Fullmetal Alchemist Volume 18 cover image is courtesy of barnesandnoble.com.

Rated “T” for “Teen”

Fullmetal Alchemist is set in Amestris, a country on an alternate-history Earth and focuses on brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric.  In a forbidden alchemical ritual gone wrong, Edward lost a leg, but Alphonse lost his entire body.  Edward grafted his younger brother’s soul into a suit of armor (at the cost of an arm), and he replaced his own missing flesh with “auto-mail” limbs.  Edward eventually became a state alchemist and continues to serve the Amestris state military.  In the meantime, he searches for the Philosopher’s Stone, a legendary substance that can restore the brothers’ bodies.

In Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 18, the Elric brothers are prisoners in the impenetrable mountain fortress at Fort Briggs, the Amestrian military’s northernmost outpost.  The murderous Red Lotus alchemist, Solf J. Kimblee, captures and holds auto-mail engineer, Winry Rockbell hostage in order to force Edward to do his bidding.  Edward and Alphonse accept a deal to hunt the Ishbalan assassin, Scar.  The mission also allows the brothers to reunite with old friends and old enemies.  Meanwhile, Riza Hawkeye makes a shocking discovery while completing the most mundane of tasks.

THE LOWDOWN:  A mixture of alternate-history, military science fiction, occult conspiracy, war drama, fantasy, the fight comic, and military action, Fullmetal Alchemist can appeal to a broad cross section of manga readers.  Its dense narrative, large cast, and involved mythology make it an imposing series for new readers to start anywhere other than the beginning; however, Fullmetal Alchemist is worth the effort.  I have to admit that every tankoubon (volume) gives me pause before I even open it, because the series is so complicated, but I still, love this smart series.

POSSIBLE AUDIENCE:  Readers who live for comics with labyrinthine storylines and mythologies will like Fullmetal Alchemist, and it’s accessible for teen readers.

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