Anime Reviews (2010-2019): FLCL Progressive/Alternative (A Neo-Tokyo 2099 Anime on Blu-ray review) (2018)

“FLCL: Progressive/Alternative” is a series that I’m glad for it to be created but at the same time, it may not be the “FLCL” which people had hoped for it to be. Whatever that maybe. But it’s hard to follow-up on an anime series which many people considered as excellent. But to have both seasons bundled together, I’m quite pleased.

TITLE: FLCL: Progressive/Alternative

ANIME RELEASE DATE IN JAPAN: 2018

DURATION: 6 Episodes per season (12 episodes total)

BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, 4×3, English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 Subtitles: English

COMPANY: Warner Bros.

RATED: TV MA

Release Date: February 4, 2020

FLCL: Progressive

Chief Director: Motohiro Katsuyuki

Directed by Suzuki Kiyotaka, Uemura Yutaka

Screenplay: Iwai Hideto

Music by R.O.N.

Original Character Design: Sadamoto Yoshiyuki

Character Design by Kubota Chikashi

Art Director: Arai Kazuhiro

Anime Production: Production I.G

FLCL: Alternative

Directed by Suzuki Kiyotaka, Uemura Yutaka

Screenplay: Iwai Hideto

Music by R.O.N.

Original Character Design: Sadamoto Yoshiyuki

Character Design by Takahashi Yuichi

Art Director: Fujii Ayaka

Anime Production: Production I.G.

Featuring the following voice talent

FLCL: Progressive

Kari Wahlgren as Raharu Haruha

Xanthe Huynh as Hidomi

Allegra Clark as Jinyu

Barbara Goodson as Hanae Tami

Christine Marie Cabanos as Aiko

J. David Brimmer as Eye Patch

Jason Griffith as Marurao

Jon Allen as Goro Mori

Julie Ann Taylor as Hinae

Robbie Daymond as Ide Yoshimi

Steve Kramer as Tonkichi

Yuri Lowenthal as Nogata Marco

FLCL: Alternative

Kari Wahlgren as Haruko Haruhara

Megan Harvey as Kawamoto Kana

Ben Pronsky as Aida

Erica Lindbeck as Yashima Hijiri

Erica Schroeder as Kitaki Maki/Kawamoto Shizuka

Erick Abbate as Kawamoto Bunta

Marianne Miller as Motoyama Mitsuru (Mossan)

Marieve Herington as Heta Tomomi (Pets)

Max Mittelman as Sasaki Kado

Patrick Seitz as Sudo Kan

Ray Chase as Kanda Tabata

Steven Jay Blum as Dennis Yoga

20 years after the groundbreaking anime, FLCL, Adult Swim and the legendary anime studio Production I.G. team up to bring you FLCL: Progressive and FLCL: Alternative.

FLCL: Progressive follows “Hidomi” and “Ide,” as the two teenagers learn about life, love, and a little something called “N.O.” Joining them on this adventure is the extraterrestrial investigator, “Haruko” and a newcomer, the otherworldly being, “Jinyu.”

FLCL: Alternative focuses on a group of high school best friends, Kana, Mossan, Pets and Hijiri. Nothing much happens in their town until Haruko and a strange mecha come to visit. Kana just might have the power to save the world, but it’s locked up tight inside her head. Haruko might just know how to shake it loose.

Back in 2000, Gainax, Production I.G. and King Records collaborated together for the OVA series “FLCL” (Furi Kuri/Fooly Cooly).

While the anime series was released in Japan from April 2000 to March 2001, it was when the OVA series was aired in the United States on Adult Swim in 2003 when it garnered a significant cult following.

Many fans of the anime OVA series hoped for a sequel but time would pass until it was announced that two new seasons would be co-produced by Production I.G., Toho and Adult Swim.

In America, “FLCL: Progressive” would air on Adult Swim’s Toonami block in June 2018 and the third and final season, “FLCL: Alternative” would air on September 2018. While in Japan, each received theatrical screenings in September 2018.

And now both seasons two and three (FLCL: Progressive/Alternative) will be released on Blu-ray courtesy of Warner. Bros.

What was the original FLCL about?

“FLCL” revolves around a boy named Nandaba Naota. A young kid who is mature for his age, Naota has always looked up and idolized his brother Tasuku, who has moved to the United States to play in minor-league baseball. He often is seen hanging around Tasuku’s ex-girlfriend Samejima Mamimi , a teenager who is always a loner, never goes to school and is usually seen hanging out under the bridge, smoking, playing video games and taking pictures.

