Edward Elric: A Not-So-Typical Shounen Protagonist

[@MADKapo]

"Today I want to talk about Edward Elric" *shows young Hohenheim*

[@ningenshikkaku2042]

Totally. I was muttering "Bro...That's not Edward..."

[@nv_johan8711]

Ikr

[@D_Artella]

Lol I thought that too.

[@micanikko]

Dang. i completely forgot about that. lol. I honestly thought it was Edward. My badd

[@twoocean8012]

Shit I bet all of us FMA fans can relate to that. I was laughing so hard when I saw it.

[@cas2762]

Ed’s strength is his wisdom. He wins impossible battles by outsmarting his enemies (for example, his battle with Slicer). When he doesn’t know what to do, he stalls for time, or tries to trick his enemy into talking. He knows he’s not the strongest (in fact, he even easily admits that his little brother is a better fighter than him), but he is the smartest, and one of the most dedicated characters. He’s also one of very few characters who didn’t break their moral code.

[@stephenyong6634]

Romi Maman even truth admitted that he is beaten by Ed

[@xtensioncordtv1969]

Ed would win in a 1v1 tho if it was a bloodlust battle as he could do alchemy faster and transform Al's armour.

[@carmeloflores2206]

@@stephenyong6634 truth is God so, Ed is better than Goku then?

[@carmeloflores2206]

@@stephenyong6634 can't wait for the bs because of my last comment

[@carmeloflores2206]

@3rd Way that's the old series it's different from the Manga and BrotherHood which are the Canon

[@cas2762]

Another thing that sets him apart: Edward is disabled. He’s a disabled main character in a shounen series. I heard people argue that he’s not “really disabled” because he has his automail, but that’s simply untrue. His automail breaking or malfunctioning is critical in multiple plot points in the series. He can’t go out in the desert too much because he’ll literally get burned, he can’t be in really cold places without a special automail, the maintenance of his automail plays a not so small part in the series. And even smaller things, like how his stumps ache when it rains. How the surgery and even the attachment of the prosthetic causes him no small amount of pain. How he had to learn to write with his left hand because he can’t write with the automail. His missing limbs are a disability that impaired his life, but also one he got accommodations for (in the form of an automail). Disabled protagonists are extremely rare in pretty much all genres, and the high action shounen genre is no different. Usually even when there is a disabled protagonist, the entire show/movie would revolve around their disability. That’s not what happens with FMA. And that means the world to me.

[@kallsipher4436]

Never saw it that way but your comment made me realize that this is true. Thank you

[@bagusss9649]

this is just another prove that Edward is not your typical shounen protagonist, he's not an adventure character, he have his limit and he knows that, rather than your typical shounen protagonist where they just went “ no i have to do it, I don't care if i'm gonna die, i have to save him and bla bla ”.

[@AGblueMetal]

100% agreed

[@Pokreal]

Omg I never thought about that, that’s so cool though 🤌

[@bigbangpegasusmaster]

Would Goku also count as disabled? Considering he suffered from personality-altering brain damage when he was a baby

[@bruvamichal7437]

do you wish to lower your self to simple human? that's what I always was... simple human.

[@mysterywarriorcat4750]

"Who couldn't save a little girl"

[@maikamikaela3144]

"I find it ironic how us alchemists who don't believe in god are the closest things to gods there is" (chapter 1) I love Ed's character development so much!

[@B0K0691]

@@maikamikaela3144 I love how he personally met a "God" of the verse, yet is still an atheist

[@yauhingyee]

im crying >

[@protojager]

"Who needs alchemy, when i've got them?"

[@Elizabeth-us8ov]

You forgot the most important part, he has long straight hair instead of super spicky hair

[@juny-dn5ud]

lmao yes

[@sadpie4265]

Wow, that’s true!

[@zack8194]

@@psistan6426 amestris is full of smart people. America isnt

[@psistan6426]

X Flame-Brawl Stars um no..

[@zack8194]

@@psistan6426 um yes

[@undead_corsair]

Not to mention Edward actually voluntarily loses his power at the end Brotherhood, rather than becoming the most powerful which was the villain's goal.

[@triplethis6751]

Ben Zombie I agree but damn that’s a big spoiler for people who haven’t seen it

[@mildlynerdy]

@@triplethis6751 it's been out for 10 years. I think it's beyond the "spoilers" timeframe.

[@Pine-sq2ll]

Libbylooper not everyone has seen it though

[@TheNyleve16]

FATHER WAS THE SHONEN PROTAGONIST ALL ALONG *GASP*

[@yaomeii]

* R E T I R E M E N T * Ed feels old already

[@HoodRich521]

That’s why Edward is one my favorites honestly he is different then a natural Shonen protagonist and that is always a plus in my book period

[@wrestlinganime4life288]

FMA is much different than most of the shonen series,and Edward is a perfect example

[@narutogokubleach214]

He is very similar to inyashu and Ichigo, maybe Eren

[@wrestlinganime4life288]

@@narutogokubleach214 Ichigo ?You mean Mr zero !? character development

[@edwardelricthetallalchemis3154]

Awww!!! Thanks!!! Jk. He's one of my favorites too.

[@durpy8184]

Excelsior bruh yeah he did

[@Thedragonlover95]

Does anyone want to give Edward a hug?

[@Sara3346]

yes, he deserves at least one after what happened to Nina tucker and Hughes and liore, and Greed even.

[@berdansargol1577]

I want to, but I know he will refuse anyone who tries to hug him (if this person isn't Winry, Al, or his other friends)

[@khloeg1649]

Yes. And Alphonse. And Winry.

[@portablerefrigerator4902]

500th like

[@katmarlow5789]

yeah :(

[@thebritishbean.]

Difference between a regular shounen and FMA or FMAB is that the show focus'd more on characters and world building over hyping up the next boss. Also Edward wasn't the main focus in the show seen as it spent more time on building a wide variety of characters instead of building one super protagonist

[@cindyhaefele1600]

Fma ending was ass tbh

[@thebritishbean.]

