Hiromu Arakawa's action fantasy series Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is brimming with important symbology and real-life references to religion, mythology, alchemy, and more, and all this research has certainly paid off. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a tale of adventure, the follies of mankind, ambition, conspiracy, and the innate goodness of humanity.

Along the way, the main characters learn all kinds of lessons about themselves and each other, and the world of Amestris is richly fleshed out during the Elric brother's journey. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a treat for anyone who enjoys these things, and there's plenty to learn, including the secrets of this show's arcane symbols and logos.

Updated on October 25, 2023, by Ajay Aravind: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is a mega-popular franchise that will be relevant for years to come. New fans and longtime fans alike will want to know about the secrets behind the symbols and logos featured in the series, so we've revamped this list with even more information.

10 The Amestris State Flag Depicts A Dragon On A Green Field

The Amestris State Flag in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

How Fullmetal Alchemist’s Most Horrific Scene Became a Beloved Anime MemeFirst Appearance:

  • Episode 1, "Fullmetal Alchemist"
  • Opening sequence

Not a lot is explained about the national flag of Amestris, but some educated guesses can be made. It depicts a dragon on a green field, and most likely, the dragon represents the aggressive ways of this nation. Amestris is an autocratic military state, where the army and big government are intertwined.

Often, white is a color representing purity, but it can also represent death, such as human bones. The "Death" Horseman of the Apocalypse rides on a white horse, after all. This dragon's tail forms a loop, possibly alluding to how important transmutation circles are in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

9 The Ouroboros Represents Eternity And Immortality

The Ouroboros symbol in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

First Appearance:

  • Episode 1, "Fullmetal Alchemist"
  • Opening sequence

Only the homunculi bear the Ouroboros symbol, and it gives away their homunculus status. Greed's, as pictured, is on the back of his left hand, Gluttony has one on his tongue, and Wrath's symbol is on his left eye. Meanwhile, Lust's Ouroboros is on her chest, signifying her epithet.

The Ouroborus, according to real-life symbology, represents immortality and eternity, since it is eating its own tail and thus creating an infinite loop. The homunculi are not truly immortal, but they can outlive humans due to the Philosopher's Stones within them. In other words, they are tools of Father's ambition to become an immortal god.

8 The Flamel Resembles Both The Caduceus And The Rod Of Asclepius

The Flamel symbol in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

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First Appearance:

  • Episode 1, "Fullmetal Alchemist"
  • Opening sequence

The Flamel is the symbol that appears on the back of Edward Elric's distinctive red coat. This cross has a snake draped on it, along with detached wings and a crown. This symbol represents the real-life Nicholas Flamel's relationship to alchemy.

The Flamel symbol also has a superficial resemblance to the Greek Rod of Asclepius, associated with medicine in ancient Greece. It's also somewhat similar to the Greek Caduceus, the symbol of the Greek god Hermes (who controls alchemy). Izumi Curtis, the Elric brothers' teacher, has this symbol tattooed on her chest.

7 Roy Mustang's Transmutation Circle Incorporates A Salamander

Roy Mustang's transmutation circle in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

First Appearance:

  • Episode 1, "Fullmetal Alchemist"
  • Opening sequence

Colonel Roy Mustang is an extraordinary alchemist, being able to snap his fingers to generate heat and flames in any shape or pattern. To do this, Roy has a unique transmutation circle on his glove that shows a triangle, a stylized flame, and a salamander. Roy presumably learned this transmutation circle from his mentor, Berthold Hawkeye.

In medieval Europe, salamanders were associated with fire, and this motif appears often in fiction both old and new. For instance, Pokémon's Charmander is a fire lizard. The words "charred" and "salamander" are combined together to create the name "Charmander." All things considered, Roy Mustang is the only known fire alchemist in FMA: Brotherhood.

6 Kimblee's Transmutation Circle Is Split Between His Two Palms

Kimblee's transmutation circle in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

First Appearance

  • Episode 8, "The Fifth Library"
  • During a conversation between Kimblee and the prison guard

Solf J. Kimblee has to clap his hands to use alchemy, and his circle is split in half on each palm. The sun symbol on his right hand represents gold, and the moon symbol on his left hand stands for silver. Gold and silver are both precious metals often associated with medieval alchemy.

