Fullmetal Alchemist manga sales: copies sold and circulation timeline
Hiromu Arakawa's series is one of Square Enix's best-selling manga, but its headline figure mixes print circulation across multiple decades and territories.
Published: 2026-08-19. Updated: 2026-08-19.
Short answer: Fullmetal Alchemist has sold over 80 million copies worldwide, according to publisher Square Enix and reports from CBR and Anime Corner. The manga ran for 27 volumes in Monthly Shonen Gangan from July 2001 to June 2010. The 80 million figure is a cumulative circulation number that includes print tankobon volumes across Japan and international markets, not a count of individual yearly sales.
How many copies has Fullmetal Alchemist sold?
Square Enix's official store listing for the Fullmetal Alchemist 20th Anniversary Masterline figure states that the series has 'boasted over 80 million copies sold worldwide.' CBR, citing a Febri interview with Hiromu Arakawa, reports the same threshold was crossed by July 6, 2021.
Anime Corner also reports the 80 million figure in its coverage of Arakawa's later manga, noting that Fullmetal Alchemist ran for 27 volumes in total. The 20th anniversary in 2021 was marked by an art exhibit, 'FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST Exhibit RETURNS,' and a high-end commemorative statue.
Publication run and volume count
Fullmetal Alchemist was serialized in Square Enix's Monthly Shonen Gangan from July 12, 2001, to June 11, 2010. CBR notes the series concluded with 27 tankobon volumes.
The manga's run coincided with the peak popularity of shonen series in the 2000s. Arakawa told Febri that she initially did not expect the series to survive past its second volume, a common cancellation window at the magazine.
Fullmetal Alchemist publication and circulation milestones.| Milestone | Date or figure | Source |
|---|
| Serialization start | July 12, 2001 | CBR / Febri |
| Serialization end | June 11, 2010 | CBR |
| Total tankobon volumes | 27 | CBR, Anime Corner |
| 80 million copies worldwide | By July 6, 2021 | CBR / Square Enix |
What '80 million copies' actually measures
The 80 million figure is cumulative circulation, sometimes called 'copies in print.' It counts all tankobon volumes printed and distributed to retailers, not only consumer purchases.
This number includes international editions licensed by publishers such as Viz Media and Yen Press. Those licensed editions count toward Square Enix's worldwide total because the underlying rights remain with the publisher.
It should not be confused with Oricon's yearly retail sales rankings, which track point-of-sale purchases at participating Japanese stores during a fixed 12-month window.
Circulation vs. sales distinction: Publisher circulation figures count volumes shipped to the market. Oricon figures count volumes sold through tracked retailers. Both are valid metrics, but they answer different questions and should not be added together.
Oricon context and yearly rankings
Square Enix does not publish a year-by-year sales breakdown for Fullmetal Alchemist, and Oricon yearly rankings from the 2000s are incomplete in English-language archives. The series appeared regularly on Oricon's monthly and yearly manga charts during its run, but exact yearly totals are not publicly available in a single source.
What is verifiable is the 27-volume completed run and the eventual 80 million cumulative circulation. Readers looking for franchise performance should treat those as the headline facts rather than trying to reconstruct annual totals from fragmentary chart data.
Media adaptations and long-tail sales
Fullmetal Alchemist received two television anime adaptations, Fullmetal Alchemist in 2003 and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood in 2009, both produced by Bones. It also inspired a theatrical film, live-action adaptations, video games, and extensive merchandise.
The 2003 anime diverged from the manga because it caught up to the ongoing source material, while the 2009 Brotherhood adaptation followed Arakawa's story to its conclusion. Brotherhood is often credited with sustaining international interest in the franchise.
These adaptations likely sustained long-tail manga sales after the series ended in 2010, though Square Enix has not disclosed how much of the 80 million total was sold before versus after the anime adaptations aired.
Frequently asked questions
How many copies of Fullmetal Alchemist have been sold?
Square Enix reports over 80 million copies sold worldwide as of the 20th anniversary period in 2021.
How many volumes of Fullmetal Alchemist are there?
The manga was collected into 27 tankobon volumes, published from 2001 to 2010.
Does the 80 million figure include digital sales?
Publisher statements usually describe the 80 million as copies sold worldwide, which can include print and digital editions. Square Enix does not break out digital separately in the public figure.
Was Fullmetal Alchemist serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump?
No. It ran in Monthly Shonen Gangan, a Square Enix magazine, not Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump.