The
Fullmetal Alchemist anime and manga series feature an extensive cast of
fictional characters created by Hiromu Arakawa. The story is set in a fictional
universe within the 20th Century in which alchemy is one of the most advanced
scientific techniques known to man. Although the story in the first anime and
the manga basically start the same, the first anime, midway through its run,
begins to differ greatly from the manga; characters that are killed early on in
the manga survive to the end of the first anime and vice versa. The second
anime's (Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood) events, however, follow the ones
from the manga.
The story
follows the adventures of two alchemist brothers named Edward and Alphonse
Elric. While trying to revive their mother, the brothers lost parts of their
bodies, with Alphonse's soul being contained in a suit of armor, and Edward
replacing his right arm and left leg with two sets of automail, a type of
advanced prosthetic limb. Advised by Roy Mustang, an alchemist from the State
Military, Edward becomes a State Alchemist, and starts traveling with Alphonse
through the country of Amestris in order to find a way to recover their bodies.
In their search, they hear of the Philosopher's Stone, a powerful alchemy
artifact that the brothers can use to recover their bodies. However, after
becoming a State Alchemist, Edward discovers that several members of the
military are also attempting to get the stone, most notably humanoid creatures
known as homunculi, who start chasing the Elric brothers.
When creating the series, Arakawa took her inspiration from several experiences in her childhood, including her parents' jobs and the manga she used to read. Several types of merchandising have also been released based on the characters from the series. Reviewers from manga, anime, and other media have also commented on the characters. Most of them have praised their development in the story as well as Arakawa's artwork.
Creation and conception
The
author Hiromu Arakawa integrated several social problems into the story after
talking to people who had suffered and lived through them, such as refugees,
war veterans and former yakuza, or simply by watching news concerning those
issues. Several plot elements expand on these themes, such as Pinako Rockbell
caring for the Elric brothers after the death of their mother, and the brothers
helping people all over the country to gain an understanding of the meaning of
family. Many characters of the series differ from the manga to the first anime,
the homunculi being the most notable, which was because Arakawa wanted the
first anime to have a different ending from the manga's, to avoid repeating the
same events in both series.
Arakawa
said that she became attracted by the idea of using alchemy in the manga after
reading about the philosopher's stone. She liked it so much that she started
reading books of alchemy, which she found very complicated because some books
contradicted others. Director from the first anime series, Seiji Mizushima,
mentions that he has a definite aversion to the kind of character growth. He
explains that while characters can evolve during the story, they also devolve
with for example Edward, as Mizushima comments he has a continuous struggle
overarching inner struggle to determinate how to grow up. To symbolize the
intangibles in the story, the first anime staff use physical phenomena, such as
making their body rot.
In the
making of the characters' designs, Arakawa has commented that the manga authors
Suihō Tagawa and Hiroyuki Eto are her main inspirations, and she also mentions
her artwork is a mix of both of them. When drawing the series characters, Alex
Louis Armstrong and the little animals are the easiest for her to draw. Due to
the fact she likes dogs, Arakawa added several of them in the story.She also
adds various muscles to most of the characters fearing that otherwise they may
look much too thin to the point they could look unhealthy. Despite being
requested several times by fans to show the characters' birthdates, Arakawa has
claimed that she never thought of them omake]
In the
two animated adaptations of the Fullmetal Alchemist manga, the characters have
been voiced by famous voice actors such as Romi Park and Rie Kugimiya who
portray Edward and Alphonse, respectively, in Japanese. In the second
adaptation most of the voice actors were replaced with the exception of a few,
which includes Park and Kugimiya that reprised their roles. On the other hand,
most of the English voice actors of the first anime reprised their roles for
Brotherhood with the exception of a few such as Aaron Dismuke (Alphonse) and
Dameon Clarke (Scar) who are replaced by Maxey Whitehead and J. Michael Tatum,
respectively.
Protagonists
Edward Elric
Edward Elric (エドワード・エルリック Edowādo Erurikku?), the "Fullmetal
Alchemist" (鋼の錬金術師 Hagane no Renkinjutsushi?), is the youngest State Alchemist in history.
He and his younger brother, Alphonse Elric, scour the world in search of the
Philosopher's Stone (賢者の石 Kenja no Ishi?), in the hopes of restoring their bodies. Edward lost
his left leg in a failed attempt to revive his mother, Trisha Elric using
Alchemy, and lost his right arm in exchange for attaching Alphonse's soul to a
suit of armor. Edward now employs the use of metal prosthetics, known as
automail (機械鎧(オートメイル) ōtomeiru?), as replacement
limbs. Edward harbors a sharp sensitivity to his short height; a recurring gag
in both anime series and the manga is for Edward to overly react to people that
call him short.[ch. 2] Romi Park and Vic Mignogna voice him in the Japanese and
English versions, respectively.ep.1ep.1
Alphonse Elric
Alphonse Elric (アルフォンス・エルリック Arufonsu Erurikku?), is the younger brother of
Edward Elric. Together, he and Ed scour the country in search of the
Philosopher's Stone in the hopes of restoring their bodies. Unlike Edward, who
lost one of his legs in the failed attempt to revive the brothers' mother, Al
lost his entire body. At the last moment, and at the cost of one of his arms,
Ed sealed Al's soul in a giant suit of armor, making Al almost
invulnerable.[ch. 2] Rie Kugimiya voices him in the Japanese series, Aaron
Dismuke in the first English series ep.1ep.1, and Maxey Whitehead in the second
English series.
Antagonists
Father
Father (お父様 Otō-sama?) is the creator of all homunculi using flawed aspects of his
personality, serving as the main antagonist in the series.[ch. 31] He was
originally known as "Dwarf in the Flask" (フラスコの中の小人 Furasuko no Nakano Kobito?) or
"Homunculus" (ホムンクルス Homunkurusu?), a shadow-like creature created eight centuries ago in
Xerxes under the commission of its king to obtain the knowledge of cheating
death.[ch. 74] Confined within a flask where it can thrive, Homunculus formed
an attachment to the young slave boy whose blood had been used in his creation,
naming the lad Van Hohenheim and enabling him to raise up the social hierarchy.
However, playing on King Xerxes' desire, Homunculus tricked the king into
creating a country-wide transmutation circle. Once activated, Homunculus
ensured that he and the unaware Hohenheim were in the center, absorbing the
souls of the population from Xerxes between them. During the process,
Homunculus used Hohenheim to create a husk body to serve as his mobile vessel
before parting ways.[ch. 75]
Searching for the nearest area closest to the center of the world,
Father found Amestris and taught alchemy to its people for the sake of his
master plan: Engineering every war in the country's history to bring it into
the form of a perfect circle with sites of bloody carnage at all the cardinal
points—the necessary configuration for the transmutation of another
Philosopher's Stone and repeat his actions in Xerxes on a higher scale to open
the Gate and become a "perfect being" with absolute freedom. In order
to do this, Father uses his homunculi to gather "sacrifices",
alchemists of notable skill who committed human transmutation and survived.[ch.
100] As an additional precaution against alchemists, Father stationed himself
underground above the tectonic plates so that he can negate any form of alchemy
that derives its power from tectonic energy.[ch. 54]
Eventually, Father's plans come to fruition on the "Promised
Day" (約束の日 Yakusoku
no Hi?), an astronomical alignment that would ensure Father's plan succeeds.
Father manages to restrain his sacrifices so he can gather enough souls into
his body from Amestris's people to absorb the entity behind the Gate, labeled
as "God". From there, Father creates a new youthful body with his
powers increased to the point of defying natural order. However, Hohenheim's
transmutation circle restored the Amestrians' souls to their bodies with Father
starting to lose control over his new powers.[ch. 104, 107] Furthermore, Father
is weakened by both the alchemists and the military. After Edward manages to
pierce Father's chest to free the trapped souls, allowing "God" to
turn Father inside out, dragging him before the gate. There Father, now reduced
back to his original form, confronts the force that calls itself the Truth
before the gate drags him back into it.[ch. 108] He is voiced by Iemasa Kayumi
in Japanese and by Kent Williams in English.
Solf J. Kimblee
Solf J. Kimblee (ゾルフ・J・キンブリー Zorufu
Jei Kinburī?) — the "Red Lotus Alchemist" or "Crimson
Alchemist" (紅蓮の錬金術師 Guren no Renkinjutsushi?) — is a psychopath who delights in, what he
considers, "artful destruction." He earned fame during the Ishbalan
Civil War for his ruthless commitment to the Ishbalan Extermination, killing
thousands of people without remorse through his unique brand of explosive
alchemy. Using transmutation circles tattooed into the palms of his hands,
Kimblee can make a bomb out of anything he comes into contact with after
clapping his hands. Because of his effectiveness in wiping out the Ishbalans,
Kimblee was given an imperfect Philosopher's Stone in order to increase his
alchemical abilities. With it, he killed Scar's family. After the war ended,
Kimblee, wishing to keep the Stone for himself, killed the superior officers
who had given it to him, and was thus sentenced to prison for his crimes.[ch.
