Fullmetal Alchemist, a renowned shōnen manga created by Hiromu Arakawa, remains one of the most popular fantasy anime in history, with several fans believing it to be the best anime ever created. The story follows the Elric brothers, two young alchemists searching for a way to get their original forms back after an alchemical experiment goes horribly wrong. As the two siblings embark on the adventure of a lifetime, they discover that an ancient threat is lurking in the shadows of history, soon to deliver the ultimate strike when the world least expects it.

The great journey of the Elric brothers is a long and complex one, and not afraid in the slightest to highlight the complicated realities of the human condition. Since Fullmetal Alchemist is especially focused on philosophy relating to the human psyche alongside alchemy, it is no surprise that the cast is made up of extremely intelligent characters. However, there are several characters, be they allies of the brothers or enemies, who are noted to be especially brilliant, with knowledge and wisdom that can completely change the narrative.

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10

Izumi Curtis Passes on an Important Lesson to the Elric Brothers

A Proud Housewife as Well as a Master Alchemist

While she is very confident in her role as a housewife, Izumi Curtis also happens to be one of the most formidable characters in the entire Fullmetal Alchemist storyline. She is a skilled martial artist as well as a self-taught alchemist, even traveling through the Briggs mountain range as a teenager. Before the brothers attempted human transmutation, Izumi taught them about alchemy, and one left them on an island for a month as part of their training. Although this plan was indeed reckless and dangerous, it was able to teach Edward and Alphonse the same lesson she had discovered years ago.

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As the brothers found a way to survive on the island, they soon discovered what Izumi was trying to teach them. That was the statement “One is All, All is One”, and an important creed on how everything in the world is connected to one another, and all worthy of respect. Even after Izumi learns that her students have committed the ultimate alchemical taboo, she remains a constant source of support for them, not unlike a mother. She, too, has attempted human transmutation, all for the sake of her own family.

9

Tim Marcoh Holds One of Alchemy’s Darkest Secrets

Human Lives Are Needed to Power These Artifacts

Dr. Tim Marcoh, a former leading researcher for the government, immediately left his position after the horrible events of the Ishvalan War. When Ed first meets him, he is working as a local doctor for a small village, every villager grateful for the hard work and aid he has provided for them. However, Marcoh is frightened at the sight of Ed, especially as he is traveling with Major Armstrong. After learning of Ed’s past and interest in the Philosopher’s Stone, Marcoh tells him of the notes he left behind in one of the National Central Library’s branches, a secret text on the creation of the Philosopher’s Stone itself.

Unfortunately, the very branch where Marcoh’s notes were kept mysteriously burned down. It is only thanks to Sheska, a former librarian with a photographic memory, that Ed and Al are able to re-create Marcoh’s notes and begin trying to crack the code. However, the two are distraught as soon as they finally solve the puzzle left behind by the former researcher, and immediately understand why he left his past behind. In order to create a single Philosopher’s Stone, the lives of humans are needed as a sacrifice.

8

Winry Is a Prodigy in the Automail World

The Determined Engineer Is a Constant Source of Support

As her grandmother is an automail mechanic, and both of her late parents surgeons, Winry ultimately became a mechanic herself. She adores everything about automail, from the creation of it to seeing the finished product. At the age of eleven, she and her grandmother performed complex automail surgery on Ed after he lost an arm and a leg. Both pieces of automail made for him were crafted by Winry herself, something she takes great pride in.

In the later years, Winry continues to be a source of support for Ed, who often goes to her whenever his automail is in need of repairs. However, the young mechanic’s intelligence is not just limited to automail. As a child, Winry would read the many medical textbooks left behind by her parents, and took to memorizing the contents. While with the Elric brothers in the outskirts of Rush Valley, she acted as the midwife for Satella, the daughter-in-law of the renowned automail engineer Dominic.

7

Roy Mustang Crafts a Careful Exterior

A Rebellion Years in the Making

On the surface, Roy Mustang, a Colonel working for the Amestrian government, appears to be nothing more than a shallow womanizer, often making calls to different women. As it happens, Mustang does this on purpose; he is well-aware how many of his fellow soldiers are envious of his position and see him as unworthy of the title. Unhappy with how corrupt the military is, Mustang is determined to one day lead the country himself, even if it means bringing his own sins to justice. In order to keep this ambition hidden, however, he keeps up this outward appearance, so his colleagues are unaware of his true tactics.

Mustang acts as the superior to Edward, who has joined the government as a State Alchemist. He is all-too aware of the fact that the young alchemist only joined the military in order to gain access to research he would not otherwise be able to find. Despite this, the Colonel often has Ed and Al embark on missions for him, and the trio often find themselves working together during the climax of the narrative. Mustang is also an expert relating to fire-based alchemy, and is just as well-known as the Flame Alchemist of the military as he is a soldier.

6

Nothing Gets Past Riza Hawkeye

The Lieutenant Saves Her Colonel From a Path of Strife

Riza Hawkeye has a long and complicated history with Roy Mustang, as her father taught him about flame alchemy. Hawkeye herself is not an alchemist, but a sharpshooter, and one of the most formidable forces in the military. Few dare to try and anger Hawkeye, as the Lieutenant more often than not carries a cold, collected demeanor. However, she does tend to take on a warmer disposition towards those she’s close with, such as Roy Mustang or the Elric brothers.

Hawkeye’s sense of judgment is extraordinary, and is one of the reasons why she is such a capable fighter. After Colonel Mustang encountered Envy, the bloodthirsty homunculus who murdered his friend and fellow soldier Maes Hughes, he immediately retaliated with several intense flame attacks. However, it was not a happy sight for Hawkeye, who knew that if Mustang did manage to kill Envy, then he would further spiral into madness. Hawkeye supports Mustang’s desire to lead Amestris, but knows that if he goes down a path of strife, he will become just another monster.

