One Piece Overrated?

[Pirate Captain Ganzack]

A manga only begins to be considered overrated to some people when others praise it as the best manga alive and perfect in every regard. One Piece is far from perfect, and obviously not the greatest Shonen alive, but it's easily one of the most consistently amazing Shonen manga out there. I don't claim to be an expert on manga. What I do know is Bleach is terrible, the character designs annoy the hell out of me, and I have trouble enjoying this time-skip Naruto stuff whenever I pick up Shonen Jump. I actually did enjoy Naruto back when he was a bratty 12-year old half-pint. It's obviously taken a turn for the worse though. I haven't read Katekyo Hitman REBORN! in awhile, so I'm hoping it hasn't made a turn for the worse. I was just around the starting point of the Inheritance arc with Shimon before I stopped reading.

Pretentious weaboos who won't give One Piece a chance for its unique art-style don't deserve to be One Piece fans.

[Gekko135]

Off topic- Naruto is a poor man's Jojo's bizarre adventure… with more simplistic powers that STILL can't keep themselves consistent. And i'm not the first one to say this.

On topic- One Piece isn't overrated. Unless you are a fan who treats it like god's gift to fiction. Then it is.

[JERK DISEASE]

@Pirate:

A manga only begins to be considered overrated to some people when others praise it as the best manga alive and perfect in every regard. One Piece is far from perfect, and obviously not the greatest Shonen alive, but it's easily one of the most consistently amazing Shonen manga out there. I don't claim to be an expert on manga. What I do know is Bleach is terrible, the character designs annoy the hell out of me, and I have trouble enjoying this time-skip Naruto stuff whenever I pick up Shonen Jump. I actually did enjoy Naruto back when he was a bratty 12-year old half-pint. It's obviously taken a turn for the worse though. I haven't read Katekyo Hitman REBORN! in awhile, so I'm hoping it hasn't made a turn for the worse. I was just around the starting point of the Inheritance arc with Shimon before I stopped reading.

Pretentious weaboos who won't give One Piece a chance for its unique art-style don't deserve to be One Piece fans.

You could very easily and credibly argue One Piece is the greatest Shonen, only Dragonball really matches up to it.

[Pirate Captain Ganzack]

@JERK:

You could very easily and credibly argue One Piece is the greatest Shonen, only Dragonball really matches up to it.

I didn't want to sound ignorant because I don't read much manga to begin with besides One Piece. So I'll just take your word for it. I don't argue with experts.

[tori22]

I dunno if OP can be called the best. It has problems. But I don't see any other true shounen besides DBZ. I like naruto a lot, but no one else does :getlost:…..... Personally, I don't think bleach sucks. If you watch the anime it's actually better. Better paced, and it doesn't feel like it's taking a million years. Also,

! ever since that Aizen thing ended it's been pretty well paced.. But I don't think it matches up to OP in the slightest. DBZ, I think it's inferior to every manga now because I just hate how all of the characters are the same. I like it, but it's terribly over rated. That's a fact.

[JERK DISEASE]

You've never read Dragonball in your life. For the hundredth time, shut up.

[tori22]

Ive told u time and time again i have every volume u want me to take a picture for u and post it I can do that. So no i wont shut up and yea all the characters are the same.

[Nobodyman]

@JERK:

You could very easily and credibly argue One Piece is the greatest Shonen, only Dragonball really matches up to it.

I'd say Fullmetal Alchemist is up there too. Unless we're only talking about Jump.

[Pirate Captain Ganzack]

@tori22:

Ive told u time and time again i have every volume u want me to take a picture for u and post it I can do that. So no i wont shut up and yea all the characters are the same.

I thought you said you were going to quit arguing?

[mechysonu]

@Nobodyman:

I'd say Fullmetal Alchemist is up there too. Unless we're only talking about Jump.

You mean the manga right!!!! Cause the the anime was like a different series. I do agree that FMA is better match up to one piece than bleach or naruto. I liked FMA as well and some of the fights were really epic like the one with king bradley. However overall, it goes to One Piece. Remember the criterion is not just plot, character development and consistency; the atmosphere and environment of the flow of the plot also play an important role. In this category, I think oda has found the perfect balance. Besides consistency, what sets oda from the competition is his ability to takes several themes (seriousness, adventure, comedy, sadness ect…) and synthsize them together very well.

Although no manga is perfect, One Piece is pretty close. Besides Oda's Great but Unique art syle, I've tried analyzing many potential flaws in this series and it is very difficult to solidly identify.

[Bill]

@JERK:

You could very easily and credibly argue One Piece is the greatest Shonen, only Dragonball really matches up to it.

What about FMA Jerk?

[JERK DISEASE]

@tori22:

Ive told u time and time again i have every volume u want me to take a picture for u and post it I can do that. So no i wont shut up and yea all the characters are the same.

You read the Dragonball Z manga? Oh right, I forgot you mentioned that…

But surely you agree that the manga had some strong points. Didn't you think that the Garlic Jr. storyline was pretty strong?

@Bunch:

FMA

FMA is extremely good. But it's not on the OP and DB tier.

[Bill]

Care to explain Jerk? I'm interested in your reasons for thinking so. Also what do you think is the worst shounen(other then Naruto and Bleach)

[mechysonu]

@JERK:

You read the Dragonball Z manga? Oh right, I forgot you mentioned that…

But surely you agree that the manga had some strong points. Didn't you think that the Garlic Jr. storyline was pretty strong?

FMA is extremely good. But it's not on the OP and DB tier.

Would Fist of the north star be up there as well. I do recall that dragon ball did get some inspiration from that series. I think the fights of kenshiro vs rao were pretty good.

[JERK DISEASE]

@Bill:

Care to explain Jerk? I'm interested in your reasons for thinking so. Also what do you think is the worst shounen(other then Naruto and Bleach)

FMA was a tight whole, but One Piece plays (successfully) with such a larger vaster more amazing scope that FMA really can't compete.

Dragonball on the other hand is purestrain shonen. It's the Ramones of Shonen. You can't fuck with how undiluted and magical it is at it's best.

The worst shonen I've ever read was bar none Rave Master.

[firecrouch]

@mechysonu:

Although no manga is perfect, One Piece is pretty close. Besides Oda's Great but Unique art syle, I've tried analyzing many potential flaws in this series and it is very difficult to solidly identify.

I think the way "One Piece" has handled death is pretty flawed.

[Bill]

I do agree FMA's world is not as vast as One Piece, but I think it has other strengths I do wish elements of FMA world were explored a bit more and what about Soul Eater(if you read it).

[Nobodyman]

@mechysonu:

You mean the manga right!!!!

Yes yes, I mean the manga.

@JERK:

FMA was a tight whole, but One Piece plays (successfully) with such a larger vaster more amazing scope that FMA really can't compete.

True. It really is quite impressive how Oda has managed to keep it running for so long while exploring different depths and emotions all while keeping it at such a consistent quality.

But hey, FMA did what it set out to do and did it damn well.

@Bill: About Soul Eater, admittedly I've only read through the first 4 volumes, but so far I think it's good. Not greatest-manga-ever material, but still good.

[city_lights31]

@JERK:

You could very easily and credibly argue One Piece is the greatest Shonen, only Dragonball really matches up to it.

I vote Fullmetal Alchemsit and possibly Hunter x Hunter deserve to be a part of the discussion.

EDIT: beat to it.

[THE SEA]

I have always thought the way eyes were drawn in FMA lacked soul. Not only eyes. The lineart are controlled too much, and the vast usage of computer. It never gave me the artistic feeling I got from Vagabond, One Piece or Nausicaa, etc. The plot and fights are good, but not as exciting as One Piece or Jojo. I felt like I read it with the same tone in my head through out the series, though I do realize the strength of its materials. If I have to describe it, I can just say: It's a good shounen.

[mechysonu]

@Bill:

I do agree FMA's world is not as vast as One Piece, but I think it has other strengths I do wish elements of FMA world were explored a bit more and what about Soul Eater(if you read it).

I alright I guess. The story is pretty linear though, kill the kisshin everyone happy, the end!!! Thats the type of plot it is. I've recently started to lose interest in it though; that pokemon arc was pretty irritating

@firecrouch:

I think the way "One Piece" has handled death is pretty flawed.

You mean like Ace's and Whitebeard's death. I thought they were well executed. I do agree luffy crying face was well, uniquely handled. Its not that I didnt like it, but its not a crying face I was used to seeing in manga series.

[JERK DISEASE]

HunterXHunter is hella flawed, but I do think a lot of it's flaws are exciting because of how little of a shit Togashi seems to give for rules of Shonen writing.

Unfortunately Togashi also doesn't seem to give a shit about working.

[firecrouch]

@mechysonu:

You mean like Ace's and Whitebeard's death. I thought they were well executed. I do agree luffy crying face was well, uniquely handled. Its not that I didnt like it, but its not a crying face I was used to seeing in manga series.

Not just that, I'm talking about death in general. For example:

! I don't get Luffy survives getting stabbed clean through in the middle of his body with a giant hook and Ace dies from getting punched cleaned through with a magma fist.

[THE SEA]

I felt like FMA never really made a risky move. It wanted to be good and it was left at that.

[mechysonu]

@firecrouch:

Not just that, I'm talking about death in general. For example:

! I don't get Luffy survives getting stabbed clean through in the middle of his body with a giant hook and Ace dies from getting punched cleaned through with a magma fist.

probably has something to do with rubber ability, may because his hearts rubber, less damage was done to it or the wounds closed up quicker; who knows ??? Although I see where you are coming from, robin shouldnt have survived that hook either. Pell definately should have died from that nuke attack.

[Nobodyman]

@THE:

I felt like FMA never really made a risky move. It wanted to be good and it was left at that.

Now that I'm really thinking about it, I feel like FMA kinda lost its "oomph" around the second half. Yeah, it was still entertaining, but it didn't seem as dynamic as it used to be and I felt like it kinda dragged at times. The final arc was great though.

And as was said earlier, there were a lot of things that could've been expanded on, e.g. the Drachma dispute, which was really just glanced over.

[Md-Martin]

@firecrouch:

Not just that, I'm talking about death in general. For example:

! I don't get Luffy survives getting stabbed clean through in the middle of his body with a giant hook and Ace dies from getting punched cleaned through with a magma fist.

Well

! With Luffy, you can give a bit of the benefit of the doubt I guess, the hook apparently didn't hit any organs, an while Luffy was left for dead, I assume after Robin saved him, he used his shirt to stop the bleeding. Knowing Luffy's recovery rate, he may just be a natural fast healer. And even though it was for comedic effect, when he became "Mizu Luffy" water sprung from the wound.
! With Ace, it was made clear his insides were burned to bits.

[Bill]

This post is deleted!

[Bill]

@THE:

I felt like FMA never really made a risky move. It wanted to be good and it was left at that.

The main issue with FMA that it's world is really undeveloped and not much is explored like we only learn about Amestris and Xing(which is never really explored). It just does not have the weight of mass OP has. That and it had it's fair share of pretentiously terrible preachy moments that force melodrama out like the awful scene with Mustang and Ed and Risa advising him not give in to revenge. Also near the end some parts felt kinda bland with disappointing sendoffs to villains( they had good death scenes) but poor execution that lead to those death scenes. Plus, the main vilian is bland and boring bishonen without much personality also his sendoff is pretty disappointing,especially when he has attained almighty power and gets defeated by Ed having two arms again. I mean the way he's defeated is very unsatisfying and needed to expand his threat a bit more, rather then being defeated the same day he attained omnipotent status is defeated the same day. Now I know it's pulp fiction, but he was defeated in a very disappointing way. Also it made a risky move with Shou Tucker segment, that's really it. This series needed more meat.

