At the end of March this year, fans of the manga and anime series Full Metal Alchemist (Vietnamese title: Giả Kim Thuật Sư) were thrilled when Warner Bros. Japan announced that a live-action adaptation of the series is in the works. Both the manga and the anime of Full Metal Alchemist are considered among the best in modern times. Therefore, there was no surprise when the news of the live-action project sparked considerable excitement among fans. When the production company released the first teaser just yesterday, although it was only 32 seconds long, it left fans buzzing with anticipation.
32s live-action teaser for “Full Metal Alchemist”
The teaser does not reveal much about the plot or characters but features some iconic elements from the original series. For instance, the “Transmutation Circle” is shown, which is essential for alchemists to perform transmutation. This image appears at the beginning of the trailer, evoking the deep and mysterious world of the Elric brothers, where almost all matter can be transformed through alchemical principles. Even Edward Elric’s familiar way of transmuting without a transmutation circle—merely by clapping his hands together—is portrayed.
Transmutation Circle
Near the end of the teaser, Edward reaches out to his brother, Alphonse Elric, and hints at their quest to retrieve their bodies, which will undoubtedly evoke nostalgia for fans. The final scene shows Edward preparing to face a transmutation monster. Although the teaser only reveals a little, fans can already imagine how Edward will confront the creature, as the setting invokes familiar themes.
Since the announcement of the casting, many fans of the original series expressed their concern about the choice of Western actors, especially since the characters are Japanese. However, the main setting of the film will still take place in Italy (filming is scheduled from June to August this year) and some scenes will be shot in Japan.
Scene from the film set in Italy reminiscent of the original
Actor Ryosuke Yamada (member of the music group Hey! Say! JUMP) is a familiar name in the adaptation realm. Ryosuke’s most recent work was in Assassination Classroom, and he has expressed his deep admiration for Full Metal Alchemist. Director Fumihiko Sori has confirmed that he immediately thought of Ryosuke Yamada when he started this project. With a height similar to Edward Elric (1.65m), Ryosuke’s appearance in the teaser, complete with blonde hair, fits the character well.
Ryosuke on the FMA film set previously revealed
As of now, the actor for Alphonse Elric has not yet been announced; it is known that this character will be portrayed using CGI due to its armor-like appearance. Other characters like Winry Rockbell (Tsubasa Honda) and Roy Mustang (Dean Fujioka) have also been confirmed but have not appeared in the teaser yet.
Fans are eager to learn more about the film adaptation of Full Metal Alchemist (created by Hiromu Arakawa, which has been published in Vietnam), along with its related animated films. The story follows the journey of the Elric brothers – Edward and Alphonse – as they seek to recover their bodies after a failed alchemical experiment that violates the law of equivalent exchange. Edward loses his right arm (which must be replaced with an automail prosthetic) while Alphonse’s soul is bound to a suit of armor. The plot begins when Roy Mustang, a state alchemist, recruits Edward and Alphonse for the military. Through their determination, they hope to find the “Philosopher’s Stone” to restore their bodies.
The film is set to premiere in the winter of 2017, and fans will certainly remain restless with more teasers and trailers to come.