+Cindy Haefele I share the same opinion brother, just pointing out the difference the series had to standard shounen

[@julieryckaert7311]

@@cindyhaefele1600 Yeah, but the brotherhood ending made up for it. Brotherhoods beginning is just a horrible fast-paced recap of the original series, but it did a COMPLETE 180 with the homunculi plot of founding and using the entire country for a philosopher stone. It blew my mind and not to mention the awesome fight with father.

[@julieryckaert7311]

@3rd Way It was still done in an epic way, sometimes the ending isn't what matters, but the journey to get there is

[@christina113704]

I'm trying to remember the exact ending to the original, but I remember being frustrated and thrilled about fmab. 👍 I think Ed is only true weakness in fighting is when someone comments on his height and he loses his cool. Otherwise, he's intelligent and one of the best. 😘

[@NoOne-bi4kc]

Edward is the coolest shrimp I know of

[@PaulsGoldWeapons]

"DONT CALL ME LITTLE!!!"

[@ranisani5508]

What about asta from black clover

[@dreamy_aki6809]

😂

[@edwardelric2905]

WHO ARE YOU CALLING SHRIMP?!!!!

[@huntercheadle2679]

HEY!!!!!!! DON'T USE THE S WORD!!!!!!

[@altrocks]

Don't hate me for this, but a big part of this might be that FMA is one of the few big shounen titles authored by a woman. Most of the male authors seem to be engaging in little more than power fantasies and they rarely get far in popularity. The big names give us something more, even when the main character seems generic. Goku has an innocence that's undeniable. Naruto had the persistence of a screw up that needed to make something of himself. Even so, most of them are just better written power fantasies with no upper limit on how strong a character can get. FMA and FMAB set limits and rules. They show that experience and knowledge matter much more than raw power. Even with a tool as powerful as alchemy he still had major limits on what he could do. Ed lost many big, important fights and learned from them while dealing with the consequences. The people around him matters to him in very real ways, not just as people to protect or save. You don't see that very often.

[@darkspinspard4258]

I am not too certain about that (not saying you are right or not) .My personal hypothesis is that it has more to do with the fact that the public these days is more interest in more complexe and interesting shonen protagonist then in the past .Afterall DBz and Naruto are relativly old so it's not unreasonable for me to suggest that those characters where written that way more due to the type of audience they had rather than the sex of the writer (especially when one can easily bring counter examples like My Hero academia).

[@weirdguy4948]

I see your point and can agree but at the same time there is plenty of anime written by man that show characters like Ed, weak I guess.

[@lazyshoggy]

@@darkspinspard4258 I may be wrong but I wonder if Arakawa wasn't the first writing this kind of stories mixing the thoughts and tragic stuff of a seinen with the fun and action of a shonen. Considering the success it had, it's just normal that others authors later capitalize on it.

[@darkspinspard4258]

@@lazyshoggy perhaps... A rather fascinating subject tough I have to say

[@lazyshoggy]

@Catty Ra Down to earth yes, probably ^^. For the traditional side I don't know, when I read interviews she seems very curious and open-minded (the fact that the women work and don't just stay at home isn't really traditional in Japan). What do you mean by this ? And for the fact that she may be the first to write that kind of story I have to admit that I read this somewhere but my knowledge of mangas isn't exhaustive enough and I never took the time to confirm it, so feel free to correct me.

[@scottfree9517]

What I find interesting about Edward is that he's also pretty severely disabled from the beginning of the series. He's a double amputee. And although automail has its perks, it also comes with a lot of downsides. His surgeries were extremely debilitating, and reattaching the nerves during repairs is extremely painful. When he goes up north the metal of his automail makes him very susceptible to frostbite and frozen joints, and the flesh his automail is attached to suffers because of the temperature. And during a storm the drop in atmospheric pressure makes his stumps ache, and makes him sick. It has to be oiled constantly and maintained, and was even suspected of stunting his growth growing up because of the weight of it. Just another bit of attention to detail I thought was really well thought out and unique.

[@corruptedteka]

This, I don't know why, but nobody thinks to say this.

[@OtakuAfterHours]

I adore FMA/FMAB for this exact reason! There are very few anime/manga, or even any media for that matter, that properly touch on a subject like disability, and when they do it's rarely executed with such an eye for detail. I love the turn Havoc's story took in the manga and FMAB for just that reason too. We need such role models, and to me (I am disabled), Ed has always been a great motivation. Not just for his skills or great character in general, but for his resilience and stubbornness on the subject.

[@Gadget-Walkmen]

yep! great answer to disability character.

[@Yashirmare]

Didn't they say in the show the reason for Eds stunted growth was him essentially "eating for 2" by keeping Als body alive at the gate, or was that just an in-universe theory?

[@NFoot10]

The best protagonist to me,and not just in anime.

[@sezunemizuhana3870]

Pretty much. Edward Elric will Forever be one of the Best fictional characters of all time!

[@Hi-fh8ij]

Same

[@sebastianjack2341]

True

[@ningenshikkaku2042]

110% agree with you.

[@wrestlinganime4life288]

Better than Gon,Luffy,Naruto,Ichigo,Midorya,Goku,Natsu,Eren,Asta

[@frickinfrick8488]

Hiromu Arakawa has no “blank slate” characters she’s a master at characters

[@fightingmedialounge519]

Kind of does.

[@wi1395]

Do you reccomend anyother manga from Arakawa?

[@kaylanunn9264]

She birthed the love of anime for my brother which lead for me to love anime

[@madrocts]

@@fightingmedialounge519 ...you mean the mangaka that made a pig a pivotal character in a manga about agriculture?

[@frickinfrick8488]

Normal Playz I’ve just recently started reading Silver Spoon by her and so far it’s pretty fun. Story wise it’s nothing like FMA but the characters are really great as always.

[@tiffanypersaud3518]

“They’re usually not the smartest” - you got me from there. I’m tired of that. Ed was a prodigy that was not full of himself and his ambition was really humble - from beginning to end - he will always be ones of my faves. I never got it when people say Ed is a generic protagonist either. Thanks for putting your thoughts into words. Subbed.

