About the animated FLCL

FLCL is a six-episode animated series, with each episode running about 24 minutes long including opening and ending sequences; save for the last episode, which runs about 31 minutes.

FLCL was animated by Production I.G, a division of Gainax, and directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki. Production I.G is also responsible for the creation of the spooky drama flick Jin-Roh and the cyberpunk action movie Ghost in the Shell, which became an animated television series as well.

FLCL was animated entirely digitally. This does not mean that the animation is 3D like the works of Pixar (Toy Story, Monsters Inc) or Mainframe (ReBoot); it has the "flat" look of hand-drawn, traditional animation. Still, it was "drawn" entirely in to computers; no pencils, paper, ink, or cels were used in its animation. This type of paperless animation is often referred to as "digital animation" and has become quite popular on both sides of the Pacific recently; the legacy of the cel may soon be ancient history…

Japanese DVD Release

FLCL was released straight to DVD in Japan. (Many things are released straight-to-video in Japan without the stigma of crappiness straight-to-video productions have here in America.) The series was spread across six discs, one episode per disc, and each disc sold for ¥3700, or about US$34 at that time. The first disc was released in April of 2000, and subsequent discs were released in June, August, October, and December of 2000, and March of 2001.

English/Region 1 DVD Release

DVD Region 1 covers the US and Canada. The English production of FLCL was produced by Synch-Point. Synch-Point released three Region 1 DVDs with two episodes each. (This seemed a bit skimpy to some fans, as American or European distributors of Japanese animated series typically release at least three episodes per disc and often around five or six, but FLCL is a short series (many other series run for 26 to several hundred episodes), and it's still better than the one episode per disc deal the Japanese were stuck with.) In the English-language anime distribution biz, Synch-Point is a junior in a business dominated by large and relatively old businesses; FLCL is only the second production Synch-Point has licensed to distribute. That said, they did an absolutely fantastic job. The English soundtrack, or "dub," is generally accepted to be one of the greatest dubs ever produced, and Synch-Point did a spectacular job either making sense of or working around some of the Japanese cultural jokes and allusions that would have seemed untranslatable to some.

However, something Synch-Point was less successful at was meeting their own release schedule. The first Region 1 disc was originally scheduled to be released in January of 2002; it wasn't released until September of that year. The second disc followed on February of '03, and the third in July. The catalog price for each disc is US$30 each; the last disc was available with a nifty "Coolector's Edition Box," a small box with color artwork on the outside in which all three discs fit snugly inside, which sold for $5 more. (Both could be found for a couple bucks cheaper if you shop around a bit.) Only 10,000 boxes were made, so it might be tough to find it nowadays.

In July of 2005, Synch-Point announced that they were planning to release an FLCL Ultimate Edition Box Set, which would contain all three discs with "re-mastered and re-authored" video (whatever that means) and new extras. As of this update, nothing has been heard of this box set since.

Each of Synch-Point's DVDs feature: both an English and Japanese soundtrack; English subtitles; a director's commentary soundtrack in Japanese (with an accompanying English subtitle track); an art gallery; and an "outtakes" reel featuring the English dub actors flubbing their lines. The third disc also contains a "clean" (textless) version of the rockin' ending sequence. Each DVD originally came with a very sizable booklet which contained content translated from the Japanese DVD booklets, as well as a listing of the background music, cultural notes to help us non-Japanese folk understand where some of this stuff was coming from, and similar goodies. Unfortunately, in later editions of the DVDs, Synch-Point has omitted the nifty booklet as a cost-cutting measure, instead including a coupon which must be mailed in along with money for postage; upon receipt of which Synch-Point will mail the booklet in return. How exactly this saves Sych-Point money, I'm not sure…

By default, Discs 2 and 3 play with the English soundtrack, but use a simple subtitle track to subtitle Japanese text that appears on-screen. (This is the "standard" on most Japanese animation DVDs released in English.) Unfortunately, Disc 1 didn't contain such a subtitle track, so Japanese text on-screen will be untranslated unless you turn on the full translation track.

Synch-Point made two odd yet ultimately inconsequential changes to the English FLCL soundtrack which significantly differ from the Japanese track. One, they changed the titles of the episodes (these changed titles also appear on the outside of the DVD cases), and two, the English track of the "Next Episode" preview at the end of episodes one through five is very different from the Japanese track. Both of these changes are somewhat bizarre and seemingly unnecessary, but don't affect FLCL's story much. This site uses the English episode titles, but you can find the Japanese episode titles on each episode's page, or you can also find them on the "inside" side of the reversible jackets on FLCL's DVDs, in the same place where the English titles are listed on the "outside."

