# List of Fullmetal Alchemist episodes

**Fullmetal Alchemist** (鋼の錬金術師, *Hagane no Renkinjutsushi*) exists as two separate anime episode lists: the 2003 series of 51 episodes aired October 4, 2003 to October 2, 2004, and *Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood* (鋼の錬金術師 FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST) of 64 episodes aired April 5, 2009 to July 4, 2010.<sup>[1](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=2960)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://myanimelist.net/anime/5114/Fullmetal_Alchemist__Brotherhood)</sup> The two are not sequels; they are two separate adaptations that both start in the same time and era, and the 2003 series concluded with an original ending at the request of [Hiromu Arakawa](https://www.edgepedia.org/hiromu-arakawa).<sup>[3](https://outsidergaming.com/how-to-watch-fullmetal-alchemist-in-order-the-definitive-guide/)</sup>

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| 2003 series | 51 episodes of 24 minutes, aired 2003-10-04 to 2004-10-02 in Japan<sup>[1](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=2960)</sup> |
| Brotherhood | 64 episodes, aired April 5, 2009 to July 4, 2010, Sundays at 17:00 JST<sup>[2](https://myanimelist.net/anime/5114/Fullmetal_Alchemist__Brotherhood)</sup> |
| Divergence point | The 2003 series deviates from the manga from episode 29 through 51, with an original ending requested by mangaka Hiromu Arakawa<sup>[3](https://outsidergaming.com/how-to-watch-fullmetal-alchemist-in-order-the-definitive-guide/)</sup> |
| Filler count (disputed) | AnimeFillerList reports 3 filler episodes (4, 10, 37), a 6% filler rate; MyAnimeList marks 25 episodes as filler<sup>[4](https://www.animefillerlist.com/shows/fullmetal-alchemist)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[5](https://myanimelist.net/anime/121/Fullmetal_Alchemist/episode)</sup> |
| OVAs and film | Five 2003-series OVAs ('Chibi Party', 'Kids', 'Live Action', 'Alchemist vs. Homunculi', 'Reflections') and the film *Conqueror of Shamballa* were released after the series ended<sup>[3](https://outsidergaming.com/how-to-watch-fullmetal-alchemist-in-order-the-definitive-guide/)</sup> |
| US broadcast | 2004-11-06 to 2006-03-18 per Anime News Network; France from February 10 to April 21, 2005<sup>[1](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=2960)</sup> |
| Community rating | ANN user arithmetic mean 8.719 (Bayesian estimate 8.636, rank #34 of 8145); 23,900 users saw it in part or whole<sup>[1](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=2960)</sup> |

## Fullmetal Alchemist (2003 series)

The 2003 series, listed by [Anime News Network](https://www.edgepedia.org/anime-news-network) under the Japanese title *Hagane no Renkinjutsushi* (鋼の錬金術師; Korean 강철의 연금술사), ran 51 episodes of 24 minutes each from October 4, 2003 to October 2, 2004.<sup>[1](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=2960)</sup> Episode 1 is "To Challenge the Sun" (太陽に挑む者) and episode 51 is "Laws and Promises / Munich 1921" (ミュンヘン1921).<sup>[5](https://myanimelist.net/anime/121/Fullmetal_Alchemist/episode)</sup> Because of the short length of the series, it has no seasons.<sup>[3](https://outsidergaming.com/how-to-watch-fullmetal-alchemist-in-order-the-definitive-guide/)</sup>

**Canon and filler classification.** The series follows the manga for roughly its first half, then deviates from the manga storyline from episodes 29 through 51, ending with anime-original material.<sup>[3](https://outsidergaming.com/how-to-watch-fullmetal-alchemist-in-order-the-definitive-guide/)</sup> How the episodes divide is disputed between databases. AnimeFillerList classifies episodes 1-3, 5-7, 9, 13-15, 17-20, 23, 25-28, and 33-34 as manga canon, episodes 4, 10, and 37 as filler (a 6% filler rate), and the remainder, including most of the post-divergence run, as "anime canon" rather than filler.<sup>[4](https://www.animefillerlist.com/shows/fullmetal-alchemist)</sup> [MyAnimeList](https://www.edgepedia.org/myanimelist) applies a broader filler marking, listing episodes 4, 10, 11-12, 21-22, 29-33, 35-38, and 41-50 as filler.<sup>[5](https://myanimelist.net/anime/121/Fullmetal_Alchemist/episode)</sup>

## Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

*Brotherhood* is a separate adaptation rather than a continuation of the 2003 series; both series begin in the same era.<sup>[2](https://myanimelist.net/anime/5114/Fullmetal_Alchemist__Brotherhood)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://outsidergaming.com/how-to-watch-fullmetal-alchemist-in-order-the-definitive-guide/)</sup> It ran 64 episodes from April 5, 2009 to July 4, 2010, broadcasting Sundays at 17:00 JST.<sup>[2](https://myanimelist.net/anime/5114/Fullmetal_Alchemist__Brotherhood)</sup>

## Original video animations and specials

Five OVAs belong to the 2003 series: "Chibi Party", "Kids", "Live Action", "Alchemist vs. Homunculi", and "Reflections". They and the concluding film *[Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa](https://www.edgepedia.org/fullmetal-alchemist-the-movie-conqueror-of-shamballa)* were all released after the television series ended.<sup>[3](https://outsidergaming.com/how-to-watch-fullmetal-alchemist-in-order-the-definitive-guide/)</sup>

## Music and episode themes

The 2003 series used five opening themes: "Melissa" by [Porno Graffitti](https://www.edgepedia.org/porno-graffitti) (episode 1), "Kesenai Tsumi" ("Indelible Sin") by Nana Kitade (episodes 2-13), "Tobira no Mukō e" by YeLLOW Generation (episodes 14-24), "Motherland" by Crystal Kay (episodes 26-41), and "I Will" by Sowelu (episodes 42-50).<sup>[1](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=2960)</sup>

*Brotherhood* used five opening themes: "again" by YUI (episodes 1-14), "Hologram" by NICO Touches the Walls (episodes 15-26), "Golden Time Lover" (ゴールデンタイムラバー) by Sukima Switch (episodes 27-38), "Period" by Chemistry (episodes 39-50), and "Rain" (レイン) by SID (episodes 51-62).<sup>[2](https://myanimelist.net/anime/5114/Fullmetal_Alchemist__Brotherhood)</sup> Its ending themes included "Uso" (嘘) by SID (episodes 1-14), "LET IT OUT" by Miho Fukuhara (episodes 15-26), "Tsunaida Te" (つないだ手) by Lil'B (episodes 27-38), "Shunkan Sentimental" (瞬間センチメンタル) by SCANDAL (episodes 39-50), "RAY OF LIGHT" by Nakagawa Shouko (episodes 51-62), and "Rain" by SID again for episode 63.<sup>[2](https://myanimelist.net/anime/5114/Fullmetal_Alchemist__Brotherhood)</sup>

## How the two series compare

By the numbers, the 2003 series is shorter (51 episodes against 64) and carries the heavier original-story burden, since its final 23 episodes depart from the manga.<sup>[1](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=2960)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://myanimelist.net/anime/5114/Fullmetal_Alchemist__Brotherhood)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://outsidergaming.com/how-to-watch-fullmetal-alchemist-in-order-the-definitive-guide/)</sup> On Anime News Network's user statistics the 2003 series holds an arithmetic mean rating of 8.719 (weighted mean 8.637, Bayesian estimate 8.636, rank #34 of 8145), with 23,900 users having seen it in part or whole.<sup>[1](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=2960)</sup>

Community ratings on MyAnimeList single out particular 2003-series episodes: episode 7, "Night of the Chimera's Cry" (合成獣が哭く夜, aired November 15, 2003), carries a vote average of 4.6 with 127 replies, and episodes 22 ("Created Human", 造られた人間) and 25 ("Words of Farewell") each average 4.7.<sup>[5](https://myanimelist.net/anime/121/Fullmetal_Alchemist/episode)</sup> The finale, "Munich 1921", draws the list's highest reply count at 182.<sup>[5](https://myanimelist.net/anime/121/Fullmetal_Alchemist/episode)</sup> These are viewer votes, not professional critical assessments.

## International broadcast

Anime News Network records the 2003 series' United States broadcast as running from November 6, 2004 to March 18, 2006, and a French broadcast from February 10 to April 21, 2005.<sup>[1](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=2960)</sup>

## References

1. [Fullmetal Alchemist (TV), Anime News Network Encyclopedia](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=2960)
2. [Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (TV 2009), MyAnimeList](https://myanimelist.net/anime/5114/Fullmetal_Alchemist__Brotherhood)
3. [How to Watch Fullmetal Alchemist in Order: The Definitive Guide, Outsider Gaming](https://outsidergaming.com/how-to-watch-fullmetal-alchemist-in-order-the-definitive-guide/)
4. [Fullmetal Alchemist Filler List, AnimeFillerList](https://www.animefillerlist.com/shows/fullmetal-alchemist)
5. [Fullmetal Alchemist - Episodes, MyAnimeList](https://myanimelist.net/anime/121/Fullmetal_Alchemist/episode)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Anime and manga › Anime series, episodes, and franchises › Anime episode lists and season guides*

*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*

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