フリクリ FLCL Anime of the 21st Century
How do you create a truly original anime for the 21st Century? Gainax believes they have done it by forming an avant garde, postmodern production held together with a classic storyline revolving around well defined characters and created utilizing cutting edge computer generated animation. What do you call an anime this revolutionary? Giving it only one name would not do it justice. It could be FLCL as it is technically referred to throughout Gainax, Furi Kuri for those who prefer the onomatopoeia of Japanese speech, or Fooly Cooly as it is known in America and as seen in several examples throughout the series.
Strip away the layers of sexual innuendo, parody, alien technology, self-reference, symbolism, and so much more and you are left with a strong coming of age story starring a boy struggling with his liminality. Add back those same layers and the result is a manic, carnivalesque anime with a solid core of intertextual personalities performing their unique roles in complete harmony. Details as minute as the handedness of all characters (left-handed people are controlled by the right or creative hemisphere of the brain while right-handed people are controlled by the left or analytical hemisphere) were exploited to subliminally attune the viewer immediately to each character’s base personality. Several unique key animators were utilized to give the series an ever fluctuating art style, while simultaneously, a consistent and vibrant color palette was chosen to give the series a steady feel throughout. Accomplishing all of this within the framework of six 30-minute OVAs is an amazing feat unto itself.
With the somewhat recent declaration by the Japanese government of anime as a viable medium for communication and their promotion of it as a cultural export, more than ever people are expecting everything released to live up to that reputation. FLCL has the pedigree of being produced by Gainax, the makers of critically acclaimed anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion. The timing of its release during the turn of the century coupled with Gainax’s reputation for creating deeply thought provoking anime have lead speculators to believe that FLCL is meant to be the anime for the 21st Century. They just might be right. A look at the core characters sheds some light on exactly how Gainax accomplished this triumph in the field of anime.
Character Study: Nandaba Naota
First appearances can be deceiving. Naota is the 12-year-old central character of FLCL and appears, at first glance, to be your typically depressed anime boy. He starts out with what is believed to be a normal life and is then thrust into unusual circumstances where he must defeat or be defeated by the adversities which transpire. This all sounds like standard anime fare and could even be compared to other Gainax characters like Evangelion’s Shinji, until a thorough study is conducted. Naota is a more out going and straightforward boy than Shinji, but still retains a similar air of shyness.
The right-handed Naota’s family life is disturbingly out of the ordinary. He lives in the fictional Japanese “everytown” of Mabase with only his father and grandfather; there is no mention of his mother throughout the entire series. This lack of a mother figure causes problems for Naota in his personal interaction with all females as he searches for both romantic and motherly love during this liminal time in his life. Not only affecting his interaction with women, Naota’s motherlessness is outwardly expressed as he himself becomes the mother of a robot birthed from his head. In a unique role reversal, Naota is the robot’s male mother while a female alien, in a brutal act of symbolic insemination, becomes its father.
He also has a brother, but the brother no longer lives with their family as he has left Japan for America in search of a career in baseball. Naota both idolizes his brother because of his accomplishments and despises him for the constant reminder that he is not as good. The townspeople of Mabase remember Naota’s brother as a success story produced by this otherwise unimpressive city, and even the women in his life become a constant reminder of his brother. He is even asked to break the news to his brother’s “local” girlfriend about the new girl he is dating in America. Naota is almost always seen dragging a baseball bat, reminiscent of the brother he admires, behind him even though he is no good at the game and does not even really like to play.
At this liminal stage, Naota constantly wants to do things he sees as “adult.” He eats spicy food that he normally would not eat, drinks sour drinks when he really likes the sweet ones, and even plays baseball even though he is not very athletic and does not reap any enjoyment from the sport. Naota is not only portrayed as liminal because of the stage of life he is currently living through; he also becomes the personified representation of the liminality of modern day Japan. As Dr. Frenchy Lunning said in her paper Cyborgs in Anime: Figures of Pivoting Fortune, Naota “represents the potential of Japan, on the edge of a new period of maturation.” Naota as Japan is pulled in many directions by the other characters and the aspects of history, modernity and future that they each represent.
Character Study: Nandaba Tasuku
Being left-handed definitely has its advantages. Though FLCL’s viewers are never allowed to see Naota’s older brother Tasuku, Gainax’s symbolic characterization of him throughout the series allows him to become as vital as any other member of the cast. References to Tasuku are made in the form of jets flying high overhead, opened letters from America, baseball bats, cel phone numbers and he is even seen from behind in a flashback scene where he is wearing a number three baseball jersey, the number of Japanese baseball legend Shigeo Nagashima.
