(For clarity, I’m reviewing the entire series here, and not just this third DVD.)

At only six episodes, FLCL (Furi Kuri) is short but incredibly sweet. Now, I’m not a huge fan of the whole anime craze, but I do appreciate good shows when I see them, and FLCL is probably one of the best I’ve seen in a long, long time.

Created by Gainax, the studio that did Neon Genesis Evangelion (a favorite of mine), FLCL packs absurdity and parody, a great soundtrack by The Pillows, a fantastic art style with characters designed by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, and a tender-but-not-overly-melodramatic plot about growing up all in what equates to three hours. In essence, it’s got a bit of everything going on, which, on one hand makes it accessible on multiple levels but on the other can feel a bit contrived and overblown.

Still, considering the show itself is a short, made-for-video kind of deal it’s got a great feel to it that will make you crave more. Personally I would’ve liked to see more episodes, but I think for what’s there it’s fitting. And you can only take it so far before the comedy starts to feel tedious and the soundtrack repetitive (certain songs play in multiple episodes).

Overall, FLCL is definitely worth watching no matter how you feel about anime. If you love the aesthetic, you’ll probably find that FLCL fits right up there with similarly absurdist shows like The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya; and even if you don’t you can still appreciate it for what it brings to the genre of animation.