Myths & Mischief

Yooo! I’m Leslii, your resident anime interpreter from the wonderful Myths & Mischief team, and today’s subject is Fullmetal Alchemist : Brotherhood’s Homunculi. Though later than most, as a fairly recent viewer of the 2009 anime, the Homunculi still interests me, even months later, so I hope you can allow me the time to share my thoughts and findings!

Across the ever-expanding anime sphere are countless manga and anime that take inspiration from various facets of our real lives and the increasingly long list of humanity’s myths, folklore, and even theology. One of the most notably prevalent is the concept of sin, or more specifically — the Seven Deadly sins of Christian theology. From the less apparent reimaginings from the likes of Devilman Crybaby to the more overt, like that of the manga turned Netflix original series, sufficiently named Seven Deadly Sins, many have implemented some aspect of the overarching concept. Though, not many have managed to capture the essence of each sin while also greatly expanding upon them, giving each personification greater depth, as expertly as the Homunculi of Hiromu Arakawa’s 2009 anime adaptation of her original manga, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, separate from the 2003 rendition, which ironically differed greatly from the source material, aptly named: Fullmetal Alchemist.

The Seven Deadly Sins, also known as the Cardinal Sins — Pride, Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, and finally, Envy — originate from early Christian mythology and religious teachings, being thought of as the most destructive of human tendencies. They are sins that are believed to corrupt one’s soul, are considered deadly because they “kill” one’s divine spirit, leading them to commit more sins and behave in ways deemed immoral, according to Roman Catholic theology. First coined in the 6th century by Pope St. Gregory the Great, and later further elaborated upon by St. Thomas Aquinas in the 13th century, the Seven Deadly Sins still carry much weight and credence, are still heeded by many, and continue to influence the modern world. As evidenced by the exemplary reimagining and personification of the Cardinal Sins as living beings, as Homunculi, in the 2009 anime series, FullMetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (FMAB).

In FMAB, the Homunculi are artificial beings created by their progenitor, Father, the original Homunculus with the desire for power and ownership of the world through his vision of perfection. Each Homunculus was formed from fragmented pieces of his soul, serving as extensions of himself and doing his bidding whilst he remained an enigma to the world and many State Alchemists. Each being named after one of the Seven Deadly Sins, the Homunculi are incredibly nuanced beings, each with their own desires and flaws, dynamically bringing their theoretical counterparts to life in ways rarely ever seen in media.

Introducing the Homunculi

Pride

Starting with the first sin, Pride — meaning the excessive love of one’s own excellence and considered to be the root of all sin — takes the form of Selim Bradley, the adoptive son of King Bradley, the leader of Amestris. Acting as nothing more than a sweet child and initially believed to be oblivious to the schemes of his adoptive father, Selim was later revealed to be the first and, arguably, the most powerful Homunculus. Beneath his childlike demeanor and naive facade, is a manipulative being with a grand superiority complex, perfectly embodying the arrogance that defines his inspiration.

Lust

Lust, being one of the first Homunculi to be introduced, is an incredibly beautiful and seductive being, knowing exactly how to use those aspects of herself to charm and manipulate humans in an effort to get exactly what she wants, as seen in her attempt to seduce State Alchemist Jean Havoc to acquire information. In Roman Catholic theology, Lust is thought to be sinful when sexual pleasure is “sought for itself, isolated from its procreative and unitive purposes”. By weaponizing her sexuality for the means of acquiring power for Father, one can see how she exemplifies these qualities quite perfectly. Furthermore, removed from the traditional definition of lust, Lust in FMAB is also incredibly bloodlusted, often displaying pleasure in causing her victims harm and suffering, suggesting that her desire extends beyond the sensual into the sadistic.

Gluttony

Often seen with his Homunculus sibling Lust, Gluttony is the embodiment of Father’s greed. With his insatiable hunger — for innocents, people deemed enemies, and for destruction in general— his mindless consumption reflects the emptiness of the sin itself. Roman Catholicism deems gluttony as eating or drinking in excess without necessity or purpose, and while you can say Gluttony of FMAB does have reason, regardless of its sinister nature, he often has bouts of dangerously uncontrollable frenzy, which results in him often being supervised by his siblings, highlighting his lack of self-discipline.