[@twinsamv2920]

"There was once a hero who flew too close to the sun. His wings of wax fell apart and he plummeted to the earth " my favorite quote from the series

[@praisethelordgriffith8338]

Icarus, was it??

[@twinsamv2920]

@@praisethelordgriffith8338 Yes :)

[@anxander]

But then with the power of friendship, he sprouted wings out of the fire within the sun and became the greatest hero in all of the world. -Every standard protagonist in that situation.

[@velvetdarksoul8741]

@@anxander basically Fairy tail which is the mlp of anime

[@konomic8156]

Both FMA and Classroom of the Elite mentioned this quote 😔

[@kadimazali4277]

Just because the character is typical doesn't mean he is bad character. And just because the character is unique and different from the others, doesn't mean he would be a good character. It depends how good the show and how story could develope the character.

[@SilverHedgehog1999]

I definitely agree with this and to the videos credit they did point out that they weren't saying the typical characters were bad at all but I totally get where you're coming from. You can make an interesting character or premise based on very stereotypical shonen tropes like how one punch man did and you can have a very non typical non tropey character who's absolute shit (cant think of an example off the top of my head but I know they exist) it all comes down to how well the character is written cause both can be written really well and also really poorly.

[@movingdisaster]

more like, how good the author is. For example, guts is pyschotically strong, but he's not typical in the fact that the author kept him human. backwards with Gon. He is not strong at all, but he's a child with a bit of inhumane tendancies. It's also all about growth. so yes!

[@nemuruii]

I think it also has something to do with it being a cliche though because they get boring or cheesy sometimes, the show itself can definitely make u of or it though

[@authorbhattacharjee4957]

This guy gets it lol

[@Gadget-Walkmen]

which is exactly what FMA does and what edward achieves that perfectly.

[@adamblakeslee5301]

Yet another reason why I hold FMA:B as the gold standard of anime. But seriously, having an OP main character tends to ruin drama. Everyone knows this but we keep seeing it happen. Why?

[@TheRedFoxization]

Because none of us want to have a bitch as an MC

[@joyc.e.7511]

@@TheRedFoxization But what is a bitch mc??? I don't know if you've seen bnha, but is deku a bitch character because he cries a lot? I personally don't think so. Far from it actually. Sorry if I'm ranting a bit but I'm tired of people pointing out his crying and relating it to weakness. Like, the boy breaks his arms and still keeps going. So what qualifies as a bitchy/whiny mc?

[@junethanoschurchill6750]

I think an exception is Saitama from One Punch Man, because his main conflicts aren’t ones that are solved by fighting.

[@junethanoschurchill6750]

___ I wholeheartedly agree

[@user-bc6bc4qd1n]

Adam Blakeslee well I’d say one punch man is a exception

[@camrosie]

Not to mention that most protagonists in this genre end the series having gained power they didn't have before. Edward is the complete opposite, ending with none of the alchemical capabilities he had from the beginning. He has a crazy beginning and a humble end, but he carries his curiosity and determination through all of, and it really sets him apart 💚

[@cordifox]

Not to mention the Nina an Alexander incident, it changed him it was a time he couldn't save her not even with alchemy. He even states to truth. "So you're willing to cast it aside to lower yourself to a simple human." "What you mean lower myself. That's all i ever been. Just a simple human who couldn't save a little girl. Not even with alchemy." and in 03 when the humoncuili try to force him to make a fake philosopher stone. He is super reluctant, even tho they were prisoners. They were still living beings. And He was worried that Al hated him for putting him in that suit of armor. He even takes full responsibility for the failed transmutation of their mother. Then at the end (spoiler for brotherhood) When his father offers himself to save Alphonse. He still didnt do it and asked why he should sacrifice himself for their mistake. "Because I'm his father. You don't know how much you boys mean to me. Tho i do bare some responsibility for this. This might not have happened if i been. I lived long enough, at least give me this chance to act like a Father for once in my life." And When Cries you know its real, so crying after calling him rotten father. Probably from wanting to call him Father. He is the most Human character of the anime i have seen. Why he my favorite anime character.(sorry vegeta)

[@Gadget-Walkmen]

@@cordifox yep, love that! Edward's wisdom grows massively. And it's not just that, Edward's character is about being scientific genius whose trying to recorrect the mistakes of his past along side his brother while learning along his way the that the very power of science (alchemy) that he thought he could solve all of problems with is not entirely right and learns to value his friends/family more than absolute power from alchemy. So that's why he develops a philosophical view of the world then just pure objectivism mindset of using alchemy to solve all of his problem which makes him think he's god for it. This is highly highlighted in the very episode 1/chapter 1 where he thinks science is God but he later on realizes that FAR from being true at the slightest and that alchemy/science is just another tool and shouldn't make him arrogant or consume his life. It's entirely new and different in presentation and character which I heavily value.

[@BunjiKugashira1990]

1:22 It puts Edward in a much smaller sub genre.... Edward: "WHO DO YOU CALL THE TINIEST PROTAGONIST THERE EVER WAS????

[@prairiete]

Lol I thought something like this at 2:26

[@nostalgictimes8926]

xD

[@lidyarahmah6307]

😂😂😂😂

[@maloo538]

I like that Ed acts like an actual kid his age would act. It makes him more believable and relatable.

[@porchcollapse8612]

MaleehaMO agreed

[@fabulousmyriad267]

Edward starts off his journey as a traumatised preteen loner with a cynical view of the world. He ends his journey with a mature understanding of human connections and acceptance of new experiences.

[@pchound5962]

I love FMA Brotherhood for it's almost non-existent filler. It gets straight to the point.

[@ISetYourFaceOnFire]

almost to it's detriment in the first 13 episodes which fma 03 does better. that's the only flaw i can find in an otherwise pretty perfect/near perfect series.

[@blackeyedchild3688]

The one thing I was disappointed with in brotherhood was how rushed Hues death was. The audience doesn't get enough time to get attached to his character for the death to really sting. 03 on the other hand hit hard.

