FLCL, also known as Fooly Cooly, is a Japanese anime original video animation (OVA) that was released from 2000-2001. It aired with a total of 6 episodes alongside a manga and novel adaptation as well. The show was developed by Gainax, an animation studio in Japan, which is known for the well-renowned Neon Genesis Evangelion series, created in 1995. The studio also produced Gurren Lagann which was released in 2007. Production I.G, another animation studio, also contributed to the show’s production. They were responsible for the animation of Ghost in the Shell, which was also very well received.

In this review, I am going to cover some of the major parts that I think determine how good an anime is. These include the overall story, animation, music, characters, and voice acting.

Story

The story of Fooly Cooly follows a young 12-year-old boy named Naota Nandaba, also referred to as Takkun. Naota is an ordinary sixth-grader living in his hometown of Mabase, a city where nothing amazing ever seems to happen. After his brother Tasuku leaves town to play baseball in America, Naota takes it upon himself to look after everything Tasuku left behind—from his top bunk bed to his ex-girlfriend Mamimi Samejima, who hasn’t stopped clinging to Naota since Tasuku left.

However, Takkun’s life changes when Haruko Haruhara rolls into town… 

Haruko Haruhara is a Vespa-riding, bass guitar-wielding, pink-haired psychopath whose first encounter with Naota leaves him with tire tracks on his back and a giant horn on his head. Though all Takkun wants is some peace and quiet, chaos is inevitable when Haruko takes up residence at his parents’ home. Little does he know, Naota may just find himself dragged into the heart of the greatest battle for supremacy that Earth—and quite possibly the entire universe—has ever seen.

The story of Fooly Cooly is one of its best features (I’ll probably end up saying this about everything lol). It’s fast-paced, but not too fast. It’s serious when it has to be, but it also definitely doesn’t skimp out on the humor. In fact, the humor is probably what makes the show so good. Yes, the story is cool, but it is absolutely taken to another level with the added laughs. Every single episode leaves you with jokes that are amazing. FLCL’s story is so wacky that you can’t help but enjoy it. The show isn’t just funny though. It also covers common themes such as growing up and dealing with relationships at a young age. Whether it’s the more serious topics or the opposite, you can tell the production team had a really fun time making this show. Speaking of fun, let’s talk about the show’s animation.

Animation

Animation… Where to even begin? I knew I would say it again, but the animation seriously makes the show so great too. I absolutely love what Gainax and Production I.G did with this show’s animation. You can tell how much they really cared about making the viewing experience worthwhile because the animation is amazing. The style perfectly contributes to the loose and humorous tone of the show, while also making everything look buttery smooth. As the show is highly experimental, its animation naturally follows this theme. FLCL’s animation is incredibly well done, but it also has added flair with some neat touches. For example, in multiple instances, manga panels are used to tell scenes from the show. They are still animated though, which gives a cool effect. Another fun addition is a scene made to look like it came straight out of South Park. This was very funny as well, which once again adds to the show’s theme of silliness.

Soundtrack

FLCL’s soundtrack was composed almost entirely by the Japanese Alternative Rock band, The Pillows. A few songs were composed by Shinkichi Mitsumune. The Pillows were formed in 1989, and have released 22 studio albums, several EPs and compilations, and over 40 singles. Outside Japan, they are of course most known for their work on the FLCL soundtrack. Gainax approached the band to license their three most recent albums for use in FLCL, and in my opinion, they couldn’t have picked anyone better. The soundtrack, just like the show, is action-packed and fast, but also chill at times. The Pillows’ sound really helped this short show shine and become the classic it is recognized as. Some of the highlights of the soundtrack in my opinion are the songs, “Ride on Shooting Star,” which is used for the ending of each episode, and “Funny Bunny.” Both are pretty different from each other, but both embody different aspects of the show, fast and calm, respectively. There are so many other good songs from this soundtrack as well. Pretty much all of them are amazing. Some of my other favorites are “sleepy head” (which has a super cool bass line), “carnival,” “stalker,” and “little busters.” Of course, these are only some of my personal favorites, but I think the entire soundtrack could fit on this list.

Characters

The characters in FLCL are as wacky as the show. All the characters’ designs are super fun and contribute a lot towards making the show so interesting. Haruko’s design is great and she always looks so cool swinging her guitar around or riding on her Vespa. Takkun’s outfits are always stylish and so many other characters are filled with life such as Takkun’s father who is very expressive. Despite being such a short show, the characters learn a lot from their experiences and we do get to see them grow and develop. Like I’ve been saying, it’s so cool to see a show that is able to accomplish so much with such a short runtime.

Voice Acting

Like most anime, Fooly Cooly was originally produced in Japanese with Japanese voice actors. Eventually, it was dubbed by voice actors in English. Of course, it all comes down to preference as to which one you choose to watch. I personally don’t stick to one category and watch some shows in English and some in Japanese with subtitles. For FLCL, I decided to watch the English version. As for how it sounded, I have to say it was pretty good. There are definitely better dubs out there, but it was far from unbearable. I did find the first episode to be a little awkward at times, but it either got better as the show progressed, or I adjusted. It’s also possible that it was both. Since I haven’t seen the sub version, I can’t say much about it, but I have heard positive things about both, so if that’s what you prefer, try it out.

In conclusion, I would give FLCL a 9/10. I think that it covers a lot of good topics in its story, but also has a plentiful amount of humor in it. If you are looking for a short anime to watch in less than a week, I highly recommend this show to you. If you for whatever reason aren’t sold after reading this, I hope you change your mind. Watching Fooly Cooly was a great experience that I wish everyone could experience. Plus, it’s only 6 episodes.

If you’ve already seen the show, or are interested in some more content after the original show, there are a few more seasons that have come out recently, and a few more planned to come out very soon. The second and third seasons of FLCL, FLCL Progressive and FLCL Alternative, were both released in 2018. The fourth and fifth seasons, titled FLCL: Grunge and FLCL: Shoegaze are both scheduled to release in 2023. I plan to give them a shot as well.