Fullmetal Alchemist is one of those anime and manga stories that melts you by the heart, gives it a few squeezes, then gently puts it back, kind of like alchemy, but with more emotions and fewer explosions (well, sometimes).
The story is about two brothers, Ed and Al Elric, who mess up big time trying to bring their mom back from the dead. Spoiler alert: It goes very wrong.
Ed loses an arm and a leg, and Al loses his entire body, and now his soul lives in a giant, clunky suit of armor. Talk about awkward family photos.
Now, here’s where things get a little complicated. The Fullmetal Alchemist has two anime versions, plus a movie, and a manga with a bonus chapter.
Yup, it’s like the multiverse, but with more yelling and fewer Spider-Men. Hahaha!
The first anime came out in 2003. It started like the manga, but since the manga wasn’t finished yet, the anime had to make up its ending.
So, the writers just said, “Let’s get weird,” and they did. In this version, villains named Homunculi are born when people try forbidden human transmutations.
One of them, Sloth, looks exactly like the brothers’ mom, which is both sad and extremely creepy. The villain here is a lady named Dante, who’s been body-hopping for centuries and has serious trust issues.
It gets even more dramatic when Ed finds out that Envy (another Homunculus) is his half-brother. Then Envy stabs Ed, Al sacrifices himself, Ed sacrifices himself back, and boom! Then, Ed ends up in our world, specifically in 1920s Germany.
Meanwhile, Al is stuck back in their world. So, now they’re separated, riding trains in different universes, probably hoping the other has good snacks on board.
But wait! There’s a movie called Conqueror of Shamballa. In this one, Ed is living in Germany, hanging out with a guy who looks just like Al (but isn’t), fighting Nazis, and inventing rockets. You know, just normal teenager stuff.
Eventually, Al finds a way to join him, and they decide to stay in our world just in time for World War II. Not exactly the vacation they were hoping for. Some fans thought this ending was a little too sad and weird, and honestly, they weren’t wrong.
Then came Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood in 2009, which said, “Let’s stick to the actual manga this time, people.” And it has done a beautiful job.
This version has more characters, better pacing, and the real villain, a creepy creature-turned-god-wannabe named Father. He used to be a tiny Homunculus in a jar, which is somehow less cute than it sounds.
He tricks a whole kingdom into giving up their lives and tries to become the most powerful being ever, but Ed and Al aren’t about to let that happen.
In the final battle, Al does the whole dramatic sacrifice thing again (classic Al), and Ed gives up his alchemy powers forever to bring him back. But don’t worry, it’s a happy ending.
They go home, everyone’s alive, Ed finally tells Winry he loves her (it took him long enough), and later we see them with their kids, living a peaceful life. It’s the kind of ending that makes you want to cry happy tears and then hug your dog.
And just when you thought it was over, there’s a bonus manga chapter! In it, Al receives his old armor in the mail like it’s some weird Amazon Prime delivery.
Instead of keeping it as a souvenir, he asks Winry to melt it down so the metal can be used to make automail limbs for people who need them.
It’s a sweet way of saying goodbye to the armor and something Al would do because he’s the cinnamon roll of the series.
So, yeah, likewise, Fullmetal Alchemist has a lot of endings, but each one shows the love, sacrifice, and brotherhood between Ed and Al.
Some are sad, some are hopeful, and one of them includes Nazis (which, again, very weird).
But no matter which version you watch or read, one thing’s for sure that Ed and Al’s story is unforgettable, even if Ed is a little short-tempered about it.
Literally.
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