List of Fullmetal Alchemist characters

File:Fullmetal21characters.jpg

Several characters from Fullmetal Alchemist as depicted in the anime.

The Fullmetal Alchemist anime and manga series feature a large number of fictional characters created by Hiromu Arakawa. The story is set in a fictional universe within the 20th Century in which alchemy is one of the most advanced scientific techniques known to man. Although the story in the anime and the manga start basically the same, the anime begins to differ greatly from the manga midway through its run; characters that are killed early on in the manga survive to the end of the anime and vice versa.

The story follows the adventures of two alchemist brothers named Edward and Alphonse Elric. While trying to revive their mother, the brothers lost parts of their bodies, with Alphonse's soul being contained in a big suit of armor and Edward replacing his right arm and left leg with two sets of automail, a type of advanced prosthetic limb. Being advised by Roy Mustang, an alchemist from from the State Military, Edward becomes a State Alchemist, and starts traveling with his brother through the country Amestris in order to find a way to recover their bodies. In their search, they hear of the Philosopher's Stone, a powerful alchemy artifact that the brothers can use to recover their bodies. However, after becoming a State Alchemist, Edward discovers that several members of the military are also attempting to get the stone, most notably human creatures known as homunculi, who start chasing the Elric brothers.

When creating the series, Arakawa took her inspiration from several experiences in her childhood, including her parents' job and the manga she used to read. Several types of merchandising have also been released based on the characters from the series. Reviewers from manga, anime and other media have also commented on the characters. Most of them have praised their development in the story as well as Arakawa's artwork.

Creation and conception

The author Hiromu Arakawa integrated several social problems into the story after talking to people who had suffered and lived through them, such as refugees, war veterans and former yakuza, or simply by watching news concerning those issues. Several plot elements expand on these themes, such as Pinako Rockbell caring for the Elric brothers after the death of their mother, and the brothers helping people all over the country to gain an understanding of the meaning of family. Many characters of the series differ from the manga to the anime, most notably the homunculi. This was made since Arakawa wanted the anime to have a different ending from the manga's to avoid repeating the same events in both series. Arakawa said that she became attracted by the idea of using alchemy in the manga after reading about the Philosopher's stone. She liked it so much that she started reading books of alchemy, which she found very complicated due to the fact that some books contradicted others. Director from the anime series, Seiji Mizushima, mentions that he has a definite aversion to the kind of character growth. He explains that while characters can evolve during the story, they also devolve with for example Edward Elric, as Mizushima comments he has a continuous struggle overarching inner struggle to determinate how to grow up. To symbolize the intangibles in the story, the anime staff use physical phenomena, such as making their body rot.

In the making of the characters' designs, Arakawa comments that the manga authors Suihō Tagawa and Hiroyuki Eto are her main inspirations and she also mentions her artwork is a mix of both of them. When drawing the series characters, Alex Louis Armstrong as well as the little animals are the easiest for her to draw; due to the fact she likes dogs, Arakawa added several of them in the story. During the premiere of the anime series, Arakawa requested that the anime had a different ending from the manga. The secret identities of some of the main antagonists, the homunculi, differed as well. Arakawa commented that she liked how the staff from the series thought of what were the origins of certain homunculi.

Protagonists

Edward Elric

Edward Elric (エドワード・エルリック, Edowādo Erurikku), the "Fullmetal Alchemist", the youngest State Alchemist in history, serves as the major protagonist of the series. He and his younger brother, Alphonse Elric, scour the world in search of the Philosopher's Stone in the hopes of restoring their bodies. Edward lost his right arm and left leg in a failed attempt to revive his mother using Alchemy, and now employs the use of metal prosthetics known as Automail. Edward seems to bear a deep-seeded hate for his father when he seemingly walked out of the Elric family's lives years before. Edward also harbors a sharp sensitivity to his low height; a recurring gag in both the anime and manga is for Edward to overly react to people that call him short (or any derivative of - Napoleon complex). Edward is voiced by Romi Paku and Vic Mignogna in the Japanese and English versions, respectively.

Alphonse Elric

Alphonse Elric (アルフォンス・エルリック, Arufonsu Erurikku), the younger brother of Edward Elric, did not become a State Alchemist at the request of his brother. Together he and Ed scour the world in search of the Philosopher's Stone in the hopes of restoring their bodies. Unlike Edward, who lost one arm and one leg in the failed attempt to revive his mother, Al lost his entire body. At the last moment, Ed sealed Al's soul in giant armor, making him almost invulnerable.He doesn't feel pain or fatigue. His nickname is Al. Rie Kugimiya voices him in Japanese, and Aaron Dismuke in the English adaptation.

Roy Mustang

State Alchemist Roy Mustang (ロイ・マスタング, Roi Masutangu), the "Flame Alchemist", holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the State Military at the start of the series, was initially a Colonel when first introduced to Edward and Alphonse, and was promoted to Brigadier General by the end of the first anime series. He aims towards becoming the next Fuhrer of Amestris, heavily relying on the support of his loyal subordinates to propel him along that path. Mustang would find this path interrupted by the murder of his best friend and confidant, Maes Hughes, afterwards, beginning an almost behind-the-scenes investigation into finding the true culprit. Toru Okawa and Travis Willingham voice Mustang in the Japanese and English versions, respectively. In the new anime series he is voiced by Miki Shinichiro.

Winry Rockbell

Winry Rockbell (ウィンリィ・ロックベル, Uinrī Rokkuberu), a childhood friend of Edward and Alphonse Elric, lives with her grandmother [Pinako Rockbell] in Risembool, who raised her after the death of her parents during the Ishbal War. In the manga series, her parents were killed by Scar in a blind rage, while in the anime, they were executed by a younger Roy Mustang under Military order. Winry is a practicing and gifted automail mechanic, following in her grandmother's footsteps, continually designing and maintaining Edward Elric's automail prosthetics. In the manga, Winry is often used as an unwitting hostage by the homunculi to insure the Elrics' subservience to the State. She is voiced by Megumi Toyoguchi and Caitlin Glass in the Japanese and English versions, respectively. In the new series, she is voiced by Megumi Takamoto.

Antagonists

Father

Father (父, Chichi) is a character exclusive to the manga and to the second animated series. He was the first homunculus and is the creator of all subsequent homunculi. Originally, he was a black mass in a jar, but was eventually released. His new appearance is the same as Hohenhiem's.

Zolf J. Kimblee

Zolf J. Kimblee (ゾルフ・J・キンブリー, Zorufu J Kinburī, romanized as "Solf" in Japan) —the "Red Lotus Alchemist" or "Crimson Alchemist" — a deranged psychopath, loves the sight of blood and death. He earned fame during the Ishbalan Civil War for his ruthless commitment to the Ishbalan extermination, killing thousands without remorse through his unique brand of alchemy. Using transmutation circles tattooed to the palms of his hands, Kimblee can turn anything he comes into contact with into a bomb, be it people or distant buildings. Because of his effectiveness in wiping out the Ishbalans, Kimblee was given an imperfect Philosopher's Stone to increase his alchemical abilities. With it, he killed Scar's family and gave Scar his characteristic cross-shaped scar. After the war was over Kimblee, wishing to keep the stone for himself, killed the superior officers that knew he had it so as to keep it a secret. He was put in jail for his crimes.

