Full Metal Alchemist question

[OverWilliam]

I need some help with a Full Metal Alchemist question.

Usually people will use actual written alchemy circles on the ground or on a glove or something. But I've seen sometimes the alchemy array just shows up glowing in mid air, usually floating right in front of the alchemist that's using it, and then they use it to alchemize something. How does that work? Is it an item that they're carrying that projects the circle or is it a power that they have? What is it called?

Thanks. :smallsmile:

[Kaihaku]

It's been awhile since I've seen the series but the characters that can do that, aren't they people who have seen the gate?

[OverWilliam]

I don't know, that might be it... As far as I have understood it so far, seeing the gate (or "the Truth") and surviving gives you the ability to clap your hands together to perform alchemy, like Ed (and his teacher, I believe...). Is this similar to that or is it something different?

[EvilElitest]

Was this in the movie? If so ignore it. If you mean the series final, then i think its because its soul alchemy. Ironically, i just watched the final when i looked at this
from
EE

[Rogue 7]

Most of the Alchemists I can think of who haven't seen the gate (did that happen in the anime?) have equipment with arrays enscribed on them, so it's probably for visual effect.

[averagejoe]

It would be helpful if you could give an example or two. I can't remember having seen this.

[OverWilliam]

I have actually only seen it twice, and from what several of the people here have said I'm beginning to wonder if it's cannon... The first was indeed in the movie, Eckhart uses it multiple times. The other was in one of the games, certain mooks would pull up a basic transmutation array in glowing purple and then send a wave of rock at you. I can't help but think I've seen it somewhere else as well, but for the life of me I can't remember where...

The reason I ask is I'm trying to put something together for a game and there's an ability involved that's similar, and I can't think of a cool name for it. :smallredface:

[EvilElitest]

again, is this anime or manga?
from
EE

[OverWilliam]

Neither. :smallbiggrin: One's the movie, the other's a videogame.

[EvilElitest]

oh, can't speak for the video game, and the movie breaks so many rules that it really isn't worth complaining about
from
EE

[OverWilliam]

lol Yeah, I was quite disappointed with the movie on several counts. :smallconfused: Anyway, I guess this has no basis in the source material... :smallfrown: I guess the next best thing is to come up with my own name for it... Any suggestions?

[averagejoe]

Yeah, I got nothin. I've never played the game, and I didn't like the movie. Sorry.

[EvilElitest]

1) Well the anime and the manga are excellent
2) Hmm, i don't understand the question
from
EE

[tyckspoon]

Generally speaking videogames for things that are sourced from a manga/anime don't count for canon. They take severe liberties, at best (if you're familiar with Naruto, think of some of the things they create for character ultimate moves in the fighting games. No, the characters can't canonically do those things.) There are a few major exceptions for some franchises, but I'm certain Full Metal is not one of those.

Movies also tend to be questionable, although they usually respect the primary source better than games do. I haven't seen the Full Metal movie myself, but if I had to guess I would say the character in question was using a Red Stone to project the transmutation circle. It's the series' favored phlebotinum. Alternately, he's cheating- he's got an actual circle somewhere that simply lets him project images on air, which he then uses to make on-the-fly circles.

[Callos_DeTerran]

oh, can't speak for the video game, and the movie breaks so many rules that it really isn't worth complaining about
from
EE

Hm? Which rules, in particular, do you think the movie broke?

[EvilElitest]

Hm? Which rules, in particular, do you think the movie broke?

1) The whole alternate world reality thing
2) The zombie/armor attackers/robot....things
3) Being able to control suits of armor?
4) Soul alchemy
5) The final

personally, i think it would have been a better movie if it focused more on Ed living in upcoming nazi Germany
from
EE

[Callos_DeTerran]

1) The whole alternate world reality thing

This wasn't a break from the end of the anime, it had been there the whole time. Probably different from the manga though.


2) The zombie/armor attackers/robot....things

I was under the impression that, while zombie-looking, the armored attackers at the end were just men corrupted from passing through the gate (like Eckhart but not as much). The one's from the beginning being more like...proto-homunculi without red stones and in armor. Hard to know since they passed through the gate twice.



3) Being able to control suits of armor?

There's precedence for this in the very first episodes/manga with the statue of the Sun God and the one Golem Alchemist from the manga. Controlling armor while people are in them though, doesn't seem like much a stretch if their already dead. Falls under the same nebulous area as above though.


4) Soul alchemy

I will admit that this was out of place or at least executed poorly since it goes against everything about soul alchemy seen previously.


5) The final

...The final what? The ending? The final credit?


personally, i think it would have been a better movie if it focused more on Ed living in upcoming nazi Germany
from
EE

I dunno...I enjoyed the movie a lot but I think there might have been less fun in watching Ed live in an alchemy-less upcoming Nazi Germany. It is called Full Metal Alchemist after all.

[Fan]

1) Well the anime and the manga are excellent
2) Hmm, i don't understand the question
from
EE

*claps for EE*
Finnaly something you, and I can agree upon.:smallbiggrin:
as for the OP's questions it is only the few that have seen the gate, and the hummonucli that can preform alchemy without a circle.
Ie: Greed, Lust, Envy, Sloth, Wrath, Gluttony, Ed, Ed's teacher, Ed's revived mother whos seven deadly sin name I forget.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Ed's revived mother whos seven deadly sin name I forget.

Also Sloth.

[Fan]

Also Sloth.

Thank you Callos.

