Looking for bliss in the most exhilarating and mind-boggling way? FLCL is just the right anime you’ve been seeking for. It is that insanely skeptical, both depressing, and fun anime, the exact frame of an adolescent’s mind you will want to hook up with. Because who needs drugs when you have FLCL anime?

FLCL Plot Explained

The first season of FLCL (fooly cooly) is mostly about a girl named Haruko who seeks ultimate power over the Galaxy, she ventures to obtain this power by whacking a 12 years old boy named Naoto with her guitar in the head.

After a while, Naoto discovers that his head injury activates an “N.O.” portal and Medical Mechanica tries to baffle Haruko by sending gigantic robots through Naoto’s forehead.

“It takes an idiot to do cool things. That’s why it’s cool.”

The first robot sent through the portal becomes an ally after Haruko hits it on the head, the robot is later named Canti.

In the meantime, it has been found out that the atomsk can produce some kind of life force into Canti, by Naoto acting as the procedure to dissolve. But their duo is the main weapon to fight off the MM robots.

However, Haruko puts the Earth in peril after her reckless movements on her plan to devour Atomsk. But her plans fail to flounder after Haruko becomes the Atomsk’s host and transports him to the universe after a hasty battle that ends the Mechanical attack on Earth.

The remaining season depicts Haruko’s return after she fails in accommodating Atomsk.

There isn’t a certain plot for the seasons of the series. The episode itself jumps from one event to another. It’s just a growing-up story where you just let life happen.

It resembles the rebellious phase of teenage angst and portrays the loneliness and mayhem that one feels while growing up.

Get to know more about the Seasons and Episodes of FLCL anime?

FLCL comes in 3 seasons of each having 6 episodes. It is an OVA anime series written by Yōji Enokido and illustrated by Kazuya Tsurumaki. The first season came out way back in the year 2000.

It aired in Japan from April 2000 to March 2001 pacing with a manga and a light novel. Despite its short length, it debuted in the US in April 2003 on Adult Swim and is held in high regard by the people.

Subsequently, the anime series continues to air on other networks in the proceeding years.

In 2016, the creators announced two new seasons which mount up to 12 episodes.

FLCL Progressive, the former of the two premieres on 3rd June 2018 on Adult Swim,’s Toonami programming block.

The third season, FLCL Alternative, premiered on 8th September 2018. In countries like Japan, both Progressive and Alternative have had a theatrical screening on September 7 and September 28, 2019, respectively.

FLCL Season 2 is not the direct continuation of Season 1. The season pivots on a teenage girl named Hidomi, who ostensibly has a persuasive channel just like Naota. Though our main protagonist Haruko will be back eventually.

In FLCL Season 3 Haruko returns as a mentor in high school. She befriends Kana Koumoto and her friends while helping them complete the roller coaster of teenage life. In the meantime, the Medical Mechanics do not stop assailing the Earth.

Meet the Main Characters of FLCL anime

1. Haruko Haruhara

Haruko Haruhara is a 19 years old girl who is searching for Atomsk, the most powerful pirate in the entire Galaxy. Though she’s supposed to incarcerate him, her true intention is to ingurgitate his life force to herself into something like a Demigod.

She has pink short hair with a hint of orange and green eyes. Though she changes her clothes continuously in the episodes, she’s always found with an enormous metal bracelet on her left wrist which she uses to link with the N.O. portal and traces down the Medical Mechanica.

Her guitar opens N.O. channels and she has a vehicular flight and can fight with her enormous strength. Haruko claims that she is Mabase’s newest resident and extraterrestrial investigator for the Galactic Space Police Brotherhood but later, the Interstellar Immigration Bureau’s commander Amarao divulges her true self as a seductress who seeks for Atomsk.

She returns as a homeroom teacher in season 2 after leaving the Earth at the end of the first season and becomes a mentor for Kana and her friends in the last season.

2. Naoto Nandaba

Naoto is the main protagonist of the first season of FLCL. He’s a 12-year-old boy who falls for his elder brother’s girlfriend Namimi and Haruko. He has a sulky face with brown hair and is short in height.

After getting consumed by the Atomsk, Naoto can fly, he summons his guitar and the Atomsk Gibson EB-0, fusing them into one guitar.

Though he seems unbothered by everything, he persistently finds himself in the center of attention. He finds his life boring even after he is knocked out in the head and says that nothing out of the ordinary happens here.

Like every 12-year-old boy, Naoto struggles to figure out what life is all about. As he puts his elder brother in the post on how an “adult” is like, he attempts to act in the most seemingly mature way.

3. Mamimi Samejima

Mamimi Samejima is a messy high schooler who’s addicted to smoking. She’s Naoto’s elder brother, Tasuku’s ex-girlfriend. Her mental health greatly degrades even in her elementary days and burns down their building out of anger.

Tasuku brings her into the light from her tramp hole then leaves her to play baseball in America. Mamimi throws her desires and tantrums on Naoto, otherwise, she will have a panic attack for whatever is going on.

Adding to her misery, she breaks when Naoto tells her that Tasuku has a new girlfriend abroad. Onto this, despite the age gap, Naoto develops feelings for her and tries to protect her at all costs but Mamimi pushes him away as she doesn’t want to be protected.

FLCL Watch Order

There are only six episodes in every 3 seasons although it will be bizarre to understand the first episode at a glance.

But by removing the goggles of curiosity, you should try to enjoy the whole show instead.

1. FLCL (2000)

2. FLCL Progressive (2018)

3. FLCL Alternative (2018)

The series is available for streaming on streaming websites such as Netflix, HBO Max, crunchyroll, and Hulu.

Are we getting FLCL Season 4?

Unfortunately, there will not be FLCL Season 4 as confirmed by the creators. Since FLCL Alternatively is known as the final season of the show we won’t be getting a fourth season of our mind-twisting anime.

Though FLCL fans will not mind them making a fourth season, picking up from where the original left off. The fans want to know what will happen between Haruko and Naoto and Mamimi who starts off her career as a photographer.

Recommended Read: Top 10 Strongest Celestial Dragons in One Piece

Top Anime like FLCL

If you enjoy watching mind-twisting, surreal, SciFi, comedy with a hint of adult scenes like FLCL. You’ll enjoy watching these :

Punch Line
Dead Leaves
Kill La Kill
Monogatari series
Space Patrol Luluco
Kekkai Sensen
Mob Psycho 100
Tauritama
Wonder Egg Priority
Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt

Final Words

The overall series is rather underrated as compared to its astounding OST and its breathtaking animation. Trying to understand even the first episode with one go is rather absurd. It will be wise to enjoy the whole show and have lots of fun rather than trying to interpret its confusing plot.