Fullmetal Alchemist

Edward Elric, a young, brilliant alchemist, has lost much in his twelve-year life: when he and his brother Alphonse try to resurrect their dead mother through the forbidden act of human transmutation, Edward loses his brother as well as two of his limbs. With his supreme alchemy skills, Edward binds Alphonse's soul to a large suit of armor.

A year later, Edward, now promoted to the fullmetal alchemist of the state, embarks on a journey with his younger brother to obtain the Philosopher's Stone. The fabled mythical object is rumored to be capable of amplifying an alchemist's abilities by leaps and bounds, thus allowing them to override the fundamental law of alchemy: to gain something, an alchemist must sacrifice something of equal value. Edward hopes to draw into the military's resources to find the fabled stone and restore his and Alphonse's bodies to normal. However, the Elric brothers soon discover that there is more to the legendary stone than meets the eye, as they are led to the epicenter of a far darker battle than they could have ever imagined.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Elric, Edward Main

Park, Romi Japanese

Elric, Alphonse Main

Kugimiya, Rie Japanese

Mustang, Roy Supporting

Ookawa, Tooru Japanese

Hughes, Maes Supporting

Fujiwara, Keiji Japanese

Greed Supporting

Suwabe, Junichi Japanese

Hawkeye, Riza Supporting

Neya, Michiko Japanese

Rockbell, Winry Supporting

Toyoguchi, Megumi Japanese

Armstrong, Alex Louis Supporting

Utsumi, Kenji Japanese

Envy Supporting

Yamaguchi, Mayumi Japanese

Hohenheim, Van Supporting

Ebara, Masashi Japanese

Cook, Justin Producer

Minami, Masahiko Producer

Watson, Barry Producer

Maruyama, Hiroo Producer

Reviews

Mar 23, 2025

Spzct

Recommended

**Fullmetal Alchemist: An In-Depth Review**

Fullmetal Alchemist stands as a monumental work in the anime genre, seamlessly blending profound storytelling with intricate character development. Based on your ratings, let's delve into the various facets that contribute to its acclaim.

**Animation – 8.5/10**

The series showcases fluid animation sequences and meticulous attention to detail. The character designs are distinct, ensuring each individual is easily recognizable. Melissa Harper of Anime News Network commended creator Hiromu Arakawa for maintaining unique designs, even when characters donned similar uniforms.

**Storyline – 9.5/10**

The narrative intricately weaves themes of sacrifice, redemption, and the human condition. Jason Thompson highlighted the series' depth, noting its exploration of ... real-world issues such as government corruption, war, and genocide. He lauded it as a standout shonen manga of the 2000s.

**Characters – 9/10**

Each character is meticulously crafted, exhibiting growth and depth. The series is particularly noted for its strong female characters, a testament to Arakawa's prowess in character development. Thompson praised this aspect, emphasizing the series' ability to balance action with character-driven narratives.

**Music & Sound Design – 8/10**

The soundtrack complements the series' tone, enhancing emotional and action-packed scenes. Jeremy Crocker of Anime News Network praised the variety and appropriateness of the musical styles, noting they enhance the viewing experience without being distracting.

**Emotion & Impact – 10/10**

The series masterfully evokes a spectrum of emotions, from heart-wrenching moments to exhilarating triumphs. Its ability to tackle heavy themes while maintaining an engaging narrative has left a lasting impact on audiences. Thompson remarked on its dark undertones and effective balance between humor and serious content.

**Worldbuilding – 10/10**

Amestris, the world of Fullmetal Alchemist, is richly developed, with its own history, politics, and cultures. This depth adds layers to the story, making the setting as compelling as the characters themselves.


**Entertainment – 10/10**

From start to finish, the series captivates with its blend of action, drama, and philosophical musings. Lori Lancaster of Mania Entertainment described it as a "wonderful" plot, combining elements of a tragic coming-of-age story with the essence of an odyssey.

