FLCL Progressive

Have you ever had that moment when you are in utter awe with how animation flows past your eyes with an interesting story? That's what I got in this wacky adventure. There has been a lot of complaints, but I will only address one of them right away. Its animation is creative and imaginative and it has the pacing like Gainax shows in the past. Where it falls, however, is that this animation is not consistent. What I mean by consistency is that at the start of every episode there is a dream sequence done by a new animator. SO I DO NOT SEE ANIMATION ... BEING A COMPLAINT IF IT'S DIFFERENT BECAUSE THERE IS A DISTINCTION BETWEEN A REALITY AND A DREAM. Ok now that's out of the way I need to explain why FLCL Progressive is worth checking out.

Story:
FLCL Progressive piggybacks the story from its prequel. If you haven't watched the prequel, then I will say that it is about teenagers growing up. Some grow up too fast, while others grow too slow. Our main protagonist, Hibajiri, is a girl who seems to have grown up too quickly. What I find interesting is how the story is a journey for her to become both younger and older. She becomes more emotional like a kid and she also becomes more mature like an adult. The story is also filled with a plot behind the scenes that make up for the climax in episodes 5-6. WIthout giving too many spoilers to a short 6 episodes, I think everyone would come out with a joy ride. As for its originality, it is not really anything new for people who have watched the prequel, but otherwise from that it is noteworthy considering how the rest of the 2018 Spring and Summer are made of sequels and isekai shows. If you want a breath of fresh air then this is your best bet. (8)

Art:
As a show with a Gainax feel, things seem to flow in an imaginative way. The creative powerhouse of Gainax may have left their work with Production I.G., but I think FLCL Progressive shows that the Gainax spirit has recovered by at least a considerable amount since then. I especially liked the dream sequences in which the animation and art style was drastically different from how the show usually presents itself. In each of these moments they are not only visually appealing but also thought provoking. This combination did not fail me at all, and from beginning to end I was pleased by the presentation. (9)

Character:
I cannot say the characters are that strong because they seem mostly flat. It was hard to cheer for Hibajiri because she is a very aloof character and our other main character, Iide, doesn't seem very consistent. I will say that Haruko, the eccentric adult, carries the show until she eats someone she shouldn't have. Haruko and Hibajiri act as total opposites of one another and help make the show more coherent, yet the downside is that I'm never too sure what side these two are on all the time. Are they against each other, going toward a common goal, or does it even matter? Sometimes they are enemies, teacher-student, love rival, I will let someone figure that part for me. It's not average by any means though. Have you seen an anime with characters experiencing a multitude of relationships? So it is just fine. (6)

I do not put enjoyment as a part of the score, but I can promise you that FLCL Progressive is not a waste of time. It is a breath of much needed fresh air from generic shows.

I am one of those, I am the one who is always praising FLCL for the energy, for the characters and for the immense fun instilled by that dementia atmosphere. I am also one that didn't think FLCL needed a sequel but I was glad nonetheless it got one.

I think that it was impossible to recreate what the original had since the original was more about experimentation than about creating a coherent story. Watching the new series is like watching a mirror being held close to the original. It lacks character. The action is slower, the insanity is tamed and the focus seems to ... be more on answering the loose plot points than about doing something new.

It doesn't help that the animation is not on par with what the previous FLCL offered. All of this puts weight on the parts that didn't work on the original.

The characters feel a bit dull. I dislike the women with the glasses and I believe that Haruko has become more insane and less energetic at the same time. She notes that she became more like an adult and that is true. I will say that the kids are done the right way. They do have a chemistry and they do express more than any other character in the story.

Overall, I give this anime a 7. I should have given it less but it still reminds me of the original and I am biased.

FLCL Progressive sits in an awkward position. It was an unexpected sequel to an anime that aired 18 years earlier. The original FLCL was a zany visual affair that still holds up today and helped define what anime is to a generation of Western fans who grew up on Toonami. FLCL is genuinely great and benefits from a tremendous amount of nostalgia. There is no way that FLCL Progressive was ever going to be better than the original, especially considering how anime production has changed dramatically since then. That said, FLCL Progress is a very good anime that I found more interesting and entertaining than ... most other anime that have been released in recent years.

A quick note on production, FLCL took 11 months to release six episodes, FLCL Progressive did that much in just over a month. If FLCL Progressive had the same development time, episode two wouldn’t have even come out by the time the six actual episodes aired. There was more time to work on individual episodes in FLCL, and later episodes were able to react to and change to responses from the first episodes.

