Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood's co-stars are the brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric, and between them, Edward is the more prominent character whose decisions have the greatest impact on the story. After all, the anime's title refers to Edward's automail arm and leg: he is the Fullmetal Alchemist.
In some ways, Edward is a standard but lovable shonen hero, with classic traits like his incredible courage and grit in battle, his kind and empathetic heart, and his clever underdog tactics in battle. He's also a gifted scientist with a short temper, especially with regard to his height, making him a standout among shonen stars. He may also remind viewers of a handful of other anime characters.
10 Tenya Ida Is Brilliant But High-Strung Like Edward (My Hero Academia)
Tenya Ida is a runner, and his fighting style is based on speed rather than alchemy, which sets him apart from Edward Elric. Otherwise, though, these two characters have some remarkable overlap, including their high-strung personalities and their rather short tempers. Tenya is known for fussing at troublemakers quite often.
Tenya does mean well, though, and he has a strong sense of responsibility. And like Edward, he's a very smart fellow, getting good grades at school while also having bookshelves packed with advanced volumes that impressed Ochaco Uraraka. Ed wouldn't mind reading them, too.
9 Joseph Joestar Is A Clever Prankster Who Annoys People (JoJo's Bizarre Adventure)
Joseph Joestar was the star of the Battle Tendency story arc, and even in his 60s in Stardust Crusaders, he was still a clever and funny action hero who always had a trick to get out of trouble. He's famous for saying "You may have outsmarted me, but I outsmarted your outsmarting!"
That's something Edward Elric would say, and both characters are known for using their brainpower over brute force to defeat most of their foes (though they do have formidable strength, too). Both characters are also rather outgoing and are prone to forming rivalries or petty grudges.
8 Vulcan Joseph Is Brilliant But Operates Independently (Fire Force)
When he was first introduced, the brilliant tinkerer Vulcan was a lot like Edward Elric, since he has a sharp mind for science but doesn't like being told what to do. He had rejected many offers to work for the eight fire soldier companies, preferring to operate outside the system.
That's similar to how Edward Elric is an official State Alchemist, but rarely follows orders. Instead, Edward and his brother have their own mission, and their allies must be people with noble dispositions. Otherwise, forget it.
7 Futaro Uesugi Has A Short Temper But Good Grades (The Quintessential Quintuplets)
Ace student Futaro Uesugi has a bit more patience than the fierce Edward Elric, but not a lot more. He prides himself in his good grades, and with any luck, those good grades will get him into a top university, despite his family's very modest income. He is also tutoring the five Nakano sisters, which is quite the challenge.
Futaro's sharp wits and explosive personality make him roughly similar to Edward Elric, and like Ed, Futaro can't possibly abandon anyone who needs him. He'll help those Nakano sisters get good grades, come hell or high water.
6 Kyo Sohma Is A Fierce Tsundere With A Strong Sense Of Loyalty (Fruits Basket)
Kyo Sohma has his strengths and his faults, just like Edward Elric, and that makes him a finely balanced character who's easy to root for. Like Ed, Kyo has a short temper and isn't too quick to show his feelings. He and Edward are classic male tsunderes, with strong but well-hidden feelings for others just under the surface.
Edward has serious feelings for Winry Rockbell, and Kyo Sohma's heart belongs to the lovely and kind Tohru Honda. Kyo won't admit it too easily, but his actions speak for themselves. He'll risk anything to shield Tohru from Akito and other threats.
5 Taro Kabakura Is A Bit Aggressive But Has His Romantic Side (Wotakoi: Love Is Hard For Otaku)
This series is set in the modern office, not in high school, but many of the same social dynamics are still in place. The four main characters are closeted otaku with eccentric personalities, and Taro Kabakura is simultaneously in love with and constantly feuding with his co-worker and friend Hanako Koyanagi.
Taro is an office supervisor, and he's comfortable coordinating teams to get the job done on time. He's also known for his short temper and willingness to argue endlessly with Hanako, but that's just how they show how much they care. Deep down, Taro cares greatly for his friends, and he'd do anything to make Hanako happy.
4 Chrome Gets Worked Up Easily But Has A Creative Mind (Dr. Stone)
As far as scientists go, both Chrome and Senku Ishigami have plenty in common with Edward Elric, but Chrome's personality is what makes him more similar to Edward, as opposed to the cool-headed Senku. Chrome may not be on Senku's level, but he's eager to learn, and he's come up with some great inventions and tricks of his own.
All that combined with Chrome's easily excitable and gung-ho attitude makes him startlingly similar to Edward Elric. The only major difference is that Chrome doesn't seem to have a serious love interest.
3 Lucy Heartfilia Is Clever And Has Burning Passions (Fairy Tail)
Lucy Heartfilia is a clever and well-educated girl who makes the most of her Celestial Magic, bearing many gold and silver keys to summon a variety of Spirits in battle. She may not be a scientist, but her resourceful and insightful mind is right on par with Edward Elric's.
Lucy is also known for being highly protective of her friends and allies, just like Edward, and she has a lively personality, too. She may not have an explosive temper, but Lucy is easily worked up or annoyed, just like Ed.
2 Uryu Ishida Is Brilliant And Gets Worked Up Easily (Bleach)
Uryu Ishida is a skilled Quincy archer who has a lot in common with both Edward Elric and Lucy Heartfilia. Uryu is usually cool and composed in battle and everyday life, but if something outrageous happens or if someone annoys him, Uryu is liable to lose his cool and snap right back.
Uryu also gets highly defensive of his good friend Orihime Inoue, seeing her the same way Edward sees Winry Rockbell. And like Ed, Uryu is a wily and resourceful fighter in battle, always one step ahead of his Soul Reaper or Arrancar enemies.
1 Sokka Always Knows What To Do Next (Avatar: The Last Airbender)
Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe may not have alchemy or bending at his disposal, but he is a keen strategist, inventor, and investigator, talents which have saved the day many times over. It was Sokka who figured out the solar eclipse, for example, and Sokka invented the entire concept of submarines, though his blueprints were admittedly simplistic.
Katara, Aang, and Toph all rely on Sokka to plan their next move, and Sokka even helped devise the Fire Nation invasion plan. Similarly, Edward Elric always knows what to do next, and Alphonse usually follows his lead.