YAY! Nobody made a Fooly Cooly (FLCL) topic yet!

Toto · Net Savior Joined: 28 Mar 2005 Posts: 184

http://www.emgmonthly.com/v8/page.php?p=ani/flcl.txt

So should this. It shows how the underlying theme in FLCL was really just about Naota's sexual awakening.

Jean · Posted: Wed Mar 01, 2006 10:37 pm Post subject:

o.o

Somehow I disagree with that.
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Unknown Neo · Posted: Thu Mar 02, 2006 4:33 pm Post subject:

Yeah, that guy is wrong. The site I posted can prove it.

Toto · Net Savior Joined: 28 Mar 2005 Posts: 184

Even though not all of the points he said were true, a lot of them make a lot of sense. Go back and watch it after reading a summary. You catch a lot of metaphors earlier missed.

Falcovsleon20 · Posted: Sun Mar 19, 2006 9:09 pm Post subject:

Sorry to bump up an old topic but I've started to watch this series and I can't help but ask: What the hell is [spoil:0201ba7821]Medical Mechanica[/spoil:0201ba7821]? The villian? The one responsible?

I don't care if spoillers will ruin the experience for me! I'M FREAKING CONFUSED ENOUGH AS IT IS!

Zodiac · Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 6:32 am Post subject:

To call them the villan isn't exactly correct. The best way to put things is that Naota is the hero, and everyone else... isn't. Don't worry about being confused. You're supposed to be. Simply accept that and enjoy the experience. If you want to understand, watch the series a second time. It's only six episodes, so rewatching it isn't a big deal, and it just doesn't get boring.
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Falcovsleon20 · Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 1:20 pm Post subject:

If they aren't the villains then:

[spoil:e7edcc85d5]Why does Haruko want to destroy them? And WHY does every robot that appears out of Naota's head have their logo and then proceed to run amok like standard villain of the episode creatures?[/spoil:e7edcc85d5]

Unknown Neo · Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 2:19 pm Post subject:

They're not exactly the villians because this isn't exactly like a normal anime.
http://oaf.anre.org/
That should help a lot.

Zodiac · Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 2:51 pm Post subject:

Enzan Chaud · Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 8:59 pm Post subject:

Toto, that guy was obviously reading a bit too much into it.

Hemissed the fact that there were alot of references in their dialoge to ( The Lupin the 3rd reference is totally lost in his thesis, The I dream of Mimi Reference and a few more) or misinterprets them. Though I already knew most of the references in FLCL both on the first level and the next, not all the referencese should be looked at that point of view. He went beyond total over analysis. >.>
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Falcovsleon20 · Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 9:20 pm Post subject:

Okay, I watched through the series again so I think I've got it right this time. Feel free to correct me though:

[spoil:b2958c7ab8]Okay let's see if I've got this straight. That big mouth thing of Canti's that he uses to "eat" Naota was a piece of the "Terminal Core" of Medical Mechanica which it's purpose is to "iron out all thought" but Canti was also the robot that Mechanica had sealed Atomsk in and something that Naota possesses in his NO is what allows Canti to do the things it did in the first 5 episodes, why it always eats Naota to use that power, and in the end why Naota is the one to recieve Atomsk's power. Although it doesn't explain why it's Medical Mechanica's creations that cause all the mayhem around town throughout the series though.[/spoil:b2958c7ab8]

So how much did I get right there? Lemme guess, none?

EDIT: Oh and Neo, I've been checking that site out since I first saw Episode 4 to get help on the matter and it did clear some things up but not enough. So many unsolved components and questions I need cleared up.

Wackoman.EXE · Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2006 9:22 pm Post subject:

Ummmm...he seemed to be pulling crap out of his hat at every turn. While I do see a minor metaphor for puberty and grwoing up and such; this guy is overdoing it a tad...
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Falcovsleon20 · Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2006 8:32 am Post subject:

Toto · Net Savior Joined: 28 Mar 2005 Posts: 184

My post was deleted, for some reason. But the point is, you're missing the point. FLCL is a coming of age story, and I don't think anyone disagrees with that. Naota goes through the steps in the Hero's Journey, and it's simply him growing up. Even though it's not the main point of the series, him becoming a sexual being is part of that journey that he takes. Every single episode has had several large metaphors for sex, if not blatantly speaking it out. It's what Naota goes through to become more of an adult. He learns so much about himself and has to accept it all. This should be blatantly obvious.

