FLCL

Fooly Cooly really hasn't aged in the last 20 or so years.

Its still just as surreal as the last time I saw it. On a recent watch, I was even able to see how it affected much of the anime to come in later years.

If you like existential series, you'll enjoy this as well.

When I was watching FLCL for the first time, I had no idea what was going on. I'd never seen anything like it. So, the movie started switching gears from sweet and tragic to insane and funny, it really took me by surprise. Basically, I was holding on 'till the end because I wanted to know what it was all about. But even without that, it rocked. You may not be entirely sure at some moments why or how, but it rocks. The story starts off in a town that reminds one of one's own home town. The kid's are depressed, bored, and pretty much just drag themselves out of bed in the mourning. The adults are hyper, child-like and very annoying to the children of the town. But then she shows up. Like some kind of pop-metal not quite evil not quite good bubble gum haired goddess shows up and turns reality into chicken soup. This woman and the main character are somehow tied together through a story that involves sex, baseball, aliens, robots, secret government organizations and an underlying message about growing up and finding who you are.

The first time you watch it, you will not get it. I didn't, and most other people don't. When it's over, you only think about the crazy parts that made no sense, and you don't remember the deeper and sometimes creepy moments that kind of puts everything together. And even if you were able to get it the first time (*cough* not gonna happen.) this movie moves you more every time you watch it. It's the kind of thing you want to see again. It's extroadinarilly good. If you have an open mind, a little time, and feel like your out of place with the world (I'm betting you do. Everybody else does) then you will love this movie. Whether or not you understand it

this is what dreams are made of.

FLCL is a 6-episode japanese anime production that impresses and entertains beyond explanation. those who find their way through it's layering of bizarre beauty will realize what it truly is: the greatest thing ever.

FLCL, also known as Fooly Cooly or Furi-Kuri in Japan, centers around Naota, a Japanese kid whose beloved older brother has recently moved to America to play baseball. As if that wasn't hard enough for him, he now finds his brother's shattered (and much older) girlfriend Mamimi latching onto him for support. In the midst of it all, Naota (or as Mamimi calls him, ta-kun) finds his already troubled life turned on its side as a strange girl named Haruko rides into town on a Vespa scooter and smacks him on the head with her trusty, electric-blue, motorized Rickenbacker bass guitar. From here, things spiral into a wonderful insanity.

If the plot seems odd so far, you will probably find yourself in a few seizures by the end. In the first episode, a TV-headed robot sprouts out of an anxiety-fueled horn that grown on Naota's head. After an amazing battle, this robot comes to live with Naota and does his laundry. Things like this happen every day in the world of FLCL.

Unfortunately, this may be a bit too much for some. But those who enjoy it will be thoroughly rewarded by the cleverly weird plot advancements and hilarious visual gags. And if you sift through it all, you'll find something even more amazing: a wonderful story of growing up that, despite it's giant robots, is moving and easy to relate to. Kids who want to be adults, adults who can't grow up. These heavy topics line this gorgeous show and add a stirring quality to it.

Besides the content of the show itself, the production of FLCL is absolutely mindblowing. Sickly slick animation coupled with an amazing musical backdrop provided by Japanese punk-rockers The Pillows proves to be a winning combination. The English dub is very impressive as well, especially for Haruko.

It is unfortunate that FLCL's 6 episodes are spread out onto three expensive DVDs, because it limits people's access to it. Thank god for Cartoon Network, which periodically plays FLCL on it's adult swim block. And while i'm not exactly advocating piracy, i would suggest going to whatever lengths you need to see FLCL.

FLCL has affected me more than any other movie or show i've ever seen, animated or otherwise. Those who lack the open mind to filter through the madness will find the show to be quirky if nothing else. But on every level, FLCL is a truly mind-blowing achievement.

Oh, and you may be wondering about the title. Fooly-Cooly? Yeah. No one else knows either.

FLCL

10/10

At first glance, FLCL seems like a foolish attempt at putting too much randomness into an anime. Indeed, it's impossible to summarize the show without making it sound completely stupid: "It's about an alien woman who hits a boy with a guitar, and robots start popping out of his head." Yeah, that's gonna make people want to see it (not). But then again, it's also one of the most artistically perfect pieces of work ever.

The best short summary I can come up with it is that it's a coming-of-age story about a wacky woman who takes advantage of a 12 year old boy. But that doesn't explain half of it. It perfectly molds hidden themes into a beautiful story. The style of this anime is incredibly unique. It completely departs from the classic realistic anime style, and seems to emulate more American cartoons by not letting the characters show very exaggerated characteristics at times.

While it indeed is filled with craziness, there is an obvious and very strong structure to the plot. Every scene is intimately connected to every other scene, and it works perfectly. There are inherent themes about love, friendship, jealousy, and the discovery of all those as one grows up. I've read someone write that watching FLCL is like falling in love for the first time again, and it's a great description. After all, as a coming-of-age story, those are the feelings that the main character Naota is going through himself.

The music is simply the best in anime, period. Every major sequence has rock music by The Pillows in the background, and every time, it seems to fit perfectly with the scene. While the music is excellent by itself, it strengthens the emotions that FLCL is trying to deliver in those scenes.

At just 6 episodes, it's short. But because of its shortness, the plot structure is incredibly tight, allowing it to have such great connections within. FLCL is simply an excellent work of art. Don't look at it as the best anime ever created. Look at it as a beautiful piece of art that chose anime as the medium to deliver itself in.

I don't give out high grades to just anything, and I've watched an enormous amount of animation, both US, European and Asian. That being said, FLCL is the most interesting, eye-catching and exciting animation I've ever seen.

It's always difficult to capture a masterpiece in words. Instead of even attempting this, I'll just say what's already been said: The anime is incredibly hard to follow - some would say that it's full of infinitely deep philosophical implications, others would say it's just nuts. I for one have watched it many, many times, and can safely say that it IS coherent... but also very complex. It's like a lighthearted David Lynch anime.

The animation in itself is stunningly beautiful, both the visual- and sound-side. The vast amount of locations, characters, difficult angles and huge total-shots is more awesome than many top-level animated movies. As for the soundtrack, there has been released almost two hours of fabulous, original music for this series, despite that it is only 6x25=150 minutes long! That almost makes it a 6-episode music video, and still they pull it off.

There aren't any cons to this anime. It may be a bit much for the uninitiated or casual watcher, but just watching it, without really following it is a magnificent journey in it self. The voice acting, the character design, the setting, everything just comes together to form an anime unlike any you have seen before.