The fundamental problem with FLCL Progressive is that it is more FLCL than the original FLCL. FLCL was groundbreaking at the time and pushed what anime animation can do. As the years have gone by, stunning and creative animation have become more common and better done. Animators who most likely were inspired by FLCL have sought to outdo that anime time and again. The animation in FLCL Progressive is great, but not universally so. There are shots that did not have the time and resources they deserved, and the better shots don’t stand out as much as they would have in 2001.

The story suffers from another bout of one-upmanship in FLCL Progressive. The original anime was known for having a story that was hard to follow, and FLCL Progressive accomplished having an even less structured story. It felt like the anime determined to communicate to its audience using raw emotion rather than more logical words. In that respect, I find that FLCL Progressive was extremely effective. The overall presentation did a great job of capturing certain emotions, but there in lies the problem. In same way that a facial expression can be more powerful than a statement, but a statement can carry orders of magnitude of more information than a facial expression. FLCL Progressive does much, says little, but emotes extremely well. There are many moments within each episode that are fascinating and food for thought in their own right, but those moments don’t build to dramatic points in each episode. There is better dramatic buildup through the entire season, but its not the best you’ll see.

The clearest flaw of FLCL Progressive is the main character, Hidomi Hibajiri. It is hard to write an exciting action-oriented story with a main character who’s defining feature is her lack of agency. Hidomi is a person who is stuck in a malaise. She sees no future that she is interested in pursuing, so she devotes no energy to actually progressing. She does grow and change as the series progresses, but not in a strong enough way to carry the story. The result is virtually every other character in the story is more interesting, and I suspect most viewers would rather just see the events occur in their perspective. The real shame is that FLCL Progress made many great characters who don’t get nearly the amount of time they deserved. It doesn’t help that some big moments do not occur on screen and are only implied by the characters involved after the fact. Ko Ide is the character who would traditionally have been the protagonist but was deliberately prevented from doing so. The protagonist switch was an interesting idea, but one that I feel clearly produced a lower quality result.

The music was good, just not as good as the original FLCL. This is more due to the structural faults of FLCL Progressive rather than the music itself. Music can only enhance a scene, it can’t create it. The music was great in FLCL because the key points were already strong visually, thematically, and built up to in the story. The song Little Buster was made epic because the scenes it appeared in were legitimately epic. FLCL Progressive doesn’t have moments as strong, so the music falters even when it is timed right, which it isn’t always.

To sum up this review, I find it best to use a FLCL analogy. The original FLCL has taken the place of Naota’s older brother in relation to baseball. It has become a distance example of perfection that is forever unattainable. FLCL Progressive has chosen the route that Naota did, by deciding to not even play the game. FLCL Progressive is seeking its own path to respect and greatness and made a valiant attempt even if it did fall short in many respects. The original FLCL showed how foolish it was to judge Naota solely on his baseball abilities, in this manner I also consider it foolish to judge FLCL Progressive solely on how it follows the original FLCL. It is also important to remember that much has changed in 18 years, and the challenges of today different, even if they bear some similarities to problems of the past. FLCL Progressive is a worthwhile anime in its own right, but it will also be the little brother.

Set an unknown number of years following FLCL, FLCL Progressive focuses on middle-school student Hidomi dealing with growing pains, while becoming entangled in a conflict between Haruko and a new alien named Jinyu as the two seek out the great power coming from Hidomi for their own differing reasons.

Being connected to the original FLCL, Progressive certainly had some big shoes to fill in trying to make as much of a strong impression as the classic series did in mixing up manic comedy with exploring coming-of-age themes. I was initially cautious hearing news of the series having new seasons made as I felt the original series ... told all it needed to with Naota's story and was concerned if it could explore any further with the franchise, especially with the number of recent titles based on older properties that I've had an underwhelming response to. Fortunately, my concerns were expunged when I got a chance to watch through Progressive as it actually does quite a bit to establish its own identity over the original FLCL.

The coming-of-age focus found with FLCL is still retained in Progressive with its exploration on new character Hidomi. Being in middle school, Hidomi is at a different point in life compared to Naota as she copes with her own growing pains and her perspective is a bit more darker compared. She prefers to disconnect her from her surroundings by regularly wearing a pair of headphones and she has some rather dark dreams showing her feelings on reality due to some family troubles. Throughout the series, Hidomi is shown to gradually change her personality throughout the series thanks to the chaotic adventure she is roped into from Haruko and Jinyu's conflict with one another, demonstrating changes to her personality and becoming more active at engaging with others.

