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Darthtabby · 2017-02-06, 16:12

Are you referring to the shots where the camera zoom across the air base? I actually thought those worked pretty well myself.

I guess there's also what Kaname sees when she's being tested.

Dextro · 2017-02-06, 16:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darthtabby

Are you referring to the shots where the camera zoom across the air base? I actually thought those worked pretty well myself.

Those are the ones. I agree that they worked well but they really show their age nowadays. They don't really look bad but they look dated imho. They were still pretty awe inducing back in the day though

Mugen26 · 2017-02-11, 17:30

I was really delayed for my reaction this week, but here ya go. Episode 5:

Throughout the early part of the episode, Chidori never seems to lose her lively personality. Maybe it's because she's still pretty naive to the whole situation, but you would think she may be more urgent or frightened. It may be a testament to her strong spirit but it hurts the tension a bit for me.
I find it funny when both Chidori and the Lab woman quickly lost their strong bravado after someone shoots near them. "I wont cooperat---(shots go off) --- Ok I'll cooperate!"
Sousuke shows his confidence in his AS piloting, and that he's not just a military otaku like Chidori assumed. "I'm not an amateur. I'm a specialist!" Bad-ass line!
The animation and CG work are pretty top notch this episode too. I always liked the shading Gonzo gives for much of the military tech/AS mechs since it adds a sense of depth to them. However my only CG gripe is the splash effect when Kurz's AS lands in the river; that needed 2D animation to not look as jarring.
Kurz shows off his cleverness with his brilliant move of pretending to be out of ammo to lure Gauron in close and shove his sniper right in his face. The episode ends with a dramatic tension of not knowing the outcome of Kurz and Gauron's battle however.

MisterBaka · 2017-02-12, 08:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mugen26

I was really delayed for my reaction this week, but here ya go. Episode 5:

Throughout the early part of the episode, Chidori never seems to lose her lively personality. Maybe it's because she's still pretty naive to the whole situation, but you would think she may be more urgent or frightened. It may be a testament to her strong spirit but it hurts the tension a bit for me.

It's perfectly natural for the kind of character she is presented to be. She's the strong one, she cheers everyone up and leads by example. Given her later backstory, it makes sense - she probably learned to keep hoping for the best and being strong for people close to her when her mother was dying.

Darthtabby · 2017-02-12, 11:56

Posting a little early this week because I need to be out the door before my usual posting time.

Episode 6: "Still Alive"

This is a near perfect episode, except that for a few minutes the animators apparently got confused as to whether they were animating an episode of Full Metal Panic or Najica Blitz Tactics. (For those of you not familiar with Najica Blitz Tactics, let's just say there's a reason one of its premium releases included a pair of panties as a bonus item.) Inappropriately placed panty shots and other minor complaints aside, this is still one of my favorite episodes. It has some really beautiful artwork -I like the use of color and the gloomy atmosphere in the forest scenes. It's also very dramatic.

The movie Kaname mentions is Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. That reference is actually anime original, as is her commentary about "happy endings" and "the real thing."

The anime doesn't really make it obvious but in the novel Kurz had an injured (actually broken) arm. That's probably why he shoots his pistol left handed during the (not a) last stand scene. BTW, the novel also notes that Kurz had a short range transmitter -that's presumably where Sousuke got the one he offered Kaname when he was trying to get her to escape on her own.

Yu Ominae · 2017-02-12, 19:58

I remember this scene where Kaname got to beat up Kurz for looking at her chest and her (ahem)...

She even had that smile on her face when she told Sousuke Kurz needed to take a break.

Dextro · 2017-02-13, 14:32

This was a very good episode. The music, the Butch Cassidy reference, the one liners... everything.

We also see the plot moving forward a bit with the introduction of the ARX7 and Chidori having one of her flashbacks. Good stuff even if we're back to a couple of unnecessary panty shots

Mugen26 · 2017-02-15, 19:30

I agree with everyone on episode 6 thus far; this is one of the premier episodes of the series for me. So much so that it's the first one that I showed to many of my friends new to FMP (while giving the basic lowdown with what happened before). This may also have been because it was the first one I had VHS recorded off of the anime network on demand showing, but nonetheless, it's a really quality episode to show off.

