7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
It's tough to keep your grades up without having to take off at a moment's notice to save the world. But for Sousuke Sagara, undercover high school student and member of the mercenary group Mithril, life in Tokyo seemed the same as always. But underneath the promising exterior spin the wheels of a conspiracy that threaten to destroy the peace. A new threat has arisen: Amalgam. An unknown element with advanced mech technology, this mysterious organization has been running things from behind the scenes. As dissension spreads throughout the ranks of Mithril, Sousuke faces his own internal struggle. Spread thin between schoolwork and war, the powers that be have decided to lighten his load....beginning with Kaname! Life and death hang in the balance as the clash between good and evil scale new heights. When the smoke clears, Sousuke's path will be the one that he forges for himself.
Starring: Tomokazu Seki, Satsuki Yukino, Akio Ôtsuka, Shin'ichirô Miki, Michiko NeyaAnime | 100% |
Foreign | 94% |
Action | 38% |
Sci-Fi | 28% |
Comedy | 16% |
Romance | 12% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
Japanese: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
English
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Considering it’s been nearly four years since I watched the original Full Metal Panic! series, I was somewhat concerned that I’d be lost in this viewing of Second Raid. I remember enjoying aspects of the original, but felt slightly disappointed in the number of “filler” episodes that enhanced the comedic feel of the show, but didn’t serve the main plot. There was still sufficient action in the series to hold my attention through the full 24 episodes, but I found a general lack of tension and focus in the overall series to deserve high marks when compared to other anime series in the genre. Then came the follow-up spin-off Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu, which stands as a disappointing departure from the elements that made the first series enjoyable. From a personal standpoint, the level of over-the-top comedy mixed with fluffy storylines just didn’t do it for me, and I ended up giving up on the series after the second DVD installment. Upon hearing the true follow-up to the first series (Second Raid) would be directed by Yasuhiro Takemoto (who also directed the Fumoffu series), I kept my expectations tempered regarding the tone of the third Full Metal Panic! production. Much to my surprise, Second Raid is nothing like Fumoffu and even bests the quality of the first series.
There's nothing more invigorating than staring the down the barrel of the loaded gun.
Presented in 1080p utilizing the AVC codec (at an average bitrate of 26Mbps), Full Metal Panic! Second Raid is another solid offering from Funimation. Fine object detail is well defined with crisp lines and smooth textures that rarely appear blurred or hazy (unless it's an intentional aspect of the animation). Colors are equally solid, offering a spectrum that contains bold, bright hues that add to the visual pop of the animation. Black levels maintain a solid depth throughout the various settings of the series, and contrast appears entirely stable from shot to shot. I never noticed the presence of aliasing, macroblocking, or other digital anomalies, though I did detect some occasional banding from time to time. There also appeared to be some intentional shimmering in an early shot of a cityscape (mostly buildings), but it was pronounced enough that I'd tend to lean toward it reflecting an effect in the source material rather than a transfer deficiency (perhaps indicating the glass we are looking through is somewhat warped). Overall, fans of the series will be delighted in the image quality on Second Raid, and I'd expect to see a flood of DVD editions hit the second hand market when this release lands on store shelves.
Anime-lovers will rejoice at the inclusion of equally proficient Japanese and English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 tracks, that sound nearly identical aside from a slight reduction in the volume of the dialogue on the Japanese track. This is in no way comparable to the difference noted on the Origin Blu-ray, and likely a by-product of the dubbing equipment used to record the english voice cast for the North American release. As usual, I listened to the majority of the series in the native language of Japanese, and it was truly a pleasure to soak up. The dialogue, effects and music are all afforded appropriate weight in the mix, but it was the use of the surround speakers during the action sequences that really peaked my attention. For a television production there's an incredible amount of spacial separation in the sound field, bringing your speakers to life with the sounds of metal on metal during the combat scenes. Not wanting to be left out, your subwoofer will also earn a decent workout with the LFE channel on the mix emitting a smooth rumble during the film's many explosions. I doubt many audiophiles will be disappointed in the audio experience throughout the series and I hope more anime television productions show this level of improvement with the step up to lossless audio.
