Summary
More and more people have come to realize that anime is a great storytelling medium, and it helps when series likeFullmetal Alchemistexist. The manga began in 2001, and it spawned two anime series, including the 2009 anime which covered the entire story. Many considerFullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhoodto be one of the best anime of all time because it features great action and an incredible story with fundamentally well-written characters.
The series revolves around Alchemy,a power systemthat is an ancient metaphysical science that allows individuals to manipulate and alter matter with natural energy. Alchemy has certain laws and restrictions, with Equivalent Exchange being paramount. It states that to create something, something of equal value must be destroyed and vice versa. Fans have seen several Alchemists in the series, but some are far more skilled than others.
Updated on Jul 21, 2025, by Rhenn Taguiam:With Fullmetal Alchemist now back on Netflix as of January 2025, fans of the hit series can finally rewatch the Elric Brothers as they find a way to solve the mysteries of the Philosopher’s Stone — resulting in one of anime’s most riveting journeys. However, fans who want to really dive deep into Fullmetal Alchemist lore can actually look into some of the video games for even more interesting stories and characters. Some of the characters to explore in Fullmetal Alchemist lore include a healer that uses Alchemy and terrorists who use Chimeras in different ways.
Current Status
Deceased
Appearing in the game-exclusive story ofFullmetal Alchemist: Sonata of Memories,Lute Zaxophoneis introduced initially as an alchemist-detective working in Reglotaria and encounters the Elric Brothers during their investigation of mysterious attacks. It’s eventually revealed that he was the son of an alchemist whose status as State Alchemist was stripped after he turned his lover into a Chimera to save her from her condition. She currently serves him as his “servant,” and Lute has presently started the Liberare terrorist organization to fight the military with Chimera monsters.
It’s revealed that Lute orchestrated the bombings throughout the game, so the souls of the victims could be used to empower a Philosopher’s Stone, which he could then use to resurrect his lover. Driven to desperation, Lute transforms into a monstrous Chimera that Ed and Al defeat.
Lute Zaxophone: Most Interesting Feats
Due to his limited history, not much is known about Lute Zaxophone except for his present activities. Similar to Shou Tucker, Lute is known to be proficient in Chimera Alchemist. He might even be better than Shou, considering Lute managed to “design” special Chimera specifically for his attacks. In battle, he’s seen using playing cards imbued with alchemy, but the nature of the energy used is unknown. Thanks to the Philosopher’s Stone, Lute can use his alchemy to turn himself into a Chimera, preserving enough strength and animosity that Ed and Al had a hard time defeating him.
Alive
Originallyappearing inFullmetal Alchemist: Stray Rondo,Corniche Royceis initially introduced as a fellow hopeful State Alchemist who tags along with the Elric Brothers on the way to her licensure exam. Unfortunately, one thing happens after the other, and it’s revealed that Corniche wanted to be a State Alchemist like her missing brother — the same missing brother who ended up creating an army of Chimera to fight the military after his experience (and being presumed dead) during the Ishval Civil War.
Thanks to her kind nature, Corniche isn’t swayed to her brother’s cause and instead attempts to bring him back to good — something Lincor isn’t able to do due to his insistence on exacting revenge on the military. With her help, the Elric brothers defeat Lincor, and he’s able to have parting words with his sister before fully passing. In the sequel,Sonata of Memories, players can encounter Corniche — a full-blown State Alchemist whose title “Tuning Alchemist” was taken to honor her brother.
Corniche Royce: Most Interesting Feats
Not much is known about Corniche Royce’s abilities due to her limited exposure in the series. However, she’s proficient in darts and is implied to be imbuing them with Alchemy to fight. She’s most known for using Medical Alchemy to heal others, making her somewhat similar to how Mei Chang uses Alkahestry to heal others. Corniche is the first instance in the series where someone actively uses Alchemy for “healing” that isn’t Alkahestry.
Julia Crichtonwas one of the protagonists ofFullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos,the movie that was released after the events ofFMA: Brotherhood.It may not be part of the official canon, but Julia is still a noteworthy alchemist. She specializes in medical alchemy, which she can use to heal small wounds.
She is a strong-willed woman who wishes to restore her nation to its former glory, but she is not a fan of using the Philosopher’s Stone because it would involve sacrificing too many innocent lives. That being said, when she does use the Philosopher’s Stone, she can perform powerful alchemy which allows her to release lightning, water, ice, and earth. Julia is naturally athletic, but she is not much of a fighter without the stone. By the end of the movie, Julia helps to avenge her family, and her actions helped Milos become an independent nation.
Julia Crichton: Most Interesting Feats
Despite her focus on healing, Julia was a rather unremarkable alchemist at the start ofThe Sacred Star of Milos, possibly due to her participation in Black Bat and lack of overall practice. Julia reaches her height with the possession of the Philosopher’s Stone, as she seems capable of healing grievous wounds and even conjure powerful lightning and earth as well as water and ice. When she passes the Gate of Truth to save her brother, it’s implied that she received the ability to perform alchemy without transmutation circles. However, it’s not demonstrated how much the extent of her new alchemy was and what she traded to get this knowledge. Now that Milos has become an independent nation, Julia may have the time to properly practice the craft and potentially hone her healing alchemy.
