Fullmetal Alchemist: Reflections

A reflection on what happened during the FMA TV series.

Birthplace: Resembool Date of Birth: 1900 Age: 14-15 (17 at the end) Family: Edward Elric (brother) Trisha Elric (mother, deceased) Van Hohenheim (father) Species: Human Occupation: Alchemist Abilities: Alchemy, Martial Arts, High Intelligence, Highly Resistant Armor Body Weapon: Fists, Alchemy  Alphonse Elric is a fictional character in the manga and anime series Fullmetal Alchemist. He is a human child who lost his body during a forbidden alchemical transmutation to bring his deceased mother back to life, and had his soul transmuted into a suit of armor by his brother, Edward Elric. Al's blood seal lies just below the base of the neck at the back of the suit, on the inside. It is drawn with Ed's blood. According to Edward, he needs to be careful whenever he reconstructs Alphonse's body because he must keep the blood seal intact during the transmutation. If the blood seal is removed, Al's soul will be lost.   "Kindness in a can." - Edward Elric  (Source: Wikipedia)

Alphonse Elric

Age: 15-16 (series), 18 (movie, end of the series) Birthday: 1899 Birthplace: Resembool, Amestris Family: Alphonse Elric (brother) Trisha Elric (mother, deceased) Van Hohenheim (father) Affiliations: State Military Winry Rockbell Pinako Rockbell Izumi Curtis (teacher) Roy Mustang (Commander) Species: Human Occupation: State Alchemist Abilities: Alchemy, Martial Arts Weapon: Alchemy, Automail arm and leg  Edward "Fullmetal Alchemist" Elric is a young alchemical prodigy. He is the youngest State Alchemist ever to be recognized by the Amestris State Military, having received the title at the age of 12. Ed's primary motivation throughout the series is to return his younger brother, Alphonse, to his original body, which was lost in a failed human transmutation. Edward, despite his occasional bouts of immaturity, is a selfless boy who gains a reputation as a "hero of the people" throughout his youth. Notably, he doesn't seem concerned about returning his own arm and leg, instead focusing entirely on Al's suffering.  Edward is small for his age, standing at only 149 cm (4'11"), however his body is that of an experienced martial artist, with noticeable muscles and a wealth of agility. Although he lacks both his right arm and left leg, Ed's ability to fight is not impaired, and is in fact improved, as he will often use alchemy to cause his metal arm to partly transform into a blade or shield. His heavy automail limbs are considered by him to be the very best in Amestris. They were made by his childhood friend, Winry Rockbell, and she is constantly working on them. He is able to think quickly, even in desperate situations, though can still be frightened into paralysis. These qualities, combined with his alchemical powers and physical strength, make him a formidable fighter.  Born to Trisha Elric and Van Hohenheim of Resembool in the winter of 1899, Edward's first few years were relatively happy; but after the sudden departure of his father during the lad's formative years, Ed was left with his mother and younger brother Alphonse as his only family. The three Elrics lived in peace in the rural village and the boys began displaying a remarkable talent for alchemy at a young age, much to the joyful astonishment of his mother. However, early in the year 1904, Trisha contracted an illness that had been spreading in the area and died, leaving her two sons orphaned. Even while mourning, mired in grief, Edward vowed to his brother that the two of them would find a way to bring their dear mother back to life with the power of alchemy.  Edward and Alphonse spent the next few years living on their own in the Elric family home, supported by their close childhood friend Winry Rockbell and her grandmother Pinako, and pursuing the alchemical knowledge necessary for their planned resurrection. Although they had gained a great deal of information and comprehension regarding the extended basics of the craft, before long it became apparent to the young prodigies that there was only so far they could go while being self-taught. In a stroke of good fortune, Resembool was visited by an exceptionally skilled alchemist named Izumi Curtis who, after some persuasion, agreed to take the Elric brothers on as her apprentices provided they pass a preliminary test. After they do, the Elric brothers were subjected to Izumi's intensive alchemy and martial arts training, growing significantly in both mind and body and gaining a great deal of alchemical knowledge before returning to Resembool.   Though instructed specifically by Izumi to understand that death is an irreversible part of the flow of the world and that acceptance of such is important to the "One is All, All is One" concept, the boys dove headlong into their plan to resurrect their mother upon their homecoming, having advanced their knowledge while abroad and discovered the basics to a forbidden practice called Human Transmutation.  Devising a Human Transmutation Circle, amassing the elemental ingredients for an adult human body and offering their own blood as soul and biological data, the boys secretly initiated the Human Transmutation in their home. Unfortunately, the Human Transmutation resulted in a Rebound.  Alphonse and Edward were pulled into The Gate. Encountering the mysterious being called Truth, Edward was stripped of his left leg in exchange for crossing into God's domain and peeking at the Gate's vast wealth of alchemical knowledge. Maimed and bleeding, Edward was returned to the human dimension to find that Alphonse had not yet returned from his disappearance into the Gate, that the mother they had attempted to revive was a grotesque mass of organs only capable of sustaining life for a few moments and that his own sojourn into the Gate had granted him the curious ability to perform transmutations merely by clapping his hands together, without the aid of a Transmutation Circle - in the same style used by Izumi. Desperate to at least have his brother by his side, Edward willfully performed another Human Transmutation to call him back, this time sacrificing his right arm in exchange for Al's soul, which he bound alchemically to an antique suit of armor with a Blood Rune before passing out from severe blood loss. Alphonse carried Ed to the Rockbell house, where a shocked Pinako and Winry performed emergency surgery to save the young boy's life.  On the night of the failed transmutation. Lt. Colonel Flame alchemist Roy Mustang came to the Rockbell's in response to a letter that Edward and Alphonse had sent him in the mail asking about their Father. He was shocked at the fact that the two boys had tried human alchemy and survived, and informed them that they could become state alchemist and maybe one day find a way to return their bodies to the way they were. Desperate to get His younger brother's body back, Edward asked the Rockbells to give him prosthetic limbs called automail. Though they warned him the surgery would be painful, he said the pain was nothing compared to what his brother had given up. He only took a year to adapt to the automail at age 11 when it took most adults 3 years.

