FLCL (Furi Kuri)

FLCL bears all the hallmarks of a post Eva anime, there’s the pre-requisite fighting robots and angst ridden teenagers all thrown headlong into a melting-pot of emotion and intrigue, this time though Gainax has burnt the rulebook and turned the genre they helped create on its head. Brimming with invention, wicked humour and a wonderful grasp of the surreal FLCL is hard to pin down. The story comes to a head (literally) after apathetic teen Naota is run over by a Vespa ridin’ bass playing femme-fatale named Haruko, this however is the least of his worries”¦

What follows is probably the boldest most innovative and downright entertaining anime in years, I lost count of the number of times FLCL had me grinning in disbelief, I simply loved everything about it, the characters are easy to relate to (despite their exceptional circumstances) and things never descend into the nagging melodramatics that bogged down the latter part of Evangelion, it’s a refreshingly original and wild ride that I for one am in no hurry to get off.

Being a newer and therefore digital animation FLCL is an absolute corker to look at; razor-sharp visuals, vibrant solid colours and alarmingly silky animation make for the most visually satisfying anime I for one have ever seen. Throw some top drawer art direction and character design into the bargain and you have an anime that really is the complete visual package.

FLCL also boasts a fantastic soundtrack by jap-pop rockers The Pillows who’s swelling melodies and buzzsaw hooks keeps your ears entertained and your toes tapping throughout, mixing healthy doses of snotty punk and mellower indie-rock it makes for an intense and varied soundtrack that fits the edgy nature of the show to a tee.

Riotously wacky, undeniably insane and utterly, utterly marvellous, Fooly Cooly is without doubt the bravest and most refreshing anime to surface since Eva rocked the anime world all those years ago.

Start praying for a Region 2 release.