Full Metal Alchemist

鋼の錬金術師 Hagane no Renkinjutsushi

Rating: (5/5)

Released: 2003
Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy

Plot: Edward and Alphonse Elric are two alchemist brothers searching for the legendary catalyst called the Philosopher's Stone, a powerful object which would allow them to recover their bodies (which were lost in an attempt to bring their mother back to life through alchemy). Born in the village of Risembool from the country of Amestris (アメストリス Amesutorisu), the two brothers lived there with their mother. Their father, Van Hohenheim, left home for unknown reasons and years later, their mother Trisha Elric died of a terminal illness, leaving the Elric brothers alone. After their mother's death, Edward became determined to bring her back through the use of alchemy, an advanced science in which objects can be created from raw materials. They researched Human Transmutation, a forbidden art in which one attempts to create or modify a human being. However, this attempt failed, ultimately resulting in the loss of Edward's left leg, and Alphonse's entire body. In a desperate effort to save his brother, Edward sacrificed his right arm to affix Alphonse's soul to a suit of armor. Some days later, an alchemist named Roy Mustang visited the Elric brothers, and told Edward to become a member of the State Military of the country to find a way to recover their bodies. After that, Edward's left leg and right arm were replaced with automail, a type of advanced prosthetic limb, created for him by his close family friends Winry Rockbell and her grandmother Pinako.


Main Character Descriptions:

Edward Elric - the "Fullmetal Alchemist," the youngest State Alchemist in history, is the main protagonist of the series. He and his younger brother, Alphonse Elric, scour the world in search of the Philosopher's Stone, in the hopes of restoring their bodies. Edward lost his left leg in a failed attempt to revive his mother Trisha Elric using Alchemy, and lost his right arm in exchange for attaching Alphonse's soul to a suit of armor. Edward now employs the use of metal prosthetics, known as automail, as replacement limbs. Edward harbors a sharp sensitivity to his short height; a recurring gag in both anime series and the manga is for Edward to overly react to people that call him short.

Alphonse Elric - the second protagonist of the series. The younger brother of Edward Elric, did not become a State Alchemist at the request of his brother. Together, he and Ed scour the country in search of the Philosopher's Stone in the hopes of restoring their bodies. Unlike Edward, who lost one arm and one leg in the failed attempt to revive the brothers' mother, Al lost his entire body. At the last moment, Ed sealed Al's soul in giant suit of armor, making Al almost invulnerable. Because of his size and him being a suit of armor, a running gag is that he is always mistaken as being the older brother and the Fullmetal Alchemist.

Roy Mustang - the "Flame Alchemist," holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the State Military at the start of the series, and was promoted to Brigadier General by the end of the first anime series. He aims towards becoming the next Führer of Amestris, heavily relying on the support of his loyal subordinates to propel him along that path.ch.2 Mustang would find this path interrupted by the murder of his best friend and confidant, Maes Hughes, afterwards, beginning an almost behind-the-scenes investigation into finding the true culprit.

Winry Rockbell- a childhood friend of Edward and Alphonse Elric, lives in Resembool with her grandmother, Pinako Rockbell, who raised her after the death of her parents during the Ishbal War. In the manga series, her parents were killed by Scar in a blind rage, while in the first anime, they were executed by a younger Roy Mustang under Military order. Winry is a practicing and gifted automail mechanic, following in her grandmother's footsteps, continually designing and maintaining Edward Elric's automail prosthetics. In the manga, Winry is often used as an unwitting hostage by the homunculi to ensure the Elrics' subservience to the State.

Scar - also known as the "Scarred Man" (傷の男 Kizu no Otoko), is a major supporting character in the series. A devout Ishbalan, Scar is one of the survivors of the Ishbalan Extermination Campaign. Depicted in the manga as an Ishbalan warrior priest, Scar was a capable fighter who desperately tried to save whomever he could from the State Military onslaught. However, Kimblee's enhanced alchemical attacks were too much. Scar's brother, who had been researching Amestrian Alchemy and Xingese Alkahestry in an attempt to gain power against the State, gives Scar his right arm in order to save his life

Review: I haven't come across anyone with a bad word to say about this series. It is amazingly well written, the story is deep and intricate. The characters each have their own unique backstory that ties into the over all story so well that I find myself learning something new about this series every time I watch it. If you haven't seen this series, or just haven't seen it in a while... I HIGHLY Recommend it!

Review Written by: Leanore