Full Metal Panic!

Mithril, a covert military institution using state-of-the-art technology to combat terrorist operations, assigns a specialized team to a sensitive mission. Under the command of superior officer Melissa Mao, sergeants Sousuke Sagara and Kurz Weber must secretly protect Kaname Chidori—a teenage girl who unconsciously holds breakthrough scientific knowledge and is considered a "Whispered"—from intelligence agencies and other organizations pursuing her abilities.

While Kurz and Melissa are to assist him remotely, Sousuke enrolls at Kaname's high school as one of her classmates to closely monitor her. However, his militaristic upbringing and poor social skills lead to a difficult adjustment to civilian life. Not only does he attract unnecessary attention, but his actions frequently make Kaname suspicious of him.

Despite the earnest attempts to fulfill his duty, a terrorist ambush further complicates Sousuke's task. Recognizing the vicious mastermind behind the assault, Sousuke abandons his orders to ensure Kaname's safety.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Sagara, Sousuke Main

Seki, Tomokazu Japanese

Chidori, Kaname Main

Yukino, Satsuki Japanese

Testarossa, Teletha Main

Yukana Japanese

Mao, Melissa Supporting

Neya, Michiko Japanese

Weber, Kurz Supporting

Miki, Shinichiro Japanese

Gauron Supporting

Tanaka, Masahiko Japanese

Kalinin, Andrei Sergeivich Supporting

Ootsuka, Akio Japanese

Tokiwa, Kyouko Supporting

Kimura, Ikue Japanese

AL Supporting

Murozono, Takehiro Japanese

Kazama, Shinji Supporting

Noto, Mamiko Japanese

Cook, Justin Producer

Takechi, Tsuneo Producer

Chigira, Kouichi Director, Episode Director, Script, Storyboard, Screenplay

Tsuruoka, Youta Sound Director

Reviews

Aug 22, 2024

Joshhhp

Recommended

Full Metal Panic! is cute. It's a series where you have to appreciate many of its flaws to be fond of it. Which might not be an easy task for many viewers, myself used to be one of them as I discovered it during 2022 and in my first time viewing it I did not like it very much. Here's a little summarize before going through my opinions: Full Metal Panic! is a story about a young sergeant named Sousuke going on a mission to protect Kaname Chidori (a teenager who unconsciously holds breakthrough scientific knowledge and is considered a "Whispered") from intelligence agencies and ... other organizations pursuing her abilities. And from there, many shenanigans between the two main protagonists will begin. To begin with, I though its inconsistency was way to evident as the tone constantly jumps between "intense" action moments and silly slapstick comedy bits; I though it was trying to hard at combining many different genres all at once; some character interactions were simply loud and obnoxious; the overall animation was a mixed bag as it goes from fluent to stiff in almost every episode, notice how I used the "" on intense because it was hard to take the action scenes seriously when the animation quality wasn't top notch. The main reason of why I was checking it in the first place was to just speed running it in order to watch the next two seasons produced by Kyoto Animation that were more well received then season 1. I let these issues biting my throat through out the majority of the run time and I came up with the simple mind that FMP! was a product of its time and it doesn't hold up with a lot of anime that were coming out in future decades, and in a way I still kinda hold to this statement. But then, a year later, something in mind told me to give it a second chance, now that I was fully aware about the craziness of the first season I decided to take it easy and having a more "easy-going" experience this time around, you can say I had a bit of "development" about my opinions on FMP!

A stable negative for this anime is the pacing. The plot is centered around Sousuke keeping Chidori safe but season 1 has five different side events without even mentioning the filler/school episodes, all in a 24 episodes' space. There're to many things happening in this season that connecting to any minor character is pretty limited, and when some of these guys will slowly pass away during battles they all probably go pass your mind in minutes. That stated, don't go into this series waiting for earth shuddering events that will scar you for days, if you want to take the war side of FMP! seriously then you'll come out disappointed.

