September 07, 2003
Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu Episode 01-02
"The Man Who Came From the South"
"Lunch Time That Runs Idle"
Full Metal Panic!, much to my surprise, became one of my favorite shows last year. Giant mechs, military drama, mixed with a high school romantic comedy? It seemed too weird to appeal to me. Somehow, Gonzo pulled it off though. With high expectations, I was excited to hear that there was going to be a second season of Full Metal Panic! aired. And here it is!
The first episode of the show is actually two episodes (each about ten minutes in length). From what I've read in NewType USA, the show appears to be following the plot of the manga. Mostly, this involves Sagara's comedic inability to assimilate himself into the life of a normal, Japanese high school student.
The art takes a little hit in this series, character designs and locations not looking quite as sharp as they did last season. Also, the animation quality is definitely down from the high production values of the previous season (as the show has been passed on from Gonzo).
What we do still have, though, is a very good continuation of the romantic comedy portions of Full Metal Panic! We get two fun stories about the suitably bizarre romantic misadventures of Sosuke and Chidori. The first follows Sosuke as he deals with an anonymous love letter in his own hyper-paranoid way. The other episode gives the relationship between the two main characters a chance to come through, as they rush through the city trying to retrieve Chidori's literature homework. A storyline worthy of Full Metal Panic!
The drop in animation and art has me a little bummed about this series, but it still feels right. I'm hoping that in future episodes, more of the military aspects of the show pop up, but I'm not holding out hope. Still, the high school drama parts of the first season really helped make Full Metal Panic! a great show, so I'd say it's still a winner.
Rating: A-
Posted by Kei at September 7, 2003 12:19 PM