5

Pride Acts as Father’s Second-In-Command

The Homunculus’ Presence Is Hidden From Almost Everyone

To most, King Bradley’s son, Selim, appears to be an ordinary child in every way. Like many other children, Selim is energetic and curious, and seems quite intrigued in the study of alchemy. He is shown to get along well with both of his parents, and appears to idolize his father quite a lot. Selim is especially interested in hearing about Edward, and is more excited than anyone when he finally does meet the Fullmetal Alchemist.

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All of these traits are a ruse; Selim Bradley, though he takes on the form of a child, is actually the oldest Homunculus after Father. Bradley, also known as Wrath, is well aware of Pride’s true identity, and works with him to keep it a secret from Mrs. Bradley, who is under the impression that her son is just like any other child. Like Father, Pride loathes humanity and sees them as inferior to homunculi, as nothing more than playthings or pawns for his endeavors. Alongside his intelligence, Pride’s physical strength is just as cunningly used; a series of shadow-like creatures that hide in the dark, waiting patiently for their prey.

4

Van Hohenheim’s Alchemical Skills Are Legendary

The Elric Brothers’ Father Has Lived for Generations

Long ago, the lead alchemist for the ancient king of Xerxes used the blood of one of his slaves for his latest experiment, ultimately creating the Dwarf in the Flask. Not long after, the nameless slave discovered the homunculus, who, as thanks for giving it life, became his teacher. The Dwarf in the Flask, however, betrayed his former student many years later, turning him into a human Philosopher’s Stone and taking on a human form just like his. As a result of the alchemy used, the rest of the Xerxes population perished.

Due to his near-immortality and thus knowledge and experience spanning countless eons, Van Hohenheim is undoubtedly one of the most intelligent characters in the Fullmetal Alchemist narrative. Hohenheim’s wisdom and skill regarding alchemy is unlike any other and even miraculous at times; in fact, he was able to somewhat heal Izumi Curtis’ permanent injuries after the latter attempted human transmutation. He is also the estranged father of Edward and Alphonse, having left the family in search of a cure for his immortality when they were very young. Because of this, Ed holds a bitter grudge against Hohenheim, especially as the two are soon forced to work together during the rise of Father and the rest of the homunculi on his roster.

3

Father’s Plan Is Eons in the Making

The Looming Threat of the Dwarf in the Flask

After the fall of Xerxes, the creature once known as the Dwarf in the Flask took on a human form, mirroring the appearance of Van Hohenheim, his former pupil. He then took to his next goal, that being his self-made path to becoming godlike. Father, who wanted to be above humanity at any cost, created homunculi based off of the seven sins, so that he could truly become “better” than a human. He then tasked each of his homunculi with different missions over the eons, all leading up to the Promised Day.

The source of Father’s knowledge, especially his wisdom at the beginning of his life, is unknown. However, he is shown to be a patient tactician, and a confident one at that, especially as he works on his plans regarding the Promised Day for generations. Much like his second-in-command, Pride, Father sees humans as worthless beings, simply tools to create Philosopher’s Stones. His arrogance, however, proves to be the source of his downfall in the end, especially as Greed, a fellow homunculus, decides to aid the humans during the final battle.

2

Alphonse Remains Compassionate as Well as Thoughtful

The Younger of the Elric Brothers Often Acts as a Voice of Reason

While his older brother is well-known for his short temper, Alphonse Elric is patient and calm, almost always keeping up a collected disposition. After losing his body, the boy’s soul is bound to a suit of armor, giving him a rather fierce appearance. This is a far cry from Al’s personality in comparison, as he is a gentle soul. Like his older brother, however, Al is a fighter, and refuses to back down even when the situation grows dire.

Like Ed, Alphonse is a genius when it comes to alchemy, having read his father’s textbooks on the subject starting at the age of four. His patient demeanor allows him to also be a very thoughtful planner, whether in terms of alchemy or in the midst of a battle. Al cares deeply for his loved ones and allies, and because of his near-invincibility, is not afraid to use himself as a shield in order to protect them. He is also a skilled combatant in battle, having trained with Izumi Curtis and from constantly practicing with Ed during their free time.

1

Edward Is the Only One To Solve the Truth’s Puzzle

A Sacrifice Repaid, an Eternal Bond Between Brothers

For many alchemists, the art itself is fueled by natural curiosity and the desire to excel; for Edward Elric, however, his research of alchemy is a labor of love for his family’s sake. As a young child, Ed and his brother Al were naturally drawn to alchemy, though they both tirelessly studied it even more after the death of their mother. The two attempt to bring her back with human transmutation at the ages of eleven and ten, the experiment robbing the elder brother of his leg and the younger brother his entire physical form. In a desperate attempt to save his brother, Ed sacrifices his arm in order to bind Al’s soul to a suit of armor until a way to bring his real body back can be found.

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Ed and Al thus embark on a tough journey to find a way to gain what has been lost, only to be caught in the middle of a threat that looms over the entire country. The Fullmetal Alchemist is not pleased about this change of plans, but like his younger brother, he has a strong sense of justice. In the end, after Al sacrifices himself so that Ed is able to defeat Father in the end, his older brother responds by performing human transmutation one last time. There, Ed exchanges his ability to use alchemy for his younger brother, an answer that pleases Truth greatly.

Fullmetal Alchemist

Created by

Hiromu Arakawa

First Episode Air Date

October 4, 2003