Here's an example of how Synch-Point changed the "Next Episode" previews. What follows is a transcript of the English dub of preview for "Marquis de Carabas" (episode 3), which appeared at the end of "Fire Starter" (episode 2);

Haruko: Anime [Japanese Animation] directors like cats because they don't have to take care of them. You know, they can't even take care of themselves. Oshii is prob'ly the only director that loves dogs! He thinks he's a dog himself. Next, on FLCL, Episode 3: "Marquis de Carabas." Guess which one of the sound effects is from a real cat at Gainax.

And here's a transcript of the subtitles for the Japanese track:

Haruko: It's not really right to give names to cats. Unlike dogs, the relationship between man and cat is more primitive. Kinda detached. How 'bout calling it "Meow" or "Nau" or some other cat noises, then? Next on FLCL, Episode 3: "Maru Raba." Don't you think it'd be funny if Nekohachi and Koneko greeted each other that way?

The DVD booklet explains that Nekohachi and Koneko were a Japanese father-and-son comedy duo famous for acting like cats. Who Oshii is isn't explained in the liner notes, but it probably refers to Mamoru Oshii, a director and writer of some other Production I.G/Gainax productions.

Region 4 English DVD Release

DVD Region 4 covers Australia, New Zealand, and the Americas south of the US, including the Caribbean. This release was handled by Madman Entertainment, an Australian company.

As far as I can tell, the DVDs are identical to Synch-Point's releases content-wise. The DVD cases are nearly identical as well; clear, with reversible liners with identical designs. However, the discs themselves are different; they have a full-color image on the top instead of the one-color images on Synch-Point's. Madman has also released a box along with Disc 3, but the box's design is different as well. Monster's catalogue prices are AU$29.95 for each disc and $39.95 for the box/Disc 3 combo; again, if you poke around at various online and brick-and-mortar stores, you should be able to find it for less.

I'm seeking more info on FLCL's releases in other areas and DVD regions besides Japan and North America. Please contact me if you can provide any specifics.

FLCL on Adult Swim

Adult Swim is a block of animated shows and sometimes movies targeted toward adults which airs late nights on the all-animation-all-the-time cable channel Cartoon Network. In 2003, FLCL was licensed by Adult Swim to air on television in America. The series first ran Monday through Thursday from 4th August through 21st August, or two complete runs. The series ran again 20 October through 6 November for another two complete runs. It has run other times since then as well; to tell the truth, I've lost count…

Adult Swim originally claimed that it had to make only one edit to FLCL to air it on television, but in fact it made three; however, they are all very minor edits and do not affect the experience of watching FLCL to any major degree. The first occurs in "Fire Starter," and the second and third appear in "FLCLimax." Details on these edits appear on the episodes' respective pages on this site. Also, Adult Swim frustratingly omitted subtitled translations of on-screen Japanese text; these translations will also appear on each episode page for the benefit of those who have only seen FLCL on Adult Swim.

Before watching FLCL…

Here's some tips to enhance your enjoyment of FLCL.

Crank it! FLCL contains an awesome rock soundtrack. In addition, the stereo field is used a good deal. If you can, listen to FLCL on a good sound system or with a pair of headphones.

Names: Synch-Point retained the Japanese naming structure in the English dub. In Japanese names, the family name ("last name") is first, and the given name ("first name") is last. When they refer to characters' full names, they will be in that form; thus, Nandaba Naota is Nandaba Kamon's son. In most English dubs, dubbing studios will place the names in English order. FLCL is an exception.

Honorifics: Similarly, the English dub retains Japanese honorifics (words like "mister" and "sir"). Japanese has a far wider range of honorifics than English, so usually the ones that would be awkward to translate are simply left untranslated in English dubs. FLCL's dub includes them, but does not translate them from the original Japanese. Some of the honorifics you should keep in mind include -san (friendly but formal, like Mr/Mrs), -sempai (upperclassman or mentor) and -kun (casual, for siblings and friends). Read this for more.

Use the booklets if you've got 'em. The first couple pages of the DVD booklets make a lot of cultural references and similar stuff mentioned in FLCL make sense. (Much of what is explained there is relevant to the Japanese audio track with the English subtitle track, so if you're watching it with the English audio, some of the things explained will not be referenced.) I will touch up on some of the more important references in the episode summaries, but for most of them, I'm going to trust you to look 'em up on your own.

