Wrath/King Bradley's Sword, Full Metal Alchemist

23.01.21

Introduction

Welcome to the Overview for a project to 3D-Print a cosplay weapon inspired by Wrath / King Bradley’s Sword from Full Metal Alchemist and FMAB.

Here I can offer you a little insight into the blade that demanded attention, and the character that brings it to life!

While this unlicenced replica is intended for decorative purposes or for use as a cosplay prop, the main reason for building it is because of the similarities to the Armstrong sword. I could have one cool FMA sword, or with a little work, I could have two!

Check out the links at the bottom of the page for a detailed build guide.

King Bradley – The Homunculus Wrath

No single person wields more political power in the entire country of Amestris than Führer King Bradley. He is quick with both his blade and wits. Perceptive and dangerous; anyone making an enemy of this man had best ensure they’re at peace with their Gods. He appeared in places as a kindly old man early on, but time proved that this dangerous leader was not a man to take lightly.

Wrather stood tall baring a sword in each hand. — All power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.

His reveal in Episode 14 as the Homunculus Wrath was game-changing and exquisitely depicted. As was the subsequent warpath he cuts through Greed’s Chimera associates. It perfectly displayed his extreme fighting prowess and suggested very early on that there was likely no one who would be able to best with a bladed weapon. When he mercilessly dealt with the Chimera hiding inside of Al’s armour, you knew that life and innocence be damned, this man will do what he feels he must. With his aforementioned swordsmanship combined with his Ultimate Eye, it could easily be argued that there are none in the world of Full Metal Alchemist that could best him in a fair fight.

Unlike most of the other Homunculi, Wrath was born as a human and underwent extreme modifications to be molded for the monumental task ahead. He was trained beyond the physical peak of human excellence, then handed the throne to rule.

Wrath offers a complexity that most other Homunculi seem to largely lack: his genuine tenderness for his warm-hearted wife runs diametrically opposed to his destructive plans for Amestris. Regardless of how bright Father’s wishes blind, the shadow of his humanity can always be seen flickering just out of reach.

He does not hate humans as the other Homunculi do. He may hate certain aspects of them, but he does not engage with his duty for the joy of ending them; it truly is duty.

Combine these elements, and you have one of the ultimate anime antagonists.

The Sword

Wrath’s saber lacks intricate details and instead is one of simple design. Having recently completed something similar, yet more detailed, I was looking forward to getting to the finish stage on that blade!

This is a long slender blade with a golden handle and hilt. The crossguard is an unadorned device at the bottom of the blade. I’ll be looking to make it between 900mm – 1000mm long. As a result of the plain blade, I am hoping to get a more mirrored finish when compared with other swords I have done in the past.

The Process

As some of my other 3D Printed projects show, I have a predisposition towards crafting swords. Given how similar the sword is to one I had made previously, General Olivier Armstrong’s sword, I thought this would be a perfect project to take up since a lot of the groundwork had already been laid out!

My main goals for the adjustments to make this were to be:

Blade Width: I wanted the blade much thinner, ideally making a SWISH sound when I cut it through the air; very important.
Colouring: Not always, but often his handle is gold rather than black or blue.
Engraving removal. Took way too long to put them there, but they need to go!
Change from two supporting 6mm rods to one 6mm support rod, and multiple 3mm * 100mm guiding rods for alignment and weight reduction.

I am going to print the handle as one piece and the blade as three. Separately, there will be the cross guard housing two small studs. I was so happy with the metallic finish of previous swords, but there are some new things I want to try. A bare blade like this is the perfect medium for me to try it on!

The Result

As this is an ongoing piece and not yet finished, the individual project articles below are not yet ready, and my current favourite image is of both Prototype I & II nearing the end of their Build Phases, as well as the 3D model: