Episode 1: Those Who Challenge the Sun (2003 series)

Those Who Challenge the Sun
Series	Fullmetal Alchemist (anime)
Episode number	1
Japan airdate	October 4th, 2003
U.S.A. airdate	November 6th, 2004
Language	English/Japanese
Subtitles	English
Navigation
Followed by	Body of the Sanctioned

Those Who Challenge the Sun is the first episode of the Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 anime series.

Synopsis

Four years after attempting to resurrect their mother, Edward and Alphonse search for a rumored stone that could amplify their alchemy and restore their broken bodies.

Full Synopsis

In a mini-flashback, a pair of young alchemist brothers attempt the forbidden human transmutation on their deceased mother to bring her back to life. It results in a massive rebound, with one of the brothers losing his left leg and the other his entire body. As the lone surviving brother is crawling and bleeding in agony, he eyes what he believes to be his mother brought back to life, but is actually a creature with a monstrous-like appearance, causing him to piercingly shriek in great horror.

In the present timeline, the very same brothers, named Edward and Alphonse Elric, the latter of which is now supposedly in a giant suit of armor, discover a desert city town called Reole and make their way through. While there, they hear of a priest named Father Cornello, who can supposedly perform miracles. While at a food stand, a mysterious woman, whom Ed seems to recognize, introduces him as the "Fullmetal Alchemist". It causes the townsfolk to mistake Alphonse as the state alchemist, and it is here the Elric brothers meet a young woman named Rosé. The people of Reole insist that Father Cornello would be able to help them and Rosé volunteers to take them to see the priest.

A conversation between Rosé and Father Cornello reveals that the priest has promised to resurrect Rosé’s dead boyfriend Cain, as a miracle in return for her hard work. Ed and Al attend a ‘Miracle Gathering’ where they realize the ‘miracles’ are nothing more than alchemy and the priest is ignoring the laws of alchemy. Upon hearing of the presence of the Fullmetal Alchemist and wrongly perceiving a threat, Father Cornello authorizes for the Elrics to be removed. The priest is later shown to be talking to the mysterious woman, who claims that Fullmetal's presence troubles her, but Cornello tells her not to worry, as there is another way to get rid of the Elrics.

Meanwhile at a church, Edward tries to convince Rosé of the priest's scam, forcing his views on alchemy, science and disbelief in miracles upon her. Rosé chastises Edward's agnosticism and balks at his assertions regarding science's superiority over faith. Just then Cray, a follower of Father Cornello, shoots Al with a gun and the suit of armor is revealed to be hollow, showing that Al has no body, which Al terms as his "punishment for setting foot on holy ground where mortals are forbidden." Rosé believes the Elric brothers to be evil and runs off in panic, leading them to Father Cornello.

There, Edward realizes that the priest has a Philosopher's Stone and hence he performs alchemy without a transmutation circle and ignores the laws of equivalent exchange. The priest tries to show he has done nothing but good for Reole and that Edward only wants the stone for personal reasons. The priest sets a transmuted chimera to attack them and turns the ground into sand, sweeping Al away and preventing Ed from drawing a transmutation circle. This is where Ed reveals that he can perform alchemy without a transmutation circle to create a spear, forcing Cornello to transmute the bird on his shoulder into a larger bird to join the fight. As the fight drags on, it is revealed that Ed's right arm and left leg are mechanical as it helps him survive the attacks on those areas by the chimera and the giant bird. Ed quickly defeats both of them. The priest correctly guesses that the brothers attempted human transmutation, hence their appearance, and recognizes Ed as the Fullmetal Alchemist.

Episode Notes

• The Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 anime series starts off with this episode though in respect to the timeline, the events take place after Episode 9 because Episodes 3 to 9 are the Elric brothers' backstory.
• The ending theme for this episode is "Melissa" by Porno Graffitti, which is used for the opening theme for the next 12 episodes. The ending theme, on the other hand, is "Kesenai Tsumi" (消せない罪, "Indelible Sin") by Nana Kitade for the next 12 episodes.
• This episode is adapted from content in Chapter 1: The Two Alchemists, Chapter 2: The Price of Life and Chapter 23: Knocking on Heaven's Door.
• When Ed first sees Lust, he seems to recognize her from somewhere. It wouldn't be revealed until three episodes later in Episode 4, which occurs during the Elric brothers' flashback, that Ed briefly saw her when he was in a graveyard trying to solve a mystery.
• The giant bird that Cornello creates with his fake Philosopher's Stone (and his apparent affinity with parrots in general) is exclusive to this series. In the manga and 2009 anime, only the waiting chimera fights Ed.

Transcript

• View the transcript for the English dub of this episode here.

See also

• Chapter 1: The Two Alchemists
• Episode 3: City of Heresy (2009 series)