Oct 30, 2008 1:03 PM
Full Metal Panic! - Afterthoughts
Anime Relations:
Full Metal Panic!
As always, I don't know where to start when I have to review a show but since Anime-Destiny and Master_M2K wants to know my thoughts about it and to justify giving it only a 7/10 score, then here we go.
I picked up the show because FMP! TSR and Sagara Sousuke got into the relation list of the CnC Club. After reading the intriguing spotlights about it, it made me curious but haven't build an expectation for FMP since it's only the prequel to FMP! TSR, it's just necessary to watch it to know about the characters.
I start with the story, a story about the so-called "Whispered" beings having an extraordinary knowledge and intelligence which are being targeted by terrorists to use them for their own sake, yeah, somewhere in those lines. Kaname Chidori is one your ordinary school girl who isn't aware of her abilities, is being targeted by those terrorists but a counter-terrorist organization called "Mithril" sends off a team to protect her.
Sgt. Sagara Sousuke which is in the team have to disguise himself as a transfer student to be able to protect Kaname Chidori personally but unable to blend himself socially because of his militaristic behaviour.
And the adventure begins...
It started really good, I would have gotten used to it's pacing and story development till episode 7,
Episode 8, has been used to strengthen or just to show the relation between Chidori and Sousuke - but if you ask me , it was just wasted
Episode 9-10, we see here an interesting character presentation of Captain Testarossa Teletha ( Teresa?!) - quite good
Episode 11-12, filler -_- who are they anyway, those terrorists? o.O - wasted! even it contributed to Weber's character presentation but they could have done it a better way and in a less episode.
Episode 13, my favourite episode ^^ because of Tessa-chan <3 ^^ , good character presentation =)
Episode 14, filler for what ??? doesn't contribute to the story and Sousuke's reaction was predictable - wasted!
Episode 15-17, cool action and at last a good character presentation for Sousuke and his development
Episode 18, a wink of Chidori's vulnerability - interesting
Episode 19, essential to character story of Sousue - also quite interesting
Beyond Episode 20, finally the continuation for the story development
If you ask me, they could have just ensemble the show consisting of the first 7 and the last 5 episodes, which makes a total of a normal 13 episode show. ^^
As for the animation, it was quite consistent, holds the quality throughout the show, some flaws in the physics here and there but yeah it doesn't bother me. Nothing outrageous though.
As for the sound, so-so, it's okay. ^^
Okay about the characters:
(5) Kaname Chidori - your yet another violent girl. Period.
I didn't like her, to be honest, not that I hate her. She doesn't even fit to tsundere type girl which I would have tolerated, so, I'm just in an impersonal relationship with her.
(6) Sagara Sousuke - your yet another cool action movie hero. xD
skilled muster-type soldier type, good in combat and technical in tactics, unsociable military nut, I admit there are some complexity in his character and strong but for me personally - boring.
(8) Gauron - they made a good villain here for FMP, I wouldn't want to meet him IRL. ^^
(6) Mao Melissa - a sexy tomboyish female soldier
(5) Kurz Weber - a playboy who is good in precisions
(9) Testarossa Teletha - a young cute clumsy officer, who pretends to be strong but in either way have to depend on others
Surprisingly voiced by Nogami Yukana. ^^
All in all, I enjoyed watching the battles and Tessa-chan, I wish there were more in relationship between Chidori and Sousuke, more about the Whispered beings, more conflicts, the battle in Hilmajistan was a good arc.
Story: 6
Animation: 8
Sound: 6
Characters: 7
Enjoyment: 8
---------------
Overall: 7
I picked up the show because FMP! TSR and Sagara Sousuke got into the relation list of the CnC Club. After reading the intriguing spotlights about it, it made me curious but haven't build an expectation for FMP since it's only the prequel to FMP! TSR, it's just necessary to watch it to know about the characters.
I start with the story, a story about the so-called "Whispered" beings having an extraordinary knowledge and intelligence which are being targeted by terrorists to use them for their own sake, yeah, somewhere in those lines. Kaname Chidori is one your ordinary school girl who isn't aware of her abilities, is being targeted by those terrorists but a counter-terrorist organization called "Mithril" sends off a team to protect her.
