, if any), and to check for that eyecatch location. If the 'editing' does remain in dialogue alone, that'll be good, but I doubt it, especially when they get further in the episodes. There was a lot of blood in this episode (at the beginning, at least), that was left out, but I doubt it when they get further down the road (I think that the blood may have been toned down at the beginning of GitS: SAC, to make the prosthetic leg more apparent, though). Well, we'll see when we get there.

Full Review
I'll go through this and note differences as they come up.

Visual Change
As is usual with stuff like this, the credits at the beginning of the episode were removed. US stuff usually doesn't get credits overwriting the images anyway (which makes me wonder about episodes 25 and 51, since the credits are done during the show, and it's a full-length episode... they'll have to cut to make room for additional credits).

Character Change
Instead of Al doing the voice-over introducing Alchemy (which makes sense, since he also does the pre-OP intro), they decided to make Ed do the voice over.

Dialogue Change
In the original, after explaining the basic concepts of Alchemy, Al explains the Law of Conservation / Principal of Equivalent Trade (equal mass). In the dub, this explanation is slightly shortened (not quite sure... they start the dialogue early and speed it up a bit), and instead of 'equal mass' being mentioned, it's 'equal value.' In addition, the dialogue "But that night, I learned that the value of some things can't be measured on a simple scale." Both versions end the dialogue with Ed's scream.

Visual Change
When the text comes on the screen during Ed's scream, originally it says "Continental Year 1910 February, Rizenbull (Rizenburu) Village; Older Brother, 11 years old, younger brother, 10 years old." The dub leaves this almost the same, with "Continental Calendar: February, 1910; Edward: Age 11  Alphonse: Age 10." Not much of a change, but 1) they left out the name of their village (minor), and 2) they named the characters (major, to me). At this point, in both versions, only Al has been named, and you don't know which is 'older' and which is 'younger' (note that the Closed Captioning does name Ed with a [Ed] when he's speaking).

Dialogue Change
In the original, Winry's comment is "What? What happened?" (commenting on the scream through the night). In the dub, she identifies the scream as Ed's, saying "That was Edward!". Pinako's comment of "Calm down, Winry!" was changed to "Wait, Winry, look!"

Dialogue Change
When Al/Ed resume their voice-over, in both versions, they explain the "equal value" idea. This is practically a repeat (in the dub) of what was said a minute earlier, but the end of it is very different. In the original, Al says "The principle of equivalent trade states that to gain something, you must present something of equal value. Perhaps that is a lesson... that people cannot gain anything without sacrifices." The dub changes this to Ed saying "My brother and I knew the laws of science, of equivalent exchange. That gain required sacrifice. That something had to be taken from us. But we thought there was nothing more to lose. We were wrong." The reason I object to this one is because throughout the whole series, Ed and Al see Alchemy as a science, a tool that they use, and the way Al says this voice-over, it's as if this is just another lesson (albeit a painful one) that they had to learn. In the dub, Ed's comments make it much more personal, and make it sound self-centered to them, instead of scientific.

Dialogue Change
Originally, Ed doesn't know what's going on, and doesn't understand how or why they messed up. His comments are "Kuso, this can't be happening... This wasn't how it was supposed to turn out... Shikusho!" In the dub, he calls "Stay with me! This wasn't supposed to... NO!!! He's gone..." The dub also added in Ed's "Is that you?" line, but both screams are unintelligible (unlike the Closed Captions, in which Ed apparently yells "NOOOOOOOOOOO!!"). 

Not a Change
Heheheh... by bad on the "First Thoughts"... the Opening WASN'T there in the first episode... it WAS played at the end... so removing the OP wasn't an edit. However, CN/AS DOES tend to remove OPs, so it's yet to be seen if episode 1 sets the standard, or is the outcast (perhaps cutting the OP is how they'll make room for the extra footage in 25 and 51?).

Dialogue Addition
Ed's "There's nothing but sand" was added. Originally, that's where his "I'm hungry" (harahetta) line came, and where he says "I'm hungry" in the dub had no dialogue. Ed's "Reason number two I hate the desert" was also added, in place of "You sank again?", since they had Al say that he sank in the dub. Ed doesn't call for Al as many times, either.