Pay attention! FLCL is edited in a sort of MTV-ish style, with quick cuts and sometimes a shaky "camera." Sometimes the slightest details will appear quickly and you won't even notice 'em… heck, I've seen FLCL many many times now, and I'm still noticing things I didn't notice before every time I watch it. I'll help you in the episode guides to notice the most important things, but it will be more satisfying if you notice them yourself, so keep your eyes and ears wide open!

FLCL's Soundtrack

The most notable music in FLCL are the rock songs provided by the pillows, a Japanese rock band. Even if you don't understand the lyrics, I think you'll agree they rock sufficiently, and their "real" music is a welcome change from the synthesized background noise and saccharine J-pop often prevalent in other anime. However, FLCL does have a few synthesized background songs as well, done by someone named Shinkichi Mitsumune, who I have no information on; this music is notably less, well, notable than the pillows' licks.

Three official FLCL soundtracks were released; "Addict" and "King of Pirates." All have been brought to America by Geneon Anime Music (formerly Pioneer), and retail for about US$15.

"Addict," released January 2004, features sixteen pillows songs, four Mitsumune songs, and one instrumental song by Dmitri Kabalevsky (this is the song that airs during the "chase scene" of Marquis de Carabas).

"King of Pirates," released September 2004, features ten pillows songs (including some which don't appear in the show, as far as I can tell), three Mitsumune songs, and five "drama tracks," which are radio drama-style skits performed by the Japanese FLCL voice actors. In the booklets to both discs, Geneon includes the lyrics to the songs in romaji and translated to English, as well as some pictures and supplemental stuff. However, the drama tracks are not translated in the booklets; you can find translations for them on Geneon's site.

Much to everyone's surprise, a third disc was released on the 7th of June, 2005, about the same time it was released in Japan. This third disc is simply titled "Official Sound Track NO.3". As of this page's last edit, I haven't actually picked up the disc for myself yet, but from what I've read and been told about it, it doesn't feature any songs not featured on the first two discs, but it does feature lyrical versions of some of the instrumental songs, and extended versions of some of the other songs.

Let's discuss the drama tracks on the second disc for a moment. They seem to be a bit of an oddity when viewed in the scope of the rest of the series; it is my impression that they are not intended to be canonical (that is, entirely compatible with the FLCL series proper), but merely a diversion. The first skit, "Taxi," features none of the characters from FLCL; instead, it features two characters named Mizuki and Matsuo, which just happen to be the given names of Naota and Kamon's Japanese voice actors, respectively. (See AnimeNewsNetwork's FLCL page.) So I am assuming the voice actors are playing themselves. In the second skit, "Mamiko," Naota is in the bedroom of one of his fellow high school students, and things are getting steamy; what an inopportune time for another phallic protrusion to emit from Naota's forehead! The fourth skit is a similar scenario with a different girl, "Harumi." The third skit, "Ohgiri," features most of the main characters apparently doing some sort of spontaneous, fourth-wall-breaking, variety show-style skit. The fifth skit, "Being Bitten," is perhaps the most bizarre; it stars Mamimi, Haruko and Amarao. Amarao keeps getting bitten, beaten or trampled by various animals and people. Tough guy that he is, he refuses to go to the hospital, but Haruko knows he's just being foolish. Meanwhile, Haruko keeps finding money on the sidewalk, while Mamimi is mysteriously taking notes about something.

Ignoring the first and third skits for a moment, an argument can be made that the other skits fit in with FLCL's timeline. I, for one, am not so sure. (Warning: Spoilers follow. Please do not read the remainder of this paragraph if you have not seen all of FLCL.) As for the last skit, Mamimi and Amarao never met in the series. And by the time Amarao was introduced into the series, Haruko and Mamimi weren't hanging out much; by "Full Swing," I think it's pretty apparent that Mamimi doesn't think too kindly of Haruko for taking her Takkun away from her, and therefore probably wouldn't hang out with her in such a playful manner as she does here. As for "Mamiko" and "Harumi," if Naota is in high school when these take place, then it is well after Haruko has flown into space on her Vespa; so why would things still be coming out of his head? The least Haruko or Atomsk could have done would be to close Naota's N-O channel if neither of them had a use for it anymore…

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1: Fooly Cooly
2: Fire Starter
3: Marquis de Carabas
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