**Innovation – 10/10**

Fullmetal Alchemist redefined the shonen genre by introducing complex themes and morally ambiguous characters, setting a new standard for storytelling in anime.


**Rewatch Value – High**

The series' intricate plot and rich character arcs make it highly rewatchable, with viewers often discovering new nuances upon subsequent viewings.

**Overall Score – 9.5/10**

Fullmetal Alchemist is a seminal work that seamlessly blends action, emotion, and profound themes. Its enduring legacy in the anime community is a testament to its exceptional quality and storytelling prowess.

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Apr 14, 2022

Fireky2

Mixed Feelings

I've only ever seen an anime fall off this hard one other time in my life, and it was guilty crown. The story follows two brothers who have committed the crime of being children with magic who want their mom back.

Alchemy is explained surprisingly little for being the central power system. The laws around it are explained in detail the process itself is explained as "tectonic plates or something" until the last few epsiodes, which are honestly not great. Overall if it interests you the show treats alchemy like a cooking blog where they tell you the cooks life story, where each ingredient comes from, ... the warranty of the stove and at the end it tells you how to make toast with peanutbutter.

It sounds like I hate it but its a genuinely great anime with good themes, it did a good job of explaining the world (by world I mean the one country) and the frame of mind it is in. The main characters get a lot more characterization compared to brotherhood as well.

I'm going to end with an out of context spoiler that will make no sense if you haven't watched it but I figure I should warn you. Why did they send them to post world war one Germany? They know whats about to happen their right??

Watch the followup movie if you watch this it almost saves the ending

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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Jun 9, 2025

JaesDBreigh

Not Recommended

Boy oh boy—this was so bad I had to come out of retirement just to write a review. Outside of nostalgia… simply put, this isn’t a good anime.

I rewatched this to see if my memories were accurate. They weren’t. Which means most people’s aren’t. This… was pretty bad.

Let’s start with the basics: character development. Or rather, the lack of it. Edward and Alphonse remain emotionally immature and narratively static throughout the series. After 51 episodes of death, destruction, betrayal, and trauma, they’re still acting like they just stepped off the playground. You’d expect some genuine transformation—but instead, the story leans heavily on their initial guilt ... and refuses to evolve past it. They don’t live in the present for anything, constantly trying to fix the past….from start…to finish. For a plot this long, the character development around them and the other characters are weak; and truth be told a lot of the characters are boring as bones.

The spoiler free ending? Not even worth the build-up. It tries to be emotional, but what we get is contrived separation and empty resolution. It’s a wet firecracker finish after a slow-burning fuse.

Now, the villain logic. The antagonist’s ahhh killing thousands to gain power and live a little longer—feels like rejected notes from a Saturday morning cartoon. It’s mass murder dressed up in philosophical jargon. There’s no nuance, no believable motivation, just “evil for the sake of plot.” It’s not deep, it’s lazy. All of the villains, not well written. Cheap.

The world logic also fails under scrutiny. You’re telling me no one—not citizens, soldiers, or supposed “wise” characters—noticed the military flaws or puppet works? That’s not dystopia; that’s plot convenience. Even the background characters in Attack on Titan had more awareness than this.

And let’s not ignore the bloated episode count. Fifty-one episodes for a story that could’ve been told in 24, maybe 26. So much of the run-time is filler drama and shallow philosophical monologues. The pacing is inconsistent, and the momentum collapses every few episodes. Tight storytelling would’ve amplified the emotional beats—if they had any.

Final Thoughts: Fullmetal Alchemist has become a sacred cow in the anime community, but nostalgia doesn’t equal quality. If you strip away the legacy and merchandise, what you’re left with is a slow, padded, emotionally stagnant series with weak logic and underwhelming payoff. A solid premise wasted. No merit in watching this after 2024 unless you want to view a museum exhibit, or simply mark it off on the done list.

Reviewer’s Rating: 4

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