FLCL

[on:]

Well judging by all of the talk in the anime thread and the fact that the show is going to be on Adult swim in a couple weeks. (I still can't believe it!) Might as well make a new thread about the series. Last hurrah of the team that made Eva (well sans Anno) a six episode experimental OAV that Defies explanation. The style is very exagerated and is a huge influence on the new Teen Titans show. Here are some pics.

Cover of the Japanese DVD of Episode 4 (my favorite episode)



Cast shots


And the same group about ten seconds later.



I just want to say that I love this series and the music is great. Helps me be creative.


::note if mods want to close this, just combine it with the anime thread::

[Reply #1 on:]

God what is that computer robot thingy? it looks cool.

[Reply #2 on:]

[Fanboyish claim written at 2 in the morning on a mixture of caffine and alchahol]

[Reply #3 on:]

Do you know how sterotyped that sounded, Musca?

[Reply #4 on:]

I wrote that at 2 in the morning after drinking...

Wow that was bad

[Reply #5 on:]

That isnt the cover to the Japanese fourth episode/DVD...this is:



Its also the alternate cover for the US/R1 (and possible other regions as well...) DVD 1 (episodes 1/2)...well, with slight alterations.

The robot with the TV head is Canti...and well, just watch the series when it comes on CN.  If you get the text explanation it won't make much sense (but then again, when you watch the series it probably won't make much sense the first time through either).

Speaking of that...FLCL is really a series you need to watch multiple times before you actually start to get what the hell is going on (its only 6 episodes long, so rewatching it won't take too much time out of your life).  I think the first time I watched the series I was pretty unimpressed at the end.  I was bored one night and decided to watch it again, and then I started realizing what the hell was kinda going on, and started to really enjoy it.  Since then I have watched the series way too many times, and I still catch new stuff.  Its a great series, if you give it a chance and have an open mind.  Most of the stuff, though seemingly pointless and bizarre, are important symbolism and crap.

Regardless, it is still fun to watch.

[Reply #6 on:]

Swore that was the cover, might be a promotional ad.

It is on tonight on Cartoon Network, suggest people watch it.

[Reply #7 on:]

it isnt august 4th is it?

[Reply #8 on:]

I assume that it'll only be shown every Monday. I can't imagine them running it every weekday. It'd run out too fast.

[Reply #9 on:]

It looks like FLCL will have a pretty steady showing on adult swim.  Here is the schedule from adultswim.com:
Aug. 04  Fooly Cooly
Aug. 05  Fire Starter
Aug. 06  Marquis de Carabas
Aug. 07  Full Swing
Aug. 11  Brittle Bullet
Aug. 12  FLCLimax
It looks like they will run it in a loop like that.

I'm happy it has this scheduling, as opposed to one episode a week.  Once I go back to college next week, I'll barely have any free time to watch tv.  I have heard alot of good things about this anime, and I am eager to see it in it's entirety.

[Reply #10 on:]

I got the first DVD, the one with ther first two episodes. It's wild and wacky, and it's hard to undertand, but I think many people are right. This series is pure brilliance.

You should really get the DVDs. Mine came with nice extras, including stuff outside the DVD itself, like a booklet with some commentary and a short manga, and poster offers.

[Reply #11 on:]

Well, saw the first episode tonight, done in a kind of insane, fun frenzy.  This looks like it's a great show, and I can't wait to see more of them, to bad the series itself was so short.

[Reply #12 on:]

I feel the same way, Wonderbee31.  I can't wait to see the rest.   

[Reply #13 on:]

The more you watch it, the "easier" it becomes to understand. FLCL uses metaphors in real life, and is very self-aware.

And the Adult Swim teasers were, once again, great.

[Reply #14 on:]

The Blue Gender was "ruined" by the cards. Nothing like having a serious anime series split up by cards that describe how the aliens mouths look like "angry woman's crotches" was laughing whenever I saw the aliens after that. Very Freudian.

[Reply #15 on:]

I was kinda surprised that they had the characters share their first "kiss" at the end of the last episode.(In Japan, if a boy and girl were to drink from the same can drink, then its viewed as a kiss, just because their lips touched the can that the previous person drank from). 

