Full Metal Panic! Vol. 7 2002 ADV Films Official US Website Buy It Now Official Japanese Website

Back when Full Metal Panic first started coming out, there were a few mixed feelings. There were some that expected by the title that there was going to be quite a bit more mecha action that what was delivered, and although it has been a part of the series, it hasn't been the most integral part, and instead there's been a bit more comedy that what the title would elude to. However, there are others, like myself, which are fine with the change of pace. I may like mecha series just as much as the next person, but I'm also not bothered when the tides turn as it were, and the giant, hulking robots are put on the back burner slightly in order to present something just a little different. No matter what your thoughts are though, this marks the seventh, and final, volume in the series.

Gauron continues with his terrorist ways, especially now that he's managed to take control of Mithril's precious submarine and use it for his own, evil means. He's even taken his little stunt so far as to booby trap any access the crew member may find to enter the bridge, but Tessa has a plan, and it's going to mean Chidori is going to be have be fast on her feet, but that's never too difficult for her. The situation is going to culminate in a final showdown between Gauron and Sousuke, and it's going to cost one of them their lives.

There's been a great deal of build up to this final conclusion. In some ways, I actually was a bit disappointed by the ending of the series, especially since it's been so great to watch, but it's almost as if it was just kind of an afterthought. Granted, there is a second series, and that might have a great deal to do with it, and I'll at least give the creators credit for not going with a cliffhanger ending, something that is one of the greatest of evils with American television viewing, but there at least could have been something a little more. It actually didn't even have a humorous element and went more for the direction that makes you think, "What? That's it?"

There also seems to be quite a bit more CG in these last three episodes than what has been present in the past. Again, I'm not really a big fan of CG combined with cel animation, and there have been very few series released where it wasn't bothered me. With Full Metal Panic, it's not necessarily the main focus, and I am certainly glad that the decision wasn't to use CG for the mechas themselves, but it also does still stick out quite a bit, but for what it's worth, it still doesn't become a primary focus, and the CG does tend to but a passing fancy, and even though there is more usage, the classic animation is still the main feature.

And, some of those scenes are done very well. The sequences involving Chidori and the Lady Chapel, the network "brains" of the sub, are interesting to say the least, and it does result in some humorous bits at times, but surrealism is the in high order here as well. The final battle, does have some nice animation as well, although real time isn't a part of it, but you'll just have to see the episodes in order to full get what I'm talking about here as I don' want to give away to much. We'll leave major spoilers up to other sites.

In the extras category, I was actually hoping there might have been a teaser for the next series, although I'm not certain if ADV has the license yet, and if they do, they may very well be keeping it under wraps until just the right moment. The other extras are the usual that we've seen with the previous discs. There are clean versions of the open and close as well as production sketches, and of course the anti-piracy warning that are amusing. Again, there is a poster included, this time of Chidori, and there are of course characters and brief episode synopses, and that handy reversible cover as well.

Even with a slightly disappointing ending, Full Metal Panic still is a great series, and if you're currently reading this and have yet to check it out, I would urge that you start from the first episode and work from their. Don't go into this one thinking that it's going to be some adrenalin charged mecha anime though, because that's simply not the case at all. And, if you're already a fan of the anime, don't forget to check out the manga, also available from ADV, and no, they didn't pay me off for a cheap plug.

Episode 22 - Jack in the Box

With Gauron in command, things look hopeless, but Tessa seems to have a plan. It's going to be risky, and could very well mean death for them, but she's willing to risk it. Meanwhile, Kurz and Sagara try and make their way to the bridge, but Gauron's men are standing in the way, and they don't' plan on giving up easily.

Episode 23 - Field of Giants

It seems that Tessa's plan has paid off, and with the help of Sagara, Chidori manages to get into the brains of the submarine and helps get control back to the rightful owners. Gauron however isn't going to give up so easily, and he heads for the Venom.

Episode 24 - Into the Blue

You're just going to have to watch this one in order to see how it all ends. Don't look to me for answers.

-mike-
 

Genre: Action Comedy   Series Director: Koichi Chigira   Directed by: Episode 22 - Akihiko Nishiyama Episode 23 - Yasunori Urada Episode 24 - Koichi Chigira   Written by: Episode 22 - Seiji Sogo Episode 23 & 24 - Koichi Chigira   Based Upon the Manga by: Syouji Gatoh & Retsu Tateo   Voice Cast: Tomokazu Seki (Sousuke Sagara) Satsuki Yokino (Kaname Chidori) Michiko Neya (Melissa Mao) Shinichiro Miki (Kurz Weber)

DVD Features: Dual Language Japanese/English English Subtitles Production Sketches Clean open and close Reversible Cover Enclosed Poster Contains Episodes 22 - 24