Here is what happened to FLCL…they kept making new additions to a finished story. Nobody truly wanted more and we just keep getting more anyways. When a project is finished and the team has moved on, the series should be left alone. Nothing ruins a good thing like too much similar to it without the spark that made it once great.
Yeah it was just this, not really hard to figure out. The magic wasn't there with anymore additions. With that said they aren't actually that bad for a "finished" mini series compared to some many other anime, I wouldn't say they are great but they are not bad either. Nothing compared to the OG of course.
Everyone did. The appeal wasn't Haruko playing Mary Poppins. The appeal was seeing someone who feels lost in life try to find meaning in it. If they wanted to continue with wacky hijinx they could have just introduced a new character to bounce off of Naota in his late teens, or mid 20s, etc. *He* was the main character - not Haruko. She had the loudest presence on screen, but he was by far the more interesting character to follow.
I feel like they could make a sequel out of Naota with Haruko popping in, like how he coped with his loneliness as an adult since that would reverberate with a lot of people. and then maybe show off that he retained some of Atomsk's power and save the day in a casual way on the final episode.
I didn't even know there were FLCL sequels after Alternative and Progressive until today. Now I'm sad knowing they kept going. AS let it die. Please. Damn...
I'm not the biggest fan of FLCL but even I can tell that the sequels have severely lost the original identity of the show. With that being said, I didn't mind Shoegaze as much as the others- found that one to be relatively okay. But I'm interested in hearing your opinion on it, assuming you've seen all 3 episodes by this point
Still got to wait on the last episode, but its probably the strongest of the FLCL sequels at the moment. Still pales in comparison to the original but its not bad (unlike grunge though...)
Bro I remember watching this show on AS while my parents where telling me to do my HW as a kid…honestly as a 30 year old man this show still has a weird effect on me idk what it is but it has always followed me…idk how to explain it but I will never forget this show it really triggered some feelings in me as a young kid
I just finished up watching the last episode of FLCL Shoegaze.... I hope I was correct in hearing they're not making any more sequels because damn man.... squandered any potential during that final episode.
I dunno, outside of the atomsk worm thing I think shoegaze was executed pretty decently. It at least has set itself apart from the original which I felt grunge and progressive just failed to do and suffered for it.
Honestly thought the first two episodes of Grunge were done decent, but the last episode fell completely flat for me. I'd say personally that Alternative is probably the most decent of the sequels, even willing to give that one a 7/10, but still pales in comparison to the original.
@@snailpirate Yeah, I more or less agree, I think if anything these sequels were a good way for young animators and writers to express any ideas they might've had. Maybe I'm just pleasantly optimistic but liking alternative and shoegaze, not completely hating grunge and at least enjoying the fight scenes of progressive. I feel like the direction isn't as awful as I assumed.
The name thing is kinda a weak critique. Cause literally anyone that knows anything about music knows each FLCL series is named after a sub genre of rock music. Other than that solid video.
There was a rule i had when recommending anime to friends. Usually, the shorter the amount of episodes i recommend, the better it is. FLCL and Gunbuster were the groundwork for that statement. Then they kept doing sequals to FLCL, and I had to amend my statement.
flcl should have followed naota as he grew through three stages of life (puberty-young adulthood-adulthood) instead of being tied to haruko the og series contained these stages of life as the characters naota representing puberty then haruko being the reckless young adult striking out in the world looking for atomosk the representation of true adulthood/maturity its would be a really strong emotional through line for the series to see him grow into and then past the role haruko played in his life in the second season. eventually becoming an adult raising his son who would then take on naotas original role in the third season as naota takes on the role of atomosk/his dad having achieved adulthood now trying to guide the next generation
Honestly doesn’t sound too bad of a sequel idea. Of course it still probably wouldn’t have been able to quite live up to the original show, but I do like the idea of seeing Naota growing up and having the focus of the sequels be on him rather than Haruko, although we didn’t even get to SEE Haruko at all in Shoegaze.
This might be a hot take, but I actually enjoyed Progressive. Slightly more than the original, honestly. While the original FLCL was about what it meant to grow up and act mature, Progressive was about the opposite. What happens when you try to stay in the past to ignore the present. Trying to regress yourself to a time when things were simpler, you saw more aww and wonder in the little things and your mind wasn’t clouded with thoughts of sex and the latest trends. But no, we don’t want to discuss story and nuance. Let’s continue talking about how the animation isn’t as good as the original. Honestly, I’m glad the animation wasn’t as crazy as the original. That made it less distracting and gave the characters more breathing room.
I just discovered FLCL and finished binging it an hour ago and got weirded out by the drastic change in artsyle with FLCL Progressive. Less than 10 minutes in, i opted out and searched up if these newer versions were good or worth it. I'm glad I saved myself the trouble.
You should give the manga FLBL a read. It’s not a fan sequel or even based off FLCL. But the author is a massive fan of FLCL. It’s about adolescence too but written really subtlety. It’s never trying to be FLCL, and it’s aware of that. But the clear inspiration, somehow makes it a more close to home successor than the official ones.
