Details & Synopsis
Brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric attempt to resurrect their dead mother using alchemy — and pay a catastrophic price. Ed loses his arm and leg; Al loses his entire body. Bound to a suit of armour, Al and his brother travel the world seeking the Philosopher's Stone to restore what was taken. The 2003 series diverged from the manga into its own story. Both versions are masterpieces. Argue about which one in the forums.
Alt Title
鋼の錬金術師
Studio
Bones
Network
MBS
Aired
2003 – 2004
Episodes
51
Genre
Action, Adventure, Drama
Status
Completed
Episode List
001
To Challenge the Sun
Oct 4, 2003
canon
►
Edward and Alphonse Elric arrive in the desert city of Lior, a town gripped by the zealotry of Father Cornello. The brothers quickly realize Cornello is using a fake Philosopher's Stone to perform "miracles" and manipulate the desperate citizens.
002
Body of the Sanctioned
Oct 11, 2003
canon
►
The dark reality of the Elric brothers' past is exposed when Cornello attempts to kill them. Ed reveals his automail limbs and Al's hollow armor body, proving the horrific price they paid for violating alchemy's ultimate taboo.
003
Mother
Oct 18, 2003
canon
►
A devastating flashback details the brothers' childhood following their mother's death. Desperate to bring her back, they study alchemy under Izumi Curtis, culminating in the disastrous human transmutation that cost them their bodies.
004
A Forger's Love
Oct 25, 2003
good-filler
►
On their way to Central City, the brothers cross paths with Majhal, an alchemist obsessed with creating life to replace his lost love. The episode serves as a grim warning of how obsession can deeply corrupt an alchemist's soul.
005
The Man with the Mechanical Arm
Nov 1, 2003
canon
►
A train hijacking forces the Elrics into action, putting them on the radar of Colonel Roy Mustang. The incident highlights the simmering political tensions within Amestris and introduces the military's ruthless efficiency.
006
The Alchemy Exam
Nov 8, 2003
canon
►
Edward takes the grueling State Alchemist exam. He moves in with Shou Tucker, the "Sewing-Life Alchemist," and bonds with his daughter Nina, unaware of the immense pressure Tucker is under to produce results.
007
Night of the Chimera's Cry
Nov 15, 2003
canon
►
Faced with losing his military funding, Shou Tucker commits an unthinkable atrocity by fusing his daughter Nina and her dog into a chimera. The Elric brothers are left completely shattered by their inability to save her.
008
The Philosopher's Stone
Nov 22, 2003
canon
►
The serial killer Barry the Chopper kidnaps Winry, forcing Ed into a terrifying confrontation. Ed realizes how close he is to losing his own humanity, traumatized by the violence required to survive as a dog of the military.
009
Be Thou for the People
Nov 29, 2003
canon
►
Ed is officially given his silver pocket watch and the title of "Fullmetal Alchemist." He is immediately sent to inspect the corrupt mining town of Youswell, where he uses his sharp wit to outsmart a tyrannical military lieutenant.
010
The Phantom Thief
Dec 6, 2003
good-filler
►
The brothers visit the beautiful water city of Aquroya, which is scheduled to be demolished. They get tangled up with a brilliant, acrobatic phantom thief named Psiren who uses alchemy to steal from the corrupt.
011
The Other Brothers Elric: Part 1
Dec 13, 2003
good-filler
►
Ed and Al arrive in a town where two imposters are parading around using their names. The situation becomes complicated when they discover the imposters are researching a terrifying substance known as Red Water.
012
The Other Brothers Elric: Part 2
Dec 20, 2003
good-filler
►
The true nature of the Red Water is revealed as a toxic precursor to the Philosopher's Stone. The Elrics must save the imposters from a corrupt local lord and stop the town from being poisoned by the alchemical runoff.
013
Fullmetal vs. Flame
Dec 27, 2003
good-filler
►
In a highly anticipated, action-packed showdown, Edward challenges Roy Mustang to a duel during the annual military assessment. If Ed wins, Mustang must reveal his classified knowledge regarding the Philosopher's Stone.
014
Destruction's Right Hand
Jan 10, 2004
canon
►
The brothers encounter Scar, an Ishvalan survivor with a mysterious alchemical tattoo who is hunting down State Alchemists. Overmatched and terrified, Ed and Al narrowly escape the brutal encounter with their lives and armor in pieces.
015
The Ishbal Massacre
Jan 17, 2004
canon
►
While recovering from Scar's attack, Marcoh reveals the horrifying truth about the Ishvalan War of Extermination. The military used State Alchemists as human weapons to systematically slaughter the Ishvalan people using incomplete Philosopher's Stones.
016
That Which Is Lost
Jan 24, 2004
canon
►
Ed and Al travel to Resembool for repairs. The journey is delayed when Ed loses his automail leg, forcing him to rely entirely on Al while reflecting on the heavy physical and emotional toll their quest is taking.
