FMP! The Second Raid

[Circle]

I don't think Leonard will be killed at the end of the novels. Something along the lines of being rescued from his evil ways is what I'd expect. Family's important, it'd be too bad if Tessa and Leonard can't make amends and become loving brother-sister again.

Well, even if Leonard does die in the end, I think before he dies, his mind will be clear and his heart back on the side of JUSTICE!

[KashimArbalestAS]

Leonard doesn't seem to be evil, because he follows his own ways. He's not really fixed on the path of evil, but does things that are evil. Anyway, Dancing Very Merry Christmas is said to be the first of, or the novel right before, the said half way mark Gatoh planned. So did BOMF the novel just come out in Japan?

The Second Raid itself seems suggestive, the second raid. If they keep adding things to it, then it won't be thought about much as The Second Raid because it will have all these different plots and stories going on that aren't related to each other, as in the End of Day by Day, Dancing Very Merry Christmas, Continuing On My Own, and etc., since End of Day by Day is pretty much independant of Dancing Very Merry Christmas, but in Continuing On My Own, AI initiate ECS, <Roger, initiating ECS>,[ecs]Hayashimizu talks to Sousuke about the seajacking of the Pacific Christmas. His talk also consists of important factors about Sousuke, so it's major if it is going to be animated.[/ecs]

Though I of course hope for more of Full Metal Panic!: The Second Raid.

[Weltall Elite]

I don't think Leonard will be killed at the end of the novels. Something along the lines of being rescued from his evil ways is what I'd expect.

God, I hope not. >_<

Leonard doesn't seem to be evil, because he follows his own ways. He's not really fixed on the path of evil, but does things that are evil.

Doing evil things outside of the parameters of an evil organization because you have your own selfish agenda doesn't make you LESS evil! >_<

[Anysia]

Down, Weltall! You have an entire thread for your vitriol in regards to Leonard.

Am I the only person who actually prefers the serious storylines to Fumoffu-style hilarity?

[KashimArbalestAS]

Well, it is his own agenda. He just accomplishes his tasks in different ways than most people...Though of course he does tasks for those who are on the path of evil, like you said, selfish.

I enjoy both the seriousness and comedy of the Full Metal Panic! series. I think the funny stuff, especially Full Metal Panic? FUMOFFU is a much needed relief from the action packed serious story line. Serious and comedy always will be an essential part of Full Metal Panic!, since there are many novels based solely on comedy or the serious plot moving story line.

[Taurec]

just because I dont know any anime with 10 eps at all.

Seikai no Senki II aka BOTS has 10 eps. and some of the end 2004 / 2005 fanservice girly crap had 11 eps.

Still fact is there are only 10 episode titles available on the official website and they updated it recently.

@Any

Nope, but fumo had some nice moments. and still seems to be part of the fmp universe.

[Weltall Elite]

Down, Weltall! You have an entire thread for your vitriol in regards to Leonard.

Am I the only person who actually prefers the serious storylines to Fumoffu-style hilarity?

Alright, fine...

Ahem. I disagree, but I respect your opinion. (How's that?)

I don't know which I prefer. I think both have their perks and it depends on what mood I'm in. But I do think the serious storyline makes the characters more real. Fumoffu distorted characterization at points for humor, while I think TSR gets deeper into their personalities.

[Tulip Baroo]

I don't think Leonard will be killed at the end of the novels. Something along the lines of being rescued from his evil ways is what I'd expect. Family's important, it'd be too bad if Tessa and Leonard can't make amends and become loving brother-sister again.

Damn that would be a real cop out, I'd get so mad if they let him get away with that, but you're probably right!

[Pyrite]

Am I the only person who actually prefers the serious storylines to Fumoffu-style hilarity?

I don't disagree that the serious parts of FMP make up the main story, while the funny one-shots will never be anything more than side arcs. However, (and this is also in response to those who actually agreed with my opinion), the fact that TSR and ODBD have already gone this far signals that we have crossed a line, and that there may not be a turning back.

