FMP S1-REVIEW-Episode 1 "The Guy I kinda Like is a Serg

[Charles Phipps]

Hey folks

This is the thread devoted to reviewing episode 1 of the television series. Since everyone, or darn near everyone, has the DVDs I hope we can all add our particular thoughts to the show and get a better perspective of the characters along with the general plotline.

Dissenting opinions are of course WELCOME.

I'll try to be organized about it as well.....

Plot Summary:

[hl=black]Sergeant Sosuke Sagara is assigned to Japanese schooling after a successful operation retrieves a Whispered from behind the Soviet Bloc. Sosuke is ridiculously out of place in guarding young miss Chidori and several unpleasant incidents occur that get him branded as a pervert[/hl]

The plot's opener is what immediately drew me in as the mystery, military, and artistry of it all made for a spectacular beginning. The fact that the show then switched immediaely to a high school drama was a disconcerting effect that initially made me unaware of where exactly to go in the story.

It was an absurdity that COULD have busted the premise and suspension of disbelief but didn't.

Artwork:

The opening battle sequence is one of the most beautiful in the series in my view. The young and frightened young "Betty" (fan name) fleeing the Soviet Union is something that is beautifully played along with our heroes introduction. I'm not usually a fan of action or mecha but the sights drew me in with the use of CG beautifully done to make it seem slightly otherworldly the technology.

Kaname is a character whose art I've always been an admirer of (though watching it with my anime loving girlfriend is a tad difficult since I don't know how quite to explain a series with so many scenes of the heroine naked).

I couldn't say I liked Kyoko's character design when I saw it. It seemed too stereotypically "anime" and made me think her character would be nothing but comic relief with a nasal voice (call em like I...)

Mao's appearance I liked very much and thought of it as a somewhat more sexy version of the Major from Ghost in the Shell whom I never saw the attraction for. Kurz's design I was even about and Sosuke appeared like an actual battered and bloodied youth.

Hero Yui is a pretty boy but Sosuke actually looks at least somewhat like can take care of himself and has had the shavit beaten out of him on several occasions. It makes him more realistic even if people should be reacting more to the fact that he looks like a prize fighter.

Characters:

Sosuke Sagara is the lead of the series we know and someone that we're supposed to root for. The fact he's a mature adult here is unscored by the idiocy of his decisions. Season 2 will play Sosuke as a tad more deranged than here where he's merely ignorant of how normal people react.

Still, I've got to ask whether anyone actually knew Sosuke when they sent him on this mission or if they just saw 'sixteen year old Japanese boy with extensive combat skills' and put him there. He treats Jindai like a warzone and Mao, Kurz give NO support. He's obviously not even briefed on social customs or laws in the region about firearms.

Frankly, were Mao and Kurz taking it seriously they probably should have scrapped the mission and had Melissa take a role as school nurse or teacher with Eric becoming a janitor or something.

Sheer luck is all that saves Sosuke from being expelled in his first week or criminal charges being filed.

(Bourne Identity paraphrase- What is the Japanese word for STAKE OUT!?!)

Chidori Kaname is a character we’re introduced to the prospect there is something ODD about. She is a person that fit’s the role of many a gonzo heroine; loud, brash, filled with leadership potential, uhhhh bountiful land tracts, athletic, and unfortunately little luck with boys. The most unrealistic aspect of the show (including Whispered as well as the Soviets still being in power) since ego-destroying girls are the most popular type over here in America (I know, I date one-just kidding honey)

Given her being raised in America, this is understandable.

Her liking of Sagara Sosuke is a bit of a mystery but I think her mistaking his casing her as interest is something that probably had a lot to do with it. With so few prospects, a good looking man taking interest has got to be an eye opener.

As the two characters who receive the most attention its easy to overlook the secondary characters. Some aspects are telling though.

Melissa Mao is perfectly fine with spying on a person for long periods with no knowledge or care to her privacy.

Kurz hangs the young girls’ photo in his mecha. Slightly creepy in my opinion.

MIRTHIL’s motives seem fairly ambigious here. We know the girl is being experimented on in the Soviet Union but we actually have little knowledge that the situation is any better in Mirthil. It is indeed highly probable, as Teletha Tessarosta will later show, that they are merely used to benefit their technological needs.