[OverWilliam]

as for the OP's questions it is only the few that have seen the gate, and the hummonucli that can preform alchemy without a circle.
So this would still qualify as 'no-circle alchemy' even if they are projecting a transmutation circle in mid-air?

[bluewind95]

I thought that in the anime, homunculi could not perform alchemy, save for one? :smallconfused:

[MeklorIlavator]

I thought that in the anime, homunculi could not perform alchemy, save for one? :smallconfused:

True, only wrath could and its believe that he could only do this because he had Ed's arm and leg. The others all had one alchemy-esque thing that they could do to the exclusion of everything else.

[Boo]

Isn't Sloth different in the Anime from the Manga?

[Closet_Skeleton]

personally, i think it would have been a better movie if it focused more on Ed living in upcoming nazi Germany
from
EE

You mean Wiemar Germany. It's at least 11 years before Nazi Germany. I wouldn't call anything "upcoming Nazi Germany" until around the Wall Street Crash.

Eckhart in the movie might not be using alchemy. She's also technically seen the gate.

[bluewind95]

Isn't Sloth different in the Anime from the Manga?

100% different, yes. They don't share the same roots nor the same appearance, nor the same powers.

[Lord_Gareth]

Eckhart was corrupted by the Gate; she wasn't technically using Alchemy of her own voilition. Did you notice that the only things she changed were Gate-corrupted as well? She's issuing orders to them using transmutation circles, the only "language" they really understand.

[OverWilliam]

Ok, so I've pretty much been convinced that this doesn't exist in anything considered canon... But it's still really cool and I still want to include it. :smallbiggrin: The main reason I wanted to know about it was for its name-- I can't think of anything cool sounding to call it. Any ideas?

[Innis Cabal]

If its in the anime period, ignore it.

[EvilElitest]

This wasn't a break from the end of the anime, it had been there the whole time. Probably different from the manga though.

No i don't mind the alternate reality thing, its the relation between the two worlds that they keep altering. At first its just another alternate history, then souls can travel between them, then people can literally travel between, eh what?


I was under the impression that, while zombie-looking, the armored attackers at the end were just men corrupted from passing through the gate (like Eckhart but not as much). The one's from the beginning being more like...proto-homunculi without red stones and in armor. Hard to know since they passed through the gate twice.


ITs never explain......like the fact why the thule society had a massive collection of armor suits


There's precedence for this in the very first episodes/manga with the statue of the Sun God and the one Golem Alchemist from the manga. Controlling armor while people are in them though, doesn't seem like much a stretch if their already dead. Falls under the same nebulous area as above though.

NO it being a special power and using it between worlds, not like what ed did where he had to literally take control of it


I will admit that this was out of place or at least executed poorly since it goes against everything about soul alchemy seen previously.




...The final what? The ending? The final credit?

final battle,



I dunno...I enjoyed the movie a lot but I think there might have been less fun in watching Ed live in an alchemy-less upcoming Nazi Germany. It is called Full Metal Alchemist after all.
The movie could have focused upon the State or the Wiemar Republic but as it was, it just felt like a very badly implemented film. Could be worst, but considering the show's quality, could be a lot better
from
EE

[Granas3]

State Alchemist all carry pocket watches with a transmutation circle inside, so they can do quick transmutations. Cornello said so in ep1 or 2: that's how they got the big reveal about ed's ability. Although some of the state alchemsits(Mustang and Armstrong)have equipment with circles on them for more specialized spells-my guess is that the pocket watch is only for basic one to antoher transmutations, rather than element maniplation. The Shining circle is probably just for effect.
As for Eckhart, she's basically a being of pure alchemy with a mind attached by that point. She can do what she wants.

[bluewind95]

I thought Cornello just took a wild guess on that. Despite carrying the watches, we don't see other alchemists using that, and those who are seen using alchemy without drawing the circle at that time are those who have it drawn already (Mustang and Armstrong). The watches, I believe, just amplified the power, but didn't have a transmutation circle in them.

[EvilElitest]

the watches do enhance alchemy, through it isn't ever made clear how it works
from
EE

[Ozymandias]

I thought the watches had little faux-losopher's stones in them.

[MeklorIlavator]

I thought the watches had little faux-losopher's stones in them.

In the anime they only put the stones in the watches in one of the later episodes where they expect them to be part of the fuel of the true philosopher's stone.

[bluewind95]

I thought the red stone was used in the watches all the way since the Ishbalan war?

[MeklorIlavator]

I thought the red stone was used in the watches all the way since the Ishbalan war?

In the anime, they make a big deal of how the stones were given out when the army got really serious, and then they were taken away/destroyed by CR Marcus. Later one they get installed in the watches before the real philosopher stone is transmuted.

[Yulian]

I don't know, that might be it... As far as I have understood it so far, seeing the gate (or "the Truth") and surviving gives you the ability to clap your hands together to perform alchemy, like Ed (and his teacher, I believe...). Is this similar to that or is it something different?

Well remember, they're essentially supposed to still be using a circle, it's just with their own body, with the proper diagrams and equations in their head.

Then there are clever suckers like Roy and Kimblee who use pre-made circles for specific effects.

- Yulian

[EvilElitest]

Well remember, they're essentially supposed to still be using a circle, it's just with their own body, with the proper diagrams and equations in their head.

Then there are clever suckers like Roy and Kimblee who use pre-made circles for specific effects.

- Yulian

notice alchemists apperently use pre made pieces of paper as well
from
EE