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Title: Full Metal Panic! Fighting Boy Meets Girl
Author: Shouji Gatou
Illustrator: Shikidouji
Licensed by: Tokyopop
Price: $7.99

Reviewed by: Matt122004

Alright, so after reading Kino no Tabi by TokyoPop, I entered this book thinking, “Will I like it as much?” To help you understand, I have ‘not’ seen the anime or read the manga’s of Full Metal Panic. I entered this novel completely unaware of the storyline whatsoever. I had decided I would read the novels first since they were the original story. I am so glad I did.

This marks TokyoPop’s second best series they brought out. Is it better than Kino no Tabi? Well, you can’t really compare the two since they each have different objectives in their writings. However both Kino no Tabi and Full Metal Panic are the best series of their genre’s I have read.

It took me two days to read it, mainly because I began it a little before I was going to sleep, and ended it the following day. To say the least, the book was amazing. I was reading each page with immense interest, and holding my breath through the climaxes that continued to pile up one by one. I have not seen the anime, but I can say that the first novel was a hit.

The artwork is great, and is placed at the right parts so as to help the reader visualize key or more or less interesting scenery.

The story? Well, it follows the tale of Sagara, a high school military soldier who is sent with three other soldiers to secretly protect a girl named Kaname (without her knowing) from the Soviets who are wishing to kidnap her for some unknown reason. Sagara doesn’t know the word COVERT and comes off more like a stalker as he jumps out of moving trains through their windows to catch up to Kaname. To say the least, Kaname and her friends do not take this lightly and what follows is comedic events, and bruises for Sagara. The real plot begins when terrorists intercept a plane and all the governments of the world are thrown into a panic. The only one’s who can save them is Sagara’s organization, a non-national affiliated military group with advanced technology ten years ahead of the rest of the world’s. Filled with mech’s, fighting, romance, comedy, and the occasional dumb luck, Full Metal Panic creates a read that you won’t soon forget.

That is another thing to note. This was my first time reading a novel featuring Mech’s (giant robots that men pilot in combat), and I must say, it flowed perfectly. I almost believed it more on the paper than in most anime. The writer’s ability to flow the words and sentences is flawless. I kept turning the page every chance I got.

Now, as for TokyoPop’s translation? Very well done. The only problem to mention was an occasional typo (I spotted two major one’s in the whole book), but then again, all books have these usually. As for changes, I am glad to say that TokyoPop kept the original cover art, which made me very happy.

I was smart enough to see the strong possibility I would like the novel, so I had also taken the liberty of getting the second book, which I am anticipating reading greatly.

This is definitely not a light novel you want to miss out on reading, you’d be sorry if you did. So do yourself a favor, and go and read Full Metal Panic and become apart of one of the best selling light novel series in Japan!

My Grade for This Light Novel: A