TL;DR
- Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood has 64 episodes, plus 4 OVAs and one theatrical spin off film.
- Brotherhood is not a sequel or remake of the 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist. It is a separate, more manga faithful adaptation that tells the full story.
- Filler tracking sources report only 1 filler episode across all 64 episodes, making this one of the leanest long running anime watches available.
- You do not need the OVAs or the movie to understand the core story. They add side content, not required plot.
- Brotherhood originally streamed on Hulu with English subtitles roughly two weeks after Japanese broadcast, and Funimation (now part of Crunchyroll) handled North American licensing.
- Two narrators are credited across all 64 episodes, while the actress voicing Edward Elric is credited for 63 of the 64, a small but real production detail worth knowing.
FMAB Episode Count: How Many Episodes Does Brotherhood Have?
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood comprises a total of 64 episodes, 4 OVAs, and one theatrical spin off film. The series aired weekly on MBS, TBS, and affiliated stations from April 2009 through July 2010.
That is a little over a year of weekly episodes, which is a normal run for a series adapting a completed manga rather than stretching material to fill a schedule. Yasuhiro Irie directed the series, Hiroshi Ōnogi wrote the screenplay, and the whole thing is based on Hiromu Arakawa’s original manga.
Knowing who steered the ship matters here because Brotherhood’s reputation for tight pacing and almost zero wasted episodes did not happen by accident. The production team had the finished manga in hand before large chunks of the anime were even storyboarded, which is part of why the episode count lands at 64 instead of stretching into the 70s or beyond the way some long running adaptations do when a studio has to pace around an unfinished source.
For comparison, a lot of long running shonen adaptations run well past 100 episodes because the source material is still being serialized while the anime airs. Brotherhood did not have that problem. Arakawa’s manga wrapped in 2010, the same year Brotherhood finished airing, and the production timed its 64 episode count to land the anime’s ending close to the manga’s actual conclusion.
FMAB vs. the 2003 Fullmetal Alchemist: Are They the Same Show?
No, they are not the same show, and this is the confusion driving a huge share of “how many episodes” searches. Unlike the 2003 anime, which diverged from the manga into its own original story partway through its run, Brotherhood follows the manga’s full plot from start to finish.
Think of it like two different film adaptations of the same book. One came out while the book was still being written and had to invent its own ending. The other waited and adapted the whole thing.
Both are legitimate shows. Only one of them tells Arakawa’s actual, complete story.
| Feature | FMA (2003) | Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood |
|---|---|---|
| Episode count | 51 | 64 |
| Follows the manga | Diverges midway, original ending | Follows manga fully to its conclusion |
| Best for | Fans who want a standalone, darker original story | Anyone wanting Arakawa’s intended ending |
| Watch first? | Optional, not required | Recommended starting point for new viewers |
If you are only watching one version of this story, Brotherhood is the one that matches the manga readers already love, including the fan theory deep dives you will find on threads about best murder mystery shows where source fidelity gets debated the same way.
Do You Need to Watch the OVAs and the Movie Too?
No, you do not need the OVAs or the movie to follow the core story, but they are worth knowing about. Brotherhood includes 4 OVAs that function as side content.
They are commonly described as short vignettes exploring side characters and moments the main 64 episodes skip past for pacing reasons. None of them alter the trajectory of the main plot, so treating them as optional will not leave you confused about what happens in the core 64 episode run.
The theatrical spin off film sits outside the main 64 episode run as well. It is generally treated as a supplementary release rather than a required chapter, so skipping it will not leave plot holes in the main story.
If you finish all 64 episodes and want more time in that world, the OVAs and film are dessert, not dinner. Watch them after you finish the main run rather than mixing them into your first watch, since a couple of the OVAs contain light spoilers for plot points that land later in the series.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Watch Order (No Filler to Skip)
There is no official “season” structure for Brotherhood. It is one continuous 64 episode run, though home video releases split it into chunks for packaging purposes.
Funimation released the series on Blu-ray and DVD starting May 25, 2010, split into five volumes of 13 episodes each. That volume split is a distribution choice, not a narrative one, so do not go looking for a “season 2” or “season 3” of FMAB. It does not exist under that framing.
| Volume | Episodes Covered |
|---|---|
| Volume 1 | Episodes 1 to 13 |
| Volume 2 | Episodes 14 to 26 |
| Volume 3 | Episodes 27 to 39 |
| Volume 4 | Episodes 40 to 52 |
| Volume 5 | Episodes 53 to 64 |
Here is the part that actually matters for your weekend plans: across all 64 episodes, filler tracking sources report just 1 filler episode in the entire series. If you have been burned by other long running anime where you had to skip a third of the run to avoid pointless side quests, Brotherhood is close to the opposite experience.
That single filler episode is easy to sit through precisely because it is the exception rather than the rule. Most viewers report barely noticing it on a first watch, which says something about how tightly the other 63 episodes are paced by comparison.
Is Episode 27 of FMAB a Recap Episode?
Based on filler tracking data, episode 27 is not flagged as a filler or recap episode. The series’ single reported filler episode sits elsewhere in the run according to the same tracking sources, which correct a fairly persistent piece of fan folklore around episode 27 specifically.
