New 'Fullmetal Alchemist' App Will Turn You Into Ed Or Alphonse

Augmented Reality is hitting Fullmetal Alchemist in celebration of the upcoming live-action film, with a new app that enabling you to dress up and take selfies as Winry, Ed or Mustang. The live-action film has launched a collaboration with Japan's Parco department stores. This is in collaboration with the stores Halloween Campaign, with all 16 Parco stores in Japan are displaying a life-sized cutout of Al.

People can now take pictures with the cutout, which stands about two meters tall. Al is wearing the ears of the Parco mascot character Parcoala, meanwhile, Parcoala is dressed up as Ed while appearing on Al's shoulder. What does this have to do with AR? Well, near each Al cutout fans can use the Satch Viewer smartphone app to transform into a number of characters from the upcoming film.

People can use the AR feature while signing up for the Parco Card during the promotion, you will receive an exclusive clear file. The campaign will end on October 31st this year, with the film being set to open the Tokyo International Film Festival on 25th of October with its world premiere. The Fullmetal Alchemist live-action film will have IMAX and 4DX screenings in Japan and will be viewable on about 400 screens across Japan on December 1st.

If you are unfamiliar with the Fullmetal Alchemist series then you have plenty of time to catch up before the live-action film is released. In addition, you can read Viz Media's synopsis for Fullmetal Alchemist below:

In an alchemical ritual gone wrong, Edward Elric lost his arm and his leg, and his brother Alphonse became nothing but a soul in a suit of armor. Equipped with mechanical "auto-mail" limbs, Edward becomes a state alchemist, seeking the one thing that can restore his and his brother's bodies...the legendary Philosopher's Stone.