[Dragonxpiece]

Well as a Anime viwer since I was around 10 (in my country the local channels played anime after school hours) I can say that I was raised watching Saint Seiya, Dragonball, DBZ, DB GT, Ranma 1/2, Slayers, Pokemon, Kenji and a bunch other animes.
With the past of the years I can say that I have lost interest in many animes and new ones were just plain boring or just not as cool.
But then I discovered One Piece. At first I heard about it while I was still a fan of Saint Seiya, I was like yea whatever an pirates anime, sucks. But then I started collecting WCF , awesome figures and I decided you know what, lets give the anime OP a try. WOW, that was it. I can honestly say that being a 24 years old male whom interest are all but otaku or anime hardcore fan, I can say that this is one of the few animes that got me hooked. I mean the characters are so rich, the history is so deep, there are tons of characters and got a lot of action which other animes lack off. It is also huge in humor and funny, and I find that to be a plus. So I can say that perhaps in merchandise OP is overrated but as anime, I would totally give it a 9 out of 10 because of so much fun. 9 out of 10 because sometimes it takes 5 episodes to defeat a boss lol.

[Nobodyman]

@Dragonxpiece:

Well as a Anime viwer since I was around 10 (in my country the local channels played anime after school hours) I can say that I was raised watching Saint Seiya, Dragonball, DBZ, DB GT, Ranma 1/2, Slayers, Pokemon, Kenji and a bunch other animes.
With the past of the years I can say that I have lost interest in many animes and new ones were just plain boring or just not as cool.
But then I discovered One Piece. At first I heard about it while I was still a fan of Saint Seiya, I was like yea whatever an pirates anime, sucks. But then I started collecting WCF , awesome figures and I decided you know what, lets give the anime OP a try. WOW, that was it. I can honestly say that being a 24 years old male whom interest are all but otaku or anime hardcore fan, I can say that this is one of the few animes that got me hooked. I mean the characters are so rich, the history is so deep, there are tons of characters and got a lot of action which other animes lack off. It is also huge in humor and funny, and I find that to be a plus. So I can say that perhaps in merchandise OP is overrated but as anime, I would totally give it a 9 out of 10 because of so much fun. 9 out of 10 because sometimes it takes 5 episodes to defeat a boss lol.

Great. Now please tell me you've read the manga.

Also, how can merchandise be overrated?

[Dragonxpiece]

@Nobodyman:

Great. Now please tell me you've read the manga.

Also, how can merchandise be overrated?

haha no manga. I never ever read any manga of any anime Ive seen.
I am more a anime person, animation is my thing rather than reading manga.

Well I think the merchandise is a little bit overrated, perhaps over used, we have thousand of different Choppers, Figuarts zero, pop, and many other figs are releasing tons of material and most of these companies belong to the same one. Im just saying that in most other animes they usually have one main line and 2 -3 other small ones, but OP have so many and they over use the characters. for example WCF have so many luffy's and mugiwaras.

[No Maam]

@Dragonxpiece:

haha no manga. I never ever read any manga of any anime Ive seen.
I am more a anime person, animation is my thing rather than reading manga.

I can almost feel it…..

And yes, a very biased opinion if you ask me.

[MasterKingJC]

@Dragonxpiece:

haha no manga. I never ever read any manga of any anime Ive seen.
I am more a anime person, animation is my thing rather than reading manga.

How unfortunate.

[No Maam]

@Dragonxpiece:

haha no manga. I never ever read any manga of any anime Ive seen.

I can't refuse to ask , what factual reasons do you have to back up this POV ?

[Nobodyman]

@Dragonxpiece:

haha no manga. I never ever read any manga of any anime Ive seen.
I am more a anime person, animation is my thing rather than reading manga.

