FLCL is considered by many to be one of the weirdest anime ever created, but just as many see it as an outright classic. Its combination of surreal storytelling, occasionally abstract animation and fun music has allowed it to continue garnering a growing fanbase. Unfortunately, said viewership has been left unimpressed by its long-awaited follow-ups.
FLCL Progressive and FLCL Alternative were the franchise’s second and third seasons respectively, but they failed to make much of a splash once they were finally released. Those who have watched them largely consider them inferior to the original story, which doesn’t bode well for the upcoming fourth and fifth seasons. Here’s why FLCL is far something of an anime one-hit-wonder.
FLCL’s Second and Third Seasons Took Forever to Release
The original season of FLCL from Gainax (also known at the time for such hits as the iconic Neon Genesis Evangelion), Production I.G. and King Records was an OVA that released between 2000 and 2001. It would really take off in 2003, however, when it began airing on Adult Swim. There, it would become a cult classic, consistently re-airing on the programming block and introducing a generation to more “mature,” less mainstream anime offerings compared to the likes of Dragon Ball Z and Pokémon. Completely weird and utterly Japanese, the series was a great example of how inventive anime could be, especially for those breaking into the medium. Despite all this acclaim and a fanbase that absolutely adored the series, it would take several years for FLCL to be built further into a franchise (the manga notwithstanding).
FLCL Progressive was released in 2018, with Adult Swim working hand in hand with the original production studio to get the project made. The third season, FLCL Alternative, came out in the same year, with both seasons having the same six-episode length as the original. Seemingly a labor of love meant to finally fulfill fan demand for a continuation, these shows by all means should have been slam dunks. However, despite what many would assume to be built-in hype, neither of these new seasons did much for existing fans or general audiences.
FLCL’s Sequel Seasons Failed at Being Sequels and Standalone Stories
For the most part, both FLCL Progressive and Alternative are rarely mentioned nowadays, especially in comparison to their classic predecessor. Much of this is due to their seasons’ reception, and while it could be argued that the shadow of the first season left big shoes to fill, Progressive and Alternative certainly failed to even try to reach those same heights. The reviews generally weren’t bad, with the ratings on MAL being somewhat decent. Still, it was nothing like the widespread acclaim of the original, and for good reason. One of the best elements of the original FLCL was its animation, and despite coming out years afterward, the sequels look substantially flatter. The shows also have a weird paradox of being largely unrelated to the original series beyond the presence of Haruka, while poorly retreading it when ties are made.
Despite the original production being involved in the new seasons, much of the classic show’s staff was not. This can be seen as the main reason why Progressive and Alternative ultimately failed to capture the same “lightning in a bottle” mood as the original. So much of the original’s magic was tied to concepts that the original creators concocted that even considering a continuation was a recipe for disaster. This also makes the second season’s theme of not being held back by the past come off as a disingenuous excuse for what the creators likely knew was a disappointment.
Further, the seasons’ muddled narrative and incoherent plotting is plain for all who watch, though some with less critical eyes might see it as merely continuing the first season’s weird, haphazard storytelling. The reality is that there’s a lot of potential (particularly in the third season) that’s completely wasted and undercooked, and it can’t be compared with the first that actually went all-out on all cylinders. It helped that said season had a somewhat smaller scope and was more of a passion project, whereas Seasons 2 and 3 were made essentially because the rights to the series’ name were up for grabs. The result was a follow-up to one of the greatest anime ever made that ended up doing the impossible: falling completely under the radar and dramatically disappointing the very fanbase that had been begging for it. With two more arguably unnecessary seasons now on the way, it’s highly possible that FLCL, as beloved as it is, should have remained cut off as six episodes.
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