Alphonse Elric

Infobox animanga character
name = Alphonse Elric (Al)
series = Fullmetal Alchemist


caption = Alphonse Elric by Hiromu Arakawa
first = "Fullmetal Alchemist" manga chapter 1
"Fullmetal Alchemist" anime episode 1
voiced by = Japanese
Rie Kugimiya [cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=808|publisher=Anime News Network|title=Rie Kugimiya|accessdate=2008-05-14]
English
Aaron Dismuke [cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=10246|publisher=Anime News Network|title=Aaron Dismuke|accessdate=2008-05-14]
relatives = Edward Elric (brother)
Hohenheim Elric (father)
Trisha Elric (mother, deceased)
aux1 =
aux1 name =
aux2 =
aux2 name = nihongo|Alphonse Elric|アルフォンス・エルリック|Arufonsu Erurikku, commonly nicknamed as Al is a fictional character in the "Fullmetal Alchemist" universe created by Hiromu Arakawa and developed into a media franchise, consisting of a series of manga, anime, soundtracks, OVAs, movies, video games, and even collectibles. He is a human child who lost his body during an alchemic experiment to bring his deceased mother back to life, and had his soul transmuted into a suit of armor by his brother, Edward Elric.

Al's blood seal lies just below the base of the neck at the back of the suit, on the inside. It is drawn with Ed's blood. According to Edward, he needs to be careful whenever he reconstructs Alphonse's body because he must keep the blood seal intact during the transmutation. If the blood seal is removed, Al's soul will be lost.

Creation and conception

The name of Alphonse Elric in Japanese is a play of language regarding the nature of the character. In Japanese, his nickname is adapted into the katakana "Aru" to mimic the pronunciation of "Al," but the hiragana "aru" (pronounced exactly the same) is a verb meaning "to exist." The Japanese, however, have two verbs for "to exist;" one for animate objects (iru) and one for inanimate objects (aru). Since a major theme of the series is whether or not Alphonse still exists as a person with his soul affixed to the normally-inanimate suit of armor, the choice of naming him takes on a deeper meaning with this background. This wordplay could in fact be only a coincidence and not an intentional decision, but it serves as an interesting look into the nature of the language nonetheless given the theme of Al's struggle to define what he has become. [cite web|url= http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=2960&page=22|title=Trivia|publisher= Anime News Network |accessdate= 2008-03-22]

Character Outline

Alphonse is a sweet boy who loves strays, and is kind and gentle to those around him. These traits are considered as childish tendencies- the reason is said to be because he has a stunted emotional maturity (though, still sometimes more mature than his brother) from not growing physically at all. He basically stays the same age in the armor. Edward, feeling a tremendous guilt over affixing Al to something that won't grow or have senses, doesn't care what happens to himself and would without second thought give his life to give Al his body. Alphonse is completely against Edward dying or being separated from him, so Al usually stops his brother from going too far for him. Al is known to be one of his "tough-as-steel" older brother's few weaknesses; enemies often try to take advantage over it. Alphonse sometimes feels that he is a burden to Edward, but he has saved his brother's life more than once. Alphonse is also seen as the counterpart of Edward. While Edward is demonstrated (in the manga) as violent, impulsive, and loud, Alphonse is the peace-maker of the two, and seeks to help others. Also, because of the armor, most people who meet Alphonse automatically assume him of being the Fullmetal Alchemist-which never fails to annoy Ed.

Because of this, Al is unable to feel, smell, or taste anything anymore, but he can apparently see, hear, and speak. Al, like his brother, is an alchemist. Before burning down their home, Ed painted the symbol of a Flamel cross, which is a winged snake on a cross, on Al's armor. The symbol was inherited from their teacher Izumi Curtis and from Izumi's teacher Dante (anime only). Like Edward, Al is also a very skilled hand-to-hand combatant, perhaps more so than his older brother, having never been beaten by Ed in their spars and scuffles.