As for the trademark comedy of FLCL, it is still there albeit not as over-the-top and a little more subdued within Progressive. Haruko still displays her nuttier side as a front to mask her true motives and the show has its bizarre moments pop up, but it is nowhere as absurd as the original series where you have the infamous animated manga sequences or breaking of the fourth wall. I've seen some fans of the original FLCL criticize this quite a bit in Progressive considering the manic comedy of the original series was a trademark for it. But considering the somewhat more darker and serious feel of Progressive compared to the original series, I felt the more subdued humor worked appropriately for Progressive considering the show's focus being more on how overwhelming a teenager's mind can be coping with growing up, compared to approaching adolescence within the original FLCL.

As for the major plot, the crux of it involves Haruko and Jinyu's conflict over Atomsk's power, with the latter trying to prevent Haruko from using Hidomi as a means to lure the Pirate Lord out. In a unique instance for an anime, FLCL Progressive makes use of its ED sequence to show the rather unique connection that Haruko and Jinyu have with one another and I'd at least implore folks to watch it at least once since it offers some major fleshing out of what led to Jinyu being a relevant character within Progressive. Anyway, Progressive's plot is fairly straightforward with Hidomi's growing pains and Haruko and Jinyu's conflict, until the anime's second half when factions from the original series like Medical Mechanica and the Bureau of Interstellar Communication make their presence felt. This is where FLCL Progressive's comedy is at its most manic with the many events being played out with character and faction conflicts. While it may be a treat for fans of the original series, this can make the plot convoluted at points for newer fans of FLCL to approach since they may not be as familiar with events from the original series considering the 15-plus year divide between both titles debuting.

Presentation wise, FLCL Progressive retains the artwork style of the original OVA series albeit with a bit more polish and detail with Production I.G. at the helm of animating it. It still makes use of a number of different animation styles at points to hammer in the show's themes, this notably shown in Hidomi's dreams that can be quite dark and macabre due to reflecting the grim view Hidomi has on confronting reality. The Pillows return to provide music for FLCL Progressive's soundtrack as a mix of new and old songs are provided as insert tracks for the series that still work nicely to accompany the anime's key scenes and are still memorable to listen to over 15 years after the original FLCL.

Overall, I would say FLCL Progressive certainly defied whatever concerns I had going into it as a follow-up to an older anime title. The series is able to establish its own unique identity in exploring a teenager's perspective to growing up, while retaining the themes and comedy of the original FLCL and further exploring the franchise's world. If you were a fan of the original FLCL OVA series, I would strongly recommend giving this series a look.

I just want to start this with a disclaimer that this review was written after one viewing. I feel like FLCL is the sort of show that requires two or three viewings minimum to fully digest, so consider this tentative:

While (in my current opinion) Progressive didn't outshine the original FLCL I still feel as though it was a decent successor. I respect that the team behind it decided to create something different rather than just re-skinning Naota's story.

Progressive definitely has some interesting characters and relationships, but I feel like some of them are a little bit understated/one note. Fuyumi was easily the best character ... that the show has to offer. Like the original Prog thematically focuses on abandonment/loss (with a lot more focus on loss then in the original) and I appreciate the approach that was taken to writing its protagonist. The message that I walked away with after one viewing is that it isn't healthy to cost through life waiting for somebody else who isn't willing to give you their time, and that growing up means learning to live life for yourself.

I was a tiny bit concerned that Haruko was going to feel like more of a "main character" within FLCL's new installments, and while Progressive did explore her character a bit more than the original (namely toward the end) I feel like she comes across more as a connecting through-line between the original, progressive and alternative. It never felt like this was her story. I'm not quite sure how I feel about her lack of growth after the events of episode 6, but for now I'm going to give the production team the benefit of the doubt and hope that they plan to resolve this in Alternitive .

However, I feel like there was a lack of focus that definitely impacted my enjoyment of this season. Whereas FLCL classic was a very grounded and personal story with the backdrop of an intergalactic war, Progressive had a lot more of a concentrated overarching narrative that heavily focused on the world's lore set up by season one. In my opinion this is where the show sort of derails a bit. I feel like not enough focus was given to the coming-of-age aspect. Hidomi's story was great, but I feel like some of her friends should have been expanded on more than they were.

