OLDIES BUT GOODIES - CLASSIC MANGA YOU CAN ADD TO YOUR COLLECTION TODAY - PART 2

Fullmetal Alchemist - Hiromu Arakawa

Fullmetal was originally published between 2001-2010 by Square Enix in Japan, with English releases between 2005-2011.  The series spawned two different Anime series, Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.  The second series focused more on the storyline of the manga, while the first series took a lot of detours and created new characters because they had to wait for the mangaka (manga artist) to finish the stories.  Brotherhood is still widely regarded as a wonderful adaptation of the manga to screen, and many students watch this series instead of the longer, looser adaptation. 

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The story follows brothers Edward and Alfonse Elric after a misadventure cost Edward his arm and leg, and Alfonse his body (so now his soul is anchored to a suit of armor).  Edward is a State Alchemist, the youngest every.  Because of his metal appendages, he's known as the Fullmetal Alchemist, but that doesn't stop everyone from assuming Alfonse is Fullmetal!  The main quest of the Elric brothers is to recover their lost body (parts), but they soon find that not everything is as it seems in Amestris.  They war often with homunculi named for the Seven Deadly Sins, and find that their own family has deep ties to the evil lurking behind every plot.  This series has universal appeal for all types of readers, and its social commentary on justice and corruption make this another timeless classic. 

Sara's Rating: 10/10
​Suitability: Grades 7-12  

​Tags: Rating: 10/10, Suitability: Middle School, Suitability: High School, Manga, Action Adventure