Fullmetal Alchemist, Volume 6: Captured Souls (Episodes 21-24)
The battle at Prison #5 continues in the sixth installment ofFullmetal Alchemist, as Edward and Alphonse Elric duel with suits of armor animated by the disembodied souls of murderers. In the deeper dungeons, the brothers learn that many of their adventures have been arranged by unseen puppeteers. Shou Tucker, the alchemist who created hideous chimeras in episode 7, has continued his research at the Prison, helping to draw Ed there. But Tucker is just a pawn for the homunculi, Lust, Envy, and Gluttony, who want the Philosopher's Stone for their own purposes. Edward is faced with the terrible choice of losing his brother or committing a hellish crime when the experiment is interrupted by Scar, the powerful and vengeful survivor of Ishbal. Although these conflicts are dramatic, they're eclipsed by the Elric brothers' inner struggles: Al has begun to doubt that he ever existed in human form, while Ed fears that Al hates him for delving into the forbidden knowledge that destroyed his body. Many series lose their energy and momentum as they near their midpoint;Fullmetal Alchemistshows no signs of slackening.   (Rated TV PG: violence, grotesque imagery, tobacco use)--Charles Solomon