Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood: 95%

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood Anime [Explained GUIDE]

Comprehensive full guide to the best anime and manga FMA

Is Fullmetal Alchemist the best anime ever?

This article represents a massive guide to Fullmetal Alchemist world. As you may already know, Fullmetal Alchemist has been transposed into two anime adaptation ‘Fullmetal Alchemist‘ (2003 version) and ‘Fullmetal Alchemist:Brotherhood‘. The latest one follows the developments of the manga story till the end. We have highlighted the differences between the two later in the post.

Fullmetal Alchemist:Brotherhood. The best anime series?

Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood is appointed to be one of the best anime series ever released. Indeed it ranks on the top of our TOP RATED ANIME to watch chart. The success of Fullmetal Alchemist can be somehow comparable to that of Hunter x Hunter, Demon Slayer, Toradora! (see review here), Death Note or even Steins;Gate. Each of the above mentioned anime excels in a particular genre: time travel, romance and thrilling. The same stands for FMA.fullmetal-alchemist-guide-analysis-explained

A little excerpt of Fullmetal Alchemist plot.

We try to give you a little excerpt of Fullmetal Alchemist plot. We highly recommend to read the manga and watch the anime series (both of them deserve a watch). We give few hits on where to watch Fullmetal Alchemist and read the manga volumes of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood later in this article. In case you want to read throughout the entire post article you may be aware of spoiler alert.

FMA storyplot.

Two brothers lose their mother to an incurable disease. With the power of “alchemy”, they use taboo knowledge to resurrect her. The process fails, and as a toll for using this type of alchemy, the older brother, Edward Elric loses his left leg while the younger brother, Alphonse Elric loses his entire body. To save his brother, Edward sacrifices his right arm and is able to affix his brother’s soul to a suit of armor. With the help of a family friend, Edward receives metal limbs – “automail” – to replace his lost ones. With that, Edward vows to search for the Philosopher’s Stone to return the brothers to their original bodies, even if it means becoming a “State Alchemist”, one who uses his/her alchemy for the military.

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What is the difference between Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood?

Fullmetal Alchemist and Brotherhood are two Japanese animation series both written by Hiromu Arakawa. They both have a vast range of differences when observed. The Fullmetal Alchemist is the original series that came out in 2003 and showed its influence on the manga art form whereas Brotherhood is the second adaptation to the same series that came out in 2009.

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The main differences between FMA and FMA Brotherhood [LIST].

  • Fullmetal Alchemist is the pioneer series that first came out in 2003 and features its influence on the Japanese manga art form whereas Brotherhood is the second adaptation of the original Fullmetal Alchemist that was premiered in 2009.
  • The original Fullmetal Alchemist portrays extensive characters but has less influence of manga whereas Brotherhood has disoriented characters but follows the original manga storyline.
  • Fullmetal Alchemist is the shorter series consisting of 50 episodes whereas Brotherhood is a relatively longer series that consists of 64 episodes.
  • There is variation in the use of advanced animations between the two. The Fullmetal Alchemist lacks advanced animations and engaging backgrounds whereas Brotherhood used advanced animations and better color choices that make it visually appealing.
  • Dante is the central protagonist in the Fullmetal Alchemist whereas Homunculus plays the lead antagonist in the second adaptation Brotherhood.

Should I watch Full Metal Alchemit of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood?

I personally prefer Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood has it follows the storyplot of the manga. I consider FMA Brotherhood more consistent with regards to the philosophy and hidden messages throughout the story.

Where to watch Fullmetal Alchemist and Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood?

Depending on your location you can easily access the streaming of Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood on Netflix, Crunchyroll or Amazon Prime Video (check also our related post: 7+ Anime series and TV Shows to watch on Prime Video).

Where can I buy the complete series of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood?

The complete series of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood (64 episodes) is available on Amazon at this link. The anime series FMA:Brotherhood is alaso available in Blu-Ray version here.

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Where can I find the Manga of Full Metal Alchemist [Complete BOX Set]?

You can find the complete volume series (manga) of Full Metal Alchemist at this link. The paperback version is a must have for an anime lover and FMA enthusiast.

Where shoud I buy the complete series of Full Metal Alchemist [2003 version]?

