| Full Metal Panic! | |
Cover of the first Full Metal Panic! light novel published by Fujimi Shobo. |
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| フルメタル·パニック! (Furumetaru Panikku!) |
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|---|---|
| Genre | Action, Mecha, Romantic comedy |
| Light novel | |
| Written by | Shoji Gatoh |
| Illustrated by | Shiki Douji |
| Published by | Fujimi Shobo |
| English publisher | Tokyopop |
| Demographic | Male |
| Imprint | Fujimi Fantasia Bunko |
| Original run | September 9, 1998 – ongoing |
| Volumes | 25 |
| TV anime | |
| Directed by | Koichi Chigira |
| Studio | Gonzo |
| Licensed by | Madman Entertainment Funimation Entertainment |
| Network | WOWOW |
| English network | Anime Network FUNimation Channel 2x2 |
| Original run | January 8, 2002 – June 18, 2002 |
| Episodes | 24 |
| Manga | |
| Written by | Retsu Tateo |
| Published by | Fujimi Shobo |
| English publisher | ADV Manga |
| Demographic | Shōnen |
| Magazine | Monthly Comic Dragon |
| Original run | May 2003 – April 2005 |
| Volumes | 9 |
| TV anime | |
| Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu | |
| Directed by | Yasuhiro Takemoto |
| Studio | Kyoto Animation |
| Licensed by | Funimation Entertainment Madman Entertainment |
| Network | Fuji TV |
| English network | FUNimation Channel 2x2 |
| Original run | August 25, 2003 – November 18, 2003 |
| Episodes | 12 |
| TV anime | |
| Full Metal Panic!: The Second Raid | |
| Directed by | Yasuhiro Takemoto |
| Studio | Kyoto Animation |
| Licensed by | Madman Entertainment Kadokawa Pictures USA/ Funimation Entertainment |
| Network | Fuji TV |
| Original run | July 13, 2005 – October 19, 2005 |
| Episodes | 13 |
| Original video animation | |
| Full Metal Panic!: The Second Raid | |
| Directed by | Yasuhiro Takemoto |
| Studio | Kyoto Animation |
| Released | May 26, 2006 |
| Manga | |
| Full Metal Panic! Σ (Sigma) | |
| Written by | Ueda Hiroshi |
| Published by | Fujimi Shobo |
| English publisher | Chuang Yi |
| Demographic | Seinen |
| Magazine | Dragon Magazine |
| Original run | August 1, 2005 – ongoing |
| Volumes | 16 |
| Manga | |
| Full Metal Panic! Overload | |
| Written by | Tomohiro Nagai |
| Published by | Fujimi Shobo |
| English publisher | ADV Manga |
| Demographic | Seinen |
| Magazine | Dragon Magazine |
| Original run | January 30, 2001 – April 1, 2003 |
| Volumes | 5 |
| Manga | |
| Full Metal Panic! Surplus | |
| Written by | Tomohiro Nagai |
| Published by | Fujimi Shobo |
| Demographic | Seinen |
| Magazine | Dragon Magazine |
| Published | July 1, 2003 |
| Volumes | 1 |
Full Metal Panic! (フルメタル·パニック! Furumetaru Panikku!, often abbreviated to FMP!) is an ongoing series of light novels written by Shoji Gatoh and illustrated by Shiki Douji. The series follows Sousuke Sagara, a member of the covert anti-terrorist private military organization known as Mithril, tasked with protecting Kaname Chidori, a spirited Japanese high school girl.
Individual chapters are published on Monthly Dragon Magazine, followed by a paperback compilation released by Fujimi Shobo's Fujimi Fantasia Bunko. The novels are split between stories focusing on Sousuke's mission as a soldier of Mithril and comedic side stories centered on his life at Jindai High School.
The series has been adapted into different media; including three animated television series: Full Metal Panic! by Gonzo in 2002, Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu and Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid by Kyoto Animation in 2003 and 2005 respectively. An OVA was also released in 2006; and five different manga series.
