Wow. Each character brought something to the table. Andfor each character, there's far too many life lessons they've taught. I know the thread is for which charactertaught you the most, but I feel that each character contributed to some kind of morale in me... somehow. (And I was 12 when I first got into FMA, thank you. I was young and naive... I probably still am, for all I know).

Ed: You can't have everything and you've really got to have your mind set on something to achieve it. Keep on keeping on.
Al: Even when things seem hopeless, always keep going.
Roy: To atone for your sins, especially mortal ones, do what you can to make it right. Stand up for what you believe in- don't just be pawn to be used in a game bigger than life itself.
Riza: You don't have to finish what you didn't start. Like with Mustang, don't just be pawn to be used in a game bigger than life itself.
Izumi: Be strong- physically and mentally; while emotionally, always try to understand.
Hoho: Things aren't always as they seem (no I didn't just learn that, but with how Ed portrayed him, learning mroe about Hoho really brings out that theme.
Winry: Do you part to help- no matter how trivial or meaningless it may initially seem, in the long run, help is always greatly appreciated.
Hughes: Death is inevitable, but it's never the end.
Scar and the Ishbalans: Vengeance is meaningless- no matter how right it seems in the beholder's eyes. "blood begets blood"
The Homunculi (and Father): A self-proclaimer greater being can be outmatched by those below him. It just takes lots of blood, sweat, and will.

Well that's my rant for you.

Edward Elric..

He teaches me to be responsible to my little brothers
as I the eldest sister in my family...

He is wonderful character for ever

yeah i agree ^^
Izumi always clear thinking, doesnt fear to take some risks although she's just a housewife who just passed by, xD i meant, Ed and Al teacher ^^

Mine would be Hohenheim. Especially in the omake when he teach Ed to respect and love Al more because Trisha have such hard time being pregnant carrying such a heavy baby in her stomach thing. It was very philosophical and very cool I think by giving an water bucket example.

Um...hi, dead topic, hope you don't mind a revival...

Well. When I say "taught me the most" I kind of also mean "saw a lot of myself" as well. So I'll start with Lust from the anime- I've been in the same place she was, lost and trying to hold on to something. Lust tried to rise above what her life experience had given her, and that inspired me. A lot.
Also Scar (manga Scar mainly I guess) - sometimes you don't need to truly forgive, forgetting isn't something you can just decide to do, but sometimes you just have to walk away from your conflicts and start over. (I kind of learned this before I got into FMA and learned it the hard way so seeing it in story form was pretty eye opening)
Sloth from the anime. (I guess considering her end, that's odd, but still I see a lot of her in me, a lot of what she discovered in life, I did as well. )- Lying to yourself never works in the long run but if you need something to hold onto, then hold onto it. When you can't afford to take a big risk, realize that, but never completely give up, becuase there will be a time when you're the only person on your side and if you give up then, it will be a long journey back up to your feet.

I can only pick one...? *pouts* But they ALL taught me something!

Okay, okay...I know this choice is the obvious, popular one, but I have to choose Ed. I won't go into detail, but I found FMA during a very dark time in my life. And from the beginning, I always felt a very strong connection with him because our stories were so similar. Sometimes looking at him was like looking at a reflection in a mirror. His sin was my sin. I didn't have to imagine the sickening guilt he felt over his brother or how he hated himself for the terrible mistake he made...because I already knew. I was already there.

If there's one thing he taught me in every version of the story, it's that it's not the pain and mistakes that define you, but how you choose to deal with them that counts. No challenge or burden is too great to bear when you're doing it for someone else's sake. And when you don't have the strength to stand on your own - when you're broken and hurting and at your very lowest - there will always be someone there to lift you up and love you when you can't love yourself.

Honestly, reading some of the comments on the first page of this thread was heart-breaking for me. Just a cartoon? Just a comic book?

FACT: When a story touches you - when it makes you laugh and cry and feel, and think a little deeper about your own life - it stops being "just" entertainment and becomes ART. Would you look at one of Akiane's paintings and think "oh, it's just a picture"? Would you listen to Beethoven's 9th and think "oh, it's just a song"? Would you read Lord of the Rings and think "oh, it's just a book?"

