There are few anime that stick so much to the subconscious the way that Fooly Cooly has to its audiences. An industry experiment in animation disguised as a coming-of-age story disguised as a sci fi, mecha series, Fooly Cooly achieves so much emotional provocation with its distinct use of surreal imagery, well-curated soundtrack, and purposeful use of different animating techniques.
However, an underappreciated element in achieving the surprising level of depth would be its writing and dialogue. It's not hard to find people that say that FLCL has no plot and that it doesn't really say or represent much which is fair. The congestion of content and details in the series can arguably distract more than it entices.
However, this idea is still a shame considering that just the pure, spoken words of FLCL's characters speak so much to the series' narrative and its values. In memory of songs already sung but rarely heard, here are the 10 best quotes that encapsulate what is FLCL.
10 Nothing can happen till you swing the bat.
Perhaps the most iconic line from the series, Haruko's remark to Naota when he becomes a little discouraged as to his...bat swinging skills...is a major call to him and the audience to be brave and take more agency with their choices, specifically their romantic, relationship choices.
It hearkens to a disenfranchising period of youth where a sterile environment and unreliable adult figures may leave someone with little knowledge as to how to make choices or move forward in life, making it even more important for people to take risks as an avenue in finding their own way through life.
9 When it comes down to it, there are very few people who will swing the bat.
In direct response to the above quote, Naota's conflict, and Haruko's cavalier ease with doing anything, Commander Amarao refers to the near sterile, emotional stagnation that afflicts a lot of developing youths, leaving many stunted and even afraid of the harder choices in life.
If Haruko's above quote speaks on potential positives, this line here goes to the negatives, drawing attention to the infantile fear that keeps many people from really moving forward.
8 Nothing amazing ever happens here.
One of the opening lines to the series and definitely one of the most used marketing cuts, Naota declaring to the audience that "Nothing amazing" ever happens in his humble abode speaks level as to how constrained and insignificant Naota feels, especially in comparison to how grand he feels the outside world is.
For a series about the confusion and romanticism of growing up, it's very appropriate to start off with a pre-teen talking about how much their town stinks.
7 Ah, your brother is away, so she's sinking her fangs into you, Naota. Fondling around! Fooling around! Fooly Cooly!
He said the title of the show! Take a shot everyone! During one of the most talked about scenes in the series, especially its pilot episode, Naota's father goes on an entire rant about Naota's sexual exploits, acting in both jealous and mocking manners.
The line and its performance resemble so much of the embarrassing exaggeration that families and macho male figures may use on the subject of sex, encapsulating so much of the faux-adult image that is conflicting with Naota.
6 They're fake...
Ninamori is the poster child of nasty divorces, especially ones heard across the entire town. When living in such an idyllic life and put on a pedestal as this pure and innocent girl, Ninamori is already pre-wrapped in adolescent fiction when the series begins.
When confronted with a serious family issue, she maintains that veil and tries to play things off as cool and mature, even dawning fake glasses for that brainy look. Maturity is not just an idea. It is a disguise put on in fear of how one may look when they're vulnerable.
5 Watermelon...or like a panda with a mean face or like sandals with pressure points drawn on them or the smell of a blackboard eraser or a Sunday morning where you wake up, and it's raining. Well, I like him more than hard bread.
FLCL is a lot of serious, growing up stuff disguised as cool and romantic stuff. It dresses up its characters in the same rebellious gear as its punk rock idols. However, if there was ever a character to be naked to this regard, it would Mamimi.
While Naota embraces the highs of teenage escapism, Mamimi is always dealing with a much harsher reality, often finding bliss and escape in just the simple things, things that are at least better than hard bread.
4 I saw God the other day...by the river on a rainy afternoon. He helped a kitten that was left all alone. It's a God that only I can see. A black winged angel that came down from the heavens just for me.
To emphasize the previous line even further, Mamimi's perception of the ideal adult figure, the perfect man, even God is one dressed in the most basic of human manners.
As this line goes on, it brings the viewer a little lower than God, back to earth, as Mamimi is just amazed with a simple, kind act, acting as if this simple gesture were predestined for her. The girl pretty much just prays for kindness.
3 But I said I don't like sour stuff.
Perhaps the simplest, most direct metaphor in the series, flavors are often used to draw comparison to states of maturity. If one prefers sweet things, they're prone to childlike behavior. If they can't handle spicy things, then they don't have a mature tongue.
How much one can take when eating directly correlates in the series to how much they can tolerate as a mature, human being, with Naota's gradual liking to "sour stuff" acting as a pivotal point in his arc.
2 Don't call my brother! I'm the one who's here! Hey, look at me! I'm the one who's gonna save you! CANTI! Now, listen, my name is Naota. Don't ever call me Ta-kun again!
Just reading this line is an entire performance. So much of the tone is vying for vindication, but all of that is buried under its own blind irony. Naota is trying to act so brave and macho to Mamimi, saying that he's going to be the one to save her...yet he calls on Canti.
The episode, "Brittle Bullet," is centered on arrogance and ego coming face to face with real world limitation in a delusional throw of masculinity, where even a small child can talk like a big man. This line does well to exemplify both the ego and its inherent delusion and weakness, as Naota begins to bite off more than he can chew.
1 That high school girl looked kinda sad. Seems like a little kindness might help, but you'd need some maturity to treat her that way.
Commander Amarao is your best friend from high school who likes to talk trash about how immature other high school kids are without ever really looking at himself. And while this wishy-washiness might play off as an annoying, even near antagonistic trait in any other series, it serves to make Amarao one of the most defining, even insightful voices in the series.
While humorous, there is a sad connotation to the above line that not only speaks levels as to the type of people affecting Mamimi's life but the issues within FLCL's world. Amarao here perfectly exemplifies how one can have this ideal version of what maturity may look like but how those traits can still go neglected due to immaturity.
Maturity is often seen as an internal change and not enough as an external, interpersonal one, where how one treats others is often neglected to how one views themselves.