Full Metal Alchemist

TV-Series

Description

"Full Metal Alchemist" is a narrative-driven anime series that explores themes of sacrifice, morality, and the consequences of human ambition. The story is set in a world where alchemy is a widely practiced science, governed by the principle of equivalent exchange: to obtain something, something of equal value must be sacrificed. The Elric brothers, Edward and Alphonse, are central to the plot. After losing their mother to illness, the brothers attempt to use alchemy to bring her back to life, a forbidden act known as human transmutation. The attempt fails catastrophically, resulting in Edward losing his left leg and Alphonse losing his entire body. In a desperate move, Edward sacrifices his right arm to bind Alphonse's soul to a suit of armor.

The brothers embark on a journey to restore their bodies, seeking the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary artifact said to amplify alchemical power and bypass the law of equivalent exchange. Their quest leads them to uncover dark secrets about the government, alchemy, and the true nature of the Philosopher's Stone. Along the way, they encounter a diverse cast of characters, including military officers, fellow alchemists, and homunculi—artificial beings created through alchemy who embody the seven deadly sins.

Edward, a State Alchemist with the title "Fullmetal Alchemist," uses his skills to aid the military while pursuing his personal goals. Alphonse, bound to the armor, struggles with his identity and humanity, often serving as the moral compass for the pair. The narrative delves into the brothers' growth as they confront ethical dilemmas, face powerful adversaries, and grapple with the repercussions of their actions. The series balances intense action sequences with moments of introspection, exploring the emotional and psychological toll of their journey.

The plot intertwines personal struggles with broader political intrigue, as the Elric brothers uncover a conspiracy involving the military, the homunculi, and the creation of the Philosopher's Stone. The story builds toward a climactic confrontation that challenges the brothers' resolve and forces them to make profound sacrifices. Through its intricate storytelling and well-developed characters, "Full Metal Alchemist" presents a compelling exploration of human ambition, redemption, and the cost of defying natural laws.

Information

Full Metal Alchemist

鋼の錬金術師

Hagaren

Type: TV-Series

Anime Episodes: 51

Movie/Episode length: 24 min.

Date: 10/04/2003 – 10/02/2004

Official Website:Cartoon Network [adult swim] Fullmetal Alchemist Homepage

Durchschnittsbewertung: 8.0 (1 Bewertungen)

Episodes

Staffel 1

14Destruction's Right Hand

Envy,disguised as Cornello, watches from the church as civil unrest consumes Lior. The military clashes with the rioting townspeople while Rose hides with children in a ruined building. Edward and Alphonse Elric travel to a small village to locate Dr. Marcoh, a former State Alchemist who worked on the Philosopher's Stone. Villagers direct the brothers to a man named Dr. Mauro, who heals impossible injuries through alchemy. Marcoh greets the Elrics at gunpoint, believing the military sent them. He reveals that his incomplete Philosopher's Stone enhanced alchemy during the Ishbal Massacre, and he fled Central out of guilt. Edward discovers Marcoh's hidden research material, a red stone resembling the fake stone from Lior. Brigadier General Grand arrives with soldiers, confiscates the research, and arrests Marcoh for desertion. Edward pursues the car, unwilling to let another cover-up happen like the Tucker incident. Scar intercepts the vehicle, destroys it, and kills Grand by transmuting his head. The scarred man identifies Marcoh as the Crystal Alchemist and attacks. Edward grabs Marcoh and flees through a tunnel, but Scar corners them. Major Alex Louis Armstrong arrives and engages Scar, allowing the Elrics and Marcoh to escape. Edward returns the red stone to Marcoh, acknowledging the villagers need it more. In Lior, General Hakuro interrogates Rose about insurgents, and she refuses to cooperate. Scar remains at large, and the military now knows the Elrics sought Marcoh's research.

