 | | ▪ | RELEASED BY: | | ADV FILMS | | | ▪ | ASPECT RATIO: | | 4:3 FULL SCREEN | | | ▪ | AUDIO: | | ENGLISH DD 5.1 AND JAPANESE DD 2.0 | | | ▪ | RUNNING TIME: | | 600 MIN | | | ▪ | RATING: | | TV 14 | | | ▪ | RELEASE DATE: | | 06//03/2008 | | | ▪ | REVIEW DATE: | | 08/13//2008 | | | ▪ | REVIEWED BY: | | JOSH MOHS |
SYNOPSIS:
Full Metal Panic! proposes to blur the lines of traditional anime genres by taking giant robotic action, slapstick comedy, and a few “interesting” takes on the classic anime character clichés and tossing them into one big pastiche that the whole family (assuming that all members on the family in question are over the age of 15) can enjoy. Is this a recipe for success, though, or is this Panic! merely an overreaction?
REVIEW:
Full Metal Panic! revolves around the normal, everyday life of Chidori Kaname (who may or may not hold a mysterious connection to “Whispered”) and the constant disruption thereof by any and every action movie cliché known to man as well as the humerous attempts at protection made by her new classmate/battle-hardened, military agent/undercover bodyguard, Sagara Sosuke. Plot progression in Full Metal Panic! relies more on the completion of the series' included story arcs than it does any real sense of cohesion, and more often than not the series will eschew any true character development in favor of returning things to the status quo just in time for the next arc to begin. While the lack of story progression may seem like a bit of a cop-out, it actually fits the series well and keeps true to its intentions of making Full Metal Panic! accessible to a wider audience. The comic fusion of two notably different genres actually becomes one of the series high-points, with character interactions and perceptions crossing freely between both the comedic and dramatic elements. There are a few areas where the story tends to lack a little polish (the sudden and sometimes non-existent segues between the school comedy and the somewhat overly gory action spring to mind), but its nothing that will really kill the experience. Most viewers will be too busy laughing at the Three's Company-esque wacky misunderstandings and seemingly self-aware clichés to notice the rough bits. One area where Full Metal Panic! truly excels, however, is in the visuals. Whether it's the imaginative mecha designs, the detailed characters, or just the fluidity of the action, GONZO delivers with the impressively eye-catching style for which they've come to be known. You'll find yourself rewinding more than a few times just so you can try to take in every little aspect of the action, be it the refined combat of two larger than life machines or the violent outbursts of a girl who is completely misreading the situation (see Three's Company mentioned above). All in all, this is a solid series with enough unanswered elements to leave its viewers wanting more. This is not entirely a bad thing, however, as more Full Metal Panic! goodness is available in the forms of a continuation (Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid) and a side story (Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu). Even with the imperfections present, this is the great series that deserves a spot in any anime collection
EXTRAS:
Full Metal Panic! comes packed with the usual extras such as previews and textless opening & ending sequences, but ADV mixes things up a bit by adding some production sketches onto each disc. Perhaps the most interesting extra, though, is the inclusion of the “Japanese Piracy Warning” and a rather parodic speech overlaid onto the standard FBI Warning.
SUMMARY:
With it's unique take on the “mecha-action” genre, Full Metal Panic! provides a meaty experiences with great comedy, likable characters, and even a bit of fan-service thrown in for good measure. This is definitely a series that both mecha fans and people wary of the genre can enjoy. I laughed. I cried. It was better than Cats. |
