While Conqueror of Shamballa pretty much wraps up the Fullmetal franchise, it's also bound to leave fans wanting more. To find out just what went into the film and where we might go from here, we cornered series director Seiji Mizushima at Anime Expo 2006 and got the final word on the Fullmetal movie - and a peek at his next big project.

How did you choose 1920s Germany as the stage for Shamballa?

Series writer Sho Aikawa submitted the idea of setting the film in the time between the two World Wars, as it was a very chaotic period for 20th-century Germany. That era's developments in rocket technology also adds an interesting twist to Ed's life and the storyline of the Thule Society.

How do Noa and the gypsies fit into the movie?

Basically, the gypsies are a lot like Ed, who was overwhelmed and shut out from society because of his abilities and background, even before he was warped into the Germany of 1922. Because he's missing his heart and his spirit, he's just as lost inside himself as Noa is in her own world.

Why did you make real-life director Fritz Lang the counterpart of Fullmetal's Fuhrer King Bradley? Are you a fan?

This was another splendid idea from Aikawa. In order for us to make the movie's depiction of 1920s Germany more realistic, it was essential to show some of the influential real-life figures of that era. Fritz Lang was one, and Rudolph Hess was another. When we began the film, I knew Lang primarily as the director of Metropolis, but Aikawa did some research and found that Lang himself usually wore a monocle, which was similar to the one worn by Bradley in the Fullmetal Alchemist TV series. We thought that making him Bradley's counterpart would be a unique touch. Aikawa also pointed out that Lang made a film where the warrior Siegfried fights a dragon [1924's Die Niebelungen], which was a perfect motif for the world of Fullmetal Alchemist.

Did you make the movie primarily for the existing Fullmetal Alchemist fans or new viewers?

Of course, I intended for audiences who've only seen the film to be able to enjoy it fully. However, for the fans who already know the story, I wanted them to appreciate it far more and tell other viewers that they should watch the TV series.

Speaking of dragons, why did Envy become one when he passed through the gate into our world?

As you may know, [manga creator] Arakawa made all of the homunculi represent the seven sins, and she also portrayed Envy representing a serpent or leviathan. Since it was already used as a symbol once in our TV series, it was the ideal form for Envy to take when he went to the other side of the gate.

So what really happened to Dante at the end of the TV series?

[Laughs] Dante was definitely eaten by Gluttony.

The Fullmetal Alchemist TV series takes place almost completely within a fantasy setting. Was it more challenging to make the movie, as a lot of it occurs in the real world?

TV animation and movie animation are so different that it's hard to make a comparison. Despite the movie's real-world setting, it was probably tougher to make the TV series, because the time frame was so much longer, in terms of both story and production work. The movie had its challenges, too; it's been said that it's easy to acquire historic records for filmmaking, but when we tried to make the movie, a lot of the information from that era wasn't fully accessible. We had to work with partial details and black-and-white photos.

Is there anything you'd like to say to the fans before they see the film?

When we started the TV series, I didn't want Ed to be a hero to be looked up to, but rather a hero that everybody could empathize with. The movie version is an enhancement of that, where you can empathize with all of the characters. Many people who've seen the movie say that it encourages them to think about a lot of things, including the fates of Ed and the other characters. I hope that this film encourages the same thoughts among American viewers.

With the movie completed, are you officially finished with Fullmetal Alchemist for now? Would you ever want the series to continue with another director?

After doing the TV series, the movie, and the OVAs, my work with Fullmetal Alchemist is done. However, the rights are still owned by the manga's original creator, Hiromu Arakawa. Therefore, there's the possibility that it might still continue if there's a strong enough desire among the fans. And there's also the possibility that a new Fullmetal project would have a director who isn't me, but at the same time, if the fans see me as the Fullmetal director, I might come back.

One of the OVAs shows and elderly Ed and his grandchildren in the present day. Is this an official epilogue to the movie?

The OVAs started as extras, so they're not really an official continuation of the storyline. We'd heard the fans speculating that if Ed had lived in our time, he'd be over 100 years old now so we decided to portray one possible future for him. None of the OVAs are definite futures. We prefer that fans imagine their own.

Do you know if the OVAs will be released in the U.S.?

That hasn't been decided yet.

What about your new anime project, Oh-Edo Rocket? Is it true that it's based on a stage play?

The original story was from a play that the Gekidan Shinkansen theater troupe performed several years ago. It's set in the medieval Japanese era, when the Shogunate was oppressing the people, and since it was a dark age, many craftsman were down on their luck. The tale begins when a girl shows up out of nowhere and asks a fireworks master named Seikichi to make fireworks strong enough to transport her to the moon. It's very much a slapstick comedy.

So it's different from shows like Fullmetal Alchemist, where comedy isn't emphasized?

It's still in the works, so I can't say for sure. But I definitely want to make Oh-Edo Rocket a happier story. I usually have a tendency to make stories more serious, so it's a definite challenge for me to make a slapstick show.

Who's writing the script for Oh-Edo Rocket?

It's Sho Aikawa, the series writer for Fullmetal Alchemist.

Finally, we'd like to ask about the caps you're always wearing when we interview you. Is there a reason you wear them?

There's no reason in particular. I just really like to wear the hats. I have many different types, and I change them with my mood.

Todd Ciolek for Anime Insider, September 2006