10 Best Fullmetal Alchemist Fights, Ranked

Tapping into the Shonen anime classics, Fullmetal Alchemist had some of the best choreographed and intense fights back in the day. What makes them even more intriguing is that even after 17 years of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, the fights still feel fresh.

That being said, it has been so long since the series aired that many of us have forgotten some of the key fights featured. Nevertheless, here are the top 10 best fights in the Fullmetal Alchemist anime series, ranked by intensity, narrative impact, and action. We will follow Brotherhood in this list as that is the canon show.

TITLE	Fullmetal Alchemist/Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
CREATOR	Hiromu Arakawa
RELEASE DATE	October 4, 2003/April 5, 2009
IMDb RATINGS (As of April 26, 2026)	8.5/10 (FMA) 9.1/10 (FMA: Brotherhood)
WHERE TO WATCH	Crunchyroll

10 Roy Mustang vs. Lust

One of the earlier fights in the series, the fight between Roy Mustang and the Homunculi, Lust, is one of the more defining moments in terms of character arcs, not just action. Up until this point, Roy was calm and composed; the fight brought out a completely different side of him – pure fury. On top of that, Lust’s regenerative powers and Ultimate Spear made the battle even more challenging.

The fight wasn’t just memorable for showcasing magical powers and action, but also for the tone it carried. Mustang’s repeated snaps and Lust’s desperate attempts to survive turned the fight into more like an execution scene.

9 Edward & Alphonse Elric vs. Sloth

At first glance, the battle seems pretty underwhelming, with Sloth barely moving, lazy, slowly taking, and seemingly barely motivated. However, the battle was more than just a lazy slop show. Once Sloth starts moving, he shows insane speed, overwhelming raw strength, and near-impossible durability.

What makes the battle so iconic is the fact that it shows just how coordinated the Elric brothers were. Edward uses quick thinking and terrain manipulation, while Alphonse plays defense and absorbs punishment, constantly adapting mid-fight. After reinforcements arrive in the form of the Armstrong siblings, it finally balances out Sloth’s strength, proving just how Sloth is arguably one of the strongest characters in the Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood anime series.

8 Roy Mustang vs. Envy

This was not just another regular fight in a shonen anime; it was one of the scariest breaking points in Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. The battle itself was very decisive: Evy stood no chance against Roy; it was how things went down that made it so intense and memorable.

The revenge narrative after Roy learns that Envy is responsible for Maes Hughes’ death is something we never anticipated – he burns Envy, waits for regeneration, burns him again, and keeps repeating the process. Roy became so overwhelmed with rage that Riza was pointing a gun at Mustang, while Edward and Scar constantly attempted to stop him.

7 King Bradley vs. Scar (The First Encounter)

Although it was a very brief encounter between the two, it essentially showed the powerscaling gap between them. By that point, Scar was already a feared and strong figure in the series, so you’d expect another one-sided battle – rather, the opposite happened.

While Scar goes on the offensive immediately, trying to end things fast with his destruction alchemy, Bradley draws his sword and cuts through Scar’s attacks mid-motion. This was a showcase of instant dominance from Bradley and basically a brief revelation as to why he is an authoritative figure to be feared.

6 Ling Yao and Lan Fan vs. King Bradley (Wrath)

The fight between Ling Yao and Lan Fan vs. King Bradley was one of the most intense battles in the series, with an emotional undertone. While the two were engaged with the Homunculi Gluttony, Bradley intercepts them and takes out Lan almost immediately. What makes the battle more memorable is the revelation of King Bradley as Wrath.

The battle also carries an emotional heaviness – when Bradley targets Lan Fan and tracks her by scent, she makes a brutal decision to cut off her own arm to distract Bradley. The fight wasn’t just physical; it was shocking, painful, and unforgettable thanks to the moment of Lan’s sacrifice.

5 Edward Elric vs. Greed (The First Fight)

The first battle between Edward and Greed happens when the Elric brothers track down Greed to his hideout in Dublith. While initially it looked like Greed had the upper hand and Edward was backed into the corner, the latter did what he does best – adapt mid-battle. This was more than a battle of physical strength; it was pure alchemical outmaneuvering.

Instead of panicking against Greed’s immense strength and unique build, Edward starts deducing scientifically and adapting mid-fight to gain the upper hand. While Izumi’s intervention ended the confrontation shortly after, it gave us a glimpse of Ed’s battle strategy prowess.

4 Alphonse Elric vs. Pride & Solf J. Kimblee

One of the most action-packed and intense battles in the Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood series, in our opinion, Alphonse Elric vs. Pride & Solf J. Kimblee was not just a battle of strength; it was a battle of overwhelming strategy and alchemy prowess. Al is already at a disadvantage going into the fight: facing two extremely powerful opponents while protecting a weakened Heinkel.

Instead of taking them head-on, Alphonse uses the terrain and positioning carefully to his advantage to take them down. This was Al’s smartest fight, not his most powerful one. That alone makes this fight iconic and memorable in a series filled with battles raged and won on power and intensity.

3 Roy Mustang vs. King Bradley (Final Segment Battle)

Although it was a very brief battle, it was impactful enough to make it the top 3 on this list. The situations were intense enough to make it more memorable – blinded after being forced to perform human transmutation and still trying to fight in the middle of the Promised Day chaos, Roy was ambushed by Bradley, who is basically a brand ambassador of racism.

The small but impactful confrontation is basically a statement of determination and willpower towards Roy’s character arc. Despite losing his eyesight, Roy continues using flame alchemy, relying on sound, instinct, and timing. That goes to show just how strong a personality the Conolel has.

2 Scar vs. King Bradley (Final Battle)

Before the main climax battle kicks in, this is probably the most intense battle in the series – the decisive battle between Scar and King Bradley. The rematch has much higher stakes now than their initial confrontation: While Bradley is injured but still lethal, Scar is no longer just a destroyer, but someone seeking purpose.

The fight was intense with back-and-forth clashes between the two in both physical power and alchemical exchange. But what makes it even more iconic is the ideological undertone – while Bradley believes in individual strength and survival, Scar represented redemption and rebuilding.

1 Everyone vs. Father (Final Battle)

As far as shonen endings go, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood’s Father vs. Everyone is as intense and dramatic as it gets. Not only does the battle feature a massive display of alchemical mastery with Izumi, Roy, Greed, Edward, and many others pitching in against Father, but it also contains some of the most emotional breaking points.

For instance, Alphonse sacrifices his soul to bring back Edward’s right hand, and Greed sacrifices itself to substantially weaken Father, which ultimately leads to the villain’s defeat. Compared to other final arcs like the Fourth Shinobi World War Arc from Naruto, the Promised Day Arc from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood stands far ahead in narrative.

RANKING	BATTLE
10	Roy Mustang vs. Lust
9	Edward & Alphonse Elric vs. Sloth
8	Roy Mustang vs. Envy
7	King Bradley vs. Scar (The First Encounter)
6	Ling Yao and Lan Fan vs. King Bradley (Wrath)
5	Edward Elric vs. Greed (The First Fight)
4	Alphonse Elric vs. Pride & Solf J. Kimblee
3	Roy Mustang vs. King Bradley (Final Segment Battle)
2	Scar vs. King Bradley (Final Battle)
1	Everyone vs. Father (Final Battle)

What are your thoughts on our list of the best fights from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood? We’d love to hear your opinions in the comments below.

All Episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood are available to watch on Crunchyroll.