FLCL:Most confusing show ever

[randi]

I have been reading some of the later threads latey,http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=90231&page=1&pp=20
And most people have either liked it or never been more confused in their life. Saying like "What did I just watch." ect. I agree as I have never been as confused like that,but I also think its a good show.
Commets?

[Eddie G.]

Fooly Cooly makes perfect sense to me, just watch it a more few times and it will all come together. In all honesty it is not as weird as you think, you just have to pay a lot attention to things, and get that a lot of those weird parts are just meant to be weird.

EDIT: Ignore my originol end to this post, this thread is shaping up nicely Randi.

[livingfruitvirus]

Fooly Cooly makes perfect sense to me, just watch it a more few times and it will all come together. In all honesty it is not as weird as you think, you just have to pay a lot attention to things, and get that a lot of those weird parts are just meant to be weird. Anyway just so you know this thread will be full flames and spam, I'm sorry but that is this thread's destiny.
you shouldn't have to watch a show a few times for the story to come together.

[randi]

It sounded like a good thread at the time until my brain started thinking.

[Lord Dalek]

You haven't watched EVA have you Randi?

[The Landstander]

you shouldn't have to watch a show a few times for the story to come together.Well, that's the uniqueness/appeal of the show. At least to me.

*attempting to make something out of the thread*

[Eddie G.]

you shouldn't have to watch a show a few times for the story to come together.I agree with Landstander. I didn't mean in my first post that the show only makes sense when you watch it for the first time, when I saw the first whole run of FlCl I had a pretty good understanding of what I had just seen. When I watched it a few more times I found myself saying, "Oh, okay, that's what they meant." or "That's why this happened." I find it great that I can watch this show over and over again, at each time the experience is atleast tad different.

[Delthayre]

you shouldn't have to watch a show a few times for the story to come together.Is that a statement regarding the stupidity and intellectual laziness of the viewing public or something else?

The most clever and best written series are the ones you have to view and examine more than once to understand everything. It's a testament to a series if it's so densely written and endearing that it's worth repeat viewings.

[randi]

You haven't watched EVA have you Randi?
If I ever find out what that is ,I'll anwser it.

[Delthayre]

If I ever find out what that is ,I'll anwser it.It's a commonly used shorthand for Neon Genesis Evangelion.

[randi]

It's a commonly used shorthand for Neon Genesis Evangelion.Eh,I never really looked into it.

[Lord Dalek]

Eh,I never really looked into it.You ought to. The director of that series plays the cat in FLCL.

[Sampo]

I have been reading some of the later threads latey,http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=90231&page=1&pp=20
And most people have either liked it or never been more confused in their life. Saying like "What did I just watch." ect. I agree as I have never been as confused like that,but I also think its a good show.
Commets?
*Sampo pauses the Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi DVD spinning in his drive*

Yup FLCL is the most confusing anime I ever seen and I did think "What the **** did I just watch."

Heck, I still don't get it. Random scenes of wackyness, odd references to other shows, random violence, and.... uh...

*Sampo fired up his DVD again*

Kamehame... Hot Hot HOT!

[Eddie G.]

*Sampo pauses the Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi DVD spinning in his drive*

Yup FLCL is the most confusing anime I ever seen and I did think "What the **** did I just watch."

Heck, I still don't get it. Random scenes of wackyness, odd references to other shows, random violence, and.... uh...

*Sampo fired up his DVD again*

Kamehame... Hot Hot HOT!See Abenobashi (which after four episodes, especially episode four has become one of my favorite anime) is bizzare, it's not really the same bizzare as Fooly Cooly. Abenosbashi is basically all the off model and cultural jokes of Fooly Cooly taken to a new level and used for a half hour. Fooly Cooly is bizzare more because some non-linear scenes and a somewhat complex plot that in which major plot points and backstory are kept secret for for almost the whole six episodes, and some are only implied (I mean one character was in love with another and it was never said verbally in the whole series).

Basically the difference is that past the manga scenes and super fast vespas, FLCL is still complex... while as far as I can tell Abenobashi is basically the manga scenes and Lupin jackets without anything beneaht it. So once you understand Abenobashi's humor you get it... the same can't be said for FlCl.

Of course I could be really under crediting Abenobashi.

[livingfruitvirus]

Is that a statement regarding the stupidity and intellectual laziness of the viewing public or something else?

The most clever and best written series are the ones you have to view and examine more than once to understand everything. It's a testament to a series if it's so densely written and endearing that it's worth repeat viewings.
if you mean every detail and some extra aspects and symbolism here and there, i guess i could agree. but one should not have to watch a series and come out of it saying "what just happened?" IMO, that's bad storytelling showing that the writers/artists are unable to present the content in an organized manner. to say something like "oh well it's really symbolic and deep and artsy crap and you have to watch it a a few times to get the basic story" is a cop out. this is a TV show, entertaining the viewer with a story or series of stories which contain a beginning, middle, and end. not your art show. a viewer should only have to watch a series one time just to get the basic gist of the plot, with added viewings to increase understanding of the story. someone could watch Cowboy Bebop once and say "Ah, I get it." and watch it a few more times and say "Oh, now I REALLY get it."

