In a recently resurfaced interview, Hiromu Arakawa, author and illustrator of the manga “Fullmetal Alchemist”confessed that he never believed that his acclaimed dark fantasy series would make it past the second volume. This revelation caught the attention of fans, who relived this interview from a few years ago and which once again occupied the number one position in Febri.

Arakawa, who grew up in a rural environment within a farming family, shared in the interview how his first interest in manga and illustration began at an early age. As the conversation delves deeper into his professional career, The author reveals a surprising truth: she had no confidence that “Fullmetal Alchemist” would survive beyond its first two volumes. At the time of its release, the Square Enix-owned Monthly Shonen Gangan magazine would often cancel a series if its sales were low after publishing two volumes.

«The first chapter was published in color, but after that I didn't receive any more color pages.» commented Arakawa. «I thought, 'Oh, so he's not popular,' and I was relieved (laughs). In Monthly Shonen Gangan, they cancel the series after two volumes if it's not successful, so I considered that possibility as well. I thought if it didn't work, I would just say 'next, next, next.' Then when I heard the number of copies of the first volume, I thought, 'This is definitely not going to sell.' I talked to my publisher and said to him, 'If it doesn't sell, let's do a tour up north together to promote it' (laughs)».

However, fate had other plans for “Fullmetal Alchemist”. The series has become one of Square Enix's most successful franchises, selling over 80 million volumes worldwide as of July 6, 2021. The manga ran for nine years, from July 12, 2001 to June 11, 2010, culminating in a total of 27 volumes.

“Fullmetal Alchemist” not only left an indelible mark on the world of manga, but also inspired two successful anime adaptations, both produced by renowned animation studio BONES. The first adaptation, “Fullmetal Alchemist” (2003-2004), deviated from the source material when it came to the chapters Arakawa was still writing, leading to an original ending. The second adaptation, “Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood” (2009-2010), was a more faithful version of the manga.although it faced criticism in its first episodes for having summarized parts that had already been covered in the 2003 series to get to the unadapted material more quickly.

The success of “Fullmetal Alchemist” is a testament to Hiromu Arakawa’s talent and his ability to create a story that has resonated deeply with readers and viewers around the world. Although the author initially had doubts about the future of her work, the work not only exceeded these expectations, but also established itself as one of the most beloved and respected series in the history of manga and anime.

Source: February