wandercreature

Opening on what seems to be a desolate planet awash in mostly monochromatic colors, we follow what looks to be our headphones-sporting new central character, Hidomi not looking terribly well. Surrounded by destruction and detritus from what looks to have been a cataclysmic event that has left her equally as tattered. With each step, her form seems to also be exhibiting signs of damage. To the point where she loses both hands as the landscape is soon humming with the familiar incoming of a row of giant steam irons. No means of taking control when she stares into the eye of an alien giant. Only a moment later, the horn protruding from her forehead overtakes, leading to the emergence of an entirely new humanoid robot ready to take on the domestic hordes of normalcy. The buzz of an alarm goes off. Another vivid dream for a girl seemingly gone numb in a world so weaned on her particular brand of disconnect. Her headphones to block out the world, and "tsundere" demeanor, now an accepted part of the daily mosaic that it's only a matter of time before either she disappears, or is confronted head on with these nagging dreams of robots, irons, & guitars. Well, whaddaya know? It's a spiritual sequel!

So here we are at last, catching up with a proper introduction after Toonami's April Fool's event, which was passable at best. And my impressions here are largely no different, save for what scribe Hideto Iwai, and the FLCL team hint drop for us in regards to what happened to our favorite Space Fraternity misfit, and the children she pesters in the name of her own plans. In a town that in many ways resembles that of the original Mabase, we are introduced to a world that has seemingly embraced many corners of questionable maturity in the name of a new status quo. Hidomi's mom is hopelessly chipper, and wildly accepting of her daughter's disinterest to the point of systematic expectation. It has become such an expectation that even Hidomi's part-time diner job is strewn with patrons who praise and fawn over her apathy. These regulars, now an aged version of the generation of fans I have grown up around. It's to the point where upon introducing the franchise's (Wow. I actually said the F word regarding FLCL) latest Spacecop, the more focused and steadfast Cadillac riding, Jinyu, reflects a potentially startling reveal that the battle between factions over the youth of the Earth indeed continues on, and that the intergalactic troublemaker, Rahau Haruhara, is indeed on the prowl again for fresh potential.

We also get to know Hidomi's class, in particular her classmate, Ide who not only has a penchant for stories, but is sporting both glasses and a familiar head bandage. Potential does indeed attend this class, and that teacher's voice should ring a few fan bells. Also worth making a note of, is Hidomi's mother who may have dropped a huge hint regarding the whereabouts of an important character from the original series. Considering Hidomi's current predicament, it makes all the sense in the world.

Now, the episode does finally reveal its hand in regards to where she is and what she has been up to all this time. But the implications of it, made a deeper impression on me than anything else in the episode. Production value vacillates between on par with the original 1999-2000 OVA, and standard television work. But the notion that Haruhara, has indeed been secretly infiltrating the youth in the town, helping engender a population of overgrown infants, is a sobering one. Growing up under the auspices of more conservative leaderships, one of the most popular colloquialisms regarding playing the role, and "overtaking from the inside", has now taken on a borderline malevolent tone. Considering the Japan and the West of today, our dreams may indeed have found themselves corrupted by those eager to exploit for their own gain. Indeed, its seems that FLCL's needle might have indeed shifted, by presenting what could go wrong when unchained youthful exuberance finds itself subverted. It's an interesting turn in what largely felt like already well-treaded ground. So until the next installment, I remain a little ambivalent about the existence of this return, save for some lush animation, and the ever reliable soundtrack by The Pillows.

There is potential for a serious upending of the past, but like the sneak peek from April, all I'm getting here is a nice smell from the kitchen, and no dish in sight.