(OT) 7 Deadly Sins- Full Metal Alchemist- Part 2

(As with the previous article, beware of spoilers.)

Greed
The first example of Greed's avaricious nature is that he defected from working alongside the other Homunculi, unwilling to share even a common goal with his brethren.  He's not very subtle about his desires, either.  When asked what his motives are during a confrontation with the Elric Brothers, he responds with a straightforward "everything".  Every action he makes is strictly for his own benefit.  Even his last act before dying, letting Edward Elric know how to defeat the other Homunculi, is a self-serving act.  If he has to die, why should any of his brethren get what they desire?

Sloth 

About midway through the series, it is revealed what became of the malformed not-quite-alive creature created by Ed and Al's failed attempt to resurrect their mother.  Shortly after the brothers left their home behind, the pitiful creature was discovered by Dante, nursed and imbued with power over time until it became Sloth.  Sloth retains the likeness of Trisha Elric, but retains no compassion for Ed and Al, claiming her apparent lack of soul gives her no desire to care about them.

Like Lust, her resemblence to the sin she is named for is not immediately apparent.  However, her apathy toward the sons of  the body she was formed from is evocative of the jaded and unconcerned manner attributed to the Slothful. 

Her supernatural power is the ability to convert her entire body into water and travel quickly from place to place.  Where were the Slothful held in Dante's Inferno?  That's right: Entombed underwater below the river Styx.

Wrath 

Alfonse and Edward discover Wrath when they return to a small island where their alchemy teacher instructed them when they were little.  He is the product of their teacher, Izumi, trying to bring her infant son back to life.  Wrath is created after Ed and Al fail to bring their mother back from the dead: Wrath's right arm and left leg are Ed's limbs that were lost during their ritual.  Wrath is the Homunculus that is quickest to mood swings and bouts of violence, and almost always speaks in a tone of subdued rage.  He is the only Homunculus capable of using alchemy, thanks to Ed's limbs.

Wrath develops a dependence on Sloth, idolizing her and making her a substitute for his mother Izumi.  Given his possession of Ed's limbs, his use of alchemy, and the fact that Sloth uses the appearance of Ed and Al's mother, Wrath can be seen as a dark reflection of Ed.  His actions reflect what would have become of Ed if Ed let his considerable temper overtake his judgment.

He is the only other Homunculus besides Lust that in some way redeems himself.  In Conquerors of Shamballa, Wrath sacrifices himself as bait to the monstrous Gluttony, giving Alfonse time to accomplish his goals.

Pride

 Fuhrer Bradley, leader of the militaristic state of Amestris that Ed and Al call home, is in reality the seventh Homunculus, Pride.

Pride can be defined as overconfidence, an inflated sense of self-worth, a belief that your own actions and solutions are ultimately justified and infallible.  Who better than a militaristic head of state to represent these qualities?

In the film sequel Conquerors of Shamballa, which partly takes place in pre-World War II Germany, the term "Fuhrer" is used blatantly to compare King Bradley (Pride) from the original series with Adolf Hitler in the film.  This comparison strengthens the already easy to spot comparisons to the prideful-to-a-sin qualities of many real-world dictators and fascists.

Closing Statement
 So there you have it: one of the most evident and contemporary examples of how powerful thematic devices can span centuries and continually be utilized in new and interesting ways. 

I hardly do the series justice in this small write-up: if anything you've read here has piqued your interest, I recommend you check out the series (it's available on Netflix instant streaming).  Unlike most anime shows I've sampled over the years, Full Metal Alchemist has a driving narrative and a decidedly Western feel to many of its episodes- if Japanese media tends to weird you out, I'd give this series a shot regardless.  Aside from several Hayao Miyazaki films (such as the superb Princess Monoke or Spirited Away), few examples of Japanese animation have gotten me as emotionally invested in the characters onscreen as Full Metal Alchemist did my first time through.

Coming up on Overanalyze That? Most likely a consideration of Se7en at some point, though I should get off this "7 Deadly Sins" series sometime soon here... it tends to get rather morbid after a while.  Thanks for reading!