Shou Tuckerearned hisState Alchemist licensetwo years before the start of the series, and the only reason he was able to obtain it was because hecreated a chimerathat was capable of speech. He specialized in Bio-Alchemy, which is why he was called the Sewing-Life Alchemist.
Tucker was a terrible human being. He was manipulative, selfish, and delusional. He was not a fighter, but no one can deny the fact that he was a fairly talented alchemist. It is true that he sacrificed his wife and daughter to create his prized chimeras, but he was able to perform the advanced form of alchemy nonetheless. Tucker gets placed under house arrest once his horrible crime is revealed to Colonel Mustang. According to Liza Hawkeye, Tucker was going to be court-martialed for his actions, and his State Alchemist title was going to be revoked. Tucker was ultimately killed by Scar, so the trial never took place.
Shou Tucker: Most Interesting Feats
While not necessarily a remarkable alchemist (his abilities aren’t demonstrated), Shou makes up for his lack of skill with inhumane dedication to his research. As he was able to fuse animals and humans into Chimera with alchemy, it’s implied that Shou possesses an advanced degree of knowledge in both the craft as well as biology. In the 2003 anime, Shou seeks the Philosopher’s Stone to resurrect Nina, having turned into a Chimera himself due to his failed experiments. Although not achieving any success in this endeavor, Shou has seemingly improved his biological alchemy by creating an army of Chimeras who serve him as well as creating near-identical “copies” of Nina just waiting for a Philosopher Stone to bind her soul back in place.
Unlike mostanime brothers, not much is known aboutScar’s brother. In fact, no one even knows his real name. He was known for being a kind man with a thirst for knowledge, and that thirst led him down the path of Alchemy and Alkahestry.
His alchemy knowledge was so great that he discovered the unnatural flow of alchemy, and developed a reverse transmutation circle to fix the issue. Even Dr. Marcoh had difficulty understanding his research. Scar’s brother was a pacifist, so he did not use alchemy as a weapon. But during the Ishvalan war, he used alchemy to save Scar from one of Kimblee’s explosions. Before dying, he gives Scar his iconic right arm that he uses to kill State Alchemists. He believed that the arm was better suited for a warrior monk rather than a pacifist.
Scar’s Brother: Most Interesting Feats
TheBrotherhoodand original incarnation of Scar’s brother placed him more as a bookworm than an actual alchemist. His knowledge in the craft is so in-depth that he managed to decipher the Nationwide Transmutation Circle just by studying Amestris’ alchemy. The only trait similar between the 2003 and 2009 versions of Scar’s brother would be the placement of the alchemical tattoos of reconstruction (left) and deconstruction (right) - the latter of which becomes transplanted to Scar during the Ishval Civil War. However, Scar’s brother was more interesting is his 2003 iteration, wherein his attempt at human transmutation resulted in the birth of the Homunculus Lust and that he was able to fend off Solf Kimblee’s pursuit with his alchemy of unknown power levels.
Dr. Tim Marcohwas known as the Crystal Alchemist, and he deserted the State Military because of the atrocities he committed during the war with Ishval. He was the lead researcher of a military project designed to create Philosopher’s Stones, and his research proved to be successful.
His method involved sacrificing a number of innocent lives, which explains why he suffers from PTSD. He possesses a unique transmutation circle on his right palm, and with it, he can deconstruct a Philosopher’s Stone with a single touch. This includes the Stone found ineach Homunculus. Marcoh is by no means a fighter, but he can use his Alchemy in very creative ways. Before the series ends, Marcoh agrees to restore Mustang’s vision as long as the Ishvalan people receive proper care and independence.
Tim Marcoh: Most Interesting Feats
Despite his age, Tim Marcoh’s status as one of the oldest alchemists in the series places his knowledge incomparable to other practitioners. Although no longer able to use his alchemy in combat, his knowledge in alchemy and transmutations allow him to become an excellent healer and decoder of alchemical codes. Not only that, his knowledge of the Philiosopher’s Stone allowed him to not only create them but even destroy them with a single transmutation. This ability alone places Tim Marcoh in a position to destroy Homunculi with just a grasp.
Ashleigh Crichtonis Julia’s older brother, and he serves asthe main villainofFullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos.As a child, Ashleigh studied the alchemy notes that his parents made, and he stumbled upon his parents being killed by an attacker named, Atlas. Ashleigh survived the encounter, but he was left horribly disfigured.