Edward Elric

Major Alex Louis Armstrong, the Strong Arm Alchemist, was born into an elite family of alchemists and has mastered his family's techniques. Members of his family have, in the past, filled the highest military and political positions in the state. He acquired his alchemy titles for his skill of using arm strength in his alchemy. All though he may look intimidating, he is really friendly and (overly)affectionate, and often stays behind or risks his life for the safety of others. He also has a tendency to show off techniques passed down to him to his enemies, and make them feel somewhat awkward during a battle.  The scion of the illustrious Armstrong family, Alex is a remarkably caring commander and friend as well as an invaluably skilled ally to Colonel Roy Mustang and Edward Elric.

Alex Louis Armstrong

Izumi Curtis, born Izumi Harnet, the teacher of Ed and Alphonse Elric, agreed to train the brothers to hone their alchemical abilities after their mother died. She expands their training with a regimen of philosophy, martial arts, and living off the land. Her methods are derived from her own alchemy training: in the manga and second anime, she was forced to survive in the northern region surrounding Briggs Fortress for a month (although it turns out she succeeded by stealing supplies from the northern fortress), whereas in the first anime she was taught by Dante. She thinks of the Elrics as her own sons, and although she severs her student-teacher ties with them after learning of their attempts with human transmutation (and similarly Ed's joining the State Military), she continues to do all she can to help them. She can be quite violent when punishing or sparring with the Elric brothers, so they tend to be deathly afraid of her. Her claim of "I'm a housewife!" while confronting Greed was a favorite scene of Arakawa's to draw.  Izumi and her husband Sig Curtis (ã‚·ã‚°ãƒ»ã‚«ãƒ¼ãƒ†ã‚£ã‚¹, Shigu KÄ�tisu) were expecting a child years before the start of the series; however, their son was stillborn. Izumi tried and failed to revive the child through human transmutation (an act that created Wrath in the first anime). The failed attempt took some of her internal organs, resulting in infertility, and causing her to periodically cough up blood. Izumi gained the ability to use alchemy without a transmutation circle after seeing the "truth."  In the manga, Izumi attracts the attention of the State Military for surviving the failed human transmutation. As she and her husband travel around Amestris in order to avoid the military, they eventually meet Ed and Al's father Hohenheim. He rearranges her insides to ease the blood flow, and persuades her to help collaborate in bringing down the State Military.

Izumi Curtis

Envy is a homunculus who has the ability of shape-shifting. They use this power to assume the form of any person and even copy their voice. They usually serves as a spy, but their abilities are also extremely useful for assassinations. Envy may not be as smart as some of the other homunculi, but is by no means an idiot. In fact, they can be just as good a puppet master as Lust, but this is overshadowed by their cockiness and bad temper. Their temper can easily be set off by insulting their large and delicate ego, causing them to make mistakes.   In the 2003 anime series: As the oldest Homunculus, Envy claimed that he had forgotten what he originally looked like. Envy also greatly hates all humans and followed Dante mostly for the opportunity of killing as many people as he could. This is what drove Envy in all that he did and unlike other Homunculi, Envy does not care about the Philosopher's Stone, nor about becoming human.  Towards the very end of the series it is revealed that Envy was created four hundred years ago by Hohenheim in an attempt to resurrect the son he and Dante had, who later died from mercury poisoning when he was eighteen years old. Envy held a great hatred toward Hohenheim for never being acknowledged as his son and for abandoning him and Dante. In the manga and 2009 anime series: Envy was the fourth Homunculus created by Father. Though often referred to as a 'he' Envy is apparently genderless and can take almost any form they choose. Referred to by Lust as the most cruel or sadistic of the Homunculi, Envy shows the most open disdain of humans and relishes in any opportunity to hurt, humiliate, or insult them. They are also quite vain and short tempered and dislike anyone insulting their appearance.   Beneath this cruel exterior however Envy is secretly envious of humans' inner strength and the mutually beneficial friendships that they share, since most of the Homunculi show little real concern or emotional support for each other. (Source: Fullmetal Alchemist Wikia)

Envy

Gluttony is the second homunculus to appear in the series, typically being in the company of Lust. He is a large, simple-minded homunculus whose thoughts rarely stray far from eating. He has powerful jaws, acidic saliva, and can and will eat almost anything. He particularly likes eating people, and the only way he can find enjoyment in a battle is if he believes he can eat his opponent afterwards. A running gag in the manga and anime is asking Lust (or any other Homunculi) if he can eat someone. He apparently prefers girls (as in to eat) and also seems to share a bond with his partner Lust.   There is no significant information pertaining to his role in the 2003 anime series.  In the manga and 2009 anime series; Gluttony is the sixth Homunculus created by Father... and the failed product of Father's attempts to create a Gate of Truth. When activating this gate, Gluttony's stomach opens up, revealing a large eye at its center. His ribs spread out to act as a border for the gate, and then double as large extendable teeth. With these teeth Gluttony can consume everything in his eye's field of vision in an instant, which is then transported to a realm within himself. Artifacts from centuries before the start of the series can be found there, indicating Gluttony's age. Gluttony and his philosopher's stone was eaten by Pride when they're battling with Edward Elric, Lan Fan, Ling Yao, Fu,and the chimeras. (Source: Fullmetal Alchemist Wikia)