You can find the 2003 version of Full Metal Alchemist at this link. The series is based on 51 episodes + sequel film the Fullmetal Alchemist: The Movie – Conqueror of Shamballa which can be found at this link.

What is the correct order to watch Full Metal Alchemist [2003 version]?

You firstly watch the series (51 episodes) and then the movie ‘Conqueror of Shamballa‘ (2005). Keep in mind that the 2003 version is not canon since after  the first 10-15 episodes departs from the original manga story. In fact, the 2003 anime version was released when the manga story was not completed yet.

Why is Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood considered the best anime?

Fullmetal Alchemist (FMA) is different from the norm for a variety of reasons: it’s an action shounen written by a woman, there’s little emphasis on fanservice, it is very much based in a “Western” world, from the names to the city structures, etc. While these alone aren’t enough to set it such high esteem, they do contribute. I believe there are four aspects that make Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood so special: its wealth of characters, storyline structure, symbolism, and rewatchability.

The characters of Fullmetal Alchemist.

For a series whose genre dictates more of an emphasis on action and battles, the story takes care to pace its characters in such a way that it reveals aspects about them that you never could have imagined in the beginning, twists them, and then twists them again. We know Edward and Alphonse are the main characters, and they rightly grow up before our eyes.

Edward Elrich and Alphone’s growth in Full Metal Alchemist.

Edward Elrich in FMA Brotherhood.

Edward starts off as a very brash kid who recklessly jumps into battle and by the end… well, okay, that doesn’t change much. But we see time and time again how he cares for people, and he continually says the right thing at the right time, from telling Winry that her hands were meant to heal and not hurt, believing in his father at the end, and even giving up alchemy.

Alphone ‘hard’ path in Fullmetal Alchemist story.

I love Alphonse’s path much more. Even after he helps save the world, his failure to save Nina keeps him grounded. When they’re at the café towards the end, that one failure is enough to have him keep searching. And really, Al gets a lot of shit throughout the series. One of Greed’s henchmen is brutally murdered by Bradley while she’s still inside his suit of armor, he has to question whether or not his memories are genuine, he endured a blizzard and total darkness with Selim, and yet despite all his bad luck, he continued to have a positive attitude on life. He recognizes he has a disability, but he doesn’t allow it to control him; Alphonse controls what should hinder him and turns it into a weakness. He also shows he’s not just some moral savior who’s too good to use an advantage. When he’s fighting Pride with the chimeras, he uses a Philosopher’s Stone despite his earlier resistance because he recognizes it will save more lives and it’s the purely rational thing to do. He also does this when he sacrificed his soul to get Edward back his arm.

Roy Mustang and King Bradley.

Of course, we also know how great Roy Mustang is and Maes Hughes, but I feel like Scar and King Bradley don’t get enough of their due. Scar starts off as the bad guy who murdered Winry’s parents… and ends up joining the good guys because hey, being wrong before doesn’t mean it’s too late for you to make things right. It doesn’t come easily for him, either, but at his heart, he understands that the best way to honor his memory is not to seek vengeance, but continue his work. As for Bradley, we’re wary at him from his murder of Isaac McDougal, but he seems like such a cheery uncle kinda guy… until we realize he ordered the genocide of Ishval, offs some of our favorite characters, then offers up great lines (“As you can see, I’ve been dealt a mortal blow. Now which one of you will be the one to end the king’s life?”/”Race, gender, origin, name, none of that matters now.”/”Every choice in my life was made for me… except her. My wife was my one choice. That’s what it means to be married. You would do well to remember that.”), before dying a badass death.

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The role of women in Fullmetal Alchemist: Winry, Hawkeye and Lan Fan.

It’s rare, to find such well developed and well written women in shounen. Take Winry. In any other show, her role would simply be “support MC,” but here, she takes control of her own destiny. She forces her way into Rush Valley to become a highly valued mechanic, she comes up with the plan for Scar to take her hostage, she is the one who ultimately agrees to give her life to Edward using logic he had never thought of before. Riza joins the military of her own reasoning, forced Mustang to erase the records of flame alchemy so no one ever has his kinda power, she is the one who stops him from killing Envy out of hatred and losing his way, and she is the one who keeps Mustang from committing human transmutation, who aims for him when he is blind. The future most powerful man in the country trusts one person with his back completely, and that person is Riza Hawkeye. Oh, and Lan Fan cut off her fucking arm to save her lord (and thereby any chance of saving her clan) and started using automail within six months after hearing puny Edward did it in a year. These characters are badass and where we would normally see weak and underdeveloped stand-ins, we get full fledged characters who can hold their own just as well as anyone.