****Note: In this paragraph I talk about FLCL Prog's use of references to the original. read at your own risk****

My other big gripe with this season is how it sort of uses nostalgic callbacks in really boring ways. The thing that stood out to me the most was the treatment of Masurao– the son of Amarao from season one. I could not for the life of me describe his personality if I had to, but the final episode revealed his relationship to Amarao by referencing his father's trademark eyebrows. In the original this was a design element that had a bit of nuance behind it. It was meant as a visual metaphor for Amarao's insecurity and need to overcompensate for his shortcomings, which was easily his most prominent personality trait. Here it just felt like an empty reference, and while I appreciate it to a degree (I'm being pandered to after all) I can't help but feel as though this show dropped the ball when incorporating certain nostalgic elements. The Iconic song "I think I can" was used multiple times throughout the show in scenes where it did not belong. I feel like using it as a generic "VS Haruko" theme completely misses the significance that it had in the original. It played during the scene where Naota's character arc finally resolved and seeing it misused here was pretty disappointing. Canti was the one exception. I didn't mind his presence, in fact I LOVED seeing him again. Certain other songs were re-recorded and used. There was even an episode that was straight up named after "Fool On the Planet", and while part of me appreciates this part of me wishes that new songs had been used for these scenes instead. FLCL classic was so reminiscent of its time that it has an inherent sense of nostalgia to it, and I feel like Prog should have done the same thing. I'm really like this season trying to have its own identity, but I feel as though using references like this detracts from that.

Was it good? Yeah. Is it worth your time? Of course. But would I say that it's necessary? Not particularly.

Lol. All the haters on this thread failing to realize the original FLCL made as little sense as this. Never forget the goal of the original was an animation team blowing off steam with the combination of a dope soundtrack.

That's exactly what you're going to get here. The pillows + weird animation that shifts randomly and makes it exactly what I expected it to be. If you like something that's absurdist, has a cool rock soundtrack and is fun to watch but doesn't make too much sense you've definitely come to the right place. If you're looking for something deep and meaningful I suggest you ... look elsewhere.

This is not the original FLCL. That seems like an obvious statement, does it not? Yet it would seem that many viewers were expecting a complete imitation of FLCL in FLCL: Progressive. So the fact that Progressive is tonally distinct from the original FLCL has been viewed as a failure to imitate the original. What this viewpoint fails to realize is that Progressive is a vastly different show than FLCL for a reason. Why bother merely imitating one of the best OVAs in anime history when you can work with the established world to create a new kind of show?

Story: 6
That said, the story is ... structurally similar to FLCL if not thematically. Haruko is wreaking havoc again on Earth, but this time we know her end-goal early on due to the context of FLCL, to capture the power of Atomsk. Hidomi and Ide are her new targets as their adolescent heads are ripe for producing N.O. channels.
It's surprising how consistent the universe of FLCL has remained. Many devices and mechanics introduced in the original (that may have seemed like nonsense) are touched on or expanded upon in Progressive. This includes: N.O., Medical Mechanica, the Bureau of Interstellar Immigration, the Fraternity, Atomsk, and Haruko's motivations. To juggle these concepts established in FLCL, sometimes in little more than one line of dialogue, is impressive. Because of this however, Progressive feels much more straight-forward than FLCL, which is one of the main reasons some fans of the original are disappointed. Since the writers are working with an established universe, they take less time indulging in the fast-paced zaniness that made up FLCL's interpretation of a plot. The show still leaves plenty of dangling threads that it doesn't bother to explain though.
Yet the show works on its own merits. Progressive is definitely a much more "modern" anime, but what makes it intriguing is that it's a modern anime framed through the bizarre world of FLCL. Whereas in another context Progressive could be an average shoujo/coming-of-age story, the fact that it is in FLCL's world enhances and elevates it in new ways. For example, when the female protagonist finds her main love-interest in a compromising position with another woman, she doesn't just break down crying and run away like one might see in a typical shoujo. No, instead the N.O. channel in her head reacts and turns her love-interest into an inflatable skin-suit that floats off into space. A tropey story has no time to be tropey in this universe.

Art: 8
The character designs are great if not as instantly memorable as some of FLCL's designs. Hidomi and Jinyu are the new stand-outs with cute and cool designs respectively. Hidomi's robot design seen at multiple points in the anime looks awesome. Haruko's new outfit also suits her well.
The animation, like the story, is less kinetic this time around. This is a major point of contention for fans of the original and though I understand why, this show is not an imitation of FLCL. I love the fact that Progressive involved younger animators and gave them a chance to leave their mark. Hidomi's dream sequences are highly memorable and unique. The dream at the start of episode 5 is striking and episode 5's visual style is really excellent on the whole.
In defense of some vocal critics, I don't think the color palette of Progressive is as consistently aesthetic as FLCL. Progressive uses much brighter, sometimes pastel colors, but it looks much more standard than FLCL's more washed-out, austere appearance.

