FLCL Grunge Episode 1 Review

Join Swimpedia as we review a screener of the first episode of FLCL Grunge with minimal spoilers, and find out what Haruko is up to in her latest adventure to find Atomsk and impact the life of an unsuspecting child.

[MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD]

FLCL needs little to no introduction, being both a staple of Adult Swim syndicated anime and an immensely impactful piece of animation. In just a few short episodes, the original series captured the hearts and minds of fans and creators alike, kicking off a conversation that is still ongoing to this day. Premiering in Japan on April 26, 2000, and debuting in the United States on Adult Swim on August 4, 2003, viewers continue to admire the show’s unique animation choices, comedic timing, character development, themes of puberty and coming-of-age, complex symbolism, overall soundtrack, and its fast-paced, fun action. Many longtime admirers of the series could go on and on about their favorite aspects, with the anime truly deserving all the praise that it’s received. The popularity of the show has assuredly continued into the modern era to such an extent that in 2018 Adult Swim premiered two sequels, FLCL Progressive and FLCL Alternative. Although they received a mixed reception, fans were still treated to many of the competents that made the original series worthwhile, from new music by The Pillows to Haruko’s classic shenanigans. On top of that, interest in FLCL did not slow down, to such an extent that Adult Swim greenlit two more FLCL series. If you’re interested in learning about the fourth installment in the FLCL universe, FLCL Grunge, keep reading and check out the series premiere tonight at midnight on Toonami and next day on Max.

With FLCL Progressive and FLCL Alternative focusing on Hidomi and Kana respectively, FLCL Grunge takes us back to the original by turning its attention to Shinpachi, a teenage boy who works at his father’s sushi restaurant. Along with facing many of the struggles of puberty, family, and coming-of-age seen by Naota, Shin will also interestingly have to struggle with larger scale political infighting and his rotting planet. In the first episode of the series, “Shinpachi,” Shin appears to be a little more mature than Naota, stuck in a balancing act between being an adult and a child. Although it may be too early to say, one likely reason as to why he hasn’t fully matured is his viewpoint that adults have lost all hope in their planet, which has negatively impacted the children around them–causing a belief that there is no future for them. Our planet is thankfully not in the same destroyed and abandoned state, but there does seem to be a potential comparison when examining the impact of past generations on the environment of Earth and the trajectory of the planet long-term. In theorizing about what this iteration of FLCL may be about, it’s definitely useful to consider the message adults have been sending to children about our planet’s state and the potential lack of hope around it.

That being said, no conversation about FLCL Grunge, or any past FLCL series for that matter, would be complete without an examination of this version of Haruko. For longtime fans of FLCL, Haruko is at it again, engaging in all of her usual crazy antics. Even in the first scene that you meet her, you might not recognize her or what she’s up to because of how deep she’s into her role this time around. We won’t spoil her plan, as it is the catalyst of the episode, but viewers can expect her classic balancing act of taking on Medical Mechanica while thrusting a teenager, in this case Shin, into a full on coming-of-age crisis. The episode also features the fluid, off the wall action that the FLCL franchise is in part known for today. Whether in the sushi restaurant, or outside in the streets of the city, Haruko is even ready to take on the Yakuza this time around to get what she wants–even though she somehow isn’t the most violent character in the anime. Lastly, her comedy and commentary are on point as we’ve seen in the past, with one meta-joke in particular likely to get a lot of buzz.

On the other hand, we need to take a further look at the elephant in the room, the CGI animation that viewers are even more likely to focus their discussion around. The use of CGI is certainly a point of contention in the animation community, with many being completely against it, even with interesting stories in anime such as Blade Runner: Black Lotus. Ultimately, for everything FLCL Grunge has to offer, the CGI animation certainly won’t convince anyone who is against the use of CGI. The art of FLCL Grunge does feature great pops of color, interesting character designs, and unique settings, which serve to elevate the world despite it being more so abandoned. There are even moments where fans will be treated to the changes in art style that FLCL is known for, such as amusing speech bubbles or the depiction of certain fights.  However, the prevailing use of CGI does limit the expressions of characters, the number of frames in certain scenes, and does sometimes have that flash game aesthetic. The story of FLCL Grunge certainly has potential, definitely consider checking it out even if the CGI initially turns you off, but the animation likely won’t be most people’s favorite aspect of the series.

All things considered, for fans of FLCL who have returned to the series time and time again for Haruko, music by The Pillows, the absurdity of Medical Mechanica, and a complex coming-of-age story, viewers will certainly find comfort in FLCL Grunge. There’s even a fair share of surprises that longtime fans will recognize that we did not want to spoil. Thus far, the series seems to be the sequel borrowing most from the original, however, it's also setting the stage for what might be the most different story when it's all said and done. With the plot already tackling ideas around lack of hope, the environmental destruction of the planet, alcoholism, and Haruko’s background, there’s a lot of room for new ideas and concepts potentially coming to FLCL. Yet, there are certainly fears of the CGI animation turning people away, or even just the story retreading too much that’s been done before or that will be in the shadow of the original. Overall, we’re definitely interested to see what direction the rest of FLCL Grunge takes, and we certainly hope that all of you join us for what will, if anything, be a discussion worthy next few episodes to come.

The first episode of FLCL Grunge premieres tonight at midnight on Toonami, and next day on Max!