Sousuke Sagara

Kaname Chidori

Kurz Weber

Shinji Kazama

Nora Lemming

Teletha Testarossa

Andrei Kalinin

Kugayama Takuma

Richard Mardukas

Kyoko Tokiwa

Zaied

Melissa Mao

Seina

Eri Kagurazaka

Marcy Takenaka

Mizuki Inaba

Gauron

Lian Shaopin

Jackson

Grace Wiseman

Mira Kudan

Gail McAllen

Killy B. Sailor

Edward Sachs

Sousuke Sagara, a seventeen year old military specialist working for the secret organization MITHRIL, has been assigned to protect the latest "Whispered" candidate Kaname Chidori. To complete this task Sousuke will have to deal with enemies from his past as well as the occasional panty thief. Unfortunately for Sousuke, the toughest part of his mission isn't only protecting Miss Chidori but also getting used to living an average High School students life, no easy task for someone raised on the battlefield.<br><br>
(Source: Anime News Network)

This will be a quick overview on this show. So ill give my general statements on it. A more detailed one may appear at some point in the future. I wont give a synopsis cause there's already one provided. Spoilers ahead so be warned. With that out of the way, grab a seat. let's have a chat. 

*Infinite Ryvius OST- nowhere plays*

Full metal panic tries its best to mix an overarching militaristic plot with SOL comedy antics. However the later is a lot more poorly handled than the former. I will say this, it can potentially be a way for us to delve in the dysfunctional psychosis of our protag and also have him endear us to those around him, but not only are the jokes generally unfunny(only about two ever are) and are too big and overplayed to the point where it somewhat undermines his plight and also the lengths where this show wants you to take it seriously when it decides to not be grounded by reality. One minute its metal gear solid, the next Ranman 1/2. Couple that with the school cast being generally simplistic and cliche compared to the guys over at the Tuathe de Dana and you have a show that mostly has somewhat of an identity crisis. Which is especially disheartening seeing as how this is the shows MAIN SELLING POINT. It would be better if that stuff was a bit more downplayed, the jokes were more clever/subtle, and if it was coupled with clever dialogue to helps us get endeared to the characters in Sosuke's school life and how they impact his character, *inhale* but we got what we got. We'll come back to this later.

Now with the SOL aspects out of the way, how does the plot stuff stack up? Pretty alright. Most of the "arcs" in the show have to do with the MC dealing with terrorists threats and keeping bitch queen Chidori safe almost episodically over the course of a few or more episodes each and they are pretty tense and high energy. They pretty much are the best parts of the show. In fact the third arc of the show is the one that gives us a good understanding of Sosukes identity and why he is the way he is better than the comedic shit does and puts him through certain struggles that make him develop as the show goes on. However the one flaw i see is that a couple of them are mostly rather pointless in terms of how they develop the characters creating somewhat of a pasing issue. But these are at least somewhat effective and largely inoffensive.

*Gun X Sword OP*

I am a simple man who loves his mech battles. While many of the fights in the show are mostly passable, i wouldnt lie to you if i say id rather see gundam F91 for its action than this(as much as i hate that movie). The animation is fine, but not detailed enough to give you the sense of battle most of the time and can be quite janky in certain places, making it seem like some corners were cut in the production value in the mech fights. Especially in times when the MC and villain uses the Lambda driver, showing mostly unmemorable particle effects. They dont really get better until the half way point, where startegy, use of environment and militaristic tactics are used. Not to mention generally better fight choreography. The designs of the characters and mechs arent bad though(my fave being the main mech Arbelest). 

Now we move to the characters and since i've already stated how the school side characters are practical pointless, uncharismatic and add nothing to our main duo, we'll move on to the guys that matter.

