Full Metal Panic? (FUMOFFU) Volume 1.
November 12th 2007 01:24
Category: Movies
Director: Yasuhiro Takemoto.
Original Story: Shouji Gatou.
Producers: Takatoshi Hamano (Fuji TV), Shigeaki Tomioka, Tsuneo Takechi & Toshio Hatanaka.
Produced by: Fuji TV & Jindai High School Students Committee.
English Language Version: ADV Films.
Running Time: 75 minutes. Rating: PG.
A Japanese Anime comedy is not something that I’d usually expect to find on the shelves at my local library but then again it was in the library where I managed to borrow a copy of Kurosawa’s opus Seven Samurai so it should have been no surprise to see Full Metal Panic (FUMOFFU) Volume 1 on the shelf. So what exactly is Full Metal Panic (FUMOFFU), well as I mentioned it is anime and according to the lead female character it is a class room love comedy. Now romantic comedy isn’t exactly my forte but somehow FUMOFFU is not exactly what I would expect in such a genre, even one set in a Japanese high school. Still having said that I have to admit that after sticking the DVD in my computer and then watching it for the full seventy five minutes I really enjoyed it. It is definitely not what you’d expect and that is what makes it so appealing.
Most of the action in FUMOFFU takes place in Jindai Tokyo Municipal High School and its two main protagonists are Sousuke Sagara and Kaname Chidori. Sousuke is a military specialist with the rank of sergeant in a secret group of mercenaries who for some reason has been assigned by his superiors to protect Kaname Chidori. We first see Sousuke getting ready for school and making a report to his controller Captain Testarossa, this conversation takes place straight after the opening scene in which we find out that the intrepid Sgt Sagara has a tendency to be as the vice principal describes it; a chronic property wrecker. Sgt Sagara makes an exemplary soldier but is a dud as an undercover operative; he thinks in military terms and responds accordingly. In the first episode on the DVD his response to the tampering of his shoe locker at school is so over the top you just have to laugh at the absurdity of it all, but it just keeps getting better as the earnest sergeant just digs himself deeper into a hole.
In contrast to Sousuke the female protagonist of this series, Kaname Chidori, is a rather grounded young girl who has a far more normal reaction to situations, unlike her erstwhile bodyguard. Despite being more socially adept Kaname does have a terrible temper and a tendency to suddenly lash out with her fan, usually at the hapless Sousuke and usually after he’s made what seems to be a perfectly normal response to a particular situation – such as the detonation of his shoe locker. Naturally the question that has to be asked is why does Kaname have a bodyguard? Why is Sousuke keeping an eye on her? Apparently Kaname is a lot more than just an ordinary school girl but just what exactly is so special about her is not something covered in this volume and may not actually feature in this actual series. Still it’s not really a necessary thing to know in order to enjoy this show.
The DVD is divided into three episodes and two of these episodes are split into two separate stories. For my way of thinking my favourite episode is the second which gives the two stories Hostility Passing By and A Fruitless Lunchtime, their premises are fairly simple but the story they deliver is hilarious. This certainly isn’t the kind of action and plot you’d expect in a traditional romantic comedy, but then again you wouldn’t expect such a show to be focused around an undercover mercenary and the individual he’s protecting either. Most class room love stories are about fairly everyday individuals, your brainy student, the super athlete, the beautiful girl etc they usually aren’t covert operatives or someone with special abilities, unless things have drastically changed in movie land. But this is the strength of Full Metal Panic FUMOFFU; it takes a fairly ordinary premise and setting and then gives it a little twist to make it stand out from the crowd.
Apparently FUMOFFU is a spin off from another series called Full Metal Panic, though in that series the premise was more action based that feature the characters of Sousuke and Kaname. Much of the focus of that series revolves around the mercenary unit that Sousuke is a member of. The good thing is you do not need to see that original series to appreciate this one or get into the story. There are about four volumes in this particular series of Full Metal Panic FUMOFFU, so show some spirit and give this comedy a go, it’s definitely a feel good viewing experience.
Original Story: Shouji Gatou.
Producers: Takatoshi Hamano (Fuji TV), Shigeaki Tomioka, Tsuneo Takechi & Toshio Hatanaka.
Produced by: Fuji TV & Jindai High School Students Committee.
English Language Version: ADV Films.
Running Time: 75 minutes. Rating: PG.
A Japanese Anime comedy is not something that I’d usually expect to find on the shelves at my local library but then again it was in the library where I managed to borrow a copy of Kurosawa’s opus Seven Samurai so it should have been no surprise to see Full Metal Panic (FUMOFFU) Volume 1 on the shelf. So what exactly is Full Metal Panic (FUMOFFU), well as I mentioned it is anime and according to the lead female character it is a class room love comedy. Now romantic comedy isn’t exactly my forte but somehow FUMOFFU is not exactly what I would expect in such a genre, even one set in a Japanese high school. Still having said that I have to admit that after sticking the DVD in my computer and then watching it for the full seventy five minutes I really enjoyed it. It is definitely not what you’d expect and that is what makes it so appealing.
The DVD is divided into three episodes and two of these episodes are split into two separate stories. For my way of thinking my favourite episode is the second which gives the two stories Hostility Passing By and A Fruitless Lunchtime, their premises are fairly simple but the story they deliver is hilarious. This certainly isn’t the kind of action and plot you’d expect in a traditional romantic comedy, but then again you wouldn’t expect such a show to be focused around an undercover mercenary and the individual he’s protecting either. Most class room love stories are about fairly everyday individuals, your brainy student, the super athlete, the beautiful girl etc they usually aren’t covert operatives or someone with special abilities, unless things have drastically changed in movie land. But this is the strength of Full Metal Panic FUMOFFU; it takes a fairly ordinary premise and setting and then gives it a little twist to make it stand out from the crowd.
Apparently FUMOFFU is a spin off from another series called Full Metal Panic, though in that series the premise was more action based that feature the characters of Sousuke and Kaname. Much of the focus of that series revolves around the mercenary unit that Sousuke is a member of. The good thing is you do not need to see that original series to appreciate this one or get into the story. There are about four volumes in this particular series of Full Metal Panic FUMOFFU, so show some spirit and give this comedy a go, it’s definitely a feel good viewing experience.
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