FLCL

I'm trying not to jump the gun with my rating here, but goddamn I enjoyed the hell out of FLCL. It's hard for me to come up with the words to accurately describe the series, but it lies somewhere between a slice of life/coming of age story, but with a rapid fire ADHD-laden pace that uses large scale concepts to illustrate its otherwise smaller scale themes. In summation, it's absolutely fucking insane and unhinged in the best possible way while also feeling incredibly down to earth regarding its character dynamics. Everything is so expressive and filled with a youthful personality, from bizarre non-sequitur gags that fly by a mile a minute, to the sheer variety that each scene possesses. Whether it's aiming for large or small scale encounters, the show always finds a way to make the execution of each scene visually interesting. And of course, I can't forget to bring mention to the iconic soundtrack by The Pillows, which is as fantastic as everyone has led me to believe. Then there's the story, which is so purposefully nonsensical and overloaded with information that it'll make your head spin. Luckily, this sensory overload is backed by some genuine emotion and character growth. Never before have I seen the transition of adolescence portrayed in such a bombastic fashion, but the intimate side of FLCL is still miraculously able to shine through the absurdity. I can totally see why this is considered a classic, because it definitely just became one in my own eyes. This is something that i'm excited to rewatch, share with others, and relish in the craziness time and time again. I'm also excited to watch the more recent follow up seasons despite the general negativity surrounding them. For now, I can safely say that I fell in love with this show.