Questions tagged [fullmetal-alchemist-series]

Use this tag for all entries in the Fullmetal Alchemist ("Hagane no Renkinjutsushi") franchise, including the manga by Hiromu Arakawa and both related anime series (Fullmetal Alchemist (2003) and Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood (2010)).

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14 votes
1 answer
69k views

What's Scar's name?

Before the manga ended, I remember reading somewhere that part of the things that should be revealed by the end was Scar's name, but I don't recall ever finding it out. What's Scar's name, was it ever ...
3 votes
1 answer
2k views

Why does Wrath want Ed's limbs?

In the 2003 series, Wrath is the homunculus created from Izumi Curtis' child, who either was stillborn or died shortly after birth. After Ed finds and interacts with him, he realises that Wrath has ...
7 votes
2 answers
2k views

How do the Homunculi differ between the FMA manga and anime?

I know that the actual characters who are the homunculi differ between the FMA manga and original anime. For instance, Sloth is a different person between the manga and the anime. However, do they ...
15 votes
2 answers
7k views

Why can't The Dwarf leave the flask?

The Dwarf in the Flask, of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, is seen trapped within a flask during his first appearance. At one point in the series, The Dwarf states that his greatest wish is to ...
15 votes
2 answers
812 views

How can alchemy be used in another dimension?

At one point, Ed, Al, and Ling end up in a battle involving Gluttony. Then, It is also stated more than once that alchemists use the energy from the movement of the tectonic plates of the Earth's ...
9 votes
2 answers
858 views

Do the moths during Grumman's thoughts have any symbolic significance?

In episode 47 (12:08) of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, general Grumman's thoughts about a leadership position in Central are made audible to the viewer: Miles: And what about the plan, sir? Aren'...
7 votes
1 answer
11k views

Where did Scar's other tattoo come from?

In the 2009 anime, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, near the end of the series, Scar has not had this tattoo forever, though; in earlier scenes in the series, we can clearly see that Scar has only ...
7 votes
1 answer
2k views

What does it mean that Gluttony is a fake Gate of Truth?

Gluttony is said to be a fake Gate of Truth, as shown by when he swallows Ed and Ling. They are transported to a place that is full of blood, which seems to be entirely different from the place where ...
7 votes
2 answers
3k views

Does Drachma play any role in FMA beyond being what Briggs defended against?

In the parts of FMA when they are at Fort Briggs, they say that Fort Briggs defends against the country of Drachma. As far as I remember, though, that is the only time that Drachma is mentioned. Is it ...
18 votes
1 answer
11k views

How did Homunculus come into being?

In FMA, the being that became Father, the one known originally as Homunculus or the Dwarf in the Flask, seemed to have been created by Van Hohenheim's master using some of Van Hohenheim's blood. Is ...
7 votes
1 answer
746 views

Why is Pride's name different from the word "pride"?

When watching FMA Brotherhood, when van Hohenheim is talking to Pride, he refers to him as "プライド (Puraido) when he is talking to him by name, but when he is listing the seven deadly sins, he uses the ...
4 votes
1 answer
1k views

Is it necessary for Amestrians to die for the transmutation circle?

Throughout FMA: Brotherhood, fighting has been breaking out, having been orchestrated by the Homunculi to power the giant transmutation circle that makes up Amestris. In most if not all of the ...
4 votes
2 answers
8k views

How much time does the original Fullmetal Alchemist anime cover?

I was always confused with something in the original (2003) Fullmetal Alchemist anime. When Elric brothers have helped the Hughes' when Alicia was born, that happened around the same time when Edward ...
8 votes
2 answers
2k views

Why does Edward prefer to use his automail over Alchemy?

So I've been watching Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and I didn't understand why Edward didn't use Alchemy every time he encountered enemies? Like the fight with Number 48 in Research Lab 5, and ...
5 votes
1 answer
763 views

Why does Mustang address Hawkeye informally after dispatching Envy?

Awhile ago I was re-watching some of the Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood episodes in French (specifically 54) to reference something else, I noticed that in 54, Mustang uses the "tu" form (the ...
0 votes
2 answers
354 views

Comparing FMA manga to the animes

Which came out first Fullmetal Alchemist the manga, Fullmetal Alchemist the anime or Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood?
15 votes
2 answers
4k views

How did the characters learn alchemy?