[@weik-2936]

@@blackeyedchild3688 That's because the creators weren't interested in doing all that in the same amount of time (even without filler), they wanted to get to the stuff they hadn't done before

[@tn2142]

@@blackeyedchild3688 tbh I still cried over Hughes death even without watching the 03 version. I was so sorry for his family, it was hard to watch.

[@hugogamboas.5550]

@@blackeyedchild3688 i watched brotherhood first and, while I have to admit it hits much harder in FMA03, both funeral scenes make me tear up when elicia says the “why are you burying daddy? He has so much work! He told me so! He won’t be able to do it when he gets up! Tell them to stop!” Just remembering it made me start crying. Thankfully I have comfort food near me.

[@armin5767]

The fact that fma or fmab doesn't try to be a typical shounen and neatly completes a beautiful story without dragging the show.

[@najpotenicewolf934]

I actually find most Shounen protagonism quite annoying. That's one of the reasons why I've never watched any of long popular series like Dragonball, Naruto or One Piece. The same problem I had with BlackStar from Soul Eater but at least He wasn't only protagonist, so I would enjoy SE anyway. Edward is one of the most reletable, I've ever seen. And very balanced one with his powers and flaws.

[@najpotenicewolf934]

@___ I watched Death Note already. It;s great and it is a classic. But it isn't Shounen, so I didn't mentioned it.

[@demetriusray972]

___ FMA wasn’t a Shōnen Jump series. It ran in Monthly Shōnen Gangan.

[@demetriusray972]

___ lol then that is my b. 🤣 Carry on, good sir.

[@TheRedFoxization]

So you don't like Edward in FMAB I suppose ? Cause he wasn't as much of a cowardly bitch as he was in the original anime. That's one of the reasons I prefer him in FMAB. A cowardly MC is a worthless character.

[@BARALover96]

I agree. I think that is why I grew out of a lot of shounen anime. Tho Luffy is different then the typical protagonist of shounen as well.

[@Top10AnimeBetrayals]

Probably the most unforgettable protagonist

[@livetochange974]

Like lelouch

[@velvetdarksoul8741]

@@livetochange974 but it turns out hes still alive so that sucks

[@livetochange974]

@@velvetdarksoul8741 I'm sure most of us wanted him to come back since he was a great anime protagonist and most of us loved him since he isn't a pussy like most generic mcs who can't do anything morally wrong just cuz, and I knew lelouch didn't die since he got the code which means Immortality after his parents vanished

[@Umbra2079]

Light Yagami...?

[@Ash_10005]

Light Lelouch Eren

[@aime7035]

Long story short: Ed is a lot more human.

[@Kusanagikaiser999]

He is not only not typical.....Edward is hands down one my favorite protagonist rivaling the ones like Spike from Cowboy Bebop or Guts from Berserk, he is not my number 1 favorite protagonist but is in my top 3, Edward is in my opinion one of the coolest best writing characters in all anime, period.

[@4leaffy]

Fullmetal Alchemist is a very special anime. I wish I'll find another anime that will give me the emotion fma gave to me.

[@diojoestar4766]

I feel the same. Currently I have high hopes for AOT. Adult eren is hyped.

[@katmarlow5789]

it honestly makes me sad cause its the first one i watched so im like ''i hope the rest are this good''

[@4leaffy]

@@katmarlow5789 yup this is my second anime...

[@maddaasyafaputra9117]

@@4leaffy try anime titled Monster. It's 74 episodes but worth your time

[@ObaREX]

Another thing that makes Edward (and the series as a whole) different is how cynical he is. He joins the military for his own ends but also makes it clear how much he doesn't trust them. He's not fighting to uphold the status quo. He never makes excuses for the shitty things the military does. And while he is merciful, he is not overly forgiving. I mean, just look at how pissed he remains towards his father. And his father is probably the most sympathetic of the neglectful anime dads. He also has a personality that doesn't revolve entirely around his ambitions or life goals. Or even just his one off quirks like the food he likes. Yeah that stuff is there, but we also get plenty of scenes where he just is a person. Bouncing off of other characters, especially his brother and Winry. You get the feeling that while he is the main character, he is not the center of the universe. Not everything is about him. Not everything is on his shoulders. Characters don't just wait around for him to save the day. Hell, a lot of the time he needs to be saved. Yet he never seems useless. his supporting cast is never left in the dust.

[@hasiumcreeper5384]

I think that so much is different between Ed and most Shounen protagonists that it's more telling to look at what he has in common with the archetype. If Ed is wiser, weaker, and more grim than most Shounen protagonists, why does he still feel like one? I think there are many reasons: 1. Ed has _an_ ambition. It's not the most grandiose ambition, but he will still travel to the ends of the Earth to get Alphonse's body back, just like other Shounen protagonists would. 2. Ed is a very stubborn person, both socially, and in respect to his actions. He refuses to drink milk, he refuses to use a philosopher's stone to get his body back, and he refuses to kill. Most other Shounen protagonists I've seen share this attitude. 3. He would die for his friends. Most Shounen protagonists develop a party of friends who they are very loyal to. Ed falls into this category perfectly. 4. Ed eats a lot of food. It's the little details that sell things sometimes, and this is definitely one of them. So in conclusion, Ed is a great example of how to write a Shounen protagonist without many of the trappings of a Shounen protagonist. He cuts the surface-level stuff, but keeps the emotional heart of a Shounen protagonist, which is why he FEELS like one, even when he's so different. Thanks for coming to my TED talk.

[@river446]

Ah, that's a really good point.

[@Gadget-Walkmen]

Most other shonen protagonists don't share the attitude of not killing. Most have killed. Don't know what you mean by that. And it's not just that, Edward's character is about being scientific genius whose trying to recorrect the mistakes of his past along side his brother while learning along his way the that the very power of science (alchemy) that he thought he could solve all of problems with is not entirely right and learns to value his friends/family more than absolute power from alchemy. So that's why he develops a philosophical view of the world then just pure objectivism mindset of using alchemy to solve all of his problem which makes him think he's god for it. This is highly highlighted in the very episode 1/chapter 1 where he thinks science is God but he later on realizes that FAR from being true at the slightest and that alchemy/science is just another tool and shouldn't make him arrogant or consume his life. It's entirely new and different in presentation and character which I heavily value.

