Fullmetal Alchemist - Home

Seems only appropriate that my first shrine should be themed around my all-time favorite thing, Fullmetal Alchemist.

FMA tells the tale of two talented young boys, Edward and Alphonse Elric, whose longing for their dead mother leads them to experiment with forbidden alchemy. After the transmutation goes wrong, Ed is left without an arm and a leg, and Al without a body at all. In their journey to restore themselves, the boys make new friends, new enemies, unearth a centuries-old conspiracy, and learn about the horrors of the real world and the importance of kindness and community- Oh yeah, and also participate in a coup d'etat, as one does. It's a series with a lot of heart that's got great humor, and at the same time isn't afraid to be honest about serious topics.

Some quick facts:

• Created by Hiromu Arakawa
• Originally serialized in Monthly Shonen Gangan from 2001 to 2010, with a total of 108 chapters
• Includes two anime (2003 - 2004 and 2009 - 2010), a one-shot prototype manga, two animated movies, three live action movies, six light novels, thirteen video games, and several OVAs
• Draws influence from a number of sources, including Europe during the Industrial Revolution, Arakawa's experience growing as a cattle farmer in Hokkaido, and real-world alchemy

I was first introduced to FMA in 2009, just a few months after Brotherhood started airing, and I quickly fell in love with the series. I was pretty young at the time, so it's safe to say FMA played a role in my development as a person. Ever since then it's been my biggest hyperfixation- Even if I'm not actively posting about it at any given time, all you have to do is bring it up and I can go on for hours, lol.

Having been "in the fandom" for so long, I've seen it go through a lot of change. I remember the week the manga ended, and I remember speculation about who the final homunculus would be. I saw Greed go from one of the least popular characters to one of the most popular. I translated some of the first announcements about the live action. I remember when no one thought the final lignt novel would ever get translated. I've seen every meme from miniskirts to Jugemu, and I even remember such dark secrets as Bluebird's Illusion. It's been a long time, but I'm still here, replaying the PS2 games and all! Care to join me? Use the navigation on the left to check out different parts of the shrine.