Of note, the OVA included on the disc has some odd audio issues that I wasn't nearly as impressed with. It appears the dialogue is shifted to the right and left speakers in the front of the room (rather than the center channel), so it's much louder than what we're given in the episodes that comprise the main feature. It shouldn't be a deal-breaker in your enjoyment of the OVA, but is still worth mentioning.
Bonus Episode 000: (480p, Dolby TrueHD 5.1, 5:52 min): This brief episode has the heroes from Second Raid descending onto a terrorist camp to save a group of hostages, followed by clips from the full series (with a brief clip devoted to each character).
Bonus OVA: (1080p, Dolby TrueHD 5.1, 29:26 min): Perhaps fearing the series didn't contain enough comedy for die-hard fans of the first and second season, this OVA was created as a follow-up to the last episode of the Second Raid series. Titled "A Relatively Leisurely Day in the Life of a Fleet Captain", this extended episode has Tessa hitting on Sousuke while sleepwalking, and other various embarassing situations affecting main characters from the show. It wasn't really my cup of tea, so didn't add much value from a personal standpoint, but if you enjoy over-the-top comedy in your anime you'll probably appreciate this addition.
Dawn of the Light Novel (480p, Dolby Digital 2.0, 26:02 min): This lengthy featurette is narrated by Mikuni Shinokawa (who performed the songs for all of the FMP anime series) and focuses on the history of the Fujimi Fantasia Bunko "light" novel series, (a light novel is different than manga, because it's a text-based publication with animated pictures included only on certain pages), which has been developed into three anime series thus far. I found it fascinating to hear the opinions of all the individuals involved in the creation of the novels, but the best portion of this featurette is the last half, which includes a tour of Kyoto Animation Studio and a brief look at each step in the animation process of the Second Raid series.
Location Scouting in Hong Kong (480p, Dolby Digital 2.0, 2:26:22): In case you thought your eyes deceived you, that isn't a misprint regarding the length of this extra. Narrated by director Yasuhiro Takemoto and writer Shoji Gatou, we're shown candid footage of the filmmakers as they scout out location ideas for the series. Without the constant commentary this would become old rather quickly, but both men are absolutely hilarious through the majority of the 146 minute runtime (especially with Gatou apologizing repeatedly for his onscreen antics).
Rounding out the extras, we're given a textless version of the opening and closing theme songs and eight trailers for other Funimation releases.
Full Metal Panic! Second Raid may not be anime perfection, but it certainly stands out as one of the better productions in recent years. If you haven't seen the first season, there may be elements of the plot that won't seem fully developed, and the emotional impact of the relationship between Sousuke and Kaname will likely be blunted, but don't let those small quibbles prevent you from giving Second Raid a shot. There's enough to enjoy about the stand-alone plot of the series regardless of whether you're a newcomer or veteran to the Full Metal Panic! universe. From a technical standpoint, this high-definition edition should offer a substantial upgrade over the DVD version (which is priced almost the same as the Blu-ray collection), making this an easy recommendation for any anime fan with a Blu-ray player.
Anime Classics
2005
Anime Classics
2005
Classics
2005
Classics
2003
Anime Classics / フルメタル·パニック!
2002
Essentials
2004
2010
2008-2009
S.A.V.E. Edition
2005
2005
Anime Classics
2011-2012
Essentials
2008
鋼の錬金術師 FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST
2009
Suzumiya Haruhi no shôshitsu / 涼宮ハルヒの消失
2010
2018
Classics / フリクリ
2000-2001
コードギアス 反逆のルルーシュ / コードギアス 反逆のルルーシュR2
2006-2008
Higashi no Eden / 東のエデン
2009
Anime Classics
2002
2003-2004
Essentials
2007
Essentials
2006
Evangerion shin gekijôban: Jo
2007