How did the characters gain their power to perform alchemy in FMA:Brotherhood? Is it genetic, or is it something that can be learned? After all, not everyone in the series can use alchemy.
4 votes
1 answer
690 views

What is the origin of the curling-up tongue trope?

I've seen this curled-up tongue trope pop its head up every once in a while and I was wondering: Which trope is it, and where does it originate from?
8 votes
2 answers
3k views

Can someone learn more than one alchemy?

In Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, the characters gain skill in alchemy through learning. So I'm wondering, is it possible to learn more than one alchemy? Because it seems like everyone is a ...
4 votes
2 answers
6k views

Why can't the homunculi perform Alchemy?

In Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, we saw that the core of a homunculus is a philosopher's stone, but ironically, they still can't perform any alchemy. Why is it like that?
7 votes
2 answers
3k views

Who was King Bradley supposed to be?

In Fullmetal Alchemist (2003 anime series) Fuhrer Bradley/King Bradley is a homunculus and is head of the military in Central. They say the Homunculi are created when an alchemist attempts human ...
2 votes
1 answer
751 views

How did Dante know that the Elric brothers were going to bring back their mother Trisha?

In the FMA Wikia it says this... In the first anime series, the remains of the failed human transmutation that was Trisha takes on a larger role. After the brothers rush away from the scene ...
9 votes
1 answer
1k views

How did Sloth lay rail underground?

When the Elric brothers and General Armstrong go into the tunnel Sloth dug, and later when the search party is shown in the same tunnel, there are rails on the bottom. How can Sloth lay rails? There ...
3 votes
1 answer
2k views

What song plays at 7:38 of FMA Brotherhood episode 28? [closed]

There is a really good song that either begins at or plays through 7:38, but I can't seem to find what the song is actually called. What song is this?
6 votes
1 answer
1k views

Why didn't Ross' broken bracelet cause suspicion?

Rewatching episode 17 of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, we are shown several times Maria Ross' prison "bracelet" on her "corpse". The bracelet is shown to be broken even after Edward appears on the ...
-2 votes
1 answer
316 views

What was Dolcetto combined with?

Dolcetto was a human chimera, a creature synthesized by alchemically combining two or more living beings. What was the other living beings that Dolcetto was combined with?
17 votes
2 answers
8k views

How did Alphonse recover his pre-gate memories?

In FMA: Brotherhood, Alphonse recover the memories he lost after going through the Gate, by having Martel's blood spattered over his own blood seal (the one that binds his soul to his armor), and is, ...
8 votes
2 answers
1k views

In the 2003 anime FMA, what are the ingredients for making Homunculi?

Referring to the 2003 anime FMA, what is the exact process to creating an Homunculus? I haven't watched the anime in a little while but if this makes sense I am looking for the ingredients that are ...
3 votes
2 answers
1k views

What makes the mannequins different from the results of the sacrifices' human transmutation attempts?

In the manga / Brotherhood, we learn that the reason human transmutation is forbidden is because it would otherwise allow people to create their own private armies (at least according to the man who ...
8 votes
1 answer
2k views

Which characters are featured in the Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood eyecatches?

In every episode in the Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood series, about halfway through the episode there is an interruption in which two images (eyecatches) with characters are displayed. Which ...
4 votes
1 answer
32k views

When does Brotherhood and the 2003 series split? [duplicate]

So I've watched FMA: Brotherhood and Star of Milos. I want to watch conqueror of Shamballa but it seems like it continues from the original series. I don't want to have watch the original series ...
1 vote
1 answer
3k views

Why does Father (the Dwarf in the Flask) want to be a perfect being?

Why does the Dwarf in the Flask want to be a perfect being, when he's already an immortal, and has the power to do what he wants using the Seven Deadly Sins (Lust, Envy, etc.) homunculi?
2 votes
1 answer
2k views

Which episode of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood had a lot of transitions with a black screen and white text?

I think it was one of the earlier episodes but I can't remember. Maybe it was during a character's backstory or a flashback but it was only in 1 episode. There was an episode in FMA Brotherhood where ...
9 votes
2 answers
1k views

What happens if too much is given during a transmutation?

