Meaning
What does Equivalent Exchange mean?
Equivalent exchange refers to the first principle of alchemy in the manga and anime series, “Full Metal Alchemist”.
It states that in order to gain something, something has to be sacrificed first, as nothing ever appears out of nothing.
“Equivalent exchange” slightly references the First Law of Thermodynamics, which states that energy can be transformed, but never destroyed.
Origin
What's the origin of Equivalent Exchange?
The first issues of the manga “Full Metal Alchemist” ran between 2001 and 2003.
It was in these issues where readers first encountered “equivalent exchange”.
The great success of the series resulted in the phrase and the principle being remembered by many fans all across the globe.
“Full Metal Alchemist” had several different manga and anime series as well as movies that were published since 2001, establishing a major fan base.
Spread & Usage
How did Equivalent Exchange spread?
“Equivalent exchange” was first defined on Urban Dictionary in 2005.
Online, the principle is often captioned on image macros, depicting pictures of Edward Elric.
External resources
- CBR.com – Fullmetal Alchemist: The Law of Equivalent Exchange
- Tvtropes.org – Equivalent Exchange
- Fandom – Fullmetal Alchemist Wiki