Ever tried explaining to a non-anime fan why a short, hot-headed alchemist and a giant suit of armor make you sob? It’s a tough sell. But for those of us who lived through the Elric brothers' journey, we know the secret sauce wasn't just the equivalent exchange or the political intrigue. It was the voices. Honestly, the voice actors in Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood didn't just read lines; they anchored an entire generation’s emotional trauma into something beautiful.
Let's be real for a second.
When you hear Edward Elric scream about being called a "pipsqueak," you aren't just hearing a script. You're hearing a performance that has survived two different anime adaptations, a decade of memes, and a massive shift in how we consume dubs and subs.
The Edward Elric Dilemma: Romi Park and the Legacy of the Fullmetal Alchemist
In Japan, Romi Park is a legend. Period.
She has this specific vocal grit that makes Edward feel like a kid who's seen way too much, yet refuses to give up. It’s a "prodigy" voice—tough, raspy, and deeply vulnerable. Park didn't just voice Ed; she is Ed to the Japanese audience. She actually won the Best Actress Award at the first-ever Seiyu Awards back in 2007, largely thanks to her work in the original 2003 series, which she then carried into Brotherhood.
On the English side, things get... complicated.
For years, Vic Mignogna was the face of the English dub. He brought a frantic, high-energy desperation to the role that defined the series for Western fans. However, the landscape shifted dramatically around 2019. Following a series of serious allegations and a very public legal battle, Mignogna was removed from future projects. If you’re watching newer Fullmetal Alchemist content now—like the 2022 live-action movie dubs—you’ll notice a different voice. Caleb Yen took over the mantle for Revenge of Scar, marking a massive turning point for the franchise's English legacy. It’s a weird feeling, right? Hearing a new voice for a character who lived in your head for fifteen years.
Why Did Alphonse Change? The Puberty Problem
If you compare the 2003 series to Brotherhood, you might notice Alphonse sounds a little... different.
In the 2003 English dub, Al was voiced by Aaron Dismuke. He was literally twelve years old when he started. By the time Brotherhood went into production in 2009, Dismuke’s voice had dropped significantly. You can’t exactly have a soft-spoken younger brother who sounds like a baritone bass singer.
💡 You might also like: White-Jacket: What Most People Get Wrong About Melville’s Shipboard Scandal
Enter Maxey Whitehead.
Whitehead took over as Alphonse for Brotherhood, and honestly, she nailed it. She captured that hollow, metallic echo of a boy trapped in a tin can without making it sound like a caricature. Funnily enough, the show found a way to keep Dismuke in the family—he ended up voicing the young Van Hohenheim. It’s a cool "passing of the torch" moment that most fans miss if they aren't looking at the credits.
The Power Couple: Mustang and Lust
We have to talk about the fire.
The fight between Roy Mustang and Lust is arguably one of the top five moments in anime history. The sheer intensity Travis Willingham brought to Mustang in that scene—the raw, vengeful snapping of fingers—is legendary.
But did you know the real-life connection?
Travis Willingham (Mustang) and Laura Bailey (Lust) are actually married.
👉 See also: Why Night Shift Lyrics Still Hit Differently After All These Years
There is something inherently hilarious and slightly metal about a husband "burning" his wife to death in a recording booth for one of the most brutal scenes in television. Both of them have since moved on to massive things, like Critical Role and voicing basically every major video game character (think The Last of Us Part II or Marvel's Avengers), but their work as the Flame Alchemist and the ultimate femme fatale remains a career highlight.
The Supporting Cast: When "Minor" Characters Steal the Show
Brotherhood worked because it didn't treat its side characters like filler. The voice acting reflected that.
- Riza Hawkeye: Colleen Clinkenbeard (English) and Fumiko Orikasa (Japanese) gave Riza a "silent but deadly" competence. She didn't need to scream to be the most intimidating person in the room.
- Maes Hughes: Keiji Fujiwara’s Japanese performance as Hughes is so iconic that his passing in 2020 felt like losing the character all over again. He captured that "annoying but lovable dad" energy perfectly.
- Scar: J. Michael Tatum took over the role from Dameon Clarke for the Brotherhood dub. Tatum brought a more philosophical, weary weight to the Ishvalan survivor that fit the manga's original vision much better.
The Dub vs. Sub Debate (For Once, There is No Loser)
Usually, the anime community is at each other's throats about which version is better.
With Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, the debate is actually pretty quiet. Why? Because both casts are elite.
The Japanese cast, led by industry titans like Shin-ichiro Miki (Mustang) and Rie Kugimiya (Alphonse), provides a masterclass in emotional pacing. Kugimiya is the "Queen of Tsundere," but as Al, she shows incredible range.
Meanwhile, the Funimation English dub is often cited as one of the best dubs ever made. It was recorded during a "Golden Age" of Texas-based voice acting. The scripts were tight, the jokes landed, and the emotional beats felt authentic rather than translated.
What You Should Do Next
If you haven't revisited the series in a few years, it’s worth watching a few key episodes just to focus on the vocal performances. Specifically, check out Episode 19 ("Death of the Undying") for the Mustang/Lust showdown, or Episode 4 ("An Alchemist's Anguish") if you’re ready to have your heart broken by Nina and Alexander again.
Pro tip: If you're a fan of the English cast, many of them—including Travis Willingham, Laura Bailey, and Sam Riegel—are the core of the Critical Role empire now. It's a great way to see how these actors have evolved from "anime voices" into full-blown media moguls.
The voice actors in Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood set a standard that many modern shows still struggle to meet. They proved that anime isn't just "cartoons"; it's a medium where a single voice can define a decade of storytelling. Whether you're a sub purist or a dub loyalist, there's no denying that this cast was a once-in-a-lifetime alignment of talent.