Fullmetal Alchemist: Watch order and filler episodes

Modified Jun 16, 2024 12:40 GMT

Edward and Alfonse Elric (Image via Bones)

Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa is one of the most beloved Shonen anime franchises out there. Even after the conclusion of the manga and the anime, its fandom is still very active, which has led to several live adaptations as well.

Over the years, the franchise has grown even more, with the releases of several movies and two series. This can often lead to confusion for fans who wish to begin the story of the Elric brothers.

In this article, we'll take a look at the exact chronological order for those who wish to begin watching Fullmetal Alchemist.

Fullmetal Alchemist to The Sacred Star of Milos: Full watch order of the anime

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Since the two main series are basically independent of each other, fans can choose to begin with either. However, Brotherhood is more favored because it follows the complete manga.

Fullmetal Alchemist (2003–04)

The first anime adaptation of the series was produced by Studio Bones and directed by Seiji Mizushima.

The original manga by Hiromu Arakawa was still ongoing at the time of the anime’s release. So the series was loosely based on the source material, with the Elric brothers’ search for the Philosopher’s Stone but with significant deviation from the manga canon plot.

The ending, for obvious reasons, is very different from the manga ending.

Conqueror of Shamballa (2005 film)

Directed by Mizushima, the movie is a direct sequel to the 2003 FMA series and serves as its conclusion. The movie follows Edward as he seeks to return to his world and reunite with his brother Alphonse, from the parallel universe.

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Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009–10)

The series was a renewed adaptation of the manga series. This time, the manga was completed, so this series is the true adaptation, with the ending following the original conclusion of the manga as written by Arakawa.

Also read: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood: How can Edward use alchemy without drawing a Transmutation circle

Produced by Studio Bones, the series is directed by Yasuhiro Irie. Brotherhood is often considered the best that the franchise has to offer, and if fans want to watch the manga canon adaptation, this is the series to jump into, and they need not have watched the previous series.

The Sacred Star of Milos (2011 film)

It is a standalone movie and is often considered to be non-canon because it doesn’t fit in with the Brotherhood timeline. It introduces new characters and presents a new adventure for the Elric brothers.

The franchise also has three live-action movies, which you can watch in the following order:

· Fullmetal Alchemist (2017)
· Fullmetal Alchemist: The Revenge of Scar (2022)
· Fullmetal Alchemist: The Last Transmutation (2022)

Are there any filler episodes in the FMA series?

FMA is not one of those shonen series that incorporates a vast number of filler episodes like Bleach or Naruto. Even the filler episodes, few as they are, are somehow connected to the manga, so even if they do not directly contribute to the progress of the main plot, fans tend to not skip them.

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Here are the filler episodes of the first FMA series (2003-04) according to the Anime Filler List website:

· Episode 4 - A Forger's Love
· Episode 10 - The Phantom Thief
· Episode 37 - The Flame Alchemist, The Bachelor Lieutenant & The Mystery of Warehouse 13

Since FMA: Brotherhood strictly follows the manga, every single episode becomes important to the plot and thus becomes impossible to skip if you want to enjoy the story.

The only episode that can be considered as filler is episode 27, Interlude Party, but it is advised not to skip that either for the smooth pacing of the narrative.

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Edited by Prem Deshpande