[@scifinerd17]

Edward eats twice as much because he’s compensating for Al, since Al’s soul’s connected with Ed, so Ed stays strong in order to keep Al strong so that he’ll be ready once he gets his body back.

[@FELCommentary]

I find it's important for anime protagonists to find the perfect balance of developmental growth, being relatable and not boring-OP while also not being a little bitch. Some characters that do that really well (imo) are Eren Jaegar, Ken Kaneki, Johnny Joestar and Guts

[@HayatoStarGod]

"Gyro... I know we have to finish the course but... Jesus told me to kill the president."

[@FELCommentary]

@gamewizard I That's 100% the animes fault for Kaneki. Tokyo Ghouls adaptation is Berserk-tier trash

[@CrunchytheGoblin]

gamewizard I Have you read the manga for Attack on Titan?

[@vojtechspinler6363]

@gamewizard I Try to read the latest chapters of Attack on titan, Eren is now completely different person. He is now my favourite living character in the show trough i really didn´t like him in the beginning.

[@vojtechspinler6363]

@gamewizard I kzbin.info/www/bejne/jZm9XpinbrGfisU Well there is very good characterization of Eren, but there are big manga spoilers If i should tell it shortly he started to be calmly, more thinking and doesn´t raging out. But if i would tell more --> SPOILERS (sorry for bad english, I am Czech)

[@sirensong1794]

I really liked your discussion! Although I do love characters like Naruto and Gon, I can say with absolute certainty that edward’s the most interesting among them. And thanks for using examples from both 2003 and BH. Most people only use BH, ignoring that 03 has many great character moments as well.

[@bink410]

Yeah I have to agree I loved what the 2003 FMA did with Envy,Lust and Sloth, I also felt more of an attachment to Hughes.

[@scifinerd17]

bink410 I think Ed and Al were better developed in the original, particularly in the beginning segment, Lust was better in the original as well, and of course Maes Hughes since he had more screentime and more interactions with the Elric brothers, he was like an uncle to them. However, Mustang, Hohenheim, Scar, Envy, Kimblee, Bradley, and Greed were all better in Brotherhood. While the original had more focus on the Elric brothers, Brotherhood had more focus on the entire cast of characters, each having their moment to shine.

[@pavs9830]

I think unlike most shounen, full metal alchemist creates characters based on the story not story based on the characters, and that gives the mold for a good realistic interesting main character

[@RM-56]

Pavvy The cake I think that you can make good realistic characters no matter which path you go.

[@deponensvogel7261]

That actually makes no sense.

[@Amayram21]

The more I think about this the more confused I get

[@BruhBruh-ej4cd]

@@deponensvogel7261 that actually make alot of SENSE.

[@slingshotmcoy]

I always liked Elric as a protagonist. I feel like FMA is a series that has allot more respect for the audience.

[@HxH2011DRA]

Wow, forgot I was subbed to ya bro XD. Anyway WHO WAS TALKING SHIT ABOUT EDWARD I'LL FIGHT THEM IRL! (You have great taste in mc's btw)

[@TheLostChapter]

Hey, I'm just glad you remembered me! I saw a post on reddit about how Edward wasn't that special and it got me thinking about what made him special, and you see the end result. Thanks for watching, I still remember you even though a whole year has passed since I last made a video!

[@HxH2011DRA]

TheLostChapter *saw a post on reddit See your FIRST problem was...

[@TheLostChapter]

Basically! I usually start ranting internally when I see stuff like this, this time I was smart enough to write it down and make a video out of it.

[@EnragedLuffy]

Interesting video. You've earned yourself a sub but your disinterested voice makes it hard to sit through the video. Improvement in that will sure help you out. Best of luck!

[@dojee8993]

How are you in every comment section i come across? Like srsly this has to be some kind of dark magic.

[@galaga2x808]

Full metal alchemist makes every character their own and makes them feel important Nearly every single "hero" death in brotherhood just makes me cry

[@tmrevenge]

I got one opinion and I don't mean to sound like a Fanboy. But I don't believe you can compare Ed to any of the other guys. He is much deeper and human, and in my humble opinion simply a better character. And the thing is I don't believe you can compare FMA to any other anime. Because it is again better

[@trinityzero]

what about JOJO

[@tmrevenge]

@@trinityzero not in my opinion but I respect your point of view

[@jghifiversveiws8729]

Yeah jojo is cool but it lacks real stakes sometimes it isn't really focused on characters and there motivations while it is great it isn't as good as FMAB and that's fine honestly.

[@SilverHedgehog1999]

@@tmrevenge that was the most respectful KZbin comment I think I've ever seen. Bless

[@tmrevenge]

@@SilverHedgehog1999 hey thanks I appreciate that very much bless for you 2

[@starrsmith3810]

Even his hair is mostly different i think More straightened and braided. I haven't seen much shounen anime but Naruto but even Naruto had spiky hair He's pretty much disabled without his automail, that breaks at key points and has to be adjusted to the cold. He's not overly strong. His straighth is appropriate and thus makes the villains threatening. A hero who constantly wins against villains makes the villain look weak. He loses his power at the end Hell the show doesn't even hype up his character to the point they forget the other characters exist. One is all and all is one He's pretty much the most human protagonist

[@littlebat4514]

Also he doesn’t end brotherhood the strongest. He gives up the one thing that makes him the strong in exchange for his brother. He ends weaker. He turns into just another person

[@annafernandeziglesias5528]

so true!!!

[@goodknyght4319]

But Ed said he has always been an "another person"

[@DuckAllMighty]

Best show ever, Period, both in and outside of anime.

[@aryssamansfield9735]

Period is also the best FMAB op

[@twoocean8012]

True dat. Maybe not the best but definitely the most epic.

