Much like books-to-movies, manga-to-anime will always have it's pros/cons. I love manga and often avoid the anime version of my favorite stories. That being said, FMA: Brotherhood does a great job of it! Such an awesome story and a good start for those new to anime.

Great points, as always, Sleepydude!

(As an aside: the "Disney" of Japanese anime comes from Studio Ghibli and features largely Hayao Miyazaki films, which are great stories to delve into. Although most feature a female protagonist, several are male (Princess Mononoke comes to mind, as well as Porko Rosso and The Wind Rises). I highly recommend most, if not all, Hayao Miyazaki movies and shows. This Japanese "Disney" appears to have avoided the pedophilic/sexual mania our Disney covets so much.)