Tokyopop licensed the novels for English-language publication in North America[1] and released parts of the series, while ADV Films licensed and dubbed the first season and the spinoff, and released them in North America and the United Kingdom. The second season was licensed by Kadokawa Pictures USA and Funimation Entertainment with ADV Films producing the dub yet again. Mandalay Pictures acquired the film rights to the series in 2009.[2] At Anime USA 2009, Funimation announced that it had acquired the rights to the first and second series of Full Metal Panic! and both would be re-released remastered on DVD and Blu-ray in 2010.[3][4] The series began airing in North American on November 22, 2010, on the FUNimation Channel.[5] The Fumoffu series made its North American television debut on the FUNimation Channel on November 15, 2010.[6]
Contents |
The series follows Sousuke Sagara, a member of a covert anti-terrorist private military organization known as Mithril, tasked with protecting Kaname Chidori, a spirited Japanese high school girl. He moves to Japan to study at Chidori's school, Jindai High School, with assistance from his comrades Kurz Weber and Melissa Mao. Having never experienced social interactions, Sousuke is found as a military maniac by his schoolmates as he interprets everyday situations from a combat perspective. He comes to relate with Chidori who realizes that Sousuke is protecting her, but he does not reveal the reasons due to orders as well as the fact he does not know why Chidori is being targeted by different organizations.
The series is set in a parallel world, based upon actual world events around the late 20th century to the early 21st century. The story begins in Heisei 10 (1998 AD), where the Cold War has yet to end. China has split into a north and south, with Hong Kong being split much like Berlin. The major differences between real life Earth and the Full Metal Panic! universe are:
A number of other details differentiates the fictional world. Common changes occur in the Japanese names, as they use homonyms to the names of real life locations. The fictional Jindai (陣代) High School is based on the real life Jindai (神代) High School[10] in Chōfu, Tokyo. The closest station to the real life Jindai High School is the Senkawa station, changed from 仙川 to 泉川. The Japanese calendar of Heisei is altered from 平成 to 平政.
The light novel series Full Metal Panic! is written by Shoji Gatoh and illustrated by Shiki Douji. It was published by Fujimi Shobo in its monthly magazine Gekkan Dragon Magazine since September 9, 1998 under the "Fujimi Fantasia Bunko" imprint. Gatoh often found delays in writing of the novels, which lead to delays to the publication of the series' volumes.[11] A total of twelve volumes have also been released from December 18, 1998 to August 20, 2010.[12][13] In parallel to the twelve volumes, ten autoconclusive light novels of the series have also been published starting on December 17, 1998. Ten volumes have been published as of July 20, 2006.[14][15] In contrast to the regular series, these light novel ones focus on the comedy elements from the series. In January 2010, Gatoh wrote another of these stories in celebration of Gekkan Dragon Magazine's 300th issue.[16]
Tokyopop licensed the Full Metal Panic! series for North America release, publishing the first regular light novel on September 11, 2007.[17] The latest released volume is the fourth on February 1, 2011 which is a compilation from the original fourth and fifth volumes from the series.[18][19]
Full Metal Panic! was adapted into a manga on several occasions. The first series entitled Full Metal Panic, was serialized in Newtype by Retsu Tateo. The first Full Metal Panic! manga was collected in nine tankōbon volumes published from August 30, 2000 to July 1, 2005.[20][21] Full Metal Panic! was one of the first manga licensed by ADV Manga, being announced in July 2003.[22] They released all of its volumes from November 10, 2003[23] to April 11, 2006.[24] A parallel series entitled Full Metal Panic! Comic Mission (フルメタル・パニック! Comic Mission), was also written by Retsu Tateo and focuses on the comedy elements from the series. Five volumes were published from November 1, 2003 to September 1, 2006.[25][26]
