Fullmetal Alchemist Creator Really Didn't Expect the Series to Do Well

Fullmetal Alchemist is one of the world's top-selling manga with 80+ million copies sold.

By Megan Peters

Fullmetal Alchemist has earned its title as one of anime's most prestigious titles. Crafted in July 2001, Hiromu Arakawa brought Edward and Alphonse Elric to life with humble beginnings. The fantasy got underway at Square Enix to quiet success, and in a resurfaced interview with Arakawa, the Fullmetal Alchemist creator admits she really expected the series to underperform after chapter one went live.

The confession comes from Febri as the publication did a detailed feature on Arakawa and her work. It was there the Fullmetal Alchemist artist spoke at length about the series, and Arakawa said she was discouraged by the reception its early chapters got. So as Fullmetal Alchemist moved forward, she braced herself for a cancellation that never came.

"The first issue [of Fullmetal Alchemist] was published in color, but after that I didn't get any color," Arakawa explained. "I thought, 'Oh, it's not that popular,' and I felt relieved."

"If this manga doesn't work out, I'll just go on to the next, next, next. That's why when I heard the number of copies printed for the first volume, I thought, 'This will definitely not sell.' I talked to my editor and said, 'If the manga doesn't sell, let's go up north together and sell it.'"

Of course, it didn't take long for Arakawa's beliefs to be shattered. Fullmetal Alchemist became a popular series under Square Enix, and these days, it is considered a pillar of the publication. The series ran for nine years in print, and of course, Fullmetal Alchemist became a global sensation thanks to its anime adaptations. When it comes to Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, the Studio Bones project is lauded as one of anime's greatest TV titles to date. So clearly, Arakawa was a little off about her story's success.

If you have not checked out Fullmetal Alchemist, you can find the manga in English through Viz Media and Yen Press. So for more info on Arakawa's series, you can read its official synopsis below:

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"Alchemy: the mystical power to alter the natural world; something between magic, art and science. When two brothers, Edward and Alphonse Elric, dabbled in this power to grant their dearest wish, one of them lost an arm and a leg...and the other became nothing but a soul locked into a body of living steel. Now Edward is an agent of the government, a slave of the military-alchemical complex, using his unique powers to obey orders...even to kill. Except his powers aren't unique. The world has been ravaged by the abuse of alchemy. And in pursuit of the ultimate alchemical treasure, the Philosopher's Stone, their enemies are even more ruthless than they are..."

Did you ever expect Fullmetal Alchemist to blow up like it has? Let us know what you think over on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!

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