Yes, it is very good. The franchise started as a series of light novels, I believe, and was converted into an anime then a manga. Key plots are fairly to extremely closely mirrored between all three, but IIRC there are also lesser bits that show up in one but not the other two.
The novels and the manga are both self-contained. The Overload manga is essentially a for-kids version of the main lines; I haven't bothered with it. The Full Metal Panic anime and The Second Raid anime cover most of the serious plotline to date; the books are a bit ahead and the (english language release, at least) manga a bit behind. FMP: Fumoffu is essentially the light-fluffy comedy bits that were edited out of the manga and book versions to produce the anime.
Upside: IMHO, the beginning of the main anime is the best place to start, but any of the various versions will work.
Ja, -n
===============================================
"Reseeestunce ees fiutil. Yoo weeel bee Useemooletud. Borg Borg Borg."
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===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."
The novels and the manga are both self-contained. The Overload manga is essentially a for-kids version of the main lines; I haven't bothered with it. The Full Metal Panic anime and The Second Raid anime cover most of the serious plotline to date; the books are a bit ahead and the (english language release, at least) manga a bit behind. FMP: Fumoffu is essentially the light-fluffy comedy bits that were edited out of the manga and book versions to produce the anime.
Upside: IMHO, the beginning of the main anime is the best place to start, but any of the various versions will work.
Ja, -n
===============================================
"Reseeestunce ees fiutil. Yoo weeel bee Useemooletud. Borg Borg Borg."
===========
===============================================
"V, did you do something foolish?"
"Yes, and it was glorious."