Fullmetal Alchemist

Fullmetal Alchemist (鋼の錬金術師, Hagane no Renkinjutsushi in the original Japanese) is a 51-episode anime television series which ran in Japan from October 4, 2003 to October 2, 2004. The TV series is based on the manga created by Hiromu Arakawa, which is currently serialized by Square Enix in the magazine Shonen Gangan.

A Fullmetal Alchemist movie is slated for a theatrical release the second half of Summer 2005. There also are video games for the PlayStation 2 console and for the Game Boy Advance. The anime series is licensed in North America by FUNimation and began broadcasting on Cartoon Network on November 6, 2004 as part of their "Adult Swim" anime lineup. The manga has been licensed by Viz Communications and is scheduled for an April 2005 release. Odex released the anime in Singapore. The anime series began broadcasting on February 26, 2005, on TVB in Hong Kong.

The story (called "Hagaren" or "FMA" for short by fans) concerns two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, who have a talent for alchemy.

Story

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Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only, truth.
- Alphonse Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist intro.

While still young boys, Alphonse and Edward Elric suddenly find themselves alone when their mother falls ill and dies. As the two brothers stand at their mother's grave, Ed resolved to use their talent for alchemy to revive her. However, the use of alchemy for human transmutation is forbidden, and the brothers pay a heavy price when they try and fail to resurrect their mother: Ed loses his left leg and right arm in the process, while Al's entire body was consumed. Only by also giving up his right arm was Ed able to save Al's soul, bounding it to a nearby suit of armor.

Now determined to find the secrets of human transmutation to restore himself and his brother, Ed became a State Alchemist in service to the military, in order to gain access to the military's many resources. With Al by his side, they travel across Amestris to find clues that would lead them to the fabled Philosopher's Stone, a mysterious gem that is said to be able to circumvent the standard rules of alchemy and its principle of equivalent exchange. They soon learn, however, that there are many others who seek the Philosopher's Stone for sinister reasons, and the brothers quickly find themselves caught up in a dark and disturbing conspiracy.

Characters

Note: All characters are mostly listed by their debut in the storyline (Anime, manga, video games).

Main

While the Elric Brothers are the heroes of the story, there are also those who are greatly affected by their adventures and vice versa.

Edward Elric - The Fullmetal Alchemist. A name due to his "automail", the artificial arm and leg that replaced the limbs Ed lost when he attempted to revive his mother (his leg) and transfer Al's soul into a suit of armor (his arm). Ed is the older brother, but is short for his age and is very sensitive about that as he is often made fun of for it. He is a very powerful alchemist, even more so than he understands. He can use alchemy without the use of a transmutation circle, unlike most alchemists, by clapping his hands together because of his failed attempt to revive his mother. Throughout his adventure, he saw the dark aspects of human nature and tried to act tough as a defense to it. He is killed by Envy, only to be revived by Al at the cost of his life. He then decides to revive Al using himself as a sacrifice, while ensuring that no one can use the Philosopher's Stone again. Al was brought back to Amestris in his original body, but Edward was unintentionally taken to the 'other side' of the gate, which is supposed to be our world. Ed lives in post WWI Germany with his father, now traveling to Romania to find a means to go back to Amestris with hopes to see Al and the rest of his friends again someday.

Alphonse Elric - Al is the younger brother, but is often confused to be older than Ed because he is trapped in a suit of armor twice as large as he is. When Ed and Al tried to revive their mother, Al's body was taken to the 'other side' and Ed had to save him by giving up his arm and binding his soul to a nearby suit of armor. Because of this, Al is unable to feel, smell, or taste anything anymore (he actually doesn't even eat), but he can apparently see and hear. He's an alchemist as well, but not nearly as powerful as his brother is. Al's personality acts as a foil for Ed's. After Scar transferred all of his incomplete Philosopher's Stone (souls) into Al to save his life, he became the host of the Philosopher's Stone, as well as a target for Dante, her Homunculi, and Shou Tucker. He sacrificed himself to revive Ed after Envy killed him; Ed then used himself in a transmutation to revive Al, who came back in his original 10-year old body with no memory of his adventures since that night they tried to revive their mother. He was last seen under Izumi's teaching once again, and wants to study alchemy so that he may see Ed again someday.

Winry Rockbell - Ed and Al's childhood friend. She's a self-professed "gearhead" who helped her grandmother build Ed's "automail". She occasionally travels with the Elric Brothers to maintain Ed's artificial limbs. Her parents were doctors who were killed during the Ishbal War by Roy Mustang under Basque Gran's orders. Also sometimes translated as "Winly".

Rose Thomas - Rose is from the city of Lior in a remote region of the East. She was one of devout followers of Cornello's teachings because she felt that he would use his powers to bring her boyfriend, Kain, back to life. However, she is shocked when all Cornello is able to produce is a talking parrot chimera, which was going to eat her before Al intervened. With her hope shattered, Rose was forced to start over and persevere through hard times when the military invaded Lior. Imprisoned by the military, Rose was raped repeatedly until she lost her voice. She endured this abuse for about four years and when she finally escaped, she was pregnant. Thanks to Scar, she became the symbol of hope for the people of Lior and with help from Edward, got her voice back. She became targeted as Dante's next vessel with the new Philosopher's Stone.

