In the fictitious country of Amestris, 2 young brothers, Edward & Alphonse Elric, are bestowed with the gift of alchemy - the supernatural ability to transform matter. This becomes a burden after their mother dies from an illness before they figure out how to use their alchemic skills. Edward loses his left leg & Alphonse's entire body is unusable. The boys replace their deformities with prosthetic limbs & become Full Metal Alchemists.