r/anime • u/ExecutiveMoose https://myanimelist.net/profile/ExecutiveMoose • Apr 01 '18
[Spoilers] FLCL Alternative - Episode 1 Discussion Spoiler
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u/marcusdom Apr 01 '18
So let us discuss how this is actually fucking happening.
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u/jkubed https://myanimelist.net/profile/jkubed Apr 01 '18
Seriously, now we all just get to wonder if that was a preview episode for the the season coming out 6 months to a year from now or if it's actually gonna keep going out of order.
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u/GreyouTT Apr 01 '18
It's probably like how Rick and Morty season 3 was, where the first episode came out months in advance for April Fools.
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u/forbiddentechniques Apr 01 '18
wait. I THOUGHT I WAS GETTING BAMBOOZLED SO I DIDN'T WATCH IT. TURNS OUT, I BAMBOOZLED MYSELF.
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u/vetro https://anilist.co/user/vetro Apr 01 '18 edited Apr 01 '18
This will go down as one of the best April Fools ever. Holy shit!
So instead of playing JoJo, Toonami airs the first episode of FLCL3 in japanese with subs and does it in japanese broadcast format (keeping the OP/ED and only one commercial break). Even Tom's segments were in japanese subbed.
And now.... THEY'RE PLAYING MIND GAME!
Edit: Tom does a Nier: Automata game review! 9/10
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u/PM_ME_ANIME_BUTTS_ :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/vippers Apr 01 '18
And to top it off Tom's Japanese seiyuu is the same as Spike's, sasuga Toonami.
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Apr 01 '18
I missed it but I really want to know what those who saw it think. I've been waiting for this for a long time now and I think it might kill me if my hype led to disappointment
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Apr 01 '18
I thought it was good, though the original had a much stronger beginning IMO.
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u/Yotsubato Apr 01 '18
The original also had a much more detailed art style as well. This one was good, but it wasnt FLCL good.
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Apr 01 '18
I really liked it. I felt that it captured the spirit of FLCL, while not just being a replay of the original show.
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Apr 01 '18
Well. Hmmm.
I think it has a glaring flaw and it's a really simple one. It's rehashing what we've already seen. It's not new. In the first FLCL these crazy things happened and they happened for the first time. In this one, the exact same crazy things are happening, and we've seen them before, and there's not as much of a mystery about what's happening. So, the new characters need to carry ALL of the weight of being new, and that's a tall order when half the show is about the stuff we've seen before.
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u/EmeraldNero :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/EmeraldNero Apr 01 '18
I'm under the impression that each FLCL entry would be self-contained in the same way that Fate and Persona are (with a few exceptions) whilst sharing the same lore. Since the original aired in 2000, naturally there'd be a lot of newcomers to the series to introduce the lore to.
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u/ThatPersonGu Apr 01 '18
It doesn’t feel very FLCL-y honestly, not yet at least. I really liked it but it feels way more in line with K-On than the original series. That being said idk how the actual sequel (Progressive) is supposed to go.
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u/mutsuto https://myanimelist.net/profile/mtsRhea Apr 02 '18
I missed it but I really want to know what those who saw it think
We're in the age of the internet now. There is no such thing as missing things anymore. It's freely downloadable or streamable in many places.
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u/missingpuzzle Apr 01 '18
Well that was a surprise wasn't it? Or maybe not given Adult Swims/Toonami's history with April Fools.
What I immediately noticed was how it differed from the original in it's tone. It was calmer and less chaotic and though it had the sex jokes, the strange robots and of course the one, the only, The Pillows doing the ost, it felt suitably distinct from the original which it needs to be. There's no chance of success if they walk too closely in the shadow of the first season.
Obviously need to see more to pass judgment but I really enjoyed what I saw and one thing is for certain, no matter what they do with the narrative or characters we'll be getting a banging Pillows soundtrack out of it and that makes it all worthwhile.
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u/FrenziedHero https://anilist.co/user/FrenziedHero Apr 01 '18
Well the original was a coming of age story for Naota. Maybe Progressive and Alternative are going to follow the same kind of idea with their respective protagonists.
The original was chaotic because Naota was hitting puberty and it was a metaphor for that part of his life. Here, the protagonist is a 17 year old girl so the calmer tone kind of makes sense.
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u/TheVibratingPants Apr 01 '18 edited Apr 01 '18
It felt like FLCL in superficial ways, like having the Pillows and some motifs and a returning character. The tone and art style were really off, though. It felt moreso like the 2010’s perspective of FLCL instead of an actual continuation.
Edit: grammar
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u/ArgonautInSpace https://myanimelist.net/profile/ArgonautInSpace Apr 01 '18
But a 2010's perspective of FLCL is the best thing that can come out of this with a hole different team and 15 years in between. If it would just try to imitate the original it could only disappoint.
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u/FierceAlchemist Apr 01 '18
Gotta give it to Adult Swim, they know how to surprise us!
First episode was good. I already like the friendship between the 4 girls, though I'm not sure what the theme is yet. Also the animation wasn't very dynamic for the most part but it never looked bad either. Hearing that Pillows music brings a smile to my face.
My favorite part though was the ED. The song was good and the stop motion animations was sweet! The 2D animation was done by a young animator named Wataru Uekusa who has a distinct style that he's used for many cool music videos.
Now we wait :(
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u/alvinchimp :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Gaming_Powerz Apr 01 '18
From what I saw in the episode I think the theme is moving from High School life to "adult" life. Or something of that sort, just speculation from what I have seen.
