Fullmetal Alchemist

Fullmetal Alchemist (Japanese: 鋼の錬金術師, Hepburn: Hagane no Renkinjutsushi, lit. "Alchemist of Steel") is a Japanese shōnen manga series written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa. It was serialized in Square Enix's Monthly Shōnen Gangan magazine between July 2001 and June 2010; the publisher later collected the individual chapters into twenty-seven tankōbon volumes. The steampunk world of Fullmetal Alchemist is primarily styled after the European Industrial Revolution. Set in a fictional universe in which alchemy is one of the advanced natural techniques revolved around scientific laws of equivalent exchange, the series follows the adventures of two alchemist brothers named Edward and Alphonse Elric, who are searching for the philosopher's stone to restore their bodies after a failed attempt to bring their mother back to life using alchemy.

The manga was published and localized in English by Viz Media in North America, Madman Entertainment in Australasia, and Chuang Yi in Singapore. Yen Press also has the rights for the digital release of the volumes in North America due to the series being a Square Enix title. It has been adapted into two anime television series, two animated films-all animated by Bones studio-and light novels. Funimation dubbed the television series, films and video games. The series has generated original video animations, video games, supplementary books, a collectable card game, and a variety of action figures and other merchandise. A live action film based on the series was also released in 2017.

Synopsis
Fullmetal Alchemist takes place in the fictional country of Amestris (アメストリス, Amesutorisu). In this world, alchemy is one of the most-practised sciences; Alchemists who work for the government are known as State Alchemists (国家錬金術師, Kokka Renkinjutsushi) and are automatically given the rank of Major in the military. Alchemists have the ability, with the help of patterns called Transmutation Circles, to create almost anything they desire. However, when they do so, they must provide something of equal value in accordance with the Law of Equivalent Exchange. The only things Alchemists are forbidden from transmuting are humans and gold. There has never been a successful human transmutation; those who attempt it lose a part of their body and the result is a horrific inhuman mass. Attemptees are confronted by Truth (真理, Shinri), a pantheistic and semi-cerebral God-like being who tauntingly regulates all alchemy use and whose nigh-featureless appearance is relative to the person to whom Truth is conversing with; it is frequently claimed and believed that Truth is a personal God who punishes the arrogant.

Attemptees of Human Transmutation are also thrown into the Gate of Truth (真理の扉, Shinri no Tobira), where they receive an overwhelming dose of information, but also allowing them to transmute without a circle. All living things possess their own Gate of Truth, and per the Gaea hypothesis heavenly bodies like planets also have their own Gates of Truth. It is possible to bypass the Law of Equivalent Exchange (to an extent) using a Philosopher's Stone, a red, enigmatic substance. Philosopher's Stones can be used to create Homunculi, artificial humans of proud nature. Homunculi have numerous superhuman abilities unique among each other and look down upon all humanity. With the exception of one, they do not age and can only be killed via the destruction of their Philosopher's Stones.

There are several cities throughout Amestris. The main setting is the capital of Central City (セントラルシティ, Sentoraru Shiti), along with other military cities such as the northern city of Briggs (ブリッグズ, Burigguzu). Towns featured include Resembool (リゼンブール, Rizenbūru), the rural hometown of the Elrics; Liore (リオール, Riōru), a city tricked into following a cult; Rush Valley (ラッシュバレー, Rasshu Barē), a town that specializes in automail manufacturing; and Ishbal, a conservative-religion region that rejects alchemy and was destroyed in the Ishbalan Civil War instigated after a soldier shot an Ishbalan child. Outside of Amestris, there are few named countries, and none are seen in the main story. The main foreign country is Xing. Heavily reminiscent of China, Xing has a complex system of clans and emperors, as opposed to Amestris's government-controlled election of a Führer. It also has its own system of alchemy, called Alkahestry (錬丹術, Rentanjutsu), which is more medical and can be bi-located using kunai; in turn, it is implied that all countries have different forms of alchemy.