In the anime, Kimblee escapes from jail and joins Greed, though only so that he can betray him and re-enlist in the military. He later infiltrates the city of Lior to instigate an uprising against the military. Kimblee encounters Scar while there, and after a failed effort to blow him up he is killed by the Ishbalan, but not before he turns Alphonse into a bomb, which prompts Scar to turn the boy into the Philosopher's Stone. In the manga, Kimblee is released from jail so that he can help the homunculi. He is given a new stone to replace the one he had kept from the war, and is sent to retrieve the escaped Tim Marcoh and kill Scar, though he fails at both in part thanks to the Elrics' interference. He is also instructed to start a bloody conflict reminiscent of Ishbal. As such, he briefly sides with the country of Drachma, and leads them to slaughter against Briggs's forces. He later breaks the Homunculus Pride out of the dirt dome Hohenheim and the others had trapped him in and confronts Alphonse Elric. After being severely injured in the ensuing fight, it is implied that Kimblee is consumed by Pride's shadow. Kimblee is voiced by Yuji Ueda in the Japanese series, and by Eric Vale in the English adaptation. His voice in the new series is provided by Hiroyuki Yoshino.

Dante

The character of Dante (ダンテ, Dante) appears only in the first anime adaptation. She is the leader of the homunculi, and strives to create a Philosopher's Stone so that she can prolong her life, as she has done for centuries. Her name is most likely taken from the author of "Inferno", which outlines different levels of Hell. Also outlined are the Seven Deadly Sins and the specific punishment for each one, such as Greed's death by boiling oil and Lust's death by burning fire (manga plot).

Homunculi

Clockwise from center: Gluttony, Lust, Envy, Wrath, and Greed in the manga

Homunculi serve as the main antagonists in Fullmetal Alchemist. They are a group of artificially created humans who seek to fulfill their leader's goals of creating a Philosopher's Stone. They can be identified by their bearing a the mark of the Ouroboros somewhere on their body, usually in places symbolic with their identities. In both the anime and the manga each homunculus is named after one of the seven deadly sins. Aside from this, the concept of the homunculi varies drastically between mediums. In the anime, homunculi are created when someone performs a human transmutation to revive a dead person. They will fail to revive the intended person, and will instead create a homunculus that looks almost exactly like the deceased target. These homunculi are led by Dante. The only way to kill a homunculus in the anime is by finding a remnant of their original body (a bone, hair, etc.) and having it near them, weakening them and making them susceptible to death.

In the manga, homunculi have a Philosopher's Stone somewhere in their bodies. Most of the homunculi that have been introduced were created at the same time as their respective Philosopher's Stone. Others, such as Wrath, were humans that accepted a Philosopher's Stone into their body, gaining the abilities of a homunculi while aging like a human. All homunculi are created by or at the discretion of Father, being a manifestation of one of his traits; his greed, his lust, and so on. The only way to kill a homunculus in the manga is by expending all of the power in their Philosopher's Stone, leaving them unable to revive themselves once they have been killed. It should be noted that the Homunculi that have died so far in the manga, have done so in the exact same way as descibed in the book Dante's Inferno. Those with Greed are boiled alive in oil, those with Lust are incinerated by burning brimstone, those with Sloth are of course, worked to death (although Sloth finishes his 200+ years of back-breaking labor of digging a circular underground tunnel around the whole of Amestris, without dying).

Lust

Lust (ラスト, Rasuto), the "Ultimate Spear", appears as the first homunculus in the series: a shapely woman who primarily works in the shadows, acts as envoy for her leader in both iterations and encourages alchemists down her desired path. She can extend her fingers to great lengths, which are capable of cutting through virtually any substance. Her Ouroboros tattoo is just above her breasts. In the manga, after leading an effort to capture Barry the Chopper, her plans backfire when Roy Mustang infiltrates the homunculi's secret lair. Though she is able to severely wound Mustang, he sears his wounds shut, then repeatedly burns her to death, ultimately killing her after depleting the power of her Philosopher's Stone.

In the anime, Lust was created when Scar's brother tried to revive his deceased lover. Though originally largely the same as her manga counterpart, Lust begins to develop a strong desire to regain her humanity as the series progresses. This ultimately leads to her defection from the homunculi and to her aiding Edward Elric if he promises to help make her human. Wrath eventually catches up to Lust and Edward, and as he begins to fight Ed, Lust provides her support. Wrath then later paralyzes her using a locket filled with the hair from her original form and kills her. Yūko Satō voices her in Japanese, and Laura Bailey in English. Her voice in the new series is provided by Kikuko Inoue.

Gluttony

Gluttony (グラト二ー, Guratonī), the second homunculi introduced in the series, typically appears in the company of Lust. He is a large, simple-minded homunculus whose thoughts rarely stray far from eating. He has powerful jaws and acidic saliva, and can and will eat almost anything. His Ouroboros tattoo is on his tongue. He particularly likes eating people, and the only way he can find enjoyment in a battle is if he can eat his opponent afterwards.

The manga makes Gluttony the failed product of Father's attempts to create a Portal of Truth. When activating this portal, Gluttony's stomach opens up, revealing a large eye at its center. His ribs spread out to act as a border for the gate, and then double as large extensible teeth that can consume everything in his eye's field of vision in an instant. Anything Gluttony consumes is transported to a realm within himself, which is littered with artifacts from centuries before the start of the series. Gluttony tries to use this form to kill Roy Mustang, Lust's killer, though he makes the mistake of eating Edward Elric and Envy instead. After Ed and Envy manage to escape, the energy in Gluttony's Philosopher's Stone is exhausted in the ensuing battle, leaving him unable to revive himself. Father later restores him and sends him and Pride to capture Ed. When his Philosopher's Stone nears depletion in the attempt, Pride consumes Gluttony to gain his abilities.

The anime explains Gluttony's origins as a way to produce imperfect Philosopher's Stones, the souls of the people he eats being condensed into red stones. After Lust's death, Dante transforms Gluttony into a mindless eating machine to stop his incessant crying, an act that ultimately backfires when he eats her. He appears again in Conqueror of Shamballa, having transformed into a large, multi-limbed monster since his appearance in the anime. He exclusively attacks Wrath (Lust's killer) during the movie, the battle leading to Alphonse Elric sacrificing the two upon Wrath's demand, in order to open the Gate to Earth in order for Edward to return home. Yasuhiro Takato is his seiyu, and Chris Cason his English voice actor. His voice in the new series is provided by Tetsu Shiratori.

Envy

Envy (エンヴィー, Envī) is the third homunculi to appear in the series can assume any appearance he wishes, whether an animal or another person. He prefers the form of an "adorable" androgynous boy. Because of his ability, Envy is usually acts as infiltrator for the other homunculi, often assuming another's identity in order to gain sensitive intelligence. This eventually leads to Maes Hughes' assassination; before shooting Maes, however, Envy assumes Maria Ross' form, eventually framing her for Hughes' murder in the manga. Before the start of the manga, Envy assumed the form of a State Military soldier opposed to the Ishbalan occupation and shot an Ishbalan child, sparking the resulting civil war. Envy is very proud of this achievement, as he enjoys violence between humans in both versions. His Ouroboros tattoo is on his left thigh.

In the manga, Envy's natural form resembles that of an enormous, demonic creature composed of citizens of Xerxes. After Lust's death, Envy replaces her as the homonculi's messenger. On a mission to personally capture Dr. Marcoh, all of the Xerxes' souls composing Envy's true form are destroyed in the ensuing battle, reducing Envy to a tiny parasitic creature. The Elrics hand Envy over May Chang in a mason jar to take back to Xing, but Envy instead convinces her to return to Central where he absorbs several super-soldiers to recreate his body. Soon after, Mustang confronts Envy, finally learning the truth behind Hughes' murder. Envy stands no chance against Mustang's vengeful wrath, and is quickly subdued and rendered to his parasitic form once more.

