Manga vs Anime: Differences



Manga Differences

As often happens, in Fullmetal Alchemist there are significant differences that occur when the manga was adapted into an anime. Listed below are some (though certainly not all) and UNFORTUNATELY YES THERE ARE SPOILERS CONTAINED WITHIN. Though not all of the FMA manga vs anime differences pertain to Roy himself personally, the webmasters felt such a 101 rundown was still necessary. Needless to say, though the anime is good (until and only until episode 25) with adhering (mostly) to the manga plot, we still would recommend the manga version to anyone who is interested over the anime any day. Though again episodes 1-25 are pretty decent if you'd rather see the action as opposed to reading it. ^_^ The differences below pertain to the manga versions, unless stated otherwise.

Differences related to Roy/Mustang's crew

  • Maes Hughes took part (and fought) in the Ishvar/Ishbal Rebellion. In the anime, he claims to have taken a desk job to avoid the war's atrocities.
  • When Maes has his epiphany as to the Military's role in the unfolding plot at hand, he is killed while on hold with the operator who is patching the call through to Roy. Roy picks up, but does so too late. In the anime, Maes speaks with Vato Falman who informs him that Roy left for Central HQ.
  • Scar is responsible for the murder of Winry's parents, not Roy (who, in the anime murders the Rockbells at the order of Basque Grand)
  • Lust is killed by none other than the Flame-Colonel himself, not by Wrath as portrayed in the anime.

General Differences

  • so far, in the manga Doctor Marcoh does not die
  • the incident involving Nina did not happen in the past. Nor did it happen before Ed was a State Alchemist. Ed goes to Tucker to learn about human transmutation to further his own goals, it has nothing to do with becoming a state alchemist, nor passing an alchemy exam.
  • in the manga, Ed heads to the town of Reole/Liore, then the train incident occurs, then the Yuswell town incident, then he heads back to central where the Tucker/Nina incident occurs. He is already a state alchemist. Much later, the manga gives a flashback as to how Ed got to be a state alchemist (when he re tells his story to Izumi). In the anime these are presented as flash backs (except for the Liore incident) and in the flash backs Ed is not a state alchemist.
  • in the manga Tucker is killed by Scar shortly after he turns Nina into a chimera, Scars also kills Nina/Alexander to put them out of their misery as well. In the anime, Tucker is shipped off by the military and turned into a chimera obsessed with creating a new Nina.
  • Barry the Chopper plays a much more significant and redeeming (perhaps) role. He also has a crush on Riza. He stays alive much longer than in the anime, and though he is finally killed, his "death" bears no resemblance to his anime death.
  • Wrath in the manga = Pride in the anime. Pride has yet to be seen in the manga (save for a creepy silhouette). Also,in the manga the only homunculi to appear in the manga thus far are: Envy, Gluttony, Wrath (and not the kid Wrath of the anime). Sloth and Pride have yet to be seen. As a result Sloth is not related to Tricia Elric.
  • Greed was never held in Lab 5.
  • Greed is defeated by Warth and then "boiled" alive by Father. In the anime, Ed kills him.
  • so far, Envy has no overt relation to Ed or Hohenheim.
  • a second Greed shall appear in the manga...
  • in the manga, the main villain is Father, and in the anime the villain is Dante.
  • Gluttony suffers a different demise.
  • Wrath is the one that kills off Greed's band of chimera followers.
  • the characters of Dante and Colonel Archer do not exist in the manga. The characters of Xing and Father make no appearance in the anime.
  • thus far, Kimbley has no real significant role in the manga.
  • in the anime, Lust later tries to assist Scar and Ed but in the manga she does not...she is much more sinister.
  • also on that note, Lust does not show any dream/motives for becoming human as she does in the anime. She is less developed (if you will) in the manga, taking on a much more typical "bad-guy" role.
  • Homunculi are not created from a (failed) human transmutation which was fed fragments of a philosopher's stone. No information has been revealed regarding the origins of a homunculus thus far.
  • In the manga the date on Ed's watch reads: Oct.3.11, and in the anime: Oct.3.10.
  • in the anime the city that disappears in one night is a ruined city buried under Central HQ in Amestris. In the manga it is the city of Xerxes (which is in ruins) and is located in the Great Desert between Ishvar (Ishbal) and Xing.
  • in the manga, Al keeps sticks of chalk strapped to his sides. In the anime, they are strapped to his leg in a pouch.
  • the Orobourus tattoo design is slightly different in the manga and anime.
  • Ed's famous "antenna" is actually a bit different in the anime and manga as well. It is always sticking out (in every shot) in the anime. In the manga it also sticks out but not as prominently or as often. It has tendencies to blend in with his bangs/become (more like a cowlick).
  • the design of the State Alchemist's pocket watch also differs between the manga and anime.
  • Barry the Chopper's human form is never seen in the manga...though his decomposing body makes an appearance.

Manga vs Anime: More in depth Look (we apologize for any repetition)

Characters (only in the anime)

Psiren/Clara

The Phantom Thief appears early on but is the one who tips Ed about a possible source of the Philosopher's Stone. This is what drives Ed and Al, and consequently directs how their journey shall head.

