FLCL: Grunge

Do you guys remember back in the day, way back in the “modern” internet era, where it was all small, enclosed forums and isolated communities that you don’t have to find, but they find your way around to you instead? Back when TV was the main media consumption device. That golden era of the early 2000s.

I feel like the perfect representation of that weird liminal nostalgia in Anime is the original FLCL, it was so mystical, so relatable, and weirdly bittersweet, and then some spin-offs were announced but the facade of nostalgia dulled out and all hype prior to its release was met with nothing ... but disappointment. But this time felt different, this time it’s not a pretentious spin-off, it’s a full-on reboot, or maybe I’m snorting under-treated copium over here.

You thought 3D was bad? I think you just haven’t seen FLCL: Grunge then, this was a master’s piece, a perfect blend between 2D and 3D that was fully 3D but sold the 2D vibes better than most 2D animations. It was super animated and super-expressive; it felt larger than life.

I love retrospective narrative direction, which is probably why I fell in love with the words of the likes of Tarantino, this reboot was composed of such, three episode telling the same events, only through the scope of three different characters, each perspective adds in tons of layers on the plot with so many convoluted sub plots mixed in that makes you beg to rewatch another time.

One of the most common criticisms around the spin-offs before was that they ruined Haruko’s character, they either made her way too over the top and thus appeared very try hard and forced, or they dulled it up below the notch, however, this one is as crazy and unpredictable as the original, it kind of gives it a run of her money.

The Pillows return, I think that’s it, that’s the real selling point, or at least it is for me. The whips of nostalgia as the first notes kick in and you come to realize it’s The Pillows is very chilling, very sad in a way, but also very happy, as if you’re meeting an old friend after many years of separation.

I feel like this reboot is an anomaly, it defined the stereotype, it beat the odds, and most of all, it pays respect to the original work.

Overall: 8.48/10.

I was feeling meh the first 2 episodes but in my opinion, the final minutes of the third episode captured a magic feeling that the very first FLCL gave me. A very flawed and questionably animated sequel but ultimately I enjoyed the feel it was going for on the third episode. I think it could've been better for the first 2 episodes though. None of the jokes really landed for me and the dialogue felt a bit stiff at most parts, Haruka and Orinoko were definitely the highlights for me. I also think people are a little too harsh on the amount of CGI in ... the animation personally, as it conveyed a distinct unpolished, or clumsy feeling that fit the grunge theme for me. I think overall I'd prefer this one over FLCL progressive.

Embarrassingly bad, in every aspect of writing, animating, voicing, and directing. Uninspired characters, shallow dialogue, and a cheap-looking style come together to make something that would look more in-place on youtube as a fan-project that was anticipated for 6 years before flunking into oblivion upon release. An attempt is made to give a unique theme to the setting and cast like exist in prior series, but questionable worldbuilding (e.g. a new, 100% unexplained obviously-alien race is just randomly present, and have the most boring name imaginable: "Rockians") and a bad fascination with trying to tell 3 un-flushed-out stories at the same time leaves you with ... nothing but the show vaguely shaking its hand and saying "Hope good" in the least creative ways.

Grunge leaves a permanent stain on the series, and no trace of the reason the former series were good are present. You'll get a better FLCL experience just listening to a Pillow album.