Fullmetal Alchemist is a series full of memorable moments throughout its run. It’s fondly looked back on by fans for its ability to combine character work, action, and humor together, and one scene demonstrates this balance better than any other.
Videos by ComicBook.com
It also just happens to be the manliest scene in Fullmetal Alchemist.
In Fullmetal Alchemist, Major Armstrong was known for his muscular body and often flexed in front of others to demonstrate his strength and pride in his muscles. When he meets Sig Curtis, another built individual, for the first time, the two get into one of the funniest, and manliest, introduction scenes ever.
Without saying a word, the two start flexing their muscles in front of one another. Finding kinship in their vascular bodies, the two share a silent handshake in respect. While this is one of the manliest scenes, their fight against Sloth in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood comes close to this as well. Though many agree that the silent introduction for the two is a bit funnier and puts it over the edge.
There is a live-action version of Fullmetal Alchemist that has been recently released and has been well received by both fans in Japan and critics. There are currently plans in place to screen the live-action Fullmetal Alchemist films for a wider U.S. audience, but no announcements as to its wider distribution have been made. Since the first film has been received as well as it has, and a possible sequel lies on the horizon, expect news on this sooner rather than later.
For those unfamiliar with Fullmetal Alchemist, the series was first created by Hiromu Arakawa. The story follows two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, who learn alchemy in order to bring back their deceased mother. After a terrible miscalculation, however, the two brothers pay a terrible price with Alphonse even losing his body and linking his soul to a suit of armor. As the two boys search for an alchemy that will restore their bodies to their original forms, they join the military and deal with a whole host of new political, ethical, and moral issues.
The series ran in Square Enix’s Monthly Shonen Gangan magazine from August 2001 to June 2010. It was collected into 27 volumes, and was localized for an English language release by Viz Media. It has sold 67 million copies worldwide, and was later adapted into two anime series from studio Bones.
Bones’ first attempt in 2003 successfully ran for 51 episodes, but was marred by fans for its pacing issues and deviations from the original source. Bones produced a more faithful adaptation in 2009 with Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, and most fans assumed the live-action film would parallel this series since it was pretty much beat for beat with the original source.