Speaking of shows that didn’t need more sequels, I dropped a new video about Junji Ito and the subpar anime adaptations it’s been getting, give it a watch! ua-cam.com/video/r6ZlcnJln08/v-deo.html
The original is a timeless and relatable story about a boy trying to figure out Life while everyone around him pressures him to grow up before he finally decides he's not ready and that's okay. It comes off as absurd but it's absolutely touching, to the extent that when I saw the Pillows live a few years back I openly cried in public during One Life and Thank You My Twilight (yes this song wasn't in s1 but it's powerful). I sleepwalked through the last decade and just want to do things over, so this show is like opening an old wound Every time. It never needed a spinoff.
If you truly understood FLCL, then you also understood why it didn't need a sequel. The plot lines that weren't ever wrapped up by the end, were not the ones you should've been focusing on in the first place.
I think it was Anime Expo 2016 in LA where they were having the first panel talking about the upcoming sequel with the creators and some of the voice actors. FLCL fans lined up in DROVES to see that panel and waited HOURS to get into the event. Turns out the previous event in the same room as the panel was a NON-CLEARING event, meaning after the event was over, you did not have to leave. And nobody left, so no seats opened up. So effectively the entire FLCL fanbase that had been lined up to hear about this exciting new sequel were extremely angry and dissapointed. I think it pretty much set the tone of how the seasons actually turned out tbh.
I personally only like FLCL, Alternative, and Shoegaze. I think Alternative and Showcase are designed to be prequels to the original series (including Grunge). Alternative - Haruko doesn't mention Atomsk so perhaps she doesn't know who Atomsk is just yet and she gets her iconic yellow Vespa from stealing it from the soba shop owner. Shoegaze - Takes place 10 years after Alternative and reveals the origin of Atomsk (I think). That said in Alternative and Shoegaze (Progressive is 100% confirmed to be a sequel) there are smart phones, flat screen televisions, and other more modern concepts that didn't exist in the original FLCL plus footage of the original series is shown in both Alternative and Shoegaze so maybe Alternative is a sequel. Honestly you can interpret it both ways.
@@snailpirate the manga gives evidence to a theory that haruko is traveling to alt universes. it also answers the Rahara name drop from the og series. it's called the Rahara theory, it's an interesting little side aventure to spend an hour or 2 on
I watched the original back in Highscool and absolutely loved it. I still watch it again from time to time. Never saw the sequels, and maybe that's a good thing.
Speaking as a concept artist who also loved FLCL, I bet we could team up and make something inspired/influenced by FLCL that is not a sequel but also is better than all those sequels. Think about it and get back to me.
FLCL was 100% made to be a one-off show. They crammed so much detail in those 6 episodes that I'm still noticing new things every time I watch it, and I've probably seen it about 50 times. It's a show that gets BETTER with every rewatch and the sequels accomplish pretty much nothing except ruining that experience for people that are just now getting into FLCL. If I hadn't seen the original so many times, I would probably believe that Haruko is actually in love with Atomsk and wants to marry him, since that what Progressive says... although since I HAVE seen the original so many times, I know that they just straight up misinterpreted the entire plot and bastardized someone elses creation that they put so much passion and love in to. Even if one of these sequels eventually turns out to be "good", I won't be watching it or caring for it. FLCL is not FLCL without the minds that created it, and they said they accomplished everything they wanted to with the original. Sadly, brand recognition is all that matters, so instead of making art they'll keep shitting out these abominations instead of making something original that actually means something to them personally, like the original team did with FLCL.
I actually kind of enjoyed Alternative from an production perspective, but overall these continuations are what happens when you lose the meaning and abandon the heart of why a show became a cult phenomenon to begin with. FLCL was such a lightning in a bottle show, and literally existed as a way for a large part of the Evangelion staff to make something just as meaningful without leaning 100% percent into the depression and nihilism Eva's story demanded. It was never about making waves in the industry, but the joy of exploring such deep material via the medium of animation. That's why 6 OVAs was more than enough for them to be satisfied, and they recklessly blew their budget into oblivion with just those episodes alone. There ends justified the means, and the end-goal was to reach people's hearts with fun, joy, random chaos, and surprisingly lonely and profound moments. And that's why it worked. It's insane how many kids in America shaped their personality around that show when it started airing here. So much so I remember at the time before Toonami's initial end it got stamped as one of the most rebroadcasted completed cartoon series on cable.
i like the sequels i like progressive alternative well grunge was not that shoegaze is good to being a sequel to alternative and shoegaze sound like a cool title
As a new born/target audience anime watcher I remember seeing glimpses of Fooly cooly on my TV during those late Saturday nights on toonami when I should have been in bed getting ready for church tomorrow and school Monday. Even though I'm young Fooly cooly has that nostalgic star gazing feeling to me reminding me of a simpler time, I remember toonami would have nights where they'll re run season 1 all the way to the current new season which was the one with the girl with kitty headphones (so this was about 2018) and even though it wasn't like season 1 kid me still senses that unique life feel to FLCL which is why it'll always be a good classic of an anime and a milestone any anime fan must watch 🙏🏽 ... Thank you
I remember watching a scene from progressive on UA-cam back wen I was in highschool. I found the name of anime just last year and watched it. Wat a rush. Thank you
I don't understand why they even bothered with Grunge. Why not just give the budget over to Shoegaze and just have one new show with 6 episodes? Grunge was always doomed but Shoegaze had some potential and definitely could have benefited from having more time to tell its story. I say that, but I still thought the writing was pretty bad. Or maybe bland? It just didn't FEEL like FLCL to me, save for a couple of scenes.
