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FLCL- What was the point?


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SharinganEyes92



Joined: 27 Feb 2006
Posts: 816
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 6:58 pm Reply with quote
I recently watched FLCL for the second time. I enjoyed it that much to actually watch it again, but a question struck me while I was watching it: What's the point/theme to this anime? Most good anime have themes or messages that they try to get across, such as Naruto and Rurouni Kenshin, but FLCL was so random, that it's hard to find out the real meaning to everything that goes on.

If anyone has any idea as to what the theme or message was in FLCL, please post it and give evidence from the series that supports your idea.

Moderators, if you feel this is a stupid topic, I apologize in advance. I just had to get this off of my chest.
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azzmoneky



Joined: 26 Jul 2003
Posts: 193
Location: With my lord and master Foamy
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:02 pm Reply with quote
I dont think there was a point/theme to this anime. Well thats what I think.
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rajamitsu



Joined: 14 Dec 2005
Posts: 172
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:05 pm Reply with quote
A lot of it was just random. I remember in the commentary, they asked the director what the significance of some writing on a cigarette was. He replied that there was no point; he just thought it looked cool.
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joel_s95387



Joined: 29 Jun 2005
Posts: 1804
Location: California... The Village Hidden In The Porn
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:08 pm Reply with quote
What do you mean by themes and messages? Like morals?

For one, it had a message about not living in someones shadow. Mamimi screwed around with Naota because of his brother. In the end, he was able to blow her off and make her realize that he was Naota and not his brother. Messages are there, just not an overall theme. They are pretty subtle.

Another message is not to immitate games. In Episode spoiler[2, Mamimi thinks she's in a game and burn down a ot of stuff.]

With that said, can anyone think of any more?
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Aromatic Grass



Joined: 31 Dec 2003
Posts: 2424
Location: Raleigh, NC
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:08 pm Reply with quote
SharinganEyes92 wrote:
If anyone has any idea as to what the theme or message was in FLCL, please post it and give evidence from the series that supports your idea.


I'm not really sure about this myself, as it's still hard for me to understand after multiple viewings. What I get from the show is somewhat of a coming-of-age theme. It's sort of about a group of kids in a "normal" town in which strange things happen to them. There are often references to how "grown up" Naota acts, and it's related to what he eats and drinks and such.

SharinganEyes92 wrote:
Moderators, if you feel this is a stupid topic, I apologize in advance. I just had to get this off of my chest.


There are a lot of "What is up with FLCL?" topics, but this one actually has a point besides "Why is it so weird?"
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RezSav



Joined: 06 Jun 2004
Posts: 542
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:12 pm Reply with quote
Well, the whole point of FLCL was to test out Gainax's new animating equipment and technology. But if that doesn't do it for you, I thought the whole theme behind the show was Naota's trials and tribulation threw puberty and becoming a man.

FLCL World thinks so, too

FLCL World wrote:
Q: FLCL seems completely random at times. Is there deeper meaning to the series?
A: Very much so. Almost everything in FLCL some how alludes to sex, puberty, or the liking. The whole series is Naota's ascend into manhood. Sometimes the symbolism is so subtle you would never guess - other times it seems so bluntly obvious ("Swing the bat Takkun!").


Last edited by RezSav on Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:15 pm; edited 1 time in total
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KyoKun



Joined: 10 Jun 2005
Posts: 128
Location: Florida
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:13 pm Reply with quote
Owning the DVDs and it being my all time favorite Anime, I've watched at least 50+ times, I know what it is about in my head but I can't really put it into words.

Aromatic Grass basically gave you what its about in a nutshell, but seriously every time you watch the series you learn 1 or 2 things you did'nt quite understand at first, but there is a story to it and it does have a point, you just really have to watch it a few times to "get" it.
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joel_s95387



Joined: 29 Jun 2005
Posts: 1804
Location: California... The Village Hidden In The Porn
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:21 pm Reply with quote
I'm surprised no one has asked what "Furi Kuri" or "Fooly Cooly" mean.
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Vortextk



Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Posts: 892
Location: Orlando, Fl
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:39 pm Reply with quote
Hmmm..

I can pretty much say this is my favorite anime. Since I haven't watched it recently, it kind of slips my mind and doesn't seem as good. As soon as I watch it again, it's amazing once more though =P

spoiler[It's just a simple growing up story about Naota. In essence atleast, with lots of added bells and whistles. He deals with three women. One his age, one slightly order, one adult. He has to grow up around these women and his other friends. His other friends act how they want and deal with whatever. He tries to be cool and act older. In episode 5 I think? He wants to force Mamimi to hang out with him. He notices she's been drifting with Haruko around him. She rejects him because he's forcing himself to try to kiss her, take her to places; i.e. act like a mature adult which he isn't.]