61]
In the manga, Kimblee is released from prison so he can aid the
homunculi. He is then sent to retrieve the escaped Tim Marcoh and kill Scar,
though his missions fail thanks in part to interference from the Elric
brothers. Kimblee is also instructed to start a bloody conflict in the north
that is reminiscent of Ishbal. As such, he tricks the leaders of Drachma, the
nation to the north, into believing he is a military defector, and leads them
to launch a full-scale attack on the fortress of Briggs, resulting in the
slaughter of the outgunned Drachmanian forces.[ch. 79] He later breaks the
homunculus Pride out of the dirt dome that Hohenheim trapped him in. After
being severely injured by a chimera in the ensuing fight, Kimblee is swallowed
by Pride's shadow.[ch. 93] However, Kimblee manages to maintain his sense of
self instead of becoming lost among the souls within Pride's body, and briefly
manifests himself to taunt the homunculus as he is defeated by Edward.[ch. 106]
In the first anime, Kimblee escapes from prison and joins the homunculus
Greed and his chimera lackeys. Later on, Kimblee betrays Greed, and ends up
re-enlisting in the military.ep.33 He later infiltrates the city of Lior to
instigate an uprising against the military. Kimblee encounters Scar while
destroying the city, and, after a failed effort to blow the Ishbalan up, he is
killed. In his final moments, Kimblee turns Alphonse into a bomb, which prompts
Scar to give the boy the Philosopher's Stone.ep.42 Kimblee is voiced by Yuji
Ueda in the first Japanese series, and by Eric Vale in the English
adaptation.ep.22ep.22 His voice in the second anime series is provided by
Hiroyuki Yoshino.ep.22
Dante
Dante (ダンテ?) is the
main antagonist of the first anime adaptation. She is the former lover of
Hohenheim, and has used Philosopher's Stones to transfer her soul to new bodies
for around four hundred years. She leads the homunculi, either creating them
herself, or finding them after they are created, and uses them to create
conflicts in the hope of having a desperate alchemist create a new stone for
her. She first appears as an elderly woman, who is the former alchemy teacher
of Izumi Curtis. She fakes her death at the hands of Greed, and later reveals
herself to have transferred her soul to the body of her student Lyra (ライラ Raira?), a young girl who had
wished to become a State Alchemist.ep.45ep.32 She is eventually killed by
Gluttony, whom she reduced to a feral state to further her own purposes.ep.51
She is voiced by Kazuko Sugiyama in the Japanese series, and by Cindee Mayfield
in the English series. As Lyra, she is voiced by Yumi Kakazu in the Japanese
series, and by Monica Rial in the English series.ep.22ep.22
Homunculi
Homunculi (ホムンクルス Homunkurusu?) serve as the main antagonists in Fullmetal Alchemist.
They are a group of artificially created humans who seek to fulfill their
leader's goals of creating a Philosopher's Stone. Each homunculus is named
after one of the seven deadly sins, and can be identified by their bearing of
the mark of the Ouroboros somewhere on their body. They also possess a
heightened regenerative ability, rendering them nigh indestructible, though not
invincible. Aside from this, the concept of the homunculi varies drastically
between the manga and first anime series.
In the manga, the homunculi were created by or are at the discretion of
Father, being a manifestation of one of his traits: his greed, his lust, and so
on.[ch. 53] Father would later reveal that he ultimately created the homunculi
for the sole purpose of purifying himself of his personal flaws.[ch. 97] Each
homunculus has a Philosopher's Stone somewhere in his or her body which fuels
their regenerative ability, and were created at the same time as their
respective Philosopher's Stone. While the first six were originally created
from Father's own being, both Wrath and the second Greed are humans who
accepted a Philosopher's Stone. The only way to kill a homunculus is by
expending all of the power in their Philosopher's Stone, leaving them unable to
revive themselves once they have been killed.[ch. 39]
In the first anime, homunculi are the result of a human transmutation,
and closely resemble the deceased human intended to be revived. These homunculi
are led by Dante, and feed on incomplete Philosopher's Stones to fuel their
powers; they are susceptible to death once these stones are regurgitated. The
homunculi of the first anime possess an additional weakness: a remnant of their
original bodies (a bone, hair, etc.), which weaken and immobilize them when
they come in contact with them.ep.34
Lust
Lust (ラスト
Rasuto?), the "Ultimate Spear",[ch. 31] appears as the first
homunculus in the series as a shapely woman who primarily works in the shadows,
acts as envoy for her leader in both iterations, and encourages humans down her
desired path. She can extend her fingers to great lengths, which are capable of
cutting through virtually any substance.[ch. 2] In the manga, after leading an
effort to capture Barry the Chopper, her plans backfire when Roy Mustang
infiltrates the homunculi's secret lair.[ch. 38] Mustang repeatedly blasts Lust
with flames, ultimately killing her after depleting the power of her
Philosopher's Stone.[ch. 39]
In the first anime, Lust was created when Scar's brother tried to revive
his deceased lover.ep.40 Though originally largely the same as her manga
counterpart, Lust begins to develop a strong desire to regain her humanity as
the series progresses. This ultimately leads to her defection from the
homunculi, and to her aiding Edward Elric if he promises to help make her
human. Wrath eventually catches up to them before he paralyzes her using a locket
filled with the hair from her original form and kills her.ep.47 In Japanese,
she is voiced by Yūko Satō in the first series and by Kikuko Inoue in the
second.ep.1ep.3 She is voiced by Laura Bailey in English.ep.1
Gluttony
Gluttony (グラト二ー Guratonī?), the second homunculus introduced in the series, typically
appears in the company of Lust. He is an obese, simple-minded homunculus whose
thoughts rarely stray far from eating. He has powerful jaws and acidic saliva,
and can and will eat almost anything. He particularly likes eating people, and
the only way he can find enjoyment in a battle is if he can eat his opponent
afterwards.[ch. 2]
In the manga, Gluttony is the failed product of Father's attempts to
create a Gate of Truth. When activating this portal, Gluttony's stomach opens
up, revealing a large eye at its center. His ribs spread out to act as a border
for the gate and double as large extensible teeth that can consume everything
in his eye's field of vision in an instant.[ch. 49] Anything Gluttony consumes
is transported to a realm within himself, which is littered with artifacts from
centuries before the start of the series.[ch. 51] In the ensuing battles, the
energy in Gluttony's Philosopher's Stone is exhausted, leaving him unable to
revive himself.[ch. 56] Father later restores him and sends him and Pride to
capture the Elrics.[ch. 86] When his Philosopher's Stone nears depletion in the
attempt, Pride eats Gluttony to gain his abilities.[ch. 87]
The first anime explains Gluttony's origins as a way to produce
imperfect Philosopher's Stones, the souls of the people he eats being condensed
into red stones. After learning of Lust's death, Gluttony becomes deeply
depressed. To stop his incessant crying, Dante transforms him into a mindless
eating machine, an act that ultimately backfires when he eats her.ep.51 He
appears again in Conqueror of Shamballa, having transformed into a large,
multi-limbed monster since his appearance in the first anime. He exclusively
attacks Wrath during the movie, the battle leading to Alphonse Elric
sacrificing the two upon Wrath's demand, in order to open the Gate to Earth so
that Edward can return home. Yasuhiro Takato voices him in the first Japanese
series, and Tetsu Shiratori in the second.ep.22ep.3 Chris Cason is his English
voice actor.ep.22
Envy
Envy (エンヴィー Envī?)
