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Fullmetal Alchemist (鋼の錬金術師, Hagane no Renkinjutsushi in the original Japanese) is a 51-episode anime TV series which ran in Japan from October 4, 2003 to October 2, 2004. The TV series is based on the manga created by Hiromu Arakawa, which is currently serialized by Square Enix in the magazine Shonen Gangan.
A Fullmetal Alchemist movie is slated for a theatrical release the second half of Summer 2005. There also are video games for the Playstation 2 console and for the GameBoy Advance. The anime series is licensed in North America by FUNimation and is slated to begin broadcasting on Cartoon Network in Novermber 2004 as part of their "Adult Swim" anime lineup.
The story (called "Hagaren" for short by fans) concerns two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, who have a talent for alchemy.
Story
People cannot gain anything without sacrificing something. You must present something of equal value to gain something. That is the principle of equivalent trade in alchemy. We believed that was the truth of the world when we were young.
- Alphonse Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist intro.
While still young boys, Alphonse and Edward Elric suddenly find themselves alone when their mother falls ill and dies. As the two brothers stand at their mother's grave, Ed resolves to use their talent for alchemy to find a way to revive her. However, the use of alchemy for human transmutation is forbidden, and Ed and Al pay a heavy price when they try and fail to resurrect their mother: Ed loses a leg in the process, and Al's entire body is consumed. Only by also giving up an arm is Ed able to save Al's soul, sealing it into a nearby suit of armour.
Now even more determined to find the secrets of human transmutation (this time to regain Ed's lost limbs and Al's lost body), Ed and Al set out to become State Alchemists, alchemists in service to the military, in order to gain access to the military's many resources. Reaching their ultimate goal of returning their bodies to normal seems to require that they find the Philosopher's Stone, a mysterious gem that is said to be able to circumvent the standard rules of alchemy and its principle of equivalent trade. They soon learn, however, that there are many others who seek the Philosopher's Stone, and the brothers quickly find themselves caught up in a dark conspiracy.
Characters
Edward Elric - The Fullmetal Alchemist. Ed is the older brother, but is short for his age (and is very sensitive about that). He is a very powerful alchemist, even more so than he understands. His special ability is that he can transmute objects without the use of a transmutation circle.
Alphonse Elric - Al is the younger brother, but is often confused for the older brother by virtue of being trapped in a suit of armor that's twice as large as Ed. Because his soul is trapped in a suit of armor, he is mostly unable to show real emotion anymore. He's an alchemist as well, but not anywhere near as powerful as his brother. Al's personality often acts as a foil for Ed.
Winry Rockbell - Ed and Al's childhood friend. She's a self-professed "gearhead" who built and maintains Ed's "auto-mail," his artificial right arm and left leg. Her parents were doctors who were killed during the Ishbal War.
Colonel Roy Mustang - The Flame Alchemist. Ed's superior officer in the military, and an acquaintance of his father. Often playfully mysterious, Mustang seems to have his own goals and intentions in mind as a member of the military. A powerful alchemist in his own right, Mustang wears gloves that contain elements that spark when he snaps his fingers, allowing him to create fire at will. The transmutation circles on the gloves then allow him to manipulate the flames as he desires.
Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes - Member of the Investigations division who is good friends with Colonel Mustang and the Elric brothers. He is a doting father and husband, much to the annoyance of his fellow soldiers, but is extremely good at his job.
Shou Tucker - The Life Binding Alchemist. A man made famous by his experiment that produced a chimera that could speak just as a human could. He played host for the Elric brothers while they studied for the State Alchemist exams.
Brigadier General Basque Gran - The Iron Blooded Alchemist. The leading proponent of using the Philosopher's Stone for military applications, he took over research into the Stone after Doctor Tim Marcoh disappeared.
Doctor Tim Marco - The Crystal Alchemist. The leading researcher into the creation of the Philosopher's Stone. After his research was used in the Isbal War, he fled from his position as a State Alchemist and took his research with him to prevent it from being used for further destruction.
Major Alex Armstrong - The Strong Arm Alchemist. The major in the military who always takes the opportunity to show off his muscles. A very intimidating man who is jokingly known as "Colonel Clean" for obvious reasons-- the resemblance to the cleaning product mascot is uncanny, including pink sparkles.
Scar - One of the surving Ishbalis, a people who reject alchemy as an offense to the natural gifts their god gave them. He is on a quest to assassinate all the State Alchemists. His right arm which lets him destroy objects at will comes from his elder brother who tried to create the Philosopher's stone to save Ishbalis and it contains pre-Philosopher's Stone.
Zolf J. Kimbley - The Crimson Alchemist. He uses the chemicals in the human body to create explosives, turning living people into bombs. During the Ishvar War he killed numerous civilians, women, children, and even one of his superior officers in this way, and so was imprisoned and sentenced to death. He was one of the prisoners the Homunculus tried to trick Edward Elric into transmuting into the Philosopher's Stone, but he blew up another prisoner to escape. He joins Greed temporarily, only to betray him to be re-enlisted in the military.