[Reply #16 on:]

Tonigt i have to drink a lot o pop. I cant believe i fell asleep!!!!  Must. Watch. FLCL.
Good. After watching one episode i dont know even 1 of their names! well i know the robot is Canti... but...

[Reply #17 on:]

I think I've pinpointed a lot of my thoughts about FLCL.

First off, it's obviously a coming-of-age story, and therefore deals with Naota's reactions to everything. The first time I saw it, I was more interested in Haruko and Canti (and the silliness) to pay attention to "our hero."

The frentic pace is why it's so popular. Think about it, but if the show slowed down to a normal pace, would it be as good? Sure, we'd get more of the characters we like. However, if slowed down too much, you'd lose the confusion that's intentionally put in. (For those unaware, "Furi kuri" means, to the best of my knowledge, "breast tweaking" [or "pulling my leg"])

Personally, I'd be really interested in seeing a slower, more traditional FLCL. Maybe 13 episodes, maybe 26, but I want more. GAINAX knew this. If only they could re-start up the series. ::sigh::

[Reply #18 on:]

CN actually edited FLCL last night when it blacked out for 3 seconds and it showed again during night time in a completely different place
EDIT:FLCL toys!!
 

[Reply #19 on:]

 

Originally posted by evan:

Personally, I'd be really interested in seeing a slower, more traditional FLCL. Maybe 13 episodes, maybe 26, but I want more. GAINAX knew this. If only they could re-start up the series. ::sigh::

Well, it may not be the same thing exactly, but I would point you towards a little series recently re-released as a lower priced box set by Pioneer called Niea Under Seven.  It's done by the same creative team as Serial Experiments: lain.  Although the main character is a young woman rather than a boy, the two series do have many similarities: a manic alien girl character, a semi-communal living space (a bathhouse rather than a bakery), an ominous landmark on the horizon (a cartoonish Mother Ship rather than a gian iron), and personal relationships governed by insecurities and doubt.  It's not nearly the showcase that FLCL is, but it is a thoughtful and well done series, with many 'wierd' moments, and a 13 episode run that does give one time to appreciate and learn about the various characters that inhabit this world. 

[Reply #20 on:]

Well jsut watched the series and all I can say is that it was wonderfully weird.
I loved all the pop references. The Lupin III episode was good fun and the South Park thing was really cool.
I will admit that both Wings of Honnamise and Neon Genisis Evangelion are my fave Gainex productions but this was very cool.

"Those Eyebrows"

[Reply #21 on:]

I tried watching this show...but couldn't stop tossing my cookies!! anyone see in episode 5 where she is digging around in his head....ugh...that just grossed me out beyond compare.

Not to mention theres just too much rapid motion and craziness for the show to be enjoyable.

Drawings are nice though. 

[Reply #22 on:]

Will somebody please tell me what FLCL stands for?  For the love of God, I'm interested . . . tell me!!!

Thank you,

Zack

[Reply #23 on:]

It's short for "Fooly Cooly".

[Reply #24 on:]

"Thank you, golf slave."

[Reply #25 on:]

 

Originally posted by NibblerJr:
CN actually edited FLCL last night when it blacked out for 3 seconds and it showed again during night time in a completely different place

must've been your cable getting glitchy, because I didn't see it. so far they've only edited out the word shit in episode 2.

[Reply #26 on:]

 

Originally posted by Zack Brannigan:
Will somebody please tell me what FLCL stands for?  For the love of God, I'm interested . . . tell me!!!

Thank you,

Zack

It's because there's no "L" sound in Japanese. Therefore, whenever there would be an "L", it's replaced with an "R" sound.

(Hence, "english" turns into "engrish", etc.)

FLCL would be pronounced Fuli Coli...which sounds like Furi Kuri (if a Japanese speaker says it) or Fooly Cooly (if an English speaker says it.) Furi Kuri (or Fooly Cooly) is, to my knowledge, Japanese slang for "breast tweaking," similiar in meaning to "pulling your leg." FLCL is a rib on its viewers, hence the name (and all the sexual elements).