My keynotes:

As was stated previously, the dark, almost grey-toned lighting gives a very dramatic mood to the forest scenes and adds a lot of weight to it
Kaname's "stay away" to Sousuke brings her thoughts to light when she realizes how much she didn't know about him and it frightens her for a brief instance. It's a nice touch to know how she feels without literally hearing her thoughts
Animation wise, everything was top notch in this episode. From the on-model art, cg effects, and even storyboard direction! It especially shines in the exchange between Mao and Kalinin, it's so visually appealing! I just wish Gonzo had this level of excellence more consistently in the series. Also RIP to the late, great Mike Kleinhenz. Even with subs, I can't un-hear his "Because I'm required to be that way" line.
Speaking of drama, it reaches a new high after Kaname rants off on Sousuke and he lets loose by pointing his gun at her, yelling at her to go. It's immediately followed a tender scene between them after getting caught up in the moment. Sousuke never felt so human this early in the series. Plus Kurz ruining the "intimacy" was a great LOL moment!
Also as stated before, this would practically be a perfect episode had the panty shots not been there. The looong shot during Kaname's reference to Butch Cassidy was especially distracting and is just cringe-worthy every time. If you have to include fan-service, at least make it make sense; Kaname's whispered clothes-rip freakout is a better example.
This is a minor nitpick but the ending felt a bit rushed when Sousuke just dodged all the bullets and ended up on the Arbalest immediately. But hey, we finally get to meet Al and the Arbalest, so that's a plus!

Overall I give it a 9.5/10

Darthtabby · 2017-02-17, 23:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yu Ominae

I remember this scene where Kaname got to beat up Kurz for looking at her chest and her (ahem)...

I wonder how many viewers missed what happened there -some of the cuts in that section of the episode can be a bit confusing (Sousuke lying in the grass with his arms spread during the "whispered" bit is another example). I did really like the muddy footprint on Kurz's rear though. Kaname literally kicked his ass!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mugen26

[*]This is a minor nitpick but the ending felt a bit rushed when Sousuke just dodged all the bullets and ended up on the Arbalest immediately. But hey, we finally get to meet Al and the Arbalest, so that's a plus![/LIST]

In the source novel, Sousuke actually drives off the attacking soldiers with the Arbalest's chain gun before the Savages arrive on scene. The anime cut that bit which makes you wonder where they all went in the next episode.

Yu Ominae · 2017-02-18, 08:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darthtabby

I wonder how many viewers missed what happened there -some of the cuts in that section of the episode can be a bit confusing (Sousuke lying in the grass with his arms spread during the "whispered" bit is another example). I did really like the muddy footprint on Kurz's rear though. Kaname literally kicked his ass!

Don't forget that Kaname had the smirk on his face when Sousuke asked what happened to Kurz.

In the source novel, Sousuke actually drives off the attacking soldiers with the Arbalest's chain gun before the Savages arrive on scene. The anime cut that bit which makes you wonder where they all went in the next episode.

I imagined him running with airplane arms.

Darthtabby · 2017-02-19, 13:27

Episode 7: "Boy Meets Girl"

The title of the novel this story arc is based off of is "Fighting Boy Meets Girl." It arguably fits the arc as a whole better than the episode itself. BTW the final scene in this episode is actually based on the first scene in the novel.

This is another episode I consider nearly perfect. There may be mecha battles with a lot more actual animation that Sousuke and Gauron's duel, which uses a lot of tricks to give impressions of what's going on with limited animation. But it works, and it works well. I'm very impressed by how well this episode manages the build up and release of tension and drama.

I find it kind of amusing that Sousuke's problem in this episode is essentially that he's a real robot show protagonist attempting to pilot a super robot.

His experiences have taught him that staying calm is crucial to survival and success on the battlefield, so the mindset needed to successfully employ the Lambda Driver is utterly foreign to him.

Kaname was very impressive with how she fought through her own issues to help Sousuke. I like how she cleared her head by bashing it against a tree. She really, really hates to lose, and its one of the things I love about her.

