<p>Brotherhood more or less follows the manga. I don't remember if we get a montage of events in the brothers' childhoods with their ages (a quick search through volume 6 doesn't give me anything), but we <em>do</em> see Mustang arrive at Resembool presumably shortly after their human transmutation attempt, so we can get some information from there.</p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/NnCy0.png" alt="Chapter 24 - Fullmetal Alchemist"></p>

<p>So Edward is at most 11, and Alphonse 10, when human transmutation is attempted. This matches up more or less with the ages I remember possibly having seen from 2003 and Brotherhood. (Keep in mind that some chronology - such as the death of Winry's parents - might have occurred at a different point in the manga continuity compared to that of 2003, and that there is the additional half year before Ed takes the State Alchemist exams.)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-05T20:10:10.487Z
During the eyecatches that are shown during the transmutation flashbacks, it shows them to be 11 and 10 respectively as well.
Cattua
CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-21T03:59:45.940Z
2014-12-21T06:02:00.513Z
2014-12-21T06:02:00.513Z
Maroon
<p>In Episode 2, the past was shown which was <strong>10 years ago</strong>.</p>

<p><strong>Let's start when his mother was still alive</strong>.</p>

<p>Edward was 7 years old and Al was 6 years old.</p>

<p><strong>Research and training</strong> (4 years)</p>

<p>When their mother died, Edward and Al agreed to revive their mother again by using the taboo which is the human transmutation, but before that, they searched about the human transmutation and improved their alchemy by training with the alchemy master in order to revive their mother...it took many years.
After the training, they've completed the ingredients and performed the human transmutation.</p>

<p><em>Then that dark incident happens...</em></p>

<p>It took <strong>4 years</strong> of preparation and then their bodies were the sacrificed...</p>

<p><strong>When Edward became a state alchemist / test part</strong> (1 year)</p>

<p>After that  <em>"dark incident"</em>, Roy Mustang came to their town hearing that there is a talented alchemist which is referred to as Edward (knowing what Edward have done), then he offered Edward to become a state alchemist and told him about the Philosopher Stone that could bring back their body, which Edward grabs that.</p>

<p>Edward had his surgery and rehab which took only <em>one year</em>.</p>

<p><em>He was twelve years old then, and Al was 11 years old.</em></p>

<p>To shorten my answer, Edward Elric was 11 years old and Al Elric was 10 years old when they've done the human transmutation.
(Refer to Brotherhood series; his present is 17 years old in Episode 2.)</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-02-08T08:28:59.373Z
Ed (or Al) is definitely not 17 in episode 2. When they meet Ling -- which is at most a year or so before the final battle in Brotherhood, Winry makes them compare heights and notes that Ling is taller, despite Ed almost 16 (and thus, older than Ling). In the manga, Mustang also makes conversation with Armstrong after Hughes' death about the fact that Ed is almost 16 and thus will be subject to military duty if war breaks out.
Maroon
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-01-05T16:21:35.200Z
2017-01-01T13:05:15.397Z
2017-01-01T13:05:15.397Z
オレンジ
<p>Ed was born in 1899
Al was born in 1900
Trisha died when in 1904 at the age of 26
So Ed and Al were 5 and 4 respectfully when Trisha died
So if Ed was made a state alchemist at the age of 12, he had to be fitted with his automail, which supposedly takes at least 7 months to fully atune to. 
So when Ed and Al preform the human transmutation, Ed had to be 11 or at least early 12 years old, while Al would be 9 or 10.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-11T07:07:32.410Z
2020-06-11T07:07:32.410Z
Levi
<p>In part 1, episode 6, Alphonse says that he is 14 and Edward is 15.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-07-01T21:01:45.963Z
Is he referring to the age he is when he is saying that or the age he was when they performed the human transmutation? Because the latter is what is being asked about.
kuwaly
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-07-01T19:08:48.687Z
2018-07-01T19:08:48.687Z
Dani
<p>How old were Edward and Alphonse when they performed human transmutation? I am referring to the Brotherhood series, not the 2003 version.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-12-21T00:21:54.480Z
Probably the same as in 2003 version. What makes you think they're different?
Hakase
<fullmetal-alchemist-series><fullmetal-alchemist-brotherhood>
How old were Ed and Al when they performed the human transmutation?
# How old were Ed and Al when they performed the human transmutation?
Posted by: username_0 on 2014-12-20
How old were Edward and Alphonse when they performed human transmutation? I am referring to the Brotherhood series, not the 2003 version.
**Tags:** fullmetal-alchemist-series fullmetal-alchemist-brotherhood
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Probably the same as in 2003 version. What makes you think they're different?  
---
## 4 answers
### Answer by username_2 on 2014-12-21. Score: 11
Brotherhood more or less follows the manga. I don't remember if we get a montage of events in the brothers' childhoods with their ages (a quick search through volume 6 doesn't give me anything), but we *do* see Mustang arrive at Resembool presumably shortly after their human transmutation attempt, so we can get some information from there.

