You know that feeling when you start a show and just know it's going to ruin your life? That's the 64-episode run of Hiromu Arakawa's masterpiece. Honestly, the Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood episodes are basically the gold standard for how to adapt a manga, but let’s be real for a second—it wasn't always a smooth ride. People still argue about the beginning. They fight over the pacing. Some fans swear the 2003 version did the intro better, while others think the 2009 series is the only way to watch.
It's a lot.
If you’re sitting down to binge the whole thing, you aren't just watching a cartoon about two brothers looking for a stone. You’re watching a massive political thriller disguised as a shonen battle anime. It’s dense. It’s heavy. And it moves fast.
The Problem With the First Ten Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood Episodes
Here is the thing nobody wants to admit: the beginning of Brotherhood is a sprint. Because BONES (the studio) knew most of the audience had already seen the 2003 anime, they decided to blaze through the introductory chapters.
We’re talking about massive, world-building moments like the Liore incident or the battle with Bald. In the manga, these chapters establish the heavy cost of alchemy. In the Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood episodes, specifically the first five or six, it feels like someone hit the fast-forward button. You barely have time to breathe before the Elric brothers are moving on to the next city.
Take Episode 4, "An Alchemist's Anguish." You know the one. Shou Tucker. Nina. The dog. It’s arguably the most famous moment in anime history, yet in Brotherhood, it happens so early that we barely know Nina. In the 2003 version, we spent multiple episodes getting to know that kid. In Brotherhood? You meet her, you like her, and then—bam—tragedy strikes. It's still effective because the writing is top-tier, but the emotional "oomph" relies heavily on you already caring about the concept of human transmutation.
The pacing levels out around Episode 14, "Those Who Lurk Underground." That's when the show stops rushing to catch up and starts actually living in its own skin. From there, the narrative weight becomes unbearable in the best way possible.
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Why the "Filler" Episode 1 Matters More Than You Think
A lot of purists hate Episode 1. It’s an anime-original story featuring Isaac McDougal, the Freezing Alchemist. It wasn’t in the manga. Most guides tell you to skip it or just ignore it.
But honestly? Don’t.
That episode is a masterclass in foreshadowing. It drops hints about the massive transmutation circle underneath Central Command that won’t fully pay off for another fifty episodes. It introduces the entire main cast—Roy Mustang, Riza Hawkeye, Maes Hughes, and the brothers—in one high-stakes scenario. It sets the tone. Alchemy isn't just "magic"; it's a tool for war and genocide. If you skip it, you miss the subtle groundwork for the "Promised Day" arc.
The Narrative Pivot: When Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood Episodes Become a Political Thriller
Somewhere around the halfway mark—think Episode 30, "The Ishvalan War of Extermination"—the show shifts gears. It stops being an adventure about finding the Philosopher's Stone and starts being a critique of military expansionism and ethnic cleansing.
This is where Arakawa’s writing shines. Most shonen anime focus on the "power-up." Goku gets stronger. Naruto learns a new jutsu. Ed and Al? They don't really get "stronger" in the traditional sense. They get smarter. They build alliances.
The Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood episodes in the 30s and 40s focus heavily on the Briggs North Wall arc. Introducing Olivier Mira Armstrong was a stroke of genius. She’s terrifying. She’s cold. She represents a different kind of strength than her brother Alex. The show uses these episodes to expand the scope beyond the brothers. Suddenly, we're following Ling Yao and the politics of Xing, or we're deep in the trenches of Roy Mustang’s internal coup.
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It becomes a game of chess. Every episode is a move.
The Realism of Ishval
You can't talk about the middle episodes without talking about Ishval. It’s the ghost that haunts every character. Episode 30 is brutal. It shows the Amestrian military—characters we like, like Hughes and Mustang—committing what are essentially war crimes. It refuses to give them a pass. It asks: can you be a "good person" if you followed orders during a massacre?
This complexity is why the show sits at the top of MyAnimeList year after year. It treats the audience like adults.
Understanding the "Promised Day" Marathon
The final stretch of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood episodes, roughly from Episode 50 to 64, is essentially one long night. In the world of the show, it all happens within about 24 hours.
The tension is suffocating.
Most shows struggle with the "final boss" trope. Usually, it’s just the protagonist punching harder. But the finale of Brotherhood is a synchronized effort involving dozens of characters. You have:
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- May Chang and her Alkahestry.
- The Briggs soldiers and their "survival of the fittest" mentality.
- Greed/Ling’s internal struggle for identity.
- Mustang’s descent into vengeance (that scene with Envy is still chilling).
- Hohenheim’s centuries-long plan finally coming to fruition.
It's a lot of moving parts. If one episode failed, the whole thing would collapse. But the direction stays tight.
The climax in Episode 63, "The Other Side of the Gateway," is perfect. It brings the Law of Equivalent Exchange full circle. Edward Elric’s final sacrifice isn't his life—it’s his pride and his power. It’s the ultimate character growth. He realizes he doesn't need alchemy to be a "full" person. That’s why it’s called Fullmetal Alchemist.
Common Misconceptions About the Episode Count
People often ask why there are "only" 64 episodes when other long-running anime have hundreds. Here’s the truth: Brotherhood doesn't have filler. Aside from Episode 1 and maybe a recap episode (Episode 27, which you can totally skip), every minute is essential.
- The 2003 Comparison: The first series ran for 51 episodes but ran out of manga material about halfway through. It invented its own ending. Brotherhood follows the manga to the letter.
- The "Missing" Content: Some people think Brotherhood cut out too much. While it’s true some early side-stories (like the train hijack or the full Youswell mining town arc) were condensed, the core themes remained intact.
- The Ending: The 2003 ending is depressing and weirdly involves real-world Germany. The Brotherhood ending is earned, hopeful, and definitive.
How to Watch for the Best Experience
If you're going into this for the first time, or even for a rewatch, don't rush the Briggs arc. It feels slow compared to the frantic pace of the first ten Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood episodes, but it’s the foundation for everything that happens in Central.
Pay attention to the background characters. Characters like Jean Havoc or Yoki, who seem like comic relief or minor players, end up having pivotal roles in the finale. Arakawa doesn't waste characters. If they have a name, they have a purpose.
Also, watch the OVAs (Original Video Animations) if you can find them. Specifically "The Blind Alchemist" and "Yet Another Man's Battlefield." They provide a lot of context for the side characters and the history of the military that the main series didn't have time to cover.
Actionable Steps for Navigating the Series
To get the most out of your viewing of the Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood episodes, follow these practical steps:
- Power through the first 10-12 episodes: Even if you feel the pace is too fast or you’re confused, keep going. The show settles into its true rhythm once the brothers leave Central for the first time.
- Watch Episode 27 with a grain of salt: It’s a recap episode from Hohenheim’s perspective. If you’re bingeing, you can skip most of it, but the new scenes at the end are important for his character development.
- Look for the "Eye" motifs: Once you realize what the "Truth" and the "Gate" are, look back at the architecture in the background of early episodes. The foreshadowing is everywhere.
- Don’t skip the credits in the final arc: Starting around Episode 50, the endings often bleed into the credits with extra scenes that set up the next episode.
- Compare the "Intermission" art: Every episode has two unique "eyecatchers" (the mid-episode art cards). They often feature characters that were prominent in that specific episode and are a fun way to track the massive cast.
The beauty of these episodes lies in their cohesion. It is a singular, complete story with no loose ends. By the time you reach the final "equivalent exchange" in the backyard of Resembool, you'll realize you didn't just watch a show; you lived through a revolution. All that's left is to start over and see all the clues you missed the first time around.