In the anime, Envy was the first of the Homunculi created and the only one with no desire to become human, and served as Dante's right hand. Thoughout the series, Envy expressed a vendetta against the Elric Brothers that was later clarified in his origins: Envy was created by Hohenheim's attempt to revive the dead son he had with Dante long ago. When his father left him and Dante to start another family, Envy began to hate Hohenheim and transferred that loathing towards his two half brothers, (Edward and Alphonse Elric), even successfully killing Edward after revealing the truth of their relationship. After learning Hohenheim was still alive and on the opposite side of the Gate, Envy forces himself through to at the chance to personally kill his father, losing his power of transformation after assuming the form of a giant serpent. In Conqueror of Shamballa, it was later revealed that the Thule Society had captured Envy, and had been given Hohenheim as a human chew toy before being used as a sacrifice to open the Gate linking the two worlds. In the Japanese series Envy is voiced by Mayumi Yamaguchi, and by Wendy Powell in the English adaptation. His voice in the new series is provided by Minami Takayama.

Greed

Greed (グリード, Gurīdo), the "Ultimate Shield", craves money, women, and other worldly possessions above all else. Because of this he betrays the homunculi in both the anime and the manga, as working for them would deprive him of his greedy desires. He has the ability to rearrange the carbon molecules in his body to create a shield, hard as a diamond, that coats his body. His Ouroboros tatto is on the back of his left hand. Greed is introduced when he sends some of his chimera subordinates to capture Alphonse Elric. The State Military soon raids their location to rescue Al, and Greed's fate from that point further differs between adaptations.

In the manga, Wrath repeatedly kills Greed by tiring him out and allowing him to be taken back to Father. Unwilling to rejoin them, Greed is melted down, returned to the form of the Philosopher's Stone, then consumed by Father. Later, Ling Yao, in his search for immortality, offers to become the new Greed. Greed is given complete control of Ling's body after Ling willingly relinquishes control, believing this to be the only way to gain immortality. Though this Greed initially has no recollections of his actions as the former Greed, Bido's death brings back the memories of all his loyal subordinates. Angry with Wrath for killing his "possessions" and further provoked by Ling, the new Greed defects from the homunculi once more, eventually letting Edward Elric join him. As the other homunculi's ranks begin to thin, Greed abandons his new subordinates so that he can kill Father and take over the country.

In the anime Greed escapes the raid, fleeing to Dante's mansion. Dante, having created Greed when attempting to revive her dead lover, still retains the skull from his original body, leaving him severely weakened. Edward Elric kills Greed soon after he was made to believe Greed killed Dante, leaving Ed with the valuable knowledge of how to kill the Homunculi. He is voiced by Junichi Suwabe in Japanese, and Chris Patton in English.

Sloth

Sloth (スロウス, Surōsu) differs greatly in the anime and in the manga. In the manga Sloth is not introduced until midway through the series, where he is revealed to be a large, muscular, dim-witted man who believes everything to be pointless and tiresome. Despite his lazy nature, he is very strong physically and the fastest of all the Homunculi; his speed is so great that he cannot fully control it. He is tasked with digging a gigantic transmutation circle beneath Amestris to be used in turning the country into a Philosopher's Stone. Though he is briefly impeded in this job when he runs into the Elric brothers at Briggs' Fortress, he is allowed to continue his work, finishing the circle in chapter seventy-eight. He had began serving as Father's bodyguard, and is currently fighting the two Armstrong siblings.

In the anime, Sloth was the product of Elric brothers' attempt to revive their mother, Trisha Elric, found by Dante and Envy while the horrified Elrics went to the Rockwell resident for help. Once able to assume her original form's likeness, Sloth is able to assume a watery composition, which she can use to drown others by grabbing hold of them. But in spite of it, Sloth constantly suffers from memories of Trisha raising the Elric brothers. Determined to prove to herself that those are Trisha's memories, not her own, she longs to be able to kill them, as a real mother could never kill her own sons. She develops a mother-son relationship with Wrath, and the two stick together during the second half of the anime. During a battle with the Elric brothers Wrath, having unknowingly merged with Trisha's remains earlier, merges with Sloth's body so that he will never have to be separated from her. This leaves Sloth paralyzed, allowing Edward Elric an easy opportunity to convert the water in her body into ethanol, which then evaporates into the atmosphere. Before disappearing, she tells the two Elrics to take care of each other. Her Ouroboros tattoo is above her heart (not directly but in the general area). Yoshino Takamori is her seiyu, and Lydia Mackay her English voice actress.

Wrath

Wrath (ラース, Rāsu) differs greatly in the anime and in the manga. In the manga, Wrath is the true identity of King Bradley. His Ouroboros tattoo is on his left eye in the manga.

The anime shows the origins of Wrath in Izumi Curtis's attempt to revive her infant child. Her effort failed, and the infant's body was taken beyond the Gate of Truth. There the child, Wrath, grew up. When Edward Elric later lost his arm and leg while trying to revive his mother, Wrath took both for himself, allowing him to use alchemy and escape to Amestris. Because of his ability to perform alchemy, Wrath can assimilate any sort of material or object into his body. Because remains of his former body were used in his creation, Wrath lacks the weaknesses of the other homunculi, though both Gate of Truth and the cries of a child have similar psychological effects on him. After joining the homunculi, Wrath develops a mother-son relationship with Sloth. When he unknowingly helps to kill her (having asborbed the remains of her original body) he becomes distraught, realizing the truth behind Dante and Envy as the former takes Ed's limbs from him to keep him quiet when he attempted to revive Sloth himself. He is later given automail replacements by Winry Rockbell. He appears again in Conqueror of Shamballa, doing constant battle with Gluttony. With Gluttony distracted, Wrath tells Alphonse Elric to use them both as sacrifices to open the Gate of Truth. Al does so and is able to reunite with Ed, while Wrath is able to reunite with the spirit of Izumi. His Ouroboros tattoo is on his right foot. The anime Wrath is voiced by Nana Mizuki in the Japanese series, and by Luci Christian in the English dub.

Pride

Pride (プライド, Puraido) differs greatly in the anime and in the manga. In the manga, Pride is the true identity of Selim Bradley (セリム・ブラッドレイ, Serimu Buraddorei), the adoptive son of King Bradley, something discovered in the latter half of the series by Riza Hawkeye. He is very dedicated to the homunculi's cause, and does not allow anyone, friend or foe, to get in its way. He does, however, have some attachment to his adoptive human mother. Pride was created in Father's original image, and thus his shadow appears as a dark blob with many eyes. He can destroy or manipulate anything that this shadow comes into contact with and gain the traits of whomever he eats (such as Gluttony's appetite and sense of smell). Pride's shadow can only exist within a given area: the area surrounding his body and the underground transmutation circle running throughout Amestris. He needs a light source in order to be able to use his shadow, and his shadow can similarly be "killed" if the light becomes too bright. Through a combination of both of these factors, Alphonse Elric is able to capture Pride, and says he will not be released until Father has been defeated. Later Pride begins to bang on Alphonse's helmet, which Alphonse believes is just playing, in order to send a morse code through the earth to Father, which results in Kimblee coming and releasing Pride. However, Pride turns on Kimblee when he is too injured to continue fighting, devouring him to acquire his talents.

In the first anime, Pride represents the true identity of King Bradley while Selim is a normal human child who briefly appeared in the end of the series, playing an unintentional role in King Bradley's death, but not before the Fuhrer strangles him in his rage. In the anime, Makoto Tsumura voices Selim in the Japanese version, and Zarah Little in the English dub.

Other characters

Alchemists

Fullmetal Alchemist presents alchemists as people who have learned how to manipulate matter. Through the use of transmutation circles, they can reform one object into another that shares a similar molecular make-up to its original form. In Amestris, alchemists can become certified by the State Military, earning a unique title, rank of major, and funding for personal research. In the manga (and the 2nd anime series) the people of Xing have a technique similar to alchemy, called alkahestry, that focuses on healing wounds. Scar, an Ishbalan, utilizes a mixture of Amestrian alchemy and Xingese alkahestry developed by his brother.

