<p>There is no in-universe reason for it, in the 2003 anime, the 2009 anime, or the manga. None of them give a reason for it, nor does any <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WordOfGod">Word of God</a>. In fact, Sig Curtis in <em>Brotherhood</em> sparkles a couple times as well, in addition to the rest of the family.</p>

<p>It's worth noting that there is a <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Trope">trope</a> called "<a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BishieSparkle">Bishie (bishōnen) Sparkle</a>". I doubt many people would classify Armstrong as bishōnen, but that article does mention that it does represent the personality of the one who sparkles (as a bit of a cutesy "he's beautiful inside" fluff). Here's an excerpt from that very article:</p>

<blockquote>
  <ul>
  <li>In <em>Fullmetal Alchemist</em>, THE ART OF SPARKLING BEAUTY HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN IN THE ARMSTRONG LINE FOR GENERATIONS! And it <em>really</em> has, although Major Armstrong is more 'manly' than pretty.
  <ul>
  <li>It's not just Major Alex Louis Armstrong who has this trait, but THE ENTIRE ARMSTRONG FAMILY THROUGH THE GENERATIONS.</li>
  <li>Not just the entire family: the sparkle is possessed by a <em>flower woman</em> whose family has SERVED THE ARMSTRONG LINE FOR GENERATIONS. And one of her hairs has the Armstrong curl, too.</li>
  <li>Sig Curtis also develops a sparkle when he's doing manly things with Armstrong. Curiously enough, his sparkle isn't pink, but brown-ish.</li>
  <li>May's Inner-Mind Theatre version of Edward and later Alphonse have this.</li>
  <li>Roy Mustang gets some sparkles in the 13th episode of the 2003 anime adaptation during his duel with Edward.</li>
  <li>As does Envy in the Chibi Wrap Party OVA, to hilarious effect.</li>
  <li>Lampshaded by Breda when he's impersonating Armstrong to prank his colleagues: He's got small pink paper cutouts that look like Armstrong's sparkle, suspended on wires.
  Armstrong also sculpted a statue of himself in The Movie from the 2003 anime series; it had a small four-pointed piece of stone for a sparkle suspended by a strip of metal coming from the body.</li>
  <li><em>Fullmetal Fantasy</em>, the Fan Film produced by the English vocal cast, has Real Life Armstrong complete with sparkles, quite possibly the film's Crowning Moment of Funny.</li>
  </ul></li>
  </ul>
</blockquote>

<p>Also, inarguably, it's funny. And the <a href="http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RuleOfFunny">Rule of Funny</a> applies.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-11T23:02:29.150Z
2013-02-11T23:02:29.150Z
Cattua
<p>I don't remember seeing any reasoning behind why Major Armstrong sparkles (although I've only ever seen the first anime series; I haven't read the manga nor seen the Brotherhood anime series).</p>

<blockquote class="spoiler">
  <p>Also, when we meet other members of his family, they also sparkle, if I remember correctly.<br>
 And later on Breda even lampshades the sparkles, when he's cosplaying as Major Armstrong.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><strong>Was there any in-universe explanation ever given for Major Armstrong's sparkles?</strong></p>

<p><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/GAYeP.jpg" alt="Sparkles"></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-11T22:44:36.193Z
It seems to me like the answer is just "because it's funny." Is there any reason you think there's a deeper reason?
Logan M
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-02-11T23:26:38.177Z
Because I apparently had no idea there was a sparkles trope, as listed below!
Danalog
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-16T21:47:35.967Z
CUZ HE'S FABULOUS
Major Tom
<fullmetal-alchemist-series>
Why does Major Armstrong sparkle?
# Why does Major Armstrong sparkle?
Posted by: username_0 on 2013-02-11
I don't remember seeing any reasoning behind why Major Armstrong sparkles (although I've only ever seen the first anime series; I haven't read the manga nor seen the Brotherhood anime series).

> Also, when we meet other members of his family, they also sparkle, if I remember correctly.  
> And later on Breda even lampshades the sparkles, when he's cosplaying as Major Armstrong.

**Was there any in-universe explanation ever given for Major Armstrong's sparkles?**

![Sparkles](https://i.sstatic.net/GAYeP.jpg)
**Tags:** fullmetal-alchemist-series
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It seems to me like the answer is just "because it's funny." Is there any reason you think there's a deeper reason?  
> **username_0**: Because I apparently had no idea there was a sparkles trope, as listed below!  
> **username_2**: CUZ HE'S FABULOUS  
---
## 1 answers
### Answer by username_3 on 2013-02-11. Score: 14 | Accepted answer
There is no in-universe reason for it, in the 2003 anime, the 2009 anime, or the manga. None of them give a reason for it, nor does any [Word of God](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/WordOfGod). In fact, Sig Curtis in *Brotherhood* sparkles a couple times as well, in addition to the rest of the family.

It's worth noting that there is a [trope](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Trope) called "[Bishie (bishōnen) Sparkle](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BishieSparkle)". I doubt many people would classify Armstrong as bishōnen, but that article does mention that it does represent the personality of the one who sparkles (as a bit of a cutesy "he's beautiful inside" fluff). Here's an excerpt from that very article:

> * In *Fullmetal Alchemist*, THE ART OF SPARKLING BEAUTY HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN IN THE ARMSTRONG LINE FOR GENERATIONS! And it *really* has, although Major Armstrong is more 'manly' than pretty.
>   + It's not just Major Alex Louis Armstrong who has this trait, but THE ENTIRE ARMSTRONG FAMILY THROUGH THE GENERATIONS.
>   + Not just the entire family: the sparkle is possessed by a *flower woman* whose family has SERVED THE ARMSTRONG LINE FOR GENERATIONS. And one of her hairs has the Armstrong curl, too.
>   + Sig Curtis also develops a sparkle when he's doing manly things with Armstrong. Curiously enough, his sparkle isn't pink, but brown-ish.
>   + May's Inner-Mind Theatre version of Edward and later Alphonse have this.
>   + Roy Mustang gets some sparkles in the 13th episode of the 2003 anime adaptation during his duel with Edward.
>   + As does Envy in the Chibi Wrap Party OVA, to hilarious effect.
>   + Lampshaded by Breda when he's impersonating Armstrong to prank his colleagues: He's got small pink paper cutouts that look like Armstrong's sparkle, suspended on wires.
>     Armstrong also sculpted a statue of himself in The Movie from the 2003 anime series; it had a small four-pointed piece of stone for a sparkle suspended by a strip of metal coming from the body.
>   + *Fullmetal Fantasy*, the Fan Film produced by the English vocal cast, has Real Life Armstrong complete with sparkles, quite possibly the film's Crowning Moment of Funny.

Also, inarguably, it's funny. And the [Rule of Funny](http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/RuleOfFunny) applies.
---
