Have you ever put up with something you really didnt like just because there was a singular redeeming aspect that made the entire experience worth it? Maybe it was the pain relief that came with getting a tooth filled. Maybe it was the degree at the end of a long four or five or six years in college. Or maybe it was Full Metal Panic S1 a show that I found so unenjoyable but stuck with entirely because of one character. This show specifically S1 but the entire franchise in general is a black sheep for me. I dont like military shows mecha shows or anything with blood or extra violence. I dont like shows with predominantly weaklydeveloped characters annoying characters or flat characters. I dont like shows with wildly varying animation quality questionable directing or fanservice. Somehow Full Metal Panic has all of this and Im giving it whats close to an average rating. If youve read any of my other reviews in this franchise or know me personally its no mystery what Im hinting at. I watch this show for the MC Sagara Sousuke alone. Is it hilarious to put up with a show I sincerely dislike just because of a single character? Hard to understand? Cringey even? Sure. But its equally funny nonsensical and cringey to write a review of an anime only discussing one character and thats exactly what Im about to do. Like many others I was born on KyoAni works. A few years after starting I decided I would watch all of them starting from the beginning FMP Fumoffu. Being a contextdriven person I decided it would be reasonable to start with watching the first season released years earlier and directed by Gonzo. What a shock for someone having seen little beyond sliceoflifes to be thrust into a really mediocre military mecha show. Trust me I wanted to drop it but the male MC somehow kept me interested. Why? At first glance Sousuke really isnt an interesting character. Hes absolutely stereotypical in so many ways. Hes a military kid orphaned obviously raised in war and a mercenary working for a mysterious organization. He has a complete misunderstanding of society and social cues exacerbated by suddenly being thrust into a high school setting. His character is all focus all the time completely ignorant to social propriety for the sake of his mission and his duty. Most of all Sousuke is apparently extremely flat showing only this front of his character. Why then would I be so attracted to such a character and stick with the show and franchise despite its many shortcomings? Ive got two theories the first is what Ill call suggested development and the other admirability. First Id like to look into suggested development first and to do this Ill have to take a look at some other means of characterization. One way of developing character is to do so explicitly. This occurs when character traits are either shown or explained directly meaning that the audience does not need to work out the details on their own. And this if done correctly isnt a bad thing Lucky Star is an excellent example of this all of the characters are more or less explicitly developed. Rarely does one have to sit and deeply weight how a scene impacts each individual players characterization instead its obvious from the beginning. Another way of characterization is implicit. Character traits are suggested but not directly stated and are not always obvious from the beginning. In this way implicit character development takes more skill from the producer and more effort from the audience. Very good producers can also use implicit character development as a means of dramatic tension where the audience is left questioning whether their interpretation of a particular characterization is correct. Serial Experiments Lain is perhaps the best example I have of implicit characterization with regards to its titular character. Where does Full Metal Panic fall on the characterization spectrum? The answer is actually surprisingly complex. At first glance it may seem obvious that explicit characterization dominates. From the first few episodes its no mystery that Sousuke exhibits traits such as social ineptitude commitment to duty and a worstcasescenario outlook on life. Thats obvious and Im not debating it. However I also feel that implicit characterization plays a small and subtle role. However due to the extreme prevalence of the explicit method the implicit method is much more difficult to distinguish and thats why I call it suggested development. Some examples: Sousuke demonstrates apparent inability to recognize social cues due to ignorance being raised in and around war. True but the second thoughts he sometimes exhibits seem to suggest that this social ineptitude is bolstered as much by personal choice as it is by ignorance. Another: Sousukes commitment to his job and his mission drives his incredible preparedness. True but his interpersonal relationships almost suggest that he is subconsciously driven by loyalty rather than blind duty. Again these suggestions are subtle. They lie beneath the surface and are absolutely up for debate. But they for some reason made me deeply interested in the character of an otherwiseflat character. If Sousuke is somehow hides a modicum of implicit characterization could it also be possible that he hides a bit of roundness in his flat character? The second theory is that of admirability. I think that while not necessary to create a good story many excellent piece of media involve a character that is somehow admirable in one way or another. And Im not merely talking about a surfacelevel impressiveness that makes you say wow at huge explosions but a deeper sense of appreciation that actually influences you as a viewer. Sure maybe youll never train as hard as your favorite Shonen hero but doesnt something about their commitment to kicking their nemesis butt leave you with a sense of motivation? This ties into a much more complex personal theory that I have regarding the relationship between fiction and reality but I think its obvious that admirable fictional characters can inspire realworld audiences in meaningful ways. And even if you dont buy that it seems to me that an admirable fictional character is much easier to root for than one who lacks anything to look up to. For me Sousuke is that character. Im never going to spend my life fighting terrorism but something about his commitment to duty and others is personally inspiring to me and turned the entire watching experience from unbearable to even enjoyable at parts. It was enough that I could overlook my revulsion for the genre and even the other characters while watching the show and its why Im going to watch S4 if any foolish studio decides to pick it up. Weird review? Sure. Am I greatly overstating Gonzos ability to subtly sneak in implicit characterization and admirability? I guarantee you I am. Is all this stemming from a bizarre and somewhat creepy overobsession with Sagara Sousuke? Maybe. Is this review 1000 reading too much into things? Just wait until you hear my theories on some of the KyoAni shows.
46 /100
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