Plot overview

Alphonse is born in a small town named Resembool, where he lives with his older brother, Edward, and both of his parents, Trisha Elric and Hohenheim, until Hohenheim embarks on a journey and several years after, Trisha falls ill and dies, leaving the two young boys as orphans. [cite book|last=Arakawa|first=Hiromu|title=Fullmetal Alchemist, Volume 5|year=2006|publisher=Viz Media|chapter=Chapter 21|page=165|isbn=978-1-4215-0175-8] Their neighbor, Pinako Rockbell, then begins looking after them. During that time, the brothers concentrate in studying alchemy in hopes of bringing their mother back to life and are able to train with a skilled alchemist named Izumi Curtis. [cite book|last=Arakawa|first=Hiromu|title=Fullmetal Alchemist, Volume 5|year=2006|publisher=Viz Media|chapter=Chapter 21|page=175|isbn=978-1-4215-0175-8] When they return home from their training, they proceed to try the taboo art of Human transmutation but fail costing Edward his left leg, and costs Alphonse his entire body. Edward then performs a second transmutation, sacrificing his own right arm to bind Alphonse's soul to a nearby suit of armor. [cite book|last=Arakawa|first=Hiromu|title=Fullmetal Alchemist, Volume 6|year=2006|publisher=Viz Media|chapter=Chapter 23|page=|isbn=978-1-4215-0319-6]

Anime

After Kimblee uses alchemy to transform Al's armor into explosive material, Scar transferred all of his incomplete Philosopher's Stone into Al to save his life. As a result, Al became the Philosopher's Stone. Shortly after, Alphonse learns his body became lighter and his blood seal could endure contact with water. He also gained the ability to perform alchemy without a circle, although this is due to him "remembering" the gate. He only uses alchemy twice after he becomes the stone because any alchemy he or anyone near him uses activates the stone and destroys a part of Al's body. Because he houses the Stone in his body, he becomes the primary target of Dante's attempt to cheat death, but not before he becomes a pawn in Shou Tucker's plot to resurrect Nina. Once captured by the Homunculi for Dante, Al was to be devoured by Gluttony to complete the Stone inside Gluttony's body. But when he saw his brother killed by Envy, Al uses the stone's power to restore Edward's body (including his missing limbs) and re-bind his soul to it. This destroys his own body as he used up the whole of the Philosopher's Stone in the transmutations.

Alphonse becomes the Philosopher's Stone and regains full memory of his visit to the Gate. The concept of this is never fully ventured, due to his fear of the possible outcome effects of using the Stone's power. In the final episode of the series, he clearly uses alchemy without the need of any transmutation circle, in order to resurrect his dying brother.

Manga

In the manga Al eventually develops the ability to perform alchemy without a transmutation circle, the same as Ed. In the manga, when King Bradley impales Martel while she is inside Al's armored body, her blood spills onto his blood seal. This gives him a near-death experience, recalling to his mind his experience at the Doors of Truth. He realizes that he can transmute without a transmutation circle shortly thereafter. Also, in the manga, Alphonse is afraid that his armor will eventually reject his soul, which would mean his death.

A recent chapter proved the theory that Al's body was still in existence, as Ed finds it on a return trip to the Doors, malnourished and unkempt, but very much alive. He shows the true nature of his body, showing that even though his body is almost impossible to recover, he won't give up, and so neither should they. Al is later shown as seeing his body in the midst of snowstorm. This suggests that his body is calling for his soul, showing the first sign of rejection. However, he manages to find the party and warns them, though Scar said that it is rather useless, since they had nowhere else to go. As of recent chapters, Al has been attacked by Pride and Gluttony, and was knocked out and possessed by Pride. However, with Ed's quick thinking and flash bang's, Pride's control over Al was broken. He then returned to the slum camp, where he met Hohenheim. Al came up with an idea to "beat" pride. By Hohenheim using himself as a decoy, Pride moved in all his shadow's to near him, and then Al attacked him. Further distracted by Al, Hohenheim sealed Pride and Al in a large sphere made out of Earth. Al would be fine in there as he required no oxygen to survive. He started talking with Pride about how human he could be.

