Fullmetal Alchemist is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa. It was serialized in Square Enix's Monthly Shōnen Gangan magazine from July 2001 to June 2010, spanning 27 tankōbon volumes. The story is set in a fictional early 20th-century world where alchemy is a widely practiced and scientifically governed art. It follows the Elric brothers, Edward and Alphonse, who commit the ultimate taboo of human transmutation in an attempt to resurrect their deceased mother, resulting in Edward losing an arm and a leg and Alphonse's soul being bound to a suit of armor. Their journey to find the legendary Philosopher's Stone to restore their bodies becomes a sprawling epic that explores themes of sacrifice, war, morality, and the consequences of playing god.
The manga is renowned for its intricate plot, well-developed characters, and a unique magic system based on the principle of Equivalent Exchange. Arakawa's work masterfully blends action, comedy, and deep philosophical questions, earning widespread critical acclaim. It became one of the best-selling manga series of all time, with over 80 million copies in circulation worldwide, and is considered a modern classic of the shōnen genre.
Its immense popularity led to a massive media franchise, most notably two distinct anime television series: a 2003 adaptation that diverged into an original storyline, and the 2009 series Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, which follows the manga's narrative more faithfully. The franchise also includes animated films, original video animations, light novels, and video games, cementing its status as a global cultural phenomenon.
