Fooly Cooly

Alternate Titles: Furi Kuri, FLCL

Original Japanese Release Date: 2000

Episode Length/Run-time: 6 ( 30 mins ea. )

Summary:

Naota, your average 6th grade japanese boy, has a brother that leaves for America to play baseball (leaving his 17 year old girlfriend Mamimi behind and homeless). Mamimi sends lots of mixed signals to Naota, who is very confused by this. To top it off, Naota’s life is train wrecked when he gets hit by a crazy woman on a Vespa. She then bludgeons him over the head with her guitar, making him grow a huge horn from his head. His life is forever changed by this so named “Haruko” female, as it plunges into deeper insanity.

Review:

So, how do I describe Fooly Cooly (or at least attempt?). Well, I guess the plot is a cross between a soap opera, a wooden roller coaster, a boxing ring, a huge kamehameha wave, and an insane asylum. Yep. That pretty much describes it.

The animation is pretty good. They incorporate some CG into the show, like the whole “freeze frame, then rotate the scene 3 dimensionally, then unfreeze”. However, the CG does look decent in some scenes. The artwork and choice of imagery is… interesting to say the least.

The characters, well, I didnt really understand why Mamimi is even in this show. If Naota’s brother didnt exist, Mamimi wouldnt have a reason to either. Then theres Haruko, an electric guitar toting alien. Shes kind of insane.. wait, kind of? No, shes definitely insane. Who smacks people over the head with their guitar after reviving them with CPR, after running that same person over with their Vespa? What? It does add some hilarity to the show at the very least. Plus, shes hot, so let her do what she wants!

If the characters didnt get you, how about mecha spewing forth from horns protruding from someones head? Yes, thats right, mecha coming from someones head. Sounds like the animators had a bad acid trip that vomited itself all over their drawings.

On to the music, its filled with music by “The Pillows”, a japanese punk rock band. Perhaps this anime’s whole purpose is to confuse the hell out of the viewer while listening to them. Although, I can’t say I didnt enjoy the music. It went pretty well with all the insanity and fun antics that go on.

Although the review I just gave may sound like I didnt like it, I actually did. Its interesting to say the least. To sum it up into one sentence: “lots of fun and entertainment spewing forth from complete insanity and actions that defy the laws of physics and sensical reasoning”. Phew. However, opinions do vary from viewer to viewer. Maybe I had trouble understanding it. Its only 6 episodes though, so you might as well check it out.

[starrater]