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Fullmetal Alchemist

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Fullmetal Alchemist is a famous Japanese manga series.

It was written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa. The story follows two brothers named Edward and Alphonse Elric. They live in a world where alchemy is a common science.

This world is a fictional country called Amestris. The setting looks like Europe during the Industrial Revolution. This style is often called steampunk. The series is loved by many people around the world. It has sold over 80 million copies.

Alchemy in this story works like magic but follows scientific rules. Alchemists draw patterns called Transmutation Circles to change one substance into another. They must follow the Law of Equivalent Exchange. This rule says you cannot create something without having all the parts first. There is one big taboo called Human Transmutation. This is the attempt to create a human from other substances. It always fails because there is no natural substance equal to a human soul.

After a failed attempt to bring their mother back to life, the brothers suffer great losses. Edward lost his left leg and his right arm. Alphonse lost his entire physical body. Edward sacrificed his arm to bind Alphonse's soul to a suit of armor.

To help them, Edward became a State Alchemist. He earned the title "Fullmetal Alchemist." The brothers spend their time searching for a Philosopher's Stone. This stone can bypass the laws of alchemy. However, the stone is made by trapping thousands of human souls.

Hiromu Arakawa created this world using many different inspirations. She studied books about alchemy to understand its ideas. She was interested in the philosophy of the subject. The setting was inspired by the European Industrial Revolution. Arakawa also wanted to include real social issues in her work. She watched news programs and talked to refugees and war veterans. This helped her make the story feel deep and meaningful.

Fullmetal Alchemist has become a huge success in many different forms. It was first published in Monthly Shōnen Gangan from 2001 to 2010. The series has been turned into two anime television shows. These were released in 2003 and 2009 by the studio Bones. There are also two films from 2005 and 2011. People have even made video games and live-action movies about it. It has won many prizes, like the Shogakukan Manga Award.

It is considered one of the greatest manga series ever made.

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