"Nothing amazing happens here" is the first of many lies you encounter when you watch FLCL. There's a lot to be said about understanding this show, because the information it does reveal is not elaborated on. And yet you can tell that this is intentional, that the wider world is being obscured to focus on what really matters. This is a coming-of-age story first and foremost, and the fantastical science fiction encountered is framed through the lens of a kid who, being thrust into the strange world of adulthood, learns to snatch agency out of a sea of questions and mistrust. I like it for that, despite how little I understood the plot, because that unfamiliarity ends up enhancing the story to a greater level.

Personal Score

this criteria uses the DecentFilms rating formula.

Letter-Grade Recommendability: A-
Artistic/Entertainment Value - ★★★★★
Moral/Spiritual Value - +1
Age Appropriateness: Teens & Up

As acclaimed as FLCL is, I was surprised to find that it was only six episodes. That clocks the whole OVA in at about two hours in length. Because of this one would expect either a slow and simple romp or a breakneck pace jammed with information, and this show is a bit of both. I actually found on my rewatch that the pace somehow works for the show, despite how dense it is. You could argue that the lack of proper exposition was a casualty of this runtime, but as mentioned earlier I think that was intentional and wouldn't have benefited from a longer runtime. Six episodes actually feels good and I wouldn't add or subtract from that.

A lot of my positivity stems from how, in my opinion, the presentation of this anime is actually perfect. The animation is excellent, ranging from more detail in lingering shots to the completely wild movement in the action scenes. The robots look particularly amazing and manage to retain their mechanical details even in the action. The comedy benefits extremely from the animation, notable examples being the manga-panel sequences and the rare 360-degree shots that give a flawless 3D effect. All of that accompanied by the moody soundtrack from The Pillows sets a feeling for me that borders on comfy as well as very melancholic. I love the atmosphere that FLCL sets with these factors.

Of course that melancholy is reinforced by the story at play here. Naota Nandaba is a young boy whose brother is off in America, leaving him to go through life alone; his father and grandfather are around, but they provide little in the way of guidance. Also left behind is his brother's girlfriend, Mamimi Samejima, who is in a similar state of being lost without someone to love. Mamimi and Naota get along somewhat, clinging to each other, but ultimately a wedge is driven in the form of a moped and the girl who runs Naota over with it. Haruko is an anomaly for the immature Naota; sensual, teasing, and manipulative, she quickly hijacks his adolescence with little regard for his own well-being. Not to say that she isn't fun, of course - there's a reason she's so beloved - but ultimately her motivations are entirely selfish and the strange happenings that begin with her arrival distance Naota and Mamimi from the comfort of each other and leave them with their own insecurities. For Naota, his struggle is puberty, a new development that he finds difficult to control; for Mamimi, it's the desire to be relied on, to be wanted, and with Naota drifting away she finds herself increasingly alone and undesired by others. I found both struggles equally compelling, and while I feel Mamimi ultimately succumbed to her loneliness Naota fought to control his desires in a finale that I found particularly touching. There's other characters intwined with our leads as well, most notably class president Eri Ninamori, but ultimately the focus is on the main three and I think that was sufficient for the time that they had.

Haruko is so interesting to many because of how strange she is. That and her catlike mannerisms, which she is frequently characterized with. She's ultimately around for selfish purposes, looking to take back what Medical Mechanics has stolen from her. Despite this primary motivation she does exhibit some willingness to connect with Naota, even if again she ultimately has a use for him. By the end of the series she develops a greater respect for the boy, and though she leaves in the end I do wonder if she ever came back to see Naota in some headcanon. I like to think he would only develop more as a man and be able to handle her wacky nature if she were to return.

I feel like this is a particularly short review, but that's because there isn't as much to talk about. The lore behind FLCL would warrant considerable wordage, but that isn't why you should watch the show. It's a defining moment in anime history as well as Studio Gainax's history, who would later on dissolve and many of its members coalesce into Studio Trigger. If you want a fun coming-of-age story with great animation and memorable characters, and you may be familiar with Studio Trigger's portfolio, this is the show for you.