Hiromu Arakawa's action fantasy seriesFullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhoodis a tale of take a chance, the follies of flesh, appetite, conspiracy, and the innate goodness of humanity. Along the way, the main characters learn all kinds of lessons most themselves and each other, and the world of Amestris is richly fleshed out during the Elric brother's journey.

This series is also brimming with important symbology and real-life references to faith, mythology, alchemy, and more, and all this research has certainly paid off. Fullmetal Alchemist is a care for for anyone who enjoys these things, and there's plenty to acquire. Find out what are the secrets of this bear witness's arcane symbols and logos.

10 The state flag

Not a lot is explained most the national flag of Amestris, but some educated guesses can exist made. It depicts a dragon on a green field, and most probable, the dragon represents the ambitious ways of this nation. Amestris is a military machine autocratic state, where the army and big regime are intertwined. Oftentimes, white is a color representing purity, but it tin can also represent decease, such as human basic. The "death" Horseman of the Apocalypse rides on a white equus caballus, later all. And this dragon's tails forms a loop, possibly alluding to how important transmutation circles are inFullmetal Alchemist.

9 The ouroboros

Just the homunculi bear this symbol, and information technology gives away their homunculus status. Greed's, as pictured, is on the back of his left hand, and Gluttony has one on his natural language and Wrath'south is on his left eye. This creature, according to real-life symbology, represents immortality and eternity, since information technology is eating its own tail and thus creating an infinite loop. The homunculi are not truly immortal, but they can outlive humans, and they are tools of Father'south ambition to get an immortal god for all time.

viii The Flamel

Next up is the Flamel, the symbol that appears on the dorsum of Edward Elric'due south distinctive red coat. Just what is it? This cross has a snake draped on it, along with detached wings and a crown, and it represents the real-life Nicholas Flamel's relationship to abracadabra. This symbol besides has a superficial resemblance to the Greek Rod of Asclepius, associated with medicine in ancient Greece. It'south also somewhat like to the Greek Caduceus, the symbol of the Greek god Hermes (who controls alchemy). Izumi Curtis, the Elric brothers' teacher, has this symbol tattooed on her chest.

7 Roy Mustang'due south transmutation circumvolve

At present for an active alchemy transmutation circle. Colonel Roy Mustang is an extraordinary alchemist, being able to snap his fingers to generate rut and flames in whatsoever shape or pattern. To practise this, Roy has a unique transmutation circle on his glove that shows a triangle, a stylized flame, and a salamander. In medieval Europe, salamanders were associated with fire, and this motif appears often in fiction both onetime and new. Accept Charmander in Pokemon, for example, a burn down lizard. "Charred" and "salamander" gives us "Charmander."

6 Kimblee's transmutaton circumvolve

The transmutation circles of several alchemists announced on this list, and now it is Solf J. Kimblee's plow. Kimblee has to handclapping his hands to utilize alchemy, and his circle is split in one-half on each palm. What exercise they mean? The sunday symbol on his right hand represents aureate, and the moon symbol on the left hand stands for argent. The triangles are important, too: the upwards triangle is symbolic of fire, and the downward-facing triangle represents water. Put together, they form a hexagram, and Kimblee's explosive alchemy is ready to stone!

5 Blood seal

Alphonse Elric is very conscientious to protect this transmutation circle. In a moment of desperation, a young Edward used his own blood to write information technology, and this bound Al's soul to armor with advanced alchemy. This seal may correspond the real-life philosophy that a homo life is two singled-out parts: the torso, and the mind. Some argue that killing the body does not kill the mind, and to be sure, Alphonse is a fine metaphor for that. Hang in there, child.

iv The Gate of Truth

Edward comes face to face with Truth whenever he performs human alchemy: one time as a child, and once to escape Gluttony's tum realm. Each fourth dimension, he finds himself in a white void that features this door. And that door is oozing with symbolic meaning. In particular, it refers to the mystical branch of Judaism known as the Kabbalah. The whole thing is based on the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, and in Ed'south example, the tree has a crown, or a "keter." This tree'southward roots represent the most mundane and earthly aspect of trying to reach godhood, and the top represents the divine. The circles too describe aspects of Ed'southward being and God, in Hebrew and in Latin, such as Filius ("son"), and El Pater ("God)".

3 Alkahestry and abracadabra

Shown is an experimental combination of alchemy and alkahestry, from the notes of Scar's deceased brother. Alkahestry, which originates from Xing, is based on pentagrams rather than hexagrams, and a star is often symbolic of the human being body in real life. Take, for example, Leonardo da Vinci'due south Vitruvian Homo. Scar's brother realized that neither abracadabra nor alkahestry represented the sum of the globe's power, and attempted to reconcile them. Scar'southward arm tattoos, which enable abracadabra, also have alkahestry symbology in them.

2 The sun and moon

The ancient Xerxes people of the dandy desert had some symbology to offering, likewise. Ed finds these ruins both in Xerxes itself and inside Gluttony's stomach, and he soon divines their significant. According to him, the sun represents the human being soul, while the moon stands for the heed. The stone itself, meanwhile, is the human body. What does this add together upwards to? A human transmutation circle, and Ed is not happy to run across that. Ed also notes that the lion is eating the sun, representing the attainment of the Philosopher's Rock and thus immortality.

1 Alex Armstrong'due south transmutation circle

The listing concludes with another alchemist'southward own transmutation circle. In this case, Major Alex Armstrong has two copies of it, one on each armored gauntlet, and he strikes the gauntlets together to activate his own brand of alchemy. Inside a triangle is the word for "God," as seen on the Xerxes homo transmutation circle. There appears to be German text circling the symbols, which is easier to see in the manga. The text changes at some point, just information technology'south not clear if that'due south from an artistic oversight or if Armstrong really did modify the writing.

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About The Author

Louis Kemner (4033 Manufactures Published)

Louis Kemner has been a fan of Japanese blitheness since 1997, when he discovered Pokemon and Dragon Ball Z in elementary school. Now he's a bigger anime/manga fan than ever, and is ready to share what he knows with readers worldwide. He graduated loftier school in 2009 and received his Bachelor's in creative writing from UMKC in 2013, then put his skills to work in 2019 with CBR.com. He'due south always looking for a wonderful new anime to lookout or manga series to read.

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