FLCL, also known as Fooly Cooly or Furi Kuri, is a six episode, straight to video animé by Gainax and a two part manga published by Ueda Hajime, published in America by TokyoPop. It is most likely published by TokyoPop in England as well, if it is published there at all.

A truley delightful example of the way in which modern animation could be headed, FLCL is a 'digital animation', meaning it was produced entirly on a computer, but is still in traditional two-dimensional format. FLCL can be confusing at first, which can lead to many a negative comment from those who aren't willing to sit and unravil its mysteries, most of which can be learned after about 4 watchings (about 12 hours).

The basic plot of FLCL is this: Naota, a frustrated youngster of twelve, meets Haruko, a self proclaimed, 19 year old space alien, whos first impression consists of wacking the poor kid on the head with her Rickenbacker bass and running over him with her Vespa. Mamimi, the ex-girlfriend of Naota's older brother (who is in America playing pro baseball) won't leave Naota alone, who has enough of his own problems-putting up with his perverted father, his ornery grandfather, and to top it all off, Haruko is now living at his house as his 'housekeeper'.

Of course, those aren't the least of his worries.

It would seem that Naota's most perplexing problem is the large horn growing out of his forehead-or the fact that x-rays reveal that he no longer has a brain. Haruko informs him that he has become part of a robot, a machine. Throught the series these horns sprout into robots in moments of high tension or peril.

The phenomenon that makes this possible is called 'N.O.' N.O. can be controlled by one out of ever billion or so people. It creates an interdimensional channel in one's head that allows them to pull thing through from lightyears away-something not entirley unlike the Infinate Improbability Drive.

Amarao, a special agent of the Bureau of Interstellar Immigration, seems to be very clear in his mission-capture Haruko. Evidence suggests that Haruko once manipulated Amarao as she does Naota in order to complete her tasks. Amarao now wear special large eyebrows in order to block his flow of N.O. Amarao feels that Haruko's mission is to free Atomsk, a space pirate with so much N.O. he can steal entire star systems, because she loves him. It is learned that the ACTUAL reason Haruko is attempting to free Atomsk from Medical Mechanica (more on Medical Mechanica later) is not because she loves him, but because she wants his power for herself.

Medical Mechanica, the new robot manufacturing plant shaped like an iron at the edge of Naota's town, Mabase, is quite a peculiar place. As Haruko says "This isn't a place where people work." There are no doors to get in or out. A giant hand robot that sprouts from Naota's head and is defeated lies next to the factory-it picks it up and attempts to pick up the factory and iron out the land. Amarao informs us that Medical Mechanica sets up these plants all around the galaxy-they iron out the wrinkles so you can't think.

UNDER RECONSTRUCTION