is the third homunculus to appear in the series. Envy is depicted as a
genderless being who can assume any appearance it wishes. When not in disguise,
Envy prefers the form of an androgynous young teenager. Because of its ability,
Envy usually acts as infiltrator for the other homunculi, often assuming
another's identity in order to gain sensitive intelligence.[ch. 6] Envy enjoys
violence between humans, having shot an Ishbalan child, sparking the resulting
civil war.[ch. 51]
In the manga, Envy's natural form resembles that of an enormous demonic
creature, composed of citizens of Xerxes.[ch. 53] After Lust's death, Envy
replaces her as the homunculi's messenger. While on a mission to personally
capture Dr. Marcoh, all of the souls composing Envy's true form are destroyed
in the ensuing battle, reducing Envy to a tiny parasitic creature that is
revealed to be Envy's actual original form.[ch. 79] Envy is then handed over to
May Chang in a mason jar for her to take back to Xing, but Envy instead
convinces her to return to Central,[ch. 80] allowing Envy to recreate its body
by absorbing several super-soldiers powered by Philosopher's Stones. Soon
after, Mustang confronts Envy and, upon learning that Envy was Maes Hughes'
murderer, incinerates Envy until it is rendered to its parasitic form once
more.[ch. 94] After Edward sympathizes with Envy over the jealousy it feels
towards the strength of humans, Envy commits suicide by tearing out the
Philosopher's Stone at its core.[ch. 95]
In the first anime, Envy was the first homunculus and the only one with
no desire to become human, and served as Dante's right hand. Throughout the
series, Envy expresses a vendetta against the Elric brothers that is later
clarified in his origins: Envy was created in Hohenheim's attempt to revive the
dead son he had with Dante long ago. When his father left him and Dante to
start another family, Envy began to hate Hohenheim and transferred that
loathing towards his two half brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, even
successfully killing Edward after revealing to him the truth of their
relationship.ep.50 After learning Hohenheim is still alive and on the opposite
side of the Gate, Envy, leaping at the chance to personally kill his father,
forces himself through while assuming the form of a giant serpentine
dragon.ep.51 In Conqueror of Shamballa, Envy has lost his power of
transformation and remains stuck in his dragon form. He is captured by the
Thule Society and Hohenheim is given to him as a human chew toy before being
used as a sacrifice to open the Gate linking the two worlds. Envy is voiced by
Mayumi Yamaguchi in the first Japanese series, and by Minami Takayama in the
second.ep.22ep.8 Envy's voice in the English adaptation is provided by Wendy
Powell.ep.22
Greed
Greed (グリード Gurīdo?)
is a rogue homunculus who craves money, women, and other worldly possessions
above all else. Because of this, he betrays the homunculi in both anime series
and the manga, as working for them would deprive him of his greedy desires. He
has the ability to rearrange the carbon atoms in his body to create a shield he
calls the Ultimate Shield (最強の盾 Saikyō no Tate?), which is as hard as a diamond and coats his body.
Greed is introduced when he sends some of his chimera subordinates to capture
Alphonse Elric so he can obtain the secret of immortality from him and Edward.ch.27
The State Military soon raids their location to rescue Al, and Greed's fate,
from that point further, differs between adaptations.[ch. 29]
In the manga and second anime, King Bradley repeatedly kills Greed to
finally subdue him, taking him back to Father.[ch. 30] Unwilling to rejoin
them, Greed is melted down to his Philosopher's Stone and is consumed by
Father.[ch. 31] Later, Lin Yao, in his search for immortality, offers to become
the new Greed. Greed is given complete control of Lin's body after Lin
willingly relinquishes control, believing this to be the only way to gain
immortality.[ch. 56] Though this Greed initially has no recollections of his
actions as the former Greed, Bido's death brings back the memories of all his
loyal subordinates.[ch. 82] Angry with Bradley for killing his
"possessions", and further provoked by Lin, the new Greed defects
from the homunculi once more, eventually joining forces with Edward Elric
during their fight against Father, intending to take Father's powers and use them
for world domination.[ch. 83] However, during the final battle, Greed comes to
a realization his true desire is friendship.[ch. 107] To that end, Greed
sacrifices himself to aid Edward by transferring himself from Lin's body into a
weakened Father, using his abilities to render Father's shell extremely fragile
before being extinguished.[ch. 108]
In the first anime, Greed escapes the raid and flees to Dante's mansion.
Dante, who had created Greed when attempting to revive her dead lover, still
retains the bones from his original body, which leaves him severely weakened.
Edward kills Greed soon after he is made to believe that Greed killed Dante,
though not before leaving with the valuable knowledge of how to kill the
homunculi.ep.34 He is voiced by Junichi Suwabe in Japanese, and Chris Patton in
English.ep.33ep.33 For the second series, his voice is provided by Yuichi
Nakamura in Japanese;ep.13 in English, Patton reprises his role for the first
Greed, while the second Greed is portrayed by Troy Baker.
Sloth
Sloth (スロウス Surōsu?)
differs greatly in the first anime and in the manga. In the manga, Sloth is a
large, muscular, dim-witted man who believes everything to be pointless and
tiresome. Despite his lazy nature, he is very strong physically, and is the
fastest of the homunculi.ch.92 He is tasked with digging a gigantic transmutation
circle beneath Amestris to be used in turning the country into a Philosopher's
Stone. Though he is briefly impeded in this job when he runs into the Elric
brothers at Briggs' Fortress, he is allowed to continue his work. After
finishing the circle,[ch. 78] Sloth serves as Father's bodyguard and fights off
Mustang and Olivier's troops when they invade Central.[ch. 92] He is eventually
killed through the combined efforts of the Armstrong siblings and Izumi and Sig
Curtis.[ch. 96] He is voiced by Fumihiko Tachiki in Japanese and Patrick Seitz
in English.ep.34
In the first anime, Sloth is the product of the Elric brothers' attempt
to revive their mother, Trisha Elric, found by Dante and fed incomplete
Philosopher's Stones until she assumes her original form's likeness. She is
given the alias "Juliet Douglas" (ジュリエット・ダグラス Jurietto Dagurasu?) and
appointed as King Bradley's personal secretary, allowing her to serve as the
homunculi's direct contact within the State Military. She is able to transform
her body into a watery composition, which she uses to drown others by grabbing
hold of them.ep.42 Sloth constantly suffers from memories of Trisha raising the
Elric brothers and, determined to prove to herself that they are not her
memories, longs to be able to kill the brothers as their real mother would
never do such a thing. She develops a mother-son relationship with Wrath, and
the two stick together during the second half of the first anime. During her
final battle with the Elric brothers, Wrath, having merged with Trisha's
remains earlier, merges with Sloth's body so that he would never have to be
separated from her. This leaves Sloth paralyzed, allowing Edward Elric an easy
opportunity to convert the water in her body into ethanol, which then
evaporates into the atmosphere.ep.47 Yoshino Takamori is her seiyu, and Lydia
Mackay her English voice actress.ep.3ep.3
Wrath
Wrath (ラース Rāsu?)
differs greatly in the first anime and in the manga. In the manga and second
anime, Wrath is the true identity of King Bradley, the leader from Amestris'
military.[ch. 29]
The first anime shows the origins of Wrath in Izumi Curtis's attempt to
revive her infant child. Her effort failed, and the infant's body was taken
beyond the Gate of Truth. There, the child, Wrath, grew up. When Edward Elric
later lost his arm and leg while trying to revive his mother, Wrath took both
for himself, which allowed him to use alchemy and escape to Amestris.ep.31
Because of his ability to perform alchemy, Wrath can assimilate any sort of
material or object into his body. Since the remains of his former body were
used in his creation, Wrath lacks the weaknesses of the other homunculi, though
both the Gate of Truth and the cries of a child have similar psychological
effects on him.ep.42 After joining the homunculi, Wrath develops a mother-son
relationship with Sloth. When he unknowingly helps to kill her (having absorbed
the remains of her original body) he becomes distraught, realizing the truth
behind Dante and Envy, as the former takes Ed's limbs from him to keep him
quiet when he attempted to revive Sloth himself. He is later given automail
replacements by Winry Rockbell.ep.51 He appears again in Conqueror of
Shamballa, in which he battles against Gluttony so that Alphonse Elric can use
them both as sacrifices to open the Gate of Truth. Al does so and is able to
reunite with Ed, while Wrath is able to reunite with the spirit of Izumi. In
the first anime Wrath is voiced by Nana Mizuki in the Japanese series, and by
Luci Christian in the English dub.ep.28ep.28
Pride
Pride (プライド
Puraido?) differs greatly in the first anime and in the manga. In the manga,
his identity is a mystery until during the later half of the series;[ch. 70]
Pride was created in Father's original image, and thus appears as a dark blob
with many eyes.[ch. 78] He can destroy or manipulate anything that this shadow
comes into contact with, and can gain the traits of whomever he eats (such as
Gluttony's appetite and sense of smell).[ch. 87] Taking on a host body in Selim
Bradley (セリム・ブラッドレイ Serimu
Buraddorei?), the adoptive son of King Bradley, Pride can only exist within a
given area: the area surrounding his body and the underground transmutation
circle running throughout Amestris. He needs a light source in order to be able
to use his shadow, and his shadow can similarly be "killed" if the
light becomes too bright or he is surrounded by darkness.[ch. 88] He is very
dedicated to the homunculi's cause, and does not allow anyone to get in his
way. He does, however, have some attachment to his adoptive human mother.