Next week's episode, "Part Time Steady" is the first of only three episodes in the first season that are based on FMP's comedic short stories.

Dextro · 2017-02-19, 15:54

It's understandable the way Sousuke will eventually come to feel about the Arbalest but it always felt to me like he was letting his personal feelings and preconceived notions affect his judgement. As was shown during this episode the ARX-7 is an immensely capable machine that's as good or even better than the M9 with an extra special sauce that basically works as a way to cheat death in extreme situations.

Spoiler:

Sorry, I kind of jumped too far ahead here.

And that's a great way to look at Sousuke during this episode Darthtabby, I hadn't thought about that Real Robot/Super Robot dichotomy before. It's a great way to sum up the situation

Darthtabby · 2017-02-21, 15:41

I know you're not being very specific but I'd still appreciate it if you put some of that behind spoiler tags.

One would think all the extra equipment mounted on the Arbalest would result in trade offs somewhere but yeah, its general performance seems comparable to that of the M9 its based off of.

You might already know this but the Arbalest's fins and the Codarl's hair both serve to dissipate heat generated by their Lambda Drivers.

Dextro · 2017-02-21, 16:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darthtabby

I know you're not being very specific but I'd still appreciate it if you put some of that behind spoiler tags.

One would think all the extra equipment mounted on the Arbalest would result in trade offs somewhere but yeah, its general performance seems comparable to that of the M9 its based off of.

You might already know this but the Arbalest's fins and the Codarl's hair both serve to dissipate heat generated by their Lambda Drivers.

Done. Sorry about that

Actually I did not know that about the fins/hair, that's pretty coool. I don't recall if that's mentioned in the novel or not but it's been a few years since I've read them.

Darthtabby · 2017-02-26, 13:22

Episode 8: "Part Time Steady"

This is the first of three episodes in the first season that are based on Full Metal Panic's comedic side stories (the other episodes are all either novel based or anime original). It also the first episode to feature Kaname's infamous paper fan. Despite being based on short stories I find it quite tonally different from the short story based episodes that make up the bulk of Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu.

I love the juxtaposition of Sousuke and Kaname's strangely similar morning routines. Apparently some female fans appreciate the bit with Sousuke stepping out of the shower shirtless.

Kaname's harsh rejection of Shirai seems a lot more deserved after he promises to leave his current girlfriend.

Ah, the dating sim scene. Someone should make a FMP dating sim where you play as Sousuke and see how big a hole you can dig yourself into.

Whose bright idea was it to take Sousuke to see a war movie?

Overall this is definitely not the best episode of the series from a production values perspective but I actually find it pretty fun.

Yu Ominae · 2017-02-27, 04:57

It's mostly likely him. I'm not surprised at this point.

I laughed that he appreciated music when he walked into the music store and a good listen to it. XD

Darthtabby · 2017-02-27, 15:33

I think the music thing was actually a call back to one of the gags in the first episode. Sousuke was given CDs by Goro Kadokawa and the Suppin Girls (the original novel used enka artist Hiroshi Itsuki and boy band SMAP) and lists that bizarre combination when asked what type of music he listened to. The artist pictured on the poster behind Sousuke when he's listening to the music appears to Goro Kadokawa, whose style of music probably appeals more to older people than the "young and trendy" crowd Sousuke is pretending to be part of.

Dextro · 2017-02-28, 17:35

Oh boy this episode reminded me of why I enjoyed fumoffu so much back in the day. Mizuki is a great comedic addition to the cast even if this episode ended up having more of a moral of the story than most fumoffu episodes have.

Also it looks like next episode has some nice scenes hum?

Darthtabby · 2017-03-01, 23:39

Speaking of Fumoffu, I find it notable that Onodera/Ono-d doesn't appear in the first season at all despite being one of the most prominent of Sousuke and Kaname's classmates in Fumoffu.

I hadn't paid that much attention to the next episode preview, but yes, next episode does mark Tessa's appearance. (Well, not so much her appearance since she was actually in the first arc but her really stepping into her role as the series second heroine.)

