What Happened To FLCL? 

As an old weeb who watched FLCL during its original run on AS, Get off my lawn.

FLCL is legitimately the best thing ever made. The real sequel is just rewatching the original

Here is what happened to FLCL…they kept making new additions to a finished story. Nobody truly wanted more and we just keep getting more anyways. When a project is finished and the team has moved on, the series should be left alone. Nothing ruins a good thing like too much similar to it without the spark that made it once great.

I just wanted to see what became of Naota. Yeah they probably would have screwed it up but I still wanted to see him return.

shoegaze is a type of music, alt rock

Loved FLCL back in the day, didn't know they made sequels. Will continue to not know.

I'm not the biggest fan of FLCL but even I can tell that the sequels have severely lost the original identity of the show. With that being said, I didn't mind Shoegaze as much as the others- found that one to be relatively okay. But I'm interested in hearing your opinion on it, assuming you've seen all 3 episodes by this point

If you guys want to watch an FLCL sequel. Just watch Space Dandy.

9:29 FLCL's sequel titles are all rock subgenres. Alt rock, prog rock, grunge, and shoegaze are all genres of music.

Great editing! The video is paced very well.

flcl should have followed naota as he grew through three stages of life (puberty-young adulthood-adulthood) instead of being tied to haruko the og series contained these stages of life as the characters naota representing puberty then haruko being the reckless young adult striking out in the world looking for atomosk the representation of true adulthood/maturity its would be a really strong emotional through line for the series to see him grow into and then past the role haruko played in his life in the second season. eventually becoming an adult raising his son who would then take on naotas original role in the third season as naota takes on the role of atomosk/his dad having achieved adulthood now trying to guide the next generation

But hey at least Trigger got the rights for Panty and Stocking.

There was a rule i had when recommending anime to friends. Usually, the shorter the amount of episodes i recommend, the better it is. FLCL and Gunbuster were the groundwork for that statement. Then they kept doing sequals to FLCL, and I had to amend my statement.

I just finished up watching the last episode of FLCL Shoegaze.... I hope I was correct in hearing they're not making any more sequels because damn man.... squandered any potential during that final episode.

FLCL was one of a kind, and it should've stayed that way

Thanks for the shoutout to us Star Wars sufferers, we feel your pain lol

I just discovered FLCL and finished binging it an hour ago and got weirded out by the drastic change in artsyle with FLCL Progressive. Less than 10 minutes in, i opted out and searched up if these newer versions were good or worth it. I'm glad I saved myself the trouble.

I didn't even know there were FLCL sequels after Alternative and Progressive until today. Now I'm sad knowing they kept going. AS let it die. Please. Damn...

This has to be one of the best thumbnails I've ever seen.

i like the sequels i like progressive alternative well grunge was not that shoegaze is good to being a sequel to alternative and shoegaze sound like a cool title

I'm so happy the OG came into my life as a young teen. All the feels

good video, you sir just earned a subscribe

I personally only like FLCL, Alternative, and Shoegaze. I think Alternative and Showcase are designed to be prequels to the original series (including Grunge). Alternative - Haruko doesn't mention Atomsk so perhaps she doesn't know who Atomsk is just yet and she gets her iconic yellow Vespa from stealing it from the soba shop owner. Shoegaze - Takes place 10 years after Alternative and reveals the origin of Atomsk (I think). That said in Alternative and Shoegaze (Progressive is 100% confirmed to be a sequel) there are smart phones, flat screen televisions, and other more modern concepts that didn't exist in the original FLCL plus footage of the original series is shown in both Alternative and Shoegaze so maybe Alternative is a sequel. Honestly you can interpret it both ways.

I share all the same laments regarding the sequels. One day my hope is for a true spiritual successor

I watched the original back in Highscool and absolutely loved it. I still watch it again from time to time. Never saw the sequels, and maybe that's a good thing.

I was so pumped to see sequels being made. I had no idea the behind the scenes lore. I watched like a clip and it was cgi cars racing? I resigned to it just being a great singular event. Sorta like a band with just one good album.

When I first watched FLCL it really hit my heart in a good way, seeing the sequels just makes me cringe. Great video! subscribed.

Good job.👍

What is that show by Hideaki Anno that he keeps referencing at the beginning? I kinda wanna watch it lol.

