Fullmetal Alchemist is still raw and relentless—anime’s scars that never heal: Summer rewind

The scars of Fullmetal Alchemist persist.

That’s just a testament of how viscerally gripping and raw the anime was. It didn’t just slice or sting; it twisted the knife and dug it in further. It knocked you down, several times, and even now, fans can’t stop discussing the most gutting scenes.

At its heart the story follows brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric on a desperate quest for the Philosopher’s Stone, hoping to restore the bodies they lost after a failed attempt to resurrect their mother. And then, midway through the anime, creator Hiromu Arakawa requested an original ending, as the manga was still ongoing, sending the story down a path that was different from the manga.

And what a path that was.

It's an anime filled with horror. And the horror, is raw personal tragedies. At one point, you’re laughing at the goofiness, and then another, you're confused about how an anime has affected you so deeply

And FMA is filled with those moments. For instance, Fans remember the Nina Tucker scar. Some scenes you won’t ever be able to unsee: Nina’s experiment conducted by her father Shou Tucker, something that FMA fans can never ever forgive.

In fact, the Fullmetal Alchemist manga always a way of granting some redemption in its "In Memoriam" sections—characters like Kimblee and Wrath were forgiven in death. But Shou Tucker: He didn’t get a moment of peace. Instead, he was condemned straight to the flames of Hell. Fans across the board—and even the series’ creator—agree: Tucker’s grotesque human experiment cements him as the story’s most monstrous character. Even when people try to meme it, there will be others turning away.

Another brutal memory, was watching Ed get overpowered by Kimblee in their brief clash—and even more shocking when he nearly didn’t survive. As Ed tumbled down the shaft, a metal beam impaled him, driving the moment’s intensity through the roof.

That's right. FMA is full of pain. But, the kind of pain, strangely, us readers and bingers cherish. And if that’s what you need right now, go for Fullmetal Alchemist.