Why the storytelling of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood is crucial.

The storyline is another aspect that could have left FMA:B flat on its face, but instead serves as another strength. It deftly handled characters who are all over the map at different times (from Edward recovering to Al with the chimeras to Roy pulling the strings at central in the lead up to the end). Everything that gets brought up in the beginning has its place at the end, like the aforementioned swap of Alphonse’s soul for Edward’s arm (also Mei fully committed to sacrificing the life of the man she loves to save the world), the mentions of Ishval and the presence of the homunculi throughout time, the bits and pieces of Father, the set up of Selim as a homunculus (also that amazing scene of Riza and Roy talking in code), Maria Ross’s fake burning and her return, Havoc being consigned to a wheelchair but still contributing in any way he can to the man he committed his life to, Bradley’s hands shaking at Hughes’s funeral only for it to be revealed as anger later, Hoenhein’s counter circle, etc. Every aspect of this story has a purpose and will be brought back later, which asks its viewers to think deeply whenever they watch something, just in case it might come back later.winry hawkeye full metal alchemist brotherhood characters meaning deep

The mixed emotions are key of FMA plot.

It also deals well with very human emotions, and features, in what can be at times a very funny and light hearted show, some of the saddest and most terrifying moments. We all know about Maes’s death and Nina the chimera, but don’t forget Armstrong’s inability to stop anything in the Ishval war despite having all this strength, Captain Buccaneer’s heroic death (with two of my favorite lines of all time: “How about we walk King Bradley down to hell together?”/”There’s a place that’s just a little higher than the peak of Mt. Briggs. I will see you there.”), Greed offering his Philospher’s Stone but unable to save the old man’s life, Izumi Curtis and the loss of her child and the relief that comes when she realizes that the thing she brought back wasn’t her baby again, the hopelessness Riza feels when she thinks Roy is dead, Envy’s suicide, etc. All of these are times where it has (from what can tell) successfully conveyed emotions and feelings that most of us are lucky enough to never ensure in real life.

The parallelism in Fullmetal Alchemist to historical events and literature.

There was clearly a lot of research done going into this series. You can easily find posts of people detailing the parallels between the deaths of the homunculi and Dante’s Divine Comedy. The references to II War Germany are not hard to follow, nor are many other aspects of the themes FMA portrays: togetherness, forgiveness, questioning your basic assumptions, recognizing the “other” is not so different from you.

Fullmetal Alchemist anime doesn’t suffer of a rewatch.

Despite the plot twists it takes, FMA:Brotherhood doesn’t suffer as a result because of those on a rewatch. Instead, I’ve found it only enhances the experience. We, the viewers, can more easily pick up on Bradley and Selim’s tics early on, we can sympathize with Scar’s revenge streak, we know what Hoenheim is doing walking all around. Suddenly, we’re not so much focused on trying to pick up everything that happens along the ride and instead can choose to enjoy and delve into whatever aspect piques our interest the next time around… and with all that went into this series, you can never be quite finished with details to discover.

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Symbolism and Philosophy in Fullmetal Alchemist: the law of retaliation.

The irony behind the works of the ‘Truth’, who took Ed’s way to ‘stand by himself’ and his ‘only family’ is similar to a retaliation law. The ‘Truth’ takes Al’s body so he ‘cannot feel the mother’s warmth as he craved’, Izumi’s ‘capacity to nurture the seed of life’ and, now, with Mustang, coming full circle, ‘depriving the man who had a grand vision to save his country of his eyesight, denying him to see what his beloved nation will become’.

How to understand the ending of Fullmetal Alchemist anime: a massive explanation.

When Roy Mustang’s eyesight was lost due to human transmutation, he accepted the aid of the Philosopher’s Stone to return that lost eyesight. He didn’t choose to perform human transmutation of his own free will, but he would need his eyesight to help rebuild Amestris after the death of Father.

Edward and Alphone: all about human trasmutation and truth.