15The Ishbal Massacre

Edward and Alphonse Elric arrive at the ruins of Ishbal,a region destroyed by the State Military's extermination campaign. A priest hides the brothers in his church and recounts how State Alchemists, including Roy Mustang, burned Ishbal's people and land. The priest gives Edward a photograph of Scar, the killer targeting State Alchemists, before Scar himself breaks into the church. Scar kills the priest with his right arm's alchemical deconstruction ability, which breaks down any matter it touches. Edward attacks Scar to protect Alphonse, but Scar's arm disassembles Edward's automail arm on contact. Edward deduces that Scar's tattooed right arm functions as a one-step transmutation circle requiring no preparation. Scar overpowers Edward and prepares to kill him, but stops when he sees Alphonse's hollow armor and realizes Al lacks a human body. Scar questions why an empty suit of armor moves, then retreats without killing either brother. A flashback shows Scar's brother, an alchemist who attempted human transmutation to revive their dead parents. The failed transmutation killed the brother and transferred his tattooed arm to Scar, who lost his original arm in the same explosion. Edward resolves to investigate the Ishbal massacre further, while Scar continues hunting State Alchemists to avenge his people. The episode closes with Scar targeting Roy Mustang in the next town, setting up their confrontation.

16That Which Is Lost

Edward and Alphonse Elric return to Liore to investigate a lead on the Philosopher's Stone. Rose Thomas greets them with a newborn child,but her faith has collapsed since Cornello's disappearance. The townspeople have grown hostile toward alchemy and outsiders. A masked man claiming to be Cornello reemerges and incites the crowd against the Elric brothers. Edward pursues the impostor into the church basement and finds Lust controlling the false Cornello like a puppet. Lust reveals that the Philosopher's Stone requires mass human sacrifice to create. She offers Edward a stone in exchange for becoming her pawn, but he refuses. Alphonse guards Rose and her baby as the church collapses around them. The Elrics escape with Rose, but Edward now knows the stone's cost equals countless lives. He cannot sacrifice others to restore his and Alphonse's bodies. The episode ends with Edward resolving to seek an alternative path, while the homunculi continue their manipulation from the shadows.

17House of the Waiting Family

Edward and Alphonse Elric arrive in the industrial city of Dublith. They seek their former alchemy teacher,Izumi Curtis, hoping she can help them restore their bodies. The brothers find her husband Sig Curtis at the family butcher shop. Sig directs them to the backyard, where Izumi immediately punches Edward in the face. She attacks him with a series of unarmed strikes, testing his reflexes and durability. Edward blocks and dodges but cannot land a counterblow. Izumi stops the fight and invites both brothers inside. She reveals that she too once attempted human transmutation to bring her dead child back to life. The transmutation failed and consumed several of her internal organs, including her womb. She now suffers from periodic hemorrhaging and spits up blood. Edward understands that his and Alphonse’s crime carries the same irreversible cost. Izumi agrees to retrain them in alchemy but refuses to share any method for reversing their transformation. She warns that equivalent exchange does not account for everything the boys have lost. The Elrics decide to stay in Dublith and resume their training. That night, the Homunculus Lust watches the Curtis home from a rooftop, confirming the brothers’ location to an unseen companion.

22Backs in the Distance

Edward and Alphonse Elric arrive in Resembool. Pinako Rockbell examines Edward's damaged automail. Winry Rockbell agrees to perform the necessary repairs. Edward reveals that the Philosopher's Stone consists of countless human souls. He refuses to use the stone to restore their bodies. Alphonse questions whether his own existence as a soul bound to armor has meaning. Edward reaffirms their goal to find another method. In Central City,Roy Mustang visits Maes Hughes' grave. He vows to expose the conspiracy behind Hughes' death. Riza Hawkeye cautions Mustang about the personal risk. Mustang delivers Hughes' final intelligence report to Gracia Hughes. He then receives an anonymous telephone call from Barry the Chopper. Barry offers information about illegal research at the Fifth Laboratory. Mustang decides to investigate the laboratory immediately. Mustang and Hawkeye head toward the site, setting up a direct confrontation at the Fifth Laboratory.