017
House of the Waiting Family
Jan 31, 2004
canon
►
Returning to their hometown of Resembool, Winry and Pinako Rockbell work exhaustively to rebuild Ed's shattered automail. The brothers find quiet comfort in the only place they can truly call home before heading back into the fray.
018
Marcoh's Notes
Feb 7, 2004
canon
►
Back in Central City, Ed and Al gain access to the First Branch Library. They must decipher Dr. Marcoh's heavily encrypted research notes, only to uncover an ingredient for the Philosopher's Stone that makes their blood run cold: living humans.
019
The Truth Behind Truths
Feb 14, 2004
canon
►
Following the clues in Marcoh's notes, the brothers break into the abandoned, highly classified Military Laboratory 5. They immediately trigger the facility's defenses, separating them into two terrifying, isolated battles for survival.
020
Soul of the Guardian
Feb 21, 2004
canon
►
Alphonse is confronted by Barry the Chopper, whose soul has been bound to a suit of armor just like his. Barry exploits Al's deepest insecurities, planting the horrific idea that Al's memories might be entirely fabricated by Edward.
021
The Red Glow
Feb 28, 2004
canon
►
Deep inside Laboratory 5, Ed discovers the massive transmutation circle designed to sacrifice prisoners. He is confronted by the Homunculi Lust and Envy, who attempt to force him into completing the dark ritual.
022
Created Human
Mar 6, 2004
canon
►
The laboratory begins to collapse. Ed is severely injured and rescued by the military, while Alphonse is left grappling with an existential crisis about whether his soul and memories are real or just alchemical programming.
023
Heart of Steel
Mar 13, 2004
canon
►
Tensions boil over as Al accuses Ed of fabricating his existence. A violent, deeply emotional fight breaks out between the brothers, forcing them to confront the unspoken trauma they have carried since their failed transmutation.
024
Bonding Memories
Mar 20, 2004
canon
►
The brothers finally reconcile, reaffirming their unshakeable bond. Meanwhile, Maes Hughes uncovers a massive, terrifying conspiracy hidden within the military's top brass, making him a prime target for the Homunculi.
025
Words of Farewell
Mar 27, 2004
canon
►
In one of the most heartbreaking moments of the series, Hughes is murdered by Envy disguised as his wife. The military mourns the loss of a great man, while Mustang silently vows to hunt down those responsible.
026
Her Reason
Apr 3, 2004
canon
►
The brothers travel to Rush Valley, the automail capital of the world, hoping to find a way to make Ed's prosthetics stronger. Winry meets a brilliant but cynical automail mechanic named Paninya, leading to a profound realization about why Winry dedicates her life to building limbs for Ed.
027
Teacher
Apr 10, 2004
canon
►
Ed and Al are finally reunited with their terrifying alchemy teacher, Izumi Curtis. Izumi quickly deduces the horrifying truth that the boys attempted human transmutation, violently expelling them from her tutelage before demanding to know exactly what they saw inside the Gate.
028
One is All, All is One
Apr 17, 2004
canon
►
Izumi strands the brothers on a deserted island for a month to test their resolve, mirroring the brutal survival training they endured as children. Through starvation and isolation, Ed and Al rediscover the fundamental alchemical philosophy that the universe is a massive, interconnected flow of energy.
029
The Untainted Child
Apr 24, 2004
canon
►
A mysterious, feral boy with the ability to use alchemy without a circle is discovered on Izumi's island. The boy, possessing Ed's missing right arm and left leg, is revealed to be Wrath—the horrific result of Izumi's own failed attempt to resurrect her stillborn infant.
030
Assault on South Headquarters
May 1, 2004
canon
►
The rogue Homunculus known as Greed makes his move, recognizing the immense value of Alphonse's blood-sealed armor. Greed launches a coordinated, brutal assault on the military's Southern Headquarters using his team of heavily modified chimera outcasts.
031
Sin
May 8, 2004
canon
►
Ed tracks Alphonse to the Devil's Nest, an underground bar operating as Greed's sanctuary. Inside, Greed explains the true nature of the Homunculi in this timeline: they are the tortured, soulless byproducts of alchemists who dared to play God by attempting human transmutation.
032
Dante of the Deep Forest
May 15, 2004
canon
►
Ed seeks guidance from Dante, Izumi's former alchemy teacher, a mysterious elderly woman living deep in the woods. Dante's vast knowledge of alchemy hides a dark, sprawling history connected to Hohenheim and the true origins of the Philosopher's Stone.
033
Al, Captured
May 29, 2004
canon
►
The military, led by a ruthless King Bradley, violently raids the Devil's Nest, slaughtering Greed's chimera friends without mercy. In the chaos, Greed takes Alphonse captive, realizing that the secret to immortality might lie in how Al's soul is bound to inorganic matter.
034
Theory of Avarice
Jun 5, 2004
canon
►
Ed engages Greed in a savage, bloody duel. Realizing that Greed's "Ultimate Shield" relies on rearranging the carbon in his body, Ed uses alchemy to alter Greed's molecular structure, delivering a fatal blow that leaves Ed horrified by his own capacity for murder.