However, in the case of Edward and Alphonse, they chose to perform human transmutation out of desperation and ignorance. What was lost to them could have also been returned with the use of the Philosopher’s Stone. But, the two brothers believed this to go against their morality. It was the “easy way out”. In order to grow as humans, they needed to return their bodies without the use of something wrought from evil; the Philosopher’s Stone was created through mass human sacrifice.

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The Truth of Fullmetal Alchemist: analysis.

Edward realized that he could return Alphonse’s body by giving up something of equal value: his ability to perform alchemy. This was the answer Truth was looking for because it was the only “fair” way to return what was lost. This showed the growth of Edward into someone more mature than when the series began.

Truth was shown to be a reflection of whoever visited it. In this case, truth was a reflection of Edward’s own morality and would not accept a “wrong” answer. The only “right” answer to saving Alphonse was to sacrifice something Edward valued nearly as much—his ability to perform alchemy. This stripped him of, not only instant transmutation, but his entire capacity for the act of performing alchemy. Alchemy was something that defined Edward, but he came to realize that there were other ways he could serve the world and other ways he could gain knowledge.

Edward and Alphone: final trasmutation explained.

After Alphonse gave up his soul to return Edward’s right arm and Edward gave up his alchemy to restore Alphonse’s body, there was nothing left to sacrifice to return Edward’s leg. In the epilogue he still had an automail leg, a reminder to him that there are consequences to one’s actions. The only way for him to have regained this leg would have been to use a Philosopher’s Stone.

Truth respects equivalent exchange, character growth, and independent thought. When Father asked Truth “what did I do wrong?”, Truth replied “you simply must have seen the answer with your own eyes.” Father was the embodiment of the Seven Deadly sins he sought to cast aside in the form of homunculi. His arrogance and greed led him to try to become a god. He did not develop his critical thinking or morality as a person. He did not come to “the truth” with his own abilities.

Edward, however, was able to see the truth. In his case, this truth was that alchemy is only a small part of life. That it is not the only way to serve humanity and it does not make one “special”. Alchemy defined Edward for most of his life. It made him important. It made him what he was. But he was able to see beyond alchemy. He realized that, first and foremost, he was not an alchemist but a human being.

What’s the meaning of Flamel symbol in Fullmetal Alchemist?

The Flamel refers to the mystical and alchemical symbol depicted as a cross with a snake or serpent draped about it, as well as detached wings and a crown above it.In the Fullmetal Alchemist series, the Flamel symbol is the mark depicted (along with wings and a crown above it) on the back of Edward Elric’s trademark red coat and on the left shoulder of Alphonse Elric’s armor body. Though the manga does not explicitly state how the mark is significant to the Elric brothers, their alchemy teacher, Izumi Curtis also bears the mark, tattooed on her left breast, suggesting that the brothers share their master’s alchemic symbol to show their tutelage under her.

Another theory for the Flamel symbol.

Another theory of what it could mean is that the symbol refers to alchemists who have attempted human transmutation, since all of the above characters who have this symbol have attempted human transmutation previously. This however can be discredited in episode 12 of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, when the Elric brothers visit Izumi.

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The names have a value in Fullmetal Alchemist Anime and Manga.

Edward is an Anglo-Saxon name meaning “guardian.” This relates much to Ed’s character as he is fiercely protective over his younger brother Al. Speaking of Alphonse, his name comes from German and it means “ready for a fight.” And Al certainly always is! Even their last name has a special meaning as it comes from English with the meaning “the king.” Al and Ed are certainly Kings of Alchemy! Roy comes from the French “surname” meaning King as well. His last name also relates to the American fighter aircraft the P-51 Mustang. Winry’s last name is a play on the Rockwell scale which is a measurement for the hardness of metals.

More about military officers’ name [source: Manga]

Arakawa explained in the manga (volume 15) that she keeps a dictionary of European names for her characters. The military personnel’s last names, on the other hand, are from military vehicles. Roy Mustang, for example, is named after North America’s P-51 Mustang, a popular fighter bomber used in WWII and in the Korean War. Grumman’s name comes from Grumman E-2 Hawkeye carrier, which was part of the Grumman company’s line of planes issued for the US military. Another example is Olivier’s last name, Armstrong, which is from the British Bomber plane Armstrong Whitworth Whitley that was used in WWII. Non-State Alchemists names are named after historical alchemists. Von Hohenheim, Edward’s father, is named after the real alchemist Paracelsus. (His full name is Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim).

