OVA
Description
Alphonse Elric, born April 19, 1900, in Resembool, Amestris, is Edward Elric's younger brother. After their mother Trisha Elric's death, Alphonse and Edward attempted a forbidden Human Transmutation to resurrect her. The ritual failed catastrophically, claiming Alphonse's entire physical body as equivalent exchange. Edward sacrificed his right arm to bind Alphonse's soul to a nearby suit of armor using a unique blood seal—composed of Edward's blood and alchemical runes—inscribed inside the armor. This seal anchors Alphonse's consciousness, rendering his armored form nearly indestructible but incapable of sensory experiences like touch, taste, smell, or sleep.
Alphonse's towering, gunmetal-gray armored body features a horned helmet with a white ribbon of hair, spiked protrusions on the shoulders, knees, and elbows, and a red Flamel symbol on the left shoulder denoting training under alchemy master Izumi Curtis. Chain mail inside the hollow armor protects the blood seal. Psychologically frozen at age 10, his original body preserved beyond the Gate of Truth continued aging into a skeletal state. After regaining his human form, he reverted to a healthy appearance with blond hair resembling his mother and gold eyes like Edward.
Personality-wise, Alphonse contrasts Edward's brashness with calmness, compassion, and patience. He acts selflessly to protect others, including enemies like Scar, whom he saw as a tragic parallel due to shared trauma. His childlike purity persists despite enduring horrors, though he harbors deep insecurities about his humanity, fearing he is merely a "suit of armor." He privately blames himself for the failed transmutation and Edward's disabilities, craving human connection and physical warmth. This manifests in hiding stray cats inside his armor cavity, journaling about longing to taste Winry Rockbell's apple pie for motivation, and displaying respectful fondness for women like Riza Hawkeye, Lan Fan, and May Chang, inspiring them with his eloquence.
Alphonse's relationships are central. His unbreakable bond with Edward sees each brother prioritize the other's restoration and safety, with Alphonse often adopting a protective, almost parental role. He harbored childhood romantic feelings for Winry Rockbell but later supported her relationship with Edward, treating her as family. Under Izumi Curtis's rigorous training, he developed profound respect and fear, viewing her as a surrogate mother. His dynamic with May Chang evolves from her one-sided affection to mutual respect and partnership, culminating in a post-manga relationship.
As an alchemist, Alphonse is a prodigy trained in conventional and combat alchemy by Izumi. His armored form grants inexhaustible stamina, immunity to temperature extremes, and no need to breathe. He excels in martial arts, surpassing Edward in hand-to-hand combat. Initially requiring drawn transmutation circles, he gained the ability to transmute without circles after recalling the Truth witnessed during Human Transmutation, first using this skill at Devil's Nest. His alchemical style is precise and efficient, often creating weapons or environmental traps. He can manipulate matter without physical contact—a unique trait possibly linked to his soul-bound existence—and demonstrates creativity with a Philosopher's Stone, crafting flashbangs or flexible swords. Ethically, he initially condemned the Stone as a tool of murder but later acknowledged the agency of the souls within it, using one against Pride and Kimblee.
Alphonse's story diverges across media. In the manga and *Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood*, he discovers his original body during the climax against Father. To aid Edward, he sacrifices his soul, enabling Edward to regain his arm via a Philosopher's Stone exchange. Edward then forfeits his alchemy to retrieve Alphonse's body and soul. Post-restoration, Alphonse travels to Xing with chimeric allies to study alkahestry under May Chang. In the 2003 anime, Scar transforms his armor into a Philosopher's Stone, making him a target for homunculus leader Dante. After Edward dies rescuing him, Alphonse uses the Stone to revive Edward, destroying his armor body. Edward reciprocates by resurrecting Alphonse in human form, vanishing in the process. This leads to *Conqueror of Shamballa*, where Alphonse opens a portal to a parallel world to reunite with Edward, aiding him against an invasion before choosing to remain with him. In light novels and OVAs, Alphonse participates in varied adventures, such as pursuing fugitive Melvin Voyager in *The Sacred Star of Milos*.
