Full Metal Panic! Invisible Victory 02
フルメタル・パニック！Invisible Victory episode 02

SPOILER Summary/Synopsis:

Amalgam initiates a missile attack on the Mithril base on Merida Island, so Tessa has a helicopter launch to be their eyes while everyone gets to safety. Back in Japan, Sousuke has to make a run with it in his stolen car. Despite being outnumbered and the car taking lots of damage, he escapes the parking lot. Unfortunately, Amalgam forces continue to pursue and the car gets into an accident. Sousuke flees on foot with Kaname, who’s beginning to panic at seeing all of the death and destruction being caused.

Sousuke makes it to the park with Kaname, managing to hold off Amalgam forces until the helicopter arrives. The helicopter’s cannon mows down most of the Amalgam forces. However, before it can land and pick up Sousuke and Kaname, an Amalgam member fires an anti-aircraft rocket at the helicopter, downing it. More Amalgam forces move in, not knowing that the ARX-7 Arbalest AS unit is still in the helicopter’s ruins, unharmed. Arbalest makes itself known and once it IDs Sousuke, it moves to allow Sousuke access to the cockpit. Sousuke mows down the remaining Amalgam forces as Kaname freaks out.

Back on Merida Island, the Mithril chopper reports that three Behemoth class AS units are making their way to the island. Tessa has the Super Harriers launch, but their runways are otherwise out of commission. While the base could all evacuate via Mithril’s mega submarine Tuatha de Danaan, it would require more than 12 hours to put to sea since it had been undergoing maintenance. Meanwhile, AS pilots are getting a briefing on the situation. Corporal Speck suggests they turn on Tessa and hand her and the Tuatha de Danaan to Amalgam.

Tessa shows up, having heard this. She requests the side-arm of one of her bodyguards and upon receiving it, addresses the AS pilots. She vows to immediately execute anyone who commits treason. To prove she means business, she fires the gun at the floor near Speck’s foot. She tells him that if he expected her to tearfully try to appeal to him to do the right thing, he was mistaken. That said, she gives him a chance to apologize and return to duty, which he does. Back in Japan, Sousuke gets a calmer Kaname to a rooftop. However, she gets a message showing her best friend Kyoko with a bomb belt attached to her.

Thoughts/Review:

One thing about it, Full Metal Panic! Invisible Victory 02 did give the audience a lot of time to breathe. Too bad the CGI came up short at times to tarnish an otherwise good episode.

Sousuke and Kaname

For the first episode, Kaname didn’t really argue, but merely accepted the terrible situation for what it was. However, after seeing all of the death and destruction being caused in Amalgam’s attempt to capture her, I can understand why she started freaking out. I can understand her wanting to help the injured, but Sousuke was right to have them move on. It sucks, but it is a hard thing that has to be done.

The other thing not helping Kaname was Sousuke’s battle zeal. When their rescue helicopter came in and mowed down a lot of Amalgam forces, Sousuke did his version of rejoicing, which I know bothered Kaname. Part of me expected to see her try to get away from the “monster” that is Sousuke. In war, you have to be a monster. It is kill or be killed. Trying to play nice in war will only get you and those you are trying to protect killed.

Still, it will be interesting to see how Sousuke handles the fact that Kyoko has a bomb belt attached to her and that all of his classmates at Jindai High School are in mortal danger. I would actually be OK with Sousuke thinking they should try to save them and Kaname being the logical one. That way, it would show that they both appreciate the other’s position on things, thus making them an excellent couple.

Tessa: Like a Boss!

Often, Tessa has come off as somewhat soft and weak. She’s soft-spoken. She is very polite, as indicated in her Japanese honorific usage. She’s always been optimistic. She goes around with bodyguards, which helps portray a sense of weakness on her part, even though the bodyguards would be required for someone of her status.

With that in mind, I loved how when Mithril is getting its arse handed to it, Tessa shows once and for all why she is a captain in Mithril, not only commanding the Tuatha de Danaan mega-sub, but also the Merida Island base. I had no doubt that she would have shot Speck had he not backed down. The writers did a good job with this. (And kudos to the writers for showing Tessa use proper gun safety.)

CGI: The Good and the Bad

For the most part, the CGI usage in Full Metal Panic! Invisible Victory 02 was not bad. For example, the large, rescue helicopter was done well in CGI, including the crash.

Where the CGI failed, jarringly so, is during the car chase. It all felt off, possibly unfinished. It is hard to capture in a single screenshot, but when in motion, everything felt wrong, as if the CGI wasn’t completely rendered. Hopefully, they fix that in the disc release.

Final Thoughts and Conclusion

Time to wrap up my review of Full Metal Panic! Invisible Victory 02.

• While we’ve seen Mithril in military actions, this is the first time we’ve seen them at war. And the war is only just starting.
• Although I didn’t remember him (I really wish the time had been there to rewatch the previous FMP series), it seems Speck was introduced in Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid.

In the end, Full Metal Panic! Invisible Victory 02 turned out to be quite a good episode, with not much of a chance to breathe. Its only weakness were some CGI elements. I’m looking forward to seeing where this goes.