The characters grown on me. Sousuke is a strange guy: he has enough intelligence and experience to learn about how mechs are structured and how good they are in fighting mechanics; he is skilled in combat techniques; hes has good knowledge on weapons; he knows how to handle the situation even when it seems all desperate, he's a genius in many circumstances but acts like a complete buffoon when he attempts school to keep an eye on Chidori, and being incapable to behave normally with other schoolmates. Even when it was done on purpose I kept on thinking how nonsensical was this aspect of Sousuke, and I'm sure I'm not the only person in this regard, many would find his half personality cringeworthy and for honestly good reasons, personally I got used to see him being the imbecile for comedy purposes and I think his development with Chidori's feelings helps him being more generally likable. Speaking of Chidori... she's the tsundere of the series, y'know the type of girl who keeps on abusing verbally and physically the main character while also somehow forming a lovely relationship whit him. If that is not the kind of girl that you'd like to see in an anime then she's definitely not for you, but I liked Chidori. I think that her abusing the shit out of Sousuke is pretty justified since I already talked about how that dumb characteristic of him causes awkward and chaotic problems with other students, therefore her being the meany that she is it's the most charming aspect you'll find in FMP, there are simply more egotistical girls in other shows then her and she seems fun to be around next to her closest friends, that is as long as you're not a Sousuke. Finally we have the lovable Testarossa, or Tessa to put it briefly, she's the clumsy Captain of the revered TDD-1 'Tuatha de Danaan' submarine. She's a cute hottie and I dig her clumsiness, she doesn't have significant development outside of her standing more serious and responsible in her role as a captain, but it's nice having her simply interacting with her loved ones as she's caring and gentle with everybody, and I very much appreciate how badass as a captain she is capable of being during the last act with the final Gauron's attempt to attack, I also like how close she's trying to be close with Sousuke, kinda giving the fans a comparison on who should be considered best girl between Chidori and Tessa, in other worlds the "waifu wars" that was trendy in the mid 2000', I kinda miss those silly arguments. As for other characters, well I don't have much willing to describe point blank what everyone else is worth about, Kurz is funny dude when it comes to the "pervy gags", but that's about it. Everybody else serve their purpose. The worst character might be Gauron, as a villain he kinda just sucks, there's no motive out of him to be found, he has like two or three cool scenes but most of the time he keeps on losing with whatever plans he's trying to accomplish, and to this day I still don't understand how could this motherfucker survive a direct head shot from young Sousuke equipped with a rifle during a war. So this is where I'm at: Sousuke, Chidori, and Tessa are three pleasant characters and they are good enough to carry the all cast and make the story kind of interesting.

Adding some more things to say animation wise, I still stand by saying and it has aged poorly, studio Gonzo doesn't have a big reputation for stable animation and solid adaptations, they're below average in that regard, but there is one thing that helps me like the aesthetics of FMP! and that is the character design and art style, I really like both. The characters are really expressive, they give a sense of emotion for any kind of situation, Chidori in particular is cartoonishly (if that makes sense) expressive and I love it, her smile and angry face shine from miles away. While Sousuke looks pretty generic compared to many other anime male protagonists, every other character has a distinct look to them, my personal favorite is Tessa, I love her adorable and innocent look combined with her long silver/platinum hair.

Looking on the general soundtrack for FMP, it's rather decent, good to listening it once but it isn't that memorable. However, the OP "Tomorrow" and ED "Karenai Hana" are a blast and I love coming back to listen to then every single time, they're overall (not counting Tassa) my favorite part of the series and they're incredibly nostalgic. Like many theme songs of Haruhi Suzumiya and Lucky☆Star they're time capsules; once I listen to them they bring me back memories of when the early internet was a lot safer and fun to engage. Tomorrow along with the OP for Fumoffu! are perfect to listen for long and relaxing walk among the hills and long fields of grass, I don't think many can relate to that but I'm lucky enough to enjoy these peaceful songs on fresh air and beautiful countryside scenery. Tomorrow helps me to remind that things will get better, maybe not as fast as we'd like but eventually, as long as you're hopeful, life will be great.

