Fullmetal Alchemist Alchemy

From Anime Indepth

Fullmetal Alchemist

In Fullmetal Alchemist a major element in the story line is Alchemy, their science of changing one substance to another. Alchemy has three steps to perform a transmutation (a successful change of matter). The first step is understanding in which a person understands the molecular composition of an object. The second step is decomposition in which all bonds in the substance are broken through the use of alchemical energy and the final step is reconstruction in which those atoms are reconstructed into something new. Very good alchemists can also change the atom's element into something different too.

1 Alchemical Light
2 Source of Alchemical Energy
3 Alchemy Array Components
4 Alchemy Arrays

Alchemical Light

There are various lights associated with transmutations. The first being yellow light. That is the most common amoung alchemists. Yellow light is associated with transmutations done through circles not on a person or on an article of clothing being worn. The second light is purple which occurs when people do a general transmutation with a circle tattooed on them or on an article of clothing being worn. The third type of light is blue which only happens when an alchemist has seen "The Truth" beyond The Gate. The final light is red which shines when a person is doing alchemy powered by the real (or fake) Philosopher's stone by bypassing The Gate altogether and supplying your own source for transmutation energy). Other colored light comes up when a person a proficient at one aspect of alchemy like flames does a transmutation (orange for being good at flames, green for being good with plants)

Source of Alchemical Energy

Alchemy requires energy for the transmutations to take place. In the anime, this energy comes exclusively from human lives. This can be generated either from the lives of the deceased in our world passing into the world of FMA through a portal called "The Gate", or by lives in the FMA world trans mutated into crystallized energy, oftentimes called the philosopher's stone. As using energy from the gate requires following the laws of equivalent exchange, almost all alchemists would prefer to use the Philosopher's Stone, which, by bypassing the gate, also bypasses the laws of alchemy. In the manga this is slightly different. Energy in the country of Amestris is supplied by the lives taken by the countless wars, although many alchemists falsely believe that the energy comes from minute shifts in the planets tectonic plates. However, in the neighboring country of Xing, alchemy is powered by utilizing a different, and as of now undisclosed source.

Alchemy Array Components

As seen below each alchemy array is different but many of them incorporate real life symbols into them sheding light as to what their meaning might be. Below are some symbol that commonly appear in the transmutation circles and what they represent.

This represents fire	This represents fire	This represents earth
This represents earth	This also represents air	This represents creation
This represents death	This represents water

Alchemy Arrays

Transmutation Circles are used by almost every alchemist to perform alchemy. They vary in shape and design. Many have differing designs but have the same purpose. Though some circles do perform specific functions that other can not most of the circles pretty much allow the user the alter anything they have the power to change. The circles in red represent arrays that will only be done in blood. Below is an almost complete list of the arrays seen in the series, check out the contest news on the home page to find out about the on going array contest.

This array is used by Edward to seal Alphonse's soul to armor	This Array is used by the military to bind Barry the Chopper's soul to armor	This array is used by the military to bind one of the Slicer Brother's soul to armor
This array is used by the military to bind one of the Slicer Brother's soul to armor	This Transmutation circle is used by Alphonse to alchemize various things	Edward used this circle when he is young to alchemize anything
This array is the first used by the Elric Brothers	This array is seen during the National Alchemist qualifing exam to make a hydrogen balloon	Alexander Armstong uses this circle on his gauntlet to create projectiles. The array on his other hand is different, but only slightly
This Array is used by Fletcher Tringham to alchemize plants	Layla Uses this circle on her necklace to create a powerful showckwave	Two different versions of this array appear of this during the series. This is the most seen one. The array is used to create humans
The Theif Psiren uses this circle, tatooed on her chest, to manipulate water and cards	Ex-state Alchemist Tim Marco uses this in an attempt to kill lust by impaling her	This circle, appearing on Roy Mustiang's glove is used to create and manipulate flames
Russel Tringham uses this circle to alchemize walls and plants	Lujon uses this circle to try to cure the fossil disease	After Obtaining the philsophers stone, lujon uses this circle to cure fossil disease
The alchemist Majhal uses this array on his wristband to do many things	Dante uses this circle to control The Gate	This array is used to drain a homunculus of it's extra lives as well as paralyze it
This circle is tatooed around Scar's Arm. It is used to created the Philsophers stone as well as break all the atomic bonds in an object	Kimbly's Circles are used to transmutate matter into unstable forms so that they detonate
This array is used to denote homunculus (humans created with alchemy, check episode three or four closely). This array also doubles as a means to alter the mind of a homunculus	Roy uses this array to weld King Bradley's cellar door together, starting the final showdown.	The leader of the mercenary team uses a backpack that projects this array onto the ground surrounding him. The circle is used to create ball lightning.
General Gran uses this circle the change his metal glove into whatever he wants (guns and the like)	This is the circle Ed uses to bring Al back to life and to send himself to the other side of the gate	This is one of many array's that Shou Tucker uses to create chimeras
This is one of many array's that Shou Tucker uses to create chimeras	This is one of many array's that Shou Tucker uses to create chimeras	This is one of many array's that Shou Tucker uses to create chimeras
This is one of many array's that Shou Tucker uses to create chimeras	This is one of many array's that Shou Tucker uses to create chimeras	This is one of many array's that Shou Tucker uses to create chimeras. A variant of this is used by the Military to create chimeras during the Ishball Massacre.
During the Rush Vally Auto-Mail Arm wrestling competition the referee uses this to breake the table on which the people play	One of the guards who guards the fifth Labratory during the Ishball Massacre has this to bind his soul to armor