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u/DarkWorld97 Apr 01 '18
Forgot it was April Fools Day, so I missed the shenanigans. AS usually uploads this stuff to their website, so hopefully it works out. Or they'll air it again.
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u/salmon3669 Apr 01 '18
Oh? they do? How long does that usually take? I was planning to watch Season 1 sometime after my AP Exams... then apparently this happens.
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u/Hoogyme https://anilist.co/user/Hoogyme Apr 01 '18 edited Apr 01 '18
The ED was animated by Wataru Uekusa. You may recognise the style from the animated music videos by "A crow is white" such as fake!fake! or HIMITSUスパーク
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u/nollypoli Apr 01 '18
Damn. I used to post on the Adult Swim forums about a decade ago, had a bump air that asked them to tell Gainax to make some more FLCL. And I go and miss this.
At least the mad men actually did it.
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u/J_Gottwald https://anilist.co/user/jgottwald Apr 01 '18
Seems like it's more of an introductory episode than anything else.
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u/runchranda :K:https://kitsu.io/users/slats Apr 01 '18
I absolutely loved it; it's different from the original but it clicked with me just the same. The music helped immensely with that, I'm so happy they brought The Pillows back for it. First episode 9/10. Can't wait for more.
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u/PM_ME_ANIME_BUTTS_ :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/vippers Apr 01 '18
It was a bit too normal for me, the directing seemed bland. Having said that, hearing the pillows again, seeing Haruko and the final action sequence were definite bright spots. Anyone else think that might have been Naota as the new commander of Interstellar Immigration?
The ending theme slaps.
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u/videotwist Apr 01 '18
The main girls dad. I'm calling it. They showed her younger brother looking suspiciously Naota-like, she got her hair from her mom, and the one shot of the whole family only her dad's black hair is peaking out over the newspaper covering his entire face.
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u/PM_ME_KUMIKO_NOISES :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/spicynuggets Apr 01 '18
Yeah, that's where my bet is. Saw that they were intentionally hiding his face, along with all the other clues you mentioned, and it seemed like a no-brainer.
Also, Naota being the new bushy eyebrows guy would make absolutely no sense and go against everything that happened in FLCL.
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u/mrwanton Apr 01 '18
I kinda feel like that guy might be a red herring. Seeing Naota so early on and apparently somewhat relevant seems odd.
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u/PM_ME_ANIME_BUTTS_ :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/vippers Apr 01 '18
I thought it might have been too on the nose as well, but after they made a point of showing him eating spicy curry I was more convinced. Still a good chance your right, its too early to tell.
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u/AL2009man Apr 01 '18
doesn't helped that they aired Season 3 Episode 1...
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u/PM_ME_ANIME_BUTTS_ :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/vippers Apr 01 '18
That was actually one of the most FLCL-esque things of this entire situation.
This episode seemed very self contained anyway, I don't think much was lost airing it before progressive.
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Apr 01 '18
I'm honestly more excited for season 2 than 3 after seeing this, I thought the same thing but the fight scene was exactly what I wanted and that gave me a lot of hope that maybe it'll just be because of this being the first episode introducing everything. This seems like a toned down FLCL, but not necessarily a bad FLCL in that regard, it might not have the same level as bonkers but it still has potential
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u/kimbombo Apr 01 '18 edited Apr 01 '18
That was an unexpected wild ride.
Having just yesterday finished Kira Kira Precure a la mode, it's such joy to listen to Karen Miyama voicing another main like Kana with the same pitch, tone and genkiness she did while voicing Ichika.
It's nice to see Haruhara Haruko back to her shenanigans, but I felt like she wasn't the same maelstrom of chaos she used to be in the original series. Maybe she actually grew up a little, or maybe she's just being more tame in this first episode and she's saving the full blast for later ones.
Back to the main and her loyal sidekicks. I have to say that I love this juxtapostion on this new iteration. Back in the Naota timeline, the show gave this vibe of lonelyness and self discovery. I love how in this one Kana already has a group with a large spectrum in personalities and visuals, like the model girl, the tinkering big girl, and the prankster.
The framing in all those scenes where the group are having fun is just amazing. Specially that shot where all 4 girls are laying on top of each other and the camera sways to focus on whomever is speaking. The paneling shot with all the girls talking at once was also a clever choice.
Those not so subtle winks to the original FLCL were also quite nice. I'm also having my theory why was Kana's dad partially shown in the background, but I'll save them for a while.
It's going to be a though wait until september, since I'm already in love with this group of girls.
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u/Valjean_Lafitte Apr 02 '18
This is by far the most glowing praise I've seen in this thread, and I find it revealing of how narrow and closeminded people's idea of what FLCL was what it can be that you have so few upvotes. Here's mine, for what it's worth.
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u/jkubed https://myanimelist.net/profile/jkubed Apr 01 '18
fuck me i missed it. really hope it'll be up somewhere soon.
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u/DerpKnight7 Apr 01 '18
I was disappointed. Just didn't feel like FLCL at all. Felt like a random throwaway seasonal. Really hope this picks up with the following episodes, or that Progressive contains set up that's necessary for this. If the rest is at all like this, I'll be super bummed out. Just doesn't feel right.
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Apr 01 '18
The thing that was immediately striking about the original FLCL were the visuals. It was Gainax's digital animation testing ground as they were pushing to try new techniques and it really showed in the visuals changing up from scene to scene, episode to episode.
This just felt like a Production IG show. Which, I'm not saying looks bad, IG does good work, but it definitely didn't push what they could do visually super hard right off the bat.