In Brotherhood, during a transmutation, what happens if too much is given as a part of the equivalent exchange? In the series, the brothers lose something each for trying to give too little during the ...
13 votes
2 answers
698 views

How much of the normal process of doing alchemy can be circumvented by seeing Truth?

I saw someone on the internet wonder if Ed and Al are capable of doing flame alchemy because they have seen Truth. This bothered me, since this would negate the idea that flame alchemy was difficult ...
3 votes
1 answer
11k views

What does "W.C" on Izumi Curtis's slippers mean?

What does "W.C" mean? My guess was "water closet" - basically toilet slippers. If my guess is true why does she wear it? Is it a popular thing in Japan or Germany for housewives to go out with toilet ...
15 votes
1 answer
8k views

Why does Major Armstrong sparkle?

I don't remember seeing any reasoning behind why Major Armstrong sparkles (although I've only ever seen the first anime series; I haven't read the manga nor seen the Brotherhood anime series). Was ...
21 votes
1 answer
5k views

Why can't Alphonse repair Edward's automail using alchemy?

Edward's automail breaks many times during animation, but every time even if Alphonse didn't take any damage they go after Winrey to fix Edward's automail. Now I'm wondering if Alphonse can easily ...
11 votes
1 answer
1k views

If you had two automail arms, could you still use alchemy?

So, say someone in the Fullmetal Alchemist world lost both of their arms. Could they still preform alchemy with their automail arms? Is there a way to adjust the automail so you can use alchemy?
8 votes
1 answer
381 views

Where are we shown Rose's surname?

According to the Fullmetal Alchemist Wiki, Rose, the character who appears in the Lior arcs of FMA, has "Thomas" for a surname. While the Wikipedia entry on her simply refers to her as Rose, a quick ...
9 votes
1 answer
2k views

If the "Truth" didn't exist, would that mean that feats such as Human Transmutation would work?

In FMA Brotherhood, It is said that Truth watches over all alchemic exchanges in the world. The entity at the Gate calling itself Truth: My question is if Truth didn't exist would impossible feats ...
8 votes
1 answer
5k views

Why does Ed and Al's mom cost so much to transmute?

I get it's all equivalent exchange ,but logic dictates that to bring a soul you must lose a soul (Al's) and to make the materials into a body you would need to destroy a body (Al's again) but why was ...
6 votes
1 answer
419 views

Why is gold important to Amestris' economy?

I'm not too well versed in the laws of Amestris or its political climate, but the law only prohibits material transmutation to gold, besides human transmutation. I suppose transmutation to silver or ...
2 votes
1 answer
356 views

Why did Scar only attack the State Alchemists?

Is there any reason other than vengeance for Ishbalan, whose people were exterminated by Military, that Scar set out to exterminate State Alchemists instead of exterminating all Alchemists?
18 votes
1 answer
2k views

How similar is Hohenheim (FMA) to the real Hohenheim?

Hohenheim in FMA is based on a real person also named Hohenheim. How similar are the character from anime and the real person, and how do they diverge?
5 votes
2 answers
6k views

Why is human transmutation illegal or that matter have alchemy laws?

Follow me here for a minute. The state is controlled by the homunculi/Father who wants people to use alchemy to do dangerous research especially human transmutation to make philosopher stones. Why ...
8 votes
2 answers
2k views

How does the state know when people transmute something into gold?

In FMA, transmuting gold is against the law. However, I don't get this - How does the state know when people transmute something (e.g. bread into gold)?. There's nothing to stop someone from ...
9 votes
1 answer
299 views

How much can something that is attached to a blood seal be damaged?

In some episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist, Alphonse gets really hurt. But as long as the blood seal isn't broken, he will be fine. So, in theory, If I tear up each piece of the armor that houses ...
-3 votes
1 answer
497 views

What is "Teacher's" name?

I was watching Fullmetal Alchemist about half an ago, and it dawned on me that Alphonse and Ed call her "Teacher" and not by her actual name. What is her real name?
2 votes
1 answer
386 views

Why weren't the people underground affected by the nation-wide transmutation?

In chapter 104 of the Fullmetal Alchemist manga, we see people collapsing after the nationwide transmutation circle has been activated by Father. However, on page 8 or so of chapter 105, it seems that ...