Ask John: Is Fullmetal Alchemist a Mahou Shonen Series?

Question:
Can FMA be considered maho shounen? If not, what genre is it?

Answer:
In the sense that Fullmetal Alchemist is a show about a boy that uses magic, yes, you could call it a “mahou shonen” series. However, as the parallel to mahou shoujo anime, Fullmetal Alchemist is not a “mahou shonen” anime series. The term “mahou shoujo” is generally only used to refer to series including Sailor Moon, Nurse Angel Ririka SOS, Minky Momo, Magical Emi, Creamy Mami, Fancy Lala, Full Moon wo Sagashite, and many other similar programs that feature a magic using girl who physically transforms into a different person or magically transforms her clothes into a costume. Typically anime series like Maho Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto, Mahou Shoujo Tai Arusu and Maho Tsukai Tai which star girls who just use magic but don’t transform are not classified as “mahou shoujo” series.

There is no genre classification known as “mahou shonen” in Japan. And based on the characteristics of the accepted “mahou shoujo” genre, Fullmetal Alchemist is not a “mahou shonen” series because neither Ed nor Al magically transform into different costumes or bodies. (Al doesn’t count because his change is more or less permanent.)

The genre classification “mahou shoujo” exists to describe a particular type of anime. The term doesn’t exist so that particular anime may be classified as “mahou shoujo.” In other words, classification terms exist in service of anime. Anime does not exist in order to be classified. There is no recognized genre of magical transforming boys, and there’s no need for American fans to try to develop a new and unnecessary genre classification for them.

Fullmetal Alchemist is a shonen (boys’) adventure series. It needs no more specific genre classification than that. The series includes elements of action, magic, science-fiction, fantasy, and comedy, but it’s not necessary to incorporate every literary form that the series utilizes into its genre summary. Fullmetal Alchemist is a series intended to appeal primarily to young, teen and young adult male viewers. It’s also primarily an action/adventure series. That alone is adequate to summarize the series’ genre.