‘Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood’ Mistakes You’ll Never Be Able to Unsee

‘Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood’ is a beautifully made anime, but like any series of its length, it has a few small flaws. Observant viewers might notice brief animation errors or minor inconsistencies caused by translation and different release schedules. These don’t impact the overall story, but they demonstrate the challenges of producing a long series quickly with multiple teams involved.

Automail Flips in Mirrored Frames

In fast-moving scenes or quick cuts, there’s a visual glitch where Edward’s mechanical arm sometimes appears on the wrong side. This happens because images are occasionally flipped to keep the action flowing smoothly or to speed up animation, and this can accidentally reverse details like his arm. It’s usually a very quick error—often just for a single frame—but once you see it, it’s hard to unsee.

Pocket Watch Chain Continuity

Edward Elric’s pocket watch, a key part of his State Alchemist look, is meant to hang consistently from his belt or pocket. However, you might notice the chain’s length and where it attaches change slightly between different shots in the anime. This happens because different animation teams worked on various parts, and they used slightly different designs and had to work quickly to meet deadlines. These inconsistencies are simply a natural result of the animation process.

Simplified Transmutation Circles

When showing transmutation circles from far away, animators sometimes draw them with fewer details or simpler designs to make the scene clear and keep production moving. As the camera gets closer, these circles might unexpectedly become much more detailed, which can be a minor inconsistency. This technique balances visual clarity with the need to meet deadlines.

Military Insignia Variations

Amestrian military uniforms use badges and details on the sleeves to show rank, and these details are generally kept the same throughout a scene. However, in wider shots showing crowds or transitions, the number of stripes or the clarity of emblems might be a little different from the main characters seen in close-ups. This usually happens because different artists working on those shots might use slightly older or different reference materials.

Blood and Damage Reset Between Cuts

Sometimes, small details like scratches, tears, or blood splatters will visually reset or move slightly when the camera angle changes during fights. Because these effects are created as separate layers from the character artwork, reusing or adjusting fight footage can cause stains and scratches to appear or disappear unexpectedly. This is especially noticeable in fast-paced battles where it’s difficult to ensure everything stays consistent.

Lip-Sync Drift in Dubbed Versions

Sometimes, when a show or movie is dubbed into English, the lip movements don’t quite match up with the words being spoken, especially during fast-paced conversations. This happens because the original animation was created to match the sounds of the Japanese language, and perfectly syncing it to English would be a huge amount of work. Studios focus on delivering a good performance and an accurate translation, so small timing differences can occur in quicker scenes.

Name Localizations That Don’t Match On-Screen Text

Some names and places are written differently depending on where you are and which version you’re watching – for example, you might see “Ishval” or “Ishbal,” or “Reole” instead of “Lior.” These differences come from how the original manga was translated a long time ago, older versions of the scripts, and choices made when converting names into the Roman alphabet. It’s most obvious when a name is spelled one way on screen but differently in the subtitles.

Background Signage Swapping Alphabets

On set, Amestrian signs often switch between the show’s fictional writing and standard English letters, sometimes even within the same scene. This is done because the production crew uses clear, easy-to-read versions of the signs – especially when they’re moving – to make sure everything is understandable. This can create the illusion that the writing on signs changes depending on the camera angle.

Map Scale and Travel Time Wobbles

The show sometimes speeds up travel between locations by cutting between different storylines. This is done to keep the story moving and isn’t meant to be a precise timeline. While maps and wide shots help show where everything is happening, the exact timing between events isn’t always consistent throughout the series.

Character Model Accessory Swaps

Small details like earrings, belts, or pouches sometimes briefly change position or vanish entirely in episodes with multiple parts. This usually happens because the artist drawing the in-between frames uses an older reference image that doesn’t reflect a recent costume change, or because of errors when combining different layers in a complex shot. The detail reappears correctly in the next close-up, making the mistake seem like a quick, unintentional flash.

We want to hear about any mistakes or inconsistencies you’ve noticed in ‘Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood’! Let us know what you find in the comments below.

2025-10-19 09:15