23Heart of Steel

Edward and Alphonse Elric step into the rebuilt city of Lior. Military soldiers patrol the streets. Rose,now carrying a baby, recognizes the brothers. She leads them to the destroyed church's basement. A massive transmutation circle covers the floor. One wall displays hundreds of names carved into stone. Ed reads the names and understands. The Philosopher's Stone requires human sacrifices. The entire city of Lior served as a testing ground. Scar drops from the ceiling and attacks Ed. Al pushes Rose and her baby behind a pillar. Ed blocks Scar's blows with his automail arm. Scar's destruction alchemy cracks the metal plates. Ed's right arm shatters at the elbow. He falls to the ground. Scar prepares a final strike. Ed grabs a pile of scrap metal. He transmutes the metal into a temporary arm brace. The brace locks around his broken automail. Ed stands and punches Scar. Scar sees the blood dripping from Ed's shoulder. He asks why Ed continues to fight without a Philosopher's Stone. Ed answers that he will never create a Stone from human lives. Scar hesitates and retreats through the ceiling. Outside, military officers surround the church. Rose asks Ed what they will do now. Ed looks at the wall of names and says they must destroy every clue to the Stone's creation.

24The Other Elric Brother

Edward and Alphonse Elric arrive in the town of Xenotime and hear rumors of another Fullmetal Alchemist operating in the area. A young alchemist named Russell Tringham uses red water as a substitute for the Philosopher's Stone,wearing a red coat and automail similar to Edward's. Edward confronts Russell and demands an explanation; Russell claims he needs the Philosopher's Stone to restore his dead father. Alphonse notices that Russell's younger brother Fletcher helps him with alchemical research. The red water grants temporary amplification of alchemy but damages the user's body. Edward warns Russell about the dangers of red water, but Russell refuses to stop, believing the risk justifies the reward. A large alchemical reaction triggers an explosion in the Tringhams' underground laboratory, collapsing part of the town. Edward and Alphonse rush to rescue Russell and Fletcher from the rubble. The collapse leaves Russell and Fletcher trapped, forcing Edward and Alphonse to dig through the debris before time runs out.

25Words of Farewell

A flashback shows Maes Hughes discovering a despondent Roy Mustang after the Ishval Civil War. Mustang admits he considered suicide. Hughes promises to support Mustang's rise to Fuhrer. In the present,Hughes investigates Laboratory 5 and the homunculi. Edward and Alphonse Elric claim they will abandon the search for the Philosopher's Stone. They announce plans to travel to their teacher in Dublith. Winry insists on joining them to visit Rush Valley, the automail center. Hughes and Armstrong see through the brothers' lie to protect them. Scar meets his old master in an Ishbalan refugee camp. His master warns Scar about the consequences of revenge. Hughes discovers an inconsistency in military personnel records regarding Fuhrer Bradley's secretary, Juliet Douglas. He confronts Douglas, revealing the real soldier died two years ago. Lust attacks Hughes from behind. Envy, disguised as Lieutenant Ross, appears to rescue him. Hughes realizes the imposter lacks a mole beneath her left eye and slashes her throat. Envy then transforms into the form of Hughes' wife, Gracia. Hughes hesitates, and Envy shoots him in the heart. Hughes dies with a final memory of his promise to Mustang. The episode ends with a military funeral for Hughes, posthumously promoted to Brigadier General. Mustang weeps at the grave, saying it is a terrible day for rain. On a departing train, Edward sees a vision of Hughes waving from a platform.

26Her Reason

Edward and Alphonse Elric arrive in Central City. They find their house ransacked and their research notes on human transmutation missing. Edward suspects the military took the notes because of their earlier confrontations with Colonel Mustang. The brothers visit the Central Library,but the head librarian tells them the book containing their research has been checked out and never returned. A young woman named Sheska, a former library employee, approaches them. She reveals she has a photographic memory and can reproduce any book she has read. Sheska offers to rewrite the stolen research from memory. Edward and Alphonse accept her help. Over several days, Sheska reproduces thousands of pages of text. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes meets with Edward and shares intelligence about the Philosopher's Stone. Hughes warns Edward that the military's top brass hides dangerous secrets. Lust and Gluttony, the homunculi, track the brothers' movements. Lust kills a military officer who previously aided the Elrics. The episode ends with Edward and Alphonse receiving a location for a possible lead on the Philosopher's Stone: Laboratory 5. They decide to investigate the lab despite Hughes's warnings.

