Full Metal Panic! Another 1

FMPA #01

tl comments are in []
* indicated out bubble text

Additional notes:
- Translated from French. Credits to Daiguren from Miam Miam Team who translated it from Italian.
- I can provide psd even though some redraws haven't been done (double pages mainly).


p1
At the end of the 20th century, a group of mercenaries not tied with any faction was created in order to maintain world balance.
This non-governmental organisation, called Mithril, began to strike against terrorism accross the world.

Using the power of Arm Slaves, they took part in several battles, and even nowadays...
while most of the population is still ignorant of its existence.

Since then, ten years have passed...


p2-3
Chapter 1: Like an Impossible Challenge
Art: You Taichi
Story: Shouji Gatou, Naoto Okuro
Character Design: Shikidouji
Mecha Design: Kanetake Ebikawa, Toshiaki Ihara


p4
Y-You haven't forgotten our promise...
right, Kate-sensei?

I remember perfectly, Ichinose...
Finally, here I am! Keep cool! Try to stay calm!
Gulp

Or maybe should I call you Tatsuya...


p5
I'm standing in front of a real mature woman... or should I say, a real stunner!
So? Shall we begin?

This is too much...
sfx: frrr
I can't hold any longer!

Kyaa
Kate-sensei!!


p6
*B-But...

Kate... sensei?

Ow ow ow...

What the hell are you doing, Ichinose?
Oh... Ono-D!


p7
What do you mean, "Ono-D"?
I waited for you for your interview, and here you are sleeping...
*Kotaro Onodera
*Geography teacher, in his 30's. Married with children, former student at Jindai.

When I see that you wrote that you wanted to work for the family business...
What a shame, given your grades.
paper : {
Future projects form
Ichinose Tatsuya
3rd year
Family business
Family business
Family business
}

You promised me that you would go out with me if I kept my engagement...
and I managed to score 900 points at TOEIC, a true feat!
My name is Tatsuya Ichinose,

I'm a simple third year student who just saw his first term at Jindai high school gone by.
Aaah.
Oh, are you listening?

Enough...
Now, that's enough!


p8
To say that I worked so much that my eyes bleeded!
You betrayed our promise! "I'll marry you and we'll go live in my country", you told me!
Gimme back my third first love, you witch!
*How can it be first love if it's the third one?

*I'm sick with foreign women!!
Summer during third year is an important moment in the lives of young students who have to decide about their future.

Some decide to pursue studies while others will face business world.
For my part, I chosed to help my old man in the family business.
I also have a sister, still young but she has her head screwed on right.


p9
My goal? Get enough money...
to ensure a quiet life for my family.

What's with this racket?
*There you go! That's all we needed!


p10
Seems like we're stuck.
Already...

What's going on, mister Gen?
*Oh!
Hello, Tatsuya.
The newbie, Sakaguchi, messed it up and now the daidara is out of order.
Sorry...


p11
The ground is loose because of yesterday's rain...
He didn't consider it and ended up completely entangled.
Oh my...
What a pain...

The other daidara is on another building site,
and without this one, we won't go anywhere.
Hum...
It won't be easy, mister Gen...

Ok, let's go!

Sakaguchi, lend me your gloves.
Hey, wait!!
We can handle this ourselves!

Mister Gen, if we dillydally too much, we still won't be out of the woods at the end of the day.
Leave it to me!


p12
But he hasn't his Power Slave license yet!
Isn't that too risky to let him drive?
Get away and shut up! It's your fault that he's trying to get it out in such a narrow place.

Controls are responding well.
But if I lose balance, I will end in the warehouse...


p13
At first sight, it sounds impossible!


p14
Good! The left leg has a point of reference!

Excellent!


p15
Look out! It's dangerous!

No, it's all good.


p16
[nothing]


p17
Amazing! Tatsuya has an incredible sense of balance!
Of course he has!
He was driving this scrap-heap when it was still new! He's not like a newbie like you!

New? This wreck?!
At the time, he was still in elementary school.

*He was spending his days looking at the daidara.
*I think that if it would ever fall in the river, he would jump to save it at the risk of drowning.

It's like his best friend.
Tatsuya, I won't ever disagree with you again!
Yeah!
The best daidara's pilot of the world!


p18
*Stop it, it's really embarrassing...
Well done, kid!

I don't see my father...
The boss...

A bank employee came...
and he followed him to discuss about the finances...
It must be hard.

*Dad...


p19
Military garrison of northern Kanto.

