Last updated: 1 November 2026
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a 64-episode action-adventure anime by studio Bones, faithfully adapting Hiromu Arakawa's complete manga. It follows brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric, who lost their bodies in a forbidden attempt to resurrect their mother and now search for the Philosopher's Stone to restore them. It is loved for its tight plotting, emotional weight and a complete, planned ending with no filler.
About Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
Brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric lose their bodies in a failed attempt to bring their mother back with alchemy. Edward, the older brother, loses an arm and a leg; Alphonse loses his whole body, and his soul is bound to a suit of armour. They travel the country searching for the Philosopher's Stone to make things right. Animated by Bones in 2009, Brotherhood is the second anime adaptation of Hiromu Arakawa's manga, and this time it follows her story faithfully, from the first chapter to the true ending. Across 64 episodes, the brothers join the military as State Alchemists, uncover a conspiracy that reaches the very top of their country, Amestris, and face the Homunculi, artificial humans built around fragments of the Stone itself. It is a complete, satisfying adventure with action, humour and a lot of heart, built on one simple rule: equivalent exchange, to gain something, something of equal value must be lost. Few anime balance comedy, war drama and genuine emotion this well, and because the manga was nearly finished when production began, every early clue pays off. There is no filler and no unfinished ending: this is the whole story, told exactly as its creator planned it.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a TV anime from 2009, first released in Spring 2009. It belongs to the Action and Adventure genres and is listed as a completed series. The summary above is written by the AnimeYug team in our own words.
Official Trailer
Story & Plot
In the country of Amestris, alchemy is a science with one iron law: equivalent exchange. As children, Edward and Alphonse Elric broke its greatest taboo, human transmutation, trying to resurrect their dead mother. The attempt failed horribly. Edward lost a leg and then an arm saving Alphonse's soul, and Alphonse lost his entire body. Fitted with steel automail limbs, Edward becomes a State Alchemist, the youngest in history, so the brothers can search for the Philosopher's Stone, a legend that might restore what they lost.
Their search pulls them into something far bigger. A scarred Ishvalan survivor is hunting State Alchemists, Homunculi are moving in the shadows, and the Stone's secret turns out to be written in human lives. As the brothers and their allies piece the truth together, they uncover a plan centuries in the making: the whole of Amestris was shaped, war by war, to serve one being's ambition. To stop it, Edward must finally answer the question the series asks from its first episode: what is a human life actually worth?
Story Arcs & Episode Guide
The Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood anime is split into story sagas. Here is every saga in order, with its episodes and years.
| Arc | Episodes | Years | About |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Cost of the Taboo | Episodes 1–13 | 2009 | The brothers' past, Liore, the Fifth Laboratory and training under Izumi Curtis. |
| Greed, Xing and the Homunculi | Episodes 14–26 | 2009 | Greed's fall, Ling and May arrive from Xing, and Father steps out of the shadows. |
| The North and Fort Briggs | Episodes 27–38 | 2009–2010 | The brothers head north to Briggs, meet Olivier Armstrong and face Kimblee again. |
| The Promised Day Approaches | Episodes 39–50 | 2010 | Hohenheim's past is revealed, Pride's identity emerges and both sides prepare for war. |
| The Promised Day | Episodes 51–64 | 2010 | The final battle in Central: Father's plan comes due and every ally answers the call. |
Why Watch Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
- A complete 64-episode story that adapts the whole manga, with no filler arcs.
- Equivalent exchange: a power system with strict rules, so victories feel earned.
- The Elric brothers' bond carries everything, from small comedy to the final battle.
- A huge, memorable cast: State Alchemists, Homunculi and soldiers all get real arcs.
- A fully planned ending: clues planted in the first episodes pay off in the last.
Who Is It For?
Rated TV-14 in the US. Expect intense battles, some blood, wartime themes, death and unsettling body horror around the Homunculi, balanced by warm humour and hope. It suits teens and adults best; younger children may find a few famous scenes upsetting.
Main Characters
View all characters →
Voice Actors
The Japanese voices behind the main characters of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
- Edward ElricState Alchemist known as the Fullmetal AlchemistJapanese voiceRomi Park
- Alphonse ElricEdward's younger brother, his soul bound to a suit of armourJapanese voiceRie Kugimiya
- Winry RockbellThe brothers' childhood friend and Edward's automail mechanicJapanese voiceMegumi Takamoto
- Roy MustangThe Flame Alchemist, a colonel with ambitions to lead AmestrisJapanese voiceShinichiro Miki
- Riza HawkeyeMustang's loyal lieutenant and sharpshooterJapanese voiceFumiko Orikasa
- Maes HughesMustang's best friend, a military investigator and devoted fatherJapanese voiceKeiji Fujiwara
- Ling YaoA prince of Xing searching for immortalityJapanese voiceMamoru Miyano
- Lan FanLing's masked bodyguard from XingJapanese voiceNana Mizuki
- May ChangA young Xing princess and alkahestry user travelling with her panda, Xiao-MeiJapanese voiceMai Goto
- Alex Louis ArmstrongThe Strong Arm Alchemist, a major with a heroic build and a tender heartJapanese voiceKenji Utsumi
- Olivier Mira ArmstrongAlex's older sister, the major general commanding Fort BriggsJapanese voiceYoko Soumi
- ScarAn Ishvalan survivor hunting State Alchemists for revengeJapanese voiceKenta Miyake
- FatherThe creator of the Homunculi and the shadow behind AmestrisJapanese voiceIemasa Kayumi
- EnvyA shape-shifting Homunculus who delights in human conflictJapanese voiceMinami Takayama
- King BradleyThe Führer of Amestris, secretly the Homunculus WrathJapanese voiceHidekatsu Shibata
Staff & Production
- Original Creator
- Hiromu Arakawa
- Animation Studio
- Bones
- Series Director
- Yasuhiro Irie
- Series Composition
- Hiroshi Ōnogi
- Music
- Akira Senju
Manga & Source Material
Brotherhood adapts Hiromu Arakawa's manga of the same name, this time the whole story, exactly as she wrote it.
- Written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa
- Serialised in Square Enix's Monthly Shonen Gangan from July 2001 to June 2010
- 108 chapters collected in 27 volumes; the manga is complete
- Brotherhood follows the manga faithfully, unlike the 2003 anime, which diverged into an original story partway through
- Arakawa shared her planned ending with director Yasuhiro Irie, so the manga and Brotherhood could finish within weeks of each other in 2010
Music
Brotherhood uses five opening and five ending themes, one pair for each major phase of the story, over Akira Senju's orchestral score. SID bookend the series, performing the first ending and the final opening.
Opening Themes
- “Again”by YUIFirst opening (episodes 1–14)
- “Hologram”by NICO Touches the WallsSecond opening (episodes 15–26)
- “Golden Time Lover”by Sukima SwitchThird opening (episodes 27–38)
- “Period”by CHEMISTRYFourth opening (episodes 39–50)
- “Rain”by SIDFinal opening (episodes 51–62)
Ending Themes
- “Uso (Lie)”by SIDFirst ending (episodes 1–14)
- “Let It Out”by Miho FukuharaSecond ending (episodes 15–26)
- “Tsunaida Te (Tied Hands)”by Lil'BThird ending (episodes 27–38)
- “Shunkan Sentimental”by SCANDALFourth ending (episodes 39–50)
- “Ray of Light”by Shoko NakagawaFinal ending (episodes 51–64)
Series Timeline
- 2001
Hiromu Arakawa's Fullmetal Alchemist manga begins in Monthly Shonen Gangan in July.
- 2003
The first Fullmetal Alchemist anime premieres; made while the manga was young, it later diverges into an original story.
- 2005
Conqueror of Shamballa closes the 2003 anime's continuity in cinemas.
- 2009
Brotherhood premieres on 5 April 2009, returning to the manga's story from the beginning.
- 2010
The manga ends in June; Brotherhood's finale airs on 4 July, weeks later, completing the same story.
- 2011
The Sacred Star of Milos, a side-story film set during Brotherhood's journey, opens in Japan.
- 2027
Fullmetal Alchemist attractions are announced for Universal Studios Japan as part of the franchise's celebrations.
Quick Answers
Is Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood finished?
Yes. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood has finished airing, so you can watch the complete story from start to end without waiting for new episodes.
What genre is Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood?
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a Action and Adventure anime. You can browse more titles like it on our Action anime page.
When did Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood release?
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood first released in Spring 2009. It is a TV series.
How many episodes does Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood have?
Brotherhood has 64 episodes, aired from April 2009 to July 2010, and they adapt the complete manga story. There are also four short OVA episodes and one spin-off film, The Sacred Star of Milos, but the 64 TV episodes are the full main story.
What is the difference between Fullmetal Alchemist (2003) and Brotherhood?
The 2003 series started while the manga was still young, so halfway through it diverges into an original story with its own ending, continued in the film Conqueror of Shamballa. Brotherhood, made in 2009, follows Hiromu Arakawa's manga faithfully from start to finish, including the manga's real ending.
Is Brotherhood a sequel to the 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist?
No. Brotherhood is a separate retelling of the same starting story, not a continuation. The two series share early events but belong to different continuities, so you can watch either one on its own. Most fans recommend Brotherhood first because it tells the complete manga story.
Where should a beginner start with Fullmetal Alchemist?
Start with Brotherhood episode 1. It assumes no prior knowledge, moves quickly through the brothers' backstory, and tells the full story in 64 episodes. If you finish it and want more, the 2003 series and its film Conqueror of Shamballa offer a different, alternate take on the same characters.
Watch Order
Here is the release order for Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and the series connected to it. Start at step 1 and work your way down.
- 1Fullmetal Alchemist (2003)TV series (2003–2004): the first adaptation; it follows the manga early on, then diverges into its own original story and ending. A separate continuity from Brotherhood.
- 2Fullmetal Alchemist: Conqueror of ShamballaMovie (2005): the conclusion of the 2003 series' continuity; watch only after the 2003 series.
- 3Fullmetal Alchemist: BrotherhoodTV series (2009–2010): this series; the faithful adaptation of the complete manga. Start here if you only watch one version.
- 4Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of MilosMovie (2011): a standalone side story set during the Brotherhood journey; optional, watch any time after the early episodes.
Where to Watch
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is officially available to stream on these platforms:
Streaming availability changes often and differs by country. Please check the platform in your region.