Is Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood a sequel?
Short answer?
No — Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is not a sequel. It’s a full reboot of the original Fullmetal Alchemist anime, made to follow the manga more faithfully.
That confusion is super common though, especially since Brotherhood came out after the 2003 version. Let’s break down why it exists and what it actually is.
Table of Contents
What Is Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood?
Brotherhood is a 2009 anime series produced by Studio Bones. It adapts Hiromu Arakawa’s original manga from start to finish — no filler arcs, no anime-original ending.
It starts off similarly to the 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist anime, especially in the early episodes (since both follow the same source). But once it hits the divergence point — around Episode 14 — it becomes a completely different story.
Does Brotherhood Continue the Original Story?
Nope. It doesn’t pick up where 2003’s FMA left off. It ignores the events of that version entirely.
Here’s why:
- The original 2003 anime was made while the manga was still being written, so it had to create its own plot after a certain point.
- Brotherhood came later — after the manga finished — so it could tell the story the way the author intended.
Think of it like this:
- 2003 FMA is an alternate timeline.
- Brotherhood is the “canon” version that matches the manga exactly.
Reboot vs. Sequel: What’s the Difference?
A sequel continues the events of a previous story.
A reboot resets everything and starts from scratch, sometimes retelling the origin differently.
Brotherhood is a reboot — it reintroduces the same characters and basic premise (Edward and Alphonse Elric using alchemy to fix a terrible mistake) but takes a different narrative path.
If you watch Brotherhood right after finishing the 2003 anime, it might feel like a sequel at first — but it’s not. It’s a retelling with different pacing, new characters, and a totally different ending.
Which One Should You Watch First?
If you want the original anime experience with a darker tone and anime-original plot, watch the 2003 version.
If you want the true manga adaptation with tighter writing and more characters, go straight to Brotherhood.
You don’t need to watch both, but some fans enjoy seeing how each series handled the same premise in wildly different ways.
So, Is Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood a Sequel?
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood isn’t a sequel — it’s a clean slate. A reboot. And it’s one of the rare reboots that fans widely agree actually improved on the original.
In my opinion, it’s the much better version of the manga.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood a sequel?
No. Brotherhood is a reboot, not a continuation of the 2003 anime.
Can you watch Brotherhood without watching the original?
Yes. Brotherhood stands on its own and follows the manga directly.
Dante is Editor-in-Chief (Lord Hokage), which means he runs editorial and operations at BrandAnime. That means this whole thing was his idea, and he spends his time making stuff work and covering the latest anime and games. When he’s not doing 100 things at once, he’s usually… watching anime or playing games. His life isn’t that interesting, honestly.
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