If you were to ask me to compile a list of anime that were good enough to deserve second seasons, "FLCL" (Fooly Cooly) would rank very highly. It's one of my favorite anime series of all time and was also one of the first true animes I had ever seen. It also introduced me to The Pillows, a Japanese rock band that maintains a place on all of my favorite playlists.
I remember being in middle school, sneaking downstairs to the TV and turning on Adult Swim to watch anime late at night, hoping my mom would never notice. As mothers are wont to do, she noticed, but I guess I had a cool mom because I watched a lot of shows back then -- "FLCL" being chief among them.
The show spans an easily binge-able six episodes, but it's deceptively hard to describe. Part of me is tempted to say it's a slice of life comedy-drama following the main character, Naota Nandaba, as he wades through the motions of adolescent life and growing up too fast.
Then there's the sci-fi element of alien, bounty-hunter Haruko Haruhara (yeah, you read that right... probably) as she hunts down the famous interstellar pirate, Atomsk (no that's not a typo). She rides around on a yellow vespa, beats robots spawned from Naota's head with a bass guitar, and ultimately defies description.
And this doesn't nearly do justice to the plethora of other characters to make appearances in the show. Some way, somehow, the creators crammed subplots and side-stories galore into the short run, but did so without the narrative feeling claustrophobic.
It's a hard watch for those unfamiliar with anime and manga tropes and cliches as its comedy delves into the extremely self-aware and meta, but it also stays familiar and accessible enough to appeal to a wide audience. The English dub is also fantastic, so if you're not a fan of subtitles you're in luck.
Well we've just received more news about the upcoming second and third seasons of "FLCL" that were announced two years ago, and while my opening paragraph would have you think I'm excited, I was actually more nervous than anything.
Until now.
A trailer was recently released which you can watch here if you'd like, but the moment Kari Wahlgren's (the original voice of Haruko) voice hit my ears my little nerd heart skipped a beat. Then, when I heard the familiar guitar riff from The Pillows... I think I died.
It was all so familiar. The art style, the colors, the sounds, the music. Ever since the original announcement I was tepid in my excitement. It was marred by my anxiety that the beauty of the first season would be somehow tarnished.
But all those fears have been blown away.
For the first time in a long time, I'm feeling like a kid again.
Last Minute Update: On April Fool's Day, Adult Swim premiered the first episode of the second season. There is no limit to the level of hype I am feeling for the rest of the show.