Scar - One of the surviving Ishbalites, a people who reject alchemy as an offense to the natural gifts their god gave them. His real name is unknown, so he's called Scar due to the X-Shaped scar on his forehead (thanks to Kimblee). He was on a crusade of sorts to assassinate all of the State Alchemists for the cruelty on his people. The fact he killed Nina to end her "pain" as a chimera made him Ed's mortal enemy. Scar's relationship with the Elric brothers seemed to change upon each meeting depending on the circumstances until he eventually learned the Homunculi were the ones responsible for the War that took the lives his people. His right arm is tattooed with a strange transmutation circle that allows him to destroy objects at will, by performing only the first two steps of a transmutation (Understanding and Decomposing). He received the arm from his older brother to replace the one taken from him by Kimblee. In truth the arm is actually an incomplete Philosopher's Stone itself, created from the transmutation of countless Ishbalites who died in the war; it gives Scar pain every time it absorbs another incomplete Philosopher's Stone (soul). Scar later transferred it into Al to save him from Kimblee's alchemy. He died from bullet wounds incurred from shielding Lust.

Izumi Curtis - She is a powerful alchemist who took the Elric brothers on as students after their mother died. The tattoo on her neck is the same insignia on Edward's coat. She is a very strong woman and powerful alchemist who is married to Sigu Curtis, a martial artist. She hates the military, however, so Edward had to do his best to keep his status as the Fullmetal Alchemist a secret from her. She, like Edward, is able to perform alchemy without a transmutation circle. Izumi gained this attribute when she created the Homunculus Wrath in an attempt to revive her dead newborn, at the cost of some of her internal organs.

Dante - She is the one who originally instructed Izumi Curtis in the ways of alchemy. Dante was a lover of Hohenheim. She had cheated death for centuries by transferring her soul into another body by using the Philosopher's Stone. However, the transfer was not perfect, as Dante loses a bit of her own soul with each transfer and her bodies slowly decay after a while. She can perform alchemy without a transmutation circle, an ability most likely gained after she created the Homunculi Greed and Pride. She is the leader of all the Homunculi and uses them to spark wars, so new Philosopher's Stones could be made. She was planning on transferring her soul into Rose and possibly taking Ed as her new lover. Dante was last seen fighting off a crazed Gluttony while making her escape.

Hohenheim of Light - The father of Edward and Alphonse. He can perform alchemy without a transmutation circle and was a legend of his time, but Ed has a grudge against him for leaving his mother. By the time he resurfaced to face Dante, he was over 400 years old. He, like Dante, used the Philosopher's Stone to transfer his soul into a new body and thus was able to live indefinitely. However, Dante transported his entire being to the 'other side' of the gate, and ended up in London during WWI. He later saw Edward off on the boy's trip to Romania. He was named after Paracelsus, a famous historical alchemist.

Alphonse Heiderich - A boy who bears a resemblance to Alphonse Elric and befriends Ed in the movie. He's studying under the father of modern rocketry. He wants to prove the scientific worth of his fellow Germans by achieving a rocket that can actually be ridden. However, Alphonse feels a bit annoyed when Ed treats him like his little brother.

The State Military

Note: Doctor Tim Marcoh and Shou Tucker are both considered "former" State Alchemists, so they are not found in this section. See below for their bios.

In the country of Amestris, the Fuhrer (governing leader--sometimes translated as President) has command of the military. All alchemists that work in the military are referred to as "State Alchemists", obtaining titles based on their alchemic talents and abilities. Like any army, there are rankings. From lowest to highest: Security Personnel, Private, Sergeant, Sergeant Major, Warrant Officer, Second Lieutenant, First Lieutenant, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Colonel, Brigadier General, Lieutenant General, Major General, and General. (All State Alchemists are given the ranking of Major upon their entrance into the military, and have the potential to be promoted from there.) After the current Fuhrer, King Bradley (Pride), was killed, the military gave all the political power to Amestris' newly formed parliament.

Colonel Roy Mustang - The Flame Alchemist. Ed's superior officer in the military, and an acquaintance of Hohenheim. He was involved in the Ishbal War, though he could never forget the horror and the lives he took. Often playfully mysterious, Mustang sometimes annoys Edward to no end. In truth, he has his own goals and intentions in mind as a member of the military. He wishes to become Fuhrer to try to make the world a better place, with one of his policies to be that all female members must wear miniskirts. He kills the Homunculus Pride at the end of the series, though it costs him his left eye in the process. He was promoted to Brigadier General for exposing the conspiracy in the military. A powerful alchemist in his own right, Mustang wears gloves with transmutation circles on them that are made of a material that sparks when he snaps his fingers, allowing him to create flames anywhere in the surrounding area at will and manipulate them as he desires.

