The Character

Greed is one of the seven homunculi in Hagane no Renkenjutsushi, all of whom are named after one of the deadly sins. As his name implies, Greed is a fellow who wants it all and lives his artificial life to the fullest.

Sealed for over one hundred years, Greed is freed from the fifth laboratory when Ed and crew go to investigate rumours concerning the Philosopher's Stone. Once freed, Greed also liberates the lab's military chimera experiments, getting himself very loyal minions in the process, as well as Kimberly, the Crimson Alchemist.

Unlike the other homunculi, who are all working towards some sort of higher goal or become human, Greed just wants to live his life and have what he wants. It's a selfish existence and he lives solely to fulfill his own desires. The paradox with Greed is that his actions, while often being motivated by his greed, are often very altruistic. He sets the chimera free and gives them a purpose, to which they are EXTREMELY devoted to him. He helps out Al and Ed. And I am always one who will insist that all acts of charity are driven by selfish means, so it is just as nice that Greed does this as if someone else did. At least he's honest about his intentions and what he is getting out of it.

Greed does not get along with the other homunculi, and his hatred of alchemy leads him to have a stormy relationship with Kimberly, who ultimately, in the anime at least, betrays him.

Greed is powerful and old. He is able to control the composition of his body and turn it into an impenetrable shield.

He's also one hell of a funny and fun loving guy who likes to hang out in seedy bars and surround himself with h0s. And this is actually why I love him so much. While everyone else in the series is working towards some higher goal, and all the homunculi are messed up and full of angst and world domination, Greed just wants to live. To have fun. To have the hot car and the sexy women and the nice house, drink the Cristal with the diamonds in the glass.

Unfortunately, in both versions of the story, Greed dies because of his beliefs. In the anime, he refuses to be resealed and instead uses Ed as a means of assisted suicide. In the process, he becomes Ed's first kill and teaches him quite the lesson. In the manga, which I am less familiar with, Greed is killed by Hohenheim by way of boiling in a vat of oil. Now, the symbolism in this is amusing, as in Dante's Inferno, the punishment in Hell for those who committed the Sin of Greed is to be boiled in oil.

Greed is my favourite character in the series because of his devil may care lust for life, as artifical as his is, he doesn't let it hang it up. Part of being human, of being alive, is living your life to the fullest and he did that in spades.

The Site

Layout image is from the doujinshi Devil's Nest by the circle Clock Worker. Doujinshi is from my own personal collection. Layout title comes from a fun saying that I feel fits Greed perfectly. Pimpin' ain't easy, but somebody's gotta do it. And he does it damn well.