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OVA ActionFLCL
ANIME ActionFLCL Alternative

REVIEWS

• 

  planetJane

  87/100
  A tale as old as time returns for round 2: a teenager, a guitar, a robot, a romance.

  Even now, the very idea of following up FLCL seems pretty surreal. This is a show that meant a lot to a lot of people, and any sequel, spinoff, or extension has the unenviable task of both living up to the expectations of those who watched the original, and also updating its sensibilities for a world that has drastically changed in the decade plus since it aired. Yet, despite the waves of anxiety the very announcement generated, it’s irresponsible to not give Progressive the praise it deserves.

  Prog’s protagonist is, smartly, a new face for the franchise. Hidomi is similar to original FLCL protagonist Naota in one very important way, which is that she is a teenager struggling with what is undeniably for many people the most difficult phase of their lives. To be fair, that applies to a lot of anime protagonists, what makes Hidomi interesting is her sheer stoicism. Putting on an apathetic air is something that will be familiar to a lot of teenagers (and ex-teenagers), Hidomi works on the same basic principles here that similar characters do elsewhere in the medium--when she actually does show emotion, it means a lot more--but above and beyond that, we learn bit by bit that this girl is weird. It’s made pretty explicit by halfway through the series that Hidomi is actually aroused by violence and more than once, in the horrifically surreal dream sequences that open each of the first three episodes and later while being forcibly transformed into a genki girl (it’s complicated), she seems to express a desire for the world to end. In other words, as far as depressed millennial and Gen Z teens go, she’s fairly typical, in what I must imagine is a deliberate decision.

  _Hidomi's demeanor is a far cry from Haruko's, but as a depiction of a depressed teen she's spot on. She's also at times dryly funny, such as here, death-glaring a crab._

  ---

  There are of course other characters, but the big one is returning antagonist Haruko, who sets up shop as Hidomi’s homeroom teacher and the second episode casts her as a sort of evil youth camp preacher, it’s really pretty spooky to see her “class” under her spell, reminiscing over things that didn’t happen while looking at a yearbook full of crude crayon drawings, and I suspect that more than one old fan of the franchise will find themselves, perhaps just slightly, eerily reflected in that classroom.

  It’s probably no surprise that Progressive is not overly keen on tipping its hand--this is FLCL after all--but what is surprising is where the series eventually goes. It’s not quite an attack on the original, and it’s not disrespectful enough to be called a skewering, but Prog definitely views its predecessor with a suspicious, cocked eye. Haruko is never portrayed even remotely sympathetically here until the very end of the series, and her characterization here peels back the eccentric mannerisms that endeared her to so many, revealing them as (alternately) the manipulative or defensive mechanisms of an ultimately pretty insecure person who uses a quirky shell to get what she wants or deflect criticism respectively. That is a harsh take on a very beloved character, so it’s probably not a surprise that for the reason of Haruko’s character arc alone, Prog is not going to sit well with everyone, but it’s important to note that this kind of pick-apart isn’t doable without having a fair amount of love for the source material in the first place. You can’t criticize a character like Haruko without understanding her, and Prog understands her very well.

  Part of that understanding comes in the form of Jinyu. Jinyu is an interesting character, who we learn, about halfway through the series, is in fact a sort of split-off being formed from Haruko’s personality. She’s stonefacedly stoical, well meaning and occasionally actually wise, and she drives a 50s-style car instead of a Vespa scooter. She also has Kamina-style geometric shades, in what I must imagine is some kind of visual gag about her character. She is in many senses Haruko’s opposite and provides an interesting foil to Haruko up until the latter eats her, reuniting the two halves.

  

  This is the first and last time Jinyu looks anywhere near this cool.

  ---

  Somewhat less surely placed in the story is Ko Iide, Hidomi’s classmate and main love interest. He’s certainly a likeable character, at least if you have a soft spot for idiots (and I very much do), and Haruko’s attempts to manipulate him into being the next Naota are interesting, but on his own he almost rather seems (especially in the second half of the show), like a damsel in distress. Which is a strange complaint to make about a male character, but it’s the truth.

  So where does all this go? Well, a strange, surreal romp that lives up to the original as best it can. To be sure, it is not as out-there animation-wise and not as well-directed, but to be even surer, rather few things are, and it’s hard to complain when there are so many gorgeous individual moments. The last two episodes especially look fantastic, with 5 being drawn in a different art style completely (and looking lovely for it) and 6 just being a treat.

  _The 5th episode is drawn entirely in art styles that aren't the norm for the series, and is probably the visual height of the show._ ----- Other than said romp, and the metatextual angle about its relationship to the original (which some will love, others will loathe, and I suspect many will just not care about), it doesn’t do a ton else, which is maybe the show’s only major fault. It also kind of makes *Progressive*--even moreso than usual for this sort of thing--a game of expectations. If you were hoping for something to surpass its predecessor, a la *Diebuster*, you were probably disappointed. But as someone who went in not really knowing what to expect at all, I found its rough relationship with the audience refreshing, the extra tidbits of worldbuilding intriguing, and its main protagonist incredibly relatable and in a weird way, fun. Prog is not the original *FLCL*, it won’t enter your life like Haruko did to Naota and fuck it up and then leave you wondering what happened. Prog is more like an old friend who’s changed a lot since you last saw them, but they’re still the same person underneath. For that reason, any fan of the original owes it to themselves to at least give the thing a shot, even if you *don’t* like it, it’s hard to argue that it doesn’t inspire strong feelings, which to me, is what *FLCL* is all about.
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• 

  Grassman

  80/100
  FLCL Progressive is the journey of a troubled teenager towards finding her identity.

