The date is October 3rd, and many people's social media feeds are likely littered with the powerful memes of the culture war that comes but once a year. I'm talking, of course, of the rare clash between two fandoms which could never have been predicted to come to odds with one another - Fullmetal Alchemist and Mean Girls.
Maybe you didn't know what you were seeing at first. It could have been an oddly posted picture of an anime image depicting a creepy man with glasses, a strange combination of a dog and a girl, or the ever-pressing Lindsay Lohan/Rachel McAdams memes. Over time, after enough October thirds are accumulated, most internet browsers come to recognize today as the day two intense fandoms clash each Fall.
Whether you're a fan of Tina Fey's massively popular movie about cruel young women or someone who recites the laws of equivalent exchange, today is a day of celebration for many people. While Mean Girls undoubtedly has a wider audience (having spurned a musical spin-off), lovers of the manga-inspired anime series Fullmetal Alchemist and its successor Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood take today to remember what they loved about the IP in diehard fashion.
Some fondly pay their respects to the beloved hero Maes Hughes, who was taken from the world far too soon. Some exchange over-the-edge memes about the man who combined his daughter with his dog, and some just silently recite the law of equivalent exchange in a solemn remembrance of one of the most popular animes over the decades.
With so many memorable characters with intense arcs and incredible artistic designs such as Colonel Roy Mustang, Riza Hawkeye, Nina, Alexander, Shao Tucker, Scar, Lust, Greed, Pride, Wrath, Envy, Sloth, and even the nightmarishly adorable Gluttony, the minds of fans of the series are vivified by many beloved mainstays in the anime world. Still, the brothers Elric - Alphonse, with his soul bonded to a clunky suit of armor, and Edward - with his Napoleon complex and automail limbs, are usually the highlight of most fans memories. All it takes is the mere image of a pocket watch with the date Oct. 3 etched inside to send the imagination reeling,.
The emotional journey the brothers embarked on after trying to resurrect their dead mother with their alchemic skills is worth revisiting year after year, in manga, anime, or live-action form. And for fans who live at the intersection of these fandoms, the experience can even be coupled with a celebratory viewing of Mean Girls as well.
What does October 3rd mean to you? Sound off with your take in the comments section below!