[Lord Dalek]

I kinda view Abenobashi and FLCL as two different beasts. Abenobashi is Gainax's satire of every genre known to man, and FLCL is their self-depreciating satire. See, two completely different ideas.

[Artimus Gigan]

I kinda view Abenobashi and FLCL as two different beasts. Abenobashi is Gainax's satire of every genre known to man, and FLCL is their self-depreciating satire. See, two completely different ideas.But both have a red haired matriarch

[Lord Dalek]

But both have a red haired matriarchGainax likes red-haired female characters whether they be evil or not.

[Sampo]

See Abenobashi (which after four episodes, especially episode four has become one of my favorite anime) is bizzare, it's not really the same bizzare as Fooly Cooly. Abenosbashi is basically all the off model and cultural jokes of Fooly Cooly taken to a new level and used for a half hour. Fooly Cooly is bizzare more because some non-linear scenes and a somewhat complex plot that in which major plot points and backstory are kept secret for for almost the whole six episodes, and some are only implied (I mean one character was in love with another and it was never said verbally in the whole series).
...
Aye I can see what you are talking about. Both have random stuff and strange things happening on the screen...

But Abenobashi is more like looking for various Anime references to other shows such as Dragonball, Captain Herlock (Harlock), RPG games, Macross etc. After you get past that there is a basic plot and story running the show.

On the other hand FLCL, it really appears to be insane stuff thrown at the screen at first, but it does make more sense (heh, MORE sense, still confusing to me) after you watch the whole series a couple of times. I didn't like FLCL much, BUT I was impressed that they could pull something off like that. It does make it something very unique and an impressive piece of work.

*Goes back to watching his DVD*

[wrenchien]

i still wish there would be 6 more episodes to follow up..

[Eddie G.]

i still wish there would be 6 more episodes to follow up..The story ended man, it was meant to be six and only six episodes, in these six episodes the story was told and the story was ended. A continuation would have no point but to please some fans and make some money.

However I wouldn't mind seeing a story that takes place in the FLCL universe, airing on AS with Cowboy Ed.

[The Landstander]

IMO, that's bad storytelling showing that the writers/artists are unable to present the content in an organized manner.I disagree.

I think the show was purposefully trying to be out there, non-linear, non-sensical, hard to follow, etc. That's the whole appeal of the show. There IS an actual storyline (and a well done one), and part of the fun of the show (at least for me) was making sense out of a non-sensical storyline.

[Delthayre]

I think I'm largely with Landster on this. I enjoy shows that are almost a puzzle box in that a great deal of interpertation and thought is needed to figure them out. It's akin to the appeal of mysteries or even jigsaw puzzles (but that's a stretch). Of course, if the plot isn't worth figuring out, then it's generally poorly played on the part of the creators.

[Romanesque]

Really, FLCL isn't all *that* hard to understand. It made enough sense to me the first time through, but was still complex enough to find deeper nuances on repeated viewings.

you shouldn't have to watch a show a few times for the story to come together.

But... why?

There are plenty of excellent novels and short stories in the world which require several readings to fully grasp. There are also countless of works of art which demand persistant observation and thought to fully appreciate. Why should a show, especially with a mere six episodes, have to be different?

--Romey

[Artimus Gigan]

Actualy it's 3hrs in total

the same length of any of the LOTR movies


Honeslty I thought in Episode 4 Naota's dad did die, but after a re-watching(I bough the DVD the day of the initial 4th episode airing) I realised that he didn't really die and that it was an android that died...or was destroyed...whatever

So you can miss somethings

[ClockStomper]

you shouldn't have to watch a show a few times for the story to come together.
Sometimes retrospect helps. Watching "Touching Evil"'s first episode again after a revelation in the third episode shows how brilliant the writers are. Another example would be re-watching The 6th Sense a second time knowing the twist(although that's a movie, so it shouldn't count.) It can be a totally different experience the second time around.

[lostrune]

You haven't watched EVA have you Randi?

Or for the fans who are truly familiar with the classics, try Pataliro! ('http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=3180') :D

http://www.sandg-anime-reviews.net/tvdb/Anim_detail.php?ID=531
... apparently it's a wacky comedy on the lines of Monty Python or Dr. Slump.

