Edward and Alphonse Elric were children living in the rural village of Resembool in the country of Amestris. Their father Hohenheim, a talented alchemist, had left home when Edward was very young and Alphonse was still an infant. Years later, their mother, Trisha Elric, died of a terminal illness. After their mother's death, they lived with Winry and her grandmother until finding a teacher to teach them alchemy. After completing training, they came home with the intent of reviving their mother with the transmutation circle they found in their father's notes and made the attempt soon after acquiring the circle. However, this attempt failed, resulting in a twisted mass of flesh and bone at the cost of Edward's left leg and Alphonse's entire body. In a desperate effort to save his brother, Edward sacrificed his right arm to affix his brother's soul to a suit of armor. After that, Edward's left leg and right arm are fitted with two sets of Automail, a type of advanced prosthetic limb. In the original Japanese, the term "Fullmetal" is used to describe a person who is stubborn. In the series it is often attributed by minor characters to Ed's automail arm and leg, or Al's armor body. In the sixth manga volume, as well as episode 8 of the anime, it is revealed that when an alchemist becomes a State Alchemist, they are given a special title. Edward's title was Fullmetal, making him Fullmetal Alchemist.( taken and edited from wiki)

Picture	Real Name	Description
	Edward Elric	The main protagonist, Edward ("Ed") Elric is the famous Fullmetal Alchemist, though Al is occasionally mistaken for him because of his armored body. He has a prosthetic automail arm and leg, is of short stature, and typically reacts in an exaggerated manner to any remarks about his height. He is known for being the youngest State Alchemist, gaining this title at the age of 12.
	Alphonse Elric	Alphonse, often nicknamed "Al," is Fullmetal Alchemist's secondary protagonist; he is Edward's younger brother and the narrator of the series. For most of the series his soul is trapped in a large suit of armor, causing other characters throughout the series to confuse Al with the "Fullmetal" Alchemist. Alphonse is the calmer of the two, and can be seen as a foil to Edward's character.
	Colonel Roy Mustang	Roy Mustang is known as the Flame Alchemist. His gloves are made of a special material called "ignition cloth," which allows him to create a spark by snapping his fingers. He then uses alchemy to change the oxygen density in the air with the help of transmutation circles on his gloves, causing a controlled explosion. He is Edward's direct superior officer in the military, but has his own goal, mainly to become the Führer, leader of the military.
	Winry Rockbell	Winry is a mechanical expert who is a childhood friend of the Elrics. She, along with her grandmother Pinako, built Edward's automail, and she also helps maintain the automail when it gets broken. Her parents were called into service as doctors for the Ishbalan Civil War and were killed.