FLCL

FLCL is the strangese production to come form the world of Anime that I have ever encountered. The storyline and number of styles of anime animation including other forms jameed in there including south park style and live shots that are to the point of being overwhelming. Totaly mutated, you have to check it out.

FLCL (Japanese フリクリ Furi Kuri, pronounced and officially Romanized as Fooly Cooly) is a six episode Japanese animation OVA series, the brainchild of director Kazuya Tsurumaki of Gainax and released by Gainax and Production I.G... The true definition of "Fooly cooly" is not known nor made clear throughout the series, but one theory maintains it to be a Japanese shortening of "Flictonic Cliple Weber Syndrome," a fictional medical condition used as a plot device in the show. However, considering the phonetic structure of the Japanese language, it is far more logical to assume that "Flictonic Cliple Weber Syndrome" (pronounced Furikutoniku Kuripure Ueba Shindoromu in Japanese romanji) is actually born from the term FuriKuri/Fooly Cooly, rather than vice versa. The unknown origin of the title is one of many quirks in series pointed out by even the characters, which frequently use the term, but never explain its meaning.

FLCL is unusual because it is fast paced and can be confusing at first. It’s hyperactive, occasionally juvenile, and illogical style can be misinterpreted, generally causing strongly opposing opinions of its value. There are many hidden meanings underneath its surface. FLCL could be categorized as a comedy, drama, soap opera, science fiction, or horror story. Its comedic side is most noticeable, as it satirizes pop culture icons such as John Woo and South Park, not to mention other anime such as Neon Genesis Evangelion (which was also produced by Gainax) and Lupin III. FLCL also brings up minor but notable pop references such as the Tomino Hammer which is referring to Yoshiyuki Tomino's original Mobile Suit Gundam series including a unrealistic hammer weapon in a relatively plausible Real Robot Universe. FLCL also parodies slightly nostalgic Japanese culture itself, by switching styles to traditional kabuki at one point, presenting now defunct brands of drinks, Japanese style bread, and nostalgic 3-wheeled automobiles that were prominent in Post-war Japan. Puns and sexually suggestive metaphors fly freely. However, its comedic elements at times overshadow what is, at its core, a coming of age story. The stranger elements often reflect the confusion and awkwardness of puberty (or possibly of mankind in general).

FLCL is an exercise in unconventional, self-referential anime. It is somewhat inaccessible to most viewers on all but the most superficial level. To appreciate the series, one has to first become acquainted with many anime conventions, and be able to see a second layer in the production. Otherwise, a viewer who is new to anime will simply be overwhelmed with the amount of unfamiliar content that the series presents in the very limited timeframe of three hours.

A significant element of FLCL's appeal is its music. Most of the background music was written and produced by the band "the pillows," which has generated mass success and appreciation since the anime's release abroad. Shinkichi Mitsumune wrote almost all of the rest of the music. Two soundtrack compact discs and a one-CD "best-of" compilation were released in Japan and later America. There is also a significant amount of reference to guitars which are used symbolically throughout the series.

There are examples of scenes in which Naota yells out "Tasuk--"; the Japanese audience, at first assuming that he will exclaim "Tasukete" (help!), can be interestingly surprised when he instead says "Tasuku," the name of Naota's older brother.

The name of the company Haruko is fighting is spelled Medical Mechanica. It was misspelled in a scene in episode 2 as Medical Meccanica. Oddly, according to Babelfish, 'Meccanica' is Italian for 'Mechanical'. The connection may not be an accident, since the show has a fair number of European connections (see below).

Most of the vehicles in the series (such as Haruko's Vespa, Miya-Jun's Volkswagen Beetle and Amarao's Volkswagen Rabbit) are European.

Many of the important characters are left-handed due to the director's belief that southpaws have more outgoing personalities than right-handed individuals. The same distinction is shown in the difference between those characters who enjoy spicy food or sour drinks, and those who don't.

To try to make the dialogue easier to understand in the English translation, there are some places where dialogue is different from the Japanese version. For example, in the Japanese third episode, a boy dressed like a mouse keeps asking Naota about the "chu-lady"; in Japanese, chu is the onomatopoeia for both a kiss and a mouse's squeak. (This is alluded to in the English translation by that character repeatedly yelling "Smooch!" while practicing for the play.) Also, in episode 5, Kitsurubami yells about the similarity between the kanji for Mackerel and Blue in the Japanese version, rather than Cyborg and Robot as in the English version. Additionally a reference to a Japanese swimsuit idol was replaced by a reference to Anna Nicole Smith in episode 2.

It was rumored that the whole series was merely an experiment by Gainax to test out new techniques, and they used a 26-episodes worth of budget to produce the high quality animation. The IMDB says the series was created as a break from regular anime. More information can be found on the Director's Cut audio track and subtitles on the DVDs.

the pillows did much of the soundtrack, with Shinkichi Mitsumune doing the remaining tracks.

The show contains numerous sexual innuendoes which were the lead artist's ideas, contrary to that of the director.

The Vespa shown in the ending credits actually belongs to the director and at the time of the Japanese DVD release was not in working condition.

During episodes 1 and 6 the show temporarily uses a unique manga-like animation style. Due to uniqueness of the style, it required much time and effort to create. An inside joke in episode 6 is that Naota's dad says that they were told to never do that again; which is true. The CG artist begged the director not to do that again but they did anyway.

The hand shown in episodes 5 and 6 is actually the hand of the director. The movement was captured on film and then spliced digitally into the animation.

In episode 4 the original idea was for Naota to hit his father in the head with the bat instead of the TV. But due to a string of kids beating their parents to death with metal baseball bats hitting Japanese news around production time, Naota attacks the TV instead.

In episode 5, a South Park animation style is used. The decision to do so was made once again by the art team. Many of the Japanese, according to the director, were unable to understand the reference since South Park never caught on in Japan due to too many American pop culture references. In the American release of FLCL, however, it was easily recognized and greeted with both applause and groans.

In late 2003, one of the Adult Swim bumper sequences (see Adult Swim for these) lists things that the AS people like in particular. FLCL was among them.