Alex Louis Armstrong

Alex Louis Armstrong (アレックス・ルイ・アームストロング, Arekkusu Rui Āmusutorongu), the "Strong Arm Alchemist", a large and comically emotional State Alchemist, will burst into tears or joyous praise given the right situation, and embraces others in an effort to console them. Because he is an extremely strong character, this usually causes others great personal injury. Armstrong is very proud of his strength and of his muscular physique, frequently taking off his shirt so that he can flex for others' benefit. As a final element of his comedic properties, he has the tendency to "sparkle"; when first appearing in a scene or taking off his shirt, pink stars radiate from his body. Despite his humorous tendencies, Armstrong can be very serious when the situation calls for it. He is not fond of violence and will try to end conflicts peacefully, and will break down and cry if an innocent person is killed.

Armstrong comes from a wealthy family of aristocrats who have earned renown in most professions. He has mastered many of his family's talents for himself, and when displaying such a talent he remarks it to have been "passed down the Armstrong line for generations". His alchemical skills also represent a remnant of his family's history; by using a unique kind of brass knuckles, Armstrong can reshape any solid object that he punches. In addition to projectiles and barriers for combat purposes, he can use this talent to create buildings and at times sculptures of himself. Armstrong is a valuable ally of Roy Mustang and the Elric brothers, even if they are not always happy to be in his emotional company. He takes his honor as a soldier and as a leader seriously, and always looks out for his peers' and subordinates' best interests. Kenji Utsumi voices him in the Japanese series, and Christopher R. Sabat in the English adaptation.

Izumi Curtis

Izumi Curtis (イズミ・カーティス, Izumi Kātisu), the teacher of Ed and Alphonse Elric, agreed to train them to hone their alchemical abilities after their mother died. She expands their training with a regimen of philosophy, martial arts, and living off the land. Her methods are derived from her own alchemy training: in the anime she was taught by Dante, whereas in the manga she was forced to survive in the northern region surrounding Briggs Fortress for a month. She thinks of the Elrics as her own sons, and although she severs her student-teacher ties with them after learning of their attempts with human transmutation (and similarly Ed's joining the State Military), she continues to do all she can to help them.

Sometime before the start of the series, Izumi had a son with her husband Sig Curtis (シグ・カーティス, Shigu Kātisu). The child died soon afterwards, and Izumi tried and failed to revive it through human transmutation (an act that created Wrath in the anime). Although the failed attempt took some of her internal organs, such that she could never again give birth and coughs up blood when she gets too worked up, Izumi could thereafter perform alchemy without a transmutation circle. Throughout the anime she tries to get close to Wrath to repent for his creation. She dies between the end of the anime and Conqueror of Shamballa, but during the movie her spirit reunites with Wrath in the afterlife. In the manga, because she was able to survive a failed human transmutation, she attracts the attention of the State Military. As she and her husband travel around Amestris to keep out of the military's clutches, they meet Ed and Al's father Hohenheim. He rearranges her insides to ease the blood flow, and then gets her to help collaborate in bringing down the State Military. She is voiced by Shoko Tsuda in the Japanese version of the anime, and by Christine Auten in the English dub.

Basque Gran

Basque Gran (バスク・グラン, Basuku Guran), the "Iron Blood Alchemist", earned prestige in the military for his ability to turn the iron in his blood into a large array of guns and cannons, allowing him to devastate a wide area in a short period of time. In the anime, Gran oversees the military's creation of imperfect Philosopher's Stones as well as an army of super soldiers. Though this causes him to work against the series' protagonists, the Elric brothers, Gran actually falls prey to Scar. In the manga, Gran is killed by Scar before the start of the series. Series creator Hiromu Arakawa states in an omake that Scar snuck up on and killed Gran while he was skipping home one night. He does not make an actual appearance until chapter sixty of the manga, appearing during a flashback to the Ishbalan Civil War. Instead of the anime's portrayal of Gran as a blood-seeking warrior, the manga portrays him as an honorable soldier. Though he kills countless Ishbalans, he defies orders by sparing those who surrender and even kills a superior officer that orders him to execute helpless prisoners. Shin Aomori voices him in Japanese, and R. Bruce Elliott in English.

Hohenheim

Hohenheim (ヴァン・ホーエンハイム, Van Hōenhaimu) is the father of Ed and Alphonse Elric with a keen knowledge of alchemical processes. In the anime, Hohenheim has used the power of a Philosopher's Stone for hundreds of years to switch from body to body, prolonging his life. In the manga he is a Philosopher's Stone, and thus cannot die. He is voiced by Masashi Ebara in Japanese, and by Scott McNeil in the English dub.

Lyra

Lyra (ライラ, Raira), a young girl who appears only in the anime, is first introduced as a subordinate of Yoki. She aspires to be a State Alchemist, and uses a necklace that bears a small transmutation circle to condense the moisture in the air and force it at high velocity toward her opponents. When she is defeated in battle by Edward Elric she becomes the apprentice of Dante in an effort to improve her abilities. The aging Dante performs a body switch with Lyra soon afterwards, leaving her to be killed by Dante's enemies. She is voiced by Yumi Kakazu in the Japanese series, and by Monica Rial in the English adaptation.

Tim Marcoh

Tim Marcoh (ティム・マルコー, Timu Marukō), formerly the "Crystal Alchemist", was the leading researcher in the military's Philosopher's Stone creation project. After sacrificing a number of innocent Ishbalans during the Ishbal Civil War to create new stones, he fled the military with some imperfect stone samples. He settles down in a small country town where he uses his stones to heal the sick under the identity of "Doctor Mauro". He is later found by the Elric brothers, and he directs them to some of the research he left behind in Central to help them in their search for the Philosopher's Stone. In the anime he is soon afterwards taken into military custody, only to be killed by the homunculus, Lust.

In the manga, Marcoh takes a larger role in the ongoing story. When first found by the homunculi he is kept under house arrest, forced to stay put and alive or risk the destruction of his town. He is later taken into their custody to be used in their future plans, and is kept locked up deep below Central. While there he is found by Scar. Seeing Scar as a means to an end, he tells Scar of his involvement in the Ishbalan War in the hopes of being killed in vengeance. Scar, instead, only disfigures his face beyond recognition as a disguise, kidnaps him, and forces him to help in bringing down the homunculi. Kouji Totani voices him in the Japanese series, while Brice Armstrong voices him in the English dub.

Russell and Fletcher Tringham

Russell Tringham (ラッセル・トリンガム, Rasseru Toringamu) and his younger brother Fletcher (フレッチャー・トリンガム, Furecchā Toringamu) are the sons of the famed alchemist Nash Tringham. Their characters are adapted by the anime from the light novel The Land of Sand, not the manga. They seek to complete their father's research with a substance known as "red water", a toxic liquid with alchemical properties. To help them in this endeavor they impersonate the Elric brothers to gain access to resources and locations reserved for State Alchemists. While Fletcher is reluctant to do this, Russell insists that nobody will mind. They are almost executed towards the end of the anime when they are mistaken for the real Elric brothers, who are wanted for treason, and after being saved they try to help Ed find out about the homunculi. Although Edward and Russell fight near constantly, Fletcher and Alphonse are able to get along. The two Tringham brothers tend to utilize alchemy involving plants. Russel is voiced by Kosuke Okano in the Japanese series, and Justin Cook in the English adaptation. Fletcher is voiced by Avery Williams in the English adaptation.

Shou Tucker

Shou Tucker (ショウ・タッカー, Shō Takkā), the "Sewing-Life Alchemist", is introduced early on in the series. He is famed for creating a chimera that could talk, albeit only one phrase: "I want to die". It then refused to eat and died shortly after its creation. After meeting Tucker, the Elric brothers discover that the talking chimera was actually his wife fused with another animal. Before they can alert the State Military, Tucker also fuses his daughter, Nina, with his pet dog, Alexander, in order to maintain his position as State Alchemist. In the manga, Tucker is killed by Scar soon afterwards while held under house arrest for his actions.

