This story starts out when Ed and Al are children, living with their mother and learning about alchemy. The boys spend time in their father’s study, reading and learning on their own. When their mother dies, the boys are devastated and try to bring her back to life, doing something called human transmutation. This is considered to be something very dangerous and illegal for any alchemist to do, since the results are never good. Ed loses an arm and when Al disappears, he sacrifices his leg to bring back Al’s soul and attach it to a suit of armor. Because Edward went through the Gate of Truth to save his brother, Ed doesn’t need to use a transmutation circle. Roy and Riza hear about what the boys did and investigate. Roy is surprised to see that they are alive, and that Ed seems to be burning with passion, though his eyes look dead.
A few years later, the boys set out to Central so Ed can become a state alchemist. Ed, after being trained by Tucker, manages to pass the test. His work as a ‘dog of the military’ begins. The boys have many adventures, from fighting Scar to the homunculi, to making new friends and saving the city, with many bumps along the way. They learn a lot during their adventures, realizing that all homunculi can be easily recognized with a certain tattoo somewhere on their bodies. They learn the terrible secret of creating another stone, and attempt to find a new way to get their respective bodies back.
	During the last fight with the homunculi, many things go wrong, with Roy going blind, a heartbreaking shock for all watchers. But after they save Central, and the entire country from being destroyed by the homunculi, Ed proposes to Winry in his unique way and the series ends with a happy image of Ed, Winry, Al, Mei, and the rest of the gang.