Sound: 9
The Pillows are back and just as good, if not better than ever. Watching anime with The Pillows' music accompanying it just feels inherently cool. The opening dream sequence in the first episode featuring the chiptune/alt-rock "Thank you, My Twilight" while Hidomi's robot battles a legion of Medical Mechanica irons is an incredibly compelling hook for the show. The ending song, and consequently the main theme of Progressive, "Spiky Seeds," is a great song and its opening guitar solo coupled with images of apocalyptic destruction as Haruko reaches for Atomsk is wonderfully indicative of FLCL's now overarching plot.
That said, the music was not always implemented so effectively. I thought that the rerecorded music that was used in the original FLCL was a nice touch, but the use of these songs seemed unnecessary at times. While I loved the use of "Little Busters," and "I Think I Can," I was less enthusiastic about the usage of "Last Dinosaur" in both episodes 5 and 6. Having been used in FLClimax, the final episode of the original FLCL, this song clearly invokes feelings of those climactic moments in the original, so to use it twice in consequent episodes seems like overkill.
In terms of voice-acting I watched the dubbed version. The original FLCL is one of my favorite dubs of any anime. Kari Wahlgren's performance as Haruko defined her career in anime for good reason. In Progressive, Haruko's character is more straight-forward and so is Wahlgren's performance. That said, she retains Haruko's zany chops well and gives the character exactly what she needs vocally. The rest of the voice-cast gives perfectly acceptable performances as well, especially Allegra Clark who gives a stern yet adorable performance as Jinyu.

Character: 7
Hidomi and Ide are a fun pair of main characters. Their budding feelings for each other coupled with their opposite personalities and social differences lead to an interesting dynamic between the two. Haruko plays a more antagonistic role in this story than in FLCL. Hidomi and Ide are both more aware of and discontented with the fact that Haruko is taking advantage of them than Naota was in FLCL. Because of this they are more directly confrontational toward her which is a nice change of pace. Jinyu plays a fun counter to Haruko and her backstory which is implied near the end has interesting implications on her and Haruko's relationship with Atomsk. There is a moment in the last episode where Haruko finally breaks from her sadistically irreverent personality and it is satisfying to see that she not only still has real human emotions (as indicated near the end of FLCL), but also that her destructive tendencies tend to get the better of her and that she is aware of this fact. Whether or not she feels like addressing her shortcomings is a different matter.
The side characters are all fun and have moments where their distinct personalities get to shine. Though they have almost no bearing on the plot, they provide some interesting commentary and diversions from the main story while sometimes expanding upon plotlines from FLCL. That said, none of them are as memorable as characters like Mamimi, Ninamori, Amarao, or Naota's father from FLCL, and for the most part none of their actions directly or significantly affect the main characters.

I really enjoyed watching this show. I have probably seen FLCL more times than any other anime I've ever seen. Its many runs on Adult Swim had me baffled and enthralled as an elementary/middle schooler in the mid 2000s and it has only improved upon each viewing. While Progressive doesn't have a nostalgic hold on my heart like FLCL does, and its slower-paced more direct story is not as bewildering as its (nearly 2 decades old) predecessor, it provides another unique, poppy, and (most importantly) FUN dive back into a borderline nonsensical universe that I and many others have come to love. I'm happy to see this passion project between Toonami, Production I.G., and The Pillows finally take flight and I'm excited to see what comes next in FLCL: Alternative!

Like many other fans of the cult classic OVA, I was very worried when I first heard there would be a direct sequel to FLCL, so much so that I put off watching it for a while. Well, I am happy to report that I enjoyed FLCL Progressive! To make a Star Wars comparison, I'd say Progressive is "the Force Awakens of FLCL projects," because it is a sequel and sort of reboot that very closely imitates the story of the original almost beat for beat. So yeah it gets no points for originality (more on that in a bit) but I'd say fans of ... the original will find a lot to like here.

My fears were assuaged a bit when I learned that Production I.G was handling this sequel, since I had to remind myself that the original FLCL was actually a co-production between Gainax and I.G, so it's not like the studio didn't have familiarity with the project. Progressive was in good hands. And let's be clear, you will NEVER be able to recreate the lightning-in-a-bottle, manic creativity perfection that was FLCL! That being said, I was just so happy to return to this world, to see characters like Haruko again (without whom I think we can all agree this FLCL would be DEAD ON ARRRIVAL). Haruko is best girl 5eva, change my mind! The soundtrack of the original can never be matched, but to their credit I.G actually brought back the same band, The Pillows, who not only re-recorded old songs from the original, but also added some killer new tracks! The artwork is stunning and the studio *tries* to emulate the experimental scenes from the original with mixed results. We have a similar "animated manga" scene like the original but Progressive's isn't as good, and we even have a truly beautiful rotoscoped sequence with Hidomi that needs to be seen to be believed. Still, I wish they'd gone further with the experimental scenes, like maybe do a "live action paper mache" segment straight out of Panty & Stocking?

