What comes across your mind when you hear the words Fullmetal Alchemist or Hiromu Arkakwa or even Alchemy in general? Do you know what they mean or is your mind completely blank? It’s probably blank isn’t it?

Let’s cut to the chase.

Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa is an action manga. Manga is a written Japanese comic in which you read right to left. Ever heard of Anime? It’s basically the same thing just a little different such as Anime is 1. More innocent if you will and it’s video and recorded. I’m getting off the topic, so I’ll continue. Also I can clarify Manga as a ‘graphic novel’

Fullmetal Alchemist is a hit manga series, in both Japan and America. and maybe some other places. Not only does it have a hit Anime series and a video game series but it’s just pretty dang good manga.

So let’s get on topic again, shall we?

FMA takes place in a world that has several countries (it does NOT take place in our world,) The names of several countries: Amestris, Ishbal and Xing. Amestris is where Edward and Alphonse Elric, our main characters, are from. Also in these worlds, Alchemy is possible. (If you don’t know what alchemy is, ever heard of the whole coal turned into gold or diamonds thing? Basically it’s like that, and if you haven’t, then look it up.)

Our main characters, Edward and Alphonse Elric are teenagers, and Alchemists. Ed is 15 and Al is 14. They are pretty semi-normal only that Al’s soul is tied to armor.

Literally, he is a hollow suit of Armor, and Ed must use Automail, mechanical protestor limbs (Much more complex than ours are.) to replace his right arm and left leg.

What happened to these two so that this happened? I have one answer for that.

Human Transmutation

Trying to bring someone back from the dead, these boys tried to bring back their Mother when Ed was 10 and Al was 9.

This sounds crazy right? Yeah, it sure is! Ed became a State Alchemist, an alchemist that works for the state at age 12, youngest one EVER and is now looking for something that will get Al back his body by trying to find The legendary…

Philosopher Stone, The Sage’s Stone, The stone of Heaven, the Great Elixir all names for the Philosopher stone that can bypass Equal Exchange the vary basics of Alchemy.

So, as much as I would love to summarize this book, I can’t. I need to review it.

Personally I give this series 5 stars; this is a HIT manga and anime, so this has to be pretty popular. Most of the critics agree with me and give it high reviews. To those who do so, you are brilliant, those who do not…a message to them: HAVE YOU EVEN READ IT???!?!! You are a bit nuts or have never read the glorious manga or it’s just you opinion, I won’t judge by that.

The first volume came out in 2002, so the first volume is…13 years old? And the rest of the volumes go on until the last volume came out in 2011.

This series is listed as Action, but really I think it should be listed as an AU or Alternate Universes when things are different or changed from our world, wither something is possible while here it is not. Sifi for example is AU; it can take place in the future, in the past (a certain event) and you get the point.

I highly recommend that you read manga; it’s rated for Teens but really. I’m 13 now. I started reading it when I was 12, so yeah. I love this manga, you should read it.

I also recommend you watch the anime, but first find it in English! It’s hard to find it not in Japanese. And there are several Animes, one made into 2003, 2009, one that’s called Brotherhood (Dunno why), but that follows the Manga much more carefully while 2003 takes a whole new path.

Ciao Now,
Katie H.