Comics / Manga

Fullmetal Alchemist: Volume 15

By Leroy Douresseaux
December 10, 2007 - 13:41

Thanks to barnesandnoble.com for the image.

FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST, VOL. 15

In the fantasy manga and military drama, Fullmetal Alchemist, which is set on an alternate historical Earth in the early 20th century, brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric were using a forbidden alchemical ritual to bring their dead mother back to life when it all went wrong.

Because of the transmutation ritual, Edward lost a leg, but Alphonse lost his entire body.  Edward grafted his younger brother’s soul into a suit of armor, but that process also costs Edward his arm.  Replacing his missing flesh with “auto-mail” (advanced prosthesis) limbs, Edward eventually became a state alchemist and now serves the state military of the nation of Amestris.  In the meantime, Edward searches for the Philosopher’s Stone, a legendary substance that can restore his and his brother’s bodies.

In Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 15, Lt. Riza Hawkeye recounts to Edward her experiences during Amestris’ campaign against a small region within the nation named Ishbal.  Riza gives Ed all the awful details about the part Colonel Roy Mustang and the other state alchemists, especially the murderous Solf J. Kimblee, played in the brutal campaign to wipe out all Isbalans.

THE LOWDOWN:  With its vague Victorian setting and a complex tableau of military and political intrigue, Fullmetal Alchemist might seem off-putting upon first glance.  However, a rich, extra thick cast of characters, edgy drama, and the slight tinge of sci-fi make for a unique reading experience.  Like a good daytime soap, FMA captures you with the involving melodrama, and for the action-oriented fans, combat of various kinds abounds.  This volume is actually an excellent jumping on part for new readers, as I was able to grasp the concept better here than I was with Vol. 13.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Fans of alternate history and alternate Earths, prose fiction readers included, may find this well-conceived and exceptionally designed world quite engaging.

B+

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Last Updated: November 29, 2025 - 16:51