Full Metal Panic! is a popular novel series that was animated by GONZO in 2001 and aired on the Japanese cable channel WOWWOW in 2002. The story premise goes something like this:
It's the year 2001. The Cold War is still ongoing, the USSR is a major and dangerous political and military force, and suddenly technology, particularly military technology, has gotten weird.
Enter Mithril, a very secret and independent military and intelligence organization that operates internationally for the defense and promotion of peace and humanity. The halting and destruction of various 'Whispered' projects is critical for Mithril, and failure could lead to a new level of violence and destruction yet to be seen in history. So why are they interested in ordinary teenagers??
Enter teenager Sousuke Sagara is a member of the hidden military organization Mithril. He is a career soldier with a mysterious past. All that is known about his past is that he was trained as a guerilla terrorist since youth and has lived a military life . Extremely logical, an experienced fighter, and quite clearly a survivor; he's a professional soldier even among pros. Sousuke now faces what might be the one situation he can't handle - Japanese high school! He has been assigned to secretly protect a young girl Kaname Chidori. While Sagara is a highly skilled soldier, he unfortunately lacks social skills. Can he adapt to this new battlefield and to the opposite sex?
Kaname Chidori is your average "not-so-average" high school girl. Her life is nearly perfect: she's smart, president of her class, and has reached an advanced stage of physical development (she is a 'Whispered' after all). Did I mention she's a hottie. The only thing missing from her ordinary life is teenage romance. Enter a new transfer student... in addition to being a trouble-causing military freak, he appears to be stalking Kaname? Why is he tipping over the library's bookcases, busting into the girls' locker room, hiding in bushes, attacking anyone who comes near her and throwing grenades? Life with Sagara around is never going to be the same again...but who said that was a bad thing?
Unfortunately, all I have seen of the series thus far is one fansubbed episode, as well as the trailer from ADV Films. So lucky for us who haven't seen it, ADV will be releasing the entire first season starting with Volume 1 (scheduled to be released June 10th, 2003). I say first season because while researching info for this report, I came across news that a second season has been announced. But from what I read it may not answer questions left by its predecessor (like many anime series) and no word has been made about a US release.
Since I don't too much about the characters and story, I guess I'll talk a little about the history behind Full Metal Panic. Personally, I find series like this to be very interesting and I like know something about the series' history and background.
History of FMP
The Full Metal Panic was originally a series of novels and short stories written by Shoji Gatoh, with original art by Shiki Douji. The short stories are still ongoing in Monthly Dragon Magazine. From that, two very different ongoing manga series, one multi-part trading card game, and one anime TV series were spawned (of course there is the second series in the works as well).
The novels are the 'complete' version of the FMP! story, and contains many plots, events, characters, and ...stuff... that the other formats don't have.
The anime, which most fans are likely familiar with, focuses on about half of half of everything.
To explain: the anime does not include much of the comedic adventures, it sticks mostly to the dramatic half.
And then the anime cuts that short, in a sense, telling only about half of the serious part of the story.
The novels continue the serious story beyond the point at which the anime stops.
The anime also leaves out a number of details and explanations, meaning the anime is really very 'bare bones', compared to the novels and even the manga.
(although the anime does tell the story in a way that is mostly well contained- the anime ending is an effective and mostly acceptable ending)
The 'Full Metal Panic!' manga is considerably slow moving when compared to the anime. It includes a number of different events, and does work some of the stuff in the anime differently. The changes are very noticeable, but don't really change the primary story overall.
After 2 years and 4 volumes, the story is only halfway through the anime's story plot set through episodes 9-12.
Another noticeable difference between the manga and the other FMP! formats is the way the manga begins. Instead of the story starting from Sousuke's POV (like the anime), and manga starts with Kaname's POV. Sousuke's odd behavior is known to the anime audience, it isn't supposed to be as well understood, initially, to the manga audience. The FMP! manga is currently being serialized as part of NewType USA. So if you want to check it out, then pick you a copy of NewType USA today.
The 'Ikinari! FMP!' manga does not really align itself with any of the other formats, as it consists of mostly very not-serious situations involving Sousuke and Kaname, with Kyouko, the class teacher, and a little annoying brat-thing as the primary support cast. Kurtz does make an appearance in volume 4, but his role is extremely comical. Currently, no plans have been made to release Ikinari! FMP! here in the United States, but that may change.
So clearly, Full Metal Panic has gathered a huge following and with the DVD release here in the US I think it will only get larger. With a mix of action, comedy, and romance; I feel that there will have something to offer just about any otaku out there. Plus, I'm sure that there is a little something for the fanboys out there considering this series has a lot of cute girls. And the ladies may find Sousuke not to be a bad to check out either ^_^
Notes about FMP:
Mithril meaning:
According to what read, 'Mithril' may be a Tolken reference. It has since become somewhat common in Tolken-influenced fantasy and RPG situations. Mithril is a special silver-like metal, very strong and durable and maybe a little magical.
Novel to Anime Relation:
Episodes 1-7 covers novel #1
Episode 8 is a comedic one-shot episode, one of the stories in novel #2
Episodes 9-12 cover novel #3.
Episode 13 is a one-shot episode, found in novel #5
Episode 14 is a one shot, that I can't find anywhere. (although I didn't really look)
Episodes 15-17 - couldn't find what these cover
Episodes 18-24 covers novel #6.
(except for Melissa's episode 19 story- novel #7
09.11.01 Side-effects:
The anime series was scheduled to air beginning October '01, however it was postponed until January '02. There was a minor story element changed during this time, due to current events. Some also speculate that FMP! was delayed due to the story's terrorist material (like many movies and other titles were delayed here in the US due to the public's assumed heightened sensitivity).
Also, In the original story, Sousuke's first training is terrorist training in Afghanistan.
Given current events, the animators have changed it to a fictional country in the same region. Sousuke's afghan terrorist connections have little to nothing to do with the current situation there. First, the story was written a few years before the current situation there. Second, the time period Sousuke was there, was in the mid eighties or so- during that time the Soviet Union was involved in invading that country (like it did so many other nearby countries). The USA was somewhat active in providing arms and training to the afghan fighters, but despite that, Afghanistan would never have had the military or firepower to resist the Soviets in a conventional war. Their best shot was taking the homefield advantage by using the rough terrain to wage terrorist guerilla warfare.
This is the terrorist activity Sousuke would have been involved in.
as found here :
http://www.studiotaku.com/Articles/Features/FMP/FMP.htm