Most importantly, he is represented by the top bunk in the room he once shared with Naota. Through this, we learn that he was not only a brother but also a roommate for Naota. The viewer can connote, through their own personal experiences, how close this type of intimate living situation can bring two people. The top bunk is also above the younger Naota’s bed and therefore symbolizes the superiority of Tasuku as well as their age difference. Naota does not perceive this negatively and symbolically does not change things when Tasuku leaves home. He becomes very protective of this preserved space, not allowing anyone to disturb this “shrine” to his brother.
Everything has always come easier for Tasuku than it has for Naota. His left-handedness is the quick reference to that because, as FLCL director Tsurumaki Kazuya explains, “[lefties] are cooler and carefree and can do everything easily and well.” On the rare occasions when the townspeople of Mabase notice Naota, they only relate to him as Tasuku’s less able brother.
Tasuku’s act of leaving Japan is seen by Lunning as his having “succumbed to American popular culture and commercialism.” Given that Naota admires his brother, he, as liminal Japan, is torn between appreciating his home and wanting more. He has seen both the good and bad which can come from making this decision to fully accept the American ideals. Tasuku’s “local” girlfriend is tossed aside when he finds a blonde-haired, blue-eyed one in the US which Naota does not respect. Naota is also hurt by the fact that Tasuku “left him behind” to deal with things like his girlfriend, the townspeople, and growing up without a role model.
Character Study: Samejima Mamimi
The first and only consistent female figure in Naota’s life just happens to be his brother’s girlfriend Mamimi. She has become sexually frustrated and entirely lonely since her one friend and emotional pillar, Tasuku, left for America. Mamimi is poor and possibly lives under a bridge in Mabase. The viewers are never shown or told about her family and it is assumed that she is surviving on her own. She eats day old bread given to her by Naota’s father, smokes far too many cigarettes, plays video games, and is an avid photographer, taking pictures even at the most inappropriate times. Mamimi is also a pyromaniac.
It is revealed that years earlier Mamimi set fire to her school. She was found there by Tasuku who helped her find stability. When he left for America, Mamimi fell back into her old routine and mysterious fires began appearing around Mabase. Naota finds her at one point in an occult-looking circle of lit cigarettes in a séance for her god, Cantide. Mamimi is a right-hander who wishes she could have been born a lefty.
Even though Tasuku left Mamimi behind and has found another girlfriend, she holds out hope for his return to her life. In the mean time, she has found a substitute outlet for her sexual urges in the younger Naota. The opening scene shows Mamimi about to “overflow,” nibbling on Naota’s earlobe to quench her desire. He does not like it when she does these things because he still respects the relationship she has with his brother. Naota does find outright sexual advances appealing in his liminal state, but he is unsure of himself and his loyalties.
Mamimi represents traditional Japan in contrast to Naota’s liminal Japan. She is the complete opposite of Tasuku’s version of Japan which relies heavily on American influence. She is even called “native girl” outright, signifying how she is thought of in this context. Mamimi’s heritage is discredited to the point that Naota’s grandfather becomes infuriated when he finds out that they are friends. In Naota’s mind, the decision of his future, and therefore the future of Japan, is completely tied up in whether he is loyal to his brother or his friend. But things are never as simple as black and white.
Character Study: Haruhara Haruko
Haruko is an alien not just in character, but in how she relates to Naota as liminal Japan as well. Everything she is and everything she has is foreign to Japan. “With her tall stature, her green eyes and pink hair, she rides a Vespa – symbol of Italian domination of Roman streets, and carries an electric bass guitar, symbol of American popular youth culture.” With the introduction of Haruko, Naota finds himself pulled in yet another direction. Similar to Tasuku’s influence, and even physically reminding Naota of his brother at one point, Haruko represents not only American influence, but the influence of everything non-Japanese. Tasuku is still a Japanese citizen going out to see what the world has to offer, while Haruko embodies that entire world invading Japan and even Naota’s own bedroom!
The invading influence of Haruko is not always unwanted or unneeded by Naota. His initial impression of her, as she runs him down with her Vespa and follows up with a guitar shot to his head (which produces their robotic offspring), is not a good one. With a little time and interaction, Naota becomes intrigued with what Haruko represents. She is the shining beacon of hope for the world outside his gloomy, muted hometown. Naota is never quite sure how he should feel about Haruko, at varying times despising her, having his first crush and inserting her into the role of surrogate mother.
Haruko also has mixed feelings about Naota during the course of the series. First, he was only supposed to be her means to a crucial goal. Upon realizing that her goal was not going to be met as easily as hitting him in the head, she decides to stick close by and see how things progress. She runs down Naota’s father in effort to gain access to the Nandaba household and ultimately becomes their housekeeper. He does eventually grow on her as she does on him and they develop a loving relationship which the audience does not know whether will end sexually or familially.
