Full Metal Panic!, Volume 8

When Sosuke invites Chidori to an island getaway for a few days, Chidori masks her excitement about getting into a romantic relationship and nervousness about a first kiss, but she doesn't have to worry, the tropical vacation is not exactly what she planned. She finds that out when her and Sosuke sky dive out of a plane and parachute into the ocean and then submerge to link up with the Danaan, the super secret Mithril sub. But actually, it's not all bad as the crew is celebrating the Danaan's first birthday. But the fun is interrupted when environmental terrorists take over an island serving as a dismantling site for chemical weapons. If their demands are not met, they will detonate the stockpiled missles! But they're not just any terrorists. They appear to be led by Gauron, whose mecha is virtually invulnerable to attack. Only Sosuke and the Arbalest has any hope of defeating him. So much for Chidori's thoughts of romance! The first half of this volume is taken up with light-hearted humor while the second half deals with Gauron and the assault on the terrorist-held island. The art is great and disparate elements are handled well by the author and illustrator. It would be nice if the two main characters developed their romance a little beyond Sosuke not even recognizing there IS a romance and Chidori hitting him over the head with a fan because of his ignorance. But I guess this is what supplies part of the charm of the book. If they ever get together that would be boring. Good book. I would highly recommend the two anime series, Full Metal Panic and Fumoffu.

I really recommend this story for all of those people who likes the histories with action, comedy and drama