Afterword

Sorry about all that. It’s been two years, but this has been the latest FMP! novel, Dancing Very Merry Christmas.

I said this would feature some lighter content, but... the main characters didn’t exactly get to have a merry Christmas at all, did they? I can’t apologize enough. Well... I don’t know if anyone wants to see Sousuke bouncing between multiple heroines like the protagonist of a typical love comedy, though I’ve thought about that.

To prepare for this story, I researched one of those luxury liners. I had to pay out of pocket, so it was the cheapest cruise available, a one-night one. It came with a suite, and it was chock full of luxurious food and concerts. I didn’t go drinking in the lounge, but I took some digital camera photos as references for Shiki-san.

But more than the luxurious stuff they showed the passengers, I wanted to see the machinery room and crew blocks. I asked the person at the front desk (though I know that’s not quite the right term) if I could check them out, but they refused me with a customer service smile, and said: “For week-long cruises, we offer a tour of such facilities, so you’ll have to sign up for one of them.” In other words, “Not this time.”

But a one-night cruise already cost 40,000 yen, so there was no way I could afford a seven-night one. Left with no other choice, I took matters into my own hands. Late at night, I slipped into the crew block unannounced. It was like a solo stealth mission; I was wearing a suit with a mini-camera in one hand, and felt just like James Bond.

Then, while I was sneaking to take pictures of the machinery room, I heard crew footsteps approaching around the corner. That had me sweating.

Oh no, I’ll be caught. What to do? Should I run? No, I should ambush them, break their neck, steal their clothes and ID cards? Those thoughts flashed in my mind for a second.

In actuality, I was discovered, scolded, and kicked out. Sadly, they didn’t grab me and strap me to some weird torture device, or throw me into a pool with killer sharks.

Setting all that aside...

The series is now entering its second half. I’m thinking I might end it in three or four books, but I’m not sure. Part of me thinks I should speed things up (though I always think that)...

I do suspect this will be the last of the “episodic” volumes. The reason I haven’t written side-stories about some great post-January events, like Valentine’s Day or the cherry blossoms, is not unrelated to the structure of the novels.

See, when I talk about future volumes, I end up setting myself out to dry, like I did this time. I hope it turns out okay. Hmm.

Now, other FMP!-related stuff...

Thanks to everyone’s support, the FMP! anime was a roaring success. (Much thanks to Chigira-san and everyone else who was involved.) We already have the next anime series in mind. This one will be a peppy comedy based on the short stories. The director is an up-and-comer, Takemoto Yasuhiro-san. He’s a nice guy who really knows his craft. I’ve humbly accepted their offer to work on the scripts. Hooray!

Around the time of this book’s publication, we’ll hit volume 5 of the comic version, Nagai Tomohiro’s Full Metal Panic! Overload. It’s a hilarious series. There are a surprising number of readers who haven’t read that, so I’m going to make a hard sell for it.

I think the collection for Retsu Tateo’s Full Metal Panic! manga adaptation will be out soon, too. This one’s also very fun, of course. They’re popular enough that they’re getting a Korean and Taiwanese release, too.

ORG-san’s TCG “Full Metal Panic! Card Mission” is also popular enough to get booster packs. Even if you’re not into the game, they have a lot of Shikidouji art you’ve never seen before. It’s just packed.

Too much advertising, you say? I guess it is. As always, when it gets to the afterword, I don’t know what to write. Ah, well.

Anyway, thanks again for all the support. I can’t thank you enough for your patience in sticking around with my talentless self. Thank you so much.

See you next time for another round of Sousuke in hell.