Winry Rockbell

is a fictional character from Hiromu Arakawa's Fullmetal Alchemist manga series and its adaptations. Winry is a teenage mechanic who often spends time with the central characters, brothers Edward and Alphonse Elric, who are childhood friends of hers. Specializing in mechanical repair, specifically prostheses called automail, Winry services Ed's replacement arm and leg. Originally meant to be introduced in the series' first chapters due to its lack of female characters, some of Winry's traits are based on Arakawa's own life. In the first anime adaptation, Fullmetal Alchemist, Winry is voiced by Megumi Toyoguchi in Japanese and by Caitlin Glass in the English version. In the second anime adaptation, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, she is voiced by Megumi Takamoto in Japanese, with Glass reprising the role in English. Besides being in the manga and anime series, Winry is also in the first anime's sequel film and original video animations (OVAs). Readers of the manga have ranked her among the top ten characters in the series. Periodicals and other media for manga and anime fans have praised her for her attitude, her relationship with the Elric brothers, and her development across the manga series. Creation and conception Hiromu Arakawa wanted to introduce Winry in Chapter 3 of the manga due to the lack of female characters in the first two chapters and because of her importance, but her editor told her it was too soon to do it. Arakawa was satisfied with her debut, considering Winry a "buffer" who helps the reader understand the Elric brothers' problems, since, although she finds it hard to talk to them, she is able to understand their feelings. Thus, Arakawa thinks Winry has the most difficult position of the three. Winry's occupation in the series was inspired by Arakawa's opinions about how people had to work hard in order to eat. Additionally, the way Winry and her grandmother Pinako welcome the Elrics into their home after the Elrics' mother's death reflected Arakawa's views on how people should react to social problems. When asked in 2006 who her favorite Fullmetal Alchemist characters are, Arakawa found it hard to decide, but at the time she picked Winry along with the Elrics and Riza Hawkeye. Arakawa has also stated that she enjoys drawing Winry immensely. Megumi Toyoguchi voices Winry in the first Fullmetal Alchemist anime series, but Megumi Takamoto voices her in the second.