Another spin-off series is Full Metal Panic! Overload (いきなり! フルメタル・パニック! Ikinari! Furumetaru Panikku!) by Tomohiro Nagai. In the story Sousuke suffers amnesia and starts remembering who he is across the manga. It was released in five volumes from January 30, 2001 to April 1, 2003.[27][28] Overload was licensed by ADV Manga in December 2004,[29] and all of its volumes were published in English from June 6, 2005 to May 24, 2006.[30][31] Nagai also wrote Full Metal Panic! Surplus (フルメタル・パニック!SURPLUS) is a single tankōbon manga published on July 1, 2003 focused more on the action elements from the franchise.[32] The most recent manga adaptation Full Metal Panic! Sigma (フルメタル・パニック!Σ) was written by Hiroshi Ueda and focuses on the missions from Sousuke as a sergeant. It is still being published with the first volume published on August 1, 2005 and the latest volume, the fourteenth, published on November 9, 2010.[33][34] Its events are based from the fourth Full Metal Panic! light novel onwards.[35]
The anime series was produced by Gonzo Digimation and originally aired in 2002 after its original air date was canceled because of the September 11 attacks.[36] The series was licensed to ADV Films for North American release in 2003. The first three novels form the basis for the anime. The series was available on the Anime Network on Demand from 2003-2004.
Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu (フルメタル? ふもっふ Furumetaru? Fumoffu) is a companion series to the anime series Full Metal Panic! by Kyoto Animation, and takes place between the first season and The Second Raid. Markedly different in tone to the first series, Fumoffu emphasizes the high school romantic comedy aspects of Full Metal Panic! with often crude humor and focuses on the romantic tension between Sousuke Sagara and Chidori Kaname. It frequently parodies itself and anime stereotypes. None of the mecha combat or political intrigue, which characterized much of the original Full Metal Panic!, can be seen in the series. The only reference to the mecha aspect of Full Metal Panic! is the Bonta-kun, which is one of the most prominent parodies in the anime. Sousuke uses spare Bonta-kun costumes to make highly-effective suits of power armor, but they look like teddy bears wearing army gear and can only say: "Fu" and "Mo" in different combinations.
Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid (フルメタル TSR Furumetaru TSR) is the direct sequel to the original anime series. It was produced by Kyoto Animation and ran for 13 episodes. The series is based on The End of Day by Day novels and takes place three months after the events that occurred in the Tuatha de Danaan at the end of the original Full Metal Panic! series. Mithril learns of a secret organization that has technology able to counter the ECS (Electronic Conceal System) mode. The organization, known as Amalgam, has access to Black Technology, which was obtained from the Whispered. Like the other intelligence agencies, Amalgam intends to obtain more. Sousuke's mission to protect Chidori is terminated by Mithril, instead leaving her in the care of an anonymous agent known as Wraith.
There is a one episode OVA that takes place after Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid. It focuses on the Captain of the Tuatha De Danaan: Teletha Tessa Testarossa, rather than the two main characters of the series. The OVA is based on short story Wari to Hima na Sentaichou no Ichi Nichi in short story collection Dounimo Naranai Gori Muchuu. The story is also told in chapters 13 & 14 in Full Metal Panic Sigma Volume 04.
A live action film adaptation was announced by Mandalay Pictures in April 2009, with Zac Efron rumored to be attached to the project.[2] Efron has since confirmed a meeting took place regarding the project but added that the adaptation was unlikely to happen.[37]
The second DVD volume of Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid was given a favorable review by Theron Martin of Anime News Network for pushing the character developments of Sousuke and Kaname as well as dramatic elements beyond comedy and action. Describing the impact of the volume, Martin explains that "[t]he full impact of that [Sousuke and Kaname's relationship] comes out beautifully in episode 7, when Kaname seeks out Sousuke in a moment of fear and, for the first time, Sousuke isn't there for her. It's one of those telling moments that can define an entire series."[38]
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