Vato Falman
Vato Falman is a supporting character in the manga and anime series Fullmetal Alchemist. Serving in the Amestrian State Military under Colonel Roy Mustang, he holds the rank of Warrant Officer before later being promoted to Second Lieutenant. Known as a walking database due to his unbelievable memory, he plays a crucial supporting role by providing extensive knowledge and aiding covert investigations for Mustang's team.
Overview
Vato Falman is a supporting character in the manga and anime series Fullmetal Alchemist. Serving in the Amestrian State Military under Colonel Roy Mustang, he holds the rank of Warrant Officer before later being promoted to Second Lieutenant. Known as a walking database due to his unbelievable memory, he plays a crucial supporting role by providing extensive knowledge and aiding covert investigations for Mustang's team.
Appearance
Falman is a tall, thin man standing approximately 177 centimeters in height. He is distinguished by his narrow eyes, sunken cheeks, and pale skin, which together give him a somewhat frail or unfortunate appearance. Throughout the series, he wears the standard Amestrian military uniform.
Personality
Diligently formal and intellectually inclined, Falman is primarily a desk worker who feels out of place among battle-hardened soldiers. Because of his mild-mannered nature, he often ends up burdened with unpleasant chores and guard duties. Though easily intimidated and prone to trembling or tearing up when facing mortal danger, he possesses steadfast courage and absolute loyalty to his commander when it counts most.
Abilities
Falman possesses extraordinary photographic memory, earning him the nickname walking data bank for his ability to retain vast amounts of information across all fields. This enables him to retrieve confidential records without leaving physical evidence. Although his physical combat ability is limited to basic marksmanship with a handgun, he exhibits brilliant analytical skill—such as inferring the pattern of the Nationwide Transmutation Circle from historical conflict data—and quick situational judgment in combat.
Background
Originally assigned to East Area Headquarters, Falman moved to Central Command along with Colonel Roy Mustang's core group, taking on covert duties like guarding Barry the Chopper. However, King Bradley forcibly separated the unit, reassigning Falman to the freezing Northern Wall of Briggs. Despite earning a promotion to Second Lieutenant, he was initially relegated to menial chores until he re-encountered Edward Elric and Alphonse Elric and battled the homunculus Sloth. During this incident, he connected historical records to deduce the existence of the Nationwide Transmutation Circle. On the Promised Day, he fought alongside Briggs soldiers to capture Central Headquarters.
Relationships
Falman is a deeply devoted subordinate to Colonel Roy Mustang, committed to assisting his commander's ambition to become Fuhrer. When transferred to Briggs under Major General Olivier Mira Armstrong, a key rival to Mustang, he felt conflicted about serving under her command. During his time in Central, he was entrusted with monitoring the bound-soul suit of armor Barry the Chopper, and he later collaborated closely with Edward Elric and Alphonse Elric in the north.
Trivia
His surname is derived from the early French aviation enterprise Farman or its aircraft, the Farman III. Within Colonel Mustang's unit, which uses chess pieces as callsigns, Falman holds the codename The Bishop. Following the final battle, he remains stationed at the Briggs fortress, where he settles down, marries, and fathers two children who inherit his distinctive eyes.