The Surprising Connection Between Mean Girls And A Beloved Anime

"It's October 3rd," answers Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) after her crush Aaron Samuels (Jonathan Bennett) asks her for the date. This beat is literally five seconds long and insignificant to an outside observer, but that's the whole joke. If you were ever a teenager in love, then you know what it's like to hyper-fixate on minor interactions like this the way that Cady does.

Like so many lines in "Mean Girls," October 3rd has resonance all its own thanks to the internet. People are always sure to share screenshots or clips of the scene on social media whenever it's, ya know, October 3rd. The date is even celebrated as "Mean Girls Day" by fans of the film. The "Mean Girls" stage musical (now a film in its own right, read /Film's "Mean Girls" '24 review here) opened ticket sales at the August Wilson Theatre on October 3, 2017.

There's another series out there, also with a devoted fanbase, where October 3rd is a special day — "Fullmetal Alchemist," the much-beloved shōnen manga/anime. Set in the fictional country Amestris (think steampunk industrial revolution Europe) during the early 20th century, the series follows the Elric Brothers, Edward and Alphonse. The two young alchemists are searching for the mythic Philosopher's Stone, believing it can restore their damaged bodies after they flew too close to the sun.

So yeah, "Fullmetal Alchemist" is worlds away from "Mean Girls." Still, the two fanbases have seized on the connection, with memes and crossover fan art. All because Tina Fey and Hiromu Arakawa coincidentally referenced the same day of the year in their respective stories. 

Why is October 3rd such an important day for the Elrics?

In "Fullmetal Alchemist," alchemy is bound by "Equivalent Exchange" — to create, you must sacrifice something of equal value. That's why reviving the dead is the science's ultimate taboo. Ed and Al did so anyway, attempting to resurrect their mother Trisha. They failed and paid the toll by losing two limbs (Ed) and being reduced to a soul-animating empty armor (Al).

Their promise to find the Philosopher's Stone is a journey of atonement; each one feels responsible for the other's condition. So, Ed makes another sacrifice. You see, Amestris is not a nice place to live; it's a military dictatorship that suppresses dissent and wars with its neighbors. But "State Alchemists" are paid handsomely, provided they answer the call of the military when needed. So to fund his mission, Ed becomes a "dog of the military."

Before Ed and Al set out, they burn down their childhood home, ensuring they have nothing to go back to and won't give up their quest. The first day of their journey? October 3rd, 1911 (or 1910 in the 2003 "Fullmetal Alchemist" anime, which is quite different).

State Alchemists are given silver pocket watches (with the dragon emblem of Amestris on them). Inside Ed's, he carves a message to himself: "Don't Forget. 3. Oct. 11." The watch is a physical embodiment of the emotional burdens that Ed carries with him, a reminder of what he and his brother have lost and the promise they made to each other.

Ed keeps the message to himself (his friend Winry discovers it after prying open the watch and is overcome with shame for her nosiness when she reads it), but October 3rd is publicly celebrated by "Fullmetal" fans. Since "Mean Girls" lovers do the same, the overlap was inevitable.

"Mean Girls" (2024) is playing in theaters.