[skite]

sure itd didnt make that much since it still was a cool show, like if you ride a rollercoaster and the design didnt make since who cares as long as its a fun ride :D

[True Noir]

It was the most confusing show ever the first time I watched it, but after the second rerun I understood it. Understanding FLCL helped me understand Abenobashi. I understood Abenobashi the first time I watched it. Anyway, even when FLCL didn't make since, I found it absolutely hilarious.

[Karl Olson]

I dunno, I got the basic plot and intension of FLCL the first time through. It took a couple of extra viewings to come fully plumb the metaphor and imagery I was talking about in the talkback, but that's how that this kind of thing goes. Granted, I'd be lying if I said I was normal or average. Normal people don't write books on the deep, dark mysteries of FLCL. Normal people wouldn't have one look at Noata and think "oh, Holden Caulfield: the Grade School Years." I do.

[William C. Maune]

Talk about a confusing change of pace. I feel sorry for the folks who will be watching Fooly Cooly for the first time when it is sandwiched between Wolf's Rain and Witch Hunter Robin.

[Karl Olson]

Talk about a confusing change of pace. I feel sorry for the folks who will be watching Fooly Cooly for the first time when it is sandwiched between Wolf's Rain and Witch Hunter Robin.


Yes. IY -> Wolf's Rain -> WHR -> Bebop -> Trigun-> FLCL would have been a much smoother progression. It'd have a nice chunk Sunrise/Bones awesome their as well (mmm... Sunrise/Bones.)

[Lord Dalek]

Yes. IY -> Wolf's Rain -> WHR -> Bebop -> Trigun-> FLCL would have been a much smoother progression. It'd have a nice chunk Sunrise/Bones awesome their as well (mmm... Sunrise/Bones.) Shame CN doesn't have the rights to Rahxephon, eh Karl?

[Karl Olson]

Shame CN doesn't have the rights to Rahxephon, eh Karl?

if we're talking about adding ADV's mature Bones and Sunrise shows getting into the mix...

Hyper Luigi power, Activate!

11:00 - Wolf's Rain
11:30 - Gasaraki
12:00 - City Hunter
12:30 - Rahzephon
1:00 - Witch Hunter Robin
1:30 - Cowboy Bebop

now that's good tv.

[Lord Dalek]

if we're talking about adding ADV's mature Bones and Sunrise shows getting into the mix...

Hyper Luigi power, Activate!

11:00 - Wolf's Rain
11:30 - Gasaraki
12:00 - City Hunter
12:30 - Rahzephon
1:00 - Witch Hunter Robin
1:30 - Cowboy Bebop

now that's good tv. I'd put Dirty Pair in their as well, just for the hell of it.

[Karl Olson]

it can rotate w/ city hunter.

[Lord Dalek]

it can rotate w/ city hunter.ADV would have to dub City Hunter.

[Karl Olson]

ADV would have to dub City Hunter.

true. not that I wouldn't mind. if there own studio are too booked, they can send it to LA. Which would be cool.

[TODE]

I didn't like FLCL much until the final DVD (got the box, too!).

Now I consider it one of the best anime I've seen, and one of the few you can re-watch and not get bored. It's always interesting.

[jeffrey 228]

Well I can say that this series has many things related to other Gainax related anime, plus even our own culture as well, including a cliche cartoon antic used by the series we all know as South Park, and man was that eve weird that they used our same ainamtion or form to get that part in, that is what I find very strange about this series, also the Sexual and near nude scenes were left in for 5 out of 6 episodes, but I can truly say that this is the reason more people are fans of this series, no questions asked.

[Lord Dalek]

Now that I think of it, FLCL wasn't NEARLY as confusing as The Prisoner.

[RobochangerEX]

Not once did I have trouble understanding FLCL. Infact my opinion of it on my first viewing was that from start to finish it was of Masterpiece quality.


FLCL IMO is the greatest thing created by man. No joke.

[Coolboyman]

I cant understand it either, but who cares, its cool as hell ^_^

[Mystic Shadow]

Nothing can touch FLCL!

[Eddie G.]

Nothing can touch FLCL!Pshhh... I'm touching my FLCL DVDs right now. Seriously though what exactly do you mean, I'm curious to know if that means you think it's the best anime ever, the most confusing thing ever, or what...

[Lord Dalek]

I never really thought of FLCL as confusing. It's more along the lines of OMGWTF?

[eyager]

At first I hated the show, but after repeated viewings it starts to make sense. A VCR is really kind of mandatory. I wish the show was closed captioned as the voices are sometimes hard to understand. The ending of the show makes more sense than Akira's IMHO.

[Speedy Boris]

Picked up Vol. 1 DVD yesterday and watched it- wow, it's certainly different, I'll give it that. The animation in the robot scenes is excellent and frenetic and the rock music is quite good (and I usually dislike rock music). I'll have to see the other 4 episodes to see how it all comes together, though- I have a vague idea of what the plot's about but I'm still kinda hazy. ;)

[Znath]

Most of the point of FLCL is that it doesn't make sense. That's why people
like it for the most part I guess. It builds up plot things a little at a time
then the last episode comes and... you have TONS of loose ends, which I think
is on purpose.