  FLCL Progressive follows our main character, Hidomi Hibajiri, a teenager with identity and family issues. Much like the original, her encounter with Haruko Haruhara (and her alter ego Jinyu) begins the events of the series. She discovers a hidden power inside of her, one sought by Haruko to retrieve Atomsk, but also one feared by Medical Mechanica. Throughout the series Hidomi's creates new relationships with her classmates, Ide, Haruko (and Jinyu), and rebuilds her relationship with her mother. Its these newly founded human connections that support Hidomi into becoming her true self by the end of episode 6.

  Alongside our main protagonists there are plenty of interesting, although short, side plots. The story of Aiko and Bureau of Interstellar Immigration being my favorite.

  

  Story and Characters

  The plot of Progressive follows a similar structure to that of the original. Medical Mechanica, the Bureau of Interstellar Immigration, and the appearance of Haruko are all similar to FLCL. However, Progressive doesn't bind itself to the original and tries to be best it can, without relying on nostalgia.

  Progressive tries to build upon on the world set by the original and present its characters from a different perspective. Our main protagonist, Hidomi, differs from Naota. Even though they are both growing teenagers with issues, whereas Naota felt overshadowed by his brother and had an inferiority complex because of it, Hidomi has different problems. The departure of a family member (her father) had a different effect on her compared to that of Naota. She became depressed and kinda messed up, as visualized in her twisted nightmares. It is hinted at that she feels pleasure from violence. At the start of the series Hidomi is very stoic, she doesn't care much about anything, and constantly blocks herself from others. The headphones symbolizing the rift she has created between the world and herself. In the same way her mother decided to stay in the cafe, her life has become stagnant. However, by the end she is a new person, she "swings the bat". One willing to fight Haruko to save Ide because he is important to her. She finds a new purpose in living in the cafe with her mother as well, she will do it for herself and not because of her father.

  Haruko receives the most development out of everyone and is an interesting change from the original. We get a deeper understanding into the psyche of her being. Jinyu being the "adult" side of her, a more reasonable one. Haruko without Jinyu acts selfishly (even more than before) and is more of an antagonistic force than the Haruko we knew from FLCL. She is obsessed with chasing Atomsk, speaking of which, we finally know more of. He appears to have some kind of feelings for Haruko, but prefers to not be caged. This duality in character presents interesting themes about the meaning of being an adult. It would seem that Jinyu and Haruko are opponents, but are actually complementary to each other. It is okay to act childish and be weird, but we should accept the bittersweet reality that is growing up.

  The supporting cast for Progressive was rather lackluster and underdeveloped. Ide's school friends are generic and not important at all to the overall plot. Aiko and her father, Masurao, had an interesting arc but was undermined by the lack of development. With Aiko being a weapon that was meant to be used by the Bureau of Interstellar Immigration (which her father is secretly part of) she had been trying to gather money to run away from her father. However, unbeknownst to Aiko, her father did not want to do it and ultimately refused; because even if they had a distant relationship she is her daughter. Aiko forgives her father and decides to activate the flowerpot (the weapon) consequently saving the city. In true FLCL spirit, the bizarre act of destroying a giant iron taught Aiko to love her father again. This coupled with the plan of weaponizing an amusement park by Masurao, Eye Patch and Tonkichi, makes a very creative and interesting story. The symbolism of an amusement park (representative of fun), powered by teenagers troubled by puberty, fighting off the symbol of monotony and the adult world, Medical Mechanica, is very unique. However, both of these lack build up. These two appear right at the end of the series and feels rushed. Progressive has a much slower pace than the original, not that this is a problem, but it became one when it restrained itself by making the series six episodes long. Maybe if the creators removed some of the filler in the first three episodes it could have been more rewarding.

  I should warn you that the first three episodes of the series feel slow for a FLCL series, but the second half is fascinating.

  

  "We've got to do it, no matter what. We will show them, even if our wrinkles get flattened, we will fight to the very end" (The wrinkles in our brain are a Japanese symbol of wisdom)

  Animation and Sound

  Animation and sound are very important to FLCL, it is what it means to be FLCL, its unrivaled experimental style. The series utilizes songs from the original FLCL, which could be seen as fan service, but I think its necessary to pay homage to the original when creating a sequel with high expectations. In addition, there are a few new songs by The Pillows added to the OST. My favorite ones being The Third Eye and Thank You, My Twilight. The soundtrack, as expected, was excellent. However, it was not utilized at its full potential. It felt kinda average, and not as bombastic as in FLCL. I would have liked better sound editing.

