REVIEW: FLCL 2 - 'Progressive'

This isn't even a shadow of its former self. A shadow is still part of a person. This is more like having someone else's body parts, an arm or a leg, attached to what was already a perfect human being.

For starters, this isn't made from the original creators. At best this is made from fans. No scratch that, FLCL was never popular in Japan. This is made from individuals that may or may not have worked at Gainax during the animator manufacturer years. You know, the more recent years where they churn out animators all the friggin time then bring in fresh blood. Rinse and repeat.

To say the show is now 'flat' compared to the original is an understatement. There are almost NO high-jinks. There is now flat animation scenes with no zanyness pushed to 11.

Whats really terrible is that they missed a trick. During the promotional campaign I would have thought that the character Julia Jinyu was actually Haruko's boss. You know, the one that she was talking too via Naota's cat.

If they wanted to do a sequel right, why not have its climax being Haruko actually finding and capturing Atomsk's power. Maybe she needed Naota after many years of attempting solo, or behind the scenes trying (and failing) with humans, like Amarao was? Why not have it that the kids from the original show are now in those terrible in-between months / years of adjusting from a school/uni life to having real world jobs. That would be cool, right?
Instead we have this amazing opportunity ruined in the ending credits of the first episode, which wraps up Haruko defeating Atomsk who doesn't even look to be captured by Medical Mechanica. Sigh...

The Pillows being back is cool and all, however its off. This is because most of the time in the original, the voice track would be removed. Especially during moments when the characters are talking. Here, the songs are played with the voice track in tact, clashing with what the characters are saying, and for me, ruining the mood.

The kids in this series are lame and uninteresting.

Why were some punks in episode 2 talking Japanese? Did Cartoon Network have no budget for hiring a few voice actors?
WFT so the main characters can fly now? Yuh hu..

In episode 3 Haruko tries to fly but falls. Yuh Hu..

In episode 4, Haurko says she doesn't take orders. Yuh Hu.. series 1 she was getting orders from whoever she was talking to from the cat.

In my opinion they cant fly unless they have their colour powers. If that's what you call it.

Episode 6 was the only genuinely interesting episode, though the animation is sloppy as hell.