Lieutenant Colonel Maes Hughes - Member of the Investigations division who is good friends with Colonel Mustang and the Elric brothers. Hughes loves his wife, Gracia, and is absolutely obsessed with his little daughter Elicia and will commonly shove pictures of her into other peoples' faces to cheer them up, but the fervor of his obsession simply freaks out or annoys most members of the military. Hughes, while investigating more on the Philosopher’s Stone as well as the 5th Laboratory incident and the deaths of the officers involved with that, learned the truth of Juliet Douglas and Sloth; he was silenced by Envy before he could reveal that truth. He was promoted to Brigadier General posthumously for dying in the line of duty.

First Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye - A hard-working member of the state military and most trusted in Mustang's circle of friends. She is excellent with guns, and usually carries two with her wherever she goes. She has feelings for Mustang, though she draws the line with his 'miniskirt' policy. She also has a soft spot for the Elrics. Her dog-training methods with her dog, Black Hayate, are rather questionable. She was last seen tending to Mustang's injuries after his fight with Pride. In some translations and hte English dub, Riza's name is translated as Liza.

Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc - One of the lieutenants in the military. He likes to smoke, and often goes through several packs per day. He's one of Roy Mustang's most loyal followers, mostly due to the man's 'miniskirt' policy. Havoc's also always searching for a girlfriend and, tragically, never gets one.

Lieutenant Heymans Breda - He is good at chess and is one of Mustang's subordinates. He occasionally plays pranks on the other members of Mustang's group.

Sergeant Major Caine Fury - A kind man who cares for animals and everyone else. He was the one who brought Black Hayate into the eastern headquarters, though he freaked out about Riza's methods of training. He is part of Roy Mustang's group and is the youngest member.

Major Alex Louis Armstrong - The Strong Arm Alchemist. He was born into a family of alchemists and has mastered his family's skill of using his arm strength in his alchemy. He often takes off his uniform to show off his muscles for no other reason than showing off his 'beautiful body'. A very intimidating man at first sight, but is actually more of a softie, as sentimentalism prevents him from being promoted. Armstrong was part of the Ishbal War and has a sense of loyalty towards Roy Mustang. He was jokingly known as "Colonel Clean" for obvious reasons-- the resemblance to the cleaning product mascot is uncanny, including the pink sparkles.

General Haruko - He is one of the top-ranking officers in the military. Near the beginning of the series, he is held hostage on a train by Bald when he is returning home from vacation. He also proctored Edward's first Alchemist Exam, as his way of repaying the boy. He was later seen leading the military at Lior.

Warrant Officer Vato Falman - He escorted General Haruko back from his vacation and he works in the investigation department under Lieutenant Hughes.

Brigadier General Basque Gran - The Iron Blooded Alchemist. He is able to transmute the iron in his blood to an assortment of guns and other weapons. The leading proponent for using the Philosopher's Stone for military applications, Basque was the one who had Marcoh's research be used in the Ishbal War. After Marcoh went AWOL, Basque was enraged for losing such power and decided to forge his own Philosopher's Stone. He was also the man who forced Shou Tucker to use his daughter in his Chimera project, intending to use the beastmen created in the 5th Lab and findings on the Philosopher’s Stone for his own ends. Basque was killed by Scar before he could see his ambitions realized.

Lieutenant Yoki - He is in charge of the mines at Youswell and was a very corrupt man who only rose to the position he has through massive bribes. He was eventually exposed for the con artist he was by Edward in his first mission as State Alchemist.

Lieutenant Colonel Aston Martins - The Thunder Alchemist. Exclusive to "Stray Rondo". He tends to put the moves on the ladies. In battle, he becomes a calm person with great skills with his katana. He was in jail until he was given parole by Mustang to help the Elric brothers in their mission. He has a great interest and some incorrect knowledge in the Samurai code. He was a friend of Colonel Royce.

Lieutenant Maria Ross - She is put in charge of taking care of the Elric brothers during their stay in Central City. Almost immediately, she takes on the role of a parental figure. She tries to give guidance to the brothers whenever she can. She had a short-lived crush on Hohenheim.

Sergeant Denny Brosh - Seen almost always with Lieutenant Ross, he is rather nosey and lazy. He also has an enormous infatuation with Maria Ross.

Librarian Sheska - Her responsibilities include organizing and keeping records of all of the books in the Central City library. She has the ability to instantly recall entire books from her mind and recite them verbatim.

Lieutenant Colonel Frank Archer - He is in charge of Intelligence. Very cool, calm, and collected. Frank thoroughly enjoys war and all his actions are aimed towards preparation for future wars. Frank could easily be compared to Basque as far as morality goes. He had almost his entire body modified with automail by the finale, only to be killed by Riza.

Zolf J. Kimblee - The Crimson Alchemist. He uses the chemical properties in the human body to create explosives, turning people into living bombs. This man was sick and perverse; during the Ishbal War, he killed numerous civilians, women, and children just to hear the sound of them exploding. He was also the man who killed Scar's brother, making him a prime target on Scar's list. When he killed one of his superior officers, Kimblee was imprisoned in the 5th laboratory and sentenced to death. He was one of the prisoners the Homunculus tried to trick Edward Elric into transmuting into the Philosopher's Stone, but he blew up another prisoner to escape with the resulting explosion releasing the Homunculus Greed from the seal that bounded him. He joined Greed temporarily, only to betray him in order to be re-enlisted in the military under Frank Archer with a full pardon. He paid for his crimes at the hands of Scar, but not before Kimblee made a vain attempt to kill Al. Also sometimes translated as Kimbly.