![Chapter 24 - Fullmetal Alchemist](https://i.sstatic.net/NnCy0.png)

So Edward is at most 11, and Alphonse 10, when human transmutation is attempted. This matches up more or less with the ages I remember possibly having seen from 2003 and Brotherhood. (Keep in mind that some chronology - such as the death of Winry's parents - might have occurred at a different point in the manga continuity compared to that of 2003, and that there is the additional half year before Ed takes the State Alchemist exams.)
> **Comments:**
> **username_3** (2015-01-05): During the eyecatches that are shown during the transmutation flashbacks, it shows them to be 11 and 10 respectively as well.  
---
### Answer by username_4 on 2015-01-05. Score: 2
In Episode 2, the past was shown which was **10 years ago**.

**Let's start when his mother was still alive**.

Edward was 7 years old and Al was 6 years old.

**Research and training** (4 years)

When their mother died, Edward and Al agreed to revive their mother again by using the taboo which is the human transmutation, but before that, they searched about the human transmutation and improved their alchemy by training with the alchemy master in order to revive their mother...it took many years.
After the training, they've completed the ingredients and performed the human transmutation.

*Then that dark incident happens...*

It took **4 years** of preparation and then their bodies were the sacrificed...

**When Edward became a state alchemist / test part** (1 year)

After that *"dark incident"*, Roy Mustang came to their town hearing that there is a talented alchemist which is referred to as Edward (knowing what Edward have done), then he offered Edward to become a state alchemist and told him about the Philosopher Stone that could bring back their body, which Edward grabs that.

Edward had his surgery and rehab which took only *one year*.

*He was twelve years old then, and Al was 11 years old.*

To shorten my answer, Edward Elric was 11 years old and Al Elric was 10 years old when they've done the human transmutation.
(Refer to Brotherhood series; his present is 17 years old in Episode 2.)
> **Comments:**
> **username_2** (2015-02-08): Ed (or Al) is definitely not 17 in episode 2. When they meet Ling -- which is at most a year or so before the final battle in Brotherhood, Winry makes them compare heights and notes that Ling is taller, despite Ed almost 16 (and thus, older than Ling). In the manga, Mustang also makes conversation with Armstrong after Hughes' death about the fact that Ed is almost 16 and thus will be subject to military duty if war breaks out.  
---
### Answer by username_5 on 2020-06-11. Score: 0
Ed was born in 1899
Al was born in 1900
Trisha died when in 1904 at the age of 26
So Ed and Al were 5 and 4 respectfully when Trisha died
So if Ed was made a state alchemist at the age of 12, he had to be fitted with his automail, which supposedly takes at least 7 months to fully atune to.
So when Ed and Al preform the human transmutation, Ed had to be 11 or at least early 12 years old, while Al would be 9 or 10.
---
### Answer by username_6 on 2018-07-01. Score: -4
In part 1, episode 6, Alphonse says that he is 14 and Edward is 15.
> **Comments:**
> **username_7** (2018-07-01): Is he referring to the age he is when he is saying that or the age he was when they performed the human transmutation? Because the latter is what is being asked about.  
---
