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Full Metal Panic's Final Novel Volume Listed in August
posted on by Egan Loo
A retail solicitation sheet for Shoji Gatoh's Full Metal Panic! high school action comedy light novel series lists August as the Japanese release date for the 12th and final full-length novel volume. The Tōhan book distributor's e-hon website already listed the 11th full-length volume, Full Metal Panic! 11: Zutto, Stand By Me (Jō) (Full Metal Panic! 11: Always, Stand by Me Part I), with a July 17 release date in Japan. Gotoh himself wrote in a Friday blog entry that the 12th volume "will be published right after." The completion of the novel series is being marked by a present giveaway campaign for readers.
Gatoh had previously posted in January that he was writing the final volume for spring, only to apologize on May 14 for missing the spring release date.
The story of Full Metal Panic! centers around a brusque young sergeant named Sousuke Sagara who must protect an assertive high school girl named Kaname Chidori by masquerading (somewhat unsuccessfully) as a high school student himself. Shikidouji illustrated the novels, and Tokyopop published them in North America.
The Hollywood Reporter newspaper revealed Mandalay Pictures' acquisition of the live-action film rights to the story last year. Although the newspaper listed Zac Efron's possible involvement, the actor downplayed the project's chances. ADV Manga released both the first manga adaptation from Retsu Tateo and Full Metal Panic: Overload! manga spinoff from Tomohiro Nagai in North America. ADV Films and Funimation have split the North American DVD releases of the three television anime series between the two of them.
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