Mudey Nemda - A corrupt officer in the army, exclusive in "Broken Angel". He was helping Camilla with the goal of using the Philosopher's Catalyst.

Genz Blethlow - The Armor-Piercing Alchemist. Exclusive to "Broken Angel". He's a super confident villain with an automail arm who fought Ed on three occasions, modifying his own body with more automail for every encounter. Despite being defeated on every occasion, Genz still calls himself "the strongest".

Joliot Comanche - The Silver Alchemist. Exclusive to the manga. He was involved in the Ishbal War. He loves violence and fighting, and his style is to transmute various weapons on the battlefield. Because of this, he is completely helpless when there is nothing to transmute.

Jack Glory - The Silver Bullet Alchemist. Exclusive to "Demon of the Red Elixir".

Others

The various people the Elric Brothers befriend or deal with during their journey.

Father Cornello - He is a low-rate alchemist and a fraud. He used what he thought was the Philosopher's Stone (an incomplete Philosopher's Stone provided by Lust) to fool the people of Lior that he was sent by the Sun God Leto with the power to resurrect the dead. In truth, he wanted only to convert the citizens into a fanatical army. The Elric brothers exposed him for the fraud he was, which cost Cornello his life as Gluttony ate him. Envy (disguised as Cornello) managed to reforge the deception until the military stepped in.

Cray - He was Father Cornello's right-hand man and a devout follower of his religion. When the military came to Lior. Cray was devoured by Gluttony when he looked for Cornello and found the Homunculi instead.

Bald - A member of a bandit group who hijacked a train headed towards Central City so that he could trade the safety of the passengers on board for the freedom of his group's leader. He was stopped by Edward, as he and his brother were heading to Central City to become State Alchemists. He would later resurface in "Stray Rondo" to repeat the same crime, only to be put in jail yet again by Ed.

Barry the Chopper - A serial killer introduced near the beginning of the series, Barry was a butcher in Central's Gunzi section. He earned the title for killing his wife and chopping her into bits. Then, posing as a food-delivery woman, abducted various women, killed them out of pleasure, and ditched them in alleys. He is caught by Ed in the boy's first official task as State Alchemist. The ordeal Barry put Ed through taught the boy the startling realization of how small he truly is in the world and how little he can do to save everyone he ever met. Unknown to the public, instead of receiving the death penalty, Barry was given the option of having his soul sealed into a suit of armor and he became one of the guardians of the 5th laboratory under the alias of "Number 66". In the manga (which gets him more involved in the story), he helped Roy Mustang in exchange for freedom, falling in love with Liza because she shot his armor head off without flinching ("I love strong women, I'm in love with you missy!"). In the end, he was killed by Lust.

Lyra - She is an alchemist under the command of Lieutenant Yoki with the aspirations of becoming a State Alchemist. That was until Edward exposed Yoki for the corrupt military official he is. She used the air around her in her alchemy. Lyra later resurfaced as a student of Dante. In truth, Lyla later became another vessel for Dante. Her soul was transferred into Dante's previous and dying body. Also can be Lyla.

Corniche R. Royce - Exclusive to "Stray Rondo" and "Sonata of Memories" games, Chroniche is an alchemist who excels in the field of medical alchemy, growing up in the care of her home and has never left it before. It was because of her brother that she went to Capital City and becomes a State Alchemist to be of use to more people. Although she has quick wits, she would sometimes become a bit of an airhead.

Lincor - The villain of "Stray Rondo", Lincor was once known as Colonel Seraphy Royce, the Tuning Alchemist. His involvement in the Ishbal War made him realize that the State was using alchemists more like weapons. His superior officers set up the rumors that Royce was creating chimera via human transmutation. Therefore, Royce faked his death and began to set up his own war with the State. In the end, he transmuted himself into his entire castle and was defeated.

Dalt Daimler - An Alchemist who helped Lincor, posing as a merchant. He was killed by Randy. His only son was Lute D. Saxophone.

Randy Rover - Exclusive to "Stray Rondo" and "Sonata of Memories" games, Randy was an upper-class alchemist until the Ishbal War reduced him to poverty. On the verge of death, he was saved by Lincor and so as a debt of gratitude, he is willing to serve him with his loyalty. He's proud of his muscular body.

Kate Rham - Exclusive to "Stray Rondo" and "Sonata of Memories" games, Kate never received any love from her parents as a child. One day, she was able to make dolls that moved and talked with her alchemy. After that, her parents died in the Ishbal War and were found by Lincor, who promised to be her friend. She thinks of her dolls as the next most important thing.

Siren - Clara, a cat burglar who publicly makes her thievery known so that her sinking city will be full of life before it disappears beneath a lake. Her alchemy uses cards and water. She was Ed's first female opponent, taking advantage of Al's gullibility by saying she was stealing to save a building she was working at. Her guises included a nurse, a nun, and a schoolteacher. The English dub has translated her name as Psiren.