The only reason he lived is that he swallowed the Sanguine Star, which was actually a Philosopher’s Stone. He assumed a different identity and became a high-ranking member of the Cretan military. He could control a unit of wolf chimeras, and if he had not been stopped, he would have destroyed the Milosians because of how they treated his family. All of Ashleigh’s power came from the stone, but it was still incredible power. Ashleigh receives a fatal injury from his sister during the movie’s final battle, but he manages to survive. He wakes up in a hospital and decides to re-enter the Cretan military.
Ashleigh Crichton: Most Interesting Feats
It was only thanks to a Philosopher’s Stone that Ashleigh Crichton actually survives and manages to use powerful alchemy. Ashleigh’s usage of the Philosopher’s Stone highlights its versatility, allowing him to heal grievous wounds and conjure powerful attacks. He’s seen able to create potent ice and lightning attacks, courtesy of alchemy developed by the Crichton family.
Unknown
Isaac McDougalis an original character who was introduced in the first episode ofFMA: Brotherhood.He was once a State Alchemist, but he resigned from the military shortly after the Ishvalan Civil War. He was skilled with water-based Alchemy, and he would often freeze the water that he used, which is why he was named the “Freezing Alchemist.”
He could control large amounts of water, as well as any liquid source that possessed the essence of water. The ice he created could withstand Mustang’s flames, and if he touched someone, he could kill them by freezing or boiling the blood within their body. McDougal’s skill with ice was so great that he was able to immobilize all of Central Headquarters by himself. McDougal managed to escape the Elric brothers, but he immediately ran straight into Fuhrer King Bradley. He tried to put up a fight, but he was killed by a single attack. McDougal became a target because he somehow managed to discover the Homunculi and the Nationwide Transmutation Circle.
Isaac McDougal: Most Interesting Feats
Despite his early exit in the series, Isaac is the viewer’s first foray into the world of State Alchemists - a title not to be taken lightly with his early demonstrations of his abilities. Isaac can control water from virtually any source, transforming them into a variety of forms. He can transform them into weapons he can use to attack enemies, as create icy pathways, and even create vapor from an enemy’s own water as a smokescreen. Moreover, in a manner similar to Bloodbending, Isaac can boil or freeze the water in an enemy’s body to instantly kill them. Isaac’s most powerful technique involves summoning near-endless amounts of ice - with the destruction of his transmutation circles the only way to stop them.
Seraphy Royceappeared inFullmetal Alchemist: Stray Rondo -a Game Boy Advance gamethat was released in 2004. He was a kind and caring person who participated in the Ishval Civil War when he was a State Alchemist. He was known as the Tuning Alchemist, and when he could not deal with the pressures of war, he was stripped of his certification.
This caused Seraphy to seek revenge against the military. While he was a State Alchemist, he specialized in medical alchemy, but when he left, he began focusing on bioalchemy. As a result, he created multiple Chimera that were bred for combat. He was able to create an Ultimate Chimera that could continuously regenerate, and he went on to merge with it—thus becoming a powerful hybrid that could withstand other alchemy-based attacks. When Seraphy attempts to fuse with his castle, he remembers that he was once a kind man, and he decides to destroy himself instead.
Seraphy Royce: Most Interesting Feats
Having received accreditation as a State Alchemist, Seraphy Royce’s healing alchemy is incredibly potent. However, his time as a fugitive allowed him to develop a more precise variant of alchemy known as bioalchemy. Through this discipline, Seraphy can create different types of Chimera designed specifically for combat. Interestingly enough, Seraphy seemed to have gained incredible power not through the help of a Philosopher’s Stone but by intentionally sacrificing his memories. Among his most interesting feats include the creation of a near-immortal Chimera, and being able to fuse himself with a castle to become a super-Chimera.
Giolio Comancheis arguably the oldest State Alchemist in the series, and he participated in the Ishvalan War. In fact, he was the only State Alchemist who smiled when the order to deploy was given. He goes toe-to-toe with Scar until the Ishvalan destroys his peg leg, which causes him to fall into a river. While in the water, Giolio was unable to use his Alchemy, and he was easily killed by Scar.
Comanche was known as the Silver Alchemist because of his skill with metal, which he used to create weapons like swords, shuriken, and chained blades during battle. He had transmutation circles tattooed on the palms of his hands, as well as a number of alchemical markings tattooed on his fingers. Despite his age, Comanche was a capable fighter who could turn himself into a deadly spinning top.
Giolio Comanche: Most Interesting Feats
Despite his disability, Giolio Comanche has shown a remarkable agility and dexterity in combat. Outside alchemy, he’s shown a penchant for using bladed weapons - be it swords, throwing knives, or even chained weapons. This is tied to his alchemy, as Giolio is seen able to transmute different forms of metal. Whereas most other alchemists have their abilities tied to a force of nature, Giolio is seemingly a human arsenal capable of creating any bladed weapon he wished. Unlike other alchemists, Giolio has different transmutation circles and alchemical texts tattooed on his hands, ensuring he doesn’t have any need to draw transmutation circles to engage in combat.
