When it comes to the world of live-action adaptations, the Straw Hat Pirates of One Piece fame aren’t the only anime characters that arrive in this medium. Series like Dragon Ball, Yu Yu Hakusho, Alita: Battle Angel, Death Note, and more have tried their hand at bringing their characters to the “real world,” and the Elric Brothers are no different. Fullmetal Alchemist is routinely thought of as one of the greatest anime stories of all time, so it should come as no surprise that the Elrics would get their own live-action movies. Now, following the trilogy, a brand new live-action adaptation is on its way.
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Full Metal Alchemist The Stage is the recent stage play series in Japan that depicts Hiromu Arakawa’s legendary story in the live-action world. In past years, the project has released two performance series to tell the tale of Edward and Alphonse, casting quite a few characters from the anime’s roster. Recently, the live-action adaptation confirmed that Edward Elric has been cast in next year’s performances, taking place from February 7th to the 15th. Actors Yohei Isshiki and Ryota Hirono will be taking on the role of the protagonist, and while this stage play hasn’t been confirmed for a Western release, previous performances of Full Metal Alchemist The Stage were released on YouTube. You can see the new Edward Elrics below.
The Elrics Return
Here’s how the official website for Fullmetal Alchemist The Stage describes the big news, “The long-awaited third performance is scheduled for February 2026. Scriptwriter and director Sachiko Ishimaru brings together creators and cast members active in a wide range of entertainment genres. The lead role of Edward Elric will be played by Yohei Isshiki and Ryodai Hirono in a double cast. Don’t miss the journey of the Elric brothers, as they enter a new phase as their grand ambitions that will engulf the entire land of Amestris are revealed.”
The stage play then described the performances’ history, breaking down the first two adaptations that kicked off this new take on the Elrics’ journey. “The comic series has sold over 80 million copies worldwide and has been adapted into a variety of media including anime, animated films, games, and live-action films. To mark the 20th anniversary of the series, the stage play “Fullmetal Alchemist” premiered in March 2023. The sequel, “Fullmetal Alchemist: Each Battlefield,” was performed in June 2024 and attracted a great deal of attention.”
While it’s doubtful that we’ll ever see a straight sequel to the story of Edward and Alphonse, creator Hiromu Arakawa is about to once again make waves in the anime world. Daemons of The Shadow Realm might not be bringing back the world of alchemy, but the anime clearly is highlighting Arakawa’s art style. Studio BONES, which worked on the Fullmetal Alchemist series and My Hero Academia, is handling the series and the anime is planning to arrive on the small screen in April 2026.
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image courtesy of 20th Century Studios -
Image courtesy of Prokino Filmverleih