[@adumsundler4397]

Breaking Bad is Infinitely better. So is early Game of thrones. Hunter x Hunter and the later arcs of Attack on Titan.

[@evgenkhersonets880]

m.imdb.com/chart/toptv/ Well, if you don't count documentaries, FMAB is number 10

[@ISetYourFaceOnFire]

@@adumsundler4397 Breaking bad sure maybe. Early game of thrones arguable. Hunter x hunter and later arcs of attack on titan, no way man. not even close.

[@braydenb1581]

The fact that Ed spends most of the series avoiding conflict, means so much when the last arc all he is doing is charging towards danger

[@Wolfsblood-wv5qd]

Edward Elric is my favorite character ever ❤️❤️❤️❤️He’s just so human. I love him. He’s very, very relatable. Very real.

[@halogenn_]

I remember the first time I watched fmab and finished it. The ending perfectly concluded the series and I was in awe of how the character grew, mentally and physically. Now I rewatch it every couple of months when I get the urge.

[@Adventuriseable]

Really, to be more accurate, Ed, rather than get new body parts, he just wants his and his brother's old bodies back. He just wants back what he lost The whole story is just to fix a mistake.

[@kowshikjayaraman9267]

Y'all wait for adult eren the most non cliche shounen protagonist.

[@nemuruii]

That's all that's going through my head as well just by reading the comments

[@cia3801]

Wait isn't aot seinen

[@DaDunge]

@@cia3801Could have fooled me. Sure it doesn't have some of the more obvious style elements but I would argue the story is more shonen than for an example FMA.

[@linacaromina]

Nothing has changed...

[@petra.r0knicc751]

Can we talk about bratja playing in backround adding even more effect.

[@aprilbenilie]

Just hearing the background music is making me cry a river agaaaainnn :((( And oh, Edward Elric was my first anime crush ❤️❤️❤️ I cried with him, laughed with him, etc. And I agree with this. I miss him a lot. ❤️

[@octico3683]

This sums up why Edward is my favorite anime character. Nice work (and the fact that Ed is not the guy's favorite actually strengthens his arguments).

[@darthothross2820]

this video randomly popped up in my recommendation feed and i have to say its one of the best that has in quite awhile

[@soulseeker3990]

Yup same

[@dancingcarapace]

I'd also like to mention that Ed suffers from major physical disabilities. He's an amputee, and this often hinders him, as taking out his automail leaves him unbelievably vulnerable. It was an extremely painful process he had to go through just to get it, and he had almost died from blood loss when he first lost the limbs in the rebound. Not to mention the PTSD he likely suffers from, as shown through the night terror we saw in episode 19 of Brotherhood. He has seen so many things a 15 year old boy shouldn't. He saw his mother wither away and die, he watched the East fall to bits because of the Ishvalan Civil war (Ed had told Miles that Ishvalans burned the countryside) he lost his leg trying to bring back his mother and had to sacrifice his arm to bring Alphonse's soul back from the Gate. He saw what Shou Tucker did to his daughter, an event shown to have the biggest impact on the Brothers.

[@sophiemcdoogal6691]

One of the sweetest parts of Edward is when he fears for his life, he's not afraid his life will end, he is afraid he won't be there for those who need him and will fail in helping them. He refuses to hurt those around him by dying.

[@gwagwa2000]

now we look at eren jaeger, a beautiful example of character development as he goes from your average shounen protagonist to this dead man who will do anything to live. not going to spoil, but seriously it's so good..

[@josiahbailey514]

Fullmetal alchemist brotherhood wasn't my first anime but I watched it after finishing it I thought it was a masterpiece with some of my favorite characters of all time it having the number 1 spot in my top 10 and hundreds of anime later it still holds that spot for me

[@matth3760]

Edward is by far the best shonen/non-shonen anime character ever. It’s something about him, in all of his beliefs, that makes him my absolute most favorite anime character ever. He doesn’t strive to be the strongest; he just strives for knowledge, and that’s something I’ve related to with him more than I ever have any other shonen protagonist character, practically ever. He isn’t without fault of course; but he at least realizes and acknowledges those faults of his. He isn’t some “OVER 9000!!!!!” Overpowered character, and he doesn’t need to be; everything Ed is in FMA ‘03, or FMA Brotherhood, is everything he needs to be altogether. Nothing more, and nothing less. He’s just Ed. That’s all that he needs to be.

[@justtheguywiththewavecheck6244]

Kinda sad that not many people are talking about FMA 2003

[@Auron1Roxas2]

Fullmetal Almchemist Brotherhood is one of, perhaps my favorite animes. It's so uniquely written and philosophical and has such a deep story and themes. I don't think it's a surprise either that the author of such an amazing manga is a woman. Fullmetal Alchemist doesn't have any of it's female characters who are so completely helpless or sexualized. That trope is actually made fun of. The characters are written more believably like they're actual human beings. Most anime characters hardly change and all feel like the same character. Edward for once felt like a real person.

[@artsyafroqueen]

I adore Edward and he’s probably my favorite anime protagonist. Izuku reminds me of him a lot of the time. Not as hotheaded lol but wisdom and ability to deduce a situation and come out on top.

[@steve_exp]

absolute true, it kinda feels like he is just another character. what turns him into a protagonist is just to have his point of view exposed and explored. that is so awesome, when i become a writer, Ed will be a great reference point because of what he represents, not becausr hes powerful and overwhelming

[@Milfuelle100]

Edward and InuYasha have always been my favourite male protagonists in anime and manga. They're both very unique heroes by shonen standards. Edward, for all the reasons you just stated, plus he is very short and emotional. He also doesn't work as a part of a large group - his only constant companion and arguably his only true friend is his brother. Not that Winry isn't a close friends but she's in the background and he almost never involves her in what happens in his life. He and his brother work alone. InuYasha because he used to be a real villain, and he is largely if not purely driven by romantic love. Most shonen male protagonists in action manga and anime do have romantic interests but it plays a very small role (Naruto) or there's basically no romance whatsoever (Luffy and Ichigo.) InuYasha's love for Kikyo is like an open wound that he stops bothering to hide once she's resurrected. She's his sole motivation for wanting Naraku dead and Kagome is his first and main motivation for being a hero and staying a half-demon.

