Following the success of FLCL Progressive and FLCL Alternative, Adult Swim and Toonami revealed FLCL: Grunge, the latest installment of the anime series, with a catchy trailer showcasing the new events.
The trailer posted on Adult Swim’s official YouTube channel begins with Naota Nandaba introducing the setting at a restaurant. He offers a fascinating look at the chaos affecting residents’ lives, saying, “The people who live here never think about the future, there won’t be any customers, we are in a state of martial law, after dealing with the devastation too many times to count, the adults have lost all hope.” The chaos increases when Amarao, another returning character, offers a rather bleak outlook from the window of a moving car, saying, “If you ask me, we’d better flatten the entire planet.”
Hiroshi Takekiyo directs FLCL: Grunge, which focuses on the lives of three young men entering the world of work. The fourth part explores the experiences of three individuals as they navigate their new careers, dealing with the theme of growing up. The series boasts an entirely new art style that complements the story, immersing viewers in a surreal and captivating world. As for the music, The Pillows, the iconic band behind FLCL’s original soundtracks, will once again grace the series with their tracks, promising to enhance the overall experience.
FLCL: Grunge adds a new CGI style
According to ComicBook.com, director Takekiyo was initially hesitant to make a sequel to the sci-fi comedy because their studio was primarily focused on CGI animation. However, after working on a test animation of Haruko, Takekiyo and his team were confident in their ability to create a compelling CGI adaptation that remained faithful to the essence of FLCL.
“We’re still working on the CGI programming right now, trying out new techniques and all, but we feel very strongly about the overall story. We think you will enjoy it as much as we do.” Takekiyo assures fans that they are working hard to honor the vision of the original creator, Kazuya Tsurumaki. “We are doing our best to procure elements that the original FLCL values the most while respecting the original style as much as possible. We are also facing new challenges that current 21st century technology brings. We hope that you will enjoy the best of both worlds while watching the show,” Takekiyo said.
The creators are also working on another installment called FLCL: Shoegaze. Yutaka Uemura directs the fifth season, which takes place ten years after FLCL Alternative. A new male and female duo joins the FLCL universe this season.
Adult Swim’s FLCL: Grunge is scheduled to launch on September 9, 2023.
Source: YouTube