The triangles in Kimblee's transmutation circles are important, too: the upward triangle is symbolic of fire, and the downward-facing triangle represents water. When the symbols on each hand are put together, they form a hexagram. This action means that Kimblee's explosive alchemy is ready to implode.

5 The Blood Seal May Represent The Duality Of Mind And Body

Alphonse Elric's blood seal in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

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  • Episode 2, "The First Day"
  • Flashback sequence

Alphonse Elric is very careful to protect this transmutation circle. In a moment of desperation after committing alchemy's ultimate taboo — human transmutation — a young Edward used his own blood to write it, and this bound Al's soul to armor with advanced alchemy. However, it was only a short-term plan because the blood seal wasn't supposed to hold for long.

This blood seal may represent the real-life philosophy that a human life has two distinct parts: the body and the mind, or the soul. Some could argue that killing the body does not kill the mind, and to be sure, Alphonse is a fine metaphor for that. The blood seal only deactivates when Alphonse sacrifices himself to restore his brother's lost arm.

4 The Gate Of Truth Is Based On The Kabbalistic Tree Of Life

The Gate of Truth in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

First Appearance

  • Episode 2, "The First Day"
  • Flashback sequence

Edward comes face to face with Truth whenever he performs human alchemy: once as a child, and once to escape Gluttony's stomach realm. Each time, he finds himself in a white void that features this door, which is oozing with symbolic meaning. In particular, it refers to the mystical branch of Judaism known as the Kabbalah.

The Gate of Truth is based on the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, and in Ed's case, the tree has a crown or a "keter." This tree's roots represent the most mundane and earthly aspect of trying to reach godhood, and the top represents the divine. The circles also describe aspects of Ed's being and God, in Hebrew and in Latin, such as Filius ("son") and El Pater ("God").

3 Alkahestry & Alchemy Both Originate From The Same Power Source

An alkahestry symbol in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

First Introduction

  • Episode 2, "The First Day"

The notes of Scar's deceased brother show an experimental combination of alchemy and alkahestry, purportedly capable of neutralizing Father's hold on Amestris. Alkahestry, which originates from Xing, is based on pentagrams rather than hexagrams. The star within is often symbolic of the human body in real life — for example, Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man.

Scar's brother realized that neither alchemy nor alkahestry represented the sum of the world's power, and attempted to reconcile them. Scar's arm tattoos, which enable alchemy, also have alkahestry symbology in them. Interestingly enough, it was Van Hohenheim who taught the people of Xing how to use alkahestry.

2 The Sun & Moon Appear In Xerxesian Alchemical Symbology

The Sun and Moon symbol in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.

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First Appearance

  • Episode 18, "The Arrogant Palm Of A Small Human"
  • The Ruins of Xerxes

The ancient Xerxes people of the great desert had some symbology to offer, too. Ed finds these ruins both in Xerxes itself and inside Gluttony's stomach, and he soon divines their meaning. According to him, the sun represents the human soul, while the moon stands for the mind.

Meanwhile, the stone itself is the human body. All of these facets add up to a human transmutation circle, and Ed is not happy to see that. Ed also notes that the lion is eating the sun, representing the attainment of the Philosopher's Stone and, therefore, immortality.

1 Alex Armstrong's Has Two Copies Of His Transmutation Circle

First Appearance:

  • Episode 1, "Fullmetal Alchemist"
  • Opening sequence

Major Alex Armstrong has two copies of his transmutation circle, one on each armored gauntlet. He strikes the gauntlets together to activate his own brand of alchemy. Inside each triangle is the word for "God," as seen on the Xerxes human transmutation circle.

There appears to be Germanic text circling the symbols, which is easier to see in the Fullmetal Alchemist manga. The text changes at some point, but it's not clear if that's from an artistic oversight or if Armstrong really did change the writing. That said, Major Armstrong certainly makes good use of his Strongarm Alchemy.

Edward and Alphonse Elric in Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood Anime Poster
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
TV-14
Action
Adventure
Drama
Fantasy

Original title: Hagane no renkinjutsushi.
When a failed alchemical ritual leaves brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric with severely damaged bodies, they begin searching for the one thing that can save them: the fabled philosopher's stone.

Release Date
April 9, 2009
Cast
Romi Pak , Rie Kugimiya , Shinichirô Miki , Fumiko Orikasa
Main Genre
Anime
Seasons
1