Appearances in other media

Aside from the initial anime and manga, Alphonse also appears in the Movie, Conqueror of Shamballa. Al also appears in almost all the "Fullmetal Alchemist OVAs". In the as a super deformed version of himself at the movie's wrap-up party, [cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=6781|publisher=Anime News Network|title=Fullmetal Alchemist: Chibi Party (OVA)|accessdate=2008-03-23] and in the , he plays a part in the battle against the anime's Homunculi. [cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=6780|publisher=Anime News Network|title=Fullmetal Alchemist: Seven Homunculi VS State Alchemists (OAV)|accessdate=2008-03-23] Al also appears in all "Fullmetal Alchemist video games" on all platforms. [cite web|url=http://na.square-enix.com/games/FMA/|publisher=Square Enix|title=Fullmetal Alchemist and the Broken Angel officia website|accessdate=2008-03-23] [cite web|url=http://na.square-enix.com/games/FMA2/|publisher=Square Enix|title=Fullmetal Alchemist 2: Curse of the Crimson Elixir official website|accessdate=2008-03-23] [cite web|url=http://www.square-enix.co.jp/hagaren3/|publisher=Square Enix|title=Fullmetal Alchemist 3: Kami o Tsugu Shōjo official website|accessdate=2008-03-23] He is also featured in several of the "Fullmetal Alchemist Trading Card Game" [cite web|url=http://www.amazon.com/Full-Metal-Alchemist-Fullmetal-Booster/dp/B000ARTBV2/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1206984977&sr=8-16|publisher=Amazon.com|title=Fullmetal Alchemist Booster Box|accessdate=2008-03-31] Alphonse is also in the additional yet non-canon Fullmetal Alchemist novels. In The Movie The Conqueror of Shamballa, Al's previous armor is shown as one of the soldiers Eckhart uses in her attempt to conquer Amestris. Al transfers a part of his soul into one, allowing him to talk with Edward in Munich (through the armor) for a short time. (However, the transmutation is temporary).

Character reception

Aaron Dismuke has stated voicing for Fullmetal Alchemist is "pretty cool" as the idea of having fans "is awesome". For voicing Al, he had his lines recorded in a metal box which he claims "..to kick it into the mic over and over again, producing an ear piercing, deafeningly loud noise that was the formula for me nearly getting fired.." [ [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interview/2005-04-03/aaron-dismuke Anime News Network - Aaron Dismuke Review] ]

Several publications for manga, anime, and other pop culture media have provided both praise and criticism on Al's character. "AnimeOnDVD" say Al is "quite the likeable character" and praised him in both Volumes 6 & 7. The first stating that "...Al's slow descent into madness and disbelief over his own existence is interesting something that could make up a series all by itself.." [ [http://www.animeondvd.com/reviews2/disc_reviews/4515.php AnimeOnDVD - Fullmetal Alchemist Volume 6 review] ] The latter volume review claiming that Episodes 25-28 saying "Getting more time with Al as an actual young boy is a nice change of pace.." [ [http://www.animeondvd.com/reviews2/disc_reviews/4747.php AnimeOnDVD - Fullmetal Alchemist Volume 7 review] ] The site also commented for the Movie and how the characters had changed, the reviewer stated; "What I enjoyed the most from the changes was seeing just how similar yet different Al had become as he took on the role of his brother." [ [http://www.animeondvd.com/reviews2/disc_reviews/5489.php AnimeOnDVD - Fullmetal Alchemist The Movie Review] ]

"Anime News Network" say that Aaron Dismuke, the actor for Al, state his voice is "absolutely charming" and "Only 12 years old, the innocence and earnestness that he applies to his role makes him a perfect Alphonse, and one of the shining stars of the dub..." [ [http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/review/fullmetal-alchemist/dvd-1 Anime News Network - Fullmetal Alchemist Volume 1 Review] ]

References