  Visually speaking, FLCL Progressive is experimental and stylish. With episode 5 being the best out of all since its animated in various styles usually not seen in anime. It is mesmerizing what they did with it. Throughout the whole series, no matter how crazy it gets, the animation is beautiful and fluid (and sometimes abstract). However all of this was expected and it would have been an insult to the original if it didn't. What disappointed me was that it felt simple compared to the original. I am not undermining the work the animators did, but it should have tried to be even more crazy.

  

  Conclusion

  The series has many problems. Including uninteresting or undeveloped side characters, slow pacing, misuse of an excellent soundtrack, and a more passive animation style than the original. Compared to the original, Progressive is a more superficial take on the franchise that prioritizes developing a nonsensical world (that really shouldn't be getting this complicated), instead of focusing on the deeper themes, and the characters and their development. It is impossible to not compare Progressive to the original, but it should be praised for its merits. Even if the series isn't as impressive as the original (which to be honest is very hard to equalize) it is still an interesting take on the series. I suggest you to watch this, even if you have not watched the original (which you should watch too), because it is still a fantastic series.

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• 

  CodeBlazeFate

  39/100
  In essence, FLCL 2 is your typical underwhelming sequel.

  Ah, the tragedy as old as time. A popular piece of media comes out and proves to be a hit, both critically, and financially. Some odd years later, a sequel is made that exists solely because the first one was popular, rather than because there was something to add. It gets panned, financial success or no.

  FLCL Progressive is yet another example of this tale. It’s what would happen if they tried to make FLCL in the current day -as of writing, of course- without any of the charm or passion that went into the original. Love it or hate it, FLCL is a distinct piece of work, one filled with little references and neat, temporary art-style shake-ups to add flavor to an already eccentric and visually stunning take on the coming of age story. Progressive is milquetoast at the best of times and downright broken at the worst of times. There’s no flavor outside of moments that already take cues from its predecessor, and perhaps a few bits in the latter half. It doesn’t have anything worth covering, let alone worth bringing to the table.

  It would be one thing if, in spite of this, this sequel worked as a functioning tale with the audiovisual mastery that exemplifies the best of the current age. It would simply be an unnecessary addition, but a harmless one at best. However, we instead get a mess that decides to pander. Think about it. Why else does the main character wear headphones that have cat ears? Why else do we have a loli and a beach episode? Why else do they just randomly include smartphones without having anything be done with them? Why else does this show’s equivalent to Haruko wear a sexy maid outfit? Simply because it’s hip with the current otaku crowd.

  The real origins of Haruko and her Progressive counterpart, Jinyu, are not only stupid, but also somewhat contradictory to FLCL 1 and raise some questions the original was never equipped to answer. The things they try to add about the universe of the franchise are absurd and even inconsistent, even by the conventions of the franchise as well. It’s already aggravating that it’s all in service to a show that has nothing new or interesting to comment on in any meaningful way, and that the finale is this dumb mess that abruptly wraps itself up. The characters make it even worse. Hidomi is a nothing character. There is nothing consistent to her other than having a secret want to reset the world for particularly incongruous and asinine reasons. The show even claims she is going for a tsundere angle, as god awful as that observation is, and it’s as inaccurate as a blind man shooting in the dark. Even Haruko largely just an adult brat rather than the quirky, ambitious, and amoral vixen from the original. Her counterpart, Jinyu, is bland like Hidomi, but at least she is the least obnoxious character of the entire cast. The male students in the show are also nothing characters with no chemistry, even though the main guy of that trio, Lide, acts infinitely more like an active protagonist than Hidomi ever does. The loli character also isn’t any better; she’s as unremarkable and annoying as the rest. No one has any chemistry to speak of, adding insult to injury.

  Outside of the ending credits and the 5th episode, the show’s visuals are rather dull and even a tad unappealing to look at. Production I.G honestly did a poor job outside of the hit and miss new character designs, as the animation was incredibly stilted and choppy --even in the more kinetic action scenes-- and the color pallet was not to my taste at all Some scenes look downright terrible, even if that's counterbalanced by a few scenes looking pretty evocative. Even in the art style shift in the 5th episode that actually made Haruko look more similar to how she was in FLCL than in the episodes preceding it, it’s arguable if the more purposely rough visuals worked. The music is as much to my uninterest as ever, with several songs by The Pillows, both new and old, and largely forgettable background music outside of that, which is barely any more memorable than the original. The only song of any note here is "Thank You, my Twilight", which is one of my favorites in the franchise, believe it or not. That's not enough to save anything though. At least the dub was nice given the awful material, I suppose.

  In essence, FLCL 2 is your typical underwhelming sequel. I’ve seen worse in this regard, even in terms of sequels to Gainax shows, but damning with faint praise doesn’t excuse how pointless, shallow, and lifeless this installment really is. Sadly, its existence also slightly nullifies some of the uniqueness of the original, so doing nothing substantial to help make up for that is arguably one of the biggest crimes this sequel could have committed under these circumstances. At least it doesn’t use that show as a crutch, but again, it does that anime and several of its fans no favors, either. FLCL 3, please be a proper alternative to this mess?

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