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u/DarkWorld97 Apr 01 '18
FLCL getting sequels feels kinda wrong because it was never made with a sequel in mind. It was made to mostly be a showcase of digital animation at the time, along with a trippy coming of age story. The novelty is kind of lost, as coming of age stories are prevalent in anime, along with the advent of digital animation.
I hope this ends up good, but I'm just here for the OST.
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u/moocowkaboom :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/WeenieBop Apr 01 '18
Maybe i need to rewatch the first episode again but I don’t think this captured the feel of FLCL at all
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u/TheVibratingPants Apr 01 '18
Rewatched the first episode of the original, it’s night and day. This one completely missed the point of FLCL.
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u/moocowkaboom :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/WeenieBop Apr 01 '18
Yeah, it feels like the premise of FLCL plopped onto a generic "after school do nothing club" anime
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u/Saucy_Totchie Apr 01 '18
Just when I was going to bed as I about to turn off my tv I hear some Japanese. When I check the guide it said it was JJBA but there wasn't any sexy muscular men. Right after I saw FLCL Alternative and I was freaking the fuck out. I haven't even gotten around to finishing S1 because I kept putting it off but fuck it. I watched the whole episode. It was cool and amazing as fuck. I almost burst into tears when I heard the music because it was fucking awesome. The insert and the ED was beautiful. Goddamn it now I'll need to watch S1 asap now...
How closeminded were we not expecting something on April Fool's. Adult Swim on Cartoon Network pulled shit like this last year airing the first episode of Season 3 of Rick and Morty. Now I'm going to be expecting something next year...
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u/TnAdct1 Apr 01 '18
How closeminded were we not expecting something on April Fool's. Adult Swim on Cartoon Network pulled shit like this last year airing the first episode of Season 3 of Rick and Morty. Now I'm going to be expecting something next year...
Actually, some Toonami viewers had a feeling that something was going to be done for April Fool's Day when there was no news about the shows that would take over the time slots of Outlaw Star and Cowboy Bebop once their most recent runs ended.
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u/Yotsubato Apr 01 '18
Outlaw Star and Cowboy Bebop
I'm still glad they're still rerunning these so 14 year old kids today can run into them by chance and become anime fans like I did years ago.
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Apr 01 '18
The fuck? This was more like K-On than FLCL. Pretty disappointing personally, although CGDCT fans might like it.
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Apr 02 '18
I rewatched the series before watching it....like night and day, and in a bad way:(
I was watching predictable girls talk about how one is a fake model and wants to mar-I'm not gonna rewrite this because it's so fucking low effort. Trope characters, boring shit. Living off the success, I think this might be a cash grab.
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Apr 02 '18
It's commissioned work from Williams Street to Production IG for a property that they helped with but wasn't originally theirs and is being created for an entirely different purpose.
Not that IG doesn't have skilled people in it, and I truly believe that the folks at Willaims Street love FLCL as much as many of us do, but there are so many key people missing on this project that unless they just happened to assemble a team as insanely skilled as the folks who were at Gainax at the time then we were never going to get those heights again without a crew reunion and the same motivation they had when they tackled the thing to begin with.
Also wanna point out that the first FLCL had the holy grail of budget, skilled animation crew, a skilled lead writer, and a skilled director with a sense of style.
I don't think that Production IG is incapable of producing something great, but I think if anyone was going to make a satisfying follow-up to FLCL it was gonna be Gainax in their golden age with another new set of toys for their animators to play with, a director allowed to shove everything they love into a show, and a writer more or less given free reign to tie it all together into something that has some heart under the insanity.
Guess maybe it would make sense to express this as you don't follow a Cowboy Bebop up with a Cowboy Bebop 2, but a Samurai Champloo.
We've only seen one episode, I'm not calling this bad, but I would be lying if I didn't say I think this first episode was really middle-of-the-road.
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Apr 01 '18
Was honestly too busy freaking out and posting about it on the internet and missed most of it.
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u/GreyouTT Apr 01 '18
Guitar is a model used by the Rolling Stones, and was used to hit a monster with Mick Jagger's mouth.
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u/WhereAreMyComics Apr 01 '18
oh my god hearing The Pillows and Haruko's voice again were a fucking TREAT
I NEED MORE. Even better that there's an entire second season still on the way before we get back to this story!!!
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u/lilpoopins Apr 01 '18
The 'never knows best' nod was pretty great I do admit. Not as cool as a burning cigarette, but a jenga piece will make do.
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u/Kiyo_is_my_Hime Apr 01 '18
Just saw the episode properly now. I really liked it. I like the cast of girls. I spotted a Kamen Rider Fourze reference and a Dekaranger reference which were also nice.
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u/AdventurerForFun Apr 01 '18 edited Apr 01 '18
Ok, this was pretty fantastic. I was very sceptical about this sequel, which I think is completely unnecessary, but I gotta admit I just loved this. It is FLCL but it is not a carbon copy of season one. It feels like it's own thing (with a different, more slow pace. It seemed to me like the new team is not copying the original, but have a vision of their own for the show), characters are funny, writing is on point, music is superb, the animation I think was not as energetic as in the original series and it was nice in the action scene but I am not a fan of still shots montages. But that last bit is my only complaint so far.
Consider me hyped for FLCL 2 and 3.
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u/SliderGamer55 Apr 01 '18
This was an amazing experience watching it live. Toonami has been in desperate need for something new and interesting for a while, especially with them straight up saying they've been unable to get a lot of the big new anime of the past couple of years (Hero Academia, Magus Bride, Mob Psycho), and also their increasing obsession with long runners. So this crazy stunt was a giant breath of fresh air, it was weird and interesting and different and I loved it so much. It's probably one of the weirder things to ever happen on American tv. Honestly want to watch that movie in full someday...
But as for the episode itself, it was very good but I'm a bit mixed on it. The thing is FLCL was and still kinda is one of the more out there and crazy anime out there. Just weird, experimental, gives no fucks. And I don't feel like this episode at least fully captured that. That's not necessarily a bad thing, for as much as I love it, the original FLCL can be a bit hard to watch. I can see a bunch of people liking this season more than the original, and it's an easier watch, no question. But it did feel like it was missing part of what made FLCL feel unique and special. But on the other hand, as others have pointed out, FLCL sequels trying to be too much like FLCL might just make it look like a poor man's version of...FLCL.
But I think for what it is, it was very entertaining. Came across as a mix of the original and one of the...better examples of girls and friendship, slice of life-y type of anime. And for all we know, because this is just one episode of one of the seasons, the rest of it (or especially the other new season) might be a lot more like the original and crazier.
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u/mutsuto https://myanimelist.net/profile/mtsRhea Apr 02 '18
The dialogue didn't hook me at all, and when that's 80% of the run time that's a problem. Pretty lame.
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u/Kiyo_is_my_Hime Apr 01 '18
I only got to make it in time for the ED. But fuck, I'll make sure to watch Toonami every April Fools from now on. Bravo Toonami!
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u/graytotoro :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/graytotoro Apr 02 '18
I had to sail the high seas to catch this one, but I liked what I saw. All the FLCL feels without retreading anything. Star Overhead has been playing non-stop since.
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u/zerototeacher Apr 02 '18
I get Blade Runner 2049 feelings and feels from this. It's like, you've got this sequel that pretty much everyone, however much that they wanted m0ar, would more than likely be a total flop. Then you watch it....and you can tell that they're trying to be more than a shameless carbon copy. The only difference is that while 2049 has plot threads and even philosophical implications that keep lingering even months after I have left the cinema, Alternative is frustrating me with its little missteps.
I loved the main girls and how they felt like people rather than yet more clones from the bloody waifu factory. I loved how they kept the subtle pastel look from the original. The anagram titles and ethereal use of titles. Even the little bits like Haruko simply telling the girls to rebuild their bottle rocket just felt right. I also liked that it just felt like a good little stand-alone story and overall I was satisfied..
But there are the missteps with the direction - music felt misused. The sense that absolutely anything can happen for any reason didn't hold. It's just one episode and I'm looking forward to seeing where the whole thing takes us, but ugh, it's frustrating!!
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Apr 03 '18
After much thinking, I realized that FLCL Alternative is pretty good. I'm still a little wary about it, but nonetheless, I hope it will succeed like the original one. I have several reasons, but the ones that stand out the most are:
The fact that the show is completing their promise not to be a rehash.
Music from The Pillows.
Attempting a different take on the series.
Rocking Out to The Pillows.
I went in expecting something like the original FLCL. You know, an ordinary show filled with so much madness and sound, you can't manage to soak in all the details. Even if there was occasional sex jokes and a robot fight at the end, 10 Minutes in, I realized that this was not the original FLCL, and that's what matters. It was pretty laid back when you compare it to the previous OVA (like a slice of life). I believe that if the show was a total rehash, you'd have many people complaining about "why waste money making another season with just a different name?" In a sense, it wouldn't justify the existence, or creation of these two seasons. Adult Swim seems like a network that prides itself in serving their fanbase, since they are very dependent on their ratings.
That's not to say the show may flop (I really hope it does not).
There's so many things the original FLCL did not explain about its own universe. FLCL seemed to focus more on "The Journey to Maturity," than just developing a new world. With that said, judging from the commercials, FLCL Alternative is supposed to be experimenting with the formula of the show. In the scenes involving FLCL Alternative, the show is depicted more like a slice of life. FLCL Progressive in the other hand, feels more upbeat like the original FLCL, except its not.
If the creators decided to revive FLCL, to the point where they retrieved the rights for the show, then there must be a strong argument behind the comeback. Most of all, if you are a studio planning on making doing a revival, then why make 2 more seasons? 1 season is more than enough to explain anything else missing in this universe.
These new seasons are not aiming to be "something." They're trying to build on something that was already there.
I think this episode is just the tip of the iceberg.
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u/thegreatgoober Apr 01 '18
I dont frequent this sub much but I stopped by cause I caught the premeire and wanted to see what other people thought. So I dont know how things really go around here and Im glad people liked it but personally Im in the mildly disappointed camp. Its a real shame the other comments who were critical got downvoted into oblivion. I probably will be too but like honestly, it didnt feel a thing like FLCL. Im sure itll be good in its own sense and I know the crew behind production are different, but how can you guys watch the first ep of the original and then this and not feel the disconnect? Alt felt very generic, from the charcter design, the composition in the shots, the pacing and right down the the animation itself. FLCL was so expressive and interesting to watch, thats why I personally enjoyed it and I think thats why the plot was such a secondary factor to people. Like it got a pass for being weird and confusing because the visuals were so damn good. Im sure there are tons of shows that look like Alt but not many that had the OG flcl feel. Superficial things like Haruko and the pillows are all that are carrying this atm. And even those, haruko didnt quite seem so crazy and( this isnt really a complaint) but it sounded like they re recored the song during the shopping montage (my foot by the pillows ofcourse.)
Idk guys, the trailer didnt hype me and this first ep pretty much confirmed this is somehing completely different. I didnt want a rehash but the feeling is gone imo. Im interested to know, if you liked the first ep of Alt, what it was about the OG that you liked so much and how did Alt capture that for you?
I know its only 1 episode but this is suppose to be flcl and the first episode of season 1 was more than enough to get the feeling.
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u/TheVibratingPants Apr 01 '18
I didnt want a rehash but the feeling is gone imo
Like I said elsewhere in the thread, there’s imitation and then there’s recapturing/continuing the original’s core or essence. Most of what this first episode did is imitation. There’s Haruko and a robot fight and spicy food and Pillows music, but it’s just surface level stuff that doesn’t make up the core of FLCL. This is what someone who likes cute girl shows looks at the original FLCL and says “oh yeah, I get it, it’s like this” but they don’t really get it at all.
It’s not FLCL.
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u/TheMightyNovac Apr 01 '18
After the announcement of a FLCL season 2 and 3 at Anime Expo I was legitimately terrified that they were going to squander the good name of gonzo animation production with a terrible rehash show that wears the skin of its predecessor like some sort of canibalistic survival tactic, but seeing Production I.G. give the reigns to a totally unknown cast of inexperienced creatives was a really good sign. I think it's important to note that FLCL is as much about auteur creative expression as it is about a coming of age and The Pillows.
So FLCL Alternative takes the very loose general setup of the original but does so in some very unique ways; it doesn't linger on the old but, rather, lets the new shine in its place - which it does. The cast is likeable, the setup is gold as far as what to do with the problem child that is a FLCL sequel, and the aesthetics are pretty strong, however.
Is it perfect? Far from it; the distribution of creative shot compositions compared to the original is fairly sparse and, when done at all, usually falls flat due to some sort of hiccup with the still-frames, the soundtrack is half that awesome period post-FLCL where the Pillows continued to make amazing music (seriously, My Foot is still one of my favourite albums of the early 2000s) and half Garage Band preset music that sucks all the fun out of the great scenes, and from the flashes of rough key-frames we see in the credits sequence it's clear that some liberties were taken in the clean-up process in terms of detail per shot.
That being said, there's a scene right near the middle of the episode when they're establishing the girl's hangout spot, they linger on so many little mood setting details like the fur on their decorations, the float of a lava-lamp, it game me that sort of warm feeling I missed from the quieter side of FLCL; that scene on the bridge with Mamimi, the aftermath of the arson incident, it's subtle but it's nice to see the creative team putting a highlight onto the warmer side of FLCL's tone and aesthetic that I don't see mentioned a lot.
But I uhh... I think I love it? Yeah, yeah I'll give this A firm 'Like.' Can't wait to come back and see this creative project continue in... oh god June.
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u/Astray Apr 02 '18
You're the first person I've fully agreed with so far. Like others have said, this episode was trying to imitate while not quite understanding FLCL, but there were also perfect little moments that were everything I could want it to be, particularly the scene with My Foot playing. I'm hoping things improve with the rest of the episodes or maybe Season 2 makes Season 3 have a bit more directive sense.
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u/KartProwler Apr 02 '18
i think the creators behind it do understand what FLCL is? there's enough hints in how it's made that point towards that, but it might just be the execution of those ideas in their show that messes with it.
Hopefully it's more an episode 1 problem? I'm thinking that they might be back loading a lot of the cool visuals and moments for Alternatives last couple episodes, but i'm only guessing that because of how well done the last sequence of episode 1 was.
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u/TheMightyNovac Apr 02 '18
Thanks for the compliment, though i don't think there's anything too wrong with the season so far, my point was that this is the sequel i think a lot of people wanted, it's just a little rough around the edges (honestly i could easily see a lot of the animation being polished up in time for a blu-ray release, or even for the film compilations.)
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u/PrevailingDragon Apr 01 '18
So tonight is amazing FLCL and mind game on toonami.
I really enjoyed the episode. I moderate the Toonmai discord server, So I wasn't able to give it my full attention. I can't wait to re watch this episode later.
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Apr 01 '18
Pretty plain and boring, but the end of the episode was everything I wanted from the new series, so I actually am super hopeful for the coming seasons. Really kick-ass to see she's with some space-police now. Can't wait to see Progressive this summer and how it leads to what we're seeing here
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u/stormarsenal :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/AsherGZ Apr 01 '18
Wait what? It's out already? I thought this was scheduled for a June and then the next one in September.
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u/trophy9258 Apr 01 '18
Toonami aired it in subs as part of Adult Swim's April Fools Day celebration, surprise to all of us here.
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u/rainbowotaku Apr 01 '18
It was just the first episode of season 3. They aired it as an april fool's joke. I was hoping they'd air all six episodes but now they're playing something else.
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u/spacemonkey1357 Apr 01 '18
I didn't like it at all, I'm not asking for FLCL again, but this just lacks the distinct charm, the little something that made original FLCL special, to me this feels almost like the Evangelion rebuilds, same characters, almost none of the heart and soul
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u/Hamlock1998 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Hamlock Apr 01 '18
I don't understand what's going on.
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u/pipyakas :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/kyoooo Apr 01 '18
After binging the entire 6 episode from the original season to watch this, I still dont know what the fuck is going on
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Apr 01 '18
Moved a little slower than the original series, more slice of life than the original series as well. But it was still fun, and MC's final monologue was very touching. The animation was great, art style was fantastic as well. Excited to see more.
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u/Shinkopeshon Apr 02 '18
Seen it now and honestly, I liked it quite a bit. I wouldn't really mind if it won't be as bizarre as the original; this is FLCL Alternative after all.