Grunge was all in all a mess for me. Shoegaze had a sort of compelling first episode and I did like the main girl in that one, or not girl, I don't know that ending was really weird, that was what soiled the show for me the most. I do agree that if there had been more time for shoegaze with 6 episodes, it would've fared better, but it still didn't really feel like FLCL. Just one of those shows that can't really be recreated no matter how many times they try.
I remember watching this on AS when I was like 14 wondering wtf I was watching but loving every moment of it. Was one of the first true anime I watched besides dbz when I was young. Really turned me into a life long fan of the art
For some reason, my hope is not lost yet. I think its due to the usage of wacky and metaphorical content still? Maybe after messing up so badly four times, they'll accidentally make a good one? Awesome video! :D I had no idea the names were based off of rock genres, but I found the chat GPT bit hilarious!
I guess time will tell, though apparently Toonami/Adult Swim said they don't have any plans to make anymore, and lol I'm glad someone's appreciative of the chat gpt bit
what happened is it was an amazing 6 episode series, the Anime Holy Grail, and then when the studio was out of Idea's, they tried to "Membbbbbaaaa?" berry it and failed utterly. Some things are seen as great pieces of art because they are self contained and were perfect for the time. Not everything needs an effing remake or expansion just because "you guys liked this right? right?"
90s kid here. I’m glad the new generation appreciates the original for what it was and hates the spin offs. FLCL was the best story to watch as a kid going through puberty without any father figures to help. I could relate a lot to Naota on many things. Except, you know, the worm hole popping out his skull. Great video 🎸
As a massive fan of the OG version, I always felt bad for not giving the new ones a chance. Now I feel like that's okay. The new Trigun was awesome though.
I was so pumped to see sequels being made. I had no idea the behind the scenes lore. I watched like a clip and it was cgi cars racing? I resigned to it just being a great singular event. Sorta like a band with just one good album.
The odd dryness in all the vibrant chaos is what gives FLCL its unique vibes but the sequel is just a cliché pure and energetic teens. I CANNOT imagine Haruko being genuinely invested and interested in some teen girls. It’s just not Haruko. Haruko is not a pure teen girl vibe, she is more of a middle aged guy that really has to mature, like a girl version of Kaji from Evangelion
Properties like Fooly Cooly are the reason why I stopped looking at franchises as the canons we're presented and instead I think of them as pieces of art left up for interpretation, sure all the Fooly Cooly sequels are canon and official but if it goes against the enjoyment or artistic merits of the original piece its just like a company claiming to have made the Mona Lisa 2
Honestly it feels sad that we where this close to getting a good flcl sequal if you all didnt know flcl would have gone to the original creator if gainax never sold it hopetully they will be able to get it back but at this point i dont even think they would want to make a sequal after everything that has happened
I literally didn't know that Grunge and Shoegaze exist. I saw Progressive, didn't like it, and never watched Alternative. Original FLCL is one of my favorite anime and it's perfect for what it is. It never needed a sequel (drives me mad when people cry out for sequels to things that don't need them just because they want more of the thing they got attached to) and Adult Swim needs to settle down and stop trying to think that they will somehow figure out how to re-bottle the lightning that was the original. Studio Trigger is now carrying the torch for weird, stylized, bombastic anime, and since many of their staff members used to work for Gainax...maybe we should just let the OG pros catch that lightning. Also, at least from what I heard in Progressive, The Pillows only created one new, original song for it. The rest of their included music were previously released songs, primarily off their Penalty Life album. I don't fault them, they're older now and I know they're not as active as they were in the days of the original, but I remember one of the big hype points used for Progressive and Alternative was "new music by The Pillows!" Which was technically true, but boy was I disappointed when I kept hearing songs I already knew quite well. I fell for the hook.
Yes! I did hear about the fact there was like only one new song and the rest was all stuff they released before, kind of disappointing but at least we did get like one new song lol
I really wish that Anno was able to get the rights for FLCL because while I don't think the sequels are completely terrible, they just do not match up to the OG. And it says a lot aboue the sequels reception when they announced that they won't be making any more.
"They're music genres dude, they're music genres dude 🤓" The original didn't need a rock genre on the title. That shit created its on genre from pure fucking style
here is a theory... what if we're too old to love the new flcl? if i loved OG flcl its because i was literally around the same age as naota dealing with the same complex emotions and being stuck within my own shell as he did. Haruko was my waifu for the loooongest amount of time, by the time alternative and progressive came out i moved passed my long time crush realizing how to toxic and manipulative she is. i already carved my out my own path in life farther past identifying with their struggles
I actually loved FLCL Progressive. I thought it carried some of the wonder of the og series but from the perspective of a girl who didn't know how to move forward.
