Edward Elric is the titular character of Fullmetal Alchemist and the older brother of Alphonse Elric. As a result of the brothers' failed resurrection attempt, Edward lost his right arm and left leg as a child, forcing him to replace them with metallic prosthetics known as auto-mail.

Edward is a human with light skin and blonde hair. As an alchemist, he is also a magic user. The trauma of his prosthetic surgery stunted his growth, causing him to be unusually short for his age; he has a complex about his short height as a result.

Edward briefly lived with Nina Tucker, who viewed him as an older brother. His horrified reaction to her forced transformation is an iconic scene of the series, and often referenced in fanworks.