Russell Tlingum - The son of alchemist Nash Tlingum, who supposedly discovered red water and did extensive research on it in Central City before he saw the nightmarish side effects. Hearing that his father was last heard from in Xenotime, he and his younger brother Fletcher posed as the Elric Brothers so that Russell would be able to work on red water, to fulfill their father's dream. After learning the truth, Russell helped stop Mugear and decided to stay in Xenotime and use his alchemy to make it wealthy in agricultural terms. Can also be Tringham.

Fletcher Tlingum - Russell's brother. He is caring and disliked the deception they were pulling. He specializes in alchemy dealing with plant life. Can also be Tringham.

Mugear - He was the richest man in the city of Xenotime, owning most of the land. When Xenotime's gold supply diminished, Mugear had Nash Tlingum crystallize red water to make incomplete Philosopher's Stones. He uses the crystals to transmute rock into gold so that people will come to the city and he will get lots of money. He was forced to murder Tlingum when he refused to help at the cost of the deaths caused by the red water. He took advantage of the Tlingum brothers by pretending to fall for their deception and had them continue their father's work. He was one of the men Lust took advantage of for her own ambitions. He eventually is killed when he was crushed by the cave-in, caused by pressure from the red water.

Doctor Tim Marcoh - The Crystal Alchemist. Marcoh was the leading researcher in the creation of the Philosopher's Stone. After his research was used in the Ishbal War, he fled from his position as a State Alchemist and took his research with him to prevent it from being used for further destruction. Posing as a medical doctor, he began to use the Stone he created to help the sick. Naturally, when the Elric Brothers turn up, he's none too pleased to see them. After the incident with Scar, Marcoh was taken into military custody. Marcoh gave Edward a hint that would eventually lead him and his brother to find the 5th laboratory. During his time in the Fuhrer's protection, Marcoh was confronted by Lust, who needed to make sure Marcoh didn't reveal too much information to the brothers. She then wounded Marcoh and had Gluttony devour him. Can be called Marco.

Viola Amore - Exclusive to "Sonata of Memories" game, she was an automail engineer. Her family was victims of chimera transmutation.

Cravis Fagott - Exclusive to "Sonata of Memories" game, he was a State Alchemist; he was another of Basque's pawns in his 'BeastMan' project. He stripped for position when the public learned he used Viola's parents in a Chimera-transmutation, though they died, and Lila went missing afterwards. Since then, he looked after the chimeras he created and made peace with them. He was killed by his former assistant Lute.

Almony Eiselstein - Exclusive to "Broken Angel", she's Professor Eiselstein’s daughter. Her father strictly prohibited her from learning alchemy because she has no talent for it. She believed that her father had grown cold to her because of her inability to perform alchemy, so she becomes Ed’s student in hopes of acceptance. She has a cheerful disposition and is a hard worker with a love for flowers, especially the Etherflower. She has a pair of wings that grow from her back. The truth was she was a transmutation of Wilhiem's real daughter, Selene. When the Philosopher's Catalyst was complete, an object meant to be transmuted was incompatible with the wings so it rebounded to Selene. The professor used the wings to stop the rebound, but Selene was transmuted to Almony. Almony's source of life is the power of the wings and if that power is directed to somewhere else, she would die. That's the reason why she never became an alchemist. When Carmilla learned the truth, she abducted Almony and started to transmute her into her chimeras, but the girl's father intervened, which resulted in destroying Almony's wings and scarred Camilla. Near death, Wilhiem took his daughter to his lab, where he took both his life and hers.

Professor Wilhelm Eiselstein- Exclusive to "Broken Angel", he's one of Ten Alchemists and considered a world authority on catalytics – the study of making efficient alchemy. Eiselstein is also a friend of Izumi Cutis. He is researching the “Philosopher’s Catalyst,” a legendary material that has powers comparable to the Philosopher’s Stone. When Chimeras attacked the Hiessgart, he took the initiative by evacuating the residents and establishing the New Hiessgart. He stopped Carmilla from transmuting Almony, but his daughter was going to die with her wings destroyed. Then he took Almony to his lab where he took his own life and his daughter's.

Margott Orange Peko: Professor Eiselstien's assistant.

Camilla - The villain of "Broken Angel", an eye-patched woman behind the chimera attacks in Hiessgart, posing as Wilhelm's assistant Greta to get possession of the Philosopher's Catalyst. Her three Chimeras (Behemoth, Ziz, and Leviathan) feed on the flesh of alchemists and serve as catalysts to refine the Philosopher's Catalyst. With Almony, Camilla was about to transmute her in her chimeras. Professor Eislstein threw an Etherflower at Camilla, causing the woman's face to mutate be scarred. She retaliated by merging her chimeras, only for the fused beast to be destroyed by the Elric Bros. Carmilla escaped and still is on the loose.

Slicer Brothers - A pair of serial killers who were given the option of having their souls sealed into a single suit of armor and became one of the guardians of the 5th laboratory under the joint alias of "Number 48" with a shared regret of not refusing the offer. After being defeated by Edward, the younger brother (body) took his life, while the oldest (head) lived on before Lust killed him.