[@Starfish0.]

Full metal alchemist and Inuyasha are my favorite animes! I totally relate to you, and I think Inuyasha is such a great show that didn't get so much attention, but damn it's another master piece, there are so great dramas, stories and complex characters just like in fma. Sesshomaru, Kykyou, Kagura and Kohaku are a few exemples of them. There are no animes that can compare to these two. A unique level of quality.

[@Milfuelle100]

@@Starfish0. I completely agree. 😊

[@irisi.9854]

"Including my favorite anime character: Gon" You have earned my respect.

[@LeoCalderoC]

Is a normal protagonist, the thing is the the plot of the anime and the development that the characters have is what makes a masterpiece

[@civilwarfare101]

Ed in the 2003 version is probably my favorite younger anime character ever. His ideals and what he stands for gets challenged so much throughout the show. In Lab 5, he didn't want to create a Phisopher Stone by giving up all those prisoners but deep down he really wanted to. Then he fought Greed the first time and he didn't have courage to take the extra step and when he fights Greed again, it all comes full circle and he takes Greed's life knowing that he has to do things he doesn't want to do to get what he wants. Its not often I see media with heavy amounts of action that does things like this except for Man of Steel and while I like it, it doesn't pull it off as well as FMA 2003.

[@edwardelric2905]

I like Ed in Brotherhood more but Ed in 03 is fine.

[@Ryan-mech-muffin]

And that is why FMA is one of the best animes of all time. Great video

[@kamakazines4901]

Edward Elric is one of a VERY small few examples of the main protagonist of a show being my favorite character on that show.

[@ngokani22]

gon also breaks the typical shonen protagonist mold

[@GlizzyKami]

"Thanks for watching, please let me know what you thought in the comments down below!" says the description. My first thought is... Brotherhood is better than the original...

[@axemaster8331]

agreed

[@Uhhhhhyeahuhhhh]

It’s not

[@Stroodledoo]

FMA and FMAB in my opinion are both good, though one show may handle something alright, the other one may handle it better (But yeah out of the two I'd say FMAB is better)

[@Azeleen16]

I thought you were going somewhere different with the last point (what you said is true but you also made me realise something that you didn't say) : usually, the hero's goal is to become the best at something and by the very end he achieves that goal, whereas Edward starts as one of the brightest alchemists and therefore powerful characters of the show, and ends it giving away all those powers. As a good shonen hero, he did achieve his goal but he lost what made him so powerful (in the shonen meaning of powerful, obviously he still is very powerful by his will, his capability to adapt or his devotion to others). Thanks for making me realise that !

[@ebea211]

Edward is one of my favourite anime characters. He is such a relatable character in comparison to most shonen protagonists. He has really admirable intentions- unlike other anime main characters eg Asta (wizard king), Naruto (Hokagae) ect. And honestly his whole personality made me watch the whole show to it’s completion🙌🏻

[@xqhf7207]

0:55 this also is shown from the end of the series. His gate of truth resembles his knowledge of the world, as seen in Kato’s video

[@ikutoismyhusbando6857]

indeed edward is a great protagionsist. I could relate to him and also like him and the other characters. But i think the difference is that these stories are fairly different from other typical shonen. It has a a lot of drama. And the characters go through traumatic events. But it's not revolvving around the main character has it's entirety much like dbz. Where Goku is most focused on. Because he gets stronger and beats "bad" guys. Where as Edward has an ambition to get him & Al's body parts back because of a mistake they made. To live a peaceful life. But there are a lot of trials they both face. And it not only focuses on Edward and Al. But focuses on the other characters that are introduced. It also is similar to MHA with deku not being incredibly strong at the beginning. And sees how the other characters grow and become heroes. Which is very motivating. To see someone start at a low and become stronger by his own ambition. That is precisely why i love both Deku & Edward. They grow as characters.

[@CrowTR0bot]

I legit never thought of FMA or Brotherhood as Shounen series precisely because of how thoroughly they break the mold. It wasn't until I saw this video that you finally articulated what I saw but didn't quite comprehend.

[@EatPieNProsper]

I've never seen these differences thoughtfully laid out - and you nailed it. The depth of ed's character and his heartwrenching journey really impacted me. It's been years yet he remains my favorite protagonist of all time. Great video thanks!

[@nikonp5994]

Because life and death have significance in FMA world especially in FMA 2003 version

[@aliahpersonous2893]

What makes me happy, is that to be an Alchemist, you have to be very good at science, chemistry, math, physics, mechanics, just about any academic field required to do their magic properly, And characters like Armstrong are Alchemists.

[@saminawman8335]

Fullmetal Alchemist is my favorite anime of all time and I've been watching it since I was 4 or 3 I can't remember

[@leftonred11]

"avoids conflict" hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... Ed is not the Fullmetal Alchemist, he is the Catch These Hands Alchemist

[@fieratheproud]

I was wondering about that point too nxjxnxjx It's been a while since I either read the manga or watched the anime, but from what I remember Ed was always pretty ready to fight. If I recall, the scene where the thumbnail of this video is from (and also my current icon) is one where Ed and Al deliberately sought out Scar to fight him. Sure they had a motive for it but Ed was very much there to fight. Also, Laboratory 5 and Envy. ...I really need to re-read the manga. The series is re-releasing on my language and I've been collecting the volumes as they come out.

[@WhiteManOnCampus]

I think the point was that he wasn't naturally inclined to combat/conflict. It took training as a state alchemist for Ed to develop the aggression he shows later in the series, which makes sense since he's being trained to be a war machine. When you're introduced to a social stratum that sees violence and intimidation as Plan A, and expected to become part of that, it will definitely change you.