Dude, I'm only gonna tell you this once before I completely demolish you for being a short-sighted nitwit: Read the manga. It's superior to the anime in every way. And claiming that you're an "anime person" is a lame excuse.

Well I think the merchandise is a little bit overrated, perhaps over used, we have thousand of different Choppers, Figuarts zero, pop, and many other figs are releasing tons of material and most of these companies belong to the same one. Im just saying that in most other animes they usually have one main line and 2 -3 other small ones, but OP have so many and they over use the characters. for example WCF have so many luffy's and mugiwaras.

I believe the term "over-used," as you so eloquently put it, is more akin to what you're referring to. Overrating something implies a critical reaction to the consumer of the product.

[Airflow]

@Dragonxpiece:

Well I think the merchandise is a little bit overrated, perhaps over used, we have thousand of different Choppers, Figuarts zero, pop, and many other figs are releasing tons of material and most of these companies belong to the same one. Im just saying that in most other animes they usually have one main line and 2 -3 other small ones, but OP have so many and they over use the characters. for example WCF have so many luffy's and mugiwaras.

If they stock that much merchandise then clearly people want that much merchandise. So the merchandise can't really be overrated, it's exactly what the consumers want.

Basic economics and all that.

[Dragonxpiece]

@Nobodyman:

Dude, I'm only gonna tell you this once before I completely demolish you for being a short-sighted nitwit: Read the manga. It's superior to the anime in every way. And claiming that you're an "anime person" is a lame excuse.

I believe the term "over-used," as you so eloquently put it, is more akin to what you're referring to. Overrating something implies a critical reaction to the consumer of the product.

Valid point.
I was trying to imply that the characters are over-used , however it is also true what Airflow say, even thought it is not in most (not all) of the WCF collectors interest to have a Luffy on every set or repeated figures when they could for example have released a unreleased character in figure before.

I understand that you guys love Manga and think it's superior to anime and all that, however I am basing my point about One Piece solely on the Anime in comparison with other animes as well ( not other manga etc). So I believe in that aspect my point is valid, eitherway I am not bashin OP , I am actually praising it, so not sure why all the disagreement with my POV.

Grabbing a small book with a bunch of OP pictures and dialogue on each pannel , following comic book style but called Manga, it is VERY DIFFERENT from actually sitting on a Pc / couch or laying down in bed watching OP anime with sound and all. I am not too much of a book fan unless is from Univeristy or other than cartoons/manga. So I think I am in all my right to be just in the anime and still be a One Piece fan. I believe that bashing at someone and even going further as saying is not a OP fan just because that person likes animation instead of manga is not fair and not a valid point. Particularly because they both different things that revolve around the same origin. For example people who likes books and people who rather watch movies, totally completely two different types of people and collectors for all that matters but they both can like The Exorcist (for example, which was a book made in to a movie) and not because one like the book more or the movie more makes the other person better.

I don't think claiming to be an anime person is a lame excuse. I could been someone never introduced to manga and still if I watch the anime everyday I can know a ton of stuff about the series. It is like people who read newspaper and other who rather watch CNN they both informed and seeing the same news (in most cases) just different format.

[EvoWarrior5]

I never knew One Piece even had a manga.
It was the second anime I started to watch (the first one being Naruto, which I dropped after some time cuz it sucks), and I didn't know it was based off a Manga.
So I watched the anime up untill episode 459, and then there were no more episodes. As I was dying to know how the War would go, I started reading it.
Now, after having both read AND seen the war, I can tell that I can understand why you guys think manga beats the anime.
But can anyone tell me why the manga overpowers the anime so much in the first 459 episodes? because back when I didn't read it, I had absolutely nothing against the anime. So what was wrong with it?

