May 19, 2016
Oh FLCL, where do I start? FLCL was the first anime I ever watched all the way through. It's also the first anime I ever binge-watched. During a low point in my life, I stumbled across episode 1 on YouTube, and stayed up till 3 am devouring it. And I did it again the next night. And again. And again. It's become a sort of ritual for me to watch FLCL at least once every couple months now. I can easily say it is by far the best piece of film or anime I've ever seen, and will always be a favorite.
Why is it so
...
good? It's really hard for me to put my finger on it. The art is stunning, the animation is captivating and always changing, keeping viewers on their toes. The characters are bizarre, complex, unpredictable, and so irritating you can't help but love them. And the music! The whole anime feels like one long, perfectly flowing AMV for the band The Pillows. The music adds to the atmosphere of every scene and every time I hear a few notes of one of those familiar songs again I feel a deep ache of nostalgia.
I'd compare FLCL to a piece of masterful literature, like Catcher in the Rye. It just has a certain feel to it, a nostalgia, a deep exploration of youth and all the angst and frustration and excitement that comes with it. At first, FLCL may seem like it has no meaning, like it's just a cluster of nonsense and fantastic-ness. But if you really take the time to digest what you've seen (and the show gives you some time to do so during the slower, more melancholy scenes) then you will find a deeper, rawer meaning that is very rare to find in modern anime. The best part? A season 2 has just been announced!
If you enjoy a fast-paced, delightful, and visually gorgeous anime, watch this one.
Reviewer’s Rating: 9
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