In the first anime, Shou is recruited as a researcher by the State to help create an army of advanced Chimeras in the classified Laboratory 5. While experimenting to revive his daughter, Tucker eventually becomes a Chimera as well, gaining the appearance of a man crucified upon the back of a large dog. Tucker regularly crosses paths with the Elric brothers as he frequently switches sides in his obsessed quest to restore his daughter. Though Tucker succeeds in recreating Nina's body, he loses what little sanity he possessed when discovering she was without a soul.
Tucker is voiced by Makoto Nagai in the Japanese version and Chuck Huber in the English version, respectively.

State Military

Roy Mustang and his subordinates. Also in the photograph is Maes Hughes and Alex Louis Armstrong.

The State Military is Amestris' primary mode of offense and defense. Throughout the history of the country it has existed to put down uprisings and annex surrounding hostile countries into its borders. It is led by King Bradley, and uses a ranking system common of most real-world militaries. In the manga, the State Military is really just the puppet force called upon to further the homunculi's plans. Many of the soldiers' names are taken from the makers of fighter aircraft and airplanes.

Frank Archer

Frank Archer (フランク・アーチャー, Furanku Āchā) is a character exclusive to the anime, introduced as Maes Hughes' replacement. He is cool, calm, and collected, with a love for violence and war. He dreams of becoming a hero on the battlefield, viewing it as a way to rise up the ranks of the military. To this end he does whatever is necessary to please his superiors and always insures that his actions earn him some publicity. As the series progresses, Archer develops an interest in the military's various projects, such as the homunculi, the chimera, and the Philosopher's Stone. Archer lost the left half of his body when the Philosopher's Stone was created in Liore and receives automail modification in order to regain his mobility. The operations having left him mentally unstable, Archer rages through Central, carrying out King Bradley's ordered executions. Riza Hawkeye shoots Archer down after he shoots Roy Mustang. He is voiced by Show Hayami in the Japanese series, and by Troy Baker in the English dub.

Olivia Mira Armstrong

Olivia Mira Armstrong (オリヴィエ・ミラ・アームストロング, Orivie Mira Āmusutorongu) is the older sister of Alex Louis Armstrong who appears in the manga and the 2nd series. She is charged with leading Briggs' Fortress and protecting the country from the neighboring country of Drachma. Unlike her brother, who is cheerful and kindly to all around him, Olivia distrusts everyone when she first meets them and has no patience for formalities or idle conversation. She is also, similarly, a firm believer in survival of the fittest. This has earned Olivia a reputation within the military and in Drachma as one who should not be crossed, though her subordinates hold her in high regard. Because she readily joins them in hostile situations and disregards the orders of superiors if she disagrees, her subordinates will answer only to her. She always carries a sword at her side and is proficient enough to be able to defeat her brother with it.

Olivia crosses paths with the Elric brothers when they arrive at Briggs' Fortress. She is initially distrustful of the two, suspecting that they are keeping something from her. After Sloth infiltrates Briggs she is able to convince them to tell her about the homunculi that control the military. To help the Elric brothers combat the corrupt higher ups (and to increase her rank) Olivier goes to Central to work her way into King Bradley's inner circle. Once she learns of plans to create an army of immortal super soldiers, Olivia has her parents and younger sister leave the country so that they can't be used as hostages against her or her brother in the coming conflicts. Although she no longer has direct control of Briggs, her subordinates still operate it under her wishes, eventually sneaking into Central to help Olivia take control of the government.

King Bradley

Führer King Bradley (キング・ブラッドレイ, Kingu Buraddorei) is the head of the State Military and King of Amestris. Though initially portrayed as a kindly ruler, he is later revealed to be a homunculus. Though his identity as a Homunculus differs between the manga and first anime series, his favored mode of attack is his sword, which he wields with great proficiency. His deadly swordsmanship is further augmented by the "Ultimate Eye", a clairvoyant eye bearing the Ouroboros seal, usually covered by an eyepatch. The eye gives him the foresight to see all possible outcomes of a given situation, allowing him to predict the moves of any opponent before they happen, along with being able to see things the normal human eye can't, such as air currents. In both story lines, because Homunculi cannot reproduce, Bradley is given a family to keep up appearances: his son, Selim Bradley, and a wife he personally chose. Bradley is voiced by Hidekatsu Shibata in the Japanese versions, and by Ed Blaylock in English dub of the first anime.

Prior to the events depicted in the manga, Bradley was raised and trained, along with other children, to become Amestris' ideal leader. Once they had reached a specific age, the State began injecting a Philosopher's Stone directly into their blood system. Bradley, the only survivor of the experiments, became Wrath and the King of Amestris. Wrath ages with time, because of his human lineage, a trait that irritates him because his ailing body cannot keep up with the speed of his eye's predictions.

In the first anime, Bradley is Pride, what Dante considered her greatest creation due to his ability to age like humans. When Roy Mustang discovers his identity as a Homunculus, Bradley entrusts Selim with the skull of his original body. During his battle with Mustang, Bradley is severely weakened by its presence, when Selim unknowingly brings the skull back to him. Bradley strangles Selim out of anger, but in his weakened state, Mustang was able to defeat him by repeatedly setting him on fire, reducing him to ashes.

Heymans Breda

Heymans Breda (ハイマンス・ブレダ, Haimansu Bureda) is one of Roy Mustang's most trusted subordinates. He was recruited by Mustang for his high level of intelligence, indicated by his talent with chess and other strategy games. Despite his intelligence, he still has an irrational fear of dogs. Breda is usually tasked by Mustang with jobs that require he travel abroad. In the course of doing so he uses up all of his days off, showing his dedication to Mustang. He is transferred to Western Headquarters when Mustang's group is broken up by the homunculi. In the manga, he eventually defects from the military so that he can help Mustang overthrow King Bradley. Tomoyuki Shimura voices him in Japanese, and Josh Berry in English.

Denny Brosh

Denny Brosh (デニー・ブロッシュ, Denī Burocchu) is the partner of Maria Ross. He is rather nosy and lazy, and has an enormous infatuation with his partner. He is very sensitive to criticism, and will fall into despair at the slightest insult. Both he and Ross are introduced when they are assigned to protect Edward Elric. In the anime, Brosh later appears in the rebellion against King Bradley, saving various characters from execution. In the manga, he appears again after Ross's apparent death. Though he is deeply saddened by the news, Ross feels it is for the best that he not know she is alive, as he has difficulty hiding his emotions. When Roy Mustang begins waging an assault on Central, Brosh rushes into the city to provide assistance. Masao Harada voices him in Japanese, and Jim Foronda in English.

Buccaneer

Buccaneer (バッカニア, Bakkania) is stationed at Briggs' Fortress under the leadership of Olivier Mira Armstrong. He is a large, heavyset man with a thin mustache and an oriental looking face. He has been shown with two different pieces of automail in the series; the first, "Crocodile", is equipped with a kind of chainsaw that, when wound up, can crush a person's limbs. The second, called "Mad Bear", is outfitted with a diamond claw, perfect for close-quarter combat. Though he obeys Armstrong unquestioningly and trusts her allies, he dislikes Edward Elric for outranking him despite his age. He later leads Briggs' forces into battle against those of Central to help Olivier overthrow the government.

Schiezka

Schiezka (シェスカ, Sheska) was a librarian at the First Branch of the Central City library. Because she spent all day reading the many documents stored there instead of doing her job, she was fired. She has a photographic memory and can remember and reproduce anything she has ever read with word-for-word accuracy. Because of this, the Elric brothers seek her out after the library burns down to see if she can remember any research papers by Tim Marcoh. She transcribes the entirety of his research for them, earning enough pay to last her a year for her troubles. When Maes Hughes learns of how she helped the Elrics, he hires her to help recreate the criminal records that were destroyed in the fire. In the anime, after Hughes' death, Schiezka helps Winry Rockbell discover the identity of Sloth. Naomi Wakabayashi voices her in the Japanese anime, and Gwendolyn Lau in the English dub.

