Sort of OT: Ending?
Can anyone tell me if the novel series has ended, and if so, what happens at the end?
shareNo the series hasn't ended.
After TSR (which is based on the novel 'the end of day by day') there are currently two more story arcs entitled "a dancing very merry christmas" (which isn't just a crappy Xmas special or something, as the name my imply) and "continuing on my own."
High quality translations for both these novels are available at www.boku-tachi.net.
I know that the next FMP novel is due for release in Japan soon and at the end of the novel 'a dancing very merry christmas' the author writes in his footnotes that the '...merry christmas' story arc marks his estimated HALF WAY point through the entire saga.
So the novel series will be going on a few years to come i think.
Which version of the United States released mangas would you recommend? I'm having a hard time finding the translated novels you mentioned. So far I've noticed that TokyoPop Anime and ADV are both releasing the english mangas...but the ratings and covers are different on them.
shareThere are different manga, ADV currently has the rights to the manga releases, whereas Tokyopop has the rights to the novels themselves. As of this writing they have released the first two novels [complete with author footnotes] and the third U.S. release is coming soon the novels are:
[1] Fighting Boy Meets Girl
http://www.amazon.com/Full-Metal-Panic-novel-Fighting/dp/1427802432/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_b
[2] One Night Stand
http://www.amazon.com/Full-Metal-Panic-novel-Night/dp/1427802440/ref=pd_bxgy_b_img_b
[3] Into the Blue
http://www.amazon.com/Full-Metal-Panic-novel-Into/dp/1427802459/ref=pd_sim_b_img_1
Anything without those covers is a manga [currently released here], and is produced by ADV. The regular "FULL METAL PANIC!" manga is based on the first three novels listed above. There is also a manga called "Full Metal Panic Overload!" which is a chibified version of the characters and more in tune with silly stories [like those found in the FUMOFFU? series.]. There is also "Full Metal Panic! SIGMA" which is based on novels four and five [the novels FMP: TSR is based off of]. There are of course other novels [the series is still ongoing and up to Book 9 now] so I hope this helped somewhat.