Alphonse's development emphasizes moral steadfastness and empathy. He rejects vengeance despite trauma, as seen with Scar, and consistently prioritizes others' well-being over his own physical restoration. His journey concludes with a commitment to atonement and growth, whether through alchemical study in Xing or safeguarding parallel worlds alongside his brother.
Alphonse's towering, gunmetal-gray armored body features a horned helmet with a white ribbon of hair, spiked protrusions on the shoulders, knees, and elbows, and a red Flamel symbol on the left shoulder denoting training under alchemy master Izumi Curtis. Chain mail inside the hollow armor protects the blood seal. Psychologically frozen at age 10, his original body preserved beyond the Gate of Truth continued aging into a skeletal state. After regaining his human form, he reverted to a healthy appearance with blond hair resembling his mother and gold eyes like Edward.
Personality-wise, Alphonse contrasts Edward's brashness with calmness, compassion, and patience. He acts selflessly to protect others, including enemies like Scar, whom he saw as a tragic parallel due to shared trauma. His childlike purity persists despite enduring horrors, though he harbors deep insecurities about his humanity, fearing he is merely a "suit of armor." He privately blames himself for the failed transmutation and Edward's disabilities, craving human connection and physical warmth. This manifests in hiding stray cats inside his armor cavity, journaling about longing to taste Winry Rockbell's apple pie for motivation, and displaying respectful fondness for women like Riza Hawkeye, Lan Fan, and May Chang, inspiring them with his eloquence.
Alphonse's relationships are central. His unbreakable bond with Edward sees each brother prioritize the other's restoration and safety, with Alphonse often adopting a protective, almost parental role. He harbored childhood romantic feelings for Winry Rockbell but later supported her relationship with Edward, treating her as family. Under Izumi Curtis's rigorous training, he developed profound respect and fear, viewing her as a surrogate mother. His dynamic with May Chang evolves from her one-sided affection to mutual respect and partnership, culminating in a post-manga relationship.
As an alchemist, Alphonse is a prodigy trained in conventional and combat alchemy by Izumi. His armored form grants inexhaustible stamina, immunity to temperature extremes, and no need to breathe. He excels in martial arts, surpassing Edward in hand-to-hand combat. Initially requiring drawn transmutation circles, he gained the ability to transmute without circles after recalling the Truth witnessed during Human Transmutation, first using this skill at Devil's Nest. His alchemical style is precise and efficient, often creating weapons or environmental traps. He can manipulate matter without physical contact—a unique trait possibly linked to his soul-bound existence—and demonstrates creativity with a Philosopher's Stone, crafting flashbangs or flexible swords. Ethically, he initially condemned the Stone as a tool of murder but later acknowledged the agency of the souls within it, using one against Pride and Kimblee.
Alphonse's story diverges across media. In the manga and *Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood*, he discovers his original body during the climax against Father. To aid Edward, he sacrifices his soul, enabling Edward to regain his arm via a Philosopher's Stone exchange. Edward then forfeits his alchemy to retrieve Alphonse's body and soul. Post-restoration, Alphonse travels to Xing with chimeric allies to study alkahestry under May Chang. In the 2003 anime, Scar transforms his armor into a Philosopher's Stone, making him a target for homunculus leader Dante. After Edward dies rescuing him, Alphonse uses the Stone to revive Edward, destroying his armor body. Edward reciprocates by resurrecting Alphonse in human form, vanishing in the process. This leads to *Conqueror of Shamballa*, where Alphonse opens a portal to a parallel world to reunite with Edward, aiding him against an invasion before choosing to remain with him. In light novels and OVAs, Alphonse participates in varied adventures, such as pursuing fugitive Melvin Voyager in *The Sacred Star of Milos*.
Alphonse's development emphasizes moral steadfastness and empathy. He rejects vengeance despite trauma, as seen with Scar, and consistently prioritizes others' well-being over his own physical restoration. His journey concludes with a commitment to atonement and growth, whether through alchemical study in Xing or safeguarding parallel worlds alongside his brother.