Thank you, Michiyo- for finding those! I like it that Riza's cover has other Roy gang members also! That means, we may see other "group" drawings on upcoming covers, like homunclus gang, Olivier's gang, etc. ^^
Vol. 3 & 4 are coming out in less than a week, and I'm looking forward to seeing inside drawings also!

A new TVCM is up on Gangan's website.
Miki Shinichiro and Orikasa Fumiko promote Vol. 3 & 4. There seems to be a funny conversation between Roy and Riza, because I hear something like "June is rainy, rain means useless..."

...In the vid, Roy (Miki Shinichiro) asks why his cover is used for vol 3 [that's coming out in July], after Ed (his cover was used for vol. 1) & Al (he was on vol. 2), and Riza (Orikasa Fumiko) answers that because "[vol. 1 & vol. 2 came out in June, and] June in Japan is a rainy season, and certain someone is useless in rain..." and Roy (Miki Shinichiro) cut her off by saying "No need to go further, I got it." That's the funny part. ~ Tombow

Here are a few screenshots from the CM:

Eeee I love how the Roy-Tachi are on Riza's cover <3

^ Thank you Michiyo- for finding that vid!
I added the explanation of "funny" part in the vid on the post. ^^

LOL but doesn't Roy mean volume 3, he was after Al too

^ Gahaha, you're right, Kirara, after listening to it carefully, I hear that Roy says Elric brothers.
*goes to correct* Thank you so much for catching it!

Thank you for the images and news, Michiyo-! And thank you Tombow for explaining what's being said in the CM.

I really love how all of the Mustang's team have been included on Hawkeye's cover. That makes it all the more awesome.

Love Riza's cover! I guess that means when it's Olivier's turn on the cover we'll probably get a group pic too!

If Winry is indeed Vol 5 I think we'll probably get Den, Pinako, and possibly Panina (sp?) on the back as well.

Does anyone know a place to order Vols. 3 & 4 that doesn't charge a crazy amount for shipping. I waited too long to order from Yes Asia (waiting for Chronicles and now I don't think they will get it in at all) and now it both issues are out of stock.


Amazon.co.jp still has both issues but they are charging $40 for shipping.


And so this doesn't happen again I already ordered Vol. 5


edit: Nevermind I found a place

The cover of Vol. 5 is out!



I expected Winry, but Izumi looks great! ^^

Thanks for the image, Michiyo-!
Izumi looks so handsome that I almost can't resist to order one for collection TAT
Looking forward to winry's coming out ~

Thank you, Michiyo-! Izumi looks awesome on that cover. I love the green colour scheme, too!

Mind sharing where you found them?

CD Japan, it's not as cheap as Yes Asia but since it has more shipping options it is less expensive than Amazon.co.jp.

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=NEOBK-972038
http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=NEOBK-972039

And I didn't expect Izumi at all but that is an awesome picture of her!

Thank you, Michiyo-!
Wow, I, too didn't expect Izumi, but glad to see that she got the cover! I wonder if any others share the cover with her....

Hilary has shared some pics of Vol. 3 & 4 on Baidu. Thank you, hilary!

Here are the pics:

Covers of Vol 3 & Vol 4



Cover of Vol 3



Comparing the sizes of unabridged volume and regular volume book.




Back cover



Front cover with drawing after taking off the removable clear "top cover" with logo, etc.



Back cover with drawing after taking off the removable clear "top cover" with logo, etc.



Whole "drawing" cover can be removed and spread out



Early designs of Mustang

Added quick translations of Arakawa-sensei's comments
Click to view attachment


Early designs of other Military personnel at Central

Added quick translations of Arakawa-sensei's comments
Click to view attachment


"Inside cover"



Newly drawn full-body length drawing of Roy under the inside cover



Chapter index. The book contains chapters 13 - 18



Image between chapter 13 and chapter 14?



Chapter 14 color title page



Color page from chapter 14, with cameo appearance of Izumi and Sig



Chapter 15 color title page



Image between chapter 16 and chapter 17?



Color page from chapter 17



Chapter 18 color title page



<Added the info and translations. ^^ ~ Tombow>

More pics from hilary’s post on Baidu:

Cover of Vol 3



Back cover



Clear "top cover" with logo, etc. is removable




Front cover with drawing after taking off the removable clear "top cover" with logo, etc.



Back cover with drawing after taking off the removable clear "top cover" with logo, etc.



Whole "drawing" cover can be removed and spread out



Early designs of Riza

Added quick translations of Arakawa-sensei's comments
Click to view attachment


More early drawings

Added quick translations of Arakawa-sensei's comments
Click to view attachment


"Inside cover"




Newly drawn drawing of Riza and Hayate under the inside cover




Chapter index. The book contains chapters 19 - 24



Chapter 19 color page



Chapter 20 color title pages (right page of 2-page spread with Ed on this side)



Chapter 20 color title pages (left page of 2-page spread with Al on this side)



Chapter 23 color title page



Image between chapters? (don't know which 2 chapters)



================


And, found a wallpaper, also on Baidu:




<Added the info and translations. ^^ ~ Tombow>

Thank you, Michiyo-, thank you, hilary!

Added info and translations of Arakawa-sensei's comments on Michiyo-'s posts above.

Thank you for the images hilary and Michiyo-! And thank you for the translations, Tombow!

Those early design sketches are awesome! It's quite strange to think that Roy could have been a smoker (if she stuck with that idea, of course!) xP And I quite like Roy's hair in the top sketch on his early design page.

Thanks for the translations, Tombow!

