Warner Bros. Japan has launched its first teaser for the upcoming live-action adaptation of the acclaimed manga and anime series Fullmetal Alchemist. Set to hit theaters in Japan in 2017, the first look footage shares a glimpse at lead character Edward Elric in full costume and a few transmutation circles. There’s also a brief, mid-section shot of Ed’s brother, Alphonse Elric, in his armored suit, but the teaser does its job leaving viewers with enough hype to want more.

Short and simple, this teaser offers very little to go off of for those who are unfamiliar with the property. Fullmetal Alchemist follows two brothers living in an alternative universe with a renaissance vibe where alchemy is the preferred scientific belief. When they try to bring back their late mother using a forbidden form of alchemy the experiment goes wrong and they each, physically, lose a part of themselves. Years later, we find the brothers caught up in a whirlwind of soldiers, Homunculi, and other alchemists as they search for a way to regain what was lost.

Two versions of the manga have been adapted into an anime series. Fullmetal Alchemist is a loose adaptation that originally ran from 2003-2004 before the manga was complete while Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, a more faithful adaptation, aired from 2009-2010 after the manga’s completion. Whether it is taking on the original recipe or its predecessor, here’s a plot description of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, courtesy of CrunchyRoll.com:

Disregard for alchemy’s laws ripped half of Ed Elric’s limbs from his body and left Al’s soul clinging to a suit of armor. To restore what was lost, the brothers seek the Philosopher’s Stone. Enemies and allies – the corrupt military, the Homunculi, and foreign alchemists – will alter the Elric’s course, but their purpose will remain unchanged and their bond unbreakable

Published between August 2001 and June 2010, the Fullmetal Alchemist manga was written and illustrated by Hiromu Arakawa. The series has gone on to sell over 64 million volumes around the world. Directed by Fumihiko Sori, the Fullmetal Alchemist live-action adaptation is slated to open in Japan sometime in 2017. There is currently no release date for the U.S.

Source: Kotaku