I'm not gonna kid around, the show does add an insane amount of weird things into it. They aren't just throw away either, it just drives the story which makes Naota face the three women, his dad and Amarao(right? I believe so, mr eyebrows).

I think at the end, Haruko finally makes him realize something.
spoiler[When she's about to leave...
"Wanna come along?"
"Know what, forget it. Cause you're still a kid Takkun, save it for next time."]


It kind of sums up the entire train wreck of FLCL into one quick quote to smack Naota in the face.

Take the show for what you will. I don't believe any discussion on this will reach the magnitude of something like Evangelion, but it's definitely not the most straightforward and concise anime out there.

*Edit*
Oh right, how you said it was so random. A lot of it is extremely random. If you get a chance to watch the dvds sometime, you should check out the director's commentary. I watched it one time with commentary on(audio/subtitles). So technically I had no idea what the characters were saying, subtitles were for the commentary only, but I knew it well enough. It's funnier when you can actually hear him speak, even if it is japanese. Anyway, a LOT of the things are just pure random. Oh man, that sounds cool!*Adds in* Wow, did you ever think of this?*Adds in* The story about his Vespa was funny. That's the director's vespa, the one in the closing, driving around. It was always breaking down and stuff. In the original audio track, the cat's voice was the director of Evangelion =P Funny stuff like that. It might not "clear" up the basis of the show for you, but it will give you a lot of information on other things.
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ananda



Joined: 22 Apr 2005
Posts: 109
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 8:10 pm Reply with quote
I loved the Music, the Animation and the English Track...even though I had no clue what the whole “story” was about, it was still entertaining.
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Anthony P



Joined: 27 Oct 2005
Posts: 227
Location: Phoenix, Arizona, US
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 8:57 pm Reply with quote
joel_s95387 wrote:
I'm surprised no one has asked what "Furi Kuri" or "Fooly Cooly" mean.

I believe it's slang in Japan for fondling a woman's breasts. Don't quote me on that, though.
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joel_s95387



Joined: 29 Jun 2005
Posts: 1804
Location: California... The Village Hidden In The Porn
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 9:12 pm Reply with quote
Anthony P wrote:
joel_s95387 wrote:
I'm surprised no one has asked what "Furi Kuri" or "Fooly Cooly" mean.

I believe it's slang in Japan for fondling a woman's breasts. Don't quote me on that, though.


I thought it was like the word "Fummoffu" from Full Metal Panic, in that it has no true definition. Unless I mixed up the words these last couple of months.

I wasn't asking it by the way. I was just pointing out that most FLCL posts have this question asked.
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SharinganEyes92



Joined: 27 Feb 2006
Posts: 816
PostPosted: Thu Apr 13, 2006 11:10 pm Reply with quote
Thank you very much guys! I appreciate everyone's input into this topic. I understand how it was trying to get across the whole "growing-up" theme.

As for the definition of "Fooly Cooly", it does mean to fondle with a woman's breasts. Or another definition is simply to fool around. You can see the definition for yourself at http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fooly+cooly

Once again, thank you very much guys! I would definitely be lost in a dark forest with no flashlight on this topic if it weren't for your input.
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one3rd



Joined: 28 Jul 2003
Posts: 1818
Location: アメリカ
PostPosted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 12:05 am Reply with quote
SharinganEyes92 wrote:
As for the definition of "Fooly Cooly", it does mean to fondle with a woman's breasts. Or another definition is simply to fool around. You can see the definition for yourself at http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=fooly+cooly


Urban Dictionary is always the first place I go when I want a definitive answer. Confused Fooly Cooly/Furi Kuri doesn't mean anything. Rather, it's perhaps more correct to say that no one knows what it means. The characters in the show don't even know what it means. Digging up a post I made last fall:

one3rd wrote:
An excerpt from Episode 6:

Kamon (Naota's Dad): Naota. Tell me already. What does FLCL mean?
Naota: I dunno.
Kamon: C'mon! There's no way the main character wouldn't know.
Shigekuni (Grandpa): We won't get mad. Tell us!
Naota: You too, grandpa? It doesn't matter what FLCL is.

Since it's explained so clearly, I really don't understand why people keep asking.
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Keonyn
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Joined: 25 May 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Coon Rapids, MN
PostPosted: Fri Apr 14, 2006 12:08 am Reply with quote
The point was to entertain, I don't think there was a significant point to it beyond that. Considering the popularity of it though I'd say it was successful.
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