The appeal and evaluation of Full Metal Panic! Director's Cut Part 2 One Night Stand

Full Metal Panic! Director's Cut Part 2 One Night Stand detailed review and recommendation

■ Public Media

theater

■ Original Media

Light novel

■ Release date

January 13, 2018 - January 1, 0000

■Distribution company

KADOKAWA

■Frequencies

84th minute

■ Number of Episodes

Episode 1

■Original Story

Shoji Gato, Shiki Douji

■ Director

Koichi Chiaki

■ Production

・Production: GONZO

■Works

©Shoji Gato, Shiki Douji/Mithril ©Shoji Gato, Shiki Douji/KADOKAWA/Mithril 2017

■ Story

The story begins with Sousuke Sagara, a member of the Western Pacific Squadron of the anti-terrorist military armed organization Mithril (a top-secret anti-terrorist mercenary organization that is not affiliated with any nation and was established to prevent the Third World War, and mainly engages in military peacekeeping activities), protecting a girl in the eastern part of the Soviet Union. Sousuke Sagara's battle with the boys and girls who have the ability called Whispered (people who know things that no one in this world should know) and the history that has been changed by the black technology they brought with them.

■Explanation

"Full Metal Panic!" first aired as a TV series on WOWOW in January 2002, about 16 years ago. In preparation for the broadcast of the new TV series "Full Metal Panic! IV" in spring 2018, a director's cut of the first series will be produced! The director of this project is Koichi Chiaki, who was in charge of the first series, and he is responsible for a series of tasks from offline editing to sound production, and he has produced a total of 24 episodes in three parts. Retakes and new cuts are planned to be added. The screen, which was 4:3 at the time, will be edited to 16:9, and the top and bottom will be cut and some parts will be trimmed to fit theater screens. In addition, the new technology "FORS" will be used to up-convert again. The analog audio material of the DA88 will also be fully digitized and the 2ch stereo will be converted to pseudo 5.1ch. And for each part of the trilogy, a new theme song will be created just for this work.

■Cast

・Sousuke Sagara/Tomokazu Seki/Kaname Chidori/Satsuki Yukino/Teresa Testarossa/Yukana Kurtz Weber/Shinichiro Miki/Melissa Mao/Michiko Neya/Andrei Kalinin/Akio Otsuka/Gaurun/Masahiko Tanaka/Leonard Testarossa/Daisuke Namikawa

■ Main staff

・Original work: Shoji Gato ・Shiki Douji ・Director: Koichi Chiaki ・Offline editing: Koichi Chiaki ・New part storyboard: Koichi Chiaki ・Direction: Koichi Chiaki ・Sound recording: Koichi Chiaki ・Character design: Osamu Horiuchi ・Chief animation director: Osamu Horiuchi ・Theme song: Tamaru Yamada ・Production: GONZO
・Produced by: Mithril 2017

■ Main Characters

・Sousuke Sagara・Kaname Chidori・Teresa Testarossa・Kurtz Weber・Melissa Mao・Andrei Kalinin・Gaurun・Leonard Testarossa

■Subtitle

・Part 1/Boy Meets Girl (2018/02/28)
・Part 2/One Night Stand (2018/03/28)
・Part 3/Into the Blue (2018/04/25)

■ Theme songs and music

・Part 1・“Every Magic”
Lyrics: Tamaru Yamada Composition: Tamaru Yamada Arrangement: Yosuke Yamashita Singer: Tamaru Yamada Part 2: "Tow of us"
Lyrics: Tamaru Yamada Composition: Tamaru Yamada Arrangement: John Kanda Vocals: Tamaru Yamada Part 3: "You are my best friend's love ~way to love you~"
Lyrics: Tamaru Yamada Composition: Tamaru Yamada Arrangement: Takeshi Masuda Singer: Tamaru Yamada

Detailed evaluation

"Full Metal Panic! Director's Cut Part 2: One Night Stand" is a director's cut version of the 2002 TV series "Full Metal Panic!", and was released in theaters in 2018. It is based on a light novel by Shoji Gato and Douji Shiki, and is directed by Koichi Chiaki. The story follows the exploits of Sousuke Sagara, a member of the anti-terrorist military organization Mithril, and revolves around a group of boys and girls with special abilities known as Whispereds, and the battle over the black technology they bring with them.

In order to maximize the appeal of the original work, director Koichi Chiaki has been in charge of everything from offline editing to sound for this director's cut. All 24 episodes have been reconstructed into a trilogy, and retakes and new cuts have been added to pursue a deeper story and visual beauty. In addition, the 4:3 screen has been converted to 16:9, and the top and bottom have been cut and some parts have been trimmed to optimize it for theater screens. Furthermore, the sound has also undergone significant evolution, with the new technology "FORS" being used for upconversion, and the DA88 analog audio material being fully digitized to turn 2ch stereo into a pseudo 5.1ch. These technological improvements will allow viewers to enjoy a more immersive experience.

The story revolves around a girl whom Sousuke Sagara rescues in the eastern part of the Soviet Union, and depicts various incidents caused by Whispered's powers and the associated black technology. Sousuke Sagara's character is a calm and tactical soldier, but he also shows his human side through his relationship with Kaname Chidori. This duality makes his character fascinating. Additionally, the main characters such as Kaname Chidori and Teletha Testarossa are each unique, enriching the story.

The cast is also very impressive, with the performances of the voice actors, including Seki Tomokazu as Sagara Sousuke, Yukino Satsuki as Chidori Kaname, and Yukana as Teletha Testarossa, bringing out the charm of the characters. In particular, Seki Tomokazu's voice for Sagara Sousuke, which exquisitely expresses calmness and passion, will leave a strong impression on viewers. In addition, the relationships and growth of each character are carefully depicted, allowing viewers to deeply empathize with their stories.

In terms of music, Tamaru Yamada's theme song "Tow of Us" is an important element in enhancing the atmosphere of the story. Her singing voice and melody symbolize the relationship between Sousuke Sagara and Kaname Chidori, and have the power to stir the emotions of the viewers. In addition, the theme songs created for each part also play a role in elevating emotions as the story progresses.

Recommendation

"Full Metal Panic! Director's Cut Part 2: One Night Stand" is highly recommended not only for fans of the original work, but also for viewers who want to enjoy both action and drama. It is especially a must-see for those who are interested in the character of Sagara Sousuke and those who are drawn to the story related to the Whispered's abilities and black technology. In addition, as a director's cut, it has undergone technical evolution, so viewers who value the quality of the visuals and sound will also be satisfied.

To enjoy this work, you will be able to understand it better if you check out the original light novel and TV series beforehand. Also, if you keep the sequel "Full Metal Panic! IV" in mind, you will be able to get a better grasp of the story as a whole. Furthermore, if you check out the related events and goods, you will be able to develop an even deeper attachment to the work.

Overall, "Full Metal Panic! Director's Cut Part 2: One Night Stand" is a wonderful work that brings out the best in the original and adds technical advances. I hope you will experience its power at the theater.