To perfect one’s work takes extensive research and the ability to understand what is being absorbed. Hiromu Arakawa, renowned for creating the world of Fullmetal Alchemist, left no stone unturned when working on her series. It is with the way the people are depicted and the world is shown in such a raw form that makes it seem so much more realistic.
Being in an alternate reality filled with a world that mixes genres ranging from adventure, dark fantasy, and science fiction; the series holds a lot of liberty in wanting to bend away from what is real. While this option was more than available, adding her own pieces of materialistic changes wasn’t something Hiromu Arakawa wanted to indulge herself in.
Hiromu Arakawa’s Faith in Realism
There is a lot that goes into researching a show, movie, or novel. Hiromu Arakawa, when compiling information for Volume 15 of Fullmetal Alchemist went above and beyond in finding the right sources to make sure nothing felt off. In a comment on the volume (via Tumblr), the mangaka admitted that a lot of effort had gone into its making.
I interviewed veterans who been at the front during World War II. I read countless books, examined film footage, and listened to many detailed and intense stories firsthand.
It wasn’t just about watching and reading things that pertained to wars and the soldiers but also those who actually lived through the horrors of the battlefield. Arakawa found herself rummaging through books upon books, footage of films and TV. However, the most important of the lot were her interviews with veteran soldiers of World War II.
The impact of war is something only an actual soldier can truly understand. We as viewers of entertainment would think of them as real stories and perhaps even sympathize, however, understanding is something that a majority of the audience would lack.
The Words That Change It All
When interviewing many people, Hiromu Arakawa wanted to ensure that she got everything right, not wanting to be unfaithful to her sources. The most important comment in all her research left such an impact on the Fullmetal Alchemist mangaka that she knew her reliance on consulting real soldiers was the right decision.
The one comment that affected me the most came from a former soldier who lowered his gaze to the tabletop and said, ‘I never watch war movies.’
For soldiers, PTSD is an unfortunately common occurrence. The horrors were recurring in one way or another. A reminder of those days stands instilled in times through films. As a result, many would find it difficult watching movies that depict the very details that plague their dreams.
The very understanding she found through these veterans helped her form a story that depicted so much of the real world so accurately. It brought about the way people dealt with their problems differently, some entrapped by horror movies while others with those of wars.