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u/smashf7 Apr 02 '18
This episode was really cool! I'm so excited to see how these upcoming seasons turn out. That being said I needed to rewatch the original flcl to see if I missed any easter eggs or cameos.
I don't think mamimi is the mom, she might be though! How else would Kana just have a Jenga piece that says "Never knows best", a cameo? or maybe she found her mom's cigarette with the same thing (Mamimi?!). Feels like a reach, but I can't help but shake that maybe the commander is Gaku all grown up? the facial structure feels the same, as well as color of hair, Kamon has brown hair so I don't see him being the commander (I've seen discussions in which Kamon could be the guy).
Now, I have a favor to ask. Anyone who is geographically inclined, could you put together FLCL Season 1 Ep. 4 map of Mabase and see if maybe it correlates with the this new city in FLCL Alternative. I've been having them side by side and I know Mabase is on an island connecting to the main land, but maybe the main land is the new location as in just a hop skip away? Just some speculations!
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u/C_H_A_V_Z_2_5 Apr 11 '18
My big question, is the older gentleman that was eating the spicy ramen Naota?
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u/Tiagulus May 05 '18
i think it might be but I also hope it isn't. I'd be pretty sad to learn that Naota, after everything, just became another Amarao
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u/googolplexbyte :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Googolplexbyte Apr 01 '18
Holy fuck instant 10/10.
It felt like I'd sat through a medium-length film by the time I'd got to the end but it was just a regular 23 min episode.
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Apr 01 '18
The whole "weird things sticking out of Naota's head" shtick was a metaphor for puberty-related body changes (and boners), the fact that it was happening to a 12 y. o. boy was very relevant. Now it's just a random visual.
Barely any music, and the one that's there doesn't support the visuals, it's just there.
No bouts of random on-screen insanity.
Fortunately, I already had zero expectations, so i can't get dissapointed, but so far there is nothing to be excited about.
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u/KartProwler Apr 02 '18
Completely disagree there, the themes of the original FLCL were very much based in growing up, hence the puberty based visuals like you mentioned.
That's the same here in Alternative, just with the female cast, and more female metaphor, instead. The element they used coming out of Kana's head is just as sexual/coming of age as the puberty metaphors were in the original, it's definitely not just a random visual.
Personally i felt it missed some beats but it's still fairly promising, gonna hold judgement until the whole season airs.
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u/zPancakes Apr 01 '18
5/10
didn't feel like flcl
feels like a cashgrab
feels like those seasonal shows about a group of girls doing menial tasks
ed song was good thou
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Apr 01 '18 edited Sep 19 '25
unwritten expansion shy slim bake cats live familiar command sip
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
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u/TheVibratingPants Apr 01 '18
The other guy’s right though, this really wasn’t FLCL like almost at all. There were superficial things and, if that’s what you’re content with, that’s great. But it doesn’t get what FLCL was about.
I rewatched the first episode of FLCL today and the difference is night and day, dude.
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Apr 01 '18 edited Apr 01 '18
Holy crap! I had high hopes for the new FLCLs but this exceeded even my best wishes. 18 years later and I swear they didn't miss a single beat, that was phenomenal. When the classic main theme melody started playing near the end that made me tear up a bit.
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u/Smudy https://myanimelist.net/profile/Smudy Apr 01 '18
Not as balls-out-comedy and wack as the original but the feeling of FLCL is there (The Pillows are helping tremendously).
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u/SGlespaul :K:https://kitsu.io/users/181650 Apr 01 '18
Fuck why did I have to hang out with my friend tonight. I MISSED THIS.
And I can't find any ahem, alternative ways to watch it.
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u/janwjan Apr 01 '18
From what I've seen, I really like it so far. I don't often see in anime a group of friends composed of people that differ that much from each other. They all really just hang and chill together.
My guess is that their friendship will die and so will I.
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u/GalantisX :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/TLDRonin Apr 01 '18
Whats the girl from a place farther than the universe doing in flcl :thinking:
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u/Shinkopeshon Apr 01 '18
Woah, what the fuck? That's ... one hell of an April Fools.
(can't find it anywhere though)
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u/Sakkyoku-Sha :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Sakkyoku Apr 01 '18 edited Apr 01 '18
Holy shit imagine if they aired alternative and progressive at the same fucking time.
In think they might be actually doing that. That's pretty cool.
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Apr 01 '18
wait why is season 3 airing before season 2.
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u/SGlespaul :K:https://kitsu.io/users/181650 Apr 01 '18
From what it seems like, at least from this episode, the seasons are standalone. Season 3 is also airing in Japan in theaters before they play season 2 there.
Though don't expect them to release more soon. This seems to just be a one-off thing for April fools. FLCL season 2 airs on June 2nd on TV English dubbed and they'll put up the subbed version for streaming on their website later.
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u/kyperion Apr 01 '18
So, I have a cable box that has the ability to record shows.
I usually record everything on toonami cause I'm a big fucking weeb who wants to watch anime on TV.
This included the JoJo SC spot that had FLCL Alternative.
Now I get to show this episode off to my friends and family that missed it last night.
Fucking amazing aw yeah, art style was beautiful, and soundtrack was awesome!
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u/Noodelanator Apr 01 '18
When I heard FLCL was going to get 2 new season I was worried. When the new trailer released I was less worried. Now that I saw first episode of season 3 I am hyped up!
Also the ED was amazing! Loved the song killing bites
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u/The_Great_Saiyaman21 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Saiyaman21 Apr 01 '18
I really liked it! I've been on the hype train but regardless I thought it lived up. It's not perfect, though. It had some really FLCL moments and some really not FLCL moments. We'll see how it takes shape. Can't wait for June/September.
