Hiromu Arakawa
Fullmetal Alchemist (2005)
Author: Hiromu Arakawa
Genre: Graphic Novel (Shonen Manga)
Plot Summary:
Ed and Al Elric are teenaged alchemists, scientists with the power to rearrange elements to "transmutate" one item into another. But despite their God-like powers over the phycial world, there is one thing forbidden to alchemists - the ability to create life. When the Elric brothers attempt the impossible to bring their mother back from the dead, Ed literally pays an arm and a leg for his transgression, and now uses metal prosthetics. His brother Al fared worse, loosing his whole body, and the only thing tying his soul to Earth is an empty metal suit of armor. So in their travels to learn how to restore their bodies, when they find a preacher who claims to have the God-given power to raise the dead, they know it must be a trick. But could the preacher still have what they need to restore themselves, the legendary Philosopher's Stone? SPOILER: The Preacher's Philosopher's Stone is a fake, but the audience discovers that it was provided by a strange crew of beings who se
e no problem in twisting humanity to it's own ends. Their mystery, and Ed and Al's fates are explained in later volumes.
Geographical Setting: Earth-like World, Alternate Reality
Time Period: Technological equivalent of the 1930s or 1940s
Series: Fullmetal Alchemist (volume 1)
Appeal Characteristics:
Fullmetal Alchemist will appeal to new readers of manga, who like spatially clear images. Sometimes in manga, it's hard to tell where characters are in relation to eachother, but that's never a problem here. Plot-wise, it will appeal to reader's who enjoy otherworldly action/adventure fantasy stories, with strong characterization, especially in the main characters, and regularly appearing secondary characters. Despite the serious subject matter, the mood is generally upbeat with light humor, though not as zany or spastic as the humor that appears in some manga. This story may also appeal to readers who enjoy light moral or even theological themes in their stories.
Read-alikes: Reader's who enjoy the Fullmetal Alchemist manga may also enjoy Makoto Inoue's Fullmetal Alchemist: The Land of Sand, a novel based off the manga, with a plot that will be especially familiar to fans of the anime. Fans of the otherworldly setting, and the light humorous interpretation of a serious subject may also like Yasuhiro Nightow's Trigun. On a world that seems to be a combination of the Wild West with forgotten space-age technology, two insurance agents go looking for the notorious Vash the Stampede, a highly destructive man who doesn't seem to deserve his reputation as a killer. Readers who like the emphasis on magic and Japanese mythology may enjoy Tite Kubo's Bleach, the story of a freelance exorcist who pursues "soul reapers." Readers who want a sillier take on magical situation may enjoy Natsuki Takaya's Fruits Basket, the story of a girl who lives with the 12 incarnations of the zodiac, who turn back into their animal forms whenever she hugs them. Readers who like the way Fullmetal Alchemist describes magic in "scientific" terms, and who don't mind a novel, may also enjoy Poul Anderson's Operation Chaos. Steve is a werewolf, and Virginia is a witch, trained in the most sophisticated magical science, who take on the forces of Hell.
Red Flags: Violence is almost more "cartoon-y" than graphic, but may contain disturbing ideas or off-screen actions, such as the raising of the dead or cannibalism.
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