Remember when ODBD was described as the darkest of the novels yet? Then we had DVMC, which was slightly lighter, but from the looks of things, COMO and BOMF are going to take us "back into hell", as the author likes to put it, and further. [ecs]Gauron is shot in cold blood, heads are severed and sent rolling across the ground, Kyouko and Arbalest get pwnt badly, Kaname kidnapped for what seems to be an extended period of time (more than one novel, presumably, considering BOMF), Nami - yes, she counts too - presumably killed in graphic detail outside of an AS, but I could be wrong...[/ecs] Most importantly, I can't imagine any funny stuff until [ecs]Kaname returns[/ecs], and even then, that might well be the end of the novels.

The anime doesn't help matters. If ever another season is created in the spirit of Fumoffu, the least we'll end up remembering is that TSR was R-15, which'll be a mercy compared to remembering naked twincest, visible tracheal cross-sections and Gates fapping to kittens. There are just some things you can't return to.

P.S. I just can't think of Leonard turning over that new leaf. More than the whole "evil" business, he seems like the kind of guy who does what he wants however he wants, and everybody else be damned.

[Weltall Elite]

The anime doesn't help matters. If ever another season is created in the spirit of Fumoffu, the least we'll end up remembering is that TSR was R-15, which'll be a mercy compared to remembering naked twincest, visible tracheal cross-sections and Gates fapping to kittens. There are just some things you can't return to.

Well, I agree with you for the most part, but I think it can return to normal after ODBD. There were light, funny short stories after both ODBD and DVMC. After BOMF? Well... I think that depends on what happens to Kaname while she's kidnapped.

[AEmer]

engage ecs:

[ecs]I see ODBD as a sort of trial run where Gatoh basically derailed the fumoffu setting, whereupon he restored it in book two...and I hated the restoration part of it as a concequence - well, hate is a strong word - but at the very least, I felt it was a pretty bad solution.

It had to be done, though, since Gatoh realized that derailing the storyline at that point wouldn't be ideal - so, he returned to the fumoffu playground, did some more funnies and DVMC, untill trying again with COMO...

ODBD still marks a change, though, but it's subtle: Sousuke becomes his own person, rather than simply a pawn of mithril. Very important, as Sousuke will be the main character upon the end of COMO...with his own motivations, and goals. Incorporating the change into ODBD, and then using it in COMO is far better than trying to do both in COMO.

What's interesting to this discussion, is that ODBD _does not_ mark the point of no return to the fumoffu environment. COMO does. Which means that there is plenty of room for a fumoffu season with DVMC at the end, straight after TSR - that would be far far better than simply doing COMO right afterwards.
-
I still don't believe that they can do the ending of TSR in only 3 episodes though - the comming battle will be cluzot and Sousuke, there will be a scene where Cluzot beats up kurtz, and there will be a discussion between tessa and Sousuke, and there will be a scene where Cluzot beats up Sousuke...then, there will be some Kaname stuff.

That leaves 2 episodes. One of them will be Kaname and the Assasin duking it out on the rooftop, the love hotel scene, and the leonard and Kaname kissing scene..., On the Sousuke front, news of the problems in Hong Kong will pour in, they will go there, and start exploring, while witnessing the venom and Sousuke gets seperated.

That leaves 1 episode. Sousuke talks with Gauron, who answers some questions. Recall the conversation between Wraith and Sousuke in kast episode?, the gauron sousuke one will take atleast as long. Sousuke will hop out the window, he'll land, and decide to leave everything - whereupon the arbalast falls down and he meets up with Kaname. They discuss, and he gets slapped for being a baka. He reluctantly enters the arbalast, and gets ready to go catch the venom - and it's about time, since it has the mithril forces nearly beaten.

