Full Metal Panic Invisible Victory - Spoiler Thread

[HunterSeeker]

Originally Posted by Obelisk ze Tormentor

From the POV of anime-only watchers, it seems to work just fine especially for those who still remember TSR. You can look at many forums, comments and even Youtube reactions done by anime-only watchers and almost none of them have a problem when they saw Sosuke mustered his courage and asked to hold hands (some of them even said “It’s about damn time”). Sure, adapting DVMC will make it better but skipping it is far from a bad move, especially when making the 4th season of FMP is already a nigh-impossible job to begin with.

I experienced Kalinin’s 'betrayal' before I experienced DVMC, and I think it works just fine for me. I actually like the relative surprise element when Kalinin does what he does. Let’s see how it works for anime-only watchers.

Spoiler for COMO bit about Kalinin:

Actually, from the words of the orginal novel Kalinin's pause and grim face are actually coming from his hesitation. Up until the attack on Merida he still has doubt to Leonard's words, it's only then he realized the possibility offered by Leo. Until the crew reunited with Sousuke with the information that Kalinin turned traitor, basically no one had any doubts about him.

My only grim of ADVMC didn't make it to the animation is Mardukas' curbstomp battle against the Leviathans, it's one of the few scenario showing that he's not standing beside Tessa for show. Sure, skipping it makes Sousuke's romantic realization in Ep1 look odd, but remember back in TSR he already realized that Chidori is special to him, it's just natural to go another step further.

[Darthtabby]

For the most part Invisible Victory seems to be sticking pretty close to its source material. However the scene at the end of Episode 3 differs significantly from its novel counterpart. In the novel Kaname lashes out at Sousuke and insists they should just surrender because there's no way to save everyone otherwise, but in the anime she puts her faith in him and the scene becomes an affirmation of their relationship.

I find that to be a very interesting change. It's possible that it was done because of the limitations of the anime format (run time, not knowing what characters are thinking), or because the anime adaptation is skipping DVMC and the relationship development that occurred in that volume. But I also wonder if maybe Gatoh thought that having Kaname lash out at Sousuke the way she did in the novel was a mistake.

[HunterSeeker]

Originally Posted by Darthtabby

For the most part Invisible Victory seems to be sticking pretty close to its source material. However the scene at the end of Episode 3 differs significantly from its novel counterpart. In the novel Kaname lashes out at Sousuke and insists they should just surrender because there's no way to save everyone otherwise, but in the anime she puts her faith in him and the scene becomes an affirmation of their relationship.

I find that to be a very interesting change. It's possible that it was done because of the limitations of the anime format (run time, not knowing what characters are thinking), or because the anime adaptation is skipping DVMC and the relationship development that occurred in that volume. But I also wonder if maybe Gatoh thought that having Kaname lash out at Sousuke the way she did in the novel was a mistake.

No, I guess rather than "a mistake", and combining with what happened in Episode 4 (there're new segments about her), they're trying to lay down Chidori's increasing knowledge towards Black Technology, for the plot development/reveal later on.

[Darthtabby]

Nami's death has never sat well with me. It seems Gatoh regrets it too, though he didn't change it for Invisible Victory (of course the Director and Producers may not have allowed him to).

This has led to me musing how her death might have been avoided and how it might effect the rest of the series. Is there a way to make Sousuke hell bent on going after Kurama without killing Nami? Did she even need to be a hostage?

Perhaps a surviving Nami could have taken the role of the whispered girl Sousuke saved early in the series (Sara Millar/Mira Kudan/whatever the heck her name is) in helping realize the Fairy Feather. Though I think that girl might also have been involved in helping develop the ARX-8 which came earlier.

Alternately, perhaps after being taken hostage and everything she would wish to part ways with Sousuke (though hopefully without too much ill will).

[Joshhhp]

I finished Invisible Victory a few months ago, an underwhelming return for a mecha series that went silent for 13 years and it doesn't seem that it will continue... again...
At least a new light novel for FMP is returning

[BCMan5388]

Originally Posted by Joshhhp

I finished Invisible Victory a few months ago, an underwhelming return for a mecha series that went silent for 13 years and it doesn't seem that it will continue... again...

What leads you to believe it won't continue when it clearly ended on a cliffhanger (with a build-up for another season or two)?

[Joshhhp]

Originally Posted by BCMan5388

What leads you to believe it won't continue when it clearly ended on a cliffhanger (with a build-up for another season or two)?

Well there are quite few reasons for it. The series already went quite for more then a decade and when FMP IV aired many people lost interested and it just wasn't very popular. It didn't do to well in sales and the studio Xebec who animated FMP IV ceased to exist as a business entity on May 31, 2019. And also when it comes to production value the series was struggling a lot especially during the second half of the season. On top of that I heard that there isn't much material left to adapt, apparently it's barely a season left to end the series. Now I'm not saying that a sequel is impossible but it needs to be a BIG miracle to happen.

[BCMan5388]

Originally Posted by Joshhhp

Well there are quite few reasons for it. The series already went quite for more then a decade and when FMP IV aired many people lost interested and it just wasn't very popular. It didn't do to well in sales and the studio Xebec who animated FMP IV ceased to exist as a business entity on May 31, 2019. And also when it comes to production value the series was struggling a lot especially during the second half of the season. On top of that I heard that there isn't much material left to adapt, apparently it's barely a season left to end the series. Now I'm not saying that a sequel is impossible but it needs to be a BIG miracle to happen.

With the way Invisible Victory ended, it's only a matter of time (and they can always find another animation studio), and sales of the anime don't matter anymore.

[Nachtwandler]

Sequel LNs are coming out now. They may use this to finish the series, though, I do not have much hope.