For some reason, my hope is not lost yet. I think its due to the usage of wacky and metaphorical content still? Maybe after messing up so badly four times, they'll accidentally make a good one? Awesome video! :D I had no idea the names were based off of rock genres, but I found the chat GPT bit hilarious!

You should give the manga FLBL a read. It’s not a fan sequel or even based off FLCL. But the author is a massive fan of FLCL. It’s about adolescence too but written really subtlety. It’s never trying to be FLCL, and it’s aware of that. But the clear inspiration, somehow makes it a more close to home successor than the official ones.

I remember watching a scene from progressive on RU-vid back wen I was in highschool. I found the name of anime just last year and watched it. Wat a rush. Thank you

sometimes 6 episodes is really all you need

As a new born/target audience anime watcher I remember seeing glimpses of Fooly cooly on my TV during those late Saturday nights on toonami when I should have been in bed getting ready for church tomorrow and school Monday. Even though I'm young Fooly cooly has that nostalgic star gazing feeling to me reminding me of a simpler time, I remember toonami would have nights where they'll re run season 1 all the way to the current new season which was the one with the girl with kitty headphones (so this was about 2018) and even though it wasn't like season 1 kid me still senses that unique life feel to FLCL which is why it'll always be a good classic of an anime and a milestone any anime fan must watch 🙏🏽 ... Thank you

FLCL was 100% made to be a one-off show. They crammed so much detail in those 6 episodes that I'm still noticing new things every time I watch it, and I've probably seen it about 50 times. It's a show that gets BETTER with every rewatch and the sequels accomplish pretty much nothing except ruining that experience for people that are just now getting into FLCL. If I hadn't seen the original so many times, I would probably believe that Haruko is actually in love with Atomsk and wants to marry him, since that what Progressive says... although since I HAVE seen the original so many times, I know that they just straight up misinterpreted the entire plot and bastardized someone elses creation that they put so much passion and love in to. Even if one of these sequels eventually turns out to be "good", I won't be watching it or caring for it. FLCL is not FLCL without the minds that created it, and they said they accomplished everything they wanted to with the original. Sadly, brand recognition is all that matters, so instead of making art they'll keep shitting out these abominations instead of making something original that actually means something to them personally, like the original team did with FLCL.

"Who's coming up wirh these names?" They're music generes dude. It's actually a pretty neat naming convention.

The original is a timeless and relatable story about a boy trying to figure out Life while everyone around him pressures him to grow up before he finally decides he's not ready and that's okay. It comes off as absurd but it's absolutely touching, to the extent that when I saw the Pillows live a few years back I openly cried in public during One Life and Thank You My Twilight (yes this song wasn't in s1 but it's powerful). I sleepwalked through the last decade and just want to do things over, so this show is like opening an old wound Every time. It never needed a spinoff.

Snailpirate ENJOYER arc!

If you truly understood FLCL, then you also understood why it didn't need a sequel. The plot lines that weren't ever wrapped up by the end, were not the ones you should've been focusing on in the first place.

what the song in the beginning?

a couple of hundred views every day, looking like the road to possibly blowing up?

I didn't even know there was a sequel.

Can't wait for FLCL: Dark NeoFolk

6:14 poor snailpirate, killer queen has already left its mark on that anime

You're an animator snailpirate? I'm an animator!

Shoegaze was cool, i loved it. :))

Dude what do you think about this concept have a sequel that isn’t just repeating the same story again have a be a Timescape and have the main concept be about nostalgia does that sound good

It's been missed hard 4 times. When your hoping for that good storm and its barely a mist

What is Fooly Cooly?

You really didn't have to diss star wars like that

As a person who quite literally have had both Star Wars and FLCL in my life since toddler-ages, yes. This is what it feels like.

Just wacthed the show, not making THE mistake.

I havent watched the sequels. Im hesitant to even try. Do the sequels even try the manga form trick like the first one?

I did enjoy FLCL prog but that was whe I was like... 13. Looking back on it, it had massive issues

the most i've seen about prgressive is the one guy on the flcl subreddit who really likes haruko's tracher disguise

I just pretend flcl never got more than 6 episodes. I gave Grunge a try and it just made me mad.

11:40 This caught me offguard lol

Snailpirate HATER arc!

My first anime, and definitely my 2nd favorite. ❤❤

Does *TV Boy* Come Bacc In Any Of The Sequels?