Each episode opens with a very trippy dream sequence where Hidomi imagines herself as a corpse rotting away or being devoured by zombies, and at times she seems almost turned on by the idea? Hidomi's possible sexual fascination with the macabre, her secret wish for her own death, these were elements I wish had been explored more in the show. Instead they are a few trippy scenes that are quickly forgotten about. Lame! I've seen mixed opinions on Hidomi on MAL but I really thought she was the only new character who truly felt like a "FLCL character" if that makes sense. Sure, the girl starts out pretty one note and emotionless, but we learn that she's just tuning out the world with those cat headphones because she's running from her problems. Her storyline with her and her mother keeping the cafe open and trying to keep up hope that the father would return, well, it was my favorite part of the show. Haruko was the same Haruko we loved in the original. Ide was fine as a love interest for Hidomi though a little bland, and Ide's two friends were just as bland as Naota's friends in the original. I liked the potted-plant, rent-a-date girl because she felt like a quirky side character from the original. Jinyu is basically a Haruko clone..even though Haruko herself appears in this? Jinyu drives a vintage car like how Haruko drives a vintage vespa, she carries her own guitar, hell she even has the same spurned lover relationship to Atomsk like Haruko. Yeah more I think about it this character was redundant and totally unnecessary.
Especially in the scene where Haruko gets rid of Jinyu so quickly, like what was the point of this character?

There are plenty of things I can see fans complain about. Why does Ide wear a bandage on his forehead? Because Naota did in the original. Why do characters talk so much about "overflowing"? Because Mamimi used that term in the original. Why is the robot Canti here? Because he was in the original. Why is Haruko back on Earth trying to break Atomsk out of Medical Mechanica's facilities AGAIN? You know why. Again like The Force Awakens, Progressive was a FLCL that banked on nostalgia and played it nice and safe.

I'd give the classic FLCL a perfect 10/10, and while Progressive is NOWHERE NEAR as good as the 1st show, I still enjoyed it and give it a strong 8/10. Maybe in time I'll go down to a 7 but right now I'm feeling generous and was just so happy to return to this world and see Haruko's crazy antics again.

If there's a thousand things Progressive got wrong about being an FLCL successor, there's at least one all-important thing it got right that most anime nerds don't notice:

It's about adolescence. Duh, right? Take teenage angst as a filter and suddenly a lot of the show has more punch and meaning, because like the original, it only means as much as you let it mean something.

The main character in Hidomi is interesting because, for once, it genuinely feels like it was written by someone who knows what it's like to be a teenage wallflower with weird feelings to cope with and bad vibes to endure in ... preparing for life. The zombie segments, for example, reminded me of pretty much every other weird teenage girl in high school secretly admitting to me they get turned on by violent, brutal shit that ashames them. Episode 4's gimmick of Hidomi becoming a 2-dimensional stereotype rings true to how people in subdued emotional crises often act out and invent reasons to be interesting instead of being themselves.

It all felt very genuine, and even if the art was slogging on a good note, the characters were hit-and-miss, and the story (and everything involving Haruko as a character) was a bore, it still had an ENERGY that the original FLCL definitely drove itself upon. The Pillows are back to tell us about teen angst as an aging rock band but I'm still happy they got to do it.

So, it could've been better, couldn't it? The April Fools' preview for Alternative definitely seems more genuine as a girls-growing-up story, and it's that episode that made me watch Progressive with an open mind.

Hopefully that one stands better on it's own.

It's weird, it's fun. I like it.

Like its predecessor, Progressive does a fantastic job of establishing mood and telling a story in a disjointed, dream-like style. I've only seen it once, but the story events and motives behind the characters seemed a lot more comprehensible compared to OG FLCL.

But, compared to the original, Progressive is a lot weaker when it comes to its visuals-- scene composition, character design and animation quality are all a little lacking compared to last time. That said, I don't think it's any worse than any other mid-high quality anime from the past few years.

Unfortunately, the insert songs from ... The Pillows don't hit as hard either, which I assume is a combination of poor, lackluster editing and The Pillows' music showing its age. The selections from The Pillows are still good, but the music is hardly a character/place the way it was in the original.

But overall, the humor is on point and the characters are a lot more likeable compared to the previous cast. This is a fun, energetic follow-up to the original, a popcorn and gummie fish kind of show. The English VA of manic pixie dream douche Haruhara Haruko is a treasure and it was a blast to hear her do her thing again. The rest of the cast was great too, with a special shout-out to Hidomi's VA. The new "maid" character was great, in my opinion, and was extremely likeable despite how awkward it might have been to add a character with her story background.