Sgt. Sagara Sousuke which is in the team have to disguise himself as a transfer student to be able to protect Kaname Chidori personally but unable to blend himself socially because of his militaristic behaviour.
And the adventure begins...
It started really good, I would have gotten used to it's pacing and story development till episode 7,
Episode 8, has been used to strengthen or just to show the relation between Chidori and Sousuke - but if you ask me , it was just wasted
Episode 9-10, we see here an interesting character presentation of Captain Testarossa Teletha ( Teresa?!) - quite good
Episode 11-12, filler -_- who are they anyway, those terrorists? o.O - wasted! even it contributed to Weber's character presentation but they could have done it a better way and in a less episode.
Episode 13, my favourite episode ^^ because of Tessa-chan <3 ^^ , good character presentation =)
Episode 14, filler for what ??? doesn't contribute to the story and Sousuke's reaction was predictable - wasted!
Episode 15-17, cool action and at last a good character presentation for Sousuke and his development
Episode 18, a wink of Chidori's vulnerability - interesting
Episode 19, essential to character story of Sousue - also quite interesting
Beyond Episode 20, finally the continuation for the story development
If you ask me, they could have just ensemble the show consisting of the first 7 and the last 5 episodes, which makes a total of a normal 13 episode show. ^^
As for the animation, it was quite consistent, holds the quality throughout the show, some flaws in the physics here and there but yeah it doesn't bother me. Nothing outrageous though.
As for the sound, so-so, it's okay. ^^
Okay about the characters:
(5) Kaname Chidori - your yet another violent girl. Period.
I didn't like her, to be honest, not that I hate her. She doesn't even fit to tsundere type girl which I would have tolerated, so, I'm just in an impersonal relationship with her.
(6) Sagara Sousuke - your yet another cool action movie hero. xD
skilled muster-type soldier type, good in combat and technical in tactics, unsociable military nut, I admit there are some complexity in his character and strong but for me personally - boring.
(8) Gauron - they made a good villain here for FMP, I wouldn't want to meet him IRL. ^^
(6) Mao Melissa - a sexy tomboyish female soldier
(5) Kurz Weber - a playboy who is good in precisions
(9) Testarossa Teletha - a young cute clumsy officer, who pretends to be strong but in either way have to depend on others
Surprisingly voiced by Nogami Yukana. ^^
All in all, I enjoyed watching the battles and Tessa-chan, I wish there were more in relationship between Chidori and Sousuke, more about the Whispered beings, more conflicts, the battle in Hilmajistan was a good arc.
Story: 6
Animation: 8
Sound: 6
Characters: 7
Enjoyment: 8
---------------
Overall: 7
Posted by
mflatischler
| Oct 30, 2008 1:03 PM |
4 comments
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Master10K | Oct 30, 2008 5:26 PM
@Seishi: Tessa does undergo a lot of changes during the novels and she no longer remains in the meager loli role.
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Dark-Evolution | Oct 30, 2008 2:41 PM
You already know my reaction with Yukana Nogami also. XDYou did a good job on your analysis and your opinion on the first FMP! series. Like Master_M2K said, hope you do get the chance to see TSR pretty soon because it is worth it. ^^ |
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Seishi | Oct 30, 2008 2:16 PM
Lol I never liked Tessa in FMP and Fumoffu. I thought she was too forced into a moe-moe role at the expense of some actual character development. I think I might go ahead and watch TSR very soon though, as a bunch of people around me seem to be doing so...
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Master10K | Oct 30, 2008 1:24 PM
Thanks for voicing your comments on the show and let me state one fact about the series, it's produced by Gonzo. That in itself explains the lack in character development, rubbish fillers and decent animation, though the one thing they did right was the Hilmajistan filler arc.I can somewhat understand why you don't like Kaname & Sousuke that much but your opinion may change as their characters grow and develop. However there is more romantic development in the novels that I've read. Even so Gonzo did a good job in laying the foundation for the series and TSR just advances on that. Once you watch TSR you'll understand how much of a difference Kyoto Animation can make and also about half of TSR is complete filler but I bet you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between what's filler and what's not. ^_^ |