is a series of light novels written by Shoji Gatoh and illustrated by Shikidouji. The series follows Sousuke Sagara, a member of the covert anti-terrorist private military organization known as Mithril, tasked with protecting Kaname Chidori, a hot-headed Japanese high school girl born with strange abilities that attracts the attention of various antagonistic groups.
Individual chapters are published on Monthly Dragon Magazine, followed by a paperback compilation released by Fujimi Shobo's Fujimi Fantasia Bunko. The novels are split between stories focusing on Sousuke's mission as a soldier of Mithril and comedic side stories centered on his life at Jindai High School.
The series has been adapted into different media; including four anime television series: Full Metal Panic! by Gonzo in 2002, Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu and Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid by Kyoto Animation in 2003 and 2005 respectively. An OVA was also released in 2006; and the newest television series, Full Metal Panic! Invisible Victory by Xebec, premiered in April 2018. The series also had several different manga series.
Tokyopop licensed the novels for English-language publication in North America and released parts of the series, while ADV Films licensed and dubbed the first season and the spin-off. The second season was licensed by Kadokawa Pictures USA with ADV Films producing the dub yet again. Mandalay Pictures acquired the film rights to the series in 2009. At Anime USA 2009, Funimation announced that it had acquired the rights to the first and second series of Full Metal Panic! and both were re-released and remastered on DVD and Blu-ray in 2010. The series premiered in North America on November 22, 2010, on Funimation Channel. The Fumoffu series made its North American television debut on the Funimation Channel on November 15, 2010.
A spin-off to the light novel series titled Full Metal Panic! Another was serialized between 2011 and 2016. Another received a manga adaptation split in two series. The light novels have sold 11 million copies.
Development When starting the series, Shoji Gatoh commented that as the series' theme was "Boy Meets Girl". Gatoh worked in the order to keep that as the focus regardless of the several other conflicts the story presented. Gatoh and Shiki Douji had a close relationship in the making of the novels. Gatoh gave Douji freedom in the design of the characters such as Sagara and Leonardo who were given multiple traits. On the other hand, Gatoh also gave Douji references for "gentlemen" featured in the story.
During production, Gatoh did not find difficulties in creating a balance between sci-fi and realistic elements since multiple Japanese series like Tetsujin 28 and Mazinger Z already provide the demographic a mixture between those elements. Originally, Douji felt that the characters were too realistic. Believing the teenage demographic would not like them, the author changed them so that were seen as cooler characters. Although the duo did not have difficulties with the novels' serious storylines, they still had problems with comedy.
Chidori and Sousuke's relationship was based on Japanese comedy due to how the two interact. To create a more interesting dynamic between the two leads, Gatoh wanted to change the ways Sagara and Chidori interact as he was tired of female characters requiring to be protected in the making for the light novels. As a result, Chidori instead supports Sagara multiple times.
Plot The series follows Sousuke Sagara, a member of a covert anti-terrorist private military organization known as Mithril, tasked with protecting Kaname Chidori, a spirited Japanese high school girl. He moves to Japan to study at Chidori's school, Jindai High School, with assistance from his comrades Kurz Weber and Melissa Mao. Having never experienced social interactions, Sousuke is seen as a military maniac by his schoolmates as he interprets everyday situations from a combat perspective. He comes to relate with Chidori who realizes that Sousuke is protecting her, but he does not reveal the reasons due to orders as well as the fact that he does not know why Chidori is being targeted by different organizations.
Characters (voiced by: Tomokazu Seki) is the main protagonist of the anime who is of mixed Afghan-Japanese heritage. While his Japanese heritage can be deduced by his surname, he grew up in Helmand, a region in Afghanistan caught up in political strife. At the age of eight, Sagara joined a guerrilla movement to survive and was eventually recruited by Mithril. He only knows military life and as a result, does not handle the everyday occurrences of civilian life very well. Sousuke has difficulty integrating into high school due to his lack of social skills. (voiced by: Satsuki Yukino) is the heroine of the anime who is direct and brash with her opinions, a trait she picked up when she studied abroad in the United States. Chidori feels the need to protect Sousuke from the harsh, cruel world of high school: a place where he doesn't quite fit. She is one of the "Whispered", a group of people who have technologically advanced knowledge in their subconscious that numerous governments and other groups want to use for their means. (voiced by: Yukana) is the captain of Mithril's submarine, Tuatha de Danaan. At 16 years old, she is the youngest member. Tessa maintains an optimistic outlook that she can make a difference in the world. is a sergeant in Mithril. A typical ladies' man who often offers Sousuke advice about life and love. He is laid-back, but will not avoid responsibilities. Kurz Weber is regarded as one of the finest snipers in Mithril. (voiced by: Michiko Negitani) is the superior officer of both Sousuke and Kurz. A heavy smoker who loves beer wishes, she is free-spirited and optimistic. (voiced by: Masahiko Tanaka) is the main antagonist, a twisted and violent mercenary who is involved in the black market and global terrorism. Despite possessing a manipulative personality, his ruthless cunning and mastery of the Lambda Drive system make him a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. Andrei Sergeivich Kalinin () is Sagara's commanding officer and one of Tessa's military strategists with the rank of lieutenant commander, fulfilling the role of Operations Director. He is also the foster father of Sagara. Andrei and Sousuke were once enemies as mentioned in a two-part episode by Sagara himself. Kim Yun-hee (voiced by: Sayaka Ohara [Japanese] and Christopher Ayres[English]) is a Korean ex-spy who is also a master of disguise. Despite seeming cold at first, following her 'rescue' by Kaname from Leonard Testarossa, she opens up slightly and secretly meets with Kan. Leonard Testarossa (voiced by: Daisuke Namikawa) is a child prodigy and Whispered like his younger twin sister, Teletha. He is known as "Mr. Silver" in the executive circle of the Amalgam organization.