The Law of Equivalent Exchange Explained in Fullmetal Alchemist and Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood.

Brotherhood revolves around one general principle, the “Law of Equivalent Exchange”. Alphonse’s definition of the law states, “Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return.” To obtain something of equal value must be lost. This could be compared to the scientific principle of the conservation of energy. Energy does not disappear, but is transformed into some other substance. The “Law of Equivalent Exchange” can be examined as a philosophical way of viewing life. The show focuses on a general sense of sacrifice that is applicable to our own lives. Nothing can be attained without giving up something in return, whether it be time, money, or health. The value that we place on these things differs, but each is extremely important and can have adverse effects on our lives.

Why Fullmetal Alchemist goes beyond the Law of Equivalent Exchange. The equivalent exchange law is imperfect.

Equivalent exchange is how Edward Elric, following a botched alchemical experiment, exchanges his limb for his brother Alphonse’s soul. Ed and Al had tried to transmute their dead mother with the physical components of a human and their DNA, you see, and it backfired catastrophically—robbing Ed of his left leg and Al of his entire body.

That is to say, we are not a sum of our parts. Humans aren’t made of discrete ingredients and neither, ultimately, is anything else. They aren’t only. As Ed and Al discover in their training, “one is all, all is one.” We are as powerful as the stars, as insignificant as the soil, as much a part of this universe as the trees and the vastness of space. We can’t be measured, and any system that seeks to manipulate that truth needs to first understand it.

Winry and Ed final scene in FMA reveals the true message of the anime.

By the end of the series, this very principle is turned on its head in the sweetest and most face-palming way. Ed, after undergoing some major trauma, still cannot bring himself to tell his childhood sweetheart he’s in love with her. Even though he has given up his ability to perform alchemy, he still can only communicate in the language of his trade: “I’ll give you half of my life if you give me half of yours.” An exasperated Winry calls the adage absolute nonsense, then says: “Never mind half. I’ll give you all of it.” Embarrassed, she clarifies, stammering out “not all of it!” and proceeding to try to land on an appropriate percentage. You can watch the ending of Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood [Ed and Winry final scene here].

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Fullmetal Alchemist deep meaning explained: humanity goes beyond the equivalent exchange law.

As perfectly clunky and ridiculous as their conversation is, I love that it deconstructs the principle Ed has lived by for so many years. “Winry,” he replies, doubling over in helpless laughter, “you really are amazing. To turn the rule on its ear, just like that.” With this reaction, Ed admits what’s always been too true: in so many ways, she’s a lot smarter than him. And he’s willing to listen.

There is no equivalent exchange when it comes to love, life, or each other. In any kind of relationship, you can never truly pay anyone back. There is no convenient currency to barter with those who love us. Both Ed and Al give up everything for the other—and they wind up right where they started, though with a truer sense of what it means to be human, and to love.

Each human being is just water, carbon, salt, iron, a handful of other ingredients, and everything we have ever felt. Every life we have ever changed. Every mistake we have ever made. Every person we can’t save. Every choice we can’t change.

All about the Homunculus in Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood Anime.

The appearances of the homunculi change between Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. This is because FMA was made before the manga series was done, so the animators had to branch off. In this case we’ll refer to Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood story.

The one named Homunculus is the original homunculus, an artificial human. He was created in Xerxes and lived in a flask. He managed to gain a human body identical to one of the humans near him. He created the other homunculi by removing the seven sins from his body and giving them bodies. He wished to do this in order to become the “perfect king,” his reasoning being that the seven sins are what make a human imperfect.

The seven sins are Pride, Sloth, Envy, Lust, Gluttony, Wrath, and Greed. They are the antagonists of the series.

FMA – Homunculus: Glottony

Gluttony is defined as “excessive indulgence in food or drink”. Certainly not the worst of the Seven Deadly Sins, St. Paul condemns it when he condemns those people “whose god is their belly” (Philippians, 3:19). In the case of Gluttony from Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, such a condemnation is certainly the case. Gluttony is depicted as an extremely large, ever-ravenous man, with a notably innocent attitude. The only possible death for Gluttony is that of being eatean by Pride who was hungry of more ‘power’. Retaliation law strikes again.