The fact that they chose to make a Robotech (minus the aliens) like world while the Cold War is still freezing is an interesting choice that has dire ramifications on the work that may not be readily apparent. At least to an American audience. Many of the behaviors and mannerisms of the characters that might otherwise be highly offense, Sagara’s military behavior in a high school, I excused unconsciously because of the fact that he was against the communists.

Blame my background.

Overall: The first episode to the series is a strong introduction that nevertheless shows the schizophrenia that will plague the series. Is this a serious war/sci fi show or a high school drama? Also some of Sagara's behaviors tend to rub me alittle the wrong way

6.5/10

[Dannan]

I really appreciate the review. it's got great format (sum. + analysis). I would like to know on what basis u r handing out the ratings though thanks

[Andrei Burnside]

Melissa Mao is perfectly fine with spying on a person for long periods with no knowledge or care to her privacy.

Kurz hangs the young girls’ photo in his mecha. Slightly creepy in my opinion.

Melissa take a role as school nurse or teacher with Eric becoming a janitor or something.

It's WEBER not WEBBER. Sousuke not SOSUKE. Kyouko not KYOKO. Since you refer to everyone but Melissa by her first name...Why not her?

Okay. The rest of the summary seems pretty well thought out. But these assertations are just plain wrong.

First. Do you think the Secret Service ever lets up? No. They're stuck to president whatever he does, and wherever he is. Even if it's an Audio feed. Melissa is simply doing her duty, mentioning the shower was simply giving Kurz and Sousuke her position. Remember, abduction can happen at anytime. We've got helicopters, and the like. Which allows for such things as window extractions.

Second. You are obviously not familiar with conventions that date back to WW2. Typically, the pilot puts a picture of his sweetheart or a pinup/pretty girl in his cockpit. Perfectly normal. Furthermore, he might need that picture for recognition later, in case he's actually got to use the M-9. Ever seen bomber noses from WW2 and beyond? They've got stenciled pictures of scantily clad/ pretty women on 'em. Perfectly natural.
He did remark "she's gonna be one fine babe". Normal and Hormonal. Not creepy.

Third. WTF is your beef with Kurz and Melissa? They are some of the more well rounded characters in FMP and people you can easily get along with. Unlike Sousuke. Or Kaname. Or Tessa. Personal Bias is infesting your critques. And it's pissing me off . Personal Bias is fine and good, as long as you don't try to claim you're non-biased. You also need to back up your opinions, you make a lot of unsupported statements.

Fourth. Melissa and Kurz do give him support. Sousuke just can't let down his guard. You're assuming he's a normal human being. He isn't. Every place he's LIVED was a warzone. You can't apply that arguement.

5th. No. You cannot follow someone around like that if you're the Janitor. With Melissa's looks she'd be deluged with losers and horny punks who wanted to get into her pants. It would hinder her efficiency. Kurz wouldn't like the job, or the setup and he's lazy. He'd hit on everyone and get fired for harrasment, Melissa would prolly beat up some asshole and she'd get fired for assault. Sousuke is needed because he blends in as student.

[Charles Phipps]

Hey no problemo, just as a note though...

My reviews are highly biased and will only get MORE biased as time goes on. I make no apologies about this since I think it defeats the purpose of a review if I don't make a clear and concrete opinion.

Here's the way it works with me. I like some characters more than others. If I don't say what I like and I don't then my reviews are worthless in my opinion.

"The art is drawn with many sketches"

I want people to post in these threads their own reviews. However, the fact remains that I'm going to oogle over Tessa more than other characters. Feel free to skip if you don't want to read that (or better-do your own review)

I'll try to work on the mispellings.

In any case, It's not so much I disagree with Kurz putting up a picture. It's just of KANAME the girl in his immediate voyeuristic vicinity is all I'm saying.

My system for rating is based on a 1/10 enjoyment scale.

1- Abyssmal
5- Average anime enjoyment
10- Best anime EVARRR

[Reaper DXR-7]

I highly suggest you read more "profesional" anime reviews.

