Fullmetal Alchemist Vol. 15: Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 15
- ISBN
- 9781421513805
- Publisher
- VIZ
- English release
- Pages
- 192
Fullmetal Alchemist 15 turns toward the Ishbalan campaign and the past of the state alchemists. Hawkeye's account gives Ed access to events that took place before he joined their ranks. Read this for the history behind the present military relationships, rather than as another stage of a physical pursuit. The preceding books establish the people whose actions are now being examined; the change of focus asks the reader to reconsider them.
Spoilers — why this volume matters. Tap to reveal.
Hawkeye's position as the person telling Ed about Ishbal gives the history an immediate listener with something at stake. He entered an institution after these events, while the people around him already carry their consequences. VIZ specifically identifies Mustang and the state alchemists' roles as part of her account. That makes the past a test of how Ed understands his present company, not merely background added to explain a villain. The strongest reason for this shift is its demand to distinguish knowing a colleague from knowing what that colleague has done. Familiarity is not the same as an account of responsibility.
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