*Big O OST- Sure promise plays*

Sosuke Sagara is a boy who spent most of his life as a mercenary and knows practically nothing of domestic life, which causes him to have sporadic instances where he mistakes something normal for a time where he needs to "YOOOOOOO JOE!". This is the fundamental driving force for all his SOL antics, which i remind you is the least good part in the show for the reasons i stated above. I understand that those moments are design to showcase this aspect of his character and maybe have him go through a mid life crisis deal where he questions his own purpose and existence in life and if he can even be his own person let alone a force for good(a la Guts from berserk) and to be further enveloped by the new life he has made and the non combat experiences to creating a sort inner struggle within him. However his plight gets played too much for comedic effect and escalated a tad too much for us to take it seriously and since those moments barely advance his character at all, those moments are rendered pointless. When the show takes him out of the role of a highschool student, he might not become the most complex protag, but he's a lot more competent seeing as how he is in his element. Of course the fact that you become so comfortable within that state kinda goes against the general purpose of taking him out his comfort zone. And like i said, things do get revealed about in the later part of the show, which gives us an opportunity to show us whats in this G.I.jokes head. But the way he develops overall is mostly subpar and sporadic. He still has some moments that are pretty endearing despite how much of a socially inept straight faced hick he is. Just wished that showed off more often.
Now he does have a super special awesome mech (cause why wouldnt he) which has a hidden system that when activated can produce energy powered by Sosuke's will, and if your're wondering yes this does deus ex save his ass a couple times in the show. Of course Sosuke himself has a sort of love hate relationship with the machine that only works when it wants to. Kinda hard for someone as stiff as he is to rely on a machine that almost unscientifically powers you with your inner mojo, so he doesnt use it other than his important battles. He aint OP like Kira Yamato or nothing but it does make fights lack tension seeing as how all Sosuke needs to do is awaken his chakra G Gundam style and use shining finger. Overall Sosuke is an alright protag.

*Undertale OST Dummy Gooseworx cover*

Kaname Chidori ladies and gentleman. She's the main female lead of the show. A popular above average high school chick. She's the target for the terorists who want the secrets of super technology and psychic prowess in her head; as well as the target of my discomfort. She's basically every bratty teenage tsundere you can find in anime. Now admittedly i will say that her attitude towards our local MC is somewhat justified seeing as he somewhat is responsible for all the dumb shit happening around her and generally flipping her whole life upside down despite his aims to protect her from harm. This would be fine if the jokes were funny and... well you know the drill. So it kinda makes her come off as irritable at times. I get its only natural for her to be this way in this case but there are times in the show where its too overplayed and she makes outright dumb decisions where it does not justify her being a petulant cunt. She does use her hidden mcguffin powers to help the heroes and she does get a chance to understand sosuke better later on, including one charming scene in the last episode. Other than that, general personality isnt all that endearing and neither is her interactions/relationship with Sosuke. So yeah, this chick who looks like the descendent of Marth from Fire emblem is unlikable. Dabu Dee dabu die, bitch.

*Nadesico OP*

On to the characters who are a part of Mithral. Tessa is a pretty good supporting character. She's clumsy but still very charming. Despite her young age and demeanor she is a very effective captain of her group and made pretty sound decisions throughout the show(if you can ignore the probability of it). Other than that one pissing contest she had with another female character Mao in one episode, but it was mostly to have her understand the hardships and struggles her subordinates go through when they enter battle. She also has a crush on Sosuke (oooooh love triangle. Drama~) for actually understandable reasons. Given how somewhat of an awkward person she is and her environment and the fact that Sosuke is the only other person her age around, it would make sense for her to gravitate towards his military charm. She admires him for his strength and resilience which contrasts her own doubts about herself as well as the respect her crew gives her. And she doesnt come off as someone who exists soully for his sawed off shotgun, if you catch my drift. Plus she's a mcguffin like chidori so she's helpful in that area too. Which probably explains why she wouldnt have chidori put in a safe house somewhere under surveillance to keep her safe from the terrorists after her, cause she sympathizes with her plight to be a normal girl. Of course maybe sending Sosuke to protect her wasnt the best move. But overall she is a fun and effective character. 

Others like Kurtz and Mao are fine. Mao is the no nonsense valkyrie bitch who has some okay dialogue and Kurtz is the charming pervert with very little actual charm. They both act as sort of besties to Sosuke in his soldier life and are very useful throughout the show. They've done little to damage their characters, but not too much sticks out. they do have some funny moments though despite not really changing throughout this season of the series. 

*New Getter Robo OST- Deep Red*

The main big bad is Garam and he is a pretty entertaining villain to a point. He is a constant threat throughout the show, rival and nemesis of Sosuke, and has some pretty endearing dialogue that lets him shine. He's kinda like Kenpachi Zaraki from Bleach but evil and in a mech. Also he acts as a parallel to Sosuke's identity, him being mad and battle hungry and Sosuke trying his best to appear as less of a savage like him despite his upbringing. Although the one thing i have an issue with him is that he always has a severe case of the not deads throughout the show and it only took the last ep for the heroes to finally "kill" him. The unstoppable killing machine angle can work but its too overdone here. Seeing the same guy die over and over mostly cause of the Lambda driver thing protecting him is kinda tiring to see. If he had only appeared in two arcs in the story preferable the first and last , he wouldve been much better handled and his final fall would have more impact. But he is entertaining and formidable villain throughout the show overall.

So overall Full metal Panic season 1 is an alright semi-real mecha show that is kinda bogged down by its main gimmick that being its SOL aspects and occasional fanservice. If the show managed to integrate both of these aspects seamlessly it wouldve improve a lot and there wouldnt be near constant tonal whiplash. But the action is okay, plot inoffensive/concise, and has a few likable characters. So I'd recommend it. But only as a passtime.

If you liked this review, ill be making one for Second Raid soon. Its been cool. Kaiser Shounen, LAUNCH!

*Mazinkaiser OP*

Full Metal Panic was an experimental when it came to its mix of SOL and became lackluster because of it

Have you ever put up with something you really didn’t like, just because there was a singular, redeeming aspect that made the entire experience worth it? Maybe it was the pain relief that came with getting a tooth filled. Maybe it was the degree at the end of a long four (or five, or six) years in college. Or maybe it was Full Metal Panic S1, a show that I found so unenjoyable but stuck with entirely because of one character. 

This show, specifically S1 but the entire franchise in general, is a black sheep for me. I don’t like military shows, mecha shows, or anything with blood or extra violence. I don’t like shows with predominantly weakly-developed characters, annoying characters, or flat characters. I don’t like shows with wildly varying animation quality, questionable directing, or fanservice. Somehow, Full Metal Panic has all of this, and I’m giving it what’s close to an average rating. If you’ve read any of my other reviews in this franchise or know me personally, it’s no mystery what I’m hinting at. I watch this show for the MC, Sagara Sousuke, alone. Is it hilarious to put up with a show I sincerely dislike just because of a single character? Hard to understand? Cringey, even? Sure. But it’s equally funny, nonsensical and cringey to write a review of an anime only discussing one character, and that’s exactly what I’m about to do.

Like many others, I was born on KyoAni works. A few years after starting, I decided I would watch all of them, starting from the beginning – FMP Fumoffu. Being a context-driven person, I decided it would be reasonable to start with watching the first season, released years earlier and directed by Gonzo. What a shock for someone, having seen little beyond slice-of-lifes, to be thrust into a really mediocre military mecha show. Trust me, I wanted to drop it, but the male MC somehow kept me interested. Why? At first glance, Sousuke really isn’t an interesting character. He’s absolutely stereotypical in so many ways. He’s a military kid, orphaned (obviously), raised in war and a mercenary working for a mysterious organization. He has a complete misunderstanding of society and social cues, exacerbated by suddenly being thrust into a high school setting. His character is all focus, all the time, completely ignorant to social propriety for the sake of his mission and his duty. Most of all, Sousuke is apparently extremely flat, showing only this front of his character. Why then, would I be so attracted to such a character, and stick with the show (and franchise) despite its many shortcomings? I’ve got two theories – the first is what I’ll call “suggested development” and the other “admirability.”

First, I’d like to look into “suggested development” first, and to do this, I’ll have to take a look at some other means of characterization. One way of developing character is to do so explicitly. This occurs when character traits are either shown or explained directly, meaning that the audience does not need to work out the details on their own. And this, if done correctly, isn’t a bad thing! Lucky Star is an excellent example of this – all of the characters are more or less explicitly developed. Rarely does one have to sit and deeply weight how a scene impacts each individual player’s characterization, instead, it’s obvious from the beginning. Another way of characterization is implicit. Character traits are suggested, but not directly stated, and are not always obvious from the beginning. In this way, implicit character development takes more skill from the producer and more effort from the audience. Very good producers can also use implicit character development as a means of dramatic tension, where the audience is left questioning whether their interpretation of a particular characterization is correct. Serial Experiments Lain is perhaps the best example I have of implicit characterization, with regards to its titular character.

