Let's take the most important out of the way, FLCL is a masterpiece and Grunge does NOT live up to the original. HOWEVER, as much as I wanted to hate this show and dismiss it as another cash-grab tarnishing the name of one of my favorite anime ever, FLCL: Grunge actually has heart put into it.
First, the technical aspects:
Music is great, but that's expected from The Pillows, they just don't miss. The voice actors also do a good job.
The art and animation are well done. The CGI might throw some people of, but it just looks nice here. The way they blend 2d
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and 3d animation works really well for the type of anime that is FLCL, and it helps to give Grunge this unique and experimental feel. The art is really beautiful at times.
They try to pay homages to the original, replicating scenes such as the rotating kissing scene and that famous Naota holding a guitar at the end. They are great, but they don't feel earned in Grunge. I don't believe the staff had bad intentions with these homages, but it felt like they just forced these insertions to give a nod to fans, and play on our nostalgia for a bit. My reaction upon seeing them for the first time was basically a "oh I see what you did there", but there was no excitement.
Ok, now for the meat of the matter:
Pacing: a bit rushed, despite them all being about the same day from different perspectives. It probably could have been better with a couple more episodes, but I guess it's fine.
The first episode is the weakest from the bunch, but overall it does feel like FLCL.
Some of the comedy actually hits and I probably at least chuckled during every episode at some point or another.
Story: Fairly simple, Haruko using kids to find Atomsk as always. It is a bit more in the background basically used to push the plot forward and part of it is really goofy (which isn't inherently bad). I feel like the focus is really on the theme and characters: their past, connections and motivations.
Themes: Also simple, it's almost a call to action. The kids are compelled to leave this world in which nothing happens. You can feel that they are full of life and youth, while the adults are mostly always gray and stoic, stuck there. I'll expand that on each character.
Characters: I like them. Haruko is Haruko, no comments. She is the weakesthe frant part of this story, basically being a plot point and using her... charisma to get everyone around her to do what she wants kind of. She gets involved with the yakuza and the mayor, basically in order to fuck with stuff. And she uses the kids, Shinpachi and Shonari are basically... seduced by her. And Orinoko at least gains a rock from Haruko.
In the first episode we follow Shinpachi, who works at a sushi restaurant with his father. From the first glance, he seemed like a bland copy of Naota, and while they are similar, Shin seems a bit more optimistic and active, helping his friends until the bitter end. In the past he protected Shonari from bullying, later he overpays Orinoko for the shitty knife. He seems like a resolved character, he questions the authority of his father, and I feel like he mostly knows what he wants.
Second episode is probably the strongest of the bunch (lol), Shonari is from a different species (basically The Thing from Fantastic 4). He is kind and strong. The relationship with his brother is the best part of the character probably. His older brother is a tragic character, he doesn't want Shonari to end up like him and for that he slowly kills himself, both by drinking and working as a hitman for the yakuza, even to the point of fighting his own species, hoping to earn enough money to have Shonari leave.
Third episode, with the resolution and Orinoko POV. She lives with her father and a robot and collects scrap metal to help her father make knives and pots. Her dad is actually a swordsmith but there's almost no quality metal and he is sick and kinda resigned. She is probably the least fleshed out character. I mean, she has personality and motivations, but they are... kinda shallow? To be honest now thinking about it the whole anime isn't that deep. Either way, Orinoko is discontent with the current situation, basically she wants to help her dad and repay her friends. Her design is a bit out of place, but it's cute.
Grunge still is sinful of being yet another attempt of milking the franchise but the anime does hold up on it's own. I wish they stopped using FLCL's name as it's impossible not to compare, but I actually ended up enjoying my experience in these 3 episodes. It is not fooly cooly, but the essence is still there.
Despite everything, Grunge is still unique enough and probably better than most anime out these days. At the very least, I'm not mad that it exists.
Review is a bit all over the place, but it's about FLCL so that's lore accurate. Overall adding my personal enjoyment I'd end up bumping to a 7, but I understand the frustration.
Oct 7, 2023
FLCL: Grunge
(Anime)
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Let's take the most important out of the way, FLCL is a masterpiece and Grunge does NOT live up to the original. HOWEVER, as much as I wanted to hate this show and dismiss it as another cash-grab tarnishing the name of one of my favorite anime ever, FLCL: Grunge actually has heart put into it.
First, the technical aspects: Music is great, but that's expected from The Pillows, they just don't miss. The voice actors also do a good job. The art and animation are well done. The CGI might throw some people of, but it just looks nice here. The way they blend 2d ... |