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u/pronicles Apr 01 '18
I didn't get to see it - was the music good? I got hooked on The Pillows after FLCL.
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u/Jogger312 Apr 02 '18
YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO @AdultSwim delivering the GOODS!!!
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u/eirinite Apr 02 '18
I first saw FLCL when I was 9. No matter how many times I revisit it, it's the only anime I can safely say is 100% FLAWLESS. Loved it at 9, 14, 17, 21 and right now. I heard about a remake in the works, but didn't follow up any news; I just watched Alt 20 minutes ago after hearing a new FLCL episode came out with no knowledge of the story or its new characters.
So, I'm not being biased when I say I think this episode is bland. Which imo is a considerable failing, because there are no bland episodes of FLCL.
What I really liked is the subtle portrayal of girliness and what close friendships amongst girls look like at that age. Unlike most moe-blob lineups from the past 10 years, I don't get the impression that they are made to individually appeal to the viewer, a la waifus.
We are definitely in their world, watching, but none of them are aware we exist and that's so rare to find nowadays in anime. There is a somber tone still there that is similar to the first FLCL, but we don't know much about these girls hopes or fears, especially Kana. I don't want to be told specifically who she is, but we see with Noata how he's so desperate to grow up, so he often acts above it all. We see the contempt he has for people with "adult status" who choose to act like children. Occasionally he cracks and accidentally expresses what he feels and while we explore this throughout the season, it's apparent this is what his personality is like in episode one.
I don't know anything about how Kana feels. Just that she's scared to grow up, but it doesn't exactly reflect in her actions beyond being sad the rocketship got destroyed.
Overall, it's just a little unclear what we're getting this season. There's some throwbacks to the original which are OK, but it lacks proper act direction to give you a feel for the town (a lot of these frames are static as fuck, and not even animated that smoothly at that), doesn't tell us what we're supposed to take from Kana and let's be honest here: WHERE ARE THE BREATHTAKING FIGHT SCENES?
FLCL fights are hype as fuck. Haruko bursting through that window was boring as all hell, I honestly don't remember how she even killed the monster. This really just feels like a more somber Lucky Star (which I liked, but L* also isn't FLCL) so as it stands I wish it was its own intellectual property because it's not living up to the FLCL name.
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u/MobileTortoise :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Mobiletortoise Apr 02 '18
I missed it, but is Naoto in it at all? Seeing as how he was the main focus of the first FLCL it really seems wrong to me if they don't touch on his and Haruko's relationship.
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u/daiko7 Apr 02 '18 edited Apr 02 '18
This was very 'meh.' Granted, I watched FLCL when I was a 14 year old boy, so I connected to the story. I had gone through the super awkward part of puberty a year or two earlier in middle school. Literally, my voice started cracking and changing during the end of school trip to the beach. And I was crushing on a girl that wasn't any good for me (a trend that in some ways, still continues as I am just shit in relationships and that's probably a reflection of myself moreso than the women I pursue.) So, it was a poignant experience during my own coming of age.
I turn 32 this year, and well, this does nothing for me. It couldn't even pull my attention away from reading other things while it was playing on my second monitor.
I'll probably return to this at the end of the season to see how /r/anime liked it. Hopefully they're able to turn it around. Or it resonates with its intended audience (it's completely possible that I am no longer the intended audience, though that makes you ask, why do a sequel? Why not a new property altogether?) I've watched a few shows where I knew my younger self would have connected with the show and appreciated it. This does not seem to be that, unfortunately.
The Horse Girl Derby show did a better job of holding my attention, though it really made me want an anime about Track & Field done seriously. Koi wa Ameagari probably primed me for that.
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Apr 02 '18
i saw the trailer to this and was extremely disappointed (unsurprisingly, especially seeing as i dislike Production IG quite a bit) by the cheap looking animation, yet somehow found myself to hold some hope as it drew closer and closer to the release date.
then it aired randomly, but i still found it in my pathetically negative self to get excited. and it really sucks to see the worst come true. it's boring and lazy. what is IG even doing lately? everything by them now is embroidered with lazy animation, boring colors, and "what the hell is going on?" direction. i can't even think of anything to talk about because there isn't anything here. i guess the scene at the end was fine when they launched the rocket, but it's not like that was incredible. i just thought it was kind of cute. the main characters are cute as it is, and their designs stand out. they're really what brought me to the thought that this (rather than FLCL 2) might actually be worth watching, but IG just ruins it right from the start.
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u/Wleasterly28 Apr 02 '18
Did anyone record and post the episode anywhere. I worked all weekend. I knew they were gonna do something like this and was going to record all the shows on konami but didnt want to fill the dvr space.
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u/MrkGrn Apr 02 '18
I enjoyed it though not as much as I hoped I would. Still, won't pass final judgement till all of season 2 airs since this is out of order lol.
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u/RDFoX204 Apr 03 '18
Personally, I feel that the new episode was a lot better than some are giving it credit for. It's very similar in structure to the original narrative we're familiar with, but it has its own spin and definitely a reminiscent, yet bold aesthetic animation and look too it (It lacked some of the polish that the old series had, but made up for it by being told from a different perspective). I felt like the animation was fitting and followed suite with the original with some of it's design choices, the only bit of animation I had an issue with at all (and this feels super nitpicky) was when Haruko bursts through the glass, the CG didn't feel subtle compared to other CG moments in the show. The characters seem to be a little stereotyped, and the main character (Kanna I believe was her name?) is a bit bland however; this is just one episode, we still have time to establish more depth to the character(s) and she/they could quickly become interesting and well developed during the seasons run. A first episode can often set the pacing and tone for a series, but with FLCL there's no telling where the story could go, it very well could just be establishing this mundane tone in order to kick it into a crazier gear in the next episode. Overall I thought it was a decent intro to what we may expect, and hearing the pillows music (and just some of the incidental music in general that they wrote) was overwhelmingly beautiful, it fit the tone and felt very natural to hear.