27Teacher

Izumi Curtis catches Edward and Alphonse at a hotel. Edward tries to flee through a window,but Izumi knocks him down and ties both brothers up. She transports them by car to her hometown of Dublith. On the train, Winry Rockbell joins them. A flashback shows Izumi first arriving in Resembool during a severe flood. Edward and Alphonse attempt to use alchemy to build levees, but their transmutation fails. Izumi stops the flood using a clap-and-transmute technique without a circle, then collapses coughing blood. The next day, the brothers beg her to become their teacher. Pinako Rockbell reveals the boys are orphans, and Izumi agrees to a thirty-day trial. She takes them to Dublith and warns them that State Alchemists are killers. Back in the present, Colonel Mustang receives confirmation of his transfer to Central Command. He secures permission to bring his subordinates: Hawkeye, Havoc, Breda, Fuery, and Falman. In Dublith, a young girl's pregnant cat, Chico, gets chased by a dog and gives birth on a rooftop. The mother cat dies from her injuries. The girl asks Izumi to revive the cat. Izumi explains that alchemy cannot create life or reverse death. She recalls telling the brothers the same lesson during their training. Izumi then reveals she has noticed Alphonse's hollow armor and Edward's automail limbs. She demands to know if they attempted human transmutation. Edward confesses they tried to bring back their mother. Izumi beats both brothers severely, then pulls them into a tight embrace, crying. The embrace ends with Izumi's tears, leaving the brothers to face her grief and their shared guilt as Mustang's transfer to Central positions new military conflicts ahead.

32Dante of the Deep Forest

Edward and Alphonse Elric,accompanied by Major Armstrong and Lieutenant Ross, travel through a dense forest to reach a secluded villa. The group seeks answers about the Philosopher’s Stone from a reclusive alchemist named Dante. Dante greets them as an elderly woman living in a rustic home deep in the woods. She reveals that she once taught Izumi Curtis, the Elrics’ teacher, and that she knows of Edward and Alphonse’s failed human transmutation. Dante explains that the Philosopher’s Stone does not create something from nothing; instead, it redirects energy from human sacrifices. She states that every attempt at human transmutation produces a homunculus as a byproduct, not the intended person. Edward realizes that the homunculus they call Sloth, which resembles his mother, emerged from his own failed transmutation. Dante further claims that the homunculi seek the Philosopher’s Stone to become fully human, but achieving that would require countless additional deaths. Lust and Gluttony arrive at the villa, having tracked the Elrics. Lust confronts Dante, accusing her of betraying the homunculi. Dante reveals a hidden tunnel beneath the villa and orders the Elrics to escape. Edward refuses to leave without confronting Lust, but Armstrong physically restrains him and carries him into the tunnel. Ross follows with Alphonse as Lust’s fingers extend to attack. The villa collapses behind the fleeing group, separating them from Dante and the homunculi. Emerging from the tunnel’s exit, the Elrics and their allies find themselves on a cliff overlooking a city, with no clear path forward and Lust still in pursuit.