Darthtabby · 2017-03-05, 13:18

Episode 9: "Dangerous Safe House"

There was really only one choice for a scene to take a screenshot from this episode. I've sometimes found it a bit questionable that that Sousuke has the social awareness to realize he's in a dangerous situation there, but I guess some things are instinctual.

Kaname went too far with her anger this episode, though she was also self aware enough to realize it. How often do you see a tsundere actually admit she was wrong?

Of course this episode also marks the intelligent but clumsy Tessa's accession to the role of co-heroine (its not really her introduction since she appears in the first arc, but she didn't have all that big a role there). Let the shipping war begin!

I actually quite like this episode though I've tended to consider the A21 arc as a whole somewhat weak. It's interesting to note that the source novel for this arc is about the same length as the source material for the first arc, but the episode count is considerably lower. There's some nice details in the novel that got cut in the anime, but I also think some of the cuts the anime made were smart ones.

2017-02-11, 17:30	Link #43
Mugen26 Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: USA	I was really delayed for my reaction this week, but here ya go. Episode 5: Throughout the early part of the episode, Chidori never seems to lose her lively personality. Maybe it's because she's still pretty naive to the whole situation, but you would think she may be more urgent or frightened. It may be a testament to her strong spirit but it hurts the tension a bit for me. I find it funny when both Chidori and the Lab woman quickly lost their strong bravado after someone shoots near them. "I wont cooperat---(shots go off) --- Ok I'll cooperate!" Sousuke shows his confidence in his AS piloting, and that he's not just a military otaku like Chidori assumed. "I'm not an amateur. I'm a specialist!" Bad-ass line! The animation and CG work are pretty top notch this episode too. I always liked the shading Gonzo gives for much of the military tech/AS mechs since it adds a sense of depth to them. However my only CG gripe is the splash effect when Kurz's AS lands in the river; that needed 2D animation to not look as jarring. Kurz shows off his cleverness with his brilliant move of pretending to be out of ammo to lure Gauron in close and shove his sniper right in his face. The episode ends with a dramatic tension of not knowing the outcome of Kurz and Gauron's battle however.

2017-02-12, 19:58	Link #46
Yu Ominae ARCAM Spriggan agent Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Coquitlam, BC, Canada/Quezon City, Philippines	I remember this scene where Kaname got to beat up Kurz for looking at her chest and her (ahem)... She even had that smile on her face when she told Sousuke Kurz needed to take a break. __________________ Even if we were at odds with each other, I still thank you for training me, Instructor Bowman - Yu Ominae, reflecting on Bowman's death after killing him in Phantom Island

2017-02-13, 14:32	Link #47
Dextro He Without a Title Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: The land of tempura	This was a very good episode. The music, the Butch Cassidy reference, the one liners... everything. We also see the plot moving forward a bit with the introduction of the ARX7 and Chidori having one of her flashbacks. Good stuff even if we're back to a couple of unnecessary panty shots __________________

2017-02-15, 19:30	Link #48
Mugen26 Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: USA	I agree with everyone on episode 6 thus far; this is one of the premier episodes of the series for me. So much so that it's the first one that I showed to many of my friends new to FMP (while giving the basic lowdown with what happened before). This may also have been because it was the first one I had VHS recorded off of the anime network on demand showing, but nonetheless, it's a really quality episode to show off. My keynotes: As was stated previously, the dark, almost grey-toned lighting gives a very dramatic mood to the forest scenes and adds a lot of weight to it Kaname's "stay away" to Sousuke brings her thoughts to light when she realizes how much she didn't know about him and it frightens her for a brief instance. It's a nice touch to know how she feels without literally hearing her thoughts Animation wise, everything was top notch in this episode. From the on-model art, cg effects, and even storyboard direction! It especially shines in the exchange between Mao and Kalinin, it's so visually appealing! I just wish Gonzo had this level of excellence more consistently in the series. Also RIP to the late, great Mike Kleinhenz. Even with subs, I can't un-hear his "Because I'm required to be that way" line. Speaking of drama, it reaches a new high after Kaname rants off on Sousuke and he lets loose by pointing his gun at her, yelling at her to go. It's immediately followed a tender scene between them after getting caught up in the moment. Sousuke never felt so human this early in the series. Plus Kurz ruining the "intimacy" was a great LOL moment! Also as stated before, this would practically be a perfect episode had the panty shots not been there. The looong shot during Kaname's reference to Butch Cassidy was especially distracting and is just cringe-worthy every time. If you have to include fan-service, at least make it make sense; Kaname's whispered clothes-rip freakout is a better example. This is a minor nitpick but the ending felt a bit rushed when Sousuke just dodged all the bullets and ended up on the Arbalest immediately. But hey, we finally get to meet Al and the Arbalest, so that's a plus! Overall I give it a 9.5/10

