10 Best Fullmetal Alchemist Episodes, Definitively Ranked

To this date, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood remains one of the best anime of all time. The story follows two brothers, Edward and Alphonse, who commit the biggest taboo in the world of alchemy by trying to bring their mother back from the dead.

They end up paying the price with their bodies and go on a journey to find a way to get their bodies back. This journey spans a total of 64 episodes in this anime. Among them, 10 episodes stand out. Let’s rank them.

TITLE	Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
RELEASE DATE	Apr 5, 2009 to Jul 4, 2010
MAL RATING (as of May 6, 2026)	9.11 / 10
STUDIO	Bones
STREAMING	Crunchyroll

10 Episode 2 – The First Day

Episode 2 is all about the backstory of the protagonists. In shonen anime, it is common practice not to show characters’ backgrounds until much later; however, FMAB went the other way by showing them at the start of Episode 2. Edward and Alphonse lose their mother, Trisha, to an illness, and this episode details their attempt to bring her back.

The episode used a lot of dark imagery to convey the horror that the brothers saw as kids. The design of the incomplete, monstrous thing that they end up creating, combined with the fact that Edward loses his limbs and Alphonse loses his entire body, establishes the stakes for the entire anime. This episode also did an amazing job at showing how Edward is one of the most tragic characters of all time.

This episode ranks at number 10 because it is basically a necessary setup. While it lacks the massive action scenes we see later in the anime, it does serve perfectly as a setup.

9 Episode 61 – He Who Would Swallow God

The events of this episode are near the end of the franchise. Father, the primary antagonist, successfully activates the huge transmutation circle hidden underground. The sheet scale of this event shifts the final event’s tone from military struggle to cosmic threat.

The episode covers Father’s transformation into a new, younger form. However, Hohenheim activates his own transmutation circle instead, returning the absorbed souls to the citizens.

The animations during Father’s absorption are quite amazing. The direction of the episode balances between the initial failure of the protagonists and the success achieved by Hohenheim.

8 Episode 19 – Death of the Undying

Episode 19 is a major turning point in this anime. This episode is focused on the battle between Roy Mustang and Homunculus Lust. Mustang’s allies are practically killed, and even Jean Havoc is paralyzed. Lust believes that she has won, as she proceeds to locate Hawkeye next.

When Mustang returns, it makes one of the best moments in the entire anime. He keeps attacking Lust using his flames while he is still heavily wounded himself. The animation of the flames and Lust’s constant healing is one of the best animation sequences from that decade.

This episode stands out for how it established the character of Roy Mustang and showed us what a true alchemy fight looks like.

7 Episode 60 – Eye of Heaven, Gateway of Earth

The events in this episode are what lead to the nationwide transmutation circle being activated. The solar eclipse is starting, and the protagonists are still trapped underground. The episode stands out for how well it builds tension for the final moments in the story.

Mustang is forced to perform human transmutation, which results in him losing his eyesight, which ensures that he won’t be physically present in the final battle anymore. This episode managed to make this ranking because of the atmospheric direction and how it showed hopelessness.

6 Episode 40 – The Dwarf in the Flask

This is the episode of major reveals. This episode details the origin of Van Hohenheim, father of Edward and Alphonse, and the first Homunculus, known as the Dwarf in the Flask, in the ancient city of Xerxes. Hohenheim, who didn’t have a name at that point due to being a slave, becomes friends with the homunculus.

The homunculus fools the king of Xerxes into making a huge transmutation circle that turns Hohenheim and himself immortal. This episode was also the actual reveal of how long Edward’s father had lived, and what the goals of Homunculus are. And it also shows how and why Father is the strongest homunculus.

5 Episode 4 – An Alchemist’s Distress

Early in their journey, the Elric brothers go and visit Shou Tucker, an Alchemist who is researching bio-alchemy. He is famous within the military for creating a chimera capable of speaking like a human. Over the course of the episode, the brothers bond with him and his daughter.