Have any of you seen the movie "The Graduate", where a college student starts having affair with the neighbor's wife? Notice the parallels between that movie and FLCL. Although FLCL does the plot differently, both are generally about the same thing. I'll make a list of the Hero's Journey steps and see how closely they follow Naota's story. They're in an order, but that doesn't mean that they follow it exactly. A majority of the 12 steps should be in this.

1. The Ordinary World: Naota's mundane and boring life. Nothing amazing happens at all to him, and he's bored out of his mind.

2. Call to Adventure: Naota's first meeting with Haruko. She whacks him over the head with a guitar and tries to get him to follow her.

3. Refusal of the Call: Naota is completely against Haruko living with him. He wants nothing to do with her at all, and wants to return back to normal. He doesn't like the fact that his life is going to change forever.

4. Meeting the Mentor: Haruko is a mentor to Naota in this. She teaches him all sorts of new things about himself and teaches him to grow up as well. You could call Mamimi a mentor as well, but she was educating him in other things. The mentor doesn't always lead you down the correct path, as you see in the final episode of FLCL.

5. Crossing the Threshold: Naota accepts Haruko into his life more. He gradually gets used to her, and can't imagine what life would be like without her. This doesn't happen in sequence, but it still occurs. I would say this moment is when he runs away with her in FLClimax. It also occurs when he denies everyone else and goes with Haruko, even though her path would end up destroying the whole world.

6. Tests, Trials, and Enemies: The tests were not only the battles he faced, but he had so many trials he needed to encounter as well. Mamimi was one trial he had to overcome. First, he needed to stay with her, as it matured him slightly. But Mamimi disliked him growing up and rejected him. He also had to compete with his father over Haruko, and that's another important part of the hero's journey. Learning who your parents really are. They all become his enemies later on as well, but I'll get to that later.

7. Approaching the Inmost Cave: He starts to grow up a little more every episode. He's getting cockier as well. After destroying the satellite in Full Swing, Naota believes that he can do anything. He believes he's as powerful as Atomsk when he fuses with Canti.

8. The Ordeal: At the end of Brittle Bullet, it's revealed that Naota wasn't the source of power at all when he combined with Canti. He was just the ammo, and he loses his cool. Naota realizes he isn't anything special--Canti's the one doing the work. He then loses everything he had gained. His brother was already gone from the start. He's learned just what his father really is. Mamimi denies him and reveals she's using him as a substitute for his brother, Haruko high-tails it out of town after she believes that Canti is Atomsk, and the power that Naota gained is completely gone since Canti left. Naota is left with nothing.

9. The Reward & 10. The Road Back: Haruko comes back and Naota leaves with her. He confronted his lowest point and rises above it. He's growing even more, since he's realized that he isn't all that special. His ego goes to a normal point.

11. The Resurrection: The final ordeal. Amarao tries to get him to stay away from Haruko. She represents adulthood, and Amarao represents childhood. He went through a similar situation with her, but failed to go through with his journey, ending up being like a child forever. Naota denies Amarao and what everyone says about Haruko being bad news. He makes his choice and gains the power of Atomsk. Then he goes against his mentor Haruko and follows his own path to adulthood. He sends the power away and goes his own way.

12. The Return with the Gift: Naota returns to the ordinary world with his gained gift after his journey--adulthood.

Unknown Neo · Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2006 6:39 pm Post subject:

Clever and here's one more site in case anyone needs more help.
http://www.animedat.com/FLCLexp.html

Falcovsleon20 · Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2006 9:37 pm Post subject:

Finally! It all makes sense. I want to thank all of you guys. I've probably driven you crazy asking quesitons about this show.

Thing is, while the end is satisfying, I could do with a sequel nonetheless. (Fat chance. It's, what, 6 years old of a show?) Not only that, but maybe I can take this as a hint that I need to change myself a bit more as well.

(Hard to believe that a strange, messed up, TV show can actually wake you up to a life lesson and still throw in some nice though grotesque humor and action.)

Unknown Neo · Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2006 9:56 pm Post subject:

That was just something the creators did to blow off stream so I doubt they will do a sequel. And you're welcome.

Enzan Chaud · Posted: Tue Mar 21, 2006 9:59 pm Post subject:

I agree that it is a coming of age story but more in the sense that "life is life" compared to the whole entire sexual awakening. Infact the link that Unknown Neo posted right now has made the most sense from my perspective.. It's been analyzed at the level it should have rather than taken to the next extreme and over-analyzed like it shouldn't have.

And Falcovsleon20, Gainax has made some good anime, if you liked FLCL, you'll definately enjoy Evangelion, Maho-Romatic, and Abenobashi....

Though you made need serious mental help after seeing The End of Evangelion... so save that for last <_<;
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