What do you mean "where are they getting these names"? They're all named after different musical genres and its one of the only few interesting ideas left in the show. If only the show's titles would actually reflect the content of the soundtrack and maybe what kind of character archetypes are shown within the show. There's actually potential there. I'd love an actual FLCL shoegaze soundtrack with My Bloody Valentine type music.
you said "who is coming up with these titles," but to me the titles are the only thing i like about the new seasons. they are all rock subgenres (progressive, alternative, shoegaze, grunge)
I agree almost with everything. The first one is unique and there shouldn't have been any sequel for sure. I agree that grunge visually speaking is shockingly bad at the beginning but... Honestly, I think it's the best of the sequels. It's 3 episodes where each of them centers on a different character and you see the same scenes but from another perspective and honestly it tried to bring something new to the table, I feel like all the rest simply tried to be FLCL and didn't manage to get even close. None of them have the amazing combats animation than the first one had. Grunge at least tells the struggle of different characters, there no peotagonist because each episode centers on a different one and I loved that aspect (even though I hate the graphics for sure). I don't understand the reviews honestly, for me the last one was really bad, the protagonist just falls in love with harumi suddenly at the end he teleports randomly to another universe using atomsk and harumi is a boy? FLCL was crazy but never stupid and it always felt like there was a meaning behind it all. The crazy situations made the characters grow and the new sequels force robots because the original had a robot every episode and they don't even know what to do with them. Grunge broguht at least decent story telling and the struggle of each character which is different for each of them but the visuals are so poor it's hard to watch at the beginning. The other sequels is all the way around, the drawings are good but the story telling is very poor. They tried the impossible, doing a sequel to FLCL, and failed.
I just watched the entire series in the past couple weeks and I think alternative and shoegaze are actually pretty good and I think it helps that they’re clearly connected. Progressive was fine but I agree it did just feel like its own show sometimes, kind of trying to stay “too normal” in a way. And I just don’t like grunge at all. The original is easily the best but I think at least alt and Shoegaze deserve a little more love.
FLCL is legitimately the best thing ever made. The real sequel is just rewatching the original
well said!
Cant agree more. I probably watch it more than once a year, but never seen the sequels
It just feels like a brand new experience by even just rewatching it,literally can’t find that feeling anywhere else.
Not quite, ever read the manga?
Practically another story.
Definitely true. Every rewatch I feel like there's something new to find or learn in the show that was always there.
As an old weeb who watched FLCL during its original run on AS, Get off my lawn.
🏃♂🏃♂🏃♂🏡
Ahhh 2003 it feels like it was just yesterday… *holds my FLCL dvds and artbook tightly.*
@@fataleflare 20$ a pop for two episodes pre dvd, best ,60$ I spent at sam goodie
Not just old I watched the show around a year ago and I could not sit through the sequels they felt like the og but without the passion
@@snailpirate(cocks shotgun) What TallGarage said, you little so - and - so. Scram!!!
Here is what happened to FLCL…they kept making new additions to a finished story. Nobody truly wanted more and we just keep getting more anyways. When a project is finished and the team has moved on, the series should be left alone. Nothing ruins a good thing like too much similar to it without the spark that made it once great.
Seems like only DreamWorks can make a good sequel 😭
Worried about Panty & Stocking S2.
Yeah it was just this, not really hard to figure out. The magic wasn't there with anymore additions. With that said they aren't actually that bad for a "finished" mini series compared to some many other anime, I wouldn't say they are great but they are not bad either. Nothing compared to the OG of course.
9:29 FLCL's sequel titles are all rock subgenres. Alt rock, prog rock, grunge, and shoegaze are all genres of music.
I just wanted to see what became of Naota.
Yeah they probably would have screwed it up but I still wanted to see him return.
Everyone did. The appeal wasn't Haruko playing Mary Poppins. The appeal was seeing someone who feels lost in life try to find meaning in it. If they wanted to continue with wacky hijinx they could have just introduced a new character to bounce off of Naota in his late teens, or mid 20s, etc.
*He* was the main character - not Haruko. She had the loudest presence on screen, but he was by far the more interesting character to follow.
I feel like they could make a sequel out of Naota with Haruko popping in, like how he coped with his loneliness as an adult since that would reverberate with a lot of people.
and then maybe show off that he retained some of Atomsk's power and save the day in a casual way on the final episode.
Did they not at one point say he would be in it for a short time? Could swear Haruko's English VA said something about it in an interview
shoegaze is a type of music, alt rock
Yeah I know, I just realllllllyyyyyy wanted to make that dumb chat gpt joke, otherwise I never would have gotten the opportunity!
I didn't even know there were FLCL sequels after Alternative and Progressive until today. Now I'm sad knowing they kept going. AS let it die. Please. Damn...
Loved FLCL back in the day, didn't know they made sequels. Will continue to not know.
Progressive was ok, alternative was kind of annoying and grunge is an insult to the original.
It's probably for the best you never see those.
"Who's coming up wirh these names?"
They're music generes dude. It's actually a pretty neat naming convention.
I'm not the biggest fan of FLCL but even I can tell that the sequels have severely lost the original identity of the show. With that being said, I didn't mind Shoegaze as much as the others- found that one to be relatively okay. But I'm interested in hearing your opinion on it, assuming you've seen all 3 episodes by this point
Still got to wait on the last episode, but its probably the strongest of the FLCL sequels at the moment. Still pales in comparison to the original but its not bad (unlike grunge though...)
