How far have the editions in other languages got?

Square Enix: The Japanese edition is at Vol. 27. Kurokawa: The French edition is at Vol. 27. Norma Editorial: The Spanish edition is at Vol. 27.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

TV anime2003–2004 / 2009–20102 adaptationsOriginal: mangaHiromu Arakawa

Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize 2011Over 80 million copies

Disregard for alchemy’s laws ripped half of Edward Elric’s limbs from his body and left his brother Alphonse’s soul clinging to a suit of armor. To restore what was lost, the brothers seek the Philosopher’s Stone. Enemies and allies – the corrupt military, the Homunculi, and foreign alchemists – will alter the Elric brothers course, but their purpose will remain unchanged and their bond unbreakable.

Compare the separate anime adaptations of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and their original-book reading guidance. Each version has its own episode count and ending.

Book language

EditionVIZ Media

Fullmetal Alchemist (2003) · Season 1

Low confidence

51 episodesOct 2003 – Oct 2004

Anime ends at: Ep 51

The 2003 anime changes the manga’s story well before its original ending; Conqueror of Shamballa continues that anime continuity. Reading the manga from its beginning avoids carrying those altered events into the original story.

Start overOptionalVol. 1 · Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 1Read the original manga’s full version, including events changed by the 2003 anime.Buy on Amazon

Where it stops:

3 side entriesFOVARecapreading notes

Fullmetal Alchemist: The Movie - Conqueror of ShamballaFJul 2005Conqueror of Shamballa concludes the 2003 anime’s original continuity. Its ending has no direct next volume in the manga, whose story and ending differ.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Premium OVA CollectionOVA3 episodesMar 2006These three bonus shorts belong to the 2003 anime release and offer extra material rather than a later manga story.
Fullmetal Alchemist: ReflectionsRecap1 episodeMar 2005Reflections recaps the 2003 television story; it is not an additional main-story ending.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009) · Season 1

64 episodesApr 2009 – Jul 2010

Anime ends at: Ep 64

Brotherhood reaches the manga’s ending, while shortening the early volumes and omitting some side episodes and bonus comics. A reread from volume 1 restores the manga’s original sequence.

Start over · Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 1

VIZ MediaEnglishPaperback

The anime tells the whole story. To read the original, start from the first volume.

Buy on Amazon Add Vol. 1–20 to cart

Where it stops:

3 side entriesOVAFSPreading notes

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood OVA CollectionOVA4 episodesAug 2009 – Aug 2010These unaired bonus stories accompany Brotherhood and explore earlier events rather than continuing beyond its ending.
Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of MilosFJul 2011The Sacred Star of Milos is a separate adventure involving the Elric brothers, rather than a sequel after Brotherhood’s final episode.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood: 4-Koma TheaterSP16 episodesAug 2009 – Nov 2010These short comedies animate four-panel jokes included with Brotherhood’s home-video releases; they do not continue the main manga story.