Fullmetal Alchemist (2003)

The 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist is, from start to finish, an entirely original story created by BONES. Production began while the source manga was still being serialised, and past the midpoint the anime diverged in a different direction from the original. That choice is what makes this work special. Rather than adapting the source verbatim, it took the same world and characters as raw material and built an entirely different conclusion. My rating is ★5.0. It carries the inevitable burden of comparison with Brotherhood, which came later — but on its own terms, this is a self-contained story.

What it’s about — an independent path diverging from the source

In a world where alchemy is advanced, the Elric brothers Edward and Alphonse attempt to resurrect their dead mother through human transmutation and fail. Edward loses an arm and a leg; Alphonse loses his entire body. Alphonse’s soul is bound to a suit of armour, and the two brothers set out in search of the Philosopher’s Stone to recover what was lost. The series runs 51 episodes and began airing in October 2003.

What makes this work interesting is the point from which it diverges from the source. It faithfully follows the original’s setting and characters up to a certain point, then shifts into an entirely different story. On the identity of the Philosopher’s Stone, the hidden side of the State Alchemist system, and the origins of the Homunculi — the 2003 series delivers its own answers. Viewers who come to this version after Brotherhood may find it disorienting, but that disorientation is also this work’s strength.

Direction — a melancholic, heavy atmosphere

Seiji Mizushima’s direction is dark and heavy. The 2003 version’s atmosphere is far more melancholic and earnest than Brotherhood. The head-on approach to themes like the guilt of human transmutation, military dictatorship and state violence, and individual sacrifice was quite intense even by the standards of late-night anime at the time. There is action, but what this work focuses on is the characters’ inner lives. The scenes revealing the anxiety beneath Edward’s bravado, Alphonse’s quiet fears, and Mustang’s hidden side carry the whole series.

Animation quality is high by 2003 standards. The geometric patterns of alchemy activations and the nuanced facial expressions of the characters are well rendered. The direction in the latter half, as emotions reach their climax, stands up even now.

What the work says — equivalent exchange and the weight of responsibility

The central theme of the 2003 version is the question of how the alchemical law of equivalent exchange applies to human beings. The law that one must lose something of equal value to gain something is not a mere premise but a truth Edward and Alphonse confirm with their bodies in every episode. This work pushes that law to its ultimate conclusion, asking what choice must be made when caught between personal desire and responsibility to others.

This is why a story set against the backdrop of a nation and its military transcends a simple adventure for boys. The themes the series depicts — wars of erasure, persecuted minorities, human experimentation by those in power — were unusually heavy for a children’s anime.

Ratings & reception

Its IMDb rating sits at 8.5 from around 83,000 votes. It won the 9th Animation Kobe Award in the TV category and was selected as an Animation Division Jury Recommended Work at the 2004 Japan Media Arts Festival. It has been somewhat reappraised in comparison to Brotherhood, but at the time it was very highly praised. Among fans who prefer a darker atmosphere and an independent ending, the 2003 version is still rated more highly by many.

Verdict

If Brotherhood is a faithful, high-quality adaptation of the source, the 2003 version is a different work made from the same raw material. Rather than comparing which is better, the right approach is to understand they are entirely different stories. This work made its own choices and committed to them all the way to the end. Thematic consciousness, emotional throughline, and the weight of the conclusion all have consistency. If you enjoy dark and melancholic anime, and if you are curious about a version different from the source, this is fully worth watching.

Recommended for

• Those who have already seen Brotherhood and are curious about the version that diverges from the source
• Those who prefer anime with a dark, heavy atmosphere
• Those more interested in the characters’ psychology and philosophical questions than in shonen battle action
• Those who enjoy BONES’ animation style from the early 2000s