@@snailpirateapparently Alternative and Shoegaze are prequels that just make you think
Shoegaze was actually really really good imo. I think the only way to make a sequel to FLCL is if it doesn't really have a lot to do with FLCL
If you guys want to watch an FLCL sequel. Just watch Space Dandy.
FLCL was one of a kind, and it should've stayed that way
Bro I remember watching this show on AS while my parents where telling me to do my HW as a kid…honestly as a 30 year old man this show still has a weird effect on me idk what it is but it has always followed me…idk how to explain it but I will never forget this show it really triggered some feelings in me as a young kid
Man childhood memories really hits hard
I just finished up watching the last episode of FLCL Shoegaze.... I hope I was correct in hearing they're not making any more sequels because damn man.... squandered any potential during that final episode.
I dunno, outside of the atomsk worm thing I think shoegaze was executed pretty decently. It at least has set itself apart from the original which I felt grunge and progressive just failed to do and suffered for it.
Honestly thought the first two episodes of Grunge were done decent, but the last episode fell completely flat for me. I'd say personally that Alternative is probably the most decent of the sequels, even willing to give that one a 7/10, but still pales in comparison to the original.
@@snailpirate Yeah, I more or less agree, I think if anything these sequels were a good way for young animators and writers to express any ideas they might've had. Maybe I'm just pleasantly optimistic but liking alternative and shoegaze, not completely hating grunge and at least enjoying the fight scenes of progressive. I feel like the direction isn't as awful as I assumed.
The music in shoegaze was so nice
Oh yeah, the music will always be great, absolutely love The Pillows
The name thing is kinda a weak critique. Cause literally anyone that knows anything about music knows each FLCL series is named after a sub genre of rock music. Other than that solid video.
True, a part of me just really wanted to make that chat gpt joke lol. Thanks for watching the video!!
There was a rule i had when recommending anime to friends. Usually, the shorter the amount of episodes i recommend, the better it is. FLCL and Gunbuster were the groundwork for that statement. Then they kept doing sequals to FLCL, and I had to amend my statement.
Can't catch lightning in a bottle twice.
Had no idea they made sequels, plan to keep it that way.
Great editing! The video is paced very well.
flcl should have followed naota as he grew through three stages of life (puberty-young adulthood-adulthood) instead of being tied to haruko
the og series contained these stages of life as the characters naota representing puberty then haruko being the reckless young adult striking out in the world looking for atomosk the representation of true adulthood/maturity
its would be a really strong emotional through line for the series to see him grow into and then past the role haruko played in his life in the second season. eventually becoming an adult raising his son who would then take on naotas original role in the third season as naota takes on the role of atomosk/his dad having achieved adulthood now trying to guide the next generation
Honestly doesn’t sound too bad of a sequel idea. Of course it still probably wouldn’t have been able to quite live up to the original show, but I do like the idea of seeing Naota growing up and having the focus of the sequels be on him rather than Haruko, although we didn’t even get to SEE Haruko at all in Shoegaze.
This might be a hot take, but I actually enjoyed Progressive. Slightly more than the original, honestly. While the original FLCL was about what it meant to grow up and act mature, Progressive was about the opposite. What happens when you try to stay in the past to ignore the present. Trying to regress yourself to a time when things were simpler, you saw more aww and wonder in the little things and your mind wasn’t clouded with thoughts of sex and the latest trends.
But no, we don’t want to discuss story and nuance. Let’s continue talking about how the animation isn’t as good as the original.
Honestly, I’m glad the animation wasn’t as crazy as the original. That made it less distracting and gave the characters more breathing room.
I just discovered FLCL and finished binging it an hour ago and got weirded out by the drastic change in artsyle with FLCL Progressive. Less than 10 minutes in, i opted out and searched up if these newer versions were good or worth it. I'm glad I saved myself the trouble.
Glad I could save you the trouble
sometimes 6 episodes is really all you need
When I first watched FLCL it really hit my heart in a good way, seeing the sequels just makes me cringe.
Great video! subscribed.
win
You should give the manga FLBL a read. It’s not a fan sequel or even based off FLCL. But the author is a massive fan of FLCL. It’s about adolescence too but written really subtlety. It’s never trying to be FLCL, and it’s aware of that. But the clear inspiration, somehow makes it a more close to home successor than the official ones.
I’ll check it out!
Speaking of shows that didn’t need more sequels, I dropped a new video about Junji Ito and the subpar anime adaptations it’s been getting, give it a watch! ua-cam.com/video/r6ZlcnJln08/v-deo.html
The original is a timeless and relatable story about a boy trying to figure out Life while everyone around him pressures him to grow up before he finally decides he's not ready and that's okay. It comes off as absurd but it's absolutely touching, to the extent that when I saw the Pillows live a few years back I openly cried in public during One Life and Thank You My Twilight (yes this song wasn't in s1 but it's powerful). I sleepwalked through the last decade and just want to do things over, so this show is like opening an old wound Every time. It never needed a spinoff.
It's been missed hard 4 times. When your hoping for that good storm and its barely a mist
But hey at least Trigger got the rights for Panty and Stocking.