Arlen Gloster - Exclusive to "Demon of the Red Elixir".

Elma - Exclusive to "Demon of the Red Elixir".

Chimeras

Referred as a most inhumane form of Alchemy by some, a chimera is the result of fusing two or more different creatures into a single entity. One of Basque Gran's dark projects involve creating "beast-man" chimeras for militant reasons, with help from Shou Tucker (who grew to despise this work, especially when it affected his personal life and drove him mad) and other Alchemists (some who regret it). The Elrics encountered both types of Chimera.

Shou Tucker - The Sewing Life Alchemist. He was a man who became famous by his experiment that produced a chimera that could speak just as a human could, though the creature starved itself to death after it was publicly shown. He played host for the Elric brothers while they studied for the State Alchemist exams until Ed found out Shou used his wife to create that chimera. To keep his position as a State Alchemist and forced by Basque, Shou used Nina and the family dog in the creation of a new talking chimera, costing Shou his own daughter and his sanity. When the Elric brothers arrived too late to stop him, Shou only explained to an enraged Ed that he would have lost Nina either way and has no one to comfort him, that those with power can't help but use it.

He was seemingly sentenced to death by Basque, to cover up the truth of Shou's talking chimeras and the general's involvement. But in reality, Shou was secretly revived by Basque only as an extremely deformed beast-man chimera to bend the "Alchemist reviving dead humans" taboo and thus Tucker suffered the fate he gave his own wife and his daughter (whom Basque allowed Tucker to revive to get his cooperation). From that point, 'Tucker-Chimera' was forced to continue his research in the Military's 'super-soldier' project on human subjects in the 5th Laboratory until he was freed by Greed, whom he joined temporarily, only to betray him for the offer of being re-enlisted in the military under Frank Archer on the condition that he can work on whatever he wants without question. Using that newfound privilege, Tucker used his research to create lifeless dolls of daughter Nina. Learning that Al is host of the Philosopher's Stone, he offers to teach the boy how to master the Stone in return of using its power to transfer Nina from her chimera body into her new body. It didn't work as Tucker intended and only made him even more insane.

Nina Tucker - Shou Tucker's only daughter, Nina was two years when her mother "went away" (unaware of what really happened to her). Two years later, when the Elric brothers were living with the Tuckers, Nina was like the little sister Ed never had. She loved to play outside with the family dog, Alexander. Unfortunately, when her father's State Alchemist certification was coming up, Basque forced Tucker to do something he hope to would never do again: create another talking chimera by fusing Nina and Alexander. Despite Ed's intent to restore Nina, Shou explained the fusion was perfect, so separation could harm or even kill the girl and her dog. Confused and scared when Basque had her and her father to be taken to the 5th Laboratory, 'Nina-chimera' ran and encountered Scar who gave her a mercy killing (destroying her from inside out). Her remains were gathered and taken to the 5th Laboratory where her now 'chimera' father attempted to revive her in his spare time. It always ended in failure though. After being re-enlisted as a State Alchemist, Shou intended to undo the wrongs he committed and restore Nina back to normal. This was accomplished by tricking Al to use the Philosopher's Stone to transfer Nina from her chimera body into a "lifeless doll" that was made in her image. The transfer was a success but all it accomplished was placed Nina in a comatose state. Even with the stone's power, Tucker's will and alchemical skills were not strong enough to bind his daughter's soul to her new body.

Lute D. Saxophon - The Villain of "Sonata of Memories", he was a student under Cravis. He was the one behind the game's events and transmuted his love Lila into a Chimera to save her life as he lacked the skills of healing alchemy. Since then, Lute vowed to make the Military pay for Lila's sake. It turned out he was son of Dalt Dalimer and intended to use the Philosopher's Stone (created from the transmutation of the military's souls) to merge Lila's soul into him. Something went horribly wrong and Lute became a mindless chimera. Lute was killed, but died knowing Lila's feelings for him.

Lila Amore - Exclusive to "Sonata of Memories" game, she was Viola's little sister and Lute's love interest. She was mortally injured the day Fagott, under military order, transmuted the girl's parents into chimeras. Lute took her to the hospital, but her wounds were too severe. Lute did the only thing he could do: transmute his love into a talking Chimera in order to save her life. Her inhuman form was unintended and he distanced himself from her as a result. Lila was by Fagott's side until they were killed by Lute, who convinced himself the chimera he created was not Lila. Though it was Lute that made her a chimera and killed her, she bore no ill will towards him and loved him. She had her sister Viola tell Lute for her before she died.

Martel - One of the Chimeras that joined Greed to get revenge on the military for what they had done to her. She, Dorchet, and Roah were of the Amestris Special Forces, whose defiling of an Ishbal temple and killing everyone in it was the real cause for the war. After that, she and her group were transferred to the 5th Laboratory, where they became test subjects in Shou Tucker's Chimera research. Marta was fused with a snake, giving her enhanced agility and able to stretch her arms to long distances. She escaped the military after Greed's death, only reappear in Lior. It was there met her end at the hands of Pride, while she found out his secret during their fight and he silenced her in a gruesome matter.