Edward destroys Pride's body in battle, reducing him to his true form: a
minuscule, fetus-like creature.[ch. 106] After the battle with Father ends, the
now powerless Pride is brought to his adoptive mother and raised all over
again. Two years later, Selim is shown to have grown into a much more
compassionate young child.[ch. 108]
In the first anime, Pride represents the true identity of King Bradley,
while Selim is a normal human child who briefly appeared in the end of the
series, playing an unintentional role in King Bradley's death at Mustang's
flames, but not before the Führer strangles him to death in his rage. In the
first anime, Makoto Tsumura voices Selim in the Japanese version, and Zarah
Little in the English dub.ep.51 His voice in the second series is provided by Yuko Sanpei in Japanese, and by Brittney Karbowski in English.
King Bradley
King Bradley (キング・ブラッドレイ Kingu Buraddorei?) is the head of the State
Military and King of Amestris, having the title of Führer. Though initially
portrayed as a kindly ruler, he is later revealed to be a homunculus. Though
his identity as a homunculus differs between the manga and first anime series,
his weapon of choice is the sword, which he wields with great proficiency. His
deadly swordsmanship is further augmented by the "Ultimate Eye" (最強の眼 Saikyō no Me?) a clairvoyant eye
that bears the Ouroboros seal, which is usually covered by an eyepatch. The eye
gives him the foresight to see all possible outcomes of a given situation,
allowing him to predict the moves of any opponent before they happen, along
with being able to see things the normal human eye can not, such as air currents.[ch.
29][ch. 51] In both storylines, because homunculi cannot reproduce, Bradley is
given a family to keep up appearances: his son, Selim Bradley, and a wife he
personally chose.[ch. 80] Bradley is voiced by Hidekatsu Shibata in the
Japanese versions, and by Ed Blaylock in English dubs.ep.6ep.6
Prior to the events depicted in the manga, Bradley was raised and
trained along with other children to become Amestris' ideal leader. Once they
had reached a specific age, the State began injecting a Philosopher's Stone
directly into their blood system. Bradley, the first successful subject of the
experiment, became Wrath and the King of Amestris. Wrath ages with time because
of his human lineage, a trait that irritates him because his ailing body cannot
keep up with the speed of his eye's predictions.[ch. 53] After receiving
various wounds while fighting against Father's resistance, Bradley fights Scar
but is mortally wounded in battle. Upon his death, Bradley concludes that he
had a good life despite being a homunculus.[ch. 105]
In the first anime, Bradley is Pride, what Dante considers her greatest
creation due to his ability to age like humans. When Roy Mustang discovers his
identity as a homunculus, Bradley entrusts Selim with the skull of his original
body. During his battle with Mustang, Bradley is severely weakened by its
presence, when Selim unknowingly brings the skull back to him, and Bradley
strangles Selim out of anger. In his weakened state, Mustang is able to defeat
Bradley by repeatedly setting him on fire, reducing him to ashes.ep.51
Other characters
Alchemists
Fullmetal Alchemist presents alchemists as people who have learned how
to manipulate matter. Through the use of transmutation circles, they can reform
one object into another that shares a similar molecular make-up to its original
form. In Amestris (アメストリス Amesutorisu?), alchemists can become certified by the State Military,
earning a unique title, rank of major, and funding for personal research.[ch.
1] In the manga and second anime series, the people of Xing have a technique
similar to alchemy, called alkahestry, that focuses on healing wounds.[ch. 32]
Alex Louis Armstrong
Alex Louis Armstrong (アレックス・ルイ・アームストロング Arekkusu Rui Āmusutorongu?), the "Strong Arm
Alchemist" (豪腕の錬金術師 Gōwan no Renkinjutsushi?), is a large and comically emotional State
Alchemist who will burst into tears or joyous praise, given the right
situation, and embraces others in an effort to console them. Because he is an
extremely strong character, this usually causes great personal injury to
others. Armstrong is very proud of his strength and of his muscular physique,
frequently taking off his shirt so that he can flex for the benefit of others.
As a final element of his comedic properties, he has the tendency to
"sparkle"; when first appearing in a scene or taking off his shirt,
pink stars radiate from his body.[ch. 4] Despite his humorous tendencies,
Armstrong can be very serious when the situation calls for it. He is not fond
of violence and will try to end conflicts peacefully, and will break down and
cry if an innocent person is killed.[ch. 29]
Armstrong comes from a wealthy family of aristocrats who have earned
renown in most professions. He has mastered many of his family's talents for
himself, and when displaying such a talent, he brags and remarks it to have
been "passed down the Armstrong line for generations." His alchemical
skills also represent a remnant of his family's history; by using a unique kind
of cestus, Armstrong can reshape any solid object that he punches.[ch. 7]
Armstrong is a valuable ally of Roy Mustang and the Elric brothers, even if
they are not always happy to be in his emotional company. He takes his honor as
a soldier and as a leader seriously, and always looks out for his peers' and
subordinates' best interests.[ch. 20] Kenji Utsumi voices him in the Japanese
series, and Christopher R. Sabat in the English adaptation.ep.14ep.14
Izumi Curtis
Izumi Curtis (イズミ・カーティス Izumi Kātisu?), born Izumi Harnet, the teacher of
Ed and Alphonse Elric, agreed to train the brothers to hone their alchemical
abilities after their mother died. She expands their training with a regimen of
philosophy, martial arts, and living off the land.[ch. 20] Her methods are
derived from her own alchemy training: in the manga and second anime, she was
forced to survive in the northern region surrounding Briggs Fortress for a
month (although it turns out she succeeded by stealing supplies from the
northern fortress), whereas in the first anime she was taught by Dante. She
thinks of the Elrics as her own sons, and although she severs her
student-teacher ties with them after learning of their attempts with human
transmutation (and similarly Ed's joining the State Military), she continues to
do all she can to help them.[ch. 28] She can be quite violent when punishing or
sparring with the Elric brothers, so they tend to be deathly afraid of her.[ch.
25] Her claim "I'm a housewife!" while confronting Greed became one
of Arakawa's favorite scenes.[4] Izumi and her husband Sig Curtis (シグ・カーティス Shigu Kātisu?) were expecting a
child years before the start of the series; however, their son was stillborn.
Izumi tried and failed to revive the child through human transmutation (an act
that created Wrath in the first anime). The failed attempt took some of her
internal organs, resulting in her inability to ever again be pregnant, and to
periodically cough up blood. Izumi could thereafter perform alchemy without a
transmutation circle after seeing the "truth."[ch. 44]
In the manga, Izumi attracts the attention of the State Military for
having survived the failed human transmutation. As she and her husband travel
around Amestris in order to avoid the military, they eventually meet Ed and Al's
father Van Hohenheim. He rearranges her insides to ease the blood flow, and
persuades her to help collaborate in bringing down the State Military.[ch. 76,
95]
Throughout the first anime, she tries to get close to Wrath in order to
repent for the creation of him. She dies between the end of the first anime and
Conqueror of Shamballa, but, during the movie, her spirit reunites with Wrath
in the afterlife.She is voiced by Shoko Tsuda in Japanese and Christine Auten
in the English dub.ep.26ep.26
Roy Mustang
State Alchemist Roy Mustang (ロイ・マスタング Roi Masutangu?), the "Flame
Alchemist" (焔の錬金術師 Honō no Renkinjutsushi?), holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the
State Military at the start of the series,holds the rank of Colonel for most of
the series and was promoted to Brigadier General by the end of the first anime.