035
Reunion of the Fallen
Jun 12, 2004
canon
►
The brothers return to Lior, only to find the city torn apart by civil war instigated by the Homunculi. Lust begins to question her own existence and the fragmented memories of her past life, slowly realizing she is being used as a pawn by a higher power.
036
The Sinner Within
Jun 19, 2004
canon
►
A deeply unsettling flashback delves into the military's massacre in Ishval. The episode exposes the psychological destruction of the State Alchemists forced to act as living weapons, and reveals how Scar's brother sacrificed himself to give Scar his destructive tattooed arm.
037
The Flame Alchemist, The Bachelor Lieutenant & The Mystery of Warehouse 13
Jun 26, 2004
good-filler
►
A brilliantly timed, comedic breather episode focusing on Roy Mustang's subordinates as they investigate a supposed haunting in a military warehouse. It offers a rare glimpse of levity and camaraderie before the narrative plunges into absolute darkness.
038
With the River's Flow
Jul 3, 2004
mixed
►
Winry and Sheska team up to investigate the conspiracy surrounding Maes Hughes' death, stumbling into a deadly confrontation with Sloth. Winry is forced to confront the terrifying reality of the military's shadow government and the danger Ed and Al are truly in.
039
Secret of Ishbal
Jul 10, 2004
canon
►
Scar's tragic backstory is fully unveiled, detailing his desperate attempt to save his people using the forbidden alchemy his brother researched. The military prepares to annihilate Lior, trapping the Elric brothers in a city about to be wiped off the map.
040
The Scar
Jul 17, 2004
canon
►
Scar enacts a massive, city-wide transmutation circle in Lior, intending to sacrifice the invading military forces to create a Philosopher's Stone. Ed frantically tries to stop him, but the overwhelming scale of the conflict spirals completely out of control.
041
Holy Mother
Jul 24, 2004
canon
►
The horrifying truth is finally revealed: the Homunculus Sloth is the physical manifestation of Trisha Elric, born from Ed and Al's failed human transmutation. The brothers are paralyzed by the trauma of facing the twisted, water-based abomination that wears their mother's face.
042
His Name is Unknown
Jul 31, 2004
canon
►
Hohenheim of Light, the Elrics' estranged father, unexpectedly returns. His confrontation with the Homunculi reveals his ancient, immortal past, his deep connection to Dante, and his overwhelming guilt for abandoning his sons to a cursed fate.
043
The Stray Dog
Aug 7, 2004
canon
►
Realizing that the military high command is entirely controlled by the Homunculi, Roy Mustang orchestrates a brilliant, high-stakes coup d'état in Central City. He risks everything to expose the corruption and avenge the death of Maes Hughes.
044
Hohenheim of Light
Aug 14, 2004
canon
►
Hohenheim confronts Dante in the underground city beneath Central. Their confrontation exposes the tragic, parasitic cycle they have perpetuated for centuries by jumping between host bodies using the Philosopher's Stone, a cycle Hohenheim refuses to continue.
045
A Rotted Heart
Aug 21, 2004
canon
►
Dante uses her mastery of alchemy to violently expel Hohenheim through the Gate of Truth. Meanwhile, Ed and Al desperately fight against Sloth, realizing they must destroy the creature that looks like their mother if they want to survive.
046
Human Transmutation
Aug 28, 2004
canon
►
In a truly heartbreaking battle, Edward uses the remains of his mother to paralyze Sloth, allowing Wrath to unknowingly absorb her. The brothers are forced to accept that the dead cannot be brought back, no matter the alchemical cost.
047
Sealing the Homunculus
Sep 4, 2004
canon
►
Ed races into the underground city to rescue Alphonse, who has become the Philosopher's Stone itself. He faces off against Envy, who reveals his true form and his bitter, twisted connection to Hohenheim as the first Homunculus ever created.
048
Goodbye
Sep 11, 2004
canon
►
Mustang stages his final, bloody assault against King Bradley (Pride). In the underground city, Envy delivers a fatal blow to Edward, piercing his heart. Alphonse, watching his brother die, makes a desperate, unthinkable decision.
049
The Other Side of the Gate
Sep 18, 2004
canon
►
Edward awakens in a completely different world—our reality, in early 20th-century London—discovering that the energy fueling alchemy actually comes from the deaths occurring in this parallel, non-magical universe. He realizes the horrifying cost of the power they wielded.
050
Death
Sep 25, 2004
canon
►
Alphonse uses the entirety of the Philosopher's Stone within his body to perform the ultimate human transmutation, sacrificing himself to resurrect Edward. Ed awakens with his limbs restored, but shatters at the realization of what Al has done.
051
Laws and Promises
Oct 2, 2004
canon
►
Refusing to accept a world without his brother, Edward sacrifices his own body and soul to bring Alphonse back. Al awakens in Amestris in his original body with his memories erased, while Ed is left stranded in the parallel world of 1921 Munich, vowing to one day find a way home.
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