The episode takes a sharp turn when the deadline for Tucker’s State Alchemist assessment approaches. Driven by the fear of losing his status and funding, he uses his own daughter and dog to create a chimera. Edward’s realization of what Tucker had done when he finally understood what Chimera was saying is one of the most talked about moment in the anime.

This episode ranks high due to its psychological impact. The direction does not rely on visual gore; instead, it uses the innocent demeanor of the chimera to amplify the horror of the situation.

4 Episode 53 – Flame of Vengeance

During the Promised Day assault on Central Command, Roy Mustang finally confronts Envy, the Homunculus responsible for the murder of his best friend, Maes Hughes. Envy tries to play with Mustang’s mind by shapeshifting into various people, but nothing works.

This was not a fair battle; it was a one-sided battle where Mustang kept destroying Envy. We got to see a completely new side of Mustang, driven completely by anger. The animations in this episode perfectly show the state in which Mustang is in; all he cares about is killing Envy, and he is not even held back by military morals. This episode also shows how Mustang is one of the strongest in the anime.

This episode ranks this high because it contained a perfect revenge arc in a single episode. Everyone, including the viewers, hated Envy for killing someone who was arguably the kindest man in the entire anime. It was satisfying to see Envy finally getting the pain deserved. However, he did not die in this episode.

3 Episode 54 – Beyond the Inferno

Directly following the last entry in this ranking, this episode shows the psychological climax of Mustang’s confrontation with Envy. Edward, Alphonse, Scar, and Riza Hawkeye intervene to stop Mustang from delivering the final blow. Hawkeye even points her gun at him, asking him not to become a monster himself.

The highlight of this episode is not the action, but rather the dialogue between the characters. Mustang eventually comes to reason, recognizing the damage his vengeance is causing to those dear and loyal to him. Envy, reduced to his true, small parasitic form, cannot comprehend the humans’ ability to overcome their base instincts and ultimately destroys his own Philosopher’s Stone.

This episode earns the number 3 spot for its clean resolution. It completes Mustang’s character arc regarding his desire for revenge.

2 Episode 62 – A Fierce Counterattack

This entire episode is a continuous, high-stakes action sequence. The most important moment of this episode is the sacrifice of Greed, who allows himself to be absorbed, then uses his carbon ability to turn Father into charcoal from the inside out. The direction and animation of this episode perfectly show how dire the situation has become.

This episode ranks number 2 because it perfectly brings together everyone, starting a large ensemble battle. Almost every character is present, and no one feels out of place. Greed’s character arc, concluding in a heroic fashion, also elevates this episode a lot.

1 Episode 63 – The Other Side of the Gateway

This episode is the peak of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood anime. It provides a perfect conclusion to the journey of the Elric brothers after the best fight scenes in the anime. Alphonse is getting his body back, but his body is still on the other side, so he is basically gone from the real world.

Edward realizes the final equivalent exchange as he performs a human transmutation, arriving at the Gate of Truth. He offers his own ability to use alchemy, his Gate itself, in exchange for Alphonse’s entire body and soul. Truth simply smiles, acknowledging that Edward has finally understood the correct answer: relying on people rather than immense power.

This episode is ranked number 1 as it resolves the primary plot line established in Episode 2 with perfect consistency. The animation of Alphonse returning to the physical world, malnourished but whole, is handled with careful attention.

RANK	EPISODE NUMBER	EPISODE NAME
10	Episode 2	The First Day
9	Episode 61	He Who Would Swallow God
8	Episode 19	Death of the Undying
7	Episode 60	Eye of Heaven, Gateway of Earth
6	Episode 40	The Dwarf in the Flask
5	Episode 4	An Alchemist’s Distress
4	Episode 53	Flame of Vengeance
3	Episode 54	Beyond the Inferno
2	Episode 62	A Fierce Counterattack
1	Episode 63	The Other Side of the Gateway

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood maintained a level of quality throughout its run that is quite rare. While here we’ve ranked the best 10 episodes, that doesn’t mean that other episodes are not good. It’s just that these 10 were simply better. For anyone who has not seen it, this anime is definitely worth a binge.

What is your favorite Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood episode? Let us know in the comments.

Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood is streaming on Crunchyroll