Sloth

Being the last Homunculus we’re introduced to, Slot is much like Gluttony in that, unlike the rest of their siblings, they aren’t too bright. Though Sloth is the largest and most brutish, doing most of the heavy lifting — such as digging underground tunnels, connecting the entirety of Amestris to create Father’s transmutation circle, for most of the series — he is by far the most unwilling. Having only the desire to sleep and overall, general immobility, Sloth is definitely one to complain about work, even when his own life is in danger. You can say he sees his very existence as burdensome, as even keeping himself alive is deemed too much work for him, greatly exemplifying the aspects of sloth, which as defined by the Catholic Church, is the culpable lack of physical or spiritual effort.

Greed

Greed is defined as the “immoderate love or desire for riches, earthly possessions, and material gain. A person can also be greedy for fame, attention, power, or anything else that feeds one’s selfishness.” And, as such, Greed of FMAB is one of the Homunculi that showcases their namesake the most. Before and for some time after fusing with Ling Yao — who, throughout the series, grows to be fearless, selfless, and devoted to the people of his country — Greed prioritized living in luxury, being surrounded by beautiful women and having minions, or what he called possessions. Given that he was created and acts as the embodiment of Father’s greed, you can say that not knowing exactly what he wanted from the life he was given fueled his desire to have it all. But, through Ling and the bond they formed, the growth they experienced together, Greed was able to realize what he truly wanted, needed, was true friends, something that was previously taken from him by Wrath.

Envy

Envy is arguably the most profound and emotionally resonant take on their assigned sin. Even with their ability to shapeshift, going as far as perfectly copying voices, Envy contradictorily holds the most resentment towards humans out of any of their siblings. Acting as Father’s incarnation of Envy, who themselves aren’t human, Envy’s final moments exhibit the true sense of inferiority he feels towards humans, something they will never truly be. Envy, meaning having resentment towards others’ success or happiness, is constantly exhibited in Envy’s continuous comparisons of himself and humans, insufficiently veiled as insults. Their jealousy and bitterness mask a deep longing to belong, for connection.

Wrath

King Bradley — the adoptive father of Selim Bradley (Pride), the ruler of Amestris, and the final Homunculus created by Father — is the final sin, Wrath. Wrath, defined as the strong feeling of hatred or resentment with a desire for vengeance, is truly exemplified when King Bradley, initially thought of as calm and unassuming, is enraged, showing relentless and calculated brutality in battle, and reflecting the inner fury that drives him as a Homunculus. Once being a human himself unlike the others, King Bradley is the most.. tolerant of humans, though he retains the same contempt for their perceived weaknesses.

Final Thoughts

While the traditional Roman Catholic theology warns against the sins, as they lead to damnation, Hiromu Arakawa uses the Homunculi to, rather, explore the cost of denying one’s humanity. Each Homunculus is incomplete, taking only a single facet of Father’s soul — who, again, themselves aren’t human —and thus, this leads to serious dysfunction, and in some cases, their ultimate demise. They aren’t just evil because they sin, but rather tragic because they struggle and/or fail altogether to grow beyond it, showcasing how one of humanity’s strengths is the ability to grow.

Through the Homunculi, the anime invites us to reflect on what makes us human, acting as allegories for the ways in which imbalance and unchecked desires, pride, or anger can consume us, They’re not just the rudimentary, often forgettable, foes of a shonen anime, they’re lessons for both the characters and ourselves.

Regrettably, that is all the time I have to expound on Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood’s reinterpretation of the traditional Roman Catholic deadly sins. I hope you were able to adequately grasp how Hiromu Arakawa expertly represented each, while also giving each more depth in their personification. Though, one can only truly understand by watching the show and/or reading the manga themselves — which I highly recommend if you haven’t already, hopefully this has intrigued you enough to give it a try! Thank you for the time you’ve allowed me!

Work Cited

Ostberg, René. “Seven Deadly Sins”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 Jun. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/topic/seven-deadly-sins. Accessed 21 July 2025.

Wiki, Contributors to Fullmetal Alchemist. “Homunculus.” Fullmetal Alchemist Wiki, Fandom, Inc., fma.fandom.com/wiki/Homunculus. Accessed 21 July 2025.