“Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange.”- Alphonse Elric. That is the main idea that Fullmetal Alchemist is based on. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is my all time Favorite TV show. Some of my favorite parts about the show are the universe that it takes place in, the variety of characters and the prologue.

The universe that Fullmetal Alchemist:Brotherhood is set in is a lot different world than our own with alchemy, different countries and a different time period. Instead of  just using magic the characters use alchemy as their source of power. Alchemy in their world is used for switching matter with other matter, expanding matter, creating thing out of matter and destroying matter. Alchemy in the show is accomplished by making a transmutation circle to specify what it will do. The three most noteable countries in the show include Xing which is like the real world China, Drachma which most like Russia, and the main country that the show takes place in,
Amestris the unitary state.

Each are like actual countries having wars between them (Drachma and Amestris) and civil wars in them (Ishbal vs Amestris). The time the show takes place in is from around 1900-1920s. Which makes the whole show look alot nicer with no big skyscrapers, just big open land with some small towns and a few cities with limited cars and lots of people. With this kind of universe the characters are either connected to alchemy or are really skilled at something.

The characters in Fullmetal Alchemist:Brotherhood are some of the most interesting I’ve ever seen, with every character having a special use for their alchemy. The Main character Edward Elric has the power to use alchemy without a transmutation circle and is always helping people and trying to do whats right all while searching for the truth. Roy Mustang or “The Flame Alchemist” uses gloves to create a spark when he rubs his fingers together and the gloves have a transmutation circle that manipulates the concentration of oxygen in the air around his target so when he snaps his fingers the target explodes with fire. He is Ed's boss and he may have a lot of firepower but he has a very strong loyalty to his friends. 

Alex Louis Armstrong is a strongman who towers over others with giant muscles who attacks with brass knuckles with transmutation circles on them to destroy terran and launch it at targets and his remarkable strength to punch his enemies. The main enemies are the seven deadly sins: Pride, Greed, Lust, Envy, Gluttony, Wrath
and Sloth each having their own special power. Some of the most notable powers are: Greed, who can make his skin invencible, Gluttony who is a big man who can eat people whole(or in pieces), Envy can shape shift , and Sloth, a giant with super strength and speed but usually won't use them because he's tired. When all these characters come together it makes a great story.

The beginning of the story in Fullmetal Alchemist:Brotherhood follows more closely to the original manga while Fullmetal Alchemist changes little things later on. In Fullmetal Alchemist:Brotherhood the main characters Edward and Alphonse Elric as kids were raised mainly by their mom after their Dad left. They loved studying alchemy as their father did in his old room. When there mom died they were devastated so they tried the forbidden alchemy (human transmutation) to try to bring her back to life. Long story short they failed and Ed loses his left leg and his brother Al loses his body (in return for the zombie like creature they made instead of their mom).

Ed realizing what happened to his brother, gave up his right arm to connect his brother's soul to a suit of armor. After Ed got automail (mechanical limbs) from his friend Winry and her grandma the automail engineer and mechanic, he tained in alchemy with his brother to try to be a state alchemist. When they left they burned their house down to signify that their old life was gone and that it would never come back. So their adventure began to get their bodies back. With a beginning like this it was sure to be a good anime.

In all, the world of the show, people in it, and the prologue all come together to make an overall amazing show. This show has an fun adventure with a story that will make you think about your life in a different way and I hope that because of this essay others will join me in this fandom. With the show being about 20 min. per episode and there being 64 episodes I have given up a lot of time in return for an amazing show.