FLCL: Neon Genesis Evangelion’s Secret Little Brother
The upper bunk bed in Naoto’s room is empty now that his older brother is overseas to play baseball.
Living with his father and grandfather, the 12-year-old Naoto is just like any other boy his age, impassively blending in with his working-class background. One fateful day, the young boy is run over by a pink-haired psychopath on a scooter, and the crazy woman alarmingly tries to obliterate her victim's head with her electric guitar.
What looks like road rage is actually the start of a dangerously vulnerable chapter for not only Naoto but the universe in its entirety. Astronomy meets divinity when Haruko, the girl on the scooter, opens up a portal through Naoto’s head with the injury
FLCL, short for Fooly Cooly, is a hilarious yet mind-boggling anime that found immense success. Directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki, it was released in 2000. The anime was actually featured on the late-night American TV program Adult Swim in 2018, and Adult Swim is promising two new seasons of FLCL to be released in 2023.
FLCL is the type of anime you’d gladly watch over and over again, and in order to truly grasp the bewildering plot, it’s kind of a necessity to watch it a second or third time. Symbolism is etched in every scene and Fooly Cooly’s beauty is revealed as you slowly peel its funky exterior away. Many fans have compared it to the legendary Neon Genesis Evangelion, and though there are many similarities, FLCL resonates differently. Perhaps it is simply the short length of the series or the spontaneity, but the anime holds a narrow pathway to the subconscious of Naoto, which in turn reflects the mind of many young people. Boxing Fooly Cooly as coming-of-age is absolutely not wrong as it does symbolize many aspects of adolescence, but it’s so much more than that. The animation and art hit skyscraper rankings, and no other anime’s English dub has been met with so much appreciation.
Furiously young, spunky, and abstract, FLCL is a must-watch.
About the Author:
Mizuki Khoury
Born in Montreal, based in Tokyo. Sabukaru’s senior writer and works as an artist under Exit Number Five.
