Anime Review: FLCL (2000)

This anime is one of the most absurd I've ever watched.

Yet it's also ridiculously — literally — entertaining. Only the Japanese can pull of an anime with an almost senseless plot and yet make it enjoyable.

FLCL (フリクリ, Furi Kuri) is also known in North America as Fooly Cooly.

The story revolves around Naota who lives in a town where "nothing amazing happens here, and everything is ordinary". Next thing you know, he's hit over by a Vespa scooter by a wild woman, Haruko. She also has a crazy obsession of hitting Naota with her vintage guitar. Apparently, she can open a portal on his head to another world, out of which normally comes robots called Medical Mechanica which they will fight with. That's the gist of the story, which is rather short at 6 episodes.

The anime uses a very exaggerated style. There's bullet time, wide angle framing close to the face, animated black and white manga scenes, and even a look of South Park in one of the scenes. Anything goes, Haruko can even shoot bullets from her guitar.

There's also strong sexual overtone but no nudity. In one fight scene, Haruko was dress in a bunny outfit, which absolutely has no meaning to the anime itself but as a reference to Daicon IV (an anime convention that took place in Osaka in the 80s). In many instances, Haruko will put herself in positions to tease Haruko, such as going on top of him.

FLCL an outrageous and hilarious comedy, highly recommended, and it's short. The DVD, unfortunately, is out of stocks in most places. Let's hope there's going to be a re-release.

4.5 stars out of 5 stars.

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