Truth's Chosen

Lore & Background

The source explicitly states that when Edward Elric opened the Gate of Truth during his failed human transmutation, he gained great knowledge of the universe. In the manga and Brotherhood canon, this event allowed him to perform transmutations without transmutation circles, a powerful ability distinct from other alchemists. However, in the 2003 anime, Edward did not gain this ability from the Gate. Alphonse Elric also experienced this encounter in the manga and Brotherhood, but in the 2003 anime, only Edward opens the Gate. At the last moment and at the cost of one of his arms, Edward sealed Al's soul in a large suit of armor. While Al lost his entire body, becoming almost invulnerable, he remained with Edward to scour the country of Amestris for the Philosopher's Stone. The source notes that many characters differ between the manga and the first anime regarding these events, as Hiromu Arakawa wanted the 2003 adaptation to have a different ending than the manga. In the original story path, Scar's brother gave him an arm inscribed with deconstruction arrays, not knowledge of the Promised Land or Amestrian alchemy; Scar never opened the Gate of Truth.

In Their Own Story

The narrative begins with Edward Elric and Alphonse attempting to revive their mother, Trisha. The source describes how Edward lost his left leg in this futile attempt, then lost his right arm in exchange for attaching Alphonse's soul to a suit of armor. Following this incident, the brothers traveled through Amestris, advised by Roy Mustang, a State Alchemist who later became their superior. They sought the Philosopher's Stone, an artifact capable of recovering their bodies. Edward, now employing metal prosthetics known as automail, became the youngest State Alchemist in history at age 12. The story highlights that while Edward is smart and brave, he harbors a sharp sensitivity to his short height, often overreacting when called out on it. Throughout their journey, they encountered various figures, including Scar, who initially targeted them for being State Alchemists before learning the Homunculi were his actual enemies.

Reader's Guide

However, it details the specific outcomes for those who survived: Edward gained the ability to transmute without circles; Alphonse exists as a soul in armor until his body is restored; and Scar carries knowledge derived from human transmutation research. The only confirmed members supported by the source are Edward and Alphonse Elric, who use their unique connection to the Gate in their search for the Stone. Scar is also noted as having survived a transmutation event that gave him specific knowledge, though his role is defined more by his vendetta against State Alchemists than by a shared faction identity.

Did You Know?

• Hiromu Arakawa claimed she never thought of character birthdates despite repeated requests from fans.
• Alex Louis Armstrong and small animals were the easiest characters for Arakawa to draw due to her design preferences.
• Edward Elric became the youngest State Alchemist in history at the age of 12 in both the manga/Brotherhood and the 2003 anime.
• The 2003 anime diverged into an original story because it caught up to the manga, which was still ongoing; the decision was made early, not solely due to the number of available volumes.
• Alphonse's soul was sealed into a suit of armor after Edward sacrificed his right arm to save him.

Origins and Inspiration

Hiromu Arakawa integrated social problems into the story after speaking with refugees, war veterans, and former yakuza members. She drew inspiration from her parents' jobs and manga she read as a child. The concept of alchemy fascinated her after reading about the philosopher's stone, though she found real books contradictory. For character designs, she cited Suihō Tagawa and Hiroyuki Eto as main inspirations. Arakawa added dogs to the story because she likes them and included significant muscle definition to avoid characters looking unhealthy. She claimed she never thought of character birthdates despite fan requests.

The Elric Brothers' Tragedy

Edward lost his left leg in a futile attempt to revive his mother, Trisha. He then sacrificed his right arm to seal Alphonse's soul into armor. Edward uses automail prosthetics for his missing limbs. At age 12, he became the youngest State Alchemist in history. The brothers travel Amestris seeking the Philosopher's Stone. Opening the Gate gave Edward knowledge of the universe and the ability to transmute without circles.

Adaptations and Voice Cast

The 2003 anime adapted only the first seven manga volumes before diverging into an original story. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood follows the manga exclusively. Romi Park and Rie Kugimiya voiced Edward and Alphonse in Japanese for both series. In English, Vic Mignogna voiced Edward in both; Aaron Dismuke voiced Alphonse in the first anime, replaced by Maxey Whitehead in Brotherhood. Dameon Clarke was replaced by J. Michael Tatum as Scar.

Themes and Reception

Reviewers praised character development and Arakawa's artwork. The story explores family themes through Pinako Rockbell caring for the brothers and their interactions across Amestris. Merchandising based on characters has been released extensively. The setting is a fictional 20th-century universe where alchemy is an advanced scientific technique.