The action anime series Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood takes place in a steampunk fantasy w0rld, and in the nation of Amestris, powerful alchemy is often the deciding factor in battle. State Alchemists such as Edward Elric, Alex Armstrong, and Roy Mustang are vital in the fight against evil, such as Father and his seven homunculus minions.
Just how powerful is Roy Mustang, the famed Flame Alchemist? He wears gloves with transmutation circles, including the mark of a salamander, and he can slap his fingers to launch fiery attacks. With his right hand, he flings huge fireballs, and his left hand can make small, concentrated attacks, such as vaporizing the moisture in someone's eyeballs (ouch). Roy is a powerful alchemist, but in the larger anime world, he's got some fierce competition. So, who are five anime characters Roy could take in a fight, and which five would douse his flames for good?
10 Can Defeat: Izuku Midoriya (My Hero Academia)
What's this? How can Roy Mustang take on the melee master known as Deku, who wields One For All? It's true that in a fistfight, Izuku would smear Roy across the walls. But the Flame Alchemist won't let it come to that.
Roy is powerful not only because of his frontal assaults but his pinpoint accuracy. As Envy noticed (too late), this means Roy has no blind spots. If Izuku were to issue a challenge, Roy could vaporize Izuku's eyes with a snap, crippling him. Then a fireball would finish him. Well, that was quick.
9 Can't Defeat: Jean-Pierre Polanreff (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)
Polanareff may be a mortal man like Izuku or Roy, but he's not alone. His stand, Silver Chariot, is a fencing master, and its sword can slice right through flames and scatter them, as demonstrated in the duel against Avdol early in Stardust Crusaders.
If it's two on one, Roy has to pick his targets, and he will probably aim for the stand first. But Silver Chariot is fast, and it can cut through Roy's flames and deal a devastating blow against its alchemist opponent. By that point, Roy needs to retreat, or he'll get carved up like a turkey.
8 Can Defeat: Renji Abarai (Bleach)
This redhead is a supporting character, and he started off as a villain until he joined Ichigo's team to rescue Rukia and later, Orihime, too. Renji's zanpakuto's shikai allows it to extend into a sort of bladed whip, and its bankai, Hihio Zabimaru, is a bony snake that can launch ranged attacks, as well as melee attacks.
This is impressive stuff, but Roy can handle it. Roy's own fire can neutralize Renji's ranged attacks, and his pinpoint vaporization attacks can cripple his opponent. Not only that, but his fire can twist all over the battlefield and strike from unexpected angles, forcing Renji on the defensive. Roy can just hammer away at Zabimaru until it gives out, and nail Renji with a finishing blow.
7 Can't Defeat: Genos (One-Punch Man)
This is a case of fighting fire with fire, and we've got to give the edge to the cyborg. Genos has a bad habit of taking his enemies a bit too lightly, but his firepower is devastating, and he became an S-ranked hero right away in his career. That's incredible.
Combine that with his automated reflexes and aim, and his lack of organic eyeballs for Roy to vaporize, and you get a metal man who can pound Roy into submission. His firepower is just as great, if not stronger, and his endurance and reflexes are far superior. Roy is finished.
6 Can Defeat: Arthur (Fire Force)
It's fire vs fire once again, and this time, Roy comes out on top. Like most firefighters, Arthur can control flames, and he likes to condense powerful blue flames onto his hilt to form a lightsaber of sorts. He's tougher than he looks, and his training is coming along nicely.
But against Roy Mustang, forget it. He can dodge some fire attacks from the Flame Alchemist, but not all of them, and he has zero defenses against Roy's pinpoint vaporization technique. We find it unlikely that Arthur could even get close to Roy to deliver an attack, even if he got some more training. Stick to Infernals, Arthur, if you please!
5 Can't Defeat: Sosuke Aizen (Bleach)
Our second Bleach character is certainly going to turn the tables on our rampaging Flame Alchemist. Former Captain Sosuke Aizen wields terrifying power, from his crushing spiritual pressure to his astonishing speed and swordsmanship.
He can also wield kido, such as the Black Coffin, but most fearsome of all is his shikai, Kyoka Suigetsu. It creates total hypnosis on anyone who sees it, and he can sustain these illusions for years and involve multiple victims. Roy doesn't have the faintest defense against this, and cutting him down would be too easy.
4 Can Defeat: Naofumi Iwatani (The Rising of the Shield Hero)
Poor Naofumi. He wields various shields at the expense of weapons since he's supposed to be part of a team. He makes the most of this, but when dueling other anime characters, he'd better hope that his shields can endure their counter-attacks so he can retaliate with some special shield techniques.
This will work against some people, but not Roy Mustang! Roy's repeated flame attacks will wear down Naofumi's defenses, and once they're breached, another fireball will turn the Shield Hero to ashes. If Roy is feeling cautious, he could even vaporize Naofumi's eyes first.
3 Can't Defeat: Princess Hibana (Fire Force)
With so many flame-based characters in Fire Force, it would be a shame not to include a second one on this list. Now Roy is matched up against Princess Hibana, the captain of the 5th firefighter company. And she's a whole different animal than Arthur.
Being a third-generation pyrokinetic, Hibana can create flower-shaped flames and devastate her foes, and she would more or less match Roy in sheer firepower. But she's got an extra edge: she can alter a person's body temperature and cripple them via heat syncope. Roy would be paralyzed and flat on his back, and Hibana could finish him without fear of retaliation.
2 Can Defeat: Tomura Shigaraki (My Hero Academia)
Our second My Hero Academia character won't fare any better than the first when matched up against Roy Mustang. Tomura can decay anything that his hands touch, should he use all five fingers, and this can potentially kill anyone. He is even the successor of the fearsome All For One.
His hands could decay Roy's flames as they come, but he cannot cover every angle at once. Tomura would have his hands full (literally) with frontal attacks, and Roy can send more flames to flank him and pound him flat. If need be, Roy could use his vaporization attack on Tomura's tongue, causing extreme pain and thus lowering whatever defenses Tomura may have.
1 Can't Defeat: Rimuru Tempest (That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime)
Let's be honest: who can defeat the hero slime known as Rimuru Tempest? His main asset is that he's clever and open-minded, and he can make any technique or ability his own via Predator. He's absorbed all kinds of monsters and magic, and he's an entire army in one.
Roy can deliver some hard-hitting firepower, and Rimuru Tempest would definitely have to take him seriously. But once he does, Roy's in trouble. Rimuru can counter with his own flames, use water and lightning attacks, morph into Veldora the dragon, use steel spider webs... the options are endless. This battle will end with Roy Mustang becoming Rimuru's latest Predator meal for sure.