Dialogue Change
The first of the conversations that are completely changed. And I don't see why, since the original was really funny, and was our first introduction to Ed's bad temper.
Original Dialogue: "If you do that again, I'm leaving you behind!" "But..." "No Buts!" (sand falls on Ed) "Al..." (very annoyed voice) "Wait, Al!" "No, I won't wait!" "Stop!" "No, I won't stop!" "Do one of them!" "I can't decide on one!"
Dub Dialogue: "I don't understand why you keep falling in!" "I get full." "Full of what?" (sand falls on Ed) "heheheheh" (Al laughing) "Get back here!" "What are you going to do?" "Nothing." "Then why are you chasing me?" "Stop and you'll find out!" "I promise I won't get buried again!" "Not unless it's by me!" "Ed!"
Maybe it's just me, but in the original, it's Ed getting annoyed with Al and his temper flaring up. In the dub, Ed is blaming Al for something completely out of his control ("Full of what?" duh... Ed... you've just commented on the "nothing but sand"... can't the dubbers remember what they wrote in the last line?), and then proceeded to act in classic "sibling rivalry" fashion. To me, I don't see this scene so much as "sibling rivalry"-type fighting, but more in a Al knows Ed's temper and doesn't want to get beat up way.

Important Note / Visual Change / Title Change
Note that as of this point in the original (when the ages are again shown), Ed has yet to be named. Al refers to him as 'Nii-san' (brother). The ages are still shown as 'older brother' and 'younger brother' (I think it's this way through the whole series). Also, the title was (slightly) changed from "One Who Challenges the Sun" to "To Challenge the Sun" (only slight... they just took out the person referenced... which could be either Ed or Cornello, I'm still not sure).

Dialogue Change
Instead of "Shut up, I'm too tired to fight" (which is very rude of Ed to say to Al), he originally said "Is that so? That's nice..." Also of note is the fact that Al DOES call Ed "brother" in the dub here. Directly after this, apparently Ed's sense of smell has worsened, and his hearing improved, since in the dub he comments that he can hear the water (even though you still see him sniffing).

Dialogue Change (There are a lot of these, aren't there?)
The shopkeeper doesn't originally say that they should know that the spring is off limits, just that kids can't drink from it. He also originally says that since they're travelers, they wouldn't know that there IS a spring of wine, not that kids can't drink from it (which is the dub's implication... shesh... Ed's a genious, not an idiot). He also doesn't mention the "soul food" in the original, whereas in the dub he doesn't mention the "it's all thanks to..."

Dialogue Addition
In the original, the shopkeeper doesn't say WHY he finds them a strange pair.

Note
At this point in the episode, I realize that it'll take me forever if I continue to do the dialogue changes that are more or less only 'attitude' changes, so I'll try to stick with what I feel is major.

Name Change (sorta)
Let's play "find all the different names Cornello is referred to by." Original: Cornello-sama, and 'representative of the Sun God Leto'. Dub: Sir Cornello, 'great prophet Cornello,' and 'Father Cornello.'

Interesting Dialogue Change
Aside from adding more reasons why the people of Lior love Cornello, the dub even adds in the word "god-forsaken." Now, I know this is Adult Swim, but still... usually that sorta stuff is taken OUT of the dub, not added in.

Visual Edit
Originally, on the overhead shot of the Transmutation Circle, the words "Transmutation Circle" were at the bottom of the screen. This has been removed.

Dialogue Edit
In the dub, when they're talking about how they fixed it, and that they don't have any alchemists there, and how the one guy fixes things for a living and 'let me know if you need a job', the original had the townsfolk thinking that Al had performed a miracle, and that they didn't have any alchemists there. Minor, but it does mark the first spot where Ed gets curious about Cornello's 'miracles.'

Dialogue Addition
In the original, Rose never said 'it's alright if you don't have an offering.' Personally, I find this line offensive. I have never seen a church where guests were required to give offerings. In fact, at my church, we make a point of saying during the offering that guests don't need to give anything, that it's for the members. This line just rubs me the wrong way.

Strange Dialogue Edit
Here's the spot I picked up on as different my first viewing. I was mistaken in that Ed and Al DO mention the 'strange woman,' but all that's mentioned is that she seems familiar. Ed had just said that he was famous at the shop (in both versions), so why does dub Ed find it so strange that she knows who he is? Especially since East City is mentioned, and IIRC, Lior isn't THAT far from East City (at least not if you're a traveler, who this woman could easily have been).