Thanks for the shoutout to us Star Wars sufferers, we feel your pain lol
If you truly understood FLCL, then you also understood why it didn't need a sequel. The plot lines that weren't ever wrapped up by the end, were not the ones you should've been focusing on in the first place.
I'm so happy the OG came into my life as a young teen. All the feels
I think it was Anime Expo 2016 in LA where they were having the first panel talking about the upcoming sequel with the creators and some of the voice actors. FLCL fans lined up in DROVES to see that panel and waited HOURS to get into the event. Turns out the previous event in the same room as the panel was a NON-CLEARING event, meaning after the event was over, you did not have to leave. And nobody left, so no seats opened up. So effectively the entire FLCL fanbase that had been lined up to hear about this exciting new sequel were extremely angry and dissapointed. I think it pretty much set the tone of how the seasons actually turned out tbh.
I personally only like FLCL, Alternative, and Shoegaze. I think Alternative and Showcase are designed to be prequels to the original series (including Grunge).
Alternative - Haruko doesn't mention Atomsk so perhaps she doesn't know who Atomsk is just yet and she gets her iconic yellow Vespa from stealing it from the soba shop owner.
Shoegaze - Takes place 10 years after Alternative and reveals the origin of Atomsk (I think).
That said in Alternative and Shoegaze (Progressive is 100% confirmed to be a sequel) there are smart phones, flat screen televisions, and other more modern concepts that didn't exist in the original FLCL plus footage of the original series is shown in both Alternative and Shoegaze so maybe Alternative is a sequel. Honestly you can interpret it both ways.
I never really thought of the these new entries being in different parts of the timeline before, interesting.
@@snailpirate the manga gives evidence to a theory that haruko is traveling to alt universes. it also answers the Rahara name drop from the og series. it's called the Rahara theory, it's an interesting little side aventure to spend an hour or 2 on
So, I missed the first comma of your opening statement and was flabbergasted for a few moments.
I share all the same laments regarding the sequels. One day my hope is for a true spiritual successor
As a person who quite literally have had both Star Wars and FLCL in my life since toddler-ages, yes. This is what it feels like.
I just pretend flcl never got more than 6 episodes. I gave Grunge a try and it just made me mad.
I watched the original back in Highscool and absolutely loved it. I still watch it again from time to time. Never saw the sequels, and maybe that's a good thing.
6:14 poor snailpirate, killer queen has already left its mark on that anime
Speaking as a concept artist who also loved FLCL, I bet we could team up and make something inspired/influenced by FLCL that is not a sequel but also is better than all those sequels. Think about it and get back to me.
FLCL was 100% made to be a one-off show. They crammed so much detail in those 6 episodes that I'm still noticing new things every time I watch it, and I've probably seen it about 50 times. It's a show that gets BETTER with every rewatch and the sequels accomplish pretty much nothing except ruining that experience for people that are just now getting into FLCL. If I hadn't seen the original so many times, I would probably believe that Haruko is actually in love with Atomsk and wants to marry him, since that what Progressive says... although since I HAVE seen the original so many times, I know that they just straight up misinterpreted the entire plot and bastardized someone elses creation that they put so much passion and love in to. Even if one of these sequels eventually turns out to be "good", I won't be watching it or caring for it. FLCL is not FLCL without the minds that created it, and they said they accomplished everything they wanted to with the original. Sadly, brand recognition is all that matters, so instead of making art they'll keep shitting out these abominations instead of making something original that actually means something to them personally, like the original team did with FLCL.
Literally couldn’t agree more with everything you said.
I am proud to say that i did read allat
I actually kind of enjoyed Alternative from an production perspective, but overall these continuations are what happens when you lose the meaning and abandon the heart of why a show became a cult phenomenon to begin with. FLCL was such a lightning in a bottle show, and literally existed as a way for a large part of the Evangelion staff to make something just as meaningful without leaning 100% percent into the depression and nihilism Eva's story demanded. It was never about making waves in the industry, but the joy of exploring such deep material via the medium of animation.
That's why 6 OVAs was more than enough for them to be satisfied, and they recklessly blew their budget into oblivion with just those episodes alone. There ends justified the means, and the end-goal was to reach people's hearts with fun, joy, random chaos, and surprisingly lonely and profound moments.
And that's why it worked. It's insane how many kids in America shaped their personality around that show when it started airing here. So much so I remember at the time before Toonami's initial end it got stamped as one of the most rebroadcasted completed cartoon series on cable.
FLCL from a beloved anime to a dead mule.
The only thing I am missing is what happened to Mamimi.
As a person who hasn't watched the original flcl yet you had me at popcorn but lost me at crystal Pepsi
i like the sequels i like progressive alternative well grunge was not that shoegaze is good to being a sequel to alternative and shoegaze sound like a cool title
i've watched FLCL quite late but it was pleasant to see, even if i've never understoof all of it's meanings
2:37 the song is sleepyhead I think (I've listened to too much the pillows)
You really didn't have to diss star wars like that
A Perfect example of a show that never needed a sequel.
Pretty much
FLCL only has 6 episodes, noo more no less, and it is the best music video ever made.
