Full Metal Panic! - Volume SS04 - Indifferent Four-Wind Scattering? - Chapter Aft

Afterword

This volume contains the edited and revamped short stories that ran in Monthly Dragon Magazine between October 1999 and January through March of 2000, as well as one brand new short (medium?) story. I’m putting off the stories with the new regular character, Tsubaki-kun, and there are only four stories from the magazine here. The reasons why are a bit complicated... but I think we’ll be back to normal next volume. I hope you’ll be sympathetic. You can also try to figure out the reasons if you want, but you’ll probably be wrong.

Anyway, time to do the afterword.

When I reread the afterword for Into the Blue, which just came out, I felt awful. “Guh. Why did I write so many strange things? Am I going nuts?!” I really felt like I’d lost my mind. Thanks again to Shinjo-sensei who acted like my psychologist after I’d gone off the deep end. And I’m sorry to people involved in Japanese rap. It’s not really icky. I just get annoyed at the amateurish lyrics of the stuff that sometimes plays on the radio. I think you guys know what I mean.

I should probably admit that when I’m really pouring everything I’ve got into a story, the afterwords get sloppy. I feel neglectful of my fans. Sorry. I’ll do my best next time.

Well, goodbye! Oh, I’ve got a page and a bit left... Let’s have a few words on each story, then.

“Who Killed Cock Robin (of the Rocky Shores)?”

I really loved the picture of Kaname drooling that Shiki-sensei did for the magazine edition. The images in the magazine are different from the published ones, so there’s quite a few rare pictures there. We have no plans to reprint these at the moment, so make sure you get the magazines too. There’s lots of depictions of side characters that don’t appear in the novels either, like Akutsu Mari and Shoji Mia and Nishino Kozue (does anyone remember these minor characters?).

By the way, I heard about the sake called Kuroushi from an alcohol specialty shop I go to. It should be in season when this volume goes on sale.

“The Innocent of Remembrance (Parts 1 & 2)”

A rare serious short story. While I was writing this, I was doing a lot of experimenting. Did you like it? I feel like Hayashimizu and Kusakabe represent two aspects of a way I felt a long time ago. I’m sorry if that makes parts of it hard to understand. I sometimes think those relationships and breakups with members of the opposite sex really can shake your sense of values and humanity. So if you’re feeling the same way as you read this volume, Hayashimizu’s final line is my gift to you.

Ah, that was super pretentious. I’m sorry. But seriously.

“An Adult Sneaking Mission”

The previous story was serious, so this one’s light and silly. But as comical as it is, I think men really are like that. Maybe they’re not. Or are they? Maybe they’re like Mizuki said. Or are they? What do you think?

I do think Kaname’s idea about separate men’s and women’s cars is a good one. Women won’t have to be groped, and men won’t be suspected unjustifiably. One time on a packed train car, this office worker lady was squished up against me and glared at me even though I didn’t do anything. It was so traumatic for me, ah, yes...

Also, that stuff Gotou said about writers was a joke, of course. Don’t get the wrong idea, please. Thanks.

“Engage, Six, Seven”

The extra story this time is about the past, a comical look at the circumstances that brought Sousuke, Kurz, and Mao together. I didn’t intend it, but I guess this volume in general is very concerned with the past.

The truth is, there are a lot of stories I could tell about FMP! characters’ pasts, but it would get in the way of the storytelling, so I don’t usually depict them. The years when Sousuke and Kalinin meet and say goodbye, the circumstances behind Mao’s discharge from the Marines, why Kurz is in so much debt, how Tessa got involved with the TDD, how the crew came to respect her as a captain, the reason Kalinin sends Sousuke on such hard missions, the dark history of Kaname’s time in middle school, Sousuke’s dark history as a mercenary... but they’re all so serious... I don’t really know how to approach them.

By the way, Belize is a real South American country, but it isn’t actually full of pervert guerrillas or cowardly colonels. It’s mainly that, while writing it up, I thought it would be fun to do a simple fantasy RPG setup in an alternate present setting. But you can’t do that in a familiar setting like Japan, so...

Now, for a personal message: I’m grateful to Aki-kun for scolding and encouraging me while I was writing this. Don’t fall out of your master’s bed too much. Put in earnest effort.

And that should just about do it. Every time I try to write an afterword, I struggle with it... To everyone who writes fan letters, I’m sorry I’ve been slow to respond. Some of you even included stamps for the return, but right now I’m so swamped I don’t have time to write back. I’m really sorry. I do read them all, though.

For you who wrote passionately about how much you like my characters. For you who calmly analyzed my story. I’m grateful. You’re the reason I keep doing this.

For you who opened up to me about your struggles with school, work, and friends: I know you can get through this. Just writing a letter is an amazing act of creation. Not everyone can do it. Be careful and cautious, and occasionally bold. Sometimes the best strategy is escape. This is all I can say for you, but I hope you make it through your trials.

Ah. I think this afterword is getting a little dark. Probably because the weather outside is so bad. It’s raining. Hoo boy. Dreary skies...

So to cheer us up, a few words from Tessa.

Tessa: XX-san. I’m sad that I didn’t have much of a role in this volume, but let’s both cheer up. We’ll work hard together!

Well, you heard her. You can fill your own name in the XX. Great, huh?

Ow. Hey. No throwing rocks!

Here at the end, to those people I made trouble for, and to those who contributed their talents, thank you once again.

Until next time, when Kaname’s fan roars once more.