He aims towards becoming the next Führer of Amestris, heavily relying on the
support of his loyal subordinates to propel him along that path.[ch. 5, 61]
Mustang would find this path interrupted by the murder of his best friend and
confidant, Maes Hughes, afterwards, beginning an almost behind-the-scenes
investigation into finding the true culprit.[ch. 16] Toru Okawa and Travis
Willingham voice Mustang in the Japanese and English versions,
respectively.ep.3ep.3 In the second anime series, he is voiced by Shinichiro
Miki.ep.1
Van Hohenheim
Van Hohenheim (ヴァン・ホーエンハイム Van Hōenhaimu?) is the father of Ed and Alphonse
Elric with a keen knowledge of alchemy processes. He left them and his wife
Trisha several years before the start of the series.[ch. 68] It is later
revealed that Hohenheim is several centuries old, though the means of his
immortality differ between the manga and the first anime series. He is voiced
in the first series by Masashi Ebara in Japanese and by Scott McNeil in the
English dub.ep.43ep.43 In the second series, he is voiced by Unshou Ishizuka in
Japanese and John Swasey in the English dub.ep.19
Originally a slave from the Kingdom of Xerxes under the designation
"Slave Number 23", Hohenheim was used for experiments by his
superiors, using his blood to create a shadow-like creature known as
Homunculus.[ch. 74] In thanks to his birth, Homunculus gave the slave the name
Van Hohenheim and taught him how to read, write and perform alchemy. As years
went on, Hohenheim's status improved and was soon close to the king. When
Homunculus taught King Xerxes how to obtain immortality, he instead gave it to
Hohenheim and himself, sacrificing the citizens from Xerxes. Possessing half of
the Xerxes's citizens inside him, Hohenheim escaped in horror and tried
communicating with them.[ch. 75] After discovering that Homunculus (now known
as "Father") was going to sacrifice the inhabitants from Amestris,
Hohenheim left his family to travel around the country to leave shards from his
Philosopher's Stone.[ch. 68] When confronting Father, Hohenheim's plans succeed
as he uses the shards to annul Father's attempt to transmute the people from
Amestris.[ch. 105] However, after Father's defeat, Hohenheim dies in front of
Trisha's grave, happy that he was able to meet her and have his sons.[ch. 108]
In the first anime, where he is referred to as Hohenheim of Light (光のホーエンハイム Hikari no Hōenhaimu?), Hohenheim
has used the power of a Philosopher's Stone for hundreds of years to switch
from body to body, prolonging his life. He was originally Dante's lover, and
left her years before the series' start. Meeting Trisha, Hohenheim decided to
remain in his current body until his death occurred. However, as his body
started deteriorating, he left his family. After learning of Dante's actions,
Hohenheim confronts her but is transported to through the Gate of Alchemy to a
parallel world based on the real world.ep.50 Working for Winston Churchill,
Hohenheim is captured in Conqueror of Shamballa by the Thule Society to be used
as a catalyst for the portal to Amestris. Hohenheim ultimately sacrifices himself
to return Edward home and is killed by Envy, a homunculus that was based on his
own deceased son with Dante.
Tim Marcoh
Tim Marcoh (ティム・マルコー Timu Marukō?), formerly the
"Crystal Alchemist" (結晶の錬金術師 Kesshō no Renkinjutsushi?),
was the leading researcher in the military's Philosopher's Stone creation
project. After sacrificing a number of innocent Ishbalans during the Ishbal
Civil War in order to create new stones, he fled the military with some
imperfect stone samples. He settled down in a small country town where he uses
his stones to heal the sick. He is later found by the Elric brothers, and he
directs them to some of the research he left behind in Central to help them in
their search for the Philosopher's Stone.[ch. 8] Marcoh is then captured by the
homunculi, and is kept locked up deep below Central. While there, he is found
by Scar. Seeing Scar as a means to an end, he tells Scar of his involvement in
the Ishbalan War in the hopes of being killed in vengeance. Scar instead
disfigures Marcoh's face beyond recognition as a disguise, kidnaps him, and
forces him to help in bringing down the homunculi.[ch. 62] After Father's
defeat, Marcoh offers to restore Mustang's eyesight in return of allowing the
surviving Ishbalans to return to their homeland with him placed there as a
doctor.[ch. 108]
In the first anime, he is soon afterwards taken into
military custody, only to be killed by the homunculus Gluttony.ep.50 Kouji
Totani voices him in the Japanese series, while Brice Armstrong voices him in
the English dub.ep.14ep.14 Masayuki Omoro voices him in the second anime, while
Jerry Russell voices him in the English dub.ep.6
Russell and Fletcher Tringham
Russell Tringham (ラッセル・トリンガム Rasseru Toringamu?) and his
younger brother Fletcher (フレッチャー・トリンガム Furecchā Toringamu?) are
the sons of the famed alchemist Nash Tringham. Their characters are adapted by
the first anime from the light novel The Land of Sand, not the manga. They seek
to complete their father's research with a substance known as "red
water" (赤い水 akai mizu?), a toxic liquid with alchemical properties.
To help them in this endeavor, they impersonate the Elric brothers to gain
access to resources and locations reserved for State Alchemists. While Fletcher
is reluctant to do this, Russell insists that nobody will mind.ep.12 They are
almost executed towards the end of the first anime when they are mistaken for
the real Elric brothers, who are wanted for treason, and, after being saved,
they try to help Ed find out about the homunculi. Although Edward and Russell
fight near constantly, Fletcher and Alphonse are able to get along. The two
Tringham brothers tend to utilize alchemy involving plants.ep.49 Russell is
voiced by Kosuke Okano in the Japanese series, and Justin Cook in the English
adaptation. Fletcher is voiced by Minako Arakawa in Japanese, and by Avery
Williams in the English adaptation.ep.12ep.12
Shou Tucker
Shou Tucker (ショウ・タッカー Shō Takkā?), the
"Sewing-Life Alchemist" (綴命の錬金術師 Teimei no Renkinjutsushi?) is
famed for creating a chimera that could talk, but refused to eat and died
shortly after its creation. After meeting Tucker, the Elric brothers discover
that the talking chimera was actually his wife fused with another animal as
they discover it after Tucker fused his daughter, Nina, with his pet dog,
Alexander, in order to maintain his position as State Alchemist. Tucker, while
held under house arrest for his actions, is killed by Scar soon afterwards.[ch.
5]
In the first anime series, Shou is recruited to perform
classified research in creating Chimeras in the clandestine 5th Laboratory,
after being initially reported to have been executed by the State. Tucker
eventually becomes a Chimera while experimenting to revive his daughter,
gaining the appearance of a man crucified upon the back of a large dog. Though
Tucker succeeds in recreating Nina's body, he loses what little sanity he
possessed when he discovered that the Nina doll was without a soul.ep.48 Tucker
is voiced by Makoto Nagai and Chuck Huber in the Japanese and English versions,
respectively.ep.6ep.6
State Military
 |
| Roy Mustang and his subordinates. Also in the photograph are Maes Hughes and Alex Louis Armstrong. |
The State Military (アメストリス軍部 Amesutorisu
Gunbu?) is Amestris' primary mode of offense and defense. Throughout the
history of the country, it has existed to put down uprisings and annex
surrounding hostile countries into its borders. It is led by King Bradley, and
uses a ranking system common of most real-world militaries.[ch. 1] In the
manga, the State Military is basically just the puppet force called upon to
further the homunculi's plans.[ch. 67] Many of the soldiers' names are taken
from the makers of fighter aircraft and airplanes.p.176
Frank Archer
Frank Archer (フランク・アーチャー Furanku Āchā?) is a
character exclusive to the first anime, introduced as Maes Hughes' replacement.
He is cool, calm, and collected, with a love for violence and war. He dreams of
becoming a hero on the battlefield, viewing it as a way to rise up the ranks of
the military. To this end, he does whatever is necessary to please his
superiors, and always ensures that his actions earn him some publicity.ep.28 As
the series progresses, Archer develops an interest in the military's various
projects, such as the homunculi, chimeras, and the Philosopher's Stone. Archer
loses the left half of his body when the Philosopher's Stone is created in
Liore, and receives automail modification in order to regain his mobility.
After the operations left him mentally unstable, Archer rages through Central,
carrying out King Bradley's ordered executions. Riza Hawkeye shoots Archer down
while he tries to kill Roy Mustang.ep.51 He is voiced by Shō Hayami in the
Japanese series, and by Troy Baker in the English dub.ep.28ep.28
Olivier Mira Armstrong
Olivier Milla Armstrong (オリヴィエ・ミラ・アームストロング Orivie
Mira Āmusutorongu?) is the older sister of Alex Louis Armstrong. She is charged
with leading Briggs' Fortress (ブリッグズ要塞 Burigguzu Yōsai?), and
protecting the country from the neighboring country of Drachma. Unlike her
brother, who is cheerful and kindly to all around him, Olivier distrusts
everyone when she first meets them, and has no patience for formalities or idle
conversation. She is also, similarly, a firm believer in survival of the
fittest. This has earned Olivier a reputation within the military, and in
Drachma, as one who should not be crossed, though her subordinates hold her in
high regard. Because she readily joins them in hostile situations and
disregards the orders of superiors if she disagrees, her subordinates will
answer only to her. She always carries a sword at her side, and is proficient
enough to be able to defeat her brother with it.[ch. 65, 83] Her Japanese voice
actress is Yōko Sōmi.ep.33 Her English voice actress is Stephanie Young.
Olivier crosses paths with the Elric brothers when they
arrive at Briggs' Fortress. After Sloth infiltrates Briggs, she is able to
convince them to tell her about the homunculi that control the military.[ch.