Would you watch Hughes die or see Ed and Al's selfless devotion to each other and think "oh, it's just a cartoon"?

If that's the case, I feel deeply, incredibly sorry for you.

I just bumped into this thread again and I realized that there's something wrong with the previous post I made last year. I mean, it's not only Edward who taught me lessons but all the characters in FMA. Throughout the time I spend last year, it's FMA that inspired me, it kept me moving forward. I know that it sounded lame but for me the characters were alive and they living inside me. They were my guide in choosing the path that I should walked on. I want to enlist once again the lessons I learned from each one of them; how they changed me, how they became a part of me.

First is Edward, I already stated the things I got from him but I want to add some other stuff :) he, who never gives up, taught me that there were things in life that we can never obtained. We should not pursue something unattainable to accomplish our goals, we should learned to let go, accept the fact that everything will never ever remain constant and never ever back down. (I know that it was a contradict to his character but I saw those things on him. It's his other side if you look deeper into him and obviously I look at him this way). We should not ignore the past, don't run away even if it means that you need to face danger. The past can served as a lesson; the sins, the pains, the memories will guide you and remind you to never make the same mistakes again.

In general, (it will took ages for me to enlist it all :D) FMA taught me to enjoy life as long as I'm still breathing. I shall value the things I have now before it's too late. I should appreciate everything I have. And even though GOD is unbelievable, we should call on HIM (Remember the RUSH VALLEY arc?) Maybe I'll edit this post again. . .

@Dearheart- I agree with what you said I found FMA during a bad time in my life as well and seeing someone who I could identify with, becuase they had the same feelings and had made the same choices I did, it was helpful even if it hadn't happened in real life.

I must go with everyone and say it is Edward but NOT the Manga Ed but Anime-1 Ed.

I know I'm protecting Anime 1 everywhere and don't seem to find anything good on either Manga or Bh. It's because Anime 1 is something I can relate to and the slightly depressed, not so determined Edward appeals to me more than the Never-Give-Up type we saw in the manga (and will probably see in the movie, also).

Unlike some here I was not in the difficult state of my life. I had overcome the worst hardships but had no friends and was depressed with my life. Then I saw FMA and found a soul mate in Edward. Edward was in deep trouble and things just didn't seem to work out for him. At 16, I had already learned not everyone can have a happy ending. Things don't always work out the way you want them to and you might even lose something precious to you but you can adjust to the new situation. Anime just confirmed my theory. Many might say this is a pessimist way to think but world isn't fair.

Anime 1 IS depressing, I admit it and after watching the anime and CoS I was depressed. I don't know whether it was because my life was difficult or FMA had such a powerful effect on me or because my favourite Anime had just ended. Nevertheless, I loved it that way. Anime 1 is bittersweet and the end isn't a happy one. It was the realism in the characters and especially Edward that I still love. Because Edward acted like any teenager would, I took his words to my heart and discovered with him the dark themes of this world, from loosing your loved ones to becoming an outsider, alienated from your world.

They all taught me a lot. But I have to say Ed. And it isn't just because he's the main character.

Ed teaches the lesson to never give up hope, and to always hang in there no matter how rough the road gets. And he shows that if you work hard enough to reach your goal, you'll be rewarded.

I totally agree.

I also have to say I really learned from Ling. It's pretty hard not to sound cheesy when it comes to talking about friendship, but as dumb as it may sound, he teaches the real and true connection of friends and being there for the people you care about.

I suppose Riza has taught me a lot about being strong when things get hard. In other ways, she's also kind of helped me realize when I should be aloud to complain. Like when she said that she didnt have a right to complain about burdens and such because of Ishbal, i look at it in different perspectives of myself in which I am aloud to complain about things or not. I used to claim that my life was a suck fest but i don't now because I actually have a cushy life in comparison to others.. So in cases like that, ive learned when not to complain.

I'm going to pick Edward, purely because his "tatte aruke" monologue has helped me so much.