Talented in the art of alchemy, brothers Edward and Al Elric tried to bring their mother back from the dead, something that goes against all alchemic principles. When things go horribly wrong, Edward loses his left leg and Al loses his whole body, only saved after his brother sacrifices an arm to bind his soul to a suit of armor. Three years later, the brothers set out on a journey to find a mythical relic that may be able to return Al to his body once again. However, throughout their travels, the brothers find themselves pulled into a series of events that threaten everyone.
FMA is one of those anime series that should be a staple on their list, and capturing magic like it will be difficult. However, for more anime recommendations like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, then head on down below.
Anime Like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
For Fans of Shounen Plots on the Darker Side
Hunter X Hunter
Twelve-year-old Gon Freecss is determined to become a world-class Hunter, a skilled individual that performs all manner of dangerous tasks, just like his long-absent father. However, Gon finds that the path to achieving his goals is more challenging than he could have ever imagined, but in order to overcome it, Gon recruits some powerful friends.
Both Hunter X Hunter and Fullmetal Alchemist are actually remakes of their original anime series, both of which follow their source material more closely. That aside, both series also feature plots that get increasingly dark for this particular genre as well as a wide array of well-developed characters.
Code Geass
The Holy Empire of Britannia has conquered much of the world, including Japan, now renamed Area 11. Their tyranny has given rise to a number of resistance groups in Japan and abroad, seeking to regain independence. Enter Lelouch Lamperouge, exiled prince of Britannia, now living in Japan. When he finds himself caught in the crossfire in a battle between the military and the resistance, he finds himself able to escape thanks to a mysterious girl and the power she grants him, the power of absolute obedience.
Although in two different genres, there are actually a lot of similarities between Fullmetal Alchemist and Code Geass. Both main characters end up having to sacrifice a lot for something as well as have massive daddy issues. They both feature well-written and extensive plot lines with government conspiracies, war, and political affairs, all shown off with fast-paced and interesting action.
The Fate/Stay Night Series
The Holy Grail War is a battle royale in one city in Japan among seven magi selected to be Masters. These Masters summon a Servant, a Heroic Spirit of historic or mythical heroes past, and gain command seals to order their Servant to do their bidding. Together, Masters use their Servants to fight a proxy war for the Holy Grail—a magical artifact capable of granting its wielder any wish. In the Fifth Holy Grail War, Rin Toosaka is among the magi entering the competition. With her Servant, Archer, she hopes to obtain the Holy Grail and have her wish granted. However, when Rin’s classmate Emiya Shirou accidentally enters too, things get much more interesting.
Both Fullmetal Alchemist and Fate/Stay take place in a world where magic (or alchemy) are very real, even though Fate/Stay is more modern in setting. Fully packed with both action and intrigue, both series are the type of shows that keep you excited for the next episode while still peppered with brutal moments.
The Fate series can be a bit of a complicated beast to watch. if you want to get into it, check out our Fate / Stay Watch Order Guide
Demon Slayer
After the death of his father, Tanjirou has taken up the role of the man of the house, supporting his mother and five siblings. However, after selling charcoal in town, he returns to tragedy. All his family was brutally slaughtered, save for one of his sisters. Unfortunately, she has been attacked by a demon and mingled their blood, turning her into a demon as well. However, she still shows signs of humanity, thrusting Tanjirou onto a quest to find a way to change his sister back and preserve what is left of his family.
Both series focus on trying to save a family member who has had something horrible happen to them. In the pursuit of fixing this, the main character ends up with an organization that serves as the jumping off point for many of their travels and battles.
Jujutsu Kaisen
In order to gain more power, demons search for fragments of the legendary demon Sukuna to consume them. One day, Yuuji Itadori, who just lost his grandfather, learns of this as he saves his school friends from being consumed by demons after they break the seal on one of the body parts of Sukuna that was at their school. In order to stand a chance, he eats it, revealing himself as a rare vessel that can utilize and control the curse of Sukuna, meaning when he dies, Sukuna’s curse dies with him.
Part of what made Fullmetal Alchemist so enjoyable is that it had those lighter hearted shounen moments, but it could hit pretty hard with some of its darker themes as well. Jujutsu Kaisen is much like that as well, and it also succeeds in creating unique characters that aren’t just another sort of trope.
Blue Exorcist
Humans and demons have always been separated by two different worlds, humans in Assiah and demons in Gehenna. The only way to travel between the worlds is by possession, which is how Satan, the ruler of Gehenna, wages his war. Blue Exorcist follows Rin Okumura, a somewhat trouble teen and son of Satan. However, while his father wants him to help conquer the human world, Rin decides to become an exorcist to fight him instead.
While Blue Exorcist is on the less dark side of shounen, what really ties it to Fullmetal Alchemist is the overall themes of brotherhood that you see throughout it. That aside, it is a pretty standard battler.
Fire Force
A phenomenon has started overtaking mankind – one where people spontaneously combust and turn into destructive fire demons called Infernals. To fight these demons, special fire forces were established full of those with dedication and powers to control fire. This is the story of Fire Force 8 and their newest recruit – Shinra, who aims to become a hero and discover the truth behind the Infernals.
While Fullmetal Alchemist has the deeper and more fleshed out story line,. Fire Force and its focus on brotherhood and the ability to get real dark can be a decent anime to follow up FMA with. If you also enjoyed the similar dazzling flash that fights in FMA could have, Fire Force does that very, very well.
Akame ga Kill
Tatsumi is a naive boy from a rural village that makes the trip to the city in order to join the military and help his hometown. However, after he is rejected, he ends up joining Night Raid, a group of assassins part of a revolutionary movement to overthrow the government. From there, he must fight a brutal and increasingly bloody shadow war.
