Author Shoji Gatoh revealed in a Tuesday blog entry that he is now writing the final full-length volume of his Full Metal Panic! high school action comedy light novels. He anticipates that it will be released this spring. Gatoh has not ruled out writing more Full Metal Panic! short stories; in fact, Fujimi Shobo's Dragon Magazine will publish a new Full Metal Panic! short story, set during the characters' second high school year, on January 20 to mark its 300th issue.
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 original novels that Tokyopop published.
The Hollywood Reporter newspaper revealed Mandalay Pictures' acquisition of the live-action film rights to the story last April. 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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