Dolcetto - A loyal Chimera that swore loyalty to Greed. Much like Nina, he was fused with a dog but retained his human appearance. Because he is part dog, he can use his newfound speed with his great swordsmanship.

Roa - A chimera that follows Greed. He was fused with a bull, making him as strong as one.

Biddo - A chimera that followed Greed under Zolf Kimblee's command. He was fused with a lizard.

Homunculi

The Homunculi are humans that are created artificially by alchemy. They are much like natural humans with the exception of a soul. They are actually created as a by-product of failed attempts at human transmutation. Though not inherently immortal, by consuming incomplete Philosopher's Stones they can prolong their lives indefinitely and gain regeneration from any injury, or even death. They do have one weakness: they become very vulnerable (sometimes paralyzed) if they get too close to a part of the person that was to be revived (a part of their former body). They are also incapable of using alchemy (as they 'came' from the other side of the Gate), although each one of them has a supernatural ability to make up for it. Their goal is to see a true Philosopher's Stone created, as they have been told that it would give them souls so they can be fully human, though they are all being used by Dante. They are each named after one of the seven deadly sins and an ouroboros is tattooed somewhere on their bodies.

Lust - She is the first of the Homunculi encountered in the series, sultry and cool-headed. Her fingers are razor sharp and she can extend them to stab people. She tends to be more involved with the intrigue side of various conspiracies. She was created by Scar's brother when he attempted to use alchemy to bring his lover back from the dead. It is speculated that during the transmutation, Scar's brother lost part or all of his male reproductive organs as part of the equivalent trade. She was not the first Homunculus to bear the name of Lust, and is one of the younger Homunculi. She was killed by Wrath when she went against Dante. Her tattoo was located on her chest.

Gluttony - He is one of the older Homunculi, despite having the mentality of a child and lacking a will of his own. True to his name, he is always eager to eat anything, or anyone, living or dead. Most of his muscles are in his jaws and his saliva is acidic, even dissolving the toughest metals to feed his ravenous appetite. He emotionally latches onto Lust like a young child to its mother. Little is known of his past. Dante transmuted Gluttony to a mindless monster so he could eat Al and perfect the Philosopher's Stone in his stomach. Gluttony fell victim to Al's alchemy, his lower jaw dissolved. He was last seen trying to devour Dante.

Envy - Envy has the power to assume the form of any person and copy their voice. He also displays super-strength and high agility. He is so old in that he usually takes on the form of a young boy because he "claimed" to forgot what his original form looked like (Which resembled a teenage Hohenheim). He imprisoned Greed in the 5th Laboratory. He was created by Hohenheim when he attempted to use alchemy revive his and Dante's son. Envy held a great hatred toward Hohenheim for never being acknowledged by the man as his son and for abandoning him and Dante, with whom he has a rocky relationship. But by the time he learned that Hohenheim remarried and fathered two sons, Envy was even more furious and took it out on his 'younger half-brothers', Ed and Al, as it was the next best thing to killing their 'old man'. He even killed Ed, though Al managed to revive him with the Philosopher's Stone. Upon learning Hohenheim is still alive and beyond the gate, Envy went into it in a fit of hatred.

Sloth - The youngest Homunculi, Sloth has become somewhat a leader of the group. She assumed the identity of Captain Juliet Douglas, a soldier who was said to have sparked the Ishbal War by killing an unarmed Ishbal child. Through manipulation and plotting with Pride, she became his secretary, serving as his representative. She was hydrokinetic and able to convert the molecules in her body to a liquid substance to suffocate people in. She was created by the Elric brothers when they tried to resurrect their mother, Trisha Elric For this reason, she looks exactly like her, using it to her advantage on Alphonse until she fell victim to the memories of her 'life' as Trisha, seeing that killing the Elric brothers should stop the pain. She had the tattoo of Ouruboros above her left breast and acts like a mother to Wrath taking care of him. However, Wrath unknowingly plays a part in her death as he accidentally absorbs her (along with Trisha's bones he absorbed earlier), leaving her vulnerable to be turned into ethanol by Ed, causing her to dissipate into the atmosphere.

Greed - He is the Homunculus known as the Ultimate Shield, as he is able to make himself impervious to harm by rearranging the bonds between the carbon atoms in his body. Unlike the others, he has no interest in the Philosopher's Stone as he was swayed from that by the temptation of money, women, and power. He spent the last century imprisoned in the 5th Laboratory after disobeying his creator and master, Dante. The seal that imprisoned him was broken by an explosion caused by Zolf J. Kimblee. Greed took the opportunity to liberate and recruit Zolf, Shou Tucker, and the other beastmen Chimeras that were imprisoned with him and later kidnapped Al. Greed hid out at the Devil's Nest bar until Zolf betrayed him, forcing Greed to seek Dante's help, but she punishes him by having him vomit out all the incomplete Philosopher's Stones inside his body, weakening him for the fight to follow when Edward pierced Greed's heart with his automail, but he reveals the weaknesses of the others before dying. His tattoo was on his hand.