[@fieratheproud]

@@WhiteManOnCampus while you do make a good point, I'm still not quite convinced that that's the case... for every adaptation, at least. I'm mostly familiar with the Manga and Brotherhood, and the scene that was talked about in the video was from the 2003 anime (of which I know the first 12 or so episodes snd the general storyline). This is nowhere to be seen in the Manga or Brotherhood, and I believe the episode was mostly to introduce us to Barry the Chopper, who does appear later in all continuities. In the scene, Ed is down an arm and he's also younger than how he is shown for most of the series (12 rather than 15). So perhaps in the 2003 anime he was indeed trained to be more fight-y by the State Alchemist Program. Although, there is something that I feel still contradicts that a little. A part that was in both the Manga and 2003 anime (but absent in Brotherhood) was when a train that Ed and Al were on got hijacked by some terrorists. In 2003 anime particularly, this takes place when they're on their way to the State Alchemist exam. In the manga it was way after Ed was already a State Alchemist. And Edward definitely fights off the hijackers of his own free will. I believe the anime even framed it as a deliberate set up by Mustang to see if Ed is ready and also to get him to deal with it for him. Another difference between the manga and first anime is the State Alchemist exam itself. In 2003 anime, there were several people there showing off their skills. In the manga, Ed was shown having an audience with the Führer himself. And Edward Elric of course transmutes a spear out of the floor, and then charges right at Bradley just to show that maybe this isn't the best way to conduct this sort of exam. Anyone could try what did and actually mean to kill rather than just be Dramatic. In any case, the manga/Brotherhood Ed at the very least feels every bit as Fight Me at every point of his life that we get to see. Of course, I am working off of more than a year old memories of Brotherhood and even older memories of the Manga so I might still be off.

[@bunnys9704]

The thing about his goal that i really love is that it comes from his personal flaw. Often protagonists have some kind of "outside" trauma that happened to them, but they were innocent. Not the case with Elrics. It was their own flaws and the sin they commited that led to their accident. They have to come to term with that and face their regrets. Its not the boring "I wasnt able to protect someone so i need to be stronger" cliche.

[@awkwardsquirtle]

Edward is the most relatable protagonist imo

[@MontageLegacy]

That is why it is so hard to find other anime that are similar. As an intelligent main character that relies on science/his own knowledge.

[@catspaw3092]

Ed's greatest strength is his wisdom he thinks on his feet if he doesn't have a plan he is cool, a badass when I first watched Fullmetal it took hold of me I fell in love with this anime even today I still love it. Especially the relationship between Ed & Al & even the Humunkuli.

[@WillOfMyD]

Bro, FMA is the best anime ever. I love One Piece & the Dragon Ball franchise (exceptions being evolution & super), but FMA is just beast.

[@hi00118]

I think it still fits with Edwards ambitions not being “lofty” if you think about it as he wants to save his brother and himself. Nothing relating to saving the entire world (at least not at first), or obtaining power for powers sake. Just a goal of protecting his brother and himself

[@rainespells1273]

Fr lol it really didn’t occur to them until they got out from the homunculi lair. Al realized it just doesn’t end with him getting his body back. He still had to eat Winry’s baking.. Ed still wanted to go see his granny and teacher.. and for these seemingly insignificant reasons they need to save the world and protect the status quo while toppling the military state.

[@ChiakiHatori]

Honestly this is my favorite Anime, I loved how realistic the emotions felt and it was heartbreaking to see the Elric brothers struggles throughout. I absolutely agree and I do prefer Edward as the smart prodigy instead of a power house, same with Light Yagami ( Death Note ), it's more interesting to see the mind work than muscles but that's just my preference. Another character that is similarly unique is Kei Nagai from Ajin, he's more of an Anti-hero and struggles with being less emphatic than others.

[@mihaildoychinov4561]

I love how the Elric bros. start out by wanting to obtain the philosopher’s stone but give up on that after realising what it’s made of

[@goduzamaki4118]

Spoil me bro, what's it made of?

[@maryammuhib]

@@goduzamaki4118 **WARNING TO ANYONE ELSE WHO MIGHT READ THIS: ACTUAL SPOILERS** It's made from collecting human souls-basically mass genocide. Meaning if the Elric brothers ever wanted to make one, they'd have to kill like 50 people.

[@evgenkhersonets880]

I think it's because Ed and Al aren't main heroes of the story, they are secondary. Hoenheim and Mustang are main

[@teamcybr8375]

Alright mate, you've earned my sub.

[@TheWorldPillow]

Oh... Now I really want to rewatch this. Ed and Al, somehow, in my childhood became real to me. Now, looking back, I think I can see why. They are just so incredibly human.

[@ismeyaboi3366]

i personally think that FMA and FMAB dont get enough credit they deserv

[@vishnueashwar]

I like how the power scaling remiand almost the same throughout

[@nicobones9608]

The original Fullmetal Alchemist anime was an absolute masterpiece, for the reasons you explained in the video and more.

[@thedestroyer3471]

Nico Bones agreed even though I do prefer brotherhood I hate it when people act like the original is trash it's still an amazing anime and better than 95% present of other anime out there

[@sashaisbest811]

My #1 favorite show

[@deidaraakun]

As much as I love luffy, Edward will probably always be my ult fav protagonist. He's just so human and it's beautiful.

[@azo5177]

For these reasons I love FMA and Edward Elric, good video sir

[@0XBlondie96X0]

I knew there was a reason Ed was my favorite character.

[@namenom9524]

I love this anime, i never watched it before, and i regret not too but at the same time I'm happy i could watch it now

[@robotboy1722]

The most relatable Characters to me are Edward Elric, Aang From Avatar, and Jim Hawkins from Treasure planet.

[@charlotteharris8907]

Basically everything you’ve just said is why I absolutely love fma and Edward Elric

[@mumbalig2092]

Put an F in the comments Hughes

[@eatcheese8soup]

How do you not have more subscribers? You put so much effort into your videos.

[@rixku3358]

This is why FMA(B) will never die in my soul.

[@ChaosofMindZX]

Edd is one of the most human protagonists ever made and my favorite