Yes I spent hours on writing about an anime that has long lost its relevance for a review that won't get much attention because of that. Full Metal ̶A̶l̶c̶h̶e̶m̶i̶s̶t̶ Panic! is dumb fun, nothing deep or special, just simple and coherent FUN. It might not hold big value anymore especially when you consider another show like Gurren Lagann that takes the Mecha/comedy/adventure genres all in one story but has amazing execution and is perfectly consistent from beginning to end, but either way Panic! is worth checking out. The anime died without a conclusive ending but if it holds your interest you can still check the light novel that have finished over a decade ago.
To end on a bright note...

FUMO-FUMO-FUMOFFU!!!

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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Dec 4, 2023

MizuhoKamui

Mixed Feelings

Full Metal Panic! features two distinct styles in its storytelling. The first is comedic, starting with Sousuke's struggles to fit in at school and moving on to other topics. The second is the harsh reality of a Mythril soldier, which includes political intrigue, terrorism, sci-fi weaponry, and mecha action. If these two elements had been better integrated, Full Metal Panic! could have been an award-winning series. However, the two styles never really blend well, and the story progresses in awkward chunks as it switches between them. Although both styles start out strong in their respective sections, it's unfortunate that they soon become mediocre. The comedy ... stops being funny, and the seriousness is mostly dull, except for a few moments and a reasonably strong finale. As the series comes to a close, I am still unsure about what "Whispered" and the "Lambda Driver" actually are, leaving many unanswered questions that could have been easily resolved.

I really like how diverse and vibrant the cast of characters is, particularly in the dynamic interactions between them. The central focus is on the relationship between Sousuke and Kaname, which ranges from humorous (often due to Sousuke's social awkwardness) to more profound as Kaname is introduced to a world she is unfamiliar with. Sousuke's connection with the primary antagonist, Gauron, is also intriguing as it delves into Sousuke's past, although it could have been further developed. The pairing of the lecherous Kurz and the more serious Mao is another standout aspect. Even Kaname's school friends, who contribute little to the plot, possess unique and enjoyable personalities. The only weak link is Captain Tessa, who is the closest thing to an annoying character in the show but still manages to undergo significant character development in the final few episodes.

This show also showcases a considerable amount of mecha action. The Arm Slaves are quite plain and military-like, but they do provide a good understanding of the type of combat the show portrays. This also means that when the Arbalest and later the Venom make an appearance, they stand out more, making it easier to follow the action. I find the animation somewhat outdated, but the character design and action sequences are still as impressive now as they were long ago.

This was not a terrible series. However, it bothered me how much the show attempts to blend two distinct genres and only manages to strike a decent balance at the outset. The initial comedic episodes are excellent, and the first serious story arc is interesting. However, the comedic episodes that follow tend to fall short, while the serious episodes are mostly uninteresting, except for a few intense action scenes. The series concludes with many unanswered questions, and without a strong cast of characters (and the knowledge of two additional seasons in hindsight), watching all 24 episodes would feel like a chore. While the show has the potential to be great, it never quite reaches its full potential.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Mar 17, 2024

PurpleMagic

Not Recommended

From episode 1 I could tell this was nothing special. The comedy was bland and unoriginal usually resulting in Chidori getting mad at Souske and then hitting him. Are your laughing yet? NO.... well get used to it because that's at least half of the series. The other half is a military mech fighting show that barely scratches the surface of what it could be because it decided it wanted to focus on highschool comedy too. The writers did a terrible job with these two concepts because they don't mesh together at all. It doesn't help that the music is limited at well it has ... like 4 soundtracks and they're generic.

I put this as background noise after episode 4 and I'm glad I did because my instincts were right. This anime is boring at straight up 5/10. Sousuke and Chidori are terrible main characters. Chidori is annoying and useless. Sousuke is as bland as flour. It took him 20 episodes to show genuine emotion where he wasn't taking like an unsalted cracker. The show also had a weird fascination with showing panty scenes in the first 7-8 episodes, ruining any serious moments.

The only reason people ever liked this show was because they're was literally limited options on what they could choose to enjoy. Times have changed we have like 50 new anime to choose from each coming season. Not to mention the internet gives people quick access to better older anime whether its from a legal or illegal site. There's a reason people don't talk about this show its just forgettable.

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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