Fullmetal Alchemist, Vol. 1

After a forbidden alchemical ritual meant to bring back their mother goes horribly wrong, two brothers are left permanently altered: one loses limbs, the other his entire body. Bound by guilt and determination, they set out to find a legendary stone that might restore what was lost.

To pursue that goal, the older brother becomes a state alchemist, gaining access to military resources while also being pulled into the state’s conflicts and abuses. The volume follows them through several self-contained adventures that introduce the rules of alchemy, the brothers’ personalities, and the wider world.

As they move from one incident to the next, they encounter corruption, religious manipulation, military power, and other dangerous uses of alchemy. The first volume mainly establishes the premise, the brothers’ bond, and the larger mystery behind their quest.