FMA - why only 52 episodes?

[nemesis5]

I was wondering why FMA only got 52 episodes when the manga is still running today. Couldn't they have just given the anime a break or added filler like Naruto so that they could avoid overlapping and continue following the manga? I just wish there was more. Or maybe FMA did badly in japan...? I'd appreciate any answers.

[3BladeDemoness]

FMA would do badly in Japan? I seriously doubt that its a fantastic show. Still, you raise a good point! Edward rocks XP It seriously dosen't go longer. Thats crap..

[Aurelie]

For some reason, that's how it is with a lot of manga and anime. The manga just tend to go further than the anime, probably because it's cheaper and ... yeah, whatever the reason may be.
But anime such as Fruits Basket and Kare Kano have about 26 episodes and the manga goes waaay past where they left off in the anime.

Oh, another reason that just popped in to my head: Anime is usually scheduled to be made after a manga series has already been created. The author/illustators may feel more comfortable making manga than anime, so they might just leave an anime to die or cut it short because they don't feel it should go on.
Also, anime is on TV. Like you said, FMA could have done badly in Japan, even though it's pretty much worshipped here. Ratings are everything >.>

Yeah, those are a bunch of b.s. explanations, but whatever >.>

[Gjallarhorn]

1. The manga was made after the anime. This was a series made-for-television, but due to popularity, a manga was made, both to satisy fans who prefer manga more, and to milk as much money from it as they could.
2. It is 51 episodes.
3. It did great in Japan.
4. There is also a movie about what happens after episode 51.
5. The biggest reason it is only 51 episodes is because if it went on any further, it would become dragged out like many other shows (i.e. anything by Rumiko Takahashi). FMA is not meant to be a shounen anime, full of action and whatnot that allows it to be dragged on. There was a point to be made in it, and it conludes by making that point. FMA is perfect as it is, aside from the ending(or lack there of), which ruined the anime in hindsight. Not all anime are meant to, be very long, and not all anime should.
6. Fillers are the root of all evil....okay, that was an exaggeration. But still, why would you want fillers? They are trash. And don't use Naruto as an example. 9 months of filler is a whole anime series in itself. The Naruto filler is the worst filler I have ever seen, so much so, that I have not watched it since August.

[Aurelie]

1. The manga was made after the anime. This was a series made-for-television, but due to popularity, a manga was made, both to satisy fans who prefer manga more, and to milk as much money from it as they could.
2. It is 51 episodes.
3. It did great in Japan.
4. There is also a movie about what happens after episode 51.
5. The biggest reason it is only 51 episodes is because if it went on any further, it would become dragged out like many other shows (i.e. anything by Rumiko Takahashi). FMA is not meant to be a shounen anime, full of action and whatnot that allows it to be dragged on. There was a point to be made in it, and it conludes by making that point. FMA is perfect as it is, aside from the ending(or lack there of), which ruined the anime in hindsight. Not all anime are meant to, be very long, and not all anime should.
6. Fillers are the root of all evil....okay, that was an exaggeration. But still, why would you want fillers? They are trash. And don't use Naruto as an example. 9 months of filler is a whole anime series in itself. The Naruto filler is the worst filler I have ever seen, so much so, that I have not watched it since August.Sorry ^^;
I'm FMA-challenged. I actually don't really like the series so I don't pay much attention to such details.
Just sayin' how some series are =3

[Opinionated]

Summarizing what Xero said, be glad its not more eps.

[buhbibutterfly]

1. The manga was made after the anime. This was a series made-for-television, but due to popularity, a manga was made, both to satisy fans who prefer manga more, and to milk as much money from it as they could.
2. It is 51 episodes.
3. It did great in Japan.
4. There is also a movie about what happens after episode 51.
5. The biggest reason it is only 51 episodes is because if it went on any further, it would become dragged out like many other shows (i.e. anything by Rumiko Takahashi). FMA is not meant to be a shounen anime, full of action and whatnot that allows it to be dragged on. There was a point to be made in it, and it conludes by making that point. FMA is perfect as it is, aside from the ending(or lack there of), which ruined the anime in hindsight. Not all anime are meant to, be very long, and not all anime should.
6. Fillers are the root of all evil....okay, that was an exaggeration. But still, why would you want fillers? They are trash. And don't use Naruto as an example. 9 months of filler is a whole anime series in itself. The Naruto filler is the worst filler I have ever seen, so much so, that I have not watched it since August.agrreed completely especially 6....i too don't like fillers...main reason i also stopped watching naruto..i think i juss might wait until the main arc comes again...

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now my opinion i think FMA did good to stop where they did and not try to add anything more....the ending for 51 left me wanting but then they made the movie and it tied in everything perfectly...i like the ending for the movie and i think they shouldn't make any more cuz it'll get annoying really fast...

[Akara]

Why no more episodes.... its such a good anime... Why don't they really continue on making it... I've always wondered that... really... why don't they make more episodes, instead of more anime shows? 0.0;

[buhbibutterfly]

heres why i think they shouldn't make more episodes

the ending for full metal alchemist came together with the completion of the movie...at the end of the movie Al and Ed were finally able to live together like a normal family. they made it into the other world. so no more use of alchemy. and since they have no more use of it it would be pointless to make a continuation from the movie...since it ended well...and any more might have an effect of making it horrible

[Chubakii]

52? but i already watched more than 70! how can that happen?

[Chubakii]

yeah.. i saw the episode where ed finally grew... he was so handsome then... and al perhaps regained his body but was like a baby then. and also... ed had three trans circles in his elbows and forehead. and he already had his normal arm back then.

[Darth Tyranus]

I have a better question why wasn't the show about 30? There is so much crap they could have cut out of that show to shorten it, sometimes literally nothing will happen in an episode no exposition no character development nothing.

[Gjallarhorn]

52? but i already watched more than 70! how can that happen?
There was 51. I watched it all when it aired in Japan in 2003/2004. I have no idea how you came up with 70.

I have a better question why wasn't the show about 30? There is so much crap they could have cut out of that show to shorten it, sometimes literally nothing will happen in an episode no exposition no character development nothing. This is also a good idea. Some episodes had very little happening in them. It would make sense to combine the important parts of two or three episodes into one, rather than have a whole episode with nonsense happening, only for a two minute bit of importance at the end.

[Opinionated]

That judgement it left to the author. If they want to put filler eps in, thats their descision. Why they made it, I don't know.

[SuperRothus]

i mean the time they put into those fillers could have actualy been spent on making the series as a whole better or extending a fight scene or just adding to something else.

[Chubakii]

are you serious? try searching the net for videos! you can watch them online! oh please! i have seen so many episodes actually!

[Bibi of the Blue Sea]

I prefer the FMA manga, the anime is just way off the main storyline and the Dante story seems nice but the manga is really a lot better. they should not make any more episodes. i think 51 is just enough.

[Gjallarhorn]

I prefer the FMA manga, the anime is just way off the main storyline and the Dante story seems nice but the manga is really a lot better. they should not make any more episodes. i think 51 is just enough.
The anime was made before the manga. Therefore, it is the manga which does not follow the anime.