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FLCL Alternative Movie Review

by Shinobu Tanaka

5 months ago

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The legendary anime from the turn of the century is coming back after 17 years! Both new seasons of FLCL are coming to Japanese cinemas as movie versions this month. First up is FLCL Alternative, which will be released on 8 September 2018. It will then be followed by FLCL Progressive on 28 September. Fans around the world are waiting with baited breath for the new episodes, and I’m going to help ease your pain by bringing you a spoiler-free review of FLCL Alternative!

Just like in the original OVA, the pillows are handling the theme song and background music of the new series. If you’ve ever heard their music before, then you’ll surely know that the pillows play alternative rock, which fits perfectly with this work. Not only is the movie titled ‘alternative’, but the genre itself implies going against the times with a new untraditional style.

17-year-old high school girl Kana Kawamoto is living out a confusing life. She’s just a normal girl right in the height of adolescence. Appearing like a storm right in front of Kana is the yellow Vespa-riding Haruko Haruhara. After she meets Haruko, some strange changes start to happen to Kana’s body. For instance, a ‘flower’ suddenly starts to grow out of her head. Other strange happenings start to occur one after another, such as a steaming iron destroying the town! Kana and her high school friends are living very normal lives until Haruko gets them mixed up in all kinds of crazy antics.

Keeping with the theme of the 17-year-old high school girl, talk of romance is not uncommon in the movie, and there are scenes that will make your heart beat fast in excitement if you like that kind of stuff. We see Kana and her friends just hanging out on the school roof, and see friends both fight and make up. It’s fantastic to be able to see such realistic high school lives being portrayed on the screen. There are lots of little things that are expressed in the anime that you’ll have to keep an eye out for, such as the fact that there are cracks on the screen of Kana’s smartphone. You might find something pretty cool just by chance!

The up-close and high-impact key visual of Haruko comes from the original character designer Yoshiyuki Sadamoto. The visual is overflowing with the colorful and dynamic world of FLCL and Haruko’s personality.

The mysterious Haruko Haruhara who could almost burst right out of the screen is once again voiced by Mayumi Shintani. In the poster visual, we also feel the FLCL-ness with the slogan ‘Run. In whatever way you want, if possible.’ We also see Kana with a gloomy look on her face and a grinning Haruko next to her.

Having got hold of a strange power, Kana fights against the gloom of adolescence. How will it come to a conclusion? Be sure to sure to properly check out this story of love and friendship with your own eyes!