She has been calling Naota names such as “Takkun” including animals and other objects as a replacement for Naota.

One day, while both were hanging out, a young woman named Haruhara Haruko runs over Naota with her Vespa scooter. Seeing what she has done, she gives Naota CPR and for some reason, hits him on the head with her blue vintage Rickenbacker 4001 electric bass guitar.

The following day, Naota notices that the bump on his forehead has gotten quite large and to make things even more interesting, his father has hired a live-in maid, who happens to be Haruko.

As Naota hopes that the big bump on his head will go down, somehow giant robots from Medical Mechanica are coming out of his head and causing devastation which Haruko takes on. Meanwhile, for Naota, when he bonds with a robot, he becomes Atomsk, the most powerful space pirate in the galaxy.

Why is Naota having these strange occurrences? Why is Haruko living with the Nandaba family? And with fires occurring around the city, is Mamimi responsible for them?

What is “FLCL: Progressive” about?

Remember the crazy vespa riding, live-in maid Haruhara Haruko of the Nandaba family but in truth, was an extraterrestrial investigator for the Galactic Space Police Brotherhood who is in search of Atomsk, the most powerful space pirate in the galaxy.

She’s back!!!

And the war between Medical Mechanica and the Fraternity continues to rage across the galaxy!

Haruko returns to Mabase years later after failing to contain the space pirate Atomsk, despite having absorbed him. This led to her splintering into two characters, the kind Jinyu Julia and Haruhara Haruko herself.

This time around, the story focuses on a 14-year-old girl teen named Hibajiri Hidomi. A teenager who has some family issues and has a love interst towards Ide Ko.

What happens when both Julia and Haruko come into contact with Hidomi?

What is “FLCL: Alternative” about?

Haruko is back but tries to help Koumoto Kana and her friends Mossan, Hijiri and Pets. But what happens when Medical Mechanica starts to assault Earth? And what happens when Haruko comes into contact with Kana?

When it comes to “FLCL”, it’s an interesting part of my life.

Back in 2003, when I first threw my first anime con event, I was given the opportunity to showcase the grand premiere of “FLCL”. When the band The Pillows performed the US, I was able to interview and showcase the band.

When the Japanese DVD was first released, I was one of the few outside of Japan that was asked to review it.

And have since covered The Pillows more since then, reviewed the original “FLCL” Blu-ray and now 16 years later, here I am reviewing the “FLCL: Progressive/Alternative” (season 2 and 3).

I could only imagine how challenging it was for Production I.G. to create a sequel. Afterall, the original is a cult classic, is a beloved anime OVA series and it’s difficult to live up to the original.

With a new collaboration, I felt the goal was not to capture the same magic, but to create a new story starring Haruhara Haruko. Supposedly, “Progressive” is the sequel to “FLCL” and “Alternative” is a prequel.

With that being said, each story on its own are entertaining, with “Alternative” making much more of an impression to me.

Where “Progressive” shows us a story between mother and daughter but also showing us a small connection to the original series, “Alternative” is more about a story of friendship among four teenagers and it’s all taking place when Medical Mechanica shows up out of nowhere.

If I was asked to compare the two seasons with the original, personally, these two seasons are not as great as the original. While entertaining, I think those who have high expectations and expect to see many characters from the original, may be disappointed.

I think it’s best to not even compare this to the original and enjoy each season independently. Each season has its own charm, but as an “FLCL” title, I do admit that the series is good, but not great.

As for the anime series, the overall character designs is good and the series features a colorful palette. But the series does feature slight softness.

As a Warner Bros. Blu-ray release, I was a bit disappointed that the original Japanese voice acting soundtrack was not included. But I am grateful to see Kari Wahlgren reprise her voice acting role as Haruhara Haruko.

As for special features, included are:

Meet the Creators – (11:39) Production I.G. staff talk about creating the sequel to FLCL.
The Pillows – The band The Pillows talks about working on “FLCL” again.
The Making of FLCL Progressive & Alternative -(14:24) A featurette featuring the English dub voice talent.
Production: Behind the Scenes – (5:41) The staff discuss “FLCL” and the popularity of the series overseas.
English Voice Actors – (5:30) The English dub voice talent discuss returning on “FLCL”.

As for extras, a digital copy for Vudu is also included (all 12 episodes).

Overall, “FLCL: Progressive/Alternative” is a series that I’m glad for it to be created but at the same time, it may not be the “FLCL” which people had hoped for it to be. Whatever that maybe. But it’s hard to follow-up on an anime series which many people considered as excellent. But to have both seasons bundled together, I’m quite pleased.

More from my site