A Perfect example of a show that never needed a sequel.

flcl has been my favorite anime for 2 decades now. and i feel the same way. i hope they don't make any more sequels the failed to recapture the magic 4 times now. but if they do i hope they at least ditch the first idea the come up with because i don't know how they did it twice but it always seems the first sequel is pretty bad or mid and the second one is at least decent. so hopefully they just do the second idea the came up with if they make more sequels. which they shouldn't lol. also i wouldn't say we're in a star wars situation just yet because they flcl sequels were lackluster but they didn't want to make me die like when i watch the 9th star wars movie. i haven't seen of the disney+ stuff but i've heard things are just getting worse over time.

The name thing is kinda a weak critique. Cause literally anyone that knows anything about music knows each FLCL series is named after a sub genre of rock music. Other than that solid video.

season five was okay. an amzing start and it actuly intraduced me to flcl. i will say that the hole ghost thing was a little odd when watching it in order, but as i was fist interdued by season 5 it made me want to watch it all but unlike people who started on season 4 i can understand why they insult it. and if they do make another season (probley wont happen) i do hope they go on with the orgnal plot wile going with this new one if you understand what im trying to say i like what they where going it just doesnt feel like flcl, its good but aslo when wathing it from season 1 to 5 it felt off so if they do make a new one i pray they make the stroy more inline with the older ones wile also going on with this new one

THE FOUNTAIN PEN IS UPSIDE DOWN IN THE PNG

amazing video! original FLCL was brilliant chaotic banger, but still progressive and alternative wasn't so bad like g r u n g e. Shoegaze is kinda okay..? btw whats the name of the song in intro? thanks again!!!

Wow i didnt even know about the other three sequels lol glad i never saw them

Honestly it feels sad that we where this close to getting a good flcl sequal if you all didnt know flcl would have gone to the original creator if gainax never sold it hopetully they will be able to get it back but at this point i dont even think they would want to make a sequal after everything that has happened

I think all of the FLCL titles are types of alt rock, like shoegaze, grunge and alternative just straight up meaning alt rock

I literally didn't know that Grunge and Shoegaze exist. I saw Progressive, didn't like it, and never watched Alternative. Original FLCL is one of my favorite anime and it's perfect for what it is. It never needed a sequel (drives me mad when people cry out for sequels to things that don't need them just because they want more of the thing they got attached to) and Adult Swim needs to settle down and stop trying to think that they will somehow figure out how to re-bottle the lightning that was the original. Studio Trigger is now carrying the torch for weird, stylized, bombastic anime, and since many of their staff members used to work for Gainax...maybe we should just let the OG pros catch that lightning. Also, at least from what I heard in Progressive, The Pillows only created one new, original song for it. The rest of their included music were previously released songs, primarily off their Penalty Life album. I don't fault them, they're older now and I know they're not as active as they were in the days of the original, but I remember one of the big hype points used for Progressive and Alternative was "new music by The Pillows!" Which was technically true, but boy was I disappointed when I kept hearing songs I already knew quite well. I fell for the hook.

Flcl didn't need a sequel. It told it's story and it told it well.

I was born in 1994 so you got me by only 6 years in that department lol. Flcl Progressive in my opinion was the best one i loved it. The original is good too the nostalgia is real with the original one😊. If i had to put a percentage point of value to it i would say FLCL Progressive 41% Original 36% Alternative 15% Grunge 1% (YIKES) Shoegaze 6%. Good video bro lol😅.

I just got to flcl grunge now, I’ve only seen episode one but it seems okay. But also keep in account that this is only my opinion and I think shark boy and lava girl was an okay film

I really wish that Anno was able to get the rights for FLCL because while I don't think the sequels are completely terrible, they just do not match up to the OG. And it says a lot aboue the sequels reception when they announced that they won't be making any more.

Only good thing the 2018 sequels did was let me see The Pillows live. Shit was amazing.

I loved the original, but the first one I watched was alternative which I felt was slept on. and grunge doesn't feel like flcl and I haven't watched the other new one

The goodnews about endless sequels, if Gundam is any indication, is that eventually some of them will be good.

Wasn't why shes chasing atomsk literally explained? 😂 I mean sure it isn't a character study but it does not need to

"Hey you! Can you come over today and watch some fooly cooly with me!?" "Yeah, I think, I can................."

FLCL Its one of the best things I ever wacht

I don't understand why they even bothered with Grunge. Why not just give the budget over to Shoegaze and just have one new show with 6 episodes? Grunge was always doomed but Shoegaze had some potential and definitely could have benefited from having more time to tell its story. I say that, but I still thought the writing was pretty bad. Or maybe bland? It just didn't FEEL like FLCL to me, save for a couple of scenes.

2000 pride fr

I can't believe I was fooled into watching 12 minutes of silence. But hey, at least there are no FLCL sequels, right?

i would beg for a FLCL sequel through out the mid 2000s and now were getting way too many and NONE are even close to the original

I agree almost with everything. The first one is unique and there shouldn't have been any sequel for sure. I agree that grunge visually speaking is shockingly bad at the beginning but... Honestly, I think it's the best of the sequels. It's 3 episodes where each of them centers on a different character and you see the same scenes but from another perspective and honestly it tried to bring something new to the table, I feel like all the rest simply tried to be FLCL and didn't manage to get even close. None of them have the amazing combats animation than the first one had. Grunge at least tells the struggle of different characters, there no peotagonist because each episode centers on a different one and I loved that aspect (even though I hate the graphics for sure). I don't understand the reviews honestly, for me the last one was really bad, the protagonist just falls in love with harumi suddenly at the end he teleports randomly to another universe using atomsk and harumi is a boy? FLCL was crazy but never stupid and it always felt like there was a meaning behind it all. The crazy situations made the characters grow and the new sequels force robots because the original had a robot every episode and they don't even know what to do with them. Grunge broguht at least decent story telling and the struggle of each character which is different for each of them but the visuals are so poor it's hard to watch at the beginning. The other sequels is all the way around, the drawings are good but the story telling is very poor. They tried the impossible, doing a sequel to FLCL, and failed.

hate to admit, the quality really died down when the costs and staff who can make the quality is hard to get nowadays plus, i agree, first season the original, has the feel of power and story which no limitations are placed on it then the second looks sorta ok, But the 3d one with the baby, is very weird and already, a red flag.

Grunge was an insult to the original the moment they went full 3D CGI.

Shoegaze doesnt feel like a sequel to FLCL if it was its own thing Im pretty sure I would love it more

I didn't think the squeals were that bad, it's like the Star Wars prequal trilogy, they weren't very good, but it isn't really worth sweating them.

What do you mean "where are they getting these names"? They're all named after different musical genres and its one of the only few interesting ideas left in the show. If only the show's titles would actually reflect the content of the soundtrack and maybe what kind of character archetypes are shown within the show. There's actually potential there. I'd love an actual FLCL shoegaze soundtrack with My Bloody Valentine type music.

Hot take: I liked every FLCL series. Even Grunge.

I saw the original when it was first released, and loved it. These four contenders, lets say, fall a bit short of the mark. Just my $.02, but maybe they should have come up with original stories with the time they had.

What happened? The stupid public wanted sequels and they gave it to them. Nothing can match the originality and spontaneity of the first one because it was fresh. Would the Mona Lisa be so special if Leonardo made 10 different versions?

fooly cooly is doing what it does best, being random, you cant compare all the seasons to the original, you gotta move on, old animation like that is peek but now everything is flashy, and there are some parts about the other seasons that are flashy but it still has that small hint of the og fooly cooly, because like the first saying, they said "Never Knows Best" and also "gotta swing the bat" and thats what they did , if you compare everything thats new to the original you can say its all bad and that goes for every anime remake, you said trigun was good cgi animation, yes grunge wasnt that great but it was good to watch, i heard trigun remake was clean but it wasnt good, why watch something that looks clean but is bad, grunge is bad cgi, but you you want to keep watching it, compared to good cgi but the story is bad

you said "who is coming up with these titles," but to me the titles are the only thing i like about the new seasons. they are all rock subgenres (progressive, alternative, shoegaze, grunge)

I was born in the 1900’s

I liked progressive over alternative, plus new songs by the pillows really helped push it for me, "thank you" is still probly my fav track so im a little biased towards that sequel i suppose. Alternative just... seemed less crazy and uninteresting. I had to force myself to finish that one. I havent seen the 2 new ones yet, but il inevitibly strap myself in for it one day. shoegaze already looks better than grunge and i havent even seen either yet lol.

Is there another seasons of flcl?! It's like make a new season of cowboy bebop, there is no need of it.

At least you can ignore the sequels pretty easily. I don't feel like I need to see any more of FLCL, even tho the show was an amzing watch.

I like Alternative a lot. Episode 5's ending is brutal and very in line with the emotional core of the original. I completely understand not liking the animation.