Gatoh Shoji Starts a New Novel Before Finishing Full Metal Panic [Update Jan 6]

by dtshyk
May 18, 2009 6:31 PM | 25 Comments

According to the handbill of GAGAGA Bunko, Gatoh Shoji will start a new novel on the publisher. Gatoh was planning to publish the final volume of "Full Metal Panic!" novel when Sakura bloom but they have already gone in Japan.

Sources:
Scan of the handbill
Gatoh's official blog

Updated on Oct 23rd
According to Dengeki Hobby Magazine December issue, Gatoh finished about half of the next volume of Full Metal Panic novel.

Source: Scan of Dengeki Hobby Magazine

Updated on Nov 12th
According to GaGaGa Bunko, the title of the new novel is "COP CRAFT: DRAGNET MIRAGE RELOADED" and it will be released on November 18th. The illustrator is Murata Range.

Source: GaGaGa

Updated on Jan 6th
According to the official blog, Gatoh said he wants to release the final volume in the "Spring". A new short episode will be released in Dragon Magazine March issue (Jan 20th). The short takes place in Jindai High when Sosuke and Kaname were in the second grade.

Source: Gatoh's blog

20 of 25 Comments Recent Comments

News Update
According to Dengeki Hobby Magazine December issue, Gatoh finished about half of the next volume of Full Metal Panic novel.

Gatoh said "When the story proceeds a bit more, I will be able to write much smoothly. I don't intend to leave the volume unfinished but Fujimishobo's editors are so kind that they always relieve me. I worry if the fans start to forget about the series. ... I'm sorry for keeping you waiting so long."

Source: Scan of Dengeki Hobby Magazine

Oct 22, 2009 8:31 AM by dtshyk

Ah, works fine this way too. As I said, it wasn't the post, but the title itself was misleading. Whatever, its solved now anyway.

May 21, 2009 1:28 PM by DaBigD

@DaBigD
Removed the exclamation mark. It's not significant. But I don't omit "before finishing FMP!" because it's the fact and one of the points of this news. When Gatoh releases the final volume of FMP is the biggest issue among the fans, and Gatoh admits it's delaying. Since he stopped publishing new chapters in the magazine two years ago, all we can do is just waiting for the finale to be published. The reactions of the MAL users to this news is exactly the same as the Japanese fans'; expectation to the new title and anxiety about the delay. I don't think my post is misleading.

May 20, 2009 5:25 PM by dtshyk

dtshyk said:

Drengot said:
sigh.. The title of this news is so misleading... It's like telling everyone that the author doesn't feel like continuing FMP. Why can't it be just "Author of Full Metal Panic starts a New Series" ?

It's nothing more than your impression. The title doesn't contain any false info.
I don't see why Kraker2k and Drengot are whining so much. new trend in MAL or something?

It's just the exclamation mark at the end that is misleading. When I first looked at the title, first thing I thought was that this was big news and something was going to happen to FMP, because it had a damn exclamation mark at the end. Only after I entered the thread I understood that the exclamation mark is actually the part of the name - that little difference is easily forgotten.

Suggestion: "Full Metal Panic! author Gatoh Shoji starts a new novel.", because "before finishing FMP!" part is scary.

May 20, 2009 9:08 AM by DaBigD

loli_slayer said:
I'm just hoping for more FMP anime. Maybe finishing it will give a good reason to do another season (or 3 ;P).

yeah, same.

May 20, 2009 1:08 AM by simo000

It's nothing more than your impression. The title doesn't contain any false info.
I don't see why Kraker2k and Drengot are whining so much. new trend in MAL or something?

May 19, 2009 4:13 PM by dtshyk

sigh.. The title of this news is so misleading... It's like telling everyone that the author doesn't feel like continuing FMP. Why can't it be just "Author of Full Metal Panic starts a New Series" ?

May 19, 2009 1:28 PM by gioss

Boy, that sucks.

I want more FMP :(

May 19, 2009 12:55 PM by waterfall

lawl ah well can't read Japanese even if he did release it ;D

May 19, 2009 11:24 AM by magentaanbu

I don't really care much for light novels but I'm sure that when he finish up the novels a new anime adaption would be just around the corner. Well... I hope.

May 19, 2009 10:59 AM by HimboBaggins

vindemon64 said:
*Sigh* I really want to see the complete story of Full Metal Panic. Of course, it would help if all of the light novels were translated or available in english. One day hopefully.

Agreed.

May 19, 2009 10:05 AM by CreamyVelvet

Kraker2k said:

blackwings said:
Jeez, finish the series before continuing another one.

Eh, its more likely he finished writing it weeks/months ago. Isn't the series released as chapters in the Monthly Light Novel Magazine first anyway?

Its more likely publishers that are holding the book back rather than the author himself who probably moved onto his next piece of work after he finished FMP.

Here's just another example of the droll sheep of MAL jumping to conclusions based on dtshyk's terribly vague and intentionally misleading news "articles".

No, the final volume of FMP won't be released in the magazine. The prologue was released last December but the rest of the chapters will be released in a novel book. It's called "書き下ろし (publish a book with newly written chapters, not collecting already released ones)".

May 19, 2009 8:10 AM by dtshyk

Haruhi = 2 years wait.

FMP = ???

May 19, 2009 6:20 AM by seif

blackwings said:
Jeez, finish the series before continuing another one.

May 19, 2009 5:16 AM by Kraker2k

Maybe he already finished it already? He just need to publish it...? Noobs.

May 19, 2009 5:03 AM by gioss

Hnn....Yeah, my thoughts exactly. Finish it up first. :s

May 19, 2009 1:23 AM by arhazivory

Reminds me of Haruhi.

May 18, 2009 10:31 PM by llxwarbirdxll

I'm just hoping for more FMP anime. Maybe finishing it will give a good reason to do another season (or 3 ;P).