Overall, it has a lot of flaws, but I consider it a fun watch. I suspect it could have been a cult favorite if it didn't have such big shoes to fill. It definitely stands apart from the crowd. Worth the time it took to watch.

Look it's a good show. 6 episodes. The pillows. Haru, Canti, that's enough. I was nervous that I wouldn't like it but the opening sequence pulled me right back to nostalgiaville and it was great.
Now the biggest complaint I have heard is about the main character Hidomi. She's anti and a loner which I think fits perfect. Of all the things that don't quite make sense in FLCL, an antisocial teenage girl makes all the sense. Takun was somehow likable even though he was obnoxiously immature the way teenage boys overtly are, but Hidomi seems way more mature on ... the outside, she's calm and collected, but she has daddy issues and doesn't know how to express her emotions. She just does not talk about anything with anybody, so when she kinda likes a guy, go figure she doesn't handle it appropriately, she doesn't know how. It makes all the sense in the world for the perfect set up to a story of youth and adolescence. Then Ide coming along and the two of them choosing to fight to be with eachother was fitting. And a better ending than the unrequitedness from the orginal I think.
You learn more about Haru which I personally love but I can understand people not wanting to know her story. Sometimes when things seem random it makes it better to leave it up to the imagination. I think this season was really to prove that Fooly Cooly makes sense. It seemed to answer questions from the original season, some of it was more in your face than it needed to be but overall it's 6 episodes of FLCL.
The soundtrack was The Pillows so I love the nostalgia. Animation was solid, more modern with a touch of dabbling between animation styles similar to the OG. The characters actually made more sense to me, maybe I just understand womanhood better. As far as plot.... Atomsk, Canti, Haru, I liked it, wouldn't say loved it. I would watch it again though. I would recommend selectively. You definitely have to be into that sort of thing to like it. It's a fun short ride though.

"I guess that's what they call adolescence."

The first thing I was told about going into this was "understand that it's all a metaphor, and listen more than watch." I'm glad I was told that, because it made me go in with a different mindset. This isn't the same story as last time, but more like a continuation through a different narrative. Last time, we were dealing with Naota and puberty/maturity. Now, we are dealing with Hibajiri and adolescent romance/fitting in, another topic everyone has experienced.

While the characters aren't as strong as in the first season, Progressive is taking a character two years older than Naota, ... and dealing with a different issue, and, arguably, doesn't need to be explaining how everyone is connected, because they are all the same age in the same class (excluding Haruko) unlike last season. Instead, we are stepping into a moment in time dealing with specifically junior high students and the adolescent experience of that age, and not an immature teenager and a pseudo-mature preteen, as presented in the first season.

The art is somewhat different, which does make it feel a little more streamline to other anime, and while it's more polished, it does lose a piece of what made FLCL's art style so unique. It also doesn't have as much of the defining scenes in FLCL (the manga style is all but gone, with only occasional scenes mimicking it), although it does bring in some new art styles along the way (ep. 5 is the most obvious).

The Pillows are back on the soundtrack and as good as always. I don't need to say much more for the music than that. The voice-over in the dub is quality, just like last time, and frequently easier to understand and extract what the actual message being presented in its snide, nihilistic way.

It's not as insane of an adventure, albeit still quite quirky and nonsensical at times, but if you go into with an open mind that this is 18 years after the original and most of the people who watched the original season in their adolescence are far extracted from it, it does hold up, even if it's a little more direct storytelling and less of the chaotic metaphor that made the original so unique, recognizable, and long-lasting.

To conclude, this isn't so much a continuation of FLCL, but a continuation of the message FLCL presented last time on maturing. It's inevitable, you will change, and fighting that change isn't the best way to be. I recommend giving it a chance, go in with an open mind, listen carefully, and don't go in expecting the same thing as last time, because, just like growing up, nothing stays the same as you thought it would be.

I sadly found myself relating to Midomi, more than I thought I would at all; Shutting out the monotony with music and just wanting to get to the next day... But change happens, life happens and you realize that sometimes, you gotta move on. It may be scary, it may even hurt you in more ways than just one, but that pain and change is what allows one to grow as a person. Similar to how FLCL can be seen as some teens growing up too fast, and others too slow... FLCL Progressive can be seen as one wanting to move on from the past, ... to focus on the present, to create a better future.

I've seen some slamming this for not capturing the same magic as the original, but isn't change natural? We were taught that in the original FLCL, but why not with other FLCL related media?