Vato Falman

Vato Falman (ヴァトー・ファルマン, Vatō Faruman) is one of Roy Mustang's most trusted subordinates. He was recruited by Mustang for his innate ability to remember almost every detail, allowing him to act as a sort of recording device that does not leave any physical evidence. Because his intellect is his area of expertise, he does not have much experience in the field, causing him to make rookie mistakes when in a combat situation. He is overly formal, causing some of his comrades to wish he would lighten up. Falman does not play a large role in the anime, only being another of Mustang's subordinates. In the manga, Mustang tasks him with "babysitting" Barry the Chopper to keep him out of the public eye and from killing civilians for fun. Later, Falman is transferred to Northern Headquarters when Mustang's group is broken up by the homunculi. He is subsequently transferred again, this time to Briggs' Fortress where he is given what amounts to janitorial duties. There he reunites with the Elric brothers, and helps them and Briggs' forces plan against the homunculi. He is voiced by Takehiro Murozono in Japanese, and by Kyle Hebert in English. In the new series, he is voiced by Kenji Hamada.

Kain Fuery

Kain Fuery (ケイン・フュリー, Kein Fyurī) is one of Roy Mustang's most trusted subordinates. He is overly kind in nature, both to people and to animals. He was recruited by Mustang for his technological expertise. As such, he primarily helps Mustang with communications, both in creating secure lines and tapping into others. He is transferred to Southern Headquarters when Mustang's group is broken up by the homunculi. In the manga, he eventually defects from the military so that he can help Mustang overthrow King Bradley. His seiyu is Tetsu Shiratori, and his English voice actor is Kevin M. Connolly.

Grumman

Grumman (グラマン, Guraman) is the commander of the Eastern Headquarters. He is an old man that takes a lighthearted approach to his command. When Roy Mustang transfers from Eastern Headquarters to Central, Grumman authorizes the transfer of Mustang's subordinates, including his granddaughter Riza Hawkeye. He makes no further contributions in the anime, though during a brief cameo in Conqueror of Shamballa he is implied to have replaced King Bradley. In the manga, after the homunculi strip Mustang of his subordinates, he calls for Grumman's aid. Grumman, not under the homunculi's surveillance, has since been acting on Mustang's behalf in intelligence gathering and communication. Though a willing ally, he is reluctant to openly work against the military as becoming a traitor would make it difficult to become the leader of Amestris.

Jean Havoc

Jean Havoc (ジャン・ハボック, Jan Habokku) is one of Roy Mustang's most trusted subordinates. He is usually seen smoking a cigarette. He was recruited by Mustang for his loyalty and general sincerity, as well as his above average shooting skills. Because working for Mustang requires moving frequently and a complete dedication of time, Havoc has very little free time and cannot maintain a relationship with a woman for very long. Havoc does not play a large role in the anime, only being another of Mustang's subordinates. In the manga he unknowingly dates the big-busted homunculus, Lust, who tries to extract information about Mustang from him. She is unsuccessful, and eventually reveals her true identity to him. In the course of the attempt to kill her, Havoc is severely injured and Mustang is forced to use fire to seal the wounds. Though this saves Havoc's life, the lower half of his body is completely paralyzed. Feeling that he can no longer be of use to Mustang, he tries to leave the military, but is instead encouraged to find another way to help their cause. Havoc now provides his support by supplying Mustang with whatever supplies they may need from his family's store (most particularly ammunition), even recalling Maria Ross to Amestris to fill his place on the battlefield. Yasunori Matsumoto is his Japanese voice actor, and Mike McFarland his English voice actor. In the new series, his voice is provided by Yuji Ueda.

Riza Hawkeye

Riza Hawkeye (リザ・ホークアイ, Riza Hōkai) is Roy Mustang's most trusted subordinate. She carries out many of the tasks he is too lazy to do, acts as his personal assistant, and protects him from danger. She was born on March 23. She also doubles as his voice of reason, keeping cool in heated situations and scolding him when he allows his emotions to get in the way. Riza and Roy seem to share a close relationship in both adaptations of Fullmetal Alchemist; in the anime she identifies him as her most precious person, whereas in the manga she loses her resolve to live when believing he has been killed. Riza specializes in firearms, particularly sniper rifles, and can hit nearly any target with lethal accuracy. She adopts a dog in both the anime and the manga, named Black Hayate (ブラックハヤテ, Burakkuhayate), which she raises with stern discipline; when Hayate urinates indoors, she fires a warning round to reinforce doing so is against established protocol.

While Riza does not extend far past the role of Mustang's subordinate in the anime, she takes on a more central role in the manga. Riza bears the final notes to her father's work on Flame Alchemy, his legacy as an alchemist and Mustang's teacher. Tattooed on her back, Riza begs Roy to burn her father's notes, fearing the damage another Flame Alchemist could do after seeing what Mustang was capable of during the Ishbal War. When Mustang learns too much about the homunculi, Riza is reassigned to King Bradley's office as his personal assistant, a hostage to be used if Mustang steps out of line. Though she no longer works under Mustang, she still keeps an eye out to help insure Mustang succeeds in his plans to become Führer; she discovers that King Bradley's adopted son, Selim Bradley, is actually a homunculus, and sends her discovery to him as soon as she can. She eventually defects from the military so that she can help Mustang overthrow King Bradley. She is voiced by Michiko Neya in Japanese, and by Colleen Clinkenbeard in English. In the new series, her voice is provided by Fumiko Orikasa.

Maes Hughes

Maes Hughes (マース・ヒューズ, Māsu Hyūzu) is an old friend of Roy Mustang. He works in the military's intelligence division, but spends much of his time using the military phone lines to brag to Mustang about his family. During his wife's, Gracia's, pregnancy, he would lament that her breasts would not be as big after she gave birth. After his daughter, Elicia, is born, he fawns about how cute and talented she is and bombards others with pictures of her when he sees them. Despite his over-the-top comical tendencies, Hughes is a valuable ally to Mustang's goal of becoming Führer, supplying whatever classified intelligence that may be beneficial. He has also been shown to be a capable fighter, skilled with throwing knives. His general understanding of others' emotions and desire to help them similarly gains the affection of the Elric brothers and their friend Winry Rockbell, as he always offers advice or hospitality to them when they need it. During one of his attempts to help the Elrics, Hughes learns of the homunculi's control over the country. He is killed by Envy, disguised as his wife, before he can get word of this crucial discovery to Mustang. Nevertheless, his death fuels Mustang's passion to further investigate the truth for himself, in hopes of finding the one responsible for Maes' death. In the Japanese series he is voiced by Keiji Fujiwara, and in the English dub by Sonny Strait.

Miles

Miles (マイルズ, Mairuzu) is stationed at Briggs' Fortress under the leadership of Olivier Mira Armstrong. A quarter Ishbalan, Miles possesses the stereotypical brown skin and red eyes of his people. When Armstrong is ordered to discharge and imprison him during the Ishbalan Civil War, she ignores the order, believing ethnicity plays no part in what makes a capable soldier. In return, Miles is unquestioningly loyal to her, serving as her assistant. Miles wears sunglasses to hide his red eyes from others to avoid scrutiny, otherwise he is proud of his heritage, remaining in the military with the hope to someday change the country's perception of Ishbal.

