Fans Are Loving The Return Of 'Full Metal Panic!'

Hollywood isn't the only industry being barraged by nostalgia plays. Films like Ready Player One have shown the world there is money to be made in tapping nostalgia, and the anime world knows that well. Over the last few years, a whole slew of classic series have made anime comebacks, and Full Metal Panic! is the most recent series to try out the shtick.

And, if you listen to what fans are saying, then this nostalgia bomb is a very welcome one at this moment.

Just a few days ago, Full Metal Panic! made a rather long-awaited return. The anime debuted its third season after a nearly 12-year hiatus. Studio Xebec reawakened Chidori and Sousuke for a thrilling ride, and the direct sequel has got fans fawning online.

As you can see below, anime fans admit this title may be a standout one for the spring season. It has been more than a decade since Full Metal Panic! was able to thrill fans with its political intrigue and mecha madness. The show's third season begins with a bang as it pits Tessa and Leonard against one another at their parents' graveside. Full Metal Panic! continues that momentum once Chidori and Sousuke appear, and the debut episode ended with the pair surrounded by Amalgam forces. So, you can see why audiences were blown back by the all-out premiere

For those unfamiliar with Full Metal Panic!, the series was first created by Shoji Gatoh with illustrations provided by Shiki Douji. The series follows Sousuke Sagara, who is a member of an anti-terrorist organization known as Mithril. He's tasked with guarding a young school girl named Kaname Chidori, and enrolls in her high school. Since he's not good at socially interacting with others, he ends up being labeled as a weirdo when he puts a military spin on everyday life and is trying to figure out why Kaname is a target in the first place.

Originally crafted as a series of light novels, the series was adapted into five different manga series, and three different anime series. The first was Full Metal Panic! by Gonzo in 2002, the second was Full Metal Panic? Fumoffu from Kyoto Animation in 2002, and the third was Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid which was also produced by Kyoto Animation in 2005. ADV Films and Kadokawa licensed the anime series for an English language release, and Funimation later acquired the distribution rights to the series and had its broadcast premiere on Funimation's own channel in 2010.

Will you be watching Full Metal Panic! when it returns? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics, k-pop, and anime!