Fullmetal Alchemist
Two alchemist brothers seek the philosopher's stone to restore their bodies.
Fullmetal Alchemist is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa, serialized in Square Enix's Monthly Shōnen Gangan from July 2001 to June 2010 and collected in 27 tankōbon volumes. Set in a fictional steampunk world styled after the European Industrial Revolution, it follows alchemist brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric as they search for the philosopher's stone to restore their bodies after a failed attempt to resurrect their mother. The series is widely acclaimed and considered one of the greatest manga of all time, with over 90 million copies sold worldwide.
- field
- Manga
- creator
- Hiromu Arakawa
- publication_period
- July 2001 – June 2010
- volumes
- 27
- publisher
- Square Enix (Japan), Viz Media (North America)
- genre
- Shōnen, steampunk, fantasy
Lore & Background
The story takes place in the fictional country of Amestris, where alchemy is a practiced science governed by the Law of Equivalent Exchange. Human transmutation is forbidden, and those who attempt it are confronted by Truth, a godlike being that takes part of their body as punishment. The Elric brothers, after losing limbs in a failed human transmutation, become State Alchemists and search for the philosopher's stone, which can bypass the law using trapped human souls. They encounter homunculi, artificial humans created with philosopher's stones, and uncover a government conspiracy led by the homunculus Father and King Bradley, who is revealed to be the homunculus Wrath.
Reader's Guide
Fullmetal Alchemist is significant for its exploration of ethical themes such as equivalent exchange, sacrifice, and the consequences of playing god. The manga's critical and commercial success led to multiple adaptations, including two anime television series (2003 and 2009), two films (2005 and 2011), light novels, OVAs, video games, and a live-action film (2017) with two sequels (2022). It won the 49th Shogakukan Manga Award for shōnen in 2004, the UK's Eagle Award for favorite manga in 2010 and 2011, and the Seiun Award for best science fiction comic in 2011. Its legacy endures as a benchmark for storytelling in the shōnen genre, influencing later works and maintaining a dedicated global fanbase.
Did You Know?
- The manga was serialized in Monthly Shōnen Gangan from July 2001 to June 2010.
- The series has sold over 90 million copies worldwide.
- It won the 49th Shogakukan Manga Award for the shōnen category in 2004.
- The live-action film was released in 2017, with two sequels in 2022.
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