Maria Ross

Maria Ross (マリア・ロス, Maria Rosu) is the partner of Denny Brosh. Both are introduced when they are assigned to protect Edward Elric, who she develops a maternal affection for. In the anime, Ross later appears in the rebellion against King Bradley, saving various characters from execution. In the manga she is framed by the homunculi for the death of Maes Hughes. Roy Mustang stages a prison break and then fakes her death, giving her a chance to flee to Xing. Before leaving she asks that her family and Brosh not be told that she is alive so as to keep the secret from getting out. Ross later returns to Amestris to repay Mustang for saving her life by helping him wage an assault on Central. Mitsuki Saiga voices her in Japanese, and Meredith McCoy in English.

Yoki

Yoki (ヨキ) is, when first introduced, a corrupt member of the military who imposes heavy taxes on the town of Youswell, bankrupting its citizens. When the Elric brothers arrive in town, they trick Yoki into giving up ownership of the town and promptly report his actions to the military. He is stripped of his rank and lives as a homeless person on the outskirts of Central, where he meets the fugitive Scar. In the anime, Yoki alerts the military to Scar's location, and in the subsequent raid to apprehend Scar he is killed by Lust. In the manga, Yoki is forced to work for Scar under the threat of death. Though he tries to convince those they encounter that Scar is his servant, Yoki does as Scar commands and calls him "master". Since he has started following Scar around the country, Yoki has assumed a role as comic relief, often having pain inflicted upon him when he tries to seem superior to others. Kazuki Yao voices him in Japanese, and Barry Yandell in English.

Chimera

A chimera is an alchemical marriage between two or more beings. While the vast majority of chimera seen in Fullmetal Alchemist are a cross between two animals, some are humans that have been crossed with an animal. These experiments, performed in secret by the State Military to dispose of injured soldiers or those that have taken part in secret missions, endow the human with abilities reminiscent of the animal.

Greed's Chimeras

A group of Chimeras work for the homunculus Greed during the series. Bido (ビドー, Bidō) was crossed with a lizard, allowing him to sneak around and climb surfaces with ease. Because of this he is tasked primarily with intelligence gathering and relies on others to defend him. In the anime, he is killed during the military's attempt to capture Greed. In the manga he is the only chimera to survive. In Central, he encounters Lin Yao, the new Greed, who, having no recollections of Bido, kills him. Dorchet (ドルチェット, Doruchetto, "Dorochet" in the English anime) was crossed with a dog, giving him an enhanced sense of smell and an unwavering loyalty to Greed. Loa (ロア, Roa) was crossed with a bull, giving him greater strength and allowing him to transform into a humanoid bull. He and Dorchet are killed by the homunculi while trying to defend Greed; in the anime they are killed by Lust, while in the manga they are killed by Wrath. Martel (マーテル, Māteru, "Marta" in the English anime) was crossed with a snake, and thus can stretch and contort her body to great effect. She uses this ability during her introduction to infiltrate Alphonse Elric's hollow armor body and control it from the inside. She remains in Al's body for much of her role in the series, the most prominent reason being that she is safe while in there. In the manga, Martel is killed during King Bradley's attempt to capture Greed; shes tries to use Al's body to kill him for slaughtering her fellow chimera, only for Bradley to cut through Al's armor to get her. In the anime Martel survives this raid and accompanies Al in his various endeavors. She is ultimately killed by Bradley in much the same way as in the manga, though not before informing Al that Bradley is a homunculus.

Darius and Heinkel

Darius (ダリウス, Dariusu) and Heinkel (ハインケル, Hainkeru) are introduced in the manga as two of Zolf J. Kimblee's bodyguards. They are instructed by Kimblee to help him fight and apprehend Edward Elric. When Kimblee shows no interest in their safety and Ed subsequently puts himself in harms way to save them, they side with him instead. They eventually team up with Greed and help in the fight against Pride. Darius can transform into a humanoid gorilla, while Heinkel can transform into a humanoid lion. Ed has accordingly nicknamed them "Donkey Kong" and "Lion King" respectively. Later Kimblee comes to rescue Pride from his jail, injuring Heinkel in the process. Heinkel gives Alphonse Kimblee's first phisopher's stone and later manages to give Kimblee an almost deadly blow, leaving him to Pride.

Jelso and Zanpano

Jelso (ジェルソ, Jeruso) and Zanpano (ザンパノ) are introduced in the manga as two of Zolf J. Kimblee's bodyguards. They are tasked with capturing Scar. Though they serve Kimblee because they have abandoned the ideas of living normal lives, Alphonse Elric and Scar's other companions convince them not to give up hope. As such, they decide to join sides with Scar's group instead. Zanpano can transform into a humanoid boar who has the ability to fire spines from his back, while Jelso can transform into a humanoid frog-like creature who has the ability to fire sticky globs of mucus, allowing him to prevent others from moving.

Ishbal

The Ishbalans are a religious people characterized by their brown skin and red eyes. The majority of their population was slaughtered by the State Military during the Ishbalan Civil War. The few survivors live as criminals and refugees in various slums across the country, usually leaping at the opportunity to fight against Amestrians. Miles is a State Military officer under General Armstrong's command despite his Ishbalan ancestry and appearance.

Scar

Main article: Scar (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Scar (傷の男（スカー), Kizu no otoko (sukā)), a major supporting character in Fullmetal Alchemist, serves as antagonist through most of the series, before the Elric Brothers learned of his true intentions. A devout Ishbalan, Scar is one of the survivors of the Ishbalan Extermination Campaign (or simply, Ishbal Civil War in the anime). Depicted in the manga as an Ishbalan warrior priest, Scar was a capable fighter who desperately tried to save whomever he could from the State Military onslaught, however, Kimblee's enhanced alchemical attacks were too much. Scar's brother, who had been researching Amestrian Alchemy and Xingese Alkahestry in an attempt to gain power against the State, gives Scar his right arm in order to save his life. In the first anime series, Scar's right arm is part of a Grand Arcanum transmutation array designed to create a massive Philosopher's Stone.

Xing

Xing is a country far away from Amestris that is introduced only in the manga and the 2nd animated series. Its people are Asian in appearance, and are split into fifty families under the rule of a single emperor. The emperor has fathered a prince or princess for each of the fifty families. In the current storyline, the emperor is in failing health and his children whose families are not in good standing seek to earn his trust in his final days. Two of his children, prince Lin Yao and princess May Chang go to Amestris in separate attempts to find the fabled Philosopher's Stone and gain immortality, hoping that doing so will convince the emperor to make them his successor.

Fu

Fu (フー, Fū) is one of Lin Yao's bodyguards. He is an older man and the grandfather of Lin's other bodyguard, Lan Fan. Though committed to his duties and stern in nature, he cries for his granddaughter after learning that she sacrificed her arm for their prince. He leaves his prince's side for an extended period of time when helping Maria Ross escape to Xing and again when taking Lan Fan to get automail surgery. Despite this, Fu remains deeply loyal to his prince and is determined to bring Lin and the immortality he has gained back to Xing.

Lan Fan

Lan Fan (ランファン, Ranfan) is one of Lin Yao's bodyguards. She is the granddaughter of Lin's other bodyguard, Fu, and is implied by Lin to be younger than himself. She is a skilled fighter despite her age and can keep up with or defend against seasoned warriors. She is fiercely protective of her prince and instantly attacks anyone who speaks poorly of him. This makes for a weakness in battle; by insulting Lin in some way her opponent can break her usually perfect battle form and leave her open to attack. In protecting Lin, Lan Fan is severely injured by King Bradley. To get Bradley off her scent, allowing Lin a chance to escape, she severs her left arm and ties it to a dog to lead Bradley away. After regaining consciousness she and her grandfather leave Lin so that she can get automail surgery to restore her arm. The moment her surgery is complete and she has recovered to the point of being able to move (though not to the point of having complete control of her new arm), she rushes to Lin's side to start protecting him once again.