Though Haruko is the “anime babe” of this series, she is definitely not typical in that characterization. Her voice is harsh and awkward, never sounding remotely like the shojo girls of much anime. Haruko is also not burdened with the large breasted image common in “anime babes” today. She is lean and attractive, but also quite alien in her colorations and ability to fight any adversary who steps in her way. She is Tsurumaki’s ultimate left-hander who has never run across a rival she cannot defeat or a man she cannot seduce.
Character Study: Eri Ninamori
The third of Naota’s trio of women showing interest in him for one reason or another is his classmate Ninamori. The daughter of Mabase’s controversial mayor, Ninamori has a crush on Naota that she is not afraid of showing. As class president, she fixes the voting for roles in their class play to ensure she and Naota play the leads together. Ninamori comes from a higher class family than Mamimi and is therefore more respected in the Nandaba household, even being asked to stay for dinner and sleep over by Naota’s father when things are rough at her own house. She does stay and that night confesses her feelings to Naota only to be interrupted by the seemingly jealous Haruko.
Haruko asserts her influence and sexual control over Naota blatantly in front of Ninamori, completely disrupting any mood that may have been forming between the two classmates. This battle for Naota’s liminal Japan can be seen as the choices between the vast and interesting world outside of Japan and the proper and expected choice of upper class native Japan. There is no risk in choosing Ninamori’s path while nothing but risk is possible through Haruko.
Ninamori also becomes the only person sharing in Naota’s fate of birthing these robots from his head. During the course of one of many times when Haruko runs him down with her Vespa, the now airborne Naota crashes head-to-head into Ninamori, transferring his unique ability temporarily to her. The resulting mecha fight serves to further drive a wedge between the two potential lovers. After OVA 3 tells her story, for the remainder of the series, Ninamori, while still attracted to him, serves only as a supporting character in the story of Naota’s coming of age.
Character Study: Nandaba Kamon
The head of the Nandaba household, independent journalist Kamon does not present the typical vision of a father figure. He is a selfish slacker with who has only two goals; getting his newly hired housekeeper, Haruko, into bed and selling as many copies of his latest Zine, Come On, Mabase, as possible. Kamon is very jealous of the relationship that Haruko and Naota are developing, even going so far as to invite Ninamori to sleep over, in hopes of her diverting Naota’s attention. Always with ulterior motives, Kamon also extended the invitation because his Zine just happens to be about Mabase’s mayor, Ninamori’s father, having an affair.
The father/son war for Haruko’s affection culminates in Kamon’s challenge to an actual AirSoft war. His jealousy knows no bounds and he will do anything, even sacrifice his own son for the chance to be with her. Kamon even fantasizes early on about showing Haruko off to coworkers as his new, young wife. Oblivious to the needs of others, he does not consider the fact that Naota also sees her as the mother figure which is missing from his life and would likely relish the idea of Haruko filling this role. Kamon is completely self-centered and cares only for that which gives him pleasure.
Character Study: Canti
What kind of offspring can be produced through a violently sexual act of head bashing conception between a 12-year-old, morose Japanese boy mother and a female, bass wielding, Vespa driving, alien father? None other than Canti, the robot with a television for a head. When the N.O. Channel is opened through Haruko’s insemination of Naota’s head, she expects to instantly receive Atomsk the Pirate King for her efforts. Though slightly delayed, Atomsk does come through, hitching a ride in Canti to escape the Medical Mechanica’s terminal core where he is a vital part of its operations. Unfortunately for Haruko, she does not realize this and with one swing of her bass, Canti’s head is busted and he loses his connection with Atomsk.
During the brief time that Canti/Atomsk was gestating in Naota’s head, they made a connection with him. Realizing the great loss Naota feels with his brother gone, Canti/Atomsk elect to fill that void as best they can, thus becoming yet another way in which Tasuku is symbolically viewed in FLCL. When Haruko’s swing sends Atomsk back through the N.O. Channel, Canti is left in Mabase and becomes a part of the Nandaba family. Atomsk still has the connection with Naota, and anytime he is needed, Canti can access his power by fusing with Naota.
When Atomsk’s power is not required, Canti is a peaceful part of the Nandaba household, willing to run errands and do the dishes whenever necessary. Mamimi, through her love for Tasuku, sees Canti as very similar and he becomes nothing less than a god to her. He is very influential in Naota’s life also, and Naota becomes protective of him, not wanting the others to use him for their own benefit. Naota is both mother and brother to Canti and also has to join with him to activate the power of Atomsk, needless to say, their relationship is very complex.
Those are just a few of the ways that the characters of FLCL intertwine to create the atmosphere for the first 21st Century anime. Many additional supporting characters are also included to form a deeply detailed network of citizens living in Mabase. The pace is very quick throughout this six OVA series, but if you take the time to see them, the characters are more defined than those of much larger anime project. As crucial as the characters, themselves, are to the success of FLCL as the Millennium Anime, there are many equally important elements which all contribute to its triumph.
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