Fullmetal AlchemistIn the fictional world of Amestris, brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric search for the Philosopher's Stone to restore their mangled bodies after a failed attempt to bring their mother back to life using the advanced science of alchemy.
Updated June 15, 2019 2.2K votes 836 voters 44.8K views
Over 800 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The 13 Best Anime Like Fullmetal Alchemist
Fullmetal Alchemist is an anime series that almost everyone has seen, but what should you watch after? There's a good amount of anime that are similar to Fullmetal Alchemist, and we're going to rank our recommendations on this list. With a stellar manga and two very different anime series, this show had everything we could have asked for. Regardless of whether you’re a fan of the original anime adaptation or Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, we all have one thing in common: we all support and love Edward and Alphonse Elric.
There are plenty of anime like Fullmetal Alchemist with themes of family, adventure, redemption, or even just loss that are all the makings of an excellent show. Take Baccano! for example, or Pumpkin Scissors. Vote up the anime similar to Fullmetal Alchemist that you would most recommend to other fans of the Elric Brothers.
Code Geass is yet another anime classic you should have already been watching, but it could also help if you're looking for something to fix the hole FMA left behind. Both shows feature characters who are willing to sacrifice parts of themselves in hopes of gaining something and, if we're being honest, both leads have some serious issues with their fathers. Code Geass follows Lelouch Lamperouge, an exiled prince of Britannia, who finds himself given a power that could change his fate and fulfill his revenge.
Soul Eater may have a very different premise than FMA, but it is still a show that has human weapons and two separate factions with interesting pasts as they fight for dominance. From the perspective of students attending Shibusen, a school that trains meisters and weapons, the world is being threatened from unimaginable forces. It's up to them to become sound in mind, body, and soul in hopes of defeating the evil they face everyday.
Violet Evergarden is an exceptionally beautiful story about what happens after great wars, much like what we saw at the end of Brotherhood for the Elric brothers. Both of them have very similar feelings in terms of setting, but this show is certainly more like the very last episode of Brotherhood where we got to see what the brothers were doing with their lives now that their war was fought. Violet, a girl raised with only the purpose of helping win the war, has to reshape what her life looks like now that the war is over. In the process, she tries to understand both herself and the people around her.
The world of D. Gray-Man is a little different than FMA in that, rather than alchemy, you have an element called "Innocence". However, if you like the feel of the 20th century look and 15-year-old lead characters with strange arms, you might find this show to be a perfect fit. Allen Walker is off to become an official exorcist and fight the fearful creatures known as Akuma. But, much like FMA, there is certainly more at play than meets the eye.
If short blondes that are extremely overpowered are more your thing, check out The Seven Deadly Sins. Not only does the theme of sins come back into the storyline, but so does the idea that a character would do anything to protect what they care about at all costs. Plus, the comedy is excellent. Set in a fantasy-like setting, the third princess of Liones, Elizabeth, is off on a quest to find the Seven Deadly Sins in hopes of taking back her kingdom.
If you love the comedy or just Ed's stubborn, hot-headed self, you'd probably be interested in Naruto. With another leading male protagonist that's off to fight the world's opinions about him, Naruto has the same kind of optimism in its story that FMA did. Naruto is the outcast of his village, but through his dreams of being the best ninja he can be, he's determined to prove the nay-sayers wrong!
