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FLCL (フリクリ Furi Kuri?, known in North America as Fooly Cooly) is an original video animation series written by Yōji Enokido, directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki and produced by the FLCL Production Committee, which included Gainax, Production I.G, and Starchild Records.
FLCL follows Naota Nandaba, a twelve-year-old boy living in the fictional Japanese suburb of Mabase, and his interactions with Haruko Haruhara, who arrives in the quiet suburb, drawn by the industrial town houses and the Medical Mechanica building.
The English adaptation of the series was first licensed by Synch-Point and Geneon Entertainment, which released the DVDs and soundtrack respectively, but has been out of print for some time now. In January 2010, however, Funimation Entertainment announced that they would be re-releasing the series on DVD and Blu-ray. In addition, the series aired on TV in America on Adult Swim a few times, and is currently being re-aired.
Naota's life is confined to going to school and living with his father and grandfather. The usually boring life in Mabase is rudely interrupted by the arrival of Haruko Haruhara, who bursts on the scene by running Naota over with her Vespa scooter, then giving him CPR and hitting him on the head with a blue vintage Rickenbacker 4001 left-handed reverse strung electric bass guitar. Later, Naota is shocked to find Haruko working in his house as a live-in maid.
Haruko's search for the Pirate King, Atomsk, puts her at odds with Medical Meccanica, the monolithic industrial corporation. At the same time, Naota is being watched by Commander Amarao. The Commander believes Haruko is in love with Atomsk and that Medical Meccanica is out to conquer the galaxy. The combination of circumstances gets Naota involved in a three-way battle between Haruko, Amarao and Medical Mechanica.
Naota Nandaba is the protagonist of the series, obsessed with appearing mature and nonchalant. He idolizes his older brother Tasuku, who represents for Naota what it means to be an "adult".
Haruko Haruhara is Mabase's newest resident, an extraterrestrial investigator for the Galactic Space Police Brotherhood. She becomes the Nandaba household maid while working to find Atomsk, the most powerful space pirate in the galaxy. She uses her bass guitar[2] to create an N.O. portal in Naota's head, through which various objects periodically appear, including Medical Mechanica robots and Naota's guitar, among others. Amarao states in episode 4 and episode 6 that Haruko's real name is "Raharu".
Canti is the first robot to emerge from Naota's head. It was manufactured by Medical Mechanica, and had been used by them to capture Atomsk. It is later revealed that Atomsk can manifest through Canti, with Naota being the catalyst.
Mamimi Samejima is a high school truant, and Tasuku's ex-girlfriend. She is a lonely and depressed heavy-smoker. She adopts several pets and names them all "Ta-kun" as a replacement for Naota's brother, she might be a pyromaniac too. She also thinks of Naota as a replacement for Tasuku, but later grows uninterested when Naota exhibits independence.
Eri Ninamori is the daughter of the mayor of Mabase and the president of Naota's sixth grade class. Ninamori is a complex character—like Naota she is obsessed with acting grown-up, but she often loses her composure when angry or excited. Ninamori hides her frustration with her father's sex scandal, and rigs an election for the school play so that she gets the lead role while Naota gets cast opposite her, hinting that she has a crush on him.
Nandaba Kamon, a would-be editor, is Naota's father. Unlike his son, he is clearly outgoing and does what he pleases. Naota often reprimands his father for not acting like an adult.
Nandaba Shigekuni is Naota's grandfather, a retired baker. He doesn't like Mamimi.
Commander Amarao is a special agent of the Bureau of Interstellar Immigration. He apparently has some past with Haruko and claims to know who or what she really is. Amarao's childhood also seems to mirror Naota's. Amarao's eyebrows have unusual properties.
Kitsurubami is an agent of Commander Amarao, a healthy young woman who worries about her boss's eyebrows. She is generally repulsed by him, especially by his occasional advances toward her.
Tasuku Nandaba is Naota's brother who lives in the United States and plays minor-league baseball -- he is never shown in the anime, except in a flashback (only his silhouette is shown) and in a photo of Tasuku and his "American girlfriend".
FLCL is directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki and produced by the FLCL Production Committee, which included Gainax, Production I.G, and Starchild Records.
Six pieces of theme music are used for the episodes; five opening themes and one closing theme. All the theme songs are by The Pillows, a Japanese rock band. The battle themes are "Advice" and "Little Busters". The opening themes are: "One Life", used in episode one, "Instant Music" in episode two and three, "Happy Bivouac" for episode four, "Runners High", utilized in episode five, and "Carnival" in episode six. The closing theme is "Ride on Shooting Star", used for all of the episodes. Geneon Entertainment has released three original soundtracks encompassing the aforementioned songs, with the soundtracks titled Addict, released on January 20, 2004, King of Pirates, released on September 7, 2004, and FLCL No. 3, released on June 7, 2005.
FLCL's odd style, hyperactive pace, convoluted, esoteric plot, and tendency to break the fourth wall sets it apart from other contemporary anime. It can be categorized as a work of comedy, drama, science fiction, romance, philosophy, and a parody of contemporary culture in general. It has an abstractly designed storyline about growing up and losing the childish viewpoint of life that all people once had, and seeing the true reality of the world.
Style
Although most of the series is done in a standard "anime" style, the animation frequently veers off into other realms, including bullet time, black and white, stills, two elaborate sequences drawn as semi-animated manga and a pair of shots in episode five that recreate the look of South Park, or mosaic.
Ok now that I have explained the show... Has anyone ever seen it XD
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