33Al - Captured

Marta,one of Greed's associates, slips inside Alphonse's hollow armor and hinders his movements. Loa overpowers Alphonse while he struggles against Marta's interference. Greed threatens to break Edward's leg if Edward attempts to follow, then departs with the captive Alphonse. Edward immediately combs the city searching for any sign of his brother's location. Izumi Curtis and her husband Sig visit Dante, who provides them with a matchbox bearing the logo for a bar called the Devil's Nest. Dante and Izumi discuss alchemy, revealing Dante's elitist perspective against Izumi's practical approach. Greed interrogates Alphonse at the hideout, demanding to know how his soul attaches to the armor. Greed seeks immortality and believes Alphonse's condition holds the key to escaping a homunculus's limitations. Izumi and Sig smash into the Devil's Nest and demand Alphonse's release. Their combined strength cannot penetrate Greed's Ultimate Shield, which renders him invulnerable to their attacks. Edward arrives and joins the fight, but even their teamwork fails to harm Greed. The military raids the hideout, led by a reinstated Zolf Kimblee carrying a sack. Greed recognizes the contents of the sack as a threat to his existence. Greed and his associates flee the raid, taking Alphonse with them. Military soldiers corner Edward at gunpoint and order him to report to Lieutenant Colonel Archer.

35The Reunion of the Fallen

Edward and Alphonse Elric arrive in Dublith and find their teacher Izumi Curtis at her butcher shop. Izumi attacks them immediately,knocking Edward down and scolding him for ignoring her warnings. After the fight, Izumi invites them inside and reveals that she once performed human transmutation to resurrect her stillborn child. The transmutation extracted her internal organs as the toll and created a homunculus she named Wrath. Wrath escaped years ago and now roams free. Edward realizes that his own failed transmutation of his mother produced the homunculus Envy. Later, the brothers encounter Wrath in a back alley. Wrath manifests blade-like protrusions from his arms and attacks Edward, accusing him of stealing Izumi's affection. Edward refuses to fight back, recognizing Wrath as Izumi's son. Lust and Gluttony appear and demand Wrath return with them. Lust impales Edward with her spear-like fingers. Gluttony attempts to capture Wrath. Izumi arrives and confronts the two homunculi, protecting Wrath as her child. Wrath hesitates, confused by her acceptance. The homunculi retreat temporarily, taking the wounded Edward with them as a hostage. Izumi and Alphonse chase after them. Wrath stands alone, torn between his hatred and his desire for his mother's love, while Edward bleeds in the homunculi's grasp.

36The Sinner Within

Edward and Alphonse Elric encounter a train transporting Ishbalan refugees,including the children Rick and Leo, and the elderly master who trained Scar. Winry Rockbell repairs a tractor, allowing the group to escape military custody and travel toward Kishua to question an exiled Ishbalan alchemist. Riza Hawkeye intercepts the Elrics at the exile’s tent and confirms that Colonel Mustang used flame alchemy to suppress the Ishbalan rebels without mass casualties. The exiled alchemist reveals that Ishbal once practiced a forbidden art called the Grand Art and that creating a Philosopher’s Stone requires sacrificing multiple human lives. Scar’s brother failed to complete the stone because of his compassion, while Scar himself carries the sacrifices of his people within his tattooed arm. Rick and Leo inadvertently tell Winry that a State Alchemist who wields fire killed her parents, leading her to identify Roy Mustang as the one responsible. Hawkeye admits that soldiers must kill even under irrational orders, yet she freely chooses to protect Mustang. The homunculus Sloth introduces Wrath to Lust and Gluttony and orders them to track the Elrics, warning that learning the truth of the Ishbal Civil War might destroy their desire for the Stone. Winry arrives in Central and learns from Gracia Hughes that Maes Hughes died while trying to support Mustang’s ambitions, leaving her weeping in grief.

