Full Metal Panic!: TSR - first thoughts

[RedMage]

Yesterday I attended a video room screening of the first four episodes of Full Metal Panic!: The Second Raid here at SugoiCon. I thought I'd offer a few brief thoughts for the benefit of others who've been anticipating this release.

The Good

The FMP franchise's definitive mix of military action and slapstick high school comedy is back and undiluted.

In fact, the action scenes just in these early episodes are more gripping and convincing than they ever were in the original FMP!. The climactic battles we can be sure will appear in the series' conclusion should be truly epic. And on the other side of the coin, the comic scenes are well up to the quality of their counterparts in FMP! or even Fumofuu. Aside from antics of Sosuke, Kaname, and the rest of the gang we've come to know and love, one of the new major villain characters is a source of continual hilarity.

The Bad

If you found the original FMP! a little too violent for your taste, TSR is probably not for you. There's a lot of blood being spilled even at this early stage. In one scene a soldier's throat gets slashed and we can clearly see his severed windpipe.

Furthermore, while the original FMP! never had anything worse from a sexuality standpoint than a little mild fan-service and even Fumofuu never went past comedy nudity, TSR goes a lot further. Among the new villains are a pair of assassin/AS-pilot "sisters" whose relationship has heavy incest-yuri overtones. There's a shower scene where breasts are clearly displayed.

Finally, maybe it's only me, but the increase in intensity of the action scenes has made the sharp contrast between the show's action elements and its comedy elements and the rapid juxtaposition between the two slightly troubling at times. It's impossible not to chuckle when the new villain randomly shoots and kills a nameless subordinate for a foolish remark, then three seconds later realizes he's dead and melodramatically laments the senseless violence, but it can be a bit unsettling. While previous military action-comedies like Nadesico gained their effectiveness from blending comic and parodic themes with tasteful serious scenes emphasizing the tragedy of war, TSR doesn't seem to be aiming for anything more than entertaining explosions and cheap laughs.

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Among the new villains are a pair of assassin/AS-pilot "sisters" whose relationship has heavy incest-yuri overtones.

Ehhh I wouldn't say it's really all that heavy. But there is some.

What's cool that a lot of the scenes where they are in (minor spoiler)
[spoiler]Hong Kong[/spoiler]
Are based off of real places.

TSR is certainly a lot darker too, and has more drama.

[Splitter 2.0]

Ehhh I wouldn't say it's really all that heavy. But there is some.

What's cool that a lot of the scenes where they are in (minor spoiler)
[spoiler]Hong Kong[/spoiler]
Are based off of real places.

TSR is certainly a lot darker too, and has more drama.

Not all that heavy? I don't want to get into an arguement with you, but they kiss. Naked. With each other. There's not an anime I've seen that goes that far with yuri incest outside of TSR.

Although, I think more people will be creeped out by Gates if anything. That man is... well, words or pictures for this guy would both result in being banned, so I'll just let the DVD do the talking.

The drama has indeed escalated and is a welcome change from the silliness of Fumoffu. TSR is all about the plot, and boy does it deliver. It's great to see Mithril back in action!

[Mr. SmartyPants]

Not all that heavy? I don't want to get into an arguement with you, but they kiss. Naked. With each other. There's not an anime I've seen that goes that far with yuri incest outside of TSR.

I don't recall a kiss. But I'll trust your judgement. I haven't seen it for about over a year.

[Kaligraphic]

The first one was better. In TSR, the battles were okay, but the villain wasn't worth it - Gauron was much more believable. Basically, it's a weak sequel. (Kind of disappointing, really, after the original Full Metal Panic was so strong.)