Their are such things as a "Personal Review"
and a "Profesional Review"

note: you should say whether this is a Profesional style review or personal review, because if you don't clarify which it is, the feed back can get pretty nasty.

[Charles Phipps]

Under no circumstances will I attempt in any way, shape, or form to keep my review professionally biased. The opinions will be a more polite (I hope) version of Aint it Cool's review system by Harry Knowles where fans of the anime can hopefully give their comments on the show with no attempt to remain unbiased or hold back their opinions since we're all already fans of the show.

Instead this review thread is about fans gushing on episodes about what they loved, what got them involved, what left them cold, and otherwise what I believe to be superior and more enjoyable reviews in instead pure fan opinion.

I welcome individuals giving professional reviews but I as creator of the thread would prefer individuals participating (and my opinion is only a minor voice here) to give their unvarnished favoritism or distaste for certain eps.

[Charles Phipps]

Hmmmm actually in retrospect, I'm not sure that's such a good idea.

I will try to give more professional reviews and save my personal commentary for later in the thread. Thank you for correcting me.

Some more comments that come to mind though....

A interesting feeling also is given from the technology in the world of 'Full Metal Panic.' The otherworldly feeling of the CGI is mentioned earlier but it seems to basically LEAP OFF the storyboards here in being much more real than the two dimensional characters around it. I wonder if this is an effect of Black Technology being displayed since 'normal tech' doesn't have this quality. Is Black Technology magical, superscience, alien, some combination of the above? All of this is conveyed in images and not words for a spectacular feel.

[Kelek]

Since you refer to everyone but Melissa by her first name...Why not her?

Because they refer to her as "Mao" in the canon. However, I
call Chidori by her last name because I dislike her and
because someone I know is named Kaname.

[Andrei Burnside]

Hmmmm actually in retrospect, I'm not sure that's such a good idea.

I will try to give more professional reviews and save my personal commentary for later in the thread. Thank you for correcting me.

Some more comments that come to mind though....

A interesting feeling also is given from the technology in the world of 'Full Metal Panic.' The otherworldly feeling of the CGI is mentioned earlier but it seems to basically LEAP OFF the storyboards here in being much more real than the two dimensional characters around it. I wonder if this is an effect of Black Technology being displayed since 'normal tech' doesn't have this quality. Is Black Technology magical, superscience, alien, some combination of the above? All of this is conveyed in images and not words for a spectacular feel.

Thanks for being honest. Thanks for not being pompous. It takes some guts to admit you're wrong. I admire that. DAMN good point.

[Sgt. Sagara Sousuke]

Just got to reading it. Lots of words. Though I don't really see any against-Kaname-biased-parts. Was the review edited?

In any case, I'll comment about both Mithril and Amalgam using the Whispered to their own advantages. I think that's true and that is one idea I'm exploring in my fic.
Anyways, I think the point here is how they put to use these Whispereds. Where Amalgam prefers the kidnap-and-drug-it-out-of-their-brain method, Mithril is more civilised, prefering them to cooperate rather than force them. That's probably why most nations don't go on the offensive on Mithril (if they even know about the Whispereds)

(Pardon my English)

[Charles Phipps]

No editing on my part or anyone elses, near as I can tell. Kaname is my second favorite character after Tessa (Mao is third). Interesting thoughts Sergeant.

I have the idea that Mirthil is also capable of deception. I think the Whispered are alot like The Pretender in the fact they are raised in a vacuum if at all possible.

One idea I had for a fiction was that Tessa's brother was initially a swell guy and a pacifist to boot that Mithril couldn't get him to make weapons so they decided instead to basically give him contracts for things that when combined together could make weapons.

Leonardo eventually caught on though but only after being grabbed by one of Mithril's more mercenary members (a younger Gauron) and shown the devastation wrecked by them first hand in certain hotspots

Gauron who sold the designs to the Soviet Union through Kanlin of the KGB then set up Leonardo with some friends of his as he became obsessed with dismantling Mirthil. The Amalgam project was made and Tessa was to be raised a 'soldier' so the same backlash didn't occur.

Kanlin of course defected when he saw what the Soviet Union would cook up now that they knew of the Whispered. It was supposed to be a big backstory for the show, then I realized with the novels...well...why bother.