Fullmetal Alchemist

Fullmetal Alchemist is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa. It was serialized in a monthly manga magazine between July 2001 and June 2010; the publisher later collected the individual chapters into twenty-seven volumes.

I took up the challenge to make two full set of costumes for the local cosplay convention. I will breakdown the creation of both sets: Edward's and Alphonse's costumes.

The right hand armor section was made out of foam rubber. This medium was the prime choice for armor building due to the flexibility and comfort level for the wearer. The foam is also manipulatable and can conform to any shape disired.

Edward Elric

Edward has two mechanical section, I will focus on his arm:

  • This armor is connected to the right shoulder
  • I used sheet foam rubber, heat molded and scribed with a heat gun
  • I also limited my choice of colors to three shades of grey to highlight the features of the glove, including applying depth to the rivets, and applying weathering details for an aging effect

Alphonse and Edward from the anime, Fullmetal Alchemist.                             Credit: Hiromu Arakawa

Alphonse Elric

Alphonse is more complicated; his costume is an entire armor suit. It was designed from pieces, not a complete unit.

  • Helmet
  • Chest
  • Arms
  • Hands
  • Legs
  • Boots