Search - FLCL (Fooly Cooly) - Vol. 2 on DVD

GAINAX Masterpiece

jgrochoski | Detroit, MI United States | 09/13/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Simply the most amazing piece of artwork ever developed. From the stylized use of digitized manga to the amazing group of animators that worked on the projects. Tsurumaki's vision and depth is amazing (especially since he is right handed). Oh, and don't forget the amazing fight scenes with some of the most fantastic robots you can imagine.Watch as Naota finds his way from elementary school to adulthood with the help of Haruko and fights his way through his own feelings to discover that he should just be himself. On the path he has to fight his way through a myriad of amazing Medical Mechanicca robots.This disk also has my favorite "fight scene" of all time, as Naota finally swings away! The imagery and concept are amazing, and the animation is breathtaking. Couldn't pick better music either - The Pillows' music fits perfectly.Even though each disk is only 2 episodes, there is also an hour of commentary from Tsurumaki (director) that is nearly as riveting as the show itself. Also, a LOT of the nuances in the show are directed at Japanese culture and the anime biz. Even if you don't understand it all until afterwards, it is still an amazing show.Buy all 3 of them right now, because you will be begging for more the moment it ends."

It's All In Naota's Head

Marc Ruby? | Warren, MI USA | 03/30/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Naota, the young teenager who is the central character in this imaginative series finds himself in the envious position of having two women dote on him. One of these is Ninamori, the young daughter of the mayor of Mabase, and the other is Haruko, an attractive 'alien' who has moved into his house as maid. Or this would be an envious position if Ninamori didn't want him to play the cat in the school play - Puss and Boots. And the perpetually effusive Haruko loves Naota for the space warp between the hemispheres of his brain.Ninamori has her own problems, a philandering father, a home that is falling apart, and a desperate need to hide her feelings behind a veneer of adult maturity. Like Naota, life has become too complicated and efforts to reign it in wind up creating new monsters that spring unbidden from one's brain. Haruko is that shaman who brings these things to the surface. Whether they be creatures from outer or inner space, we don't know, but like a mad psychiatrist, Haruko presides over their birth and their final demise.In the second episode on this DVD a baseball game becomes Haruko's metaphor, as she and Naota play on opposite sides in the game. Despite having his brother's bat, Naota seems unable to play, while Haruko, who hits equally well with both bat and base guitar, is apparently the next best thing to Mickey Mantle. Naota's frustration includes not just his failure at sports, but a dark jealousy over Haruko's relationship with his father. He hides behind his powerlessness, unwilling to take any risks, while Haruko keeps telling him that nothing will happen until he swings the bat.This is possible the zaniest series in modern anime. Haruko runs the gamut from being an object of innuendo to acting like one of those Zen masters that leap out of nowhere to hit you with a stick until you learn to avoid the beating. She has her own agenda, which might include saving the earth or turning the unsuspecting Naota into something greater than his own expectations. As of yet, the bemused viewer has no clue.Again, the series benefits from extensive director's commentary. Not that this ever quite explains anything, but it provides many reassurances that it is the series, and not the viewer, that is insane. Outstanding are and music fill out the bill, making FLCL a must see for the anime aficionado and amateur psychologist alike."

GAINAX scores some major points.

Diriel | Los Osos, CA United States | 09/01/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This series is, in short, a great masterpiece that showcases skill within confusion.I don't even have the words to describe what you're thinking of buying.Its a three DVD series, six episodes. Each episode has an english audio track, a japanese, and finally the director's japanese explanation track. It can often be worth rewatching with the director's track going, he explains a lot of japanese nuances.That is where 90% of the confusion comes from actually. Most of the show makes sense only to a person from japan, because thier culture is so different. the other 10% is from scenes and dialog that actually are intended to cause confusion.The story is that of a grade school boy growing up....realizing that the most grown up thing he can do is just be a kid (instead of trying to act like an adult).Its animation is TOP NOTCH, and will often drop your jaw. the audio and soundtrack are awesome. The english dub is actually quite good...but I often find myself also viewing the japanese subbed version.Do yourself a favor and buy this while you can. the company that distributed this set only printed a limited number of copies due to its lack of marketability. I had trouble finding all three. Buy them while you can."

Great Television

studio139 | Kalamazoo, Michigan United States | 09/03/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This series is some of the best television you
will find. It is one of the rare times that
the script expects the viewer to be able to
follow a story without conventional plot points
or clichés. The graphic style is refreshing
and unusual. Like "The Prisoner" or "The Singing
Detective" this series is best understood after
viewing the entire series. While there are
some subtle culture references that we in the U.S.
may miss, the story is universal and very human,
despite Anime and Sci-fi trappings."