Lin Yao

Lin Yao (リン・ヤオ, Rin Yao) is the twelfth prince of Xing. He meets Edward Elric soon after arriving in Amestris, who he aggravates by being both younger and taller than. He also tends to leave Edward with pricey dinner bills before quietly slipping away. Despite his laid-back, goofy, and undignified personality, Lin is a skilled fighter (often seen using a sword) who keeps a cool head in hostile situations. His major ambition is to replace his father as Xing's new emperor, and as such operates under the belief that power can not be had without the people's support. He is very close to his bodyguards, Lan Fan and Fu, often showing greater concern for their safety than finding immortality and becoming emperor. Lin's ongoing search for immortality in Amestris results in numerous encounters with the homunculi throughout the series, whom he can sense like other Xingese characters. He eventually becomes a homunculus himself so as to become immortal, relinquishing his body to Greed without any resistance.

May Chang

May Chang (メイ・チャン, Mei Chan) is the seventeenth princess of Xing. Unlike Lin Yao she comes to Amestris without any bodyguards, only having her small pet panda, Xiao Mei (シャオメイ, Shao Mei), to keep her company. May is particularly skilled in rentanjutsu (煉丹術) or Alkahestry, a technique developed in Xing chiefly for medical purposes, but very similar to Alchemy; by using throwing knives to create two transmutation circles, one at her intended target and one near herself, she can manipulate matter at a distance. She is somewhat imaginative in nature; when first hearing of Edward Elric's alchemical skills, she pictures him as a tall, handsome young man. When this is proven to be false upon actually meeting him, she proclaims that he intentionally misled her and they develop a feud over who is shorter. Soon after arriving in Amestris on her search for immortality, May teams up with Scar, assisting him on his travels. For a time, she also unknowingly fought the Elric brothers before eventually teaming up with them as well. Together, their group is able to capture the homunculus, Envy, and May is sent home to Xing so as not to become involved in Amestrian affairs. However, Envy convinces her to stay, leading her to Central in search for her friends.

Other

Barry the Chopper

Barry the Chopper (バリー・ザ・チョッパー, Barī za choppā), a serial killer, earned infamy in Central for his butchering of many innocent women. In the anime his spree is brought to an end by the Elric brothers, though in the manga he is captured sometime before the start of the series. Though reported to have been executed, Barry's soul is actually removed from his body and bound to a suit of armor in one of the military's experiments. He is then called 66. He is subsequently assigned to guarding Laboratory 5, where he encounters the Elric brothers once again. When Lab 5 is destroyed Barry flees, becoming a mercenary in the anime where he is ultimately killed by Scar. Barry plays a more pivotal role in the manga, being convinced to work with Roy Mustang rather than becoming a mercenary. He first helps in Maria Ross's escape from Amestris and later draws out the homunculi in an attempt to capture them. While helping with the latter, Barry comes across his old human body, the soul of an animal having been bound to it. To fulfill his dreams of butchering himself he tries to kill his body, though his armor is destroyed by Lust before he can do so. While Barry is able to survive this, his original body destroys what is left of him. Kentaro Ito voices him in the Japanese series, and Jerry Jewell in the English adaptation.

Trisha Elric

Trisha Elric (トリシャ・エルリック, Torisha Erurikku) is the mother of Edward and Alphonse Elric. She was a kindly woman who was loved by all in her family. Even her husband, Hohenheim, wished to always be with her. He left her and their two sons behind to find a way to escape his immortality and achieve this goal. Trisha tried to last until his return, though she ultimately died of an illness. Her seiyu is Yoshino Takamori, and her English voice actress is Lydia Mackay.

Ed and Al try to revive her with human transmutation, and in the failed attempt lose their bodies. In the first anime series, the failed creation becomes the Homunculus Sloth. The second anime series has the failed creation die shortly after the incident.

Knox

Knox (ノックス, Nokkusu) is a military doctor. Though having studied to heal people, he was tasked with performing autopsies on burn victims during the Ishbalan Civil War, a profession he has kept up since the end of the war. The conflict in Ishbal disillusioned Knox, and as result he deems himself and most other doctors as hypocrites for their capacity to switch from helping to harming others. He suffered a series of night terrors after the war, and forced his wife and son to leave him for their own safety. Knox is called upon by his old war-buddy Roy Mustang to help heal some injuries that would garner unwanted attention at a regular hospital. Knox reluctantly complies, and in doing so comes to believe that he might yet be able to return to his practice of helping others. This is reinforced by the return of his wife and son, the latter wanting to be a doctor like his father despite what Knox was forced to do.

Rosé

Rosé (ロゼ, Roze) is a young woman introduced at the very start of the series. She is a devout believer in her town's local faith, believing that serving the church will bring back her dead boyfriend. The Elric brothers' arrival in town opens Rosé's eyes to the church's corruption and forces her to realize her boyfriend is not coming back. Rosé does not appear again until much later in the series. In the manga she helps to rebuild the town, eventually reuniting with Alphonse Elric. In the anime she instead becomes the mute "Holy Mother" of the townspeople, giving them a symbol of guidance as they rise up against the State Military. Rosé loses her voice after being captured by a soldier of the military. She is implied to have been raped, as after her reintroduction she is often seen carrying a baby with her. She is later captured by Dante,whose purpose is Rosé's body. In the first anime series, she is portrayed with having dark skin, brown eyes, and brown hair with pink bangs. In the second series however, she has pale skin, blue eyes, and black hair, with her pink bangs noticeably darker. Her Japanese voice was dubbed by Houko Kuwashima in the first series, and Satsuki Yukino in the second. Her English voice was dubbed by Colleen Clinkenbeard.

Merchandise

Action figures, busts, and statues from the Fullmetal Alchemist anime and manga have been created by leading toy companies; primarily Medicom and Southern Island. Medicom has created high end deluxe vinyl figures of the characters from the anime. Other merchandise includes plushes, key-chains, straps and pins. Apparels from the characters include the State Alchemists watches, necklaces and earrings. Characters are also featured in a trading card game that was first published in 2005 by Joyride Entertainment. Video games from the series also feature the characters, although in most of them the Elric brothers are the only playable characters.

Reception

Several publications for anime, manga, and other media have provided praise and criticism to the characters from the series. Though the initial volumes were felt to be formulaic, Melissa Harper from Anime News Network noted that the series and characters grows in complexity as it progresses. She praised Arakawa for making all the characters designs unique and distinguishable, despite many of them wearing the same basic uniforms. Additionally, she liked the comedy of the characters, remarking that "Ed's facial expressions are probably the humorous highlight of the series". Lori Lancaster from Mania Entertainment praised the designs from the anime as well as the facial expressions from the characters. He also added that their interactions are very entertaining, praising the way how Edward deals with his opponents and his friends, giving the anime a good balance between action and comedy. Hilary Goldstein from IGN noted that the characterization of the protagonist Edward balances between being a "typical clever kid" and "a stubborn kid", successfully allowing him to float between the series more comical moments and its underlying drama without seeming false.

Samuel Arbogast from T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews comments that the interaction between the Elric brothers as they travel is interesting, since humor is quite frequent rather than the constant grimness of many series. He also praises the fact that all the characters have distinct designs, even though some of them had the same uniforms. Ain't it Cool News felt the novel of the series was "work for young-ish readers that's pretty clear about some darker sides of politics, economics and human nature." Anime Boredom praised the characters for having a good balance between action, comedy and deep moments and remarked the emotional core of the development of the two main characters. Maria Lin from Animefringe.com criticized the large number of sentimental scenes in the series, considering them "an abuse to make the viewers cry". She also mentioned that the characters had lack of development, such as Edward having the same beliefs during all the anime as he once again tried to revive people using alchemy. However, she noted the anime "has some of the freshest and most vibrant character designs since Naruto".