I like the early design sketches, Roy looks great with longer hair! The Roy-tachi cats are really cute and Riza looks awesome on that page. ^^

Thanks so much hilary and Michiyo for the scans and Tombow for the translations! I can't see how I could live not knowing anything about all these wonderful books!

Holy cow, do I want these volumes. As a designer and with my love for preliminary character design sketches this is just torture! I LOVE the clear slipcovers (never realized these volumes had those) so you get all that information printed nicely, but you still have the art without all the type. The little things Arakawa mentions with her character sketches are some of my most favorite comments. It's amazing to see how the characters originally came to be and how much time and development was put into them before the actual publication was started. It's funny she considered making Roy a smoker, since Havoc was made a smoker just because of their fight with Lust. It's fun putting all these little details together. XD

Oh wow everything is gorgeous. Thanks for the scans and translation.

The sketch of the Roy and co as cats is my favorite. So cute!

Here's the HQ cover of Vol. 5 from Amazon:


Vol. 6 is up for pre-order:
http://www.amazon.co.jp/%E9%8B%BC%E3%81%AE...2869&sr=1-1
The release date is Sept. 22.

Thank you, Michiyo-!

I see that staring from Vol 5, we'll probably see 1 vol per month?

michiyo, thank for the cover izumi looks great
i guess the next cover , woul be Ling?

Thank you so much for sharing the HQ pic, Michiyo-!

I love it. Izumi looks fantastic; I think her hair looks awesome! xP

Here's the full cover of Vol. 5:

Thank you, Michiyo-!

I was hoping Sig and Mason would join on the side, but I guess not. ^^

I hope they have Izumi's early designs.

That looks fantastic. Thank you Michiyo-!

Although, I agree with Tombow in that it's a shame that Sig and Mason aren't on the full cover!

I was also hoping for Sig and Mason on the back cover, but maybe we'll see them in the sketches page.
I can't wait to see Izumi's early design! ^^


ETA: Sept. 1

The cover of Vol. 6 is out:

That cover looks gorgeous! I can't wait to see the full version!

Thank you for sharing, Michiyo-!

Kind of disappointed Winry didn't get a cover yet, although I am sure she still will.

And well Lust never got a spine so it's cool she got a cover this time. Thanks for sharing!

I told myself I chould buy all the unabridged, WHEN! Winry get's a cover. (Since she's my fav character)
Looks like I'll be either be waiting or not getting it D:

But Lust do look awesome on that Cover :3

Thank you, Michiyo-!

This Lust's face looks little different from usual (Eyes are too big, too round, and too close to each other? And, cheeks look too puffed up, and got too small jaws, and ears and lips are too round? She looks like Lust's younger sister who might be able to play Lara Croft in Tomb Raider ), but I like her, and glad Lust got the cover!
I hope we'll get Gluttony/possibly some other homuncli on the side. ^^

This is the Lust I'm familiar with (Usually her lips, especially the upper lip is paper thin and almost non-existent, and I thought she had skinny & rather pointy years. xp)

Well I say heck yes! First thing I thought of was that Lust didn't get a spine, too, so this was nice. I love all that purple. And she does look a little different, but sheez it's been a looooong time since Arakawa drew her last I'm guessing, since she was killed in the manga at the end of 2004. So almost 7 years now? I'm remembering a few pics where all the homunculi were together, but nothing that really focused on her.

Wow, I have to say I'm surprised that Lust got a cover, and so early none-the-less! But I love how Hiromu Arakawa drew her here She looks good on the cover

This is the gift box from animate that you can get if you buy vol. 1 ~ vol 6 from animate. Volumes 1 ~ 6 will go into this box.
Click to view attachment
Cute Ed.

I assume there will be 2 more animate gift boxes (vol 7 ~ vol 12, vol 13 ~ vol 18). No announcement on who will be on these boxes.

That's such an awesome picture of Ed! Thank you for the news, Tombow!

The full cover of Vol. 6 is out, and it looks very cool:


Also, here's the Animate box pic in a larger size:



ETA: Sept. 22.
Vol. 6 cover in HQ:


Vol. 7 comes out on Oct. 22.

I LOVE THESE COVERS! :'D

The Lust one looks fantastic, and I'm glad she got her own cover (she had limited space in the actual manga! D:).

I'm surprised Winry hasn't gotten one yet...but I wouldn't like for her to come too soon, either. :3 I can't wait till all of the covers are out! ^.^

Thank you for the full pics, Michiyo-! They look fantastic! I like how she added Greed onto the full volume 6 cover!

The newest volume cover is out, and this time it's May:


It looks great!

^ Thank you, Michiyo-!

Oh my, May got the cover!!! Awesome!
I'm bit surprised that May got the cover instead of Lin, but this is a nice surprise, and I like it!

Here's the HQ cover of Vol. 7:


ETA: And the full cover:


Vol. 8 will be out on Nov. 22.

Thank you so much for posting the images, Michiyo-!

The cover is awesome --May looks lovely (and determined)! I'm glad she got her own cover!

Oh wow the May cover is awesome. It's definitely my favorite along with the Riza one.

Vol. 8 Cover:



And, here are the full covers of Vols. 1-6 in HQ and 2 more pics I found on the net:
Click to view attachment Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment Click to view attachment

Click to view attachment Click to view attachment

ETA: Nov. 9.
Vol. 7 HQ full cover:
Click to view attachment

Thank you for all these images, Michiyo-!

Volume 8's cover looks awesome!

Just ordered Vol 8 today (and bah it was expensive due to exchange rate)

I am still waiting for Winry...but I guess it makes sense to have Scar after May.

Only 10 more characters left!

Same here. Can't help but wonder what volume she'll be the cover for.