How to watch Fullmetal Alchemist and Brotherhood in order

We are, of course, talking about Fullmetal Alchemist and Brotherhood.

Following the protagonist brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric, the two lose their mother and thus attempt to do everything in their power to bring her back.

This leads to unexpected and brutal consequences: Edward loses two of his limbs, whereas Alphonse loses everything except his soul, forcing Edward to bind it into a suit of armour in an effort not to lose his brother for good.

There's plenty of whimsy in Fullmetal Alchemist, but be warned: this anime isn't suitable for children and there are plenty of gruesome plot twists involved.

If that doesn't put you off, though, and you want to jump right into the series, we've compiled a list of everything you need to know on how to watch Fullmetal Alchemist and Brotherhood in order.

What's the difference between Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood?

They're two sides of the same coin: Fullmetal Alchemist is the original anime release, whereas Brotherhood is a retelling of the same story.

Brotherhood is widely regarded as the more faithful adaptation of the manga and includes numerous battles, encounters and plots that the original does not. For die-hard fans of the story, Brotherhood is probably your best option.

For those who don't mind a little padding here and there, including a latter half that treads its own path away from the manga, the original Fullmetal Alchemist series is all yours.

How to watch Fullmetal Alchemist based on release date

Luckily, there's a very clear difference between the two adaptations. The Brotherhood rendition is marked in every release, so it's rather hard to miss. If you're thinking about watching both the original and retelling of the story, you can do so one after the other.

• Fullmetal Alchemist (2003)
• Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa (2003)
• Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009)
• Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Special: The Blind Alchemist (2009)
• Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Special: Simple People (2009)
• Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Special: The Tale of Teacher (2010)
• Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Special: Yet Another Man’s Battlefield (2010)
• Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos (2011)

Does Fullmetal Alchemist have filler?

The original series only includes a few episodes you should feel safe skipping. They include:

• Episode 4 - A Forger's Love
• Episode 10 - The Phantom Thief
• Episode 37 - The Flame Alchemist, the Bachelor Lieutenant & the Mystery of Warehouse 13

Apart from the aforementioned, it's relatively story-based, and anything you do miss will have a knock-on effect on the rest of the series.

Brotherhood's episode 27 is the only filler in the entire saga and acts as an interlude between battles. Overall, it's a very story-driven anime, so if you like your pacing fast and epic, you'll enjoy Fullmetal Alchemist.

How to watch Fullmetal Alchemist in the UK

If you're okay with a physical copy, you can order the original series from Zavvi for £29.99 as it's not available to stream. You can also purchase the original series on Amazon for a little under £30.

Currently, the only place to watch Fullmetal Alchemist online is on Funimation. That being said, it only holds the Brotherhood main series and none of the specials.

You can also pick up the specials, available for £22.10 on Amazon. However, this is only available on DVD, as it's currently unavailable on Blu-ray.

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