ONTOPIC: I also think One Piece is underrated. It should be known to more people.
Though it's pretty funny. this one guy at my school who watched Naruto made 5 other people watch it, and we all watched it for a while.
But then when I started watching One Piece, everyone stopped watching Naruto and started watching One Piece xD
Whereas 5 ppl watched Naruto, that number decreased to 2 and the One Piece watchers increased to like 12.

[Mauricette]

This thread is full of stupid brats

[TLC]

Negima's a strong contender for best Shonen in my opinion.

[JERK DISEASE]

I'm never going to read that shit.

[TLC]

But… it's really really REALLY good.

[JERK DISEASE]

If the premise of something makes my eyes roll in my head so hard they pop than I don't think so.

[Pirate Captain Ganzack]

@Dragonxpiece:

Valid point.
I was trying to imply that the characters are over-used , however it is also true what Airflow say, even thought it is not in most (not all) of the WCF collectors interest to have a Luffy on every set or repeated figures when they could for example have released a unreleased character in figure before.

I understand that you guys love Manga and think it's superior to anime and all that, however I am basing my point about One Piece solely on the Anime in comparison with other animes as well ( not other manga etc). So I believe in that aspect my point is valid, eitherway I am not bashin OP , I am actually praising it, so not sure why all the disagreement with my POV.

Grabbing a small book with a bunch of OP pictures and dialogue on each pannel , following comic book style but called Manga, it is VERY DIFFERENT from actually sitting on a Pc / couch or laying down in bed watching OP anime with sound and all. I am not too much of a book fan unless is from Univeristy or other than cartoons/manga. So I think I am in all my right to be just in the anime and still be a One Piece fan. I believe that bashing at someone and even going further as saying is not a OP fan just because that person likes animation instead of manga is not fair and not a valid point. Particularly because they both different things that revolve around the same origin. For example people who likes books and people who rather watch movies, totally completely two different types of people and collectors for all that matters but they both can like The Exorcist (for example, which was a book made in to a movie) and not because one like the book more or the movie more makes the other person better.

I don't think claiming to be an anime person is a lame excuse. I could been someone never introduced to manga and still if I watch the anime everyday I can know a ton of stuff about the series. It is like people who read newspaper and other who rather watch CNN they both informed and seeing the same news (in most cases) just different format.

Who's to say you can't sit on your laptop on your bed and read One Piece online? It's practically the same thing. You're already reading subs anyways. The anime is infamous for editing a lot of important things, such as

! half of Whitebeard's face getting blown off, so some scenes aren't nearly as powerful. Also, you're missing out on cover-stories, and some gorgeous artwork compared to the usually sub-par animation in One Piece. I do enjoy it sometimes, but the manga has much more effort put into it.

However, I enjoy the anime because I like watching the fights come to life. It's the pacing of them I don't like.

[TLC]

@JERK:

If the premise of something makes my eyes roll in my head so hard they pop than I don't think so.

Understandable that you would feel that way, ten year old wizard teacher employed at a school full of teenage girls. Sounds like generic magic harem shit. And the beginning is as terrible as imagined (and you can't skip it either because it goes a long way in setting up the characters and world). And there is still a ton of fan-service to this day. But… around chapter 14 it started to show a spark of its potential and around chapter 40 it detonated in quality. After that it kept getting better (and better and better every arc) ever since as the author got better at balancing the shonen and romantic aspects of the series. These days it is undeniably one of the best shonen running. It balances tons of romance, action, sci-fi, adventure etc. It has great characterization (a 30+ main cast all with an equal amount of development and spot light which really makes Naruto's side-character fumbling look like shit), art (very good art), plot (yes once it got a direction, the adept writing skills of the author became apparent), world building (with a scope and range that rivals One Piece's especially when they go to the magic world) combat, villains, power display, pacing... It's pretty great. Of course I won't deny there's still a ton of fan-service which is undeniably its greatest flaw though the author got better at handling that. And for what it's worth its premise and bad beginning can be attributed to confirmed editor meddling as the author wanted to do a shonen and the editor wanted...something else. I'm probably wasting my and your time (and going majorly off-topic in the process) but let me assure you that there IS more than meets the eye to this series. You should give it a chance. Read the latest chapter that just came out. It's a well executed face-off to settle a 300 (yes 300) chapter rivalry. Even without all the context of what went on to set up the scene, you can tell that there was some serious writing skill going on. If it's still not your cup of tea then that can't be helped. But there IS a reason why I can never decide whether I like Negima or One Piece more and it's not because I have bad taste.