Gluttony

Greed is a greedy Homunculus, nicknamed the "Ultimate Shield". He is able to rearrange the carbon in his body to make his skin as hard as diamond, thus making himself almost impossible to injure. As his name implies he is a very avaricious character, who likes living in luxury, surrounded by powerful minions and beautiful women. Despite his generally greedy nature, he is shown to honestly care for his subordinates. He also has a habit of flipping people off in the manga.  In the 2003 anime series Greed is the second oldest of the Homunculi created by Dante. However, due to his avarice, Greed rebelled and was eventually captured and imprisoned in lab 5. He was imprisoned for 130 years until an explosion broke his seal. He then freed the caged chimera at Lab 5 in exchange for helping him get his revenge on the other homunculi and their master.  In the manga and 2009 anime series He is the third Homunculus created by Father. Greed apparently abandoned the other Homunculi over 100 years before the start of the series and claims to be around two centuries old. He first appears hiding in the Devil's Nest in Dublith, with his gang of chimeras all of whom he apparently rescued from military experimentation.   After Greed is punished by Father, he later returns as Father removes his son's Philosophers Stone core from his own body and inserts it directly into the body of Ling Yao to create a second Human-based Homunculus. This second Greed maintains all the same personality and powers as the first (his Ouroboros tattoo is even in the same spot), but appears to have none of his previous memories, not recognizing Envy, Gluttony or the Elric Brothers. As such, he becomes a faithful servant of his Father, as the first Greed was presumed to have been initially, and refers to all actions prior to his rebirth as having been done by "the other Greed".  However, as Greed is a host in Ling Yao's body, Ling is able to regain control of his body if Greed let's his guard down or allows him to. By doing this, Ling is able to regain his sixth sense of detecting another's presence, but is not able to use the Ultimate Shield. Greed is reluctant to willingly give him back his body however.  After killing a past comrade and follower of his, memories from Greed's previous life returned, including his time in the Devil's Nest and the feelings he had for his followers. Remembering this, along with how Bradly killed most of his followers, leads Greed to betraying Father once again. He also stops referring to his "previous self" as "the other Greed" upon regaining his memories.  After forming a temporary alliance with Edward and company, Greed and Ling help in the fight against the Homunculi and the Central Troopers. In the afternath, as Edward, Alphonse and the military engage Father, he steps in and allows Father to absorb his Philosopher's Stone, afterwards giving Ling his body back, claiming the only thing he truly wanted were friends. He then reverses his Ultimate Sheild, turning Father into a brittle coal-like substance and fades away with his Father, a smile on his face. (Source: Fullmetal Alchemist Wikia)

Greed

Riza Hawkeye is Roy Mustang's most trusted subordinate. She carries out many of the tasks he is too lazy to do, acts as his personal assistant, and protects him from danger. She also doubles as his voice of reason, keeping cool in heated situations and scolding him when he allows his emotions to get in the way. Riza and Roy seem to share a close relationship in both adaptations of Fullmetal Alchemist; in the anime she identifies him as her most precious person, whereas in the manga she loses her resolve to live when believing he has been killed. Riza specializes in firearms, particularly sniper rifles, and can hit nearly any target with lethal accuracy. She adopts a dog, called Black Hayate in both the anime and the manga, which she raises with stern discipline; when Hayate goes to the bathroom inside, she shoots at the wall behind him to reinforce that doing so is bad.

Riza Hawkeye

Fullmetal Alchemist

Edward Elric, a young, brilliant alchemist, has lost much in his twelve-year life: when he and his brother Alphonse try to resurrect their dead mother through the forbidden act of human transmutation, Edward loses his brother as well as two of his limbs. With his supreme alchemy skills, Edward binds Alphonse's soul to a large suit of armor.
A year later, Edward, now promoted to the fullmetal alchemist of the state, embarks on a journey with his younger brother to obtain the Philosopher's Stone. The fabled mythical object is rumored to be capable of amplifying an alchemist's abilities by leaps and bounds, thus allowing them to override the fundamental law of alchemy: to gain something, an alchemist must sacrifice something of equal value. Edward hopes to draw into the military's resources to find the fabled stone and restore his and Alphonse's bodies to normal. However, the Elric brothers soon discover that there is more to the legendary stone than meets the eye, as they are led to the epicenter of a far darker battle than they could have ever imagined.

(Source: MAL)

Fullmetal Alchemist: Reflections

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