2017-02-19, 15:54	Link #52
Dextro He Without a Title Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: The land of tempura	It's understandable the way Sousuke will eventually come to feel about the Arbalest but it always felt to me like he was letting his personal feelings and preconceived notions affect his judgement. As was shown during this episode the ARX-7 is an immensely capable machine that's as good or even better than the M9 with an extra special sauce that basically works as a way to cheat death in extreme situations. Spoiler: I understand that Sousuke comes to resent the machine more as a reflection of what he himself feels are overly heightened expectations of himself and the mecha he drives but it's still a shame how he will come to react to the machine. Sorry, I kind of jumped too far ahead here. And that's a great way to look at Sousuke during this episode Darthtabby, I hadn't thought about that Real Robot/Super Robot dichotomy before. It's a great way to sum up the situation __________________ Last edited by Dextro; 2017-02-21 at 16:09.

2017-02-06, 16:12	Link #41
Darthtabby Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009	Are you referring to the shots where the camera zoom across the air base? I actually thought those worked pretty well myself. I guess there's also what Kaname sees when she's being tested.

2017-02-12, 11:56	Link #45
Darthtabby Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009	Posting a little early this week because I need to be out the door before my usual posting time. Episode 6: "Still Alive" This is a near perfect episode, except that for a few minutes the animators apparently got confused as to whether they were animating an episode of Full Metal Panic or Najica Blitz Tactics. (For those of you not familiar with Najica Blitz Tactics, let's just say there's a reason one of its premium releases included a pair of panties as a bonus item.) Inappropriately placed panty shots and other minor complaints aside, this is still one of my favorite episodes. It has some really beautiful artwork -I like the use of color and the gloomy atmosphere in the forest scenes. It's also very dramatic. The movie Kaname mentions is Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. That reference is actually anime original, as is her commentary about "happy endings" and "the real thing." The anime doesn't really make it obvious but in the novel Kurz had an injured (actually broken) arm. That's probably why he shoots his pistol left handed during the (not a) last stand scene. BTW, the novel also notes that Kurz had a short range transmitter -that's presumably where Sousuke got the one he offered Kaname when he was trying to get her to escape on her own.

2017-02-19, 13:27	Link #51
Darthtabby Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009	Episode 7: "Boy Meets Girl" The title of the novel this story arc is based off of is "Fighting Boy Meets Girl." It arguably fits the arc as a whole better than the episode itself. BTW the final scene in this episode is actually based on the first scene in the novel. This is another episode I consider nearly perfect. There may be mecha battles with a lot more actual animation that Sousuke and Gauron's duel, which uses a lot of tricks to give impressions of what's going on with limited animation. But it works, and it works well. I'm very impressed by how well this episode manages the build up and release of tension and drama. I find it kind of amusing that Sousuke's problem in this episode is essentially that he's a real robot show protagonist attempting to pilot a super robot. His experiences have taught him that staying calm is crucial to survival and success on the battlefield, so the mindset needed to successfully employ the Lambda Driver is utterly foreign to him. Kaname was very impressive with how she fought through her own issues to help Sousuke. I like how she cleared her head by bashing it against a tree. She really, really hates to lose, and its one of the things I love about her. Next week's episode, "Part Time Steady" is the first of only three episodes in the first season that are based on FMP's comedic short stories.