FMA – Homunculus: Sloth

Sloth is defined as laziness, but there is a deeper meaning too. Sloth is being upset that doing the right thing is hard; it’s a certain type of depression or laziness that we allow to fill ourselves, making us unable to act in the way that we should. What is unique about Sloth’s death? It seems like Sloth has the ability to rise and keep fighting, but eventually, Sloth decides that living is “too much of a pain”. The giant gives up on living because it takes too much effort. In other words, Sloth dies because of his own. Another lesson learned at the hand of Arakawa’s story-telling style.

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FMA – Homunculus: Envy

The sin of envy is defined as being angry with the happiness of others, or wishing to destroy the goods that someone has, simply because you don’t have them. Envy is capable of finding its way into a person’s life, and it is often a very deceptive sin. We can find ourselves wishing for the downfall of others, and thinking ourselves justified, without even realizing that envy is the root of our feelings.

In the fiery battle with Envy, Mustang, in his rage, defeats Envy, no matter what face Envy chooses to wear in order to trick Mustang. Envy’s death is probably the most prominently symbolic. Envy commits suicide, after discovering that he has been envious of humans. Throughout the series, Envy was always criticizing humans, looking down on them for being “weaker” creatures. And yet, it is Edward Elric, the main protagonist of the series, that points out to Envy (after he’s been defeated by Mustang) that the whole time, Envy has really been jealous of humans. Jealous for the relationships and companionship that humans have.

FMA – Homunculus: Wrath

Wrath is defined as intense anger. There are good things to get angry at, such as an injustice a person might be witnessing. And then there is selfish anger, anger that is impatient, anger that exists only for the pure satisfaction of being angry and taking it out on someone: this type of anger is wrath.

Wrath in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is the only Homunculus that is capable of aging, since he needs to be more human than the others. Wrath is nearly invincible, so long as he is able to see whoever is attacking him. The death of Wrath, however, is interestingly ironic, much like the one of Lust.

The symbolic death of Wrath in FMA:B.

It takes many heroes to finally defeat Wrath, but the one who finishes the job is Scar. Scar is a serial killer, whose thirst for revenge led him to find and kill all State Alchemists. Scar’s nation was destroyed by State Alchemists, and so he was determined to rid the world of them. But Scar joins the side of the heroes and gives up his desire for vengeance when he realizes that there is a threat to the world much bigger than the State Alchemists, a threat, in fact, that has been behind the violent acts of the State Alchemists.

Thus, the battle is between an ex-murderer, and the personification of the sin of wrath.

Wrath is defeated when light is reflected from his own sword into his eyes, and Scar uses alchemy to blast off his arms. Wrath, indirectly betrayed by the weapon he uses to assert his feelings of anger, is killed by a serial killer: a serial killer who has overcome his own wrath.

FMA – Homunculus: Lust

The sin of lust is defined as “An inordinate or disordered desire for sexual pleasure”. Depicted as a beautiful woman with long, wavy black hair, too much cleavage showing, and a deep, tempting voice, she embodies the guilty desires that a man might have. The sin of lust, by nature, tempts, and often succeeds in forcing men to bow to their desires, making them slaves to their own sensual wants. Lust is something deceptive that plays on the naturally good desires of a man, and turns them into something selfish.

The Homunculus Lust uses her attractive nature to woo the heart of Jean Havoc, a lieutenant working under Colonel Mustang. Havoc is always looking for a girlfriend, and Lust takes advantage of him in order to gain intelligence concerning Mustang’s plans.

Eventually, Lust and the other Homunculi move in to assassinate Mustang. In a chamber beneath an alchemical laboratory in Central City, a fiery battle ensues. Mustang is the Flame Alchemist, capable of setting the air itself on fire, and so he repeatedly encompasses Lust in a torrent of flames.

The fascinating death of Lust.

Again and again, Lust tries to rise and counterattack, endeavoring to pierce Mustang with her “Ultimate Spear”—basically, her finger nails, which are extremely strong and able to extend and retract back into her fingers at will. At last, Mustang defeats her by eventually wearing out the energy of her Philosopher’s Stone.

Colonel Mustang is something of a womanizer. And yet here we see Lust, the personification of the sin that makes men kneel to her, dying on her knees before a man. The symbolism is undeniable. It took an unsettling amount of fire, but Mustang, a man, defeats Lust by incinerating her, eradicating her from existence. Is this not what every man should do to eliminate the sin of lust from his life?