Essentially both series feature characters that were looking to become dogs of the military in order to serve their own purpose. Over the course of both series, you find out that the military is not so much the good guys and see how the characters handle that. While FMA gets more dark as it goes on, Akame ga Kill starts swinging that stick a little earlier.
For Fans of Human Weapons
D.Gray Man
After three years training with one of their prestigious Generals that saved him as a kid, Allen Walker is finally ready to join the Black Order, an organization of exorcists that fight Akuma and their leader, the Millennium Earl. With their Innocence weapons, Allen and his fellow exorcist embark on a journey to stop the Earl’s plot of ultimate destruction.
Like Brotherhood, D.Gray Man also features a similar early 20th century setting and a world where the characters have some sort of special ability via either Innocence or Alchemy. The plot ultimately follows a group of villains which have a secret agenda that is unraveled over time, and both main characters have one abnormal arm.
Soul Eater
Death City is home to a famous technical academy and ran by Lord Death himself. At this academy, meisters train with their human weapons in order to evolve them into Death Scythes to be wielded by the Grim Reaper, Lord Death. Only by consuming 99 evils souls and the soul of one witch will a weapon be able to evolve. This is the story of several students of the academy as they try to grow stronger and protect Death City in the process.
Both anime series ultimately deal with the topic of human weapons as well as competing factions that may or may not have more motives than what meets the eye.
Yu Yu Hakusho
Delinquent and all-around thug Yusuke Urameshi has a dim future, but one day when he jumps in front of a car to save a child, he has no future at all except death. However, his selfless sacrifice gained the attention of the authorities from the spirit realm and they decide to give Yusuke an opportunity to regain his life. He must become a Spirit Detective and complete a number of tasks that protect the world of the living.
Both anime series feature strong action, as well as some very dark themes. One of the biggest similarities between the two is that the characters are strongly developed, including the villains, which overall lends to a strong plot.
Attack on Titan
Facing imminent extinction, humanity retreated behind a series of tall, thick walls to escape their most dangerous threat – massive human-like Titans with a taste for human flesh. With an enemy that eats humanity for fun rather than food, they are constantly threatened. As such, it is the duty of every human to defend the species. Enter Eren Yegaer who, after his village was destroyed by Titans breaching the outer wall, he and his adopted sister Mikasa join the Survey Corps. They are one of three factions of the military that scouts and combats Titans outside the walls. After joining in the brutal war, Eren discovers a secret about himself that could unravel what the world thinks they know about Titans.
In terms of plot, Attack on Titan and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood don’t have too much in common other than the government can’t really be trusted. However, in Attack on Titan, you will also find a show that grows more complex above and beyond how Fullmetal Alchemist progresses.
Dororo
In order to become indomitable on the battlefield, a samurai lord barters his son’s organs away to 48 demons and then abandons him. However, his son doesn’t die. Instead, a medicine man saves him with primitive, but lethal prosthetics that allow him to hunt down the demons and regain his organs for an eventual battle with his father.
While it is different in setting, Dororo features a similar main character who lost parts of their body and had them replaced which items that essentially allows him to fight better. While not as complex as Fullmetal Alchemist, Dororo is similarly as dark.
For Fans of Alchemy and/or Magic
Baccano!
In the early 1930s, the transcontinental train, Flying Pussyfoot, starts a legendary journey across the country that will leave behind a trail of blood. During this same period, the ambitious scientist Szilarf and his unwilling assistant Ennis investigate missing bottles of immortality elixir in New York. This can be traced back to 1711 where the alchemists creating this elixir learn the real price of being immortal. Among these mysterious events, a Mafia war heats up. Follow this intricate tale of alchemy, immortality, and survival as it weaves together many seemingly unrelated events.
Naturally, the biggest similarity between these two series is that they both extensively deal with alchemy. However, the alchemy in Baccano isn’t the same fast-paced fire-throwing sort that is in Brotherhood. The two also share a similar time setting as well as some truly stunning characters.
Magi
Aladdin, a young magician raised in isolation, is eager to explore the world and begins his journey accompanied by his djinn Ugo. After accidentally destroying his cart, merchant Alibaba suggests they go conquer a dungeon together to cover the costs. As it turns out, these are the first steps on a journey that will change the fate of the world.
Fundamentally, FMA and Magi are similar. Both feature two characters that are close like brothers (though in FMA, they actually are brothers), both follow the characters as they go on a journey to fulfill their goals while ultimately helping others, and both series feature a story that gives new hope to the world. While Fullmetal Alchemist has more fast-paced fights, they both feature a good bit of humor as well as drama.
Seven Deadly Sins
The revered Holy Knights of Britannia use their immense magical power to protect the ruler of Liones. However, a group of knights, later called the “Seven Deadly Sins,” left the order and tried to overthrow their ruler. They were defeated, but rumor has it that they are still around. Ten years later, the Knights turn their swords on the ruler of Liones that they swore to protect, but is there a group that can stand up to these tyrannical new rulers?
Both anime series feature a group that is inspired by the seven deadly sins, or rather a group that personifies those sins. That is the most obvious similarity, but they also have short, blonde badasses as the main characters as well as huge doses of humor throughout.
Black Clover
After being abandoned at the same church, Asta and Yuno grew up together. Together they also grew up aiming for the same title – The Wizard King, the strongest wizard in the kingdom. However, it soon became apparent that while Yuno has skill with magic, Asta couldn’t use it at all. This all changed when they were attacked and Asta was given a strange grimoire that granted him the ability to nullify magic.
Fair warning, Black Clover starts off a little generically shounen. However, if you can stick with it, you will find a show that has more of a focus on battles, but has an interesting world and magic behind it too. It also hosts a huge and interesting cast of characters and surrounds a pretty interesting government organization.
Have your own recommendations for anime series like Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood? Tell us about it in the comments section below.