As a new born/target audience anime watcher I remember seeing glimpses of Fooly cooly on my TV during those late Saturday nights on toonami when I should have been in bed getting ready for church tomorrow and school Monday. Even though I'm young Fooly cooly has that nostalgic star gazing feeling to me reminding me of a simpler time, I remember toonami would have nights where they'll re run season 1 all the way to the current new season which was the one with the girl with kitty headphones (so this was about 2018) and even though it wasn't like season 1 kid me still senses that unique life feel to FLCL which is why it'll always be a good classic of an anime and a milestone any anime fan must watch 🙏🏽 ... Thank you
the most i've seen about prgressive is the one guy on the flcl subreddit who really likes haruko's tracher disguise
Can't blame him.
a couple of hundred views every day, looking like the road to possibly blowing up?
Yea, around 200ish views per day, video ain’t dead yet babyyyyy
I remember watching a scene from progressive on UA-cam back wen I was in highschool. I found the name of anime just last year and watched it. Wat a rush. Thank you
good video, you sir just earned a subscribe
Thanks for the reddit gold kind sir o7, you just won the internet for the day
I don't understand why they even bothered with Grunge. Why not just give the budget over to Shoegaze and just have one new show with 6 episodes? Grunge was always doomed but Shoegaze had some potential and definitely could have benefited from having more time to tell its story. I say that, but I still thought the writing was pretty bad. Or maybe bland? It just didn't FEEL like FLCL to me, save for a couple of scenes.
Grunge was all in all a mess for me. Shoegaze had a sort of compelling first episode and I did like the main girl in that one, or not girl, I don't know that ending was really weird, that was what soiled the show for me the most. I do agree that if there had been more time for shoegaze with 6 episodes, it would've fared better, but it still didn't really feel like FLCL. Just one of those shows that can't really be recreated no matter how many times they try.
You're an animator snailpirate? I'm an animator!
I remember watching this on AS when I was like 14 wondering wtf I was watching but loving every moment of it. Was one of the first true anime I watched besides dbz when I was young. Really turned me into a life long fan of the art
Dan Da Dan is the new FLCL. It feels like the real successor.
For some reason, my hope is not lost yet. I think its due to the usage of wacky and metaphorical content still? Maybe after messing up so badly four times, they'll accidentally make a good one? Awesome video! :D I had no idea the names were based off of rock genres, but I found the chat GPT bit hilarious!
I guess time will tell, though apparently Toonami/Adult Swim said they don't have any plans to make anymore, and lol I'm glad someone's appreciative of the chat gpt bit
@@snailpirate It feels like both a bad and good thing, I'm still mixed on the situation lol. Of course! :D
Wow i didnt even know about the other three sequels lol glad i never saw them
"Hey you! Can you come over today and watch some fooly cooly with me!?" "Yeah, I think, I can................."
Is there another seasons of flcl?! It's like make a new season of cowboy bebop, there is no need of it.
4 new seasons in fact lol
am I alone in getting original FLCL vibes from Dandadan?
Snailpirate ENJOYER arc!
what happened is it was an amazing 6 episode series, the Anime Holy Grail, and then when the studio was out of Idea's, they tried to "Membbbbbaaaa?" berry it and failed utterly. Some things are seen as great pieces of art because they are self contained and were perfect for the time. Not everything needs an effing remake or expansion just because "you guys liked this right? right?"
90s kid here. I’m glad the new generation appreciates the original for what it was and hates the spin offs. FLCL was the best story to watch as a kid going through puberty without any father figures to help. I could relate a lot to Naota on many things. Except, you know, the worm hole popping out his skull. Great video 🎸
As a massive fan of the OG version, I always felt bad for not giving the new ones a chance. Now I feel like that's okay. The new Trigun was awesome though.
THE FOUNTAIN PEN IS UPSIDE DOWN IN THE PNG
This has to be one of the best thumbnails I've ever seen.
I just watched the sequels
and this explains why they feel so different
I was so pumped to see sequels being made. I had no idea the behind the scenes lore. I watched like a clip and it was cgi cars racing? I resigned to it just being a great singular event. Sorta like a band with just one good album.
'Yeah- i dont think its a big deal-" definitely not a quote from the series
I don't have to watch this video at all to know that the answer is as simple as "sequels got made for a show that didn't need them"
Can't wait for FLCL: Dark NeoFolk
Wait I thought it ended on shoegaze
FLCL Harsh Noise
The odd dryness in all the vibrant chaos is what gives FLCL its unique vibes but the sequel is just a cliché pure and energetic teens. I CANNOT imagine Haruko being genuinely invested and interested in some teen girls. It’s just not Haruko. Haruko is not a pure teen girl vibe, she is more of a middle aged guy that really has to mature, like a girl version of Kaji from Evangelion
I can't believe I was fooled into watching 12 minutes of silence. But hey, at least there are no FLCL sequels, right?
woah hey wait, why did I just upload 12 minutes of a black screen? Well whatever, I'll just go watch the only 6 episodes of FLCL ever released.
I didn't even know there was a sequel.
Just wacthed the show, not making THE mistake.
The goodnews about endless sequels, if Gundam is any indication, is that eventually some of them will be good.