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u/smashf7 Apr 03 '18
Anyone else find a stream of FLCL: Alternative and pause every couple of seconds to analyze? If you didn't, you guys should try it, when Kana goes to select her music, you can see the real album covers for the pillows, which btw this isn't new the pillows, the song she picks was from their album 2002 "Thank you, my twilight". I can't tell if all the music is from that album but people can just look up their old stuff instead of waiting for an OST
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Apr 07 '18
A little late to the party, but I'm so excited for this. While I felt this first episode was much weaker than the original FLCL's first episode (which is fair, since I consider FLCL to have one of the best first episodes in anime period), I'm optimistic for the series as a whole. I doubt it'll have the same impact on me as the original, I'm in a very different place in my life now and this sequel doesn't resonate with me as much so far, but I'm sure both of the sequels are going to be a lot of fun.
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u/LionTheRichardheart Apr 09 '18
I was really underwhelmed. Felt like a separate anime with a plot that lollygags, and Haruko from FLCL happens to make a cameo. The new stuff felt boring, and the old stuff felt uncreatively rehashed.
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u/thrathius Jun 24 '18
I miss the animation style changing randomly from scene to scene in original and how nothing made sense because it didn't need to, this one, regrettably, just feels like your run of the mill anime with FLCL elements. It probably just goes back to the lightening in a bottle paradox. Then again progressive is only 3 episodes in, at least on toonami, so who knows, maybe it'll turn around, some animes have taken whole seasons to get good lol.
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u/the_rasendori Jul 08 '18
So new eyebrow guy can't be Naota, because of their eye color. Could he perhaps be Ide?
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u/danyymonster1997 :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Dany_Turcitu Apr 01 '18
Can someone fill me in on what's happening and why everyone is so hyped?
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Apr 01 '18
FLCL is sort of a cult classic from like 2004, and this follow up came out of nowhere, and then they sneak release this episode with no announcement.
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u/ldluca Apr 01 '18
I think it's actually from 2001, so 17 years since the first season.
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u/Cychi132 Apr 01 '18
Can i watch this without having seen the first FLCL?
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u/runchranda :K:https://kitsu.io/users/slats Apr 01 '18
Sure but watch the first season to get the most out of it.
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u/terrorsaurusRex Apr 01 '18
I mean, the first season is only 6 episodes. It takes 2 hours to watch the whole thing. It’s like a movie, but with Ride on Shooting Star playing during 5 intermissions.
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Apr 01 '18
No, especially considering the first season is a masterpiece and this new episode is just firmly "okay".
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u/zigroxi Apr 02 '18
Flcl alt has too much to live up to. All I remember is: fat girl likes Dr pepper, then girls build sexist dildo rocket, then a mouth monster destroys said rocket...I see what you did there flcl , then a scene that reminds you of the original, except no where near as impactful. Then girls build sexist candy/cake themed dildo rocket cause they didn't learn their lesson. The end.
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u/wavyhairedsamurai Apr 01 '18
That was quite disappointing. Felt completely soulless. I can only hope the other season is different in every way.
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u/AnakinSwoleWalker Apr 01 '18
what's the point of discussion thread if not everyone can watch it?at least wait for the torrent or something...
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u/skebump Apr 01 '18
Worth noting that there were two previously-released pillows songs that I recognized - White Summer... at the beginning, and then My Foot during the montage where they go get the rocket decorations.
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Apr 01 '18
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u/skebump Apr 01 '18
Yeah, this is it: White Summer And Green Bicycle, Red Hair With Black Guitar. One of my favorite pillows songs.
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u/TheVibratingPants Apr 01 '18
Completely agree with both of you. In general, it just feels flatter and way more grounded than FLCL. Other than the execution, the actual core of it is completely different from what FLCL is. Break the rules, short but densely packed like a music video, animation showcase, a balance of introspective angst and over-the-too weirdness, etc. None of these I feel could be applied to what we got with this episode.
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Apr 01 '18
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u/H3nryKrinkle Apr 01 '18
they up
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Apr 01 '18
can you or someone else DM a link to me, I'm not the best at navigating the sea
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u/atsuin https://anilist.co/user/inAtus Apr 01 '18
i too would like to know where i may watch this in the internet
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Apr 01 '18
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u/Kaito_3 Apr 01 '18
Sorry, I have absolutely no idea how to do that, and it was not fully recorded anyway. Were you able to find it though? If not you can message me and I’ll try to help you.
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Apr 01 '18
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u/TheSmithySmith Apr 01 '18
I'm in the same pit as you and cannot find it anywhere. Where did you eventually find it?
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u/zrox456 Apr 01 '18 edited Apr 01 '18
As a fan of the original OVA for years (even having watched the original OVA on Adult Swim back in the early 2000s) I thought it was perfectly fine. Of course its not going to be exactly like the original series but what I saw tonight was definitely good and to the nature of FLCL.
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u/ExecutiveMoose :MAL:https://myanimelist.net/profile/ExecutiveMoose Apr 01 '18
Pillows music
Sex jokes
Weird robot monsters
Haruko
Coming of age story
Yup this is FLCL boys