Xia Yu Lan and Xia Yu Fan are Chinese-born assassins raised by Gauron, who ordered them to finish off Kaname Chidori to mentally break down Sousuke. is Kaname's best friend, a humble and polite girl who wears glasses and has her hair tied in two pigtails. She tries to bring Kaname and Sousuke together, which might seem impossible given Sagara's tendency to blow things up at whim. is Sousuke's Arm Slave-loving classmate. He shares the same amount of passion for AS as Sousuke and could be considered Sousuke's best school friend besides Kaname. His father is Shintaro Kazama and a secretary of Narashino's Assault Machine Troop. Shinji's love for AS began when his dad failed to become an AS pilot. As a result of his father's failure, Shinji strives to discover the result of the failure and to fulfil his father's dream of becoming a pilot. is Chidori's classmate who initially blamed her for stealing her boyfriend. She becomes one of her closer friends later on in the series. Mizuki is easily infatuated with various men, who usually take an interest in Kaname instead. is an English teacher at Jindai High and is the class advisor to Sousuke, Kaname, Kyoko, Shinji, and Mizuki in Class II-4. She is a kind teacher who is willing to put the interest of her students over her own. is the president of Jindai High's Student Council and a third year student. He is intelligent and seems to be able to deal with any situation no matter how difficult it is. is the Secretary of Jindai High's Student Council, a friend of Kaname's, and the daughter of a Yakuza boss. She is an example of Yamato nadeshiko – the Japanese ideal of femininity – and as such, she is beautiful, dependable, and caring. She seems to have feelings for Atsunobu Hayashimizu, the Student Council's president. She is voiced by Rie Tanaka in the original Japanese anime, by Nancy Novotny in the English version by ADV Films, and by Julie Shields in the English dub of Invisible Victory by Funimation.
Media
Light novels
The light novel series Full Metal Panic! is written by Shoji Gatoh and illustrated by Shikidouji. It was serialised by Fujimi Shobo in its monthly magazine Gekkan Dragon Magazine since June 1998 and published under the Fujimi Fantasia Bunko imprint in tankōbon format since September 1998. Gatoh often found delays in writing the novels, which led to delays to the publication of the series' volumes. The series focuses on Sergeant Sousuke Sagara's arrival to the Jindai High School where he was assigned to protect the student Kaname Chidori while also acting as a student.
A total of twelve full-length volumes have been released from September 18, 1998, to August 20, 2010. In parallel to the twelve volumes, nine standalone light novels of the series (which form the short story collection) have also been published from December 17, 1998, to August 20, 2011. Two more volumes titled Side Arms focusing on the past of some characters (which form the side story collection) and the birth of Mithril and Amalgam have been published on April 20, 2004, and July 20, 2006. In contrast to the full length volumes, short story collection focuses on the comedy elements from the series. In January 2010, Gatoh wrote another of these stories to celebrate Gekkan Dragon Magazines 300th issue, which has been included in the last short story collection volume.
Another series of spin-off novels, Full Metal Panic! Another, has been released by Naoto Ōguro with supervision of Shoji Gatoh, and also illustrated by Shikidouji, from August 20, 2011, to February 20, 2016, consisting of thirteen volumes and set years after the original series' ending.
On May 19, 2023, Kadokawa announced that a new Full Metal Panic! series would be published, centering on Sousuke and Kaname two decades after the events of FMP! The first volume of the series, titled Full Metal Panic! Family, was released on January 19, 2024.
Tokyopop licensed the Full Metal Panic! series for North America release, publishing the first regular light novel on September 11, 2007. The latest released volume is the fourth on February 1, 2011, which is a compilation from the original fourth and fifth full-length volumes from the series. No short story collection volumes nor side story collection ones have been published and the company has shut down its publishing operations in North America on May 31, 2011. In 2015, at Anime Expo and San Diego Comic-Con, Tokyopop announced that it would relaunch its publishing operations in North America. The following year, in 2016, Tokyopop also would consider light novels, but nothing has been disclosed about Full Metal Panic! novels publication.