Awesome / Fullmetal Alchemist (2003)

• Ed has a bevy of moments:
  • The first time he performs alchemy without a transmutation circle.
    • The above skill leads to him saving several lives and passing his alchemy exam all in one go and creating a shower of petals that falls onto a delighted Al and Nina.
  • His statue pwnage of Cornello in the second episode, showing for the first time just how powerful he really is.
  • The way he defeated Slicer by using Scar's alchemy technique.
    • There's also the Pre Ass Kicking One Liner. Since Slicer is actually the souls of two murderer brothers bound to one suit of armor (Ed defeats one by knocking off the head containing the blood seal, but his brother, whose seal is on his body, simply picks it up and replaces it). The second brother, moving in for the killing blow, yells "This is for my brother!" Ed, injured and with his automail failing, almost gives up, but then he thinks of Al (who will be stuck forever as a suit of armor if Ed dies here) and enters his Heroic Second Wind with a shout of "And this is for mine!" Asskicking ensues.
  • His entire battle with Greed: "Let's start!" "Let's finish!"
  • Countering Scar's destruction alchemy by subtly changing the composition of his automail.
  • Pulling himself through the Gate of Truth to save Al and Rose in the penultimate episode. Even Envy is unsettled by this.
• Al, of course, isn't without his moments:
  • When he gets pissed and charges down Wrath.
  • When he outsmarts and defeats Kimblee. "Devious bastard", indeed.
  • In the final episode, using his own Philosopher's Stone body to fuel the world's first successful human resurrection.
  • How about in the fifth episode, on the train to Central where the would-be hijackers turn around. Never has the word "Welcome" been more sinister or amazing.
  • He gets another great Shut Up, Hannibal! moment (Al's good at these) in the final episode when he basically tells Dante to shove it when she tries to stop him from using his Philosopher's Stone to bring Ed back to life: "Stay back! You can't make me do anything!"
• Roy vs. Pride: "I don't know how long you've lived, Fuhrer, or how many times you've cheated death, but not anymore. It's the end of the line." Badass incineration ensues.
• The Ed vs Mustang fight in Episode 13.
• Ed and Alphonse making their way up to Dietline Eckhart's ship in Conqueror of Shamballa movie.
• Ed revealing his Automail to Rose and Cornello in the first episode.
  Ed: "IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT? (Ed rips off his coat) LOOK!"
• Despite mainly being a Faux Action Girl in the adaptation, Hawkeye gets one when she trips Mustang to stop him from inadvertently getting himself killed against Scar.
• Scar versus murderous biker gang. Let's just say flying limbs are involved.
• Scar's dispatching of Basque Grand is pretty awesome too. Gran is a feared hand-to-hand combatant and, when they meet, is in possession of Dr. Marcoh's powerful Philosopher's Stone copy, which previously has enabled Grand to transform into a human buttkicking machine. Scar, however, eliminates him as easily as if he's blowing his nose.
• Scar's final appearance, in an episode (#42) flooding with awesome altogether. He not only saves Al from exploding by turning him into the Philosopher's Stone, but he lays himself across a gap in the transmutation circle he drew to complete the array and activate it.
• In his fight with Wrath and Sloth at the factory, Ed does what we've all been waiting for the entire series and transmutes a BUNCH of guns onto his automail. To quote Bruce Willis, "Now I have a machine gun. Ho ho ho." Also counts for a CMoA for Wrath, who one-ups Ed almost immediately by transmuting many more guns into his arm and starts shooting.
• King Bradley is stalking after a (relatively innocent) chimera, who tries to hide (at Al's suggestion) in Al's armor. Bradley walks up, sword drawn, a wide smile on his face, and greets him: "Good morning, Alphonse!" While sliding his sword down Al's neck. He pulls the sword out and walks away, leaving Alphonse dripping blood through the seams in his armor. Kick the Dog made into an art form.
• Izumi Curtis taking on the entire military including the powerful alchemist Alex Armstrong, at the same time, in order to get Wrath back from them and almost succeeding was extremely badass.
  • The fact that Armstrong was nursing the wrong side of himself suggests he at least threw the fight. Doesn't make it any less badass.
    • Heck, the fact that he threw the fight could be considered a subtle CMOA on its own. He knows he's supposed to be keeping Izumi out, but is willing to risk letting her get Wrath back anyway.
• Ed's Final Battle with Greed is one of the best animated sequences in the show, and is very often cited when people discuss favorite anime fight scenes.
• Envy gets one in the final episode. Almost everyone is terrified of going into the Gate, where all sorts of mysterious, flesh-eating creatures dwell. However, when Envy finds out Hohenheim is on the other side of the Gate, he just strides through it like he owns the place and tells the Gate-creatures to fuck off, 'cause he's got a papa to kill.
• Wrath versus Mutated!Gluttony. In particular, after eating some Red Stones, Wrath proceeds to kick ass.
• Rose manages to get a surprisingly awesome moment when Ed is cornered by Sloth and Wrath. She echoes some advice Ed gave her before, telling him to "get up and move" when Sloth is about to take him out, which gives him all the motivation he needs to do exactly that. Ed even thanks her for it afterward, pointing something out that makes it even better: Rose managed to get her voice back, after being mute due to trauma for months, just to try and help him. It's both awesome and a Heartwarming Moment at the same time.
• The non canon OVA special where all of the homunculi are pitted against all of the state alchemists is just pure hilarity mixed with over the top awesomeness. If you thought the TV series was lacking in Cool Versus Awesome, then this should scratch that itch. Even Kimblee and Cyborg Archer get in on the fun on the good guy side of all things.
• Major Alex Louis Armstrong faces off against Scar, and properly introduces himself for the first time.
  "Don't pray just yet. You're facing the technique that's been passed down the Armstrong line for generations... that's hardly a blessing!"
  • Throughout the fight, Armstrong demonstrates that he is also a capable hand-to-hand fighter, realizes that Scar is an Ishvalan, figures out how he does what he does, and accuses him of Loophole Abuse to justify violating his own religion's taboo against Alchemy. All while fighting him to a standstill and refusing him the opportunity to lay a hand on him and use his One-Hit Kill attack.
    "But murder's murder and you're still an alchemist!"