Where does Full Metal Panic fall on the characterization spectrum? The answer is actually surprisingly complex. At first glance, it may seem obvious that explicit characterization dominates. From the first few episodes, it’s no mystery that Sousuke exhibits traits such as social ineptitude, commitment to duty, and a worst-case-scenario outlook on life. That’s obvious, and I’m not debating it. However, I also feel that implicit characterization plays a small and subtle role. However, due to the extreme prevalence of the explicit method, the implicit method is much more difficult to distinguish, and that’s why I call it “suggested development.” Some examples: Sousuke demonstrates apparent inability to recognize social cues due to ignorance, being raised in and around war. True, but the second thoughts he sometimes exhibits seem to suggest that this social ineptitude is bolstered as much by personal choice as it is by ignorance. Another: Sousuke’s commitment to his job and his mission drives his incredible preparedness. True, but his interpersonal relationships almost suggest that he is subconsciously driven by loyalty rather than blind duty. Again, these suggestions are subtle. They lie beneath the surface and are absolutely up for debate. But they, for some reason, made me deeply interested in the character of an otherwise-flat character. If Sousuke is somehow hides a modicum of implicit characterization, could it also be possible that he hides a bit of roundness in his flat character?

The second theory is that of “admirability.” I think that while not necessary to create a good story, many excellent piece of media involve a character that is somehow admirable in one way or another. And I’m not merely talking about a surface-level impressiveness that makes you say “wow” at huge explosions, but a deeper sense of appreciation that actually influences you as a viewer. Sure, maybe you’ll never train as hard as your favorite Shonen hero, but doesn’t something about their commitment to kicking their nemesis’ butt leave you with a sense of motivation? This ties into a much more complex personal theory that I have regarding the relationship between fiction and reality, but I think it’s obvious that admirable fictional characters can inspire real-world audiences in meaningful ways. And even if you don’t buy that, it seems to me that an admirable fictional character is much easier to root for than one who lacks anything to look up to. For me, Sousuke is that character. I’m never going to spend my life fighting terrorism, but something about his commitment to duty and others is personally inspiring to me and turned the entire watching experience from unbearable to even enjoyable at parts. It was enough that I could overlook my revulsion for the genre and even the other characters while watching the show, and it’s why I’m going to watch S4 if any foolish studio decides to pick it up.

Weird review? Sure. Am I greatly overstating Gonzo’s ability to subtly sneak in implicit characterization and admirability? I guarantee you I am. Is all this stemming from a bizarre and somewhat creepy over-obsession with Sagara Sousuke? Maybe. Is this review 1000% reading too much into things? Just wait until you hear my theories on some of the KyoAni shows.

An awful show lifted up to mediocrity by a single character

Sinopsis

Full Meta Panic sigue la historia de Sousuke Sagara, un militar de 17 años que se dedica a realizar misiones de distinto tipo (arrestar terroristas, impedir atentados y secuestros, etc) trabajando para una organización llamada Mithril. Un día le es encargado proteger a Chidori Kaname, una chica de instituto que tiene una especie de poder especial y debe impedir que puedan secuestrarla. Para eso debe infiltrarse en el instituto como un alumno normal, pero tendrá muchos problemas a causa de su total desconocimiento sobre comportarse como un estudiante normal.

Trama y Desarrollo

Desde el punto de vista del lector, este pensará que se trata de una historia que acaba siendo solo una comedia de instituto. ¿Esto es verdad? No exactamente. Por una parte, está la comedia de instituto, donde Sagara utiliza su muy "peculiar" sentido común cometiendo todo tipo de locuras que escandalizan al resto de estudiantes y profesores, y acabando enfadada la cabreada Kaname que le golpea con un abanico. Debido a su manía de acatar normas de manera literal y que combina con sus propias ideas, sus actos son puro disfrute como cuando salta del tren para que no se escape su protegida o cuando vigila a Kaname mientras finge leer un viejo periódico. Lo gracioso es que cuando le pillan vigilando, miente diciendo: "Es pura coincidencia". En ocasiones, los mechas también participan en estas escenas como en prácticas o concursos. A pesar de lo divertida que resulta esta comedia, uno se va cansando a medida se avanza. Se siguen utilizando las mismas bromas (generalmente consisten en malentendidos) y uno ya no se sorprende con la misma facilidad, por lo que no tiene un nivel muy alto.

Por otra parte, está la acción militar con mechas y suspense. Personalmente, me interesa más esta parte porque comedias escolares hay para dar y tomar. Aquí nos concetramos en las misiones donde están implicados Sagara y la organización Mithril encargados de acabar con organizaciones terroristas,. En ellas hacen frente a terroristas (destacando al peligroso Gaul), grupos de guerrilleros, ... Los encuentros con Gaul siempre son emocionantes por su comportamiento temerario y esa inteligencia que demuestra para adelantarse a lo que piensan sus enemigos. Aparte de utilizar armas de fuego y automáticas, predomina el uso de unos mechas llamados AS (Arm Slave). Al igual que en Code Geass, hay diferentes modelos y estos son los que se llevan el protagonismo en las batallas. A diferencia de las lentas batallas de mechas en otros animes, aquí son bastante más rápidas y entretenidas (con buenas coreografías). Se echa de menos información sobre la organización (exceptuando las tropas capitaneadas por Testarossa). Y cito como errores las acciones estúpidas de algunos personajes en las misiones como Testarossa y el equipo de mercenarios idiotas del desierto. Además, del uso de un deus ex machina para evitar la destrucción del submarino gracias al poder de Chidori.

Personajes

Full Metal Panic no cuenta con muchos personajes, pero tiene tres que son muy importantes: Sagara, Kaname y Testarossa. El protagonista es un chico de 17 años que trabaja como militar en Mithril y que desde pequeño ha estado en el frente luchando. Debido a esto no tiene experiencia en relaciones sociales con gente de su edad. Es un buen chico, pero su manera de pensar causa muchos problemas en la escuela ya que siempre piensa que hay alguna amenaza acechándolo. Nunca se cuestiona las órdenes que le dan hasta que conoce a Chidori y siente algo por ella. A partir de ahí prefiere desobedecer una orden antes que ponerla en peligro. El problema que le veo a nuestro sargento es que no parece un verdadero protagonista. Parece como un personaje ajeno a este puesto, habiendo poco trasfondo sobre él y escasos intentos de indagar en su psicología.

La segunda es Chidori Kaname, una adolescente que posee un poder especial capaz de crear una tecnología muy peligrosa. Se caracteriza por ser guapa, atlética, alegre y tener mal genio, golpeando continuamente a Sagara. Tiene sentimientos hacia él, pero nunca se le confiesa lo cual es molesto ya que pasa en muchas otras series sin tener sentido alguno. Además, está demasiado metida en su papel de chica malhumorada. La última es Teresa Testarossa es comandante en jefe del grupo del Pacífico Oeste de Mithril. Aunque durante parte de la serie, en ocasiones tiene una personalidad bromista y risueña. También está enamorada de Sagara, pero no juega sucio contra Chidori. Pese a ser la capitana, realmente no merece el puesto por algunas razones como su edad o habiendo personas más capacitadas.

Hay otros personajes con menos protagonismo como Melissa y Kurz, compañeros del sargento. Destaco a Gaul, un terrorista muy peligroso que ha cometido decenas de magnicidios y otros tantos secuestros. Tiene trabajos muy diferentes como el secuestro de humanos especiales o el transporte de armas nucleares. La verdad gusta mucho porque es formidable por su inteligencia y crueldad, castigando con la muerte a aquellos que le desobedezcan. Siempre pone en apuros a los protagonistas, aprovechándose incluso de hombres de Mithril. Lamentablemente, se ve algo vacío por el hecho de que no se concretan sus motivos para hacer tanto daño, siendo capaz de arriesgar su vida para divertirse.

Arte y Banda Sonora

Teniendo en cuenta que es una serie de 2002, la animación es notable aunque no sobresaliente. Me gusta el contraste en los colores que usan. En las escenas de guerra, predominan los colores oscuros (negro, marrón, azul oscuro) mientras que en el instituto es todo más colorido y brillante. La banda sonora es bastante extensa con 54 temas, cuya duración es normalmente entre 1 y 2 minutos. Compuesta por Toshihiko Sahashi, nos ofrece melodías para las situaciones de acción y para el ambiente cómico. Las primeras son notables, aunque quizá se necesitaría alguna más. Son perfectas para esos momentos de suspense y usadas en el momento exacto y cito algunas como "Plan 1056" y "Before the Storm". Las segundas son las cómicas y tranquilas. Pese a no tener tanto nivel las últimas, hay demasiadas.

Full Metal Panic! Series Watch Order

Full Metal Panic

Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu

Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid

Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid OVA

Full Metal Panic! Invisible Victory