Fullmetal Alchemist

Fullmetal Alchemist is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa. It was serialized in Square Enix's shonen manga anthology Monthly Shonen Gangan from July 2001 to June 2010, with the 108 individual chapters later collected into 27 tankobon volumes. The story is set in a fictional steampunk universe primarily styled after the European Industrial Revolution, where alchemy is a widely practiced science governed by the law of equivalent exchange. The plot follows two alchemist brothers, Edward Elric and Alphonse Elric, who attempt to bring their deceased mother back to life using forbidden human transmutation. The ritual fails catastrophically: Edward loses his left leg, and Alphonse loses his entire body. Edward sacrifices his right arm to bind Alphonse's soul to a suit of armor. To restore their bodies, the brothers set out on a journey to find the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary artifact that can amplify alchemical power and bypass the law of equivalent exchange. Along the way, they uncover a deep conspiracy within the military, confront homunculi, and grapple with the moral cost of their quest.

The manga has been adapted into two anime television series, both animated by Bones: the 2003 series which diverges from the manga after the first half, and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, which faithfully adapts the entire manga and aired in 2009. Two animated films, 『The Conqueror of Shamballa』 (2005) and 『The Sacred Star of Milos』 (2011), were also produced. A live-action film was released in 2017, with two sequels in 2022. The series has also spawned light novels, OVAs, video games, and a collectible card game. In North America, the manga was localized and published in English by Viz Media, while Yen Press has held the digital rights since 2014.

Fullmetal Alchemist has received widespread critical acclaim and is considered one of the greatest manga series of all time. It has sold over 80 million copies worldwide, making it one of the best-selling manga series in history. The series won the 49th Shogakukan Manga Award for the shonen category in 2004, the UK Eagle Award for Favorite Manga in 2010 and 2011, and the Seiun Award for Best Science Fiction Comic in 2011. Its themes of equivalent exchange, the value of human life, and the consequences of playing God have resonated with readers and influenced countless creators.[editar]