67] To help the Elric brothers combat the corrupt higher ups, Olivier goes to
Central to work her way into King Bradley's inner circle. Once she learns of
plans to create an army of immortal super soldiers, Olivier fights against the
homunculi. Although she has no direct control of Briggs, her subordinates still
operate it under her wishes, eventually sneaking into Central to help Olivier
take control of the government.[ch. 95, 97] Her most loyal soldiers include
Miles (マイルズ Mairuzu?), who is a quarter Ishbalan, remaining in the
military with the hope to someday change the country's perception of Ishbal;
and Buccaneer (バッカニア Bakkania?), a large, heavyset man who has been shown
with two different pieces of automail in the series.[ch. 65] Buccaneer fights
Bradley together along with the resistance, but he dies in battle.[ch. 100]
Heymans Breda
Heymans Breda (ハイマンス・ブレダ Haimansu Bureda?) is one of
Roy Mustang's most trusted subordinates. He was recruited by Mustang for his
high level of intelligence, indicated by his talent with chess and other
strategy games. Despite his intelligence, he still has an irrational fear of
dogs. Breda is usually tasked by Mustang with jobs that require he travel
abroad. He is transferred to Western Headquarters when Mustang's group is
broken up by the homunculi.[ch. 61] In the manga, he eventually defects from
the military so that he can help Mustang overthrow King Bradley. Tomoyuki
Shimura voices him in Japanese, and Josh Berry in English.ep.13ep.13 In
Brotherhood, he is voiced by Biichi Satou in Japanese, and Jeremy Inman in
English.
Denny Brosh and Maria Ross
Denny Brosh (デニー・ブロッシュ Denī Burosshu?) and Maria
Ross (マリア・ロス Maria Rosu?) are introduced when they are assigned
to protect Edward Elric.[ch. 10] While Brosh is rather nosy and lazy, Ross is
serious with her job. In the manga, Ross is framed by the homunculi for the
death of Maes Hughes.[ch. 30] Roy Mustang stages a prison break and then fakes
her death, giving her a chance to flee to Xing. Before leaving, she asks that
her family and Brosh not be told that she is alive so as to keep the secret
from getting out.[ch. 41] To repay Mustang for saving her life, Ross later
returns to Amestris and helps him wage an assault on Central.[ch. 89] In the
first anime, Brosh and Ross later appear in the rebellion against King Bradley,
saving various characters from execution. Brosh is voiced by Masao Harada in
the Japanese version of the first series, Yuki Hayashi in the second, and Jim
Foronda in the English dubs of both series.ep.18ep.18 Ross is voiced in
Japanese by Mitsuki Saiga in the first series and Kaori Nazuka in the second,
and by Meredith McCoy in English.ep.18ep.18
Sheska
Sheska (シェスカ Shesuka?) was a librarian at the
First Branch of the Central City library. Because she spent all day reading the
many documents stored there, instead of doing her job, she was fired. She has a
photographic memory and can remember and reproduce anything she has ever read,
with word-for-word accuracy. Because of this, after the library burns down, the
Elric brothers seek her out to see if she can remember any research papers by
Tim Marcoh. She transcribes the entirety of his research for them, earning
enough pay to last her a year for her troubles. When Maes Hughes learns of how
she helped the Elrics, he hires her to help recreate the criminal records that
were destroyed in the fire.[ch. 10] In the first anime, after Hughes' death,
Sheska helps Winry Rockbell discover the identity of Sloth. Naomi Wakabayashi
voices her in the first anime, and Gwendolyn Lau in the English dub.ep.18 Her
voice in the second series is provided by Chika Fujimura.ep.7
Vato Falman
Vato Falman (ヴァトー・ファルマン Vatō Faruman?) is one of
Roy Mustang's most trusted subordinates. He was recruited by Mustang for his
innate ability to remember almost every detail, allowing him to act as a sort
of recording device that does not leave any physical evidence. Because his
intellect is his area of expertise, he does not have much experience in the
field, causing him to make rookie mistakes when in a combat situation. He is
overly formal, causing some of his comrades to wish he would lighten up. Falman
does not play a large role in the first anime, only being another of Mustang's
subordinates.[ch. 61] In the manga, Falman is transferred to Northern
Headquarters when Mustang's group is broken up by the homunculi. He is
subsequently transferred again, this time to Briggs' Fortress where he is given
what amounts to janitorial duties. There, he reunites with the Elric brothers,
and helps them and Briggs' forces plan against the homunculi.[ch. 23, 65] He is
voiced by Takehiro Murozono in Japanese, and by Kyle Hebert in English.ep.5ep.5
In the new series, he is voiced by Kenji Hamada.ep.13
Kain Fury
Vato Falman (ヴァトー・ファルマン Vatō Faruman?) is one of Roy Mustang's most trusted subordinates. He was recruited by Mustang for his innate ability to remember almost every detail, allowing him to act as a sort of recording device that does not leave any physical evidence. Because his intellect is his area of expertise, he does not have much experience in the field, causing him to make rookie mistakes when in a combat situation. He is overly formal, causing some of his comrades to wish he would lighten up. Falman does not play a large role in the first anime, only being another of Mustang's subordinates.[ch. 61] In the manga, Falman is transferred to Northern Headquarters when Mustang's group is broken up by the homunculi. He is subsequently transferred again, this time to Briggs' Fortress where he is given what amounts to janitorial duties. There, he reunites with the Elric brothers, and helps them and Briggs' forces plan against the homunculi.[ch. 23, 65] He is voiced by Takehiro Murozono in Japanese, and by Kyle Hebert in English.ep.5ep.5 In the new series, he is voiced by Kenji Hamada.ep.13
Jean Havoc
Vato Falman (ヴァトー・ファルマン Vatō Faruman?) is one of
Roy Mustang's most trusted subordinates. He was recruited by Mustang for his
innate ability to remember almost every detail, allowing him to act as a sort
of recording device that does not leave any physical evidence. Because his
intellect is his area of expertise, he does not have much experience in the
field, causing him to make rookie mistakes when in a combat situation. He is
overly formal, causing some of his comrades to wish he would lighten up. Falman
does not play a large role in the first anime, only being another of Mustang's
subordinates.[ch. 61] In the manga, Falman is transferred to Northern
Headquarters when Mustang's group is broken up by the homunculi. He is
subsequently transferred again, this time to Briggs' Fortress where he is given
what amounts to janitorial duties. There, he reunites with the Elric brothers,
and helps them and Briggs' forces plan against the homunculi.[ch. 23, 65] He is
voiced by Takehiro Murozono in Japanese, and by Kyle Hebert in English.ep.5ep.5
In the new series, he is voiced by Kenji Hamada.ep.13
Riza Hawkeye
Riza Hawkeye (リザ・ホークアイ Riza Hōkuai?) is Roy
Mustang's most trusted and dearest subordinate. She often carries out many of
the tasks he is too lazy to do, acts as his personal assistant, and protects
him from danger.[ch. 4] She also doubles as his voice of reason, keeping cool in
heated situations, and scolding him when he allows his emotions to get in the
way. Riza and Roy seem to share a close relationship as she identifies him as
her most precious person.[ch. 39] Riza specializes in firearms, particularly
sniper rifles, and can hit nearly any target with lethal accuracy.[ch. 7] In
the series, she adopts a dog named Black Hayate (ブラックハヤテ
Burakkuhayate?) that she raises with stern discipline; when Hayate urinates
indoors, she fires a number of warning rounds at the wall around the dog to
reinforce that doing so is against established protocol.[vol. 3:Gaiden]
While Riza does not extend far past the role of Mustang's
subordinate in the first anime, she takes on a more central role in the manga.
In the form of a tattoo on her back, Riza bears the final notes to her father's
work on Flame Alchemy, and his legacy as an alchemist and Mustang's teacher.
After seeing what Mustang was capable of during the Ishbal War, Riza begs Roy
to burn the tattoo, fearing the damage another flame alchemist could cause.[ch.
61] Riza is reassigned as King Bradley's personal assistant to be used as a
hostage when Mustang learns the homunculi control the State.[ch. 52] When she
discovers that King Bradley's adopted son, Selim, is a homunculus as well, she
sends her discovery to Mustang in code as soon as she can. She eventually
defects from the military to help Mustang overthrow King Bradley.[ch. 74] She
is voiced by Michiko Neya in Japanese and by Colleen Clinkenbeard in
English.ep.5ep.5 In the second anime series, she is voiced by Fumiko
Orikasa.ep.1
Maes Hughes
Maes Hughes (マース・ヒューズ Māsu Hyūzu?) is an old friend
of Roy Mustang's. He works in the military's intelligence division, but spends
much of his time using the military phone lines to brag to Mustang about his
family. After his daughter, Elicia, is born, he fawns about how cute and
talented she is and bombards others with pictures of her when he sees them.