This is worth being precise about because exact recap status beyond that filler tracking is not independently confirmed in the sources checked for this piece. What can be said confidently is that this show’s reputation for near zero filler holds up.
Episode 27 falling near a Blu-ray volume break may be part of why it got mistaken for a breather episode in fan discussion. Volume breaks tend to land on quieter narrative beats by design, which can read as a recap even when no actual recap footage is used.
FMAB Cast and Credits: One Detail Most Fans Miss
Here is the fun one. Kent Williams and Iemasa Kayumi are each credited as Narrator for all 64 episodes, which makes sense since a narrator role tends to be a constant presence.
What is odder is that Romi Park, who voices Edward Elric, is credited for 63 of the 64 episodes rather than all 64. Nobody publishes a dramatic explanation for that missing episode credit.
It is the kind of small, oddly specific production detail that gets lost in Wikipedia’s prose and never makes it into an IMDb trivia section. It is also exactly the sort of thing that makes rewatching a show fun.
Somewhere in that 64 episode run, Edward Elric’s credited voice actress has one single episode she is not formally listed for, and nobody is loudly explaining why. Fans who have gone looking for the specific episode have not landed on a consistent answer, which means this remains one of the few genuinely unresolved trivia points about a show otherwise documented down to the minute.
On the composer side, Akira Senju scored the series, and Brotherhood cycled through ten separate pieces of theme music across its run, roughly every 12 episodes. That is a lot of opening and ending song turnover for one show, which partly explains why so many “FMAB opening songs list” searches exist.
People remember loving four or five different openings and assume they must be misremembering. They are not. Ten theme songs across 64 episodes is an unusually high turnover rate even by anime standards, where a new opening every 24 to 26 episodes is closer to the norm.
Where to Watch Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood in 2026
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood was originally licensed in North America by Funimation, with English subtitled episodes made available on Hulu roughly two weeks after their original Japanese broadcast. Funimation has since been absorbed into Crunchyroll, which now handles much of that former back catalog.
Streaming libraries shift often enough that naming a definitive 2026 platform here would be a promise this piece cannot keep. The safest move is checking current listings directly before committing a weekend to it, since licensing agreements move between platforms more frequently than most viewers expect.
Physical media remains the most stable option if you want a guaranteed way to watch all 64 episodes without worrying about a licensing shuffle mid rewatch. The five volume Blu-ray set covers the entire main run without gaps.
What Should You Know Before You Start Watching FMAB?
Sixty four episodes is a real commitment, landing at roughly 24 or more hours of runtime once you add the OVAs. There is no season 2 or season 3 to hunt down afterward.
The “how many episodes” search that brought you here was very likely standing in for a more specific question about filler, watch order, or the 2003 series confusion. If your actual question going in was more specific than a flat number, something like whether you are watching the right version or whether an episode you vaguely remember is worth skipping, that is a search results problem more than an anime problem.
It is similar to how viewers get tangled up figuring out why Netflix cancels shows instead of just getting a straight answer the first time. In both cases, the surface level question hides a more specific one that most search results never quite address.
FAQ: Fast Answers About FMAB Episode Count
Is FMAB only 64 episodes?
Yes. Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood’s main story runs exactly 64 episodes, aired weekly from April 2009 to July 2010. Beyond that, there are 4 OVAs and one theatrical film that exist as side content, but they are not part of the numbered 64 episode count and are not required to follow the main plot.
Is episode 27 of FMAB a recap?
Filler tracking sources do not flag episode 27 as filler or recap content. The series’ single reported filler episode is located elsewhere in the run. This corrects a common assumption among fans that episode 27 was a breather or clip show episode, which does not match the available tracking data.
Do I need to watch the 2003 series before Brotherhood?
No. Brotherhood is not a sequel to the 2003 series and does not require it as a prerequisite. The two shows are separate adaptations of the same source material, with Brotherhood following the manga’s complete story and the 2003 series diverging into its own original plot partway through.
Which is darker, FMA or FMAB?
This is genuinely a matter of viewer opinion rather than a settled fact, since both shows go to some grim places in different ways. Many longtime fans describe the 2003 series as tonally heavier due to its original, more tragic ending, while others find Brotherhood’s version of certain arcs just as intense. Neither framing is more correct than the other.
How long does it take to watch all of FMAB?
At roughly 24 minutes per episode across 64 episodes, the main series alone runs approximately 24 to 26 hours. Adding the 4 OVAs and the theatrical film extends that total by a few more hours, depending on which extras you choose to include.
Does FMAB have seasons?
No official seasons exist for Brotherhood. It is a single continuous 64 episode run. Home video releases split the series into five volumes of 13 episodes each for packaging purposes, but that split reflects distribution, not a narrative season break.
Sixty four episodes, one honest ending, and almost no filler to slog through. That combination is rare enough that it explains why Brotherhood still gets recommended a decade after it aired, and why so many searches about it are really searches about clarity rather than the number itself.
If you take one thing from this, let it be that the 2003 versus Brotherhood confusion is the real obstacle, not the runtime. Sort that out first, and the rest of your watch plan falls into place on its own.
