Fullmetal Alchemist anime rights and licensing: who owns what
The original and Brotherhood anime series are controlled by a production committee, not by the manga author or animation studio alone.
Published: 2026-08-19. Updated: 2026-08-19.
Short answer: The Fullmetal Alchemist anime rights are held by a production committee credited on the official site as the Fullmetal Alchemist Production Committee, with MBS also named in the copyright notice. Studio Bones animated both the 2003 series and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, but it is the contractor, not the rights owner. Aniplex handles Japanese home video and music releases, Aniplex of America distributes Blu-ray sets in North America, and streaming rights are held by platforms such as Crunchyroll and AbemaTV in different territories.
The two anime adaptations
Fullmetal Alchemist has two television anime series. The first, often called Fullmetal Alchemist 2003, ran for 51 episodes from October 2003 to October 2004. It was produced by Bones and diverged from Hiromu Arakawa's ongoing manga to create an anime-original ending.
Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood aired from April 2009 to July 2010 and ran for 64 episodes. It was also produced by Bones and followed the manga's complete storyline. MyAnimeList lists the first series as 51 episodes and Brotherhood as 64 episodes.
Who owns the anime rights
The official Fullmetal Alchemist anime website footer lists the copyright as the Fullmetal Alchemist Production Committee and MBS. That notice points to a production committee rather than a single studio or publisher.
A typical anime production committee includes the publisher of the source manga, the broadcaster, a music company, a distributor, and sometimes the animation studio. For Fullmetal Alchemist, the manga publisher Shueisha, broadcaster MBS, and distributor Aniplex are the publicly visible participants. Studio Bones is credited as the animation production company, which is usually a contracted role rather than an ownership stake.
Ownership uncertainty note: Public credits identify the production committee and MBS as copyright holders, but the exact shareholdings, recoupment order, and profit splits inside the committee are not disclosed.
Home video and music distribution
Aniplex is the publisher of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood Blu-ray Disc Box sets in Japan. The official site lists Aniplex as the publisher and Sony Music Marketing as the seller for the Japanese Blu-ray release.
In North America, Aniplex of America has released Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood on Blu-ray. The release was announced at Otakon and consists of two box sets with seven Blu-ray discs each, including OVA episodes and textless openings and endings.
Key Fullmetal Alchemist home video and music distributors by territory.| Territory / format | Distributor | Note |
|---|
| Japan Blu-ray | Aniplex | Publisher; Sony Music Marketing seller |
| North America Blu-ray | Aniplex of America | Two box sets with 64 episodes and OVAs |
| Music | Aniplex / Sony Music labels | Soundtracks and character songs |
Streaming rights
Streaming rights vary by territory and title. In Japan, the official site announced that Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood would stream on AbemaTV in 2019 to commemorate the Blu-ray Disc Box release.
Internationally, Crunchyroll streams both the 2003 series and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood in many markets. Availability is territory-specific and can change as licenses expire or move between services.
What to know before licensing
Because the rights are committee-held, anyone seeking to license Fullmetal Alchemist for streaming, merchandise, or events generally deals with Aniplex or another committee member rather than Studio Bones directly. The manga rights remain with Hiromu Arakawa and Shueisha, separate from the anime adaptation rights.
The split between the 2003 series and Brotherhood also matters for rights. They may be licensed separately in some territories, and distributor announcements should specify which version is being acquired.
Frequently asked questions
Who owns the Fullmetal Alchemist anime?
The copyright notice on the official anime site credits the Fullmetal Alchemist Production Committee and MBS. Studio Bones animated the series but is not listed as the copyright owner.
Who licenses Fullmetal Alchemist for streaming?
Streaming rights are held by territory-specific platforms. Crunchyroll streams both series in many international markets, and AbemaTV has streamed Brotherhood in Japan.
Who distributes Fullmetal Alchemist on Blu-ray in North America?
Aniplex of America has released Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood on Blu-ray in North America.
Does Studio Bones own Fullmetal Alchemist?
No. Studio Bones is the animation production company for both anime series. The copyright is held by the production committee and MBS.