2017-02-21, 15:41	Link #53
Darthtabby Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009	I know you're not being very specific but I'd still appreciate it if you put some of that behind spoiler tags. One would think all the extra equipment mounted on the Arbalest would result in trade offs somewhere but yeah, its general performance seems comparable to that of the M9 its based off of. You might already know this but the Arbalest's fins and the Codarl's hair both serve to dissipate heat generated by their Lambda Drivers.

2017-02-26, 13:22	Link #55
Darthtabby Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009	Episode 8: "Part Time Steady" This is the first of three episodes in the first season that are based on Full Metal Panic's comedic side stories (the other episodes are all either novel based or anime original). It also the first episode to feature Kaname's infamous paper fan. Despite being based on short stories I find it quite tonally different from the short story based episodes that make up the bulk of Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu. I love the juxtaposition of Sousuke and Kaname's strangely similar morning routines. Apparently some female fans appreciate the bit with Sousuke stepping out of the shower shirtless. Kaname's harsh rejection of Shirai seems a lot more deserved after he promises to leave his current girlfriend. Ah, the dating sim scene. Someone should make a FMP dating sim where you play as Sousuke and see how big a hole you can dig yourself into. Whose bright idea was it to take Sousuke to see a war movie? Overall this is definitely not the best episode of the series from a production values perspective but I actually find it pretty fun. Last edited by Darthtabby; 2017-02-26 at 21:09.

2017-02-27, 04:57	Link #56
Yu Ominae ARCAM Spriggan agent Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Coquitlam, BC, Canada/Quezon City, Philippines	It's mostly likely him. I'm not surprised at this point. I laughed that he appreciated music when he walked into the music store and a good listen to it. XD __________________ Even if we were at odds with each other, I still thank you for training me, Instructor Bowman - Yu Ominae, reflecting on Bowman's death after killing him in Phantom Island

2017-02-27, 15:33	Link #57
Darthtabby Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009	I think the music thing was actually a call back to one of the gags in the first episode. Sousuke was given CDs by Goro Kadokawa and the Suppin Girls (the original novel used enka artist Hiroshi Itsuki and boy band SMAP) and lists that bizarre combination when asked what type of music he listened to. The artist pictured on the poster behind Sousuke when he's listening to the music appears to Goro Kadokawa, whose style of music probably appeals more to older people than the "young and trendy" crowd Sousuke is pretending to be part of.

2017-02-28, 17:35	Link #58
Dextro He Without a Title Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: The land of tempura	Oh boy this episode reminded me of why I enjoyed fumoffu so much back in the day. Mizuki is a great comedic addition to the cast even if this episode ended up having more of a moral of the story than most fumoffu episodes have. Also it looks like next episode has some nice scenes hum? __________________

2017-03-01, 23:39	Link #59
Darthtabby Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009	Speaking of Fumoffu, I find it notable that Onodera/Ono-d doesn't appear in the first season at all despite being one of the most prominent of Sousuke and Kaname's classmates in Fumoffu. I hadn't paid that much attention to the next episode preview, but yes, next episode does mark Tessa's appearance. (Well, not so much her appearance since she was actually in the first arc but her really stepping into her role as the series second heroine.)

2017-03-05, 13:18	Link #60
Darthtabby Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2009	Episode 9: "Dangerous Safe House" There was really only one choice for a scene to take a screenshot from this episode. I've sometimes found it a bit questionable that that Sousuke has the social awareness to realize he's in a dangerous situation there, but I guess some things are instinctual. Kaname went too far with her anger this episode, though she was also self aware enough to realize it. How often do you see a tsundere actually admit she was wrong? Of course this episode also marks the intelligent but clumsy Tessa's accession to the role of co-heroine (its not really her introduction since she appears in the first arc, but she didn't have all that big a role there). Let the shipping war begin! I actually quite like this episode though I've tended to consider the A21 arc as a whole somewhat weak. It's interesting to note that the source novel for this arc is about the same length as the source material for the first arc, but the episode count is considerably lower. There's some nice details in the novel that got cut in the anime, but I also think some of the cuts the anime made were smart ones.