Properties like Fooly Cooly are the reason why I stopped looking at franchises as the canons we're presented and instead I think of them as pieces of art left up for interpretation, sure all the Fooly Cooly sequels are canon and official but if it goes against the enjoyment or artistic merits of the original piece its just like a company claiming to have made the Mona Lisa 2
Shoegaze doesnt feel like a sequel to FLCL if it was its own thing Im pretty sure I would love it more
What is Fooly Cooly?
Honestly it feels sad that we where this close to getting a good flcl sequal if you all didnt know flcl would have gone to the original creator if gainax never sold it hopetully they will be able to get it back but at this point i dont even think they would want to make a sequal after everything that has happened
I literally didn't know that Grunge and Shoegaze exist. I saw Progressive, didn't like it, and never watched Alternative. Original FLCL is one of my favorite anime and it's perfect for what it is. It never needed a sequel (drives me mad when people cry out for sequels to things that don't need them just because they want more of the thing they got attached to) and Adult Swim needs to settle down and stop trying to think that they will somehow figure out how to re-bottle the lightning that was the original. Studio Trigger is now carrying the torch for weird, stylized, bombastic anime, and since many of their staff members used to work for Gainax...maybe we should just let the OG pros catch that lightning.
Also, at least from what I heard in Progressive, The Pillows only created one new, original song for it. The rest of their included music were previously released songs, primarily off their Penalty Life album. I don't fault them, they're older now and I know they're not as active as they were in the days of the original, but I remember one of the big hype points used for Progressive and Alternative was "new music by The Pillows!" Which was technically true, but boy was I disappointed when I kept hearing songs I already knew quite well. I fell for the hook.
Yes! I did hear about the fact there was like only one new song and the rest was all stuff they released before, kind of disappointing but at least we did get like one new song lol
I really wish that Anno was able to get the rights for FLCL because while I don't think the sequels are completely terrible, they just do not match up to the OG. And it says a lot aboue the sequels reception when they announced that they won't be making any more.
I did enjoy FLCL prog but that was whe I was like... 13. Looking back on it, it had massive issues
"They're music genres dude, they're music genres dude 🤓"
The original didn't need a rock genre on the title. That shit created its on genre from pure fucking style
here is a theory... what if we're too old to love the new flcl? if i loved OG flcl its because i was literally around the same age as naota dealing with the same complex emotions and being stuck within my own shell as he did. Haruko was my waifu for the loooongest amount of time, by the time alternative and progressive came out i moved passed my long time crush realizing how to toxic and manipulative she is. i already carved my out my own path in life farther past identifying with their struggles
I actually loved FLCL Progressive. I thought it carried some of the wonder of the og series but from the perspective of a girl who didn't know how to move forward.
Only good thing the 2018 sequels did was let me see The Pillows live.
Shit was amazing.
Insanely jealous of you lol, I hope they do another concert or tour in the future but I’m not holding my breath
What do you mean "where are they getting these names"? They're all named after different musical genres and its one of the only few interesting ideas left in the show. If only the show's titles would actually reflect the content of the soundtrack and maybe what kind of character archetypes are shown within the show. There's actually potential there. I'd love an actual FLCL shoegaze soundtrack with My Bloody Valentine type music.
you said "who is coming up with these titles," but to me the titles are the only thing i like about the new seasons. they are all rock subgenres (progressive, alternative, shoegaze, grunge)
only 6 episodes? why do i have a vague memory of there being more? even though my first watch WAY back in the 00s/10s
Snailpirate HATER arc!
This is my HenryEyes Hater arc
Flcl didn't need a sequel. It told it's story and it told it well.
I agree almost with everything. The first one is unique and there shouldn't have been any sequel for sure.
I agree that grunge visually speaking is shockingly bad at the beginning but... Honestly, I think it's the best of the sequels. It's 3 episodes where each of them centers on a different character and you see the same scenes but from another perspective and honestly it tried to bring something new to the table, I feel like all the rest simply tried to be FLCL and didn't manage to get even close. None of them have the amazing combats animation than the first one had. Grunge at least tells the struggle of different characters, there no peotagonist because each episode centers on a different one and I loved that aspect (even though I hate the graphics for sure).
I don't understand the reviews honestly, for me the last one was really bad, the protagonist just falls in love with harumi suddenly at the end he teleports randomly to another universe using atomsk and harumi is a boy? FLCL was crazy but never stupid and it always felt like there was a meaning behind it all. The crazy situations made the characters grow and the new sequels force robots because the original had a robot every episode and they don't even know what to do with them.
Grunge broguht at least decent story telling and the struggle of each character which is different for each of them but the visuals are so poor it's hard to watch at the beginning. The other sequels is all the way around, the drawings are good but the story telling is very poor.
They tried the impossible, doing a sequel to FLCL, and failed.
Shoegaze was cool, i loved it. :))
I just watched the entire series in the past couple weeks and I think alternative and shoegaze are actually pretty good and I think it helps that they’re clearly connected. Progressive was fine but I agree it did just feel like its own show sometimes, kind of trying to stay “too normal” in a way. And I just don’t like grunge at all. The original is easily the best but I think at least alt and Shoegaze deserve a little more love.