Full Metal Panic! is a series of light novels written by Shoji Gatoh and illustrated by Shiki Douji running from 1998 to 2011. The series follows Sousuke Sagara, a member of the covert anti-terrorist private military organization known as Mithril, who is tasked with protecting Kaname Chidori a hot-headed Japanese high school girl. Sousuke Sagara is the main protagonist of the series. Sousuke Sagara is of Afghan-Japanese heritage. While his Japanese heritage can be deduced by his surname, Sagara grew up in Helmand, a region in Afghanistan caught up in political strife. At the age of 8, he joined a guerrilla movement to survive and was eventually recruited by Mithril. Sousuke only knows military life and as a result, does not handle the everyday occurrences of civilian life very well. He has difficulty integrating into high school due to his lack of social skills. His military bearing and encyclopedic knowledge of weapons earn him the nickname "Military Maniac". He often responds to situations as though he were on the battlefield; for example, he blows up the shoe lockers if there is any hint that someone has tampered with them. Sousuke can be quite insensitive at times: In Volume 7 he buys a pregnancy test while out with Kaname and does not understand what was wrong, though his intentions are always in the right place. He gradually develops strong feelings for Chidori Kaname. He is a Muslim. Kaname Chidori is the heroine of the series. She is described in the universe as "the kind of girl everyone looks up to, but not even a boy wants as their girlfriend". She is direct and brash with her opinions, a trait she picked up when she studied abroad in the United States. She feels the need to protect Sousuke from the harsh, cruel world of high school: a place where he doesn't quite fit. She is one of the "Whispered," a group of people who have technologically advanced knowledge in their subconscious that numerous governments and other groups want to use for their means. She often berates Sousuke for his violent overreactions, stating that they are not proper for a high school student. While she criticizes Sousuke for being too militaristic and overprotective, she appreciates his experience in life-or-death situations. Chidori develops serious feelings for Sousuke and feels dejected when he is so obtuse in such matters. Teresa "Tessa" Testarossa is the captain