Review of Full Metal Panic!

I was a big fan of this back in the day, and enjoyed it immensely. I just finished a re-watch after god knows how many years. Sadly I can't say this has withstood the test of time well. Not unworthly, but seems shopworn today. Art work was good for its time, but looks only so-so today. Characters and mechas were already trope-ridden, and today they are simply cliche. The animation work is something of a mixed bag; some good and some not so good. Overall it was about average for its day. But it's hardly anything impressive anymore. The narrative is hardly inspired. I got the solidimpression this viewing that a lot of this is a direct ripoff of Martian Successor Nadesico, without Gekigangar or the cooking, in a sub rather than a spaceship. Tessa seemed a direct cut and paste of Ruri. Bakas. I kept waiting for the Jovian Lizards to pop out. Some of the middle episodes are sloggy. Things perk up towards the end. While not unsatisfying, it all wrapped up in a seemingly preordained manner.

The VA work is choppy. I thought the actress doing Chidori was pretty good, and her performance still holds up. But the rest of the cast are just cliche or meh at best. Direction in this rewatch struck me as kind of choppy. While some episodes move along at a spritely pace, others seem to drag out forever, Soundtrack usage seemed unskillled. Distracting in way too many instances. Splashes of fanservice are sophomoric at best.

But no need to get into a panic. This isn't bad by any means. Just not as good as the rosy lens of nostalgia would make it out to be. If I were to grade it today, it would get a C- at 72/100. But back in the day, it would have easily been high end B material. If you loved it back then, definitely worth a stroll down Memory Lane. If you haven't seen it, keep your expectations in check, and it will be a good 'turn off your brain and veg" series.