So this is basicly a series that leaves you thinking "Whaaa?!"

[devon rehab]

I never really thought of FLCL as confusing. It's more along the lines of OMGWTF?
And that is why I love FLCL, the whole series is basicly one WTF moment after another.

[CaptainRed]

if you mean every detail and some extra aspects and symbolism here and there, i guess i could agree. but one should not have to watch a series and come out of it saying "what just happened?" IMO, that's bad storytelling showing that the writers/artists are unable to present the content in an organized manner. to say something like "oh well it's really symbolic and deep and artsy crap and you have to watch it a a few times to get the basic story" is a cop out. this is a TV show, entertaining the viewer with a story or series of stories which contain a beginning, middle, and end. not your art show. a viewer should only have to watch a series one time just to get the basic gist of the plot, with added viewings to increase understanding of the story. someone could watch Cowboy Bebop once and say "Ah, I get it." and watch it a few more times and say "Oh, now I REALLY get it."

I don't think in all cases it's a question of ability. Many times, I believe that the creators are trying to push the audience... or at least the envelope of what they can do for the audience.

It's important that the creators of these shows experiment, and sometimes fail, because sometimes they succeed and come up with something wonderful(like with FLCL).

I think I'm largely with Landster on this. I enjoy shows that are almost a puzzle box in that a great deal of interpertation and thought is needed to figure them out. It's akin to the appeal of mysteries or even jigsaw puzzles (but that's a stretch). Of course, if the plot isn't worth figuring out, then it's generally poorly played on the part of the creators.

I'd agree with that. Some obscurity is fine, so long as they give you enough to want to figure the rest out.

I still think FLCL is pretty straightforward so far as its basic plots go. It's the heavier duty artistry that's in there with it that takes some work to grok.

Honeslty I thought in Episode 4 Naota's dad did die, but after a re-watching(I bough the DVD the day of the initial 4th episode airing) I realised that he didn't really die and that it was an android that died...or was destroyed...whatever

So you can miss somethings

Actually, they both died in Full Swing. Naota's dad was brought back to life, though

Which reminds me... I don't think we plumbed that one all the way, Karl.

i still wish there would be 6 more episodes to follow up..

What Blue Wolf said.

Might go with a sequel or spinoff... but either way, I'll be happy with Gainax making other productions.

You ought to. The director of that series plays the cat in FLCL.

Well, the cat outside of the dub. They dubbed the cat. :¬)

Talk about a confusing change of pace. I feel sorry for the folks who will be watching Fooly Cooly for the first time when it is sandwiched between Wolf's Rain and Witch Hunter Robin.

The first time I was in this thread, and I saw what you said there, I was in disbelief. Now that I've double checked it, I still can't believe it.

They're putting FLCL on before WHR? Do they have it in for WHR, or something? I mean, I dislike Blue Gender much more than I dislike WHR, but FLCL made Blue Gender seem even worse. I shudder to think of how bad WHR is going to look following FLCL.

I think it'll be easier to go from something else to FLCL than FLCL to something else. I'm even willing to say this about Wolf's Rain sight-unseen. There are shows that could bridge out of FLCL... but if WS has placed WHR in that slot, they obviously weren't looking for one. :¬)

Most of the point of FLCL is that it doesn't make sense. That's why people
like it for the most part I guess. It builds up plot things a little at a time
then the last episode comes and... you have TONS of loose ends, which I think
is on purpose.

So this is basicly a series that leaves you thinking "Whaaa?!"

It does make sense! Do not say in my presence that it doesn't! >;¬b

It had better make sense... or those posts I contributed to it's thread(s) put me in a bit of trouble.

And what loose ends do you say were left? The plot was finished, and we know what happened to each of the characters.(or at least enough to bridge them out of the story)

Picked up Vol. 1 DVD yesterday and watched it- wow, it's certainly different, I'll give it that. The animation in the robot scenes is excellent and frenetic and the rock music is quite good (and I usually dislike rock music). I'll have to see the other 4 episodes to see how it all comes together, though- I have a vague idea of what the plot's about but I'm still kinda hazy. ;)

The show gets better and better as it goes along — you have much to look forward to. :¬D

It's all gold. Some say that Brittle Bullet(#5) is the best one. If I had to pick, I think FLCLimax(#6) might be the best... but I wouldn't want to have to pick. 'Cause like I said, it's all gold. I think I can say that without much contradiction in this thread. I think I can. :¬D

*honks hugs and whatever else*
Cappy "of course I had to respond to some from all three pages" Red