FLCL, also known as Fooly Cooly, is a whimsical, mind-bending sci-fi anime that has left viewers perplexed about the series' watch order. So, here is the complete FLCL watch order guide to make sense of its unique story.
RELATED: The Best Experimental & Avant-Garde Anime
FLCL: A Surreal Sci-Fi Anime Series
FLCL revolves around Naota, a typical 6th-grade Japanese boy with a hint of cynicism.
His world takes a turn when his older brother departs for America to pursue baseball, leaving behind his 17-year-old girlfriend, Mamimi.
Mamimi’s conflicting signals and advances leave Naota puzzled, and he is unsure how to respond.
His life takes an even more chaotic turn when he gets hit by a woman on a Vespa, completely upending his world.
In the first encounter, she whacks him in the head with her bass guitar, resulting in a horn sprouting from Naota’s forehead.
She goes by the name Haruko, and her arrival catapults Naota’s life into an even greater mess.
Complete FLCL Watch Order
With its unique blend of storytelling, a killer soundtrack, and beautiful animation, FLCL has become a cult classic.
But the question of where to start watching FLCL can be as confounding as the anime itself. So, here is the best watch order for the FLCL anime:
FLCL Season 1 (2000)
You can start your FLCL journey with Season 1, which consists of six episodes:
- Episode 1: Fooly Cooly
- Episode 2: Fire Starter
- Episode 3: Marquis de Carabas
- Episode 4: Full Swing
- Episode 5: Brittle Bullet
- Episode 6: FLClimax
DISCOVER: Best Sci-Fi Anime With a Female Lead
FLCL: Progressive Season 2 (2018)
Following Season 1, you can watch the second season of the series titled FLCL: Progressive. Like Season 1, this season also contains six installments:
- Episode 1: Re: Start
- Episode 2: Freebie Honey
- Episode 3: Stone Skipping
- Episode 4: LooPQR
- Episode 5: Fool on the Planet
- Episode 6: Our Running
FLCL: Alternative Season 3 (2018)
The third season of the series is titled FLCL: Alternative and can be watched after FLCL: Progressive:
- Episode 1: Flying Memory
- Episode 2: Grown-up Wannabe
- Episode 3: Freestyle Collection
- Episode 4: Pit-a-Pat
- Episode 5: Shake It Off
- Episode 6: Full Flat
It's worth mentioning that FLCL: Progressive and FLCL: Alternative not only had theatrical releases but also found their way to television screens during their respective seasons.
Meanwhile, two new seasons, FLCL: Grunge and FLCL: Shoegaze, have been announced by Adult Swim.
FLCL: Grunge is slated to release on September 9, 2023. Meanwhile, the release date of FLCL: Shoegaze is yet to be announced.
FLCL: Shoegaze is set 10 years after FLCL: Alternative and revolves around a high school girl and boy.
Discover more anime news and info by following us on X (formerly Twitter) @epicstreamanime.
READ NEXT: Weirdest Anime You Cannot Miss