It seems like these mercenaries have their own sense of punctuality...

They are not mercernaries...


p20
They are members of a PMC*.
And I would advice you to use this term from now on, lieutenant Sano.
*Acronym for Private Military Company.

Very well, sir, but it won't prevent me from disapproving their manners.
These people don't care about conventions and traditions, and are only interested in bargaining.
I don't see why we should measure ourselves against them during an exercise rather than against virtual ennemies.

It doesn't change the fact that we were the ones who have contacted them, so we will negociate properly.


p21
This man, it's Douglas Baxter...
Captain of the third squadron of the AS traning division of the DOMS, Dana O'Shee Military Service, the Private Military Company.


p22
I am Douglas Baxter, nice to meet you, Colonel Shimomura.
I hope our business will be dealt with in the best conditions.

Welcome,
I am Shimamura, staff officer in the army.
I will admit that we don't often hear the word "business" out here.

*Ah ah ah
If it's okay with you, I would like to unload our equipment.
Right away, sir.


p23
*They have means...
*They don't look like disordred mercenaries.

?!


p24
*A uniform of AS pilot...
*This kid is driving those machines?

Please take a look at this.


p25
Ooh!
But it's...

... The ZY-99M model...
... The Shadow!


p26
Extension work of the main road Hokuriku.
Pff...
Why is it so hot in the middle of the North mountains?

Piiih...
What's going on, you idiot?


p27
I bet that you're already regretting ever wanting to work for the business of your daddy, right?
Don't tell me that you're giving up.
*Just kidding.
What?!

You should be the ones thanking me for helping you everyday,
you and your half-assed business!
What?!

Say that again if you're a man, you fool!
How dare you speaking to me like that?!
Calm down, boss! The radio hasn't done anything to you!

Let me go, I won't let this little...
It's almost lunch time, Tatsuya.
Take a break.
Roger.

My father can't control himself...


p28
Oni-chan!

I brought you your bento!
That's for you!

Thanks a bunch, Yurika...
*Ah ah ah!
*smile


p29
The miss from the inn is really nice,
she helped me to prepare everything!
I'm glad for you.

She lent me the ingredients...
and a bag to carry everything.
*cric
"Cric"?

?!

Pwah!!


p30
I told you, no grasshoper in onigiris!
Is that so?

But it's good though!
And I still have a full bag with them.
*A full bag...
*He he he

Yurika!
These onigiris are excellent!

Ignore him! You will become a real housewife!
You don't know what I would give to be in your husband's shoes!


p31
Well, I mean...

You have guts to talk like that to my daughter when I'm around...
Aaahiiaaahiaaa

*Get here, I'm gonna teach you a lesson!
*Boss, it hurts!
Here we go, we're all alone now...

Piiiiiih

Piiiiiih
Piiiiiih


p32-33
They're huge!

What are they doing here?
Trucks of this size, in this region...

Piiiiiih
Piiiiiih
Who knows.
Anyway, it would be a miracle if they managed to go through this road.

Crii

p34
As expected, I knew it would end this way!

Yurika, stay here and don't move!
Oni-chan...
*Hey, everything's allright?


p35
Hm?

Can I use that Power Slave?
*She's speaking in English.

What's going on, Tatsuya?
They are foreigners... Seems like they're arguing.

Tatsuya, you can speak English, right?
Err...
I can't...
What?
But I don't wanna...

Go or it's gonna take all night.
Pff...

Excuse-me, but there's no need to panic.
We're gonna help you getting out of here.


p36
I'm not panicking at all.


p37
B-But...
She's a real knockout!

No... Calm down!
She's a foreigner... Don't get tricked again!

Hm?


p38
Keys.
What?!

I need the keys of your PS.
I think I can lift it up.

No way!
It might be old, but it's our only source of income!

I'm gonna lift the trailer myself!
You, stay where you are!
Wait!

This trailer contains some extremely valuable equipment!
What will we do if you break everything?
*Come on, gimme those keys!


p39
You mean I don't know how to pilot?
Watch your words, Ama*!
What do you mean, "Ama"? I'm a pro.
*The word "ama" holds two meanings in Japanese: either "bitch" or "amateur". Tatsuya is using it as an insult, but the girl thinks he means "amateur".

A pro of what?!
But wait, she understands Japanese after all?!

So?
Are you doing it or not? Hurry up and take your decision!


p40
Go, oni-chan!

Pff, and here I am doing it... for this wench furthermore.
*I shouldn't have meddled.