The Tringham Brothers

Russell and Fletcher steal the identity of Ed and Al (though more of it being Russell's idea) so he can get the support he needs to continue his father, Nash's, research. The brothers give up their personas briefly only to pick them up again later in the series. By this point the real Elric bros are considered wanted fugitives and so the Tringham bros are arrested and sentenced to execution. However,they escape, aided by Ed, and in return help Ed get to his final destination...the city underneath Central.

Lyra

Quite mysterious, Lyra worked for Lieutenant Yoki early on, and later, she served under the great alchemist Dante. Her dream was to be a great State Alchemist(just like Edward), but unfortunately, her hopes would never be fulfilled as Dante uses Lyra's body as a new host.

Dante

When first introduced she is an old lady residing far from society. Dante was the alchemist who taught Izumi (and therefore Izumi's teacher). As one would expect, Dante's talent was not to be underestimated. Shortly after meeting Edward and Alphonse, Dante was killed by Greed...or so it seemed. In reality, she switched bodies with her servant, Lyra, and killed her old body. Later we find out, Dante shares a past with Ed and Al's father, Hohenheim.

Wrath

The Wrath presented in the anime is far different than his manga version. The anime Wrath is (a young boy) discovered on Yock Island by Ed and Al, and taken back to the mainland by Izumi. Ed realizes that Wrath's arm and leg are mismatched colors, and the scar on Wrath's shoulder is in the same spot Ed got his from a fox bite. Ed then becomes suspicious, wondering if this child does indeed have his limbs he lost when trying to bring back his mother, and binding Al back into this world. Archer and Armstrong capture the boy, and confirm that the boy is indeed a homunculus. We later learn that Wrath is the son that Izumi tried to bring back several years ago, and obviously failed, resulting in her missing organs. Wrath is then fed the remanent philosopher stones by Envy, and his true identity/persona emerges. At the mere mention of his true mother Wrath breaks down and (usually) goes ballistic. He also vehemently believes the homunculus Sloth is his mother.

Sloth

Sloth has yet to appear in the manga, however, the anime Sloth has a constant presence in the anime, and is there early on. Sloth, is the product of Ed and Al's failed human transmutation to bring back their mother, Trisha. She works in the military under the alias of Juliet Douglass, as a secretary to the Furher President King Bradley. She was initially discovered by Dante, who gave her some of the philosopher stones to allow her to take a human shape. Sloth said that she saw memories of the person she used to be, and later, and for this was given the name of Sloth.

Characters (only in the manga)

Lin Yao

He is one of the many sons of the Emperor of Xing, therefore Xing being his home country. He seeks the Philosopher's Stone to help stabilize Xing, and fortify his position to be the next emperor. On his quest he runs into Ed and Al and forms a (i use the term lightly) friendship with them. Later, he nearly dies but is infused with the Philosopher's Stone (or an incomplete version of one), and becomes the new Greed.

Lan Fan

One of Ling's bodyguards. The gag being no one picks up on her gender until she removes her mask. She is an excellent fighter, and sees through the many disguises of Envy. Later on she looses her arm and is in the process of possibly getting an automail replacement.

Mei

A young child alchemist who travels from Xing, seeking to know more about the science of alchemy. She is (always) accompanied by a tiny panda. She hears rumors about Edward, and immediately falls in love with the picture painted by the rumors. Comically picturing him as her tall gleaming knight.

Wrath

The Wrath in the manga is also known as Furher King Bradley. His human self was injected with the red elixir, creating what he is now. As in the anime, he's the only homunculus that can age (and ages at the same rate of humans).

Father

An enigmatic man (or other being, creature, etc.), that controls all of the homunculai in the manga. We are not sure of his purpose yet. We do know, however, that he bears a striking resemblance to another character in the manga...

Character Deaths (obviously there are SPOILERS here)

Scar

In the anime, Scar dies when he sacrifices himself and Lior to become the Philosopher's Stone, which he then fuses with Alphonse. But so far in the manga that doesn't happen. Scar is still alive and later accompanies Mei.

Doctor Marcoh

While, in the anime, we don't know exactly when Marcoh died (as it is not shown). It is revealed later that Gluttony ate him some time after Ed left him. In the manga, he isn't dead. He's currently being monitored carefully by Envy, and is a prisoner so to speak, of the humunculi.

Hohenheim and Father

Homunculi are lead/controlled by a "man" that goes by the name of "Father," in the manga. When Ed and Al finally see him, they not only see the leader of their enemies, but they also see... what appears to be their dad. Father bears a striking resemblance to Ed and Al's father, Hohenheim, and it seems their father is the root of many of their problems. However, in a recent chapter, it showed Father and Hohenheim in two different places at the exact same moment. So, it would appear that Father and Hohenheim are not the same person. However, when Edward mentions Hohenheim, Father frantically asks about him, and is rather shocked that he has children. So, it would seem that Father and Hohenheim do have some connection or relationship.