Manga Madness: Fullmetal Alchemist!

Hello

An nyoung

Konnichiwa

Ni hao

Welcome back to another Manga Madness! This week we visit a series that's been out a while but I've only recently got really into: Fullmetal Alchemist. I've been told by many people that this series was really good and even though at the moment I've only watched the Anime for Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, I would love to sink my teeth in to the manga, as you may have seen from my Bleach Manga post with manga's that are far ahead or finished if they are available I tend to buy the 3-in-1 volumes. It's no different for this one but I only have the first 3-in-1 volume at the moment and so far so good.

Fullmetal Alchemist is wrote and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa, it's styled after the European Industrial Revolution. It's set in a fictional universe where alchemy is one of the most advanced scientific techniques. The manga has sold approximately 64 million volumes (as of 2014) and the English release of the first volume was the top-selling graphic novel of 2005. 2010 and 2011 saw Fullmetal Alchemist win the public vote for Eagle Awards favourite manga. In a survey in 2009 it was ranked 9th as the manga that most fans wanted to see made into a live-action movie.

Setting

Fullmetal Alchemist takes place in an alternate medieval history, in a fictional country called Amestris. In this world alchemy is one of the most practised sciences and alchemists that work for the government are called State Alchemists and are automatically given the title of Major in the military. All alchemists have the power, with the help of a transmutation circle to transmute almost anything they wish via their souls. However when they do, they must also give up something physically personal of theirs, as stated under the Law of Equivalent Exchange. The only thing they are forbidden from transmuting are humans. Doing so they can lose a part of their bodies.

Plot

The series follows Edward and Alphonse Elric who live with their mother Trisha and their father Van Hohenheim, their father leaving for unknown reasons. When their mother dies the brothers perform the forbidden human transmutation in an attempt to resurrect her. Consequently the transmutation backfires and in the Law of Equivalent Exchange Edward loses his left leg and Alphonse loses his entire body as they are both destroyed, Edward then sacrifices his right arm to rescue his brother's soul binding it to a suit of armour with a blood seal. Edward is then invited by Roy Mustang to become a State Alchemist to research a way to restore Alphonse body, Edward succeeds becoming the Fullmetal Alchemist, the title based on his prosthetic automail limbs. With many obstacles and enemies in their way will the brothers succeed in getting their original bodies back or will Edward lose his brother forever?

Characters

Edward Elric

Alphonse Elric

Winry Rockbell

Roy Mustang

Riza Hawkeye

Maes Hughes

Homunculi

I will give more character info tomorrow in the anime post.

I can only really make a short post on the manga as I've said before I haven't really read it but I look forward to doing so, maybe we will revisit it after I've finished the manga and review it again.

See you soon!

An nyoung 
Sayonara 
Zai Jian 
Bye