Eyecatch
The eyecatch was originally there (9:58 for the scene change in my copy), but instead of the outline appearing, then the logo being filled in like in the original, the logo is simply "there" in the dub. And instead of it disappearing with a scene change, they have it fade out. I don't think it looks as cool.

Slight Dialogue Edit
Originally, Cornello and Rose were talking about her serving LETO (their god), not the church (aka Cornello).

More Slight Dialogue Edits
Rose didn't tell Al about her boyfriend, he heard it from somewhere else (he says "I heard," not "Rose said"). Also, instead of wondering if Cornello could bring people back from the dead (he should know by now that people can't), he just wondered if there were people who's souls couldn't be destroyed, who would be allowed a new life.

Yet Another Slight Dialogue Edit
Ed didn't originally call the 'miracles' witchcraft (when he says it's 'not witchcraft, it's alchemy'). From my experience, most highly religious people wouldn't appreciate you calling their religion 'witchcraft', and while Rose DOES get mad at Ed, it's for saying it's alchemy, not 'witchcraft.' Why do they have to add in these stupid comments? Ed's not an insensitive jerk like the dub makes him out to be.

Where Do They Get Off with Some of These Dialogue Edits
How in the world does 'old man' translate to 'holy bastard'?

Dialogue Change
Originally, Rose said "Kain will be..." instead of "it has to be."

Dialogue Removal
Awww... now, I knew that I wouldn't be hearing "guun no inu," but I at least hoped I'd hear "dog of the military" in the first episode like I was supposed to. But no, they cut it out... but that's one of the funniest parts!!

I Didn't Know That
Apparently 'saltpeter' and 'niter' are the same thing (dub, original).

Dialogue Edit
Originally, Ed didn't yet again insult her religion, by asking her why she thought it could when science couldn't. He just said that he thought that the research of scientists was more significant than praying and waiting.

Dialogue Edit
Directly following the last one, this one's ironic, 'cuz the dub's dialogue fits more with what Ed was originally saying, whereas the original dialogue fits more with dub Ed.
Original: "People are not things! Are you trying to commit blasphemy?" (more the second part fitting with the dub)
Dub: "Well if there's no magic, why don't you bring someone back to life!"

Dialogue Edit
Ed mentioned Cornello nowhere in his original dialogue.

Not an Edit
In both versions, Ed's comment regarding hitting Cray with Al's head is "Strike!" (Thought I'd point it out, since Ed's later lines in the fight weren't in the original.)

Dialogue Addition
Cornello never said the line about "you of all people should appreciate this". In fact, it makes no sense (unless he knew about stuff that happens in episodes 6-7, which wouldn't make sense).

Lots of Dialogue Addition
There wasn't nearly as much dialogue in the fight originally (it was mainly single word commands on Cornello's part), and, of course, the infamous "Wrong leg, here's the right arm" comment wasn't there.

Dialogue Removal
With all of the 'god, holy, etc' dialogue they've been adding in, I'm surprised that they took out Ed's "body of a sinner" comment (Instead he said "is this what you want?"). Also, shortly later, they take out the 'auto-mail?' comment from Rose. Apparently they're either not gonna call it Auto-Mail (we'll know in episode 3), or they just decided not to include it there.

Dialogue Type Change
When Ed's comment on "getting too close to the sun" comes up, originally it's a voice-over memory on Rose's part, not Ed reminding her of what he said.

Ending Change
Originally, the first episode ended with what would be the first opening. They did this in the dub as well (even though it's the second opening, which is what they're using for the whole series), except they cut out the first 1:01 minutes, then played 9 seconds (including a changed title card) of the original video, and cut out another 32 seconds to get to where the actual video of the dub ending starts. And of course, cutting out so much of the video, and changing the song, means that the song just sorta fades out at a random spot.

Well, that's the end of episode 1. I'll try to get the other episodes finished faster. Except for overlay changes/removal, the editing seems to be currently in the dialogue only. I'm thinking that episode 3 will be the first to have some blood removal, or other stuff like that.

All thoughts and text on this page is (C) Marie Morse, all rights reserved.