Wrath - The second most recent Homunculus created, the 7-10 year old child is unique in that he possesses the ability to perform alchemy without a transmutation circle. He can do this because he has a discolored human arm and leg, Edward's arm and leg. His inherent Homunculus ability is stretching his limbs. He had to live in the Gate until he attained Ed's limbs, then he had to live alone on a deserted island. He isn't accepted anywhere--until he was found by Envy and was 'awakened'. Wrath wanted the rest of Edward's body because he was under the impression that he could absorb it and be completely human. His power is fusing with anything around him, living or not. He was created when Izumi Curtis attempted to bring her baby son back to life with alchemy. Unlike the other Homunculi, there was nothing left of the baby's body from the transmutation, making Wrath practically invincible. His only two weaknesses were that he was afraid of the sound of a wailing baby and the confusion he gets when he sees Izumi, as he came to believe Sloth is his mother. Dante got sick of Wrath's whining of Sloth's death and banished him though the Gate, where his human limbs were ripped away from him by the spirits within before he made it back. After Edward's sacrifice, Winry fitted Wrath with automail akin to Ed's and his current whereabouts are unknown. His tattoo was on the bottom of his right foot.

Pride - To the public, he is Fuhrer King Bradley, the acting leader of the military and de facto leader of the country of Amestris. He was created by Dante for the purpose of infiltration and to control the military so that Dante could be the puppet master behind all military actions. His tattoo is on his right eye, which he covers with an eye patch. His "Ultimate Eye" allows him see all possible outcomes of situations so he can predict the moves of an opponent before they happen. He was Dante's finest creation as he was the only Homunculus who can age like a normal human. This enabled Pride to live among humans and even have a family of his own, with a son called Selim. He was eventually exposed and was incinerated by Roy Mustang.

Terms

Gate of Alchemy - The source for all alchemic power. All people have the gate inside of them, though only their souls can reach it. When someone performs a human transmutation, they reach the Gate of Alchemy and gain the ability to perform alchemy without a Transmutation Circle. It has many other names, like "Gate of Truth" and "Hell's Gate", but it forms a link between the world the series takes place in and the Other World (our world, in 1921 at the series finale).

Philosopher's Stone - The item hunted down by every Alchemist, as it amplifies its wielder's alchemic power infinitely. It also can bypass the laws of equivalent trade. When the Elric Brothers were at the 5th Laboratory, they learn that the Philosopher's Stone is a byproduct of transmuting a certain number of human souls into a single stone. The legend of it bypassing equivalent trade was false as each time a human transmutation is done with it, a certain number of souls are taken away, eroding the stone. It also can transfer souls between bodies, though the soul also erodes. Hohenheim of Light created Philosopher's Stone when his body began to degenerate and he used it to transfer his soul to another person. He gave a piece to Dante who used it for the next 400 years until she ran out and had to set up the event that would create a new Philosopher's Stone.

Incomplete Philosopher's Stone - It is incomplete and not as powerful as the real Philosopher's Stone. However, it is still quite powerful, as many characters who possess this stone demonstrate, even though it sometimes has undesirable side effects.

Philosopher's Catalyst- A material with powers much like the Philosopher's Stone. It was a project by Wilhelm Eiselstein, but was taken advantage by Camilla for reasons unknown. The Philosopher's Catalyst later turned out to be Almony's wings.

Openings and Endings

Openings:

"Melissa" by Porno Graffiti (Episodes 2-13, also used as ending for episode 1)
"READY STEADY GO" by L'Arc~en~Ciel (Episodes 14-25)
"UNDO" by Cool Joke (Episodes 26-41)
「リライト」/"Rewrite" by Asian Kung-Fu Generation (Episodes 42-51)

"READY STEADY GO" will be the only opening theme aired on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. The DVD release from FUNimation will include all openings in their original places.

Endings:

「消せない罪」/"Kesenai Tsumi" ("The Unerasable Sin") by Nana Kitade (Episodes 2-13)
「扉の向こうへ」/"Tobira no Mukou e" ("To the Other Side of the Door") by Yellow Generation (Episodes 14-24)
"Motherland" by Crystal Kay (Episodes 26-41)
"I Will" by Sowelu (Episodes 42-50)

External links

Funimation's Fullmetal Alchemist English version site
Mainichi Broadcasting System's Fullmetal Alchemist TV Show Site (Japanese)
Fullmetal Alchemist at IMDb
Sony's Fullmetal Alchemist Website (Japanese)
BONES - Producer of Fullmetal Alchemist (Japanese)
Square Enix's Fullmetal Alchemist Manga Website (Japanese)
Shochiku's Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie Website (Japanese)
Serpent's Cross: First English information, multimedia and gallery fan site
Fullmetal Alchemist Info Contains lots of information regarding the various aspects of FMA
Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Site
Edwardelric.com, a website with episode guides and FMA trivia
Hagane no Renkinjutsushi TVTome Guide, for the Japanese version
Fullmetal Alchemist TVTome Guide, for the English version
Fullmetal Alchemist AnimeNfo