Despite his over-the-top comical tendencies, Hughes is a valuable ally to
Mustang's goal of becoming Führer, supplying whatever classified intelligence
that may be beneficial. He has also been shown to be a capable fighter, skilled
with throwing knives. His general understanding of others' emotions and desire
to help them similarly gains the affection of the Elric brothers and their
friend Winry Rockbell, as he always offers advice or hospitality to them when
they need it.[ch. 14] During one of his attempts to help the Elrics, Hughes learns
of the homunculi's control over the country. However, he is shot and killed by
Envy, disguised as Hughes' wife, Gracia.[ch. 15] This leads Mustang to further
investigate the truth for himself, in hopes of finding the one responsible for
Hughes' death.[ch. 16] His death as described by Arakawa was the moment where
"everyone who read it cried" and so she had to apologize to readers
and her assistant for such an event. In the Japanese series he is voiced by
Keiji Fujiwara, and in the English dub by Sonny Strait.ep.5ep.5
Yoki
Yoki (ヨキ?) is, when first introduced, a
corrupt member of the military who imposes heavy taxes on the town of Youswell,
bankrupting its citizens. When the Elric brothers arrive in town, they trick
Yoki into giving up ownership of the town and promptly report his actions to
the military.[ch. 2] He is stripped of his rank and lives as a homeless person
on the outskirts of Central, where he meets the fugitive Scar. In the first
anime, Yoki alerts the military to Scar's location to regain his position and,
in the subsequent raid to apprehend Scar, is killed by Lust. In the manga, Yoki
is forced to work for Scar under the threat of death. Though he tries to
convince those they encounter that Scar is his servant, Yoki does as Scar
commands and calls him "master." Since he has started following Scar around
the country, Yoki has assumed a role as comic relief, often having pain
inflicted upon him when he tries to seem superior to others.[ch. 33] Kazuki Yao
voices him in Japanese, and Barry Yandell in English.ep.9ep.9
Chimera
A chimera (合成獣（キメラ） kimera?, Japanese literally
"composite beast") is an alchemical fusion between two or more
beings.[ch. 1] While the vast majority of chimera seen in Fullmetal Alchemist
are a cross between two animals, some are humans that have been crossed with an
animal. These experiments, performed in secret by the State Military to dispose
of injured soldiers or those that have taken part in secret missions, endow the
human with abilities reminiscent of the animal.[ch. 27]
Greed's chimeras
A group of chimeras work for the homunculus Greed during the
series. Bido (ビドー Bidō?) was crossed with a lizard, allowing him to sneak
around and climb surfaces with ease. Because of this, he is tasked primarily
with intelligence gathering and relies on others to defend him.[ch. 25] In the
first anime, he is killed during the military's attempt to capture Greed. In
the manga, he encounters Lin Yao, the new Greed, who, having no recollections
of Bido, kills him.[ch. 82] Dolcetto (ドルチェット Doruchetto?,
"Dorochet" in the first English anime) was crossed with a dog, giving
him an enhanced sense of smell and an unwavering loyalty to Greed. Roa (ロア?,
"Law" in the first English anime and "Loa" in the English
manga) was crossed with a bull, giving him greater strength and allowing him to
transform into a humanoid bull. He and Dolcetto are killed by the homunculi
while trying to defend Greed. Martel (マーテル Māteru?, "Marta" in the
first English anime) was crossed with a snake, and thus can stretch and contort
her body to great effect. She uses this ability during her introduction to
infiltrate Alphonse Elric's hollow armor body and control it from the inside.
She remains in Al's body for much of her role in the series, the most prominent
reason being that she is safe while in there. In the manga and second anime,
Martel is killed during King Bradley's attempt to capture Greed, while being
inside Alphonse.[ch. 30] In the first anime, Martel survives this raid and
accompanies Al in his various endeavors. She is ultimately killed by Bradley in
much the same way as in the manga, though not before informing Al that Bradley
is a homunculus.ep.40
Solf J. Kimblee's chimeras
A total of four chimeras are introduced in the manga and the
second anime series as Solf J. Kimblee's bodyguards. However, they decide to
defect from Kimblee and join the Elrics to stop Father. Zanpano (ザンパノ?,
"Zampano" in the anime) and Jelso (ジェルソ Jeruso?,
"Jerso" in the anime) are tasked with capturing Scar[ch. 72], and can
transform into a humanoid porcupine who has the ability to fire spines from his
back and a humanoid frog-like creature who has the ability to fire sticky globs
of mucus, respectively.[ch. 73] Darius (ダリウス Dariusu?) and Heinkel
(ハインケル
Hainkeru?), who are first instructed by Kimblee to help him fight and apprehend
Edward Elric,[ch. 77] can transform into a humanoid gorilla and lion,
respectively.[ch. 76]
Ishbal
A total of four chimeras are introduced in the manga and the
second anime series as Solf J. Kimblee's bodyguards. However, they decide to
defect from Kimblee and join the Elrics to stop Father. Zanpano (ザンパノ?,
"Zampano" in the anime) and Jelso (ジェルソ Jeruso?,
"Jerso" in the anime) are tasked with capturing Scar[ch. 72], and can
transform into a humanoid porcupine who has the ability to fire spines from his
back and a humanoid frog-like creature who has the ability to fire sticky globs
of mucus, respectively.[ch. 73] Darius (ダリウス Dariusu?) and Heinkel
(ハインケル
Hainkeru?), who are first instructed by Kimblee to help him fight and apprehend
Edward Elric,[ch. 77] can transform into a humanoid gorilla and lion,
respectively.[ch. 76]
Scar
Scar (傷の男（スカー） Sukā?, literally "the
scarred man") is one of the survivors of the Ishbalan Extermination
Campaign.[ch. 6] Depicted in the manga as an Ishbalan warrior priest, Scar was
a capable fighter who desperately tried to save whomever he could from the
State Military onslaught. However, Kimblee's enhanced alchemical attacks were
too much. Scar's brother, who had been researching Amestrian alchemy and
Xingese alkahestry in an attempt to gain power against the State, gives Scar
his right arm in order to save his life.[ch. 61]
Xing (シン国 Shin-koku?), a country far away
from Amestris, is introduced in the manga and the second anime series. Its
people are Asian in appearance, and are split into fifty clans under the rule
of a single emperor. The emperor has fathered a prince or princess for each of
the fifty families. In the current storyline, the emperor is in failing health,
and his children, whose families are not in good standing, seek to earn his
trust in his final days. Two of his children, Prince Lin Yao and Princess May
Chang, go to Amestris in separate attempts to find the fabled Philosopher's
Stone and gain immortality, hoping that doing so will convince the emperor to
make them his successor.[ch. 32]
Fu
Fu (フー Fū?, "Who" in the
Japanese manga[10]) is one of Lin Yao's bodyguards. He is an older man and the
grandfather of Lin's other bodyguard, Lan Fan. Though committed to his duties
and stern in nature, he cries for his granddaughter after learning that she
sacrificed her arm for their prince. He leaves his prince's side for an
extended period of time when helping Maria Ross escape to Xing, and again when
taking Lan Fan to get automail surgery.[ch. 41] Despite this, Fu remains deeply
loyal to his prince and is determined to bring back to Xing, Lin and the
immortality he has gained.[ch. 63] He is killed by Bradley while trying to
protect Lin from the homunculus.[ch. 99] He is voiced by Katsunosuke Hori in
Japanese and Kenny Green in English.ep.15
Lan Fan
Fu (フー Fū?, "Who" in the Japanese
manga[10]) is one of Lin Yao's bodyguards. He is an older man and the
grandfather of Lin's other bodyguard, Lan Fan. Though committed to his duties
and stern in nature, he cries for his granddaughter after learning that she
sacrificed her arm for their prince. He leaves his prince's side for an
extended period of time when helping Maria Ross escape to Xing, and again when
taking Lan Fan to get automail surgery.[ch. 41] Despite this, Fu remains deeply
loyal to his prince and is determined to bring back to Xing, Lin and the
immortality he has gained.[ch. 63] He is killed by Bradley while trying to
protect Lin from the homunculus.[ch. 99] He is voiced by Katsunosuke Hori in
Japanese and Kenny Green in English.ep.15
Lin Yao
Lin Yao (リン・ヤオ Rin Yao?, "Ling Yao"
in the first Viz's volumes and the second anime) is the twelfth prince of Xing,
and represents the Yao Clan. He meets Edward Elric soon after arriving in
Amestris, whom he aggravates by being both younger and taller than him. He also
tends to leave Edward with pricey dinner bills before quietly slipping away.
Despite his laid-back, goofy, and undignified personality, Lin is a skilled
swordsman who keeps a cool head in hostile situations.[ch. 33] His major
ambition is to replace his father as Xing's new emperor, and as such operates
under the belief that power can not be obtained without the people's support.