40The Scar

Alphonse Elric protects Martel from Solf J. Kimbley after she attacks the Crimson Alchemist to avenge Greed. Kimbley reveals his reinstatement as a State Alchemist and threatens to transmute Alphonse's armor into a bomb. In Lior,Edward Elric confronts Scar in an alley, using variable metal compositions in his automail to counter Scar's deconstruction ability. Lust and Gluttony interrupt the fight and shield Scar, but Scar repels Lust with a locket containing hair from her original human form. Edward realizes Rosé has become mute and now serves as a spiritual figure called the Holy Mother, holding a baby. Scar recounts his brother's failed human transmutation to revive a deceased lover, which created Lust instead. The Ishbalan conflict and Kimbley's attack gave Scar his facial scar and destroyed his arm, prompting his brother to sacrifice himself and transfer his tattooed arm to Scar. Lyra reveals Scar's true plan: lure the military into Lior, evacuate citizens through tunnels, and sacrifice the soldiers to create a Philosopher's Stone. At the military outpost, Führer King Bradley privately orders Kimbley to assassinate Edward and provoke a war. Martel overhears the order and attacks Bradley, discovering an Ouroboros tattoo under his eyepatch, confirming he is the homunculus Pride. Martel hides inside Alphonse's hollow armor, but Bradley precisely thrusts his sword through the armor's gap, killing her and leaving her blood to spill from Alphonse's chest. With Martel dead and Kimbley unleashed, Edward must stop Scar's sacrificial array before the military descends on Lior.

41Holy Mother

Scar leads Edward to the graves of Liore residents who died during the military's intervention. Edward collapses in grief as Scar reminds him of his partial responsibility for the town's destruction. Scar explains that Liore's people share ethnic ties with the Ishvalans,a fact the military ignored. Edward learns from Lyra that Scar intends to use the approaching soldiers as sacrifices for a Philosopher's Stone. He sends an urgent letter to Mustang, pleading with him to keep the military away from the city. At the regional headquarters, Mustang's unit removes Martel's corpse from Alphonse's armor and questions Major Armstrong about the chimeras. Alphonse recalls Martel's warning that the Führer, who bears an Ouroboros tattoo, plans to destroy Liore just as he destroyed Ishval. In Liore, Kimblee and his chimeras attack civilians to draw out Scar. Scar confronts Kimblee alone, recognizing him as the Crimson Alchemist who killed his brother. Their alchemic battle levels buildings as Scar absorbs the red stones Kimblee carries. Alphonse intervenes by trapping Kimblee in a stone hand, but Kimblee breaks free and transmutes Scar's left arm. Scar rips off his own damaged arm and drives his destructive alchemy through Kimblee's chest, mortally wounding him. With his final act, Kimblee grabs the red stones from Edward's pocket watch and begins transmuting Alphonse's armor into a bomb. Below ground, Edward faces Wrath and Sloth in the sewers while helping civilians escape. Wrath reveals he has no homunculus weakness because he was stillborn and passed through the Gate. Rosé, mute since earlier trauma, begins to speak again, urging Edward to stand and move forward as Wrath prepares to kill her and her baby.

42His Name Is Unknown

Solf J. Kimblee transmutes Alphonse Elric's armor into an explosive compound before dying. Scar confronts the dying Kimblee,who admits he cannot reverse the process. Lust appears and tells Scar that only Edward can undo Kimblee's alchemy. Scar fuses his right arm into Alphonse's armor, slowing the transformation. He attaches a locket containing hair from the woman Lust was transmuted from to keep Lust away. In the sewers of Lior, Edward stops Wrath from killing Rose and her baby. Edward transmutes his spear to restrain Wrath and faces Sloth. Sloth reveals she is a homunculus with an Ouroboros tattoo. Edward transmutes water into ice and uses his automail sword to fight her. Wrath breaks free, forcing Edward to create stone spikes to separate Rose and himself from the two homunculi. At the military outpost, Roy Mustang, Riza Hawkeye, and Alex Louis Armstrong confront Frank Archer and Shou Tucker. Armstrong admits he pretended to support Archer to expose military corruption. Archer orders Tucker to send chimeras to attack the three. Scar uses Kimblee's corpse as bait, giving Archer an excuse to mobilize 7,000 state troops into Lior. Scar admits he no longer needs to live and activates the giant transmutation array. The transmutation sacrifices Scar and all the soldiers inside the city, wiping Lior off the map. Edward finds Alphonse in the ruins, no longer in danger of exploding. Alphonse opens his armor to reveal the Philosopher's Stone now inside his body. Lust confirms Scar transmuted Alphonse into the Stone and warns the brothers that every military force will now hunt them.