New FULL METAL PANIC! TV Anime Appears To Be Delayed
After waiting 11 years for more episodes of Full Metal Panci!, anime fans might have to wait a bit longer as Studio Xebec appears to be scrubbing previously announced Fall 2017 premiere dates from the internet.
After being first announced in October 2016 and then having its premiere date initially set for Fall 2017, it seems the new Full Metal Panic! TV anime might be delayed. Fujimi Shobo, a light novel publisher for Kadokawa no longer lists Full Metal Panic! IV Invisible Victory as premiering this Fall. This is the second release date removal fro a website after the official Full Metal Panic! website removed the Fall 2017 premiere announcement earlier in April. The show's potential loss is a huge blow to the upcoming Fall season.
It's been 11 years since The Second Raid signed off and anime fans are understandably anxious to learn just how much longer they'll have to wait to see Sousuke and Kaname's story continued. Hopefully Xebec puts out an official statement soon or fandom discussion might turn from delayed to canceled.
TV anime "Full Metal Panic! IV" main staff [via Crunchyroll]
Director: Katsuichi Nakayama (The Good Witch of the West)
Character Designer/Chief Animation Director: Osamu Horiuchi (all of the past Full Metal Panic! anime series)
Sub Character Designer/Animation Director: Aya Yamamoto (Big Order episode animation director)
Gun Designer/Animation Director: Takeshi Yoshioka
Mechanic Designer: Kanetake Ebigawa, Toshiaki Ihara
Set Designer: Takayuki Yanase
Mechanic Director: Masanori Nishii
Prop Designer/Mechanic Animation Director: Takuya Matsumura
Mechanic Animation Director: Masaru Kato
CG Director: Masanori Kamiji
Color Designer: Chiaki Kitabayashi (XEBEC)
Special Effects: Shin Inoie
Anime Production: Xebec
ABOUT FULL METAL PANIC!
Shoji Gatoh and illustrator Shiki Douji began the light novel series in 1989 in Gekkan Dragon Magazine before wrapping the tale of Sergeant Sousuke Sagara and high school student Kaname Chidori in 2011 at 23 volumes. A sequel light novel series, titled Full Metal Panic! Another, followed soon thereafter in 2011 and recently reached its conclusion in February 2016 at 13 volumes.
With both light novel series now complete fans are hoping that Xebec will animate all of the source material after waiting 12 years between Second Raid and Invisible Victory.
The new series will be titled Full Metal Panic! IV Invisible Victory which acknowledges the previous three season:
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Full Metal Panic 2002 - 24 episodes
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Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu 2003 - 12 episodes
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Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid 2006 - 13 episodes