He is very close to his bodyguards, Lan Fan and Fu, often showing greater
concern for their safety than finding immortality and becoming emperor.[ch. 46]
Throughout the series, Lin's ongoing search for immortality in Amestris results
in numerous encounters with the homunculi, whom he can sense like other Xingese
characters. He eventually becomes a homunculus himself so as to become
immortal, relinquishing his body to Greed without any resistance.[ch. 54]
However, they eventually come to an agreement to the point where Lin can take
control when he feels it is necessary.[ch. 86] During the final battle, Greed
is separated from Lin's body and following his defeat, Lin returns to Xing and
becomes the new emperor, uniting all the nation's segregated clans under his
rule.[ch. 108] He is voiced by Mamoru Miyanoep.15 in the Japanese version and
Todd Haberkorn in English.
May Chang
May Chang (メイ・チャン Mei Chan?) is the seventeenth
princess of Xing who represents the Chang clan. Unlike Lin Yao, she comes to
Amestris without any bodyguards, only having her small pet panda, Xiao Mei (シャオメイ
Shao Mei?, "Shao May" in the anime) that had gotten a disease to keep
her from growing, keeping her small, to keep her company. May is particularly
skilled in alkahestry (錬丹術 rentanjutsu?), a technique
developed in Xing chiefly for medical purposes, but very similar to alchemy; by
using throwing knives (鏢 hyō?) to create two transmutation
circles, one at her intended target and one near herself, she can manipulate
matter at a distance. She is somewhat imaginative in nature; when first hearing
of Edward Elric's alchemical skills, she pictures him as a tall, handsome young
man.[ch. 32] When this is proven to be false upon actually meeting him, she
proclaims that he intentionally misled her, and later falls in love with
Alphonse Elric, also picturing his real form as a handsome man.[ch. 62] Soon
after arriving in Amestris on her search for immortality, May teams up with
Scar, assisting him on his travels. For a time, she also unknowingly fights the
Elric brothers before eventually teaming up with them as well to fight the
homunculi in hope of finding the way obtain immortality.[ch. 80] After Father's
defeat, she returns to Xing alongside Lin and Lan Fan.[ch. 108] Her Japanese
seiyu is Mai Goto and her English voice actress is Monica Rial.ep.15
Other
Barry the Chopper
Barry the Chopper (バリー・ザ・チョッパー Barī za Choppā?), a serial
killer, earned infamy in Central for his butchering of many innocent people. In
the manga and the second anime, he is captured sometime before the start of the
series. In the first anime series, his spree is brought to an end by the Elric
brothers. Though reported to have been executed, Barry's soul is actually
removed from his body and bound to a suit of armor in one of the military's
experiments. Labeled Number 66, he is subsequently assigned to guarding the 5th
Laboratory, where he encounters the Elric brothers once again.[ch. 12] When the
5th Laboratory is destroyed Barry flees and is then convinced to work with Roy
Mustang. Arakawa remarks she enjoys drawing Barry and although she originally
thought he would die in 5th Laboratory's explosion, she wanted to expand his
character more.While helping with drawing out the homunculi, Barry comes across
his old human body, with the soul of an animal having been bound to it. Barry
tracks it to the 3rd Laboratory and, to fulfill his dreams of butchering himself,
he tries to kill his body, though his armor is destroyed by Lust before he can
do so. While Barry is able to survive this, his original body destroys what is
left of him by scratching through the seal that is connecting his soul to his
armor.[ch. 39] In the first anime, he becomes a mercenary and is ultimately
killed by Scar.ep.24 Kentaro Ito voices him in the Japanese series, and Jerry
Jewell in the English adaptation.ep.24ep.24 Hideyuki Umezu voices him in the
new series.ep.7
Trisha Elric
Trisha Elric (トリシャ・エルリック Torisha Erurikku?) is the
deceased mother of Edward and Alphonse Elric. Her husband Van Hohenheim leaves
her and their two sons behind to find a way to escape his immortality and
achieve this goal.[ch. 68] Trisha tries to last until his return, though she
ultimately dies of an illness.[ch. 85] Ed and Al attempt to revive her with
human transmutation, but instead create a malformed entity that dies within
moments of being created.ch.23 Hohenheim would later plant the suggestion that
the creature was not the actual Trisha, leading to the conclusion it was
Alphonse possessing a body shortly after losing his own.[ch. 43, 45] In the
first anime series, the failed creation becomes the homunculus Sloth.ep.42 Her
seiyu is Yoshino Takamori, and her English voice actress is Lydia
Mackay.ep.2ep.2
Rosé
Rosé (ロゼ Roze?, "Rose" in the
English anime) is a young woman introduced at the very start of the series. She
is a devout believer in her town's local faith, believing that serving the
church would bring her dead boyfriend back to life. The Elric brothers' arrival
in town opens Rosé's eyes to the church's corruption and forces her to realize
her boyfriend cannot be resurrected.[ch. 2] In the manga, she helps to rebuild
the town, eventually reuniting with Alphonse Elric.[ch. 80] In the first anime,
she instead becomes the mute "Holy Mother" of the townspeople, giving
them a symbol of guidance as they rise up against the State Military. Rosé
loses her voice after being captured by a soldier of the military; it is
strongly implied that she has been assaulted by the soldiers, as she now has a
baby and the traumatic experience makes her lose her voice briefly.ep.41 She is
later captured by Dante, whose purpose is to take over Rosé's body, but is
later freed by Edward. Her voice actress in Japanese is Houko Kuwashima in the
first series, and Satsuki Yukino in the second.ep.3 Colleen Clinkenbeard voices
her in the English series.ep.1
Winry Rockbell
Winry Rockbell (ウィンリィ・ロックベル Winryi Rokkuberu?), a
childhood friend of Edward and Alphonse Elric, lives in Resembool with her
grandmother, Pinako Rockbell, who raised her after the death of her parents
during the Ishbal War.[ch. 9,24] In the manga series, her parents were killed
by Scar in a blind rage, while in the first anime, they were executed by a
younger Roy Mustang under Military order. Winry is a practicing and gifted
automail mechanic, following in her grandmother's footsteps, continually
designing and maintaining Edward Elric's automail prosthetics. In the manga,
Winry is often used as an unwitting hostage by the homunculi to ensure the
Elrics' subservience to the State.[ch. 56] She is voiced by Megumi Toyoguchi
and Caitlin Glass in the Japanese and English versions, respectively.ep.3ep.3
In the second series, she is voiced by Megumi Takamoto in Japaneseep.2, and
Glass reprises her in the English version.
Merchandise
Action figures, busts, and statues from the Fullmetal Alchemist anime and manga have been created by leading toy companies, primarily Medicom and Southern Island. Medicom has created high end deluxe vinyl figures of the characters from the anime. Other merchandise includes plushes, key-chains, straps and pins. Apparels from the characters include the State Alchemists watches, necklaces and earrings. Characters are also featured in a trading card game that was first published in 2005 by Joyride Entertainment. Video games from the series also feature the characters, although in most of them the Elric brothers are the only playable characters.
Reception
Several publications for anime, manga, and other media have provided praise and criticism to the characters from the series. Though the initial volumes were felt to be formulaic, Melissa Harper from Anime News Network noted that the series and characters grows in complexity as it progresses. She praised Arakawa for making all the characters designs unique and distinguishable, despite many of them wearing the same basic uniforms. Additionally, she liked the comedy of the characters, remarking that "Ed's facial expressions are probably the humorous highlight of the series." Lori Lancaster from Mania Entertainment praised the designs from the anime as well as the facial expressions from the characters. He also added that their interactions are very entertaining, praising the way how Edward deals with his opponents and his friends, giving the anime a good balance between action and comedy. Hilary Goldstein from IGN noted that the characterization of the protagonist Edward balances between being a "typical clever kid" and "a stubborn kid", successfully allowing him to float between the series more comical moments and its underlying drama without seeming false.
Samuel Arbogast from T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews comments that the interaction between the Elric brothers as they travel is interesting, since humor is quite frequent rather than the constant grimness of many series. He also praises the fact that all the characters have distinct designs, even though some of them had the same uniforms. Anime Boredom praised the characters for having a good balance between action, comedy and deep moments and remarked the emotional core of the development of the two main characters. Maria Lin from Animefringe.com criticized the large number of sentimental scenes in the series, considering them "an abuse to make the viewers cry". She also mentioned that the characters had lack of development, such as Edward having the same beliefs during all the anime as he once again tried to revive people using alchemy. However, she noted the anime "has some of the freshest and most vibrant character designs since Naruto".
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