Both Hidomi and Raharu almost represent two sides of the fanbase. Hidomi can be interpreted as the fans who accept the sequels to this series despite their flaws, while Haruko/Raharu can be the ones still chasing, still running after that original spark left by the original so long ago.

I don't think any FLCL sequel will ever top the OG FLCL, but that doesn't mean you can't find any enjoyment at all in what comes after. The sequels are just different enough to the point that this can almost be seen as an anthology series, so the original is never truly tarnished.

All in all, after some thinking, I enjoyed this and it wouldn't hurt any other ecent FLCL fans to give this a watch.

While certainly not living up to the original, this follow up begins to take better shape after distance and multiple viewings. It's not trying to recapture or repeat the magic of the original, but it is trying to tell another distinct story about the transition from childhood to teenage years surrounding by the ideas and concepts of the FLCL universe. In particular, the art of the dream sequences are the stand out pieces for the show overall, and the music combines well with those pieces. The story can be messy at times, but so was FLCL original. Subsequent re-watches are opening up a soft ... spot for Progressive that I hope others start to feel as well.

A Christian's Anime Review
FLCL Alternative

Discernment Topics

Violence: \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Over-the-top explosions, mech fights, and other antics result in widespread destruction.
A few cases of blood gushing from noses.
People get wacked with vehicles, guitars, flower pots, and other wacky things. They also fall from high places and end up in ridiculous, almost Loony-Toon-like situations.
One dream sequence showcases intense gore, blood, and violence in the vain of a zombie horror movie.
...
Language:\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Moderate language.
One blanked out strong expletive.

Spiritual Content:\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
A robotic body is seen tied to what looks like a cross... this isn't really explained.

Fanservice:\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Moderate and overt fanservice crop up frequently.
Reference, analogy, and innuendo towards sex seems to be a primary theme in this show along with adolescence.
One man wears women's clothes, but adamantly argues that they are not effeminate.
One scene has students staring at a screen. We hear audio that implies what they are watching is pornography.

Misc. Suggestive Content:\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
The main character is fairly disrespectful to her mother.
Many characters display inappropriate and wanton behavior.

Detached Assessment

Story:\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
6/10
What story?
Granted, there is a plot, but it hardly makes any sense and ultimately comes to be developed to the same end as the last series.
However, all of the random weirdness featured in every episode will surely have it's audience.

Characters:\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
6/10
Most of the characters are generally unlikable, underdeveloped, and don't have very detailed motivations.
However, the characters are relatable in some ways.

Art:\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
8/10
Fight scenes can be really well animated and filled with special effects that wow the eyes.
However, some scenes look stiff and janky. These aren't very noticeable though.

Sound:\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
10/10
The Pillows... nuff said.
For the uninitiated, the band that makes all of the music for the FLCL franchise, The Pillows, is the primary reason alot of people even follow these wacky shows.

Enjoyment:\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
7/10
While the occasionally opaque analogies (and some too transparent) may offset some people, the show remains entertaining.
The short runtime, 6 normal length episodes, also makes it not to large of a time commitment.

Conclusion
People that enjoyed the previous FLCL will probably enjoy this one as well. Those who like their shows to be low on sense and high on wackiness will also find something to like here.
However, those offended by sexual references and innuendo should probably skip this.

This is NOT a movie, but a six episode series... not sure why MAL listed it this way. Honestly, I think this series is as good as the original FLCL. Writing is clever and animation is well-done for most scenes. I don't really see the meaning as useful or enriching, but it's still enjoyable nonetheless. It's a purposefully weird and unique show. The characters seem pretty unrealistic in character, but their story is well-developed. The music was memorable for many scenes and the sound effects were about average. Overall, if you've watched the original FLCL and moderately enjoyed it, I think you will enjoy this. ... Some people dislike it, but I think it's a great addition to the FLCL series. I watched it as soon as it was put on Crunchyrol and don't regret it; felt good after completing. It's not my favorite show by any means, but it's alright overall and impressive in many departments. I think it deserves more attention than it got (at least compared to regular FLCL).

Hi everybody, how are you?
Here is the most seriously ridiculous and ridiculously serious franchise I have ever seen.
To be brief, both this and the prequel touches on the subject of change and acceptance of it in adolescence, both in a way more related to puberty itself (as the original did) and the search for meaning and identity.
All this with a huge super over the top background subplot that has little to do with anything; and the continuation of Haruko's adventures to be with Atomsk.
It's basically the same old trusty FLCL with a fresher, more up-to-date style but with that message of wild youth, punk ... rock, and crazy animation styles that are its hallmark.
I liked it and if you want to see something different for a while, I recommend that you see it too.