That leaves no episodes for the conclusion. Nomatter how you look at it, 3 episodes is _not_ enough to wrap the story up. But 11 or 12 is enough.[/ecs]

[Weltall Elite]

[ecs]I don't there is a "Fumoffu setting" to be derailed. I don't think there ever was. The side stories are their everyday life and Sousuke learning to adapt to it. I don't think ODBD was ever meant to change that. I think it was meant to change Sousuke's perspective and motivations on what he did and why. Basically, it helps him to grow up and decide what he wants out of life. Once the angst was over and things went back to normal, of course they'd go back to the "Fumoffu setting". Their lives didn't change. Just their perspectives on it.

Granted, that's basically the same angle you took on ODBD, but I think ALL the large novels "derailed" the goofy setting at least temporarily and they ALL restored it in the end. In that regard, ODBD is no more or less than any of the other novels.

I'm not even sure it ends with COMO. We don't know that yet. We'll know that after Sousuke gets Kaname back. Maybe that won't happen until the story is over. Maybe the story will get really dark and they'll have to live on the run. Maybe they'll become a couple. Or maybe they'll go back to their normal lives and readjust even though everyone knows about Sousuke, Kaname probably has a few more scars, and their feelings for each other might be out in the open. We don't know.[/ecs]

[AEmer]

[ecs]
Firstly:
"
In that regard, ODBD is no more or less than any of the other novels.
"
Excepting, of course, that Gatoh left it 'derailed' after the first ODBD novel...that's the first time he's left the setting derailed after at the end of a novel. I have, of course, not read any of the prior novels, so his afterword is crucial towards understanding the abnormality of this decision.

Secondly, we do know what Gatoh has said about the fumoffu setting versus the novel setting - his own afterwords. I can't quote them off the top of my head, but they're short, and if you've got the novels it's easy to reexamine them...I recall that it was made clear that the main storyline setting would be made to continue, and that the fumoffu stories were done in a setting that would not be kept within the main story; it would 'evolve'.

I suppose it is plausible it does not end with COMO, but I'd say the chance it doesn't is, roughly...5% or so.

In reply to your first comment, Gatoh is not that seasoned a writer. While he's certainly a commercial success, he's still experimenting and developing his own abilities. I believe ODBD was partly a test run of how he'd be able to handle a derailed setting where Sousuke and Kaname are _not_ together...After all, he's got a setting and a story, and while he's obviously enjoyed writing short stories within the setting, the story must also come to an end, and it's his job to figure out how he's gonna be able to accomplish that...[/ecs]

[KashimArbalestAS]

Well, the only person who knows Shoji Gatoh the best would be Shoji Gatoh himself. He knows his talents and abilities. And only he knows what direction his Full Metal Panic! universe is heading. It's like he's the driver and we're the passengers. We go wherever he goes.

[Weltall Elite]

Excepting, of course, that Gatoh left it 'derailed' after the first ODBD novel...that's the first time he's left the setting derailed after at the end of a novel. I have, of course, not read any of the prior novels, so his afterword is crucial towards understanding the abnormality of this decision.

Bah. That was still one story. They just broke it up into two parts because it was so long. It's not like there was any kind of gap between the two.

Oh, as for it evolving, I guarantee it will evolve. It already has evolved. And will continue to do so. Doesn't mean it's the end of anything though.

In reply to your first comment, Gatoh is not that seasoned a writer. While he's certainly a commercial success, he's still experimenting and developing his own abilities. I believe ODBD was partly a test run of how he'd be able to handle a derailed setting where Sousuke and Kaname are _not_ together...After all, he's got a setting and a story, and while he's obviously enjoyed writing short stories within the setting, the story must also come to an end, and it's his job to figure out how he's gonna be able to accomplish that...

[ecs]Nah. I don't think ODBD was just some experiment. If it was an experiment, it would returned to how it was at the beginning of the novel like the prior three novels, instead of developing the characters. It introduced a point of change in the story. It also marked the beginning of Sousuke finally resolving to live in a peaceful Japanese setting, and nearly accomplishing it and establishing something with the girl he loves before it's all taken away.[/ecs]