Full Metal Panic

    (ADV Manga, 2003-2005)
™ and © 2004 Retsu Tateo, Shouji Gatou, and Shikidouji

Standard cute high-school girl Kaname is being protected and/or stalked by a Sosuke, an exchange student from some unspecified “war zone”—which is supposed to explain away his extreme attitude towards school safety.

Of course, he’s really a member of the “stealth anti-terrorist organization” Mithril, which believes Kaname has been targeted for kidnapping by unnamed terrorists. And, since they don’t show up in Vol. 1, instead of a manga replay of the movie The Bodyguard, Sosuke’s blazing guns and no-nonsense attitude comes up against a usual suspect list of Japanese high-school characters and situations with mostly limp results.

The major problem, besides the generic title that sounds like a videogame, is there just isn’t much comedy in this supposed action-comedy. It doesn’t help that the bland Kaname refuses to believe she’s in any danger, so Sosuke comes off as a mentally disturbed stalker who’s allowed to take guns to school. Hardly most folks’ idea of a good time.

— S.A. Bennett
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  NotesWriterArtist
#5

June, 2004
Cover Price: $9.99
1 copy available for $19.99 		Shouji GatouRetsu Tateo
#8

July, 2005
Cover Price: $9.99
1 copy available for $74.99 		Shouji GatouRetsu Tateo