Plot Synopsis
Sagara Sosuke may look like a high school boy, but he is anything but your average teenager: hardened by years of battle, he is now one of the most skilled (and humorless) operatives of the secretive and powerful paramilitary MITHRIL organization. All this changes, however, when he, along with the lecherous sniper Kurtz Weber and ornery commander Melissa Mao, are assigned to protect pretty young Chidori Kaname, who may be one of the mysterious and sought-after "Whispered". Trained assassins, mech-piloting psychopaths, and booby traps, Sagara can deal with... it's infiltrating a Japanese high school and trying to blend in that's the real challenge. And he will learn that an enraged girl can be the most lethal opponent of all.
Review
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Reviewer: Marc
Review Date: 2005-10-02
Full Metal Panic takes the well-traveled genres of high school comedy and mecha war drama, mixes them together in the same series, dresses them up in beautiful Gonzo animation, gives them a gritty twist, and wraps them together in a plot hinting at unearthly technology and dark organizations at work.
Unfortunately, none of that can hide the fact that in the end Full Metal Panic is just another anime series, never breaking from the cliches of its two genres--the girls still club the hero in a berserk rage at the slightest perception of lechery, even hardened military professionals take time out for a soak in the bath, and you can never, ever use your ultimate weapon until the last possible second. That the plot ends up going nowhere at all (at least until a sequel series) and the two genres feel somewhat uncomfortable next to each other doesn't help, either. It's still well made and a lot of fun, but it isn't half of what it could've been.
Full Metal Panic is definitely at its strongest in the comedy department. The premise--a young soldier who knows nothing but battle forced to try and blend into an average Japanese high school while undercover--has loads of potential, and Sosuke's deadpan determination and brutal practicality contrast perfectly with a lively cast of more standard anime characters to capitalize on it.
Sosuke is hilarious in his awkward attempts to fit in, and the series also takes the time to put his normal classmates into his world on occasion, providing a satisfying role reversal. Sosuke's foil, Chidori, is equally likable for the opposite reasons--a slight sidestep from your standard high school cutie, she's got a vicious temper and isn't afraid to loose it on Sosuke, but also has an earnest sweet side for balance. Chidori is something of a realistic caricature--you know the role, but something rings true about the way her exaggerated personality traits fit together, making her a particularly appealing character.
The quality assortment of supplemental characters include Sosuke's far livelier (and more mature, a nice departure from formula) military compatriots who themselves have some amusing interactions with Sosuke's classmates. Those classmates range from Chidori's snapshot-obsessed best friend to a shy military geek (ironically, and amusingly, the only one who Sosuke can manage a conversation with). There are also a variety of more hardened military types who make appearances, and they are generally treated relatively realistically.
Unfortunately, those times where the fun characters in the series overlap with the serious ones are one of its weakest points. The biggest problem is that Chidori behaves more or less like your standard anime schoolgirl even in the face of life-or-death situations, cheapening the drama at the gritty end of the story. Complaining about her lack of decency in the middle of a firefight, for example, showed little of the sense of reality or self-preservation you'd expect from her character. There are a few stronger points (a great reference to Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, for example), but for the most part the more humorous characters severely hurt the realism and sense of danger of the more serious parts when they interacted.
That brings me to my second big problem with the series: the drama. On the positive side, the serious sections of the story aren't bad by anime standards--they've got a gritty feel, Sosuke is if nothing else a competent warrior (a welcome change from all those kids uncertain of their worth), and the handheld-style camerawork gives the action a sense of reality. In a couple of places the tragedy of war also crosses briefly from action movie cliche to something a bit more affecting.
On the negative side, it still feels much more like a cheesy action movie than the military drama it seems to be aiming for (particularly in the grittiest story arc, a desert mission in the middle of the series). In contrast with most of the well-developed characters, the caricatured military folks working with Sosuke feel hollow, and after all the talk about planning, strategy, and loyalty, having Sosuke inexplicably save his ultimate weapon until the last possible second is downright silly. The fact that the giant robots, for all their clunky "realistic" design, end up sporting emotion-powered ultimate weapons (and of course a big mane of hair on the evil mech) struck me as rather silly as well.
That Full Metal Panic is a better comedy than a drama perhaps isn't surprising, but what is is how the two are combined. Or rather, how they aren't: The series is composed of roughly equal parts schoolyard comedy and military action, and although the characters overlap, the two parts have absolutely no interaction. One episode will be a rather silly comedy, and the next will try for straightfaced drama and action. The transitions are a bit jarring at best, and leave the series as a whole feeling somewhat scattered.
One more big complaint before I move on: the plot goes absolutely nowhere. It starts right off with hints of powerful clandestine forces at work, mysterious technology and its connection to the Whispered, and a creepy villain (a worthy rival for Sosuke's dry sense of duty thanks to his cheerful contempt and unstable persona) who seems to be working behind the scenes as part of some dark conspiracy.
Sadly, though the villain comes back again and again as a part of various nefarious plots, there is never any explanation of where he keeps getting his extraordinarily nasty toys or who's backing him. There's also no meaningful connection established between the story arcs, no details about what the Whispered are or where the mysterious technology comes from are ever revealed, and there isn't even an end more satisfying than "We got the bad guy. Yet again."
All the hints of mystery in the story and the creepy villain felt like an afterthought tacked on to try and cover for the fact that the plot as a whole has absolutely no substance, and doesn't go anywhere.
Fortunately, action fans will probably be more than willing to overlook the generic parts thanks to the gorgeous Gonzo animation. As with most of their work, they give even classic mech-vs-mech action scenes a sense of gritty realism by combining shaky camerawork with a lot of perfectly-executed digital effects (motion blur, glows, and various shockwave distortions). The mech fights aren't quite as down-to-earth as I was hoping (there are a disappointing number of energy blasts and flying jumps), but it still ranks among the best in the genre.
The quality art and animation don't stop at the action scenes, though--all the art is detailed and attractive, and the character animation is top-notch. Chidori in particular is amazingly expressive--her face and body language make her character truly memorable. The fancy action techniques aren't limited to the big fights, either--plenty of creative stuff around school, as well.
Last is the vocal part of the series, which is on par with the visuals--very good (at least in Japanese--I can't speak for the dub). The standout performances are easily Sosuke, for his unwavering deadpan delivery through both drama and comedy, and Chidori, for her endless reserve of energy and mix of ornery and sweet, all while staying believable as a character. The minor characters are just as good, though; Mao and Kurtz both have likable voices with a touch of playful realism that breaks them out of their respective molds, the villain has a smarmy evilness in his voice, tinged with just enough crazy to make him scary, and the collection of minor characters all work well. The music, though generally good (including the catchy if unoriginal opening theme), isn't nearly as memorable, but it does the job.
In all, Full Metal Panic is an enjoyable series. It is not without flaws: it's not nearly as original as it initially appears, the transition between war drama and schoolyard comedy didn't work terribly well, and all the hints at a larger plot go nowhere at all in the end. Still, the collection of likable and creative characters and comedy with an edge are enough to make it memorable and fun. It's definitely worth a shot if the idea sounds at all appealing, and those less picky about details will probably love it.
Related Recommendations
Full Metal Panic has a combination all its own, but random mixes of drama and schoolyard hijinks can be found in Dual (with more emphasis on the harem and mecha) and Jubei-Chan (much sillier, and ninja-ier). Other series with a similar mood include Martian Successor Nadesico (space opera with a similar flavor) and maybe GTO (more down to earth schoolyard dramedy). Finally, for multi-genre series the very different Cowboy Bebop deserves a nod.
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