BSP Episode 251: FLCL

I loved this show both when I saw it as teen with testosterone poisoning, and even more so as an adult with the benefit of hindsight. Shows and movies like FLCL and Scott Pilgrim are great because they give you an outsider’s perspective that can set you about some healthy introspection.

I have to disagree with your guys’ assessment of the character of Ninamori. You mention that she is the one most put together, but to me she seems to be the one on a hair trigger and exhibits similar emotional defense mechanisms to Naota (which could be a factor in why she is attracted to him). When Naota shows what a tactless jackass he is and confronts her about her parents, she puts up a familiar apathetic front. Additionally there is all the erratic behavior she exhibits in order appear orderly and in possession of control of herself and the situation; to me it seems indicative that her filial predicament bothers her more that she lets on. Spending the night at Naota’s was more a respite from home life than a ploy to get a rise out of Naota. I’d bet the rent she’s cried herself to sleep a few times. A kid already has it rough when when his or her parents go through an affair as it is; throw in them having public lives and media following it and any kid is going to have a hell of a time maintaining some normalcy.

Finally, one of my favorite things about this series is its exploitation of music. For starters, many use music as a means of channeling emotions while grounding the core of their personality. You guys went on about how much you loved the music and how it embedded itself into your heads (pun intended). Do you think it would be as memorable without the association with scenes from this show? To me that is the source of music’s immortality throughout human history, the nonsensical reality that everything from a cacophony to an opera solo can change one’s mood in a matter of minutes with no other stimulation. However combine that with the right scene and Tony gets stuck with an earwig.

One of the cool things that I caught (due no doubt to having a guitar guy for a father) was the Naota was the only character permanently in possession of guitar, a Gibson Flying-V. Haruko, technically a supporting character, shows up with a venerable Rickenbacker bass. Adamsk’s instrument is a Gibson EB-0 bass. What this says to me is that Haruko was “setting the rhythm” for Naota and the scenes at the end where he transitions between the EB-0 to the double neck to wielding the EB-0 and Flying-V was a representation of a transition for Naota. To me it was him relinquishing his insistence on being only secondary and taking the “LEAD” (guitar) position in his story. So yeah, suck on that symbolism.