Plot
Edward and Alphonse Elric live in Resembool with their mother Trisha and father Van Hohenheim, the latter having left without a reason. Trisha soon dies from an illness. After finishing their alchemy training under Izumi Curtis, the Elrics attempt to bring their mother back with alchemy. But the transmutation backfires and in law with the equivalent exchange, Edward loses his left leg while Alphonse is dragged into the Gate of Truth. Edward sacrifices his right arm to retrieve Alphonse's soul, binding it to a suit of armor with a blood seal. Edward is invited by Roy Mustang to become a State Alchemist to research a way to restore their bodies, passing his exams while given the title of Fullmetal Alchemist based on his prosthetic automail limbs and use of metal in his alchemy. The Elrics spent the next three years searching for the mythical Philosopher's Stone to achieve their goals.

The Elrics are soon attacked by an Ishbalan serial killer labeled as Scar, who targets State Alchemists for his people's genocide in the Ishbalan civil war. After returning to Resembool to have Edward's limbs repaired by their childhood friend and mechanic, Winry Rockbell, the Elrics meet Dr. Marcoh who provides them with clues to learn that a Philosopher's Stone is created from human souls. After the mysterious Homunculi hinder them by destroying the hidden laboratory, the Elrics head for Dublith to visit Izumi, hoping she might be able to train them in higher forms of alchemy. Mustang's friend Maes Hughes continues the Elrics' research, but is shot dead by the homunculus Envy in disguise for discovering the Homunculi's plan.

Visiting Izumi, the Elrics learn she committed human transmutation on her stillborn child. Alphonse is captured by the homunculus Greed, but is rescued by Amestris' leader King Bradley, revealed to be the homunculus Wrath. When Greed refuses to rejoin his fellow Homunculi, he is consequently melted down by and reabsorbed within the Homunculi's creator, Father.

After meeting the Xingese prince Lin Yao, who is also after a Philosopher's Stone to cement his position as heir to his country's throne, the Elrics return to Central City where they learn of Hughes's murder. However, Lieutenant Maria Ross is framed for Hughes' murder. Mustang fakes Ross's death and smuggles her out of the country with Lin's help. The protagonists encounter the Homunculi repeatedly. Mustang kills Lust; Lin captures Gluttony, who ends up swallowing Lin, Edward, and Envy into his void-like stomach. They successfully escape from Gluttony's stomach after he takes Alphonse to meet Father, who makes Lin the vessel of a new incarnation of Greed, while Mustang tries unsuccessfully to expose Bradley. The Elrics and Mustang are released unharmed as long as they no longer oppose the Homunculi. Meanwhile, Scar forms a small band as he heads north with the Xingese princess May Chang, fired corrupted official Yoki, and kidnapped Dr. Marcoh.

The Elrics reach Fort Briggs under the command of General Olivier Armstrong. They discover a tunnel beneath Briggs made by the homunculus Sloth and learn from Hughes's research that Father created Amestris to amass a large enough population to create a massive Philosopher's Stone so he can use it to achieve godhood by absorbing the being beyond the Gate of Truth on the ‘Promised Day’. Forced to work with Solf Kimblee, a murderous former State Alchemist and willing ally of the Homunculi, the Elrics make their move and split up, joined by a reformed Scar, his group, Kimblee's chimera subordinates, and later Lin/Greed. Hohenheim reveals separately to his sons that he was made an immortal when Father arranged the fall of Cselkcess four centuries ago. Hohenheim had been trying to stop Father from sacrificing the Amestrisans all along.

The Promised Day arrives, with Father preparing to initiate his plan using an eclipse and his desired ‘human sacrifices’ in order to trigger the transmutation. The protagonists, having assembled days prior, battle Father's minions with Kimblee and almost all of the Homunculi dying. However, Father manages to activate the nationwide transmutation circle. Hohenheim and Scar activate countermeasures to save the Amestrians, causing Father to become unstable from housing the absorbed superior being within him without the souls needed to subdue it. The protagonists soon face Father in a final battle to wear down his Philosopher's Stone, but Greed is killed by Father.

Alphonse, whose armor is all but destroyed, sacrifices his soul to restore Edward's right arm. Edward defeats Father, who implodes out of reality while dragged into the Gate of Truth from which he was created. Edward sacrifices his ability to perform alchemy to retrieve a fully restored Alphonse while Lin receives a Philosopher's Stone. Hohenheim takes his leave and visits Trisha's grave where he dies peacefully. The Elrics return home months later, but separate two years later to research alchemy further. Years later in a family photo, Edward and Winry are revealed married and have two children.