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FMA – Homunculus: Pride

Pride is “the excessive love of one’s own excellence”. The sin of pride causes us to look inwards, focusing only on our own personal ego, and also to look down at others, and how they have failed, and also to look above others, thinking them unimportant. Pride is “the father of all sins” because, as the story goes, the Devil thought himself better than God, and thus sin and evil were brought into the world.

Pride is depicted as an innocent little boy, who acts like a normal child in one moment, but then in the next, has the voice of an evil spirit, and the stare of one who is possessed. It all makes sense: pride, being the father of all sins, is so easily overlooked, like an innocent, little boy.

Ed defeats Pride in Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood.

Pride is defeated by the main protagonist, Edward Elric (Ed). Pride’s body is nothing more than a “flask” that contains his Philosopher’s Stone. Unfortunately for Pride, his body has begun falling apart, due to the length of his life and the intensity of the battles he has been in. He plans on taking Ed’s body, since his is deforming. However, Ed is able to turn himself into a Philosopher’s Stone, going inside of Pride in order to diffuse the Philosopher’s Stone that empowers the Homunculus. Edward is only able to do this, however, when Pride is distracted.

The death of Pride.

Pride’s defeat is much like Envy’s. Envy wanted to be like humans, and thus he killed himself; Pride stooped for something lower than what he actually was, and lost his edge in the battle. Ed doesn’t kill Pride, but rather reduces him to an innocent little fetus. The next time we see Pride in the epilogue of the show, it would appear that his pride has utterly vanished. It is also worth mentioning that, earlier in the series, Ed always seems to be a prideful, little brat. And now, in the finale of the show, his character has obviously grown a little more humble…and humility is the opposite of pride. It sure seems fitting then, that the newly humble Ed defeats the personification of the sin of pride.

FMA – Homunculus: Greed

In Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, Greed “demands the finer things in life…money and women, power and sex…”. He wants to be all powerful.

Greed’s character, in it’s relation to the sin of greed, is quite obvious, if not the most obvious out of the other Homunculi. He is blatantly the embodiment of greed. Greed, for the most part, is actually on the side of the good guys, since he shares a body with Ling Yao, a friend of Edward.

What’s interesting to note about Greed’s death is that he isn’t defeated. He sacrifices himself. Out of any of the Homunculi, it’s easy to admit that Greed’s death is the most meaningful, and even touching. How does Greed die, and why does he sacrifice himself? All he ever wanted was friends.

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In the end, Greed dies because he realizes that his friends are all he ever needed to be satisfied. He doesn’t need power or riches. Greed really isn’t so greedy when he dies. After weakening the body of the ultimate antagonist, his Philosopher’s Stone dies out, and he fades away into the sky. Greed’s death is so wonderfully symbolic because Greed himself solves the problem of greed. In order to defeat greed, we needn’t look far and wide. The answer to getting rid of greed is to look at what we have and be thankful, and focus on bettering the lives of others, instead of ourselves.

Does Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood anime have OVAs?

Yes, it does. Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood has 4 OVAs. All FMA:Brotherhood OVAs are of great quality: they offer a new assortment of stories set in never-before-seen corners of the FMA universe.

A little excerpt of OVAs [FMA Brotherhood].

Join Ed and Al as they chase rumors of successful human transmutation into a web of shocking family drama and lies. Sneak a glance at hidden sides of Winry and Hawkeye’s personalities. Survive the frigid north with a young Izumi Curtis as she fights to gain a deeper understanding of alchemy. Explore the legendary friendship shared by Mustang and Hughes and watch them grow from military school rivals into hardened brothers transformed by the horrors of the Ishvalan War.

Does Fullmetal Alchemist anime have OVAs [2003 version]?

Also the 2003 version of Full Metal Alchemist has 4 OVAs. These ‘mini’ episodes are collected inside the Fullmetal Alchemist: Premium OVA Collection: the English DVD, released by Funimation in 2009, containing four original video animations which were not previously available outside of Japan. The OVAs feature the original English voice cast from the first anime series (2003 series). The DVD also contains a number of special features, including the original TV commercial, a textless closing song, and trailers. See the list of Fullmetal Alchemist OVAs for more information.

The Rankings

Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood

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