Summary
The success and legacy of the originalFLCL (Fooly Cooly)really get put into perspective once one recalls that it was only six episodes long - something fleeting but utterly unforgettable. It’s also crazy to think that it has had four sequels in just the past five years, fueled by a desire to recapture that spark, which has now come to an end.
On July 01, 2025, Jason DeMarco, senior vice president of the anime and action series/long-form department of Warner Bros. Animation, announced the end of the series on Twitter/X. WhileAdult Swim considers the two newest seasonssuccessful, the studio “won’t be making any more” in conjunction with their partners at Production I.G.
A Brief History of FLCL’s Sequels
WhenFLCL’s return to television was officially revealed in 2017 at the Anime Expo, it was hard for the community not to be excited.GAINAX may be merely a shell of its former self, but Production I.G is a big enough name that fans were hopeful for the sequels to receive the proper visual treatment. As an added bonus that in retrospect was the linchpin of the marketing, The Pillows would be returning to do the soundtrack.
FLCL: ProgressiveandFLCL: Alternativeboth aired in 2018, the former hitting in June and the latter in September, but beforeAlternativeeven came out, the excitement faded for many. The reception toProgressivewas mixed, to say the least, and though everyFLCLis blessed with some great vocal performances, fans weren’t sure what to make of the sequels.
The complaints vary, but they usually come down to the consistency of the visuals, storytelling that struggled to grab audiences, and a sense that the sequels just “weren’tFLCL.“From the visual callbacks and referencesto the music, it seemed to have the suggestion of the franchise fans loved, but with those similarities feeling skin-deep.
Alternative’s reception was slightly warmer and is considered by some to be the better of the two in the first batch of sequels, but it was safe to say that die-hard fans weren’t too pleased. So, as one might imagine, the announcement of two new sequels in 2022 might have come as a shock. The new batch wasFLCL: GrungeandFLCL: Shoegaze, this time produced by two different studios with dramatically different visual styles.
Both are three episodes long as compared to the typical 6-episode length of the first three seasons. Grunge is a CG-animated series from Studio MontBlanc, which immediately put it in a precarious positiongiven how anime fans tend to feel about CGI. On the flip side, Shoegaze was an animation by Studio Nut and heavily resembles the style of Alternative, being helmed by the same director.
It’s safe to say that the hype for moreFLCLis much less strong in 2023 than in 2018 when fans were hungry at the prospect of more. Some wondered why Adult Swim kept making more, but if DeMarco’s recent statement is anything to go off of, the answer seems pretty obvious. The ratings were solid and people were watching. Perhaps a better question would be whether the sequels are really all that bad.
What Even Was FLCL?
There are reviews of the originalFLCLthat positthat the story has no real meaning, just as there are similar accounts that consider it to have a very deep narrative. The funny thing is, both of those reviews are typically positive. People love this series, its characters, its music, and its vibe, but audiences have rarely come to a consensus on why the series is great. One big part of the puzzle is how almost every scene and every frame was a labor of love.
Director Kazuya Tsurumaki and his team were toying around with highly experimental, bold, and downright ludicrous animation techniques, some of which still haven’t been replicated since. Phrased that way, the production sounds like a bunch of talented artists throwing things at the board to see what sticks, but while that’snotinaccurate, it also very muchis.
Make no mistake,FLCL hadstories, and yes the plural was intentional. Several of its episodes had self-contained, albeit chaotic arcs that fleshed out the supporting cast. It was a product of unrivaled passion through which its artistry also ended up producing an emotionally rich story about youth. But even this whole section which has mostly laid the brilliance of this show at the feet of the production team and its passion alone is just one interpretation.
The problem with doingFLCLagain isn’t just that there is an onus to create a similar environment in which to forge it, but that the audience has to confront the question of whatFLCLtruly is. For some people, it’s lightning in a bottle, and trying to do it again is foolhardy.For others, it’s just about good music, good art, and good vibes, and it certainly helps the more ambitious the animators get with it.
None of this is to suggest that the original series is so intricate that the sequels are exempt from harsh criticism. A big problem fans had with them was that even the new writers seemed to misunderstand the first season.FLCL: Progressivewas notable in how it struggled with its comprehension of even some of the more overt messages of the original.
With that said, the criticisms definitely hold more weight when the people hating on the sequels have actually seen them, and it’s worth betting that a sizable contingent has not. Perhaps years from now,audiences will look back on some of these sequelswith a more positive outlook. For now, getting to the bottom of why theFLCLsequels are disliked might end up being just as complicated as pinning down why the original is so beloved.