[Reply #27 on:]

There's no L in the Japanese language?

That explain's alot of things when you think about it.

[Reply #28 on:]

 

must've been your cable getting glitchy, because I didn't see it

Yeah. Me and Evan were talking about it the other day. Mamimi 'Tackled' Naota.It was in episode 4.

[Reply #29 on:]

Now that FLCL has completed it's run on cartoon network; can someone who has seen the series in it's uncut, unedited form please tell me if any scenes/dialogue were cut?

[Reply #30 on:]

 

Now that FLCL has completed it's run on cartoon network; can someone who has seen the series in it's uncut, unedited form please tell me if any scenes/dialogue were cut?

I know some were cut out,even though i havent,because CN admitted they did and there was no dialogue in 1 part.
Naota. What a dirty boy
 

Ok now that it is over,lets find all the references to other anime/cartoons. No double posting,and only 1 per post.
Ill start.
Hamtaro:Ep.6 Naota's father talking about the class hamster.

[Reply #31 on:]

*Spoilers Ahead!*


I am a fan. That was the most crazy, unbleivably exciting anime I have seen. The  The first time watching I missed ep 4-5, but am sure I understood the major symbolisms. In every episode it has your basic anime ingredients: Robot battles, perverted elders of hero, sexy hernoine with all the right battle moves, and most characters geting worked into, as evan said, a coming of age stoy. Unsettled people, good character flaws, looking for that unrequited dream.
Most the kids here are ones I wanted to grow up with. Anything outside of your stereotypical moronic youth (not excluding me). The linchpin of (pink haired high school girl) and the (main hero) being his brother's absense made their relationship more interting, and thei indiviual charcter actions reactions complex.

Something I noticed, the relationship nearly every female introduced has with the main character has sexual undertones. Partly the fact they can't take their time in a six episode show, but this is in alot of longer animes. The japanese must have some bent towards 'sexual liberation' Any takers?


THats all my thoughts for now

[Reply #32 on:]

You can only go so far with sexual liberation if you still think the perfect Japanese Wife behave's like something in a Fifites time warp.

[Reply #33 on:]

What are you trying to say Nurdbot?

If it is the way that Japanese thinks of women I agree, sometimes it can be strange to see an anime heroine act like something from the 50s.

[Reply #34 on:]

I had divx's of all the eps in japanese and subtitled...I can't believe they dubbed it, the japanese voices are hilarious...At least they kept some vocals from the japanese tracks (the huffs, and the "eh"s), and thank god the credits are only in japanese...if they aired it with subtitles, it'd be a lot better...granted, i caught a lot of things i missed reading the subtitles, but c'mon...Haruko cracked me up in the subtitled one, she's like hyper insane...in the dubbed, she's so...calm. other than that, thank god cartoon network's picked this up...

[Reply #35 on:]

I agree Maggot, the sub is best but there are a lot of scenes that made more sense dubbed. They also changed some refrances, which made more sence mainly because my knowledge of Japanese Pop culture is not that good.

[Reply #36 on:]

Now that I've seen FLCL twice in English, I have to say that the dub job was alright. I'm not one of those purists that hates any English dub, but they did okay with FLCL. The only problem is that since the dialogue goes by really fast, you might miss stuff if you've never seen it before.

[Reply #37 on:]

After End of Evanglion I almost swore that I would never watch another Gainax production again.  Thank heavens I decided to check out FLCL anyway.  Not writhing in pseudo-philosophy or superscience, it's just a wonderful little allegory about imagination and maturity.  I caught most of the adult swim showing, and thought, yeah and alright English dub.

Problem:  It was the last thing that I watched with a friend of mine at college.  After it was done, we had to bid farewell.

*Violins play.

[Reply #38 on:]

Neat.

[Reply #39 on:]

I just caught the episodes Wednesday and Thursday.  I was watching Futurama at 11:30 and left the TV on, then this came on.  "What the hell is this?" was my first thought.  I kept watching because it was so bizzare and I liked the animation and music.  Can't say I know what it's about because I only saw two episodes.  Is CN going to replay this anytime soon?