The hell with them, they're in Japan, they could at least have learnt a few words!


p41
snip

Let's see...
We've already checked the ground over here, it should be stable.

grip


p42
Let's go!


p43
Oh...

So, what do you say?
I must admit...
you know how to handle it despite your ugly mug...

Hey...
are you picking a fight with me?
Consider it as a compliment.

Very well. Let's leave it there.
It's for the best.


p44-45
But it's...

an Arm Slave!


p46
That was...

Papa, it was a daidara?

Hey, whare are you doing with this war machine?
Hm?

You're asking what I'm doing?
Do you really want to know?


p47
Well, to sum it up...

The ZY-99M Shadow is a third generation AS that was produced back in the days by the Soviet Union...
Comparing to the American M9, the technical features are slightly below. It was intended for export...
... but for political reasons, the series suffered a downgrade comparing to the original 99.
Thanks to the ZEYA which developped a nuclear fusion battery able to produce 1,900KW power,
its burst of speed was 200km/h, while its autonomy after full charge reached 140h.
Its code name Shadow is coming from its western counterpart.


p48
Maybe it was too much detailed...
Way too much, even!

I just asked you...
what you intended to do with this thing!
I don't care about technical features!

Understood.

So let's start again:
Boiiing

I'm part of DOMS, a PMC founded in 2001...
Our job is to take part in military operations by playing the role of enemies.
Most of time, we collaborate with the US army and their allies...
But it happens that Eastern power and from third world would call on us.


p49
Enough! Stop! Stop it!
I'm good, I don't want to know more!

Understood...


p50
Hey, just a last thing...

What's your name?

Adelina...
Adelina Aleksandrovna Kerenskaya.


p51
Sorry for the disturbance.

What a strange girl...


p52
Base camp of the army's formations, near the main road Hokuriku.

Bertrand, any news from Oshira-3?
They've just left the road...
and are heading to the target zone.


p53
These soldiers seem quite agitated...
Are you ready?
Indeed.

During the last simulation, even if we were using paint bullets...
they were forced to surrender without opposing any resistance.

So today, their opponent will be Oshira-3.
We can say that their pride as Japanese males are at stake.
Oshira-3...
I see.

Pride, tsk! Our president would kick their ass...

after hearing that.


p54
Shortly, our type 96 will gather at the rendez-vous point and will get into action.
How are your preparations doing...
Captain Baxter?

We've just heard that our team is getting to the expected place.
Don't you worry, Colonel Shimamura, DOMS always keeps its engagements...
... especially when it has been paid in advance.

Bertrand!
Yes, sir.

This time, the simulation program consists in a confrontation in a mountain zone.
Our Shadow will fight a squadron of three Type 96.


p55
The ratio of power three versus one will be balanced by the fact that it will be a third generation AS against three second generation AS.

The purpose of the simulation will be to evaluate pilots ability in combat.

To all units, get to the objective!
Full power! Let's go!


p56-57
Sano squadron, let's go!

Now, all rests on your shoulders, Lieutenant Sano.
Show them what we're made of!

Oshira-3 to Oshira-1.
I'm at the objective. I'll stay in position.
Copy that, Cinderella. You sure took your time, eh?


p58-59
There was some unexpected hitch on the way.

An unexpected hitch...

Expected hitches doesn't exist, Adelina...


p60
Staff Comments

(Story)
Shouji Gatou
Message from Shouji Gatou
- To the readers: We are making our best to keep in time! For your information, our mecha designers are already working on the Arm Slaves that will only appear in the fourth volume. And it won't be easy for them!
- To Taichi: I understand your difficulties to get used to FMP's world. I think that, in a few regards, you and Tatsuya are alike. I expect a lot from these new characters and new mechas!
- Taichi's answer: Everyday is like being in training camp! But thanks to the support of my superiors, I feel like I will manage to complete this mission! Tatsuya and me, arm in arm, will grow together!

(Story)
Naoto Okuro
Message from Naoto Okuro
- To the readers: As a second-rank writer, the only thing I can tell you is that robot stories have many sub-genders! I hope that you will enjoy yourselves with the universe of FMP! Another that we have created!
- To Taichi: I would like to congratulate you for having managed to have faithfully and cleverly adapted the atmosphere and characters of this story. I am sure that the readers will reward your talent!
- Taichi's answer: I hope to manage to stay true to the series I have the honor to work on. I will do my best to keep the story to its best level.