Izumi Curtis - She is a powerful alchemist who took the Elric brothers on as students after their mother died. She, like Edward, is able to perform alchemy without a transmutation circle. She hates the idea of the State Alchemists however, so Edward has done his best to keep his status a secret from her.
Dante - She is the one who originally instructed Izumi Curtis in the ways of alchemy. Dante in turn was a student of Hohenheim. She can perform alchemy without a transmutation circle and is the one who created the Homunculi Greed and Pride.
Hohenheim of Light - The father of Edward and Alphonse, also known as Hohenheim Elric. He can perform alchemy without a transmutation circle. He is named after Paracelsus, a famous historical Alchemist.
Homunculus
Homunuculi are humans which are created artificially by alchemy. They possess a mind and a body but no soul. They are actually created as a by-product of failed attempts to use alchemy to resurrect the dead. Though not inherently immortal, by consuming proto-Philosopher's Stones they no longer age and can regenerate from any injury, or even death. They do however have two weaknesses: they cannot use alchemy, and they become vulnerable if they get too close to any remaining body part of the person the alchemist tried to resurrect. Their goal is to see a true Philosopher's Stone created, as it will apparently allow them to become fully human. They are each named after one of the seven deadly sins.
Lust - She is the first of the Homunculus that is encountered in the series, and is usually teamed up with Gluttony. Her fingers are razor sharp and she can extend them to use like a spear or sword in combat. She was created by Scar's brother when he attempted to use alchemy to bring his lover back from the dead. It has been speculated that during the transmutation, Scar's brother lost part or all of his male reproductive organs. She is not the first Homunculus to bear the name of Lust, and is one of the younger Homunculus.
Gluttony - He is one of the older Homunculus, despite not being very bright. True to his name, he is always eager to eat anything, or anyone. His mouth is capable of eating anything, even dissolving the toughest metals to feed his ravanous appitite. Little is known of his past.
Envy - Envy has the power to assume the form of any person and copy their voice. He is the oldest of the Homunculus, and is so old in fact that he usually takes on the form of a young body because he doesn't remember what he originally looked like. He was the one who imprisoned Greed in the 5th Labratory. He was originally created by Hohenheim, and holds a great hatred for the man for abandoning him.
Sloth - The second youngest of the Homunculus, Sloth has become the somewhat a leader of the group. She has taken on the identity of Colonel Juliet Douglas, a soldier who sparked the Ishbal War, and who currently is the secretary to the Fuhrer. Her power is that her body is entirely water. She was created by the Elric brothers when they tried to resurrect their mother.
Greed - He is the Homunculus known as the Ultimate Shield, as he is able to make himself impervious to harm by rearranging the bonds between the carbon atoms in his body. He spent the last century imprisoned within the 5th Laboratory after disobeying the Alchemist who leads the Homunculi. The seal that imprisoned him was broken by an explosion triggered by Barry the Chopper. Greed took the opportunity to liberate a number of chimera who had been imprisoned in the lab by the military. Greed was created by Dante, who is the teacher of Izumi Curtis.
Wrath - The youngest of the Homunculus, he is unique in that he possesses the ability to perform alchemy. He can do this because he has a human arm and a human leg, Edward Elric's arm and leg to be precise. He was created when Izumi Curtis attempted to bring her baby son back to life with alchemy. Unlike the other Homunculi, Wrath was transmutated with the original body of the baby, so there are no remains that can be used against him.
Pride - He is King Bradley, the Fuhrer, who is the acting leader of the millitary and de facto leader of the country of Amestris. He has the "ultimate eye" ability, which allows him to dodge any attack. He is also the only Homunculus who can age like a normal human.
Openings & Endings
Openings:
- "Melissa" by Porno Graffiti (Episodes 1-13)
- "READY STEADY GO" by L'arc~en~Ciel (Episodes 14-25)
- "UNDO" by Cool Joke (Episodes 26-41)
- "Rewrite" by Asian Kung-Fu Generation (Episodes 42-51)
Endings:
- 「消せない罪」/"Kesenai Tsumi" ("The Unerasable Sin") by Nana Kitade (Episodes 2-13)
- 「扉の向こうへ」/"Tobira no Mukou e" ("To the Other Side of the Door") by Yellow Generation (Episodes 14-25)
- "Motherland" by Crystal Key (Episodes 26-41)
- "I Will" by Sowelu (Episodes 42-51)
External links
- Mainichi Broadcasting System's Fullmetal Alchemist TV Show Site (Japanese)
- Sony's Fullmetal Alchemist Website (Japanese)
- Square Enix's Fullmetal Alchemist Manga Website (Japanese)
- Funimation's 's Fullmetal Alchemist English version site
- Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Site