Series: FLCL, Volume 1
Genre: YA - Manga
Publication: September 16, 2003 by Tokyopop
Format: Paperback
Source: BorrowedRating: ★★★
Synopsis: Naota's life isn't simple: he lives with his eccentric father and grandfather in a two-story house above a family-owned bakery in a town marked by a gigantic factory at its heart. The factory looks suspiciously like a hand iron, replete with a steam release at the top -- not the most typical landmark. Life is already strange enough, but to top it off, his older brother's ex-girlfriend starts making extremely suggestive passes at him ... and an impish, playful alien smacks him in the head with a bass guitar and then infuses herself into his family.
Thoughts: I hadn't picked up a manga in quite a while, and felt the need to after seeing Alison's Manga Monday post week after week. I'm not sure if FLCL (pronounced Fooly Cooly) was the best place to start because...well its a weird story.
There isn't too much to say about the actual characters. There's plenty but they didn't really stand out too much, although they all seemed different in their own way. Naota was a quiet sort of boy, and I thought he was cute. The other characters are drawn simply and similarly, so at some points I got them a little confused.
Then comes the actual plot. If you read it, you won't really understand what the heck is going on because it jumps from past to present in no particular order and with no real explaining. So after a few pages you're all sorts of confused. The dialogue is kept simple, but like the plot it sort of seems to be everywhere as well, and it pretty much just adds to the confused.
To be honest, I can't really say what it was about it, but I did like it. The drawings aren't all that special or unique, the plot is terribly incomprehensible (really, the only way I knew what was happening and where the story was really going, was because of the summary at the beginning of the book,) but the characters all seemed unique, and I couldn't help but like the crazy girl who rides the Vespa and has a guitar for a weapon.
Thankfully, this manga only consists of two volumes, so I won't be terribly confused for too many books. Just one more and hopefully some understanding. I know it is based on the anime, which I have not yet watched, but I am excited to because the dialogue is different, although I've heard its just as difficult to understand.
2 comments
yep. Probably not the best manga to read after not reading manga for a long time. Way too confusing. But FLCL had a cult following for a little while. I think everyone loved the anime.
ReplyDeleteStill. I liked how you reviewed this manga because it gives a feel for the manga. Pretty cool :)
What manga are you going to try next? (You know me, I'm always so noisy. LOL)
♥ Trish
Just a YA Girl
So cool that you were inspired by my posts! How strange that it's pronounced Fooly-Cooly. Would never guess. It's funny how some manga and books are hard to review because there's not much special to say, but you still like them. It's such an intangible feeling.
ReplyDelete