[tori22]

Sad to say I am currently reading FMA, I read volume 1 but I put it down before I finished, still in my room. I wasn't bored, kind of the opposite actually, I was just tired I guess.

@JERK:

You read the Dragonball Z manga? Oh right, I forgot you mentioned that…

But surely you agree that the manga had some strong points. Didn't you think that the Garlic Jr. storyline was pretty strong?

HA, HA, HA! Very funny. I saw that, u trying to fool me. Garlic Jr was filler lol. Im not lying don't worry. But that was good you got me for a second i confused him for emporor pilaf for a minute. That was a good lie though.

@city_lights31:

I vote Fullmetal Alchemsit and possibly Hunter x Hunter deserve to be a part of the discussion.

EDIT: beat to it.

I love hunter x hunter, I wished the anime followed though on it. It's actually a really great manga. I can actually compare it to OP in some ways. The only thing I hate about it is that the author takes YEAR LONG BREAKS between chapters, it's really annoying.

@Mauricette:

This thread is full of stupid brats

Ur a stupid brat.

@JERK:

I'm never going to read that shit.

Amen.

[Gekko135]

I'd read HunterXHunter if I knew it was actually going somewhere atm. But why get my self all buzzed up and invested into a story by reading it in two days only to wake up in the desert in handcuffs with no car, or pants.

Agreed @nobodyman, the OP merchandise is excessive, but makes sense given the popularity of the show.

[tori22]

@Gekko135:

I'd read HunterXHunter if I knew it was actually going somewhere atm. But why get my self all buzzed up and invested into a story by reading it in two days only to wake up in the desert in handcuffs with no car, or pants.

Agreed @nobodyman, the OP merchandise is excessive, but makes sense given the popularity of the show.

I dont think the merchandise is excessive, I love buying and collecting all of it. Which puts more money in toei and bandai's pockets

[maxterdexter]

@Bill:

The main issue with FMA that it's world is really undeveloped and not much is explored like we only learn about Amestris and Xing(which is never really explored). It just does not have the weight of mass OP has. That and it had it's fair share of pretentiously terrible preachy moments that force melodrama out like the awful scene with Mustang and Ed and Risa advising him not give in to revenge. Also near the end some parts felt kinda bland with disappointing sendoffs to villains( they had good death scenes) but poor execution that lead to those death scenes. Plus, the main vilian is bland and boring bishonen without much personality also his sendoff is pretty disappointing,especially when he has attained almighty power and gets defeated by Ed having two arms again. I mean the way he's defeated is very unsatisfying and needed to expand his threat a bit more, rather then being defeated the same day he attained omnipotent status is defeated the same day. Now I know it's pulp fiction, but he was defeated in a very disappointing way. Also it made a risky move with Shou Tucker segment, that's really it. This series needed more meat.

! The only one that DID die an anticlimatic death was Sloth. And he was sloth, how can you make a character who's whole point is "to rest" develop.
! The moment with Roy and Scar about killing envy wasn't about Roy and his revenge as much as it was about Scar letting his one go.
! The whole point of the final battle was to show that father didn't had the strength to keep the truth in check without all the power that he had stolen, that trying to contain it, only brought him close to the mortals that he despised. After his flashy display of godlike powers he ran out of juice, and he was using that same juice to not be dragged into "hell".
! But I agree, other than killing nina, and the whole "kill everyone" momment near the end, she didn't take risks, nor expanded her world beyond Amestris. But the flaws in the world didn't leak into the characters.