Episode 4: Full Swing
Episode 4 of season 1 of FLCL is properly dubbed “the baseball episode,” and blends multiple different genres in an interesting way. Beyond the baseball metaphors the imagery in this episode serves as an opportunity to strike fear and anxiety in the heart of the viewer, something that hasn’t been attempted before. There are also several cuts that break away from a linear path of storytelling in order to offer insight into different characters’ motivations what they are trying to achieve, and there are also distorted or frightening images used to offer that same insight.
The scene where Commander Amarao is questioning Naota offers insight into the anger that Naota has been suppressing because Haruko is toying with his emotions and serves to show us that Commander Amarao is trying to be stealthy in uprooting Haruko’s plan by trying to convince Naota to stop chasing the ideal of adulthood that Haruko is flaunting in front of him.
Preceding that, the nightmarish scene in Naota’s head shows some disturbing imagery that reflects his ambiguity and frustration with Haruko. The aftereffects of Haruko’s tomfoolery have started to get to him, and it shows.
The confusing scenes with Haruko and Kamon paint Haruko as a seductive, stalking figure who subtly sneaks in and causes terror in peoples’ heads, quite literally. They are limited in occurrence and in time, but there are a few scenes where Haruko and Sameji surround or get close to Naota, and you see either his head or Kamon’s head decapitated and in their hands. Having these scenes painted with shadows and uncertainty make for a trippy experience.
Lots of the music has been recycled, and I hate having to write the same things over and over again, but the episode does start off with 2 new tracks that we’ve never heard
(1)Happy Bivouac
We are immediately treated with the visual of Haruko making another dramatic homerun underscored by the song “Happy Bivouac.” Not much to say about this song other than it being paced well with the scene, in fact the title of the song comes up immediately after Haruko says “swing the bat” in the beginning.
One interesting lyric roughly translates (I had to use Goggle Translate for this one):
I’m already saying that it’s only one.
And there is also the phrase.
I don't want to imitate anyone.
This lyric appears immediately after it is shown that Naota refuses to swing the bat like his brother Tasuku and gets beamed in the face with a baseball.
Since I can’t find any better or clearer lyrics I’ll leave it at that, but it appears at the very least that they lyrics also support the idea that Naota is adamant in how he doesn’t want to imitate anyone, specifically his brother—everyone’s counting on him to be Tasuku, but he’s not, and he doesn’t want to be. But even so, he is the same person who says that “nothing amazing ever happens here” and he is so disillusioned with life in Mabase, but Haruko is there to remind him that “nothing can happen until you swing the bat” and we are given a nice “HAPPY BIVOUAC” at the end of that statement into the rushed end of the song and the title card for the episode.
(2)White Ash
Based on this limited song’s usage and how short it is, I have to designate this as Commander Amarao’s theme. The lyrics of the song blend in smoothly with his entrance and his conversation with Naota. The song’s title is shouted on a quick pause in Amarao’s speech.
The lyrics are pretty interesting; right before the title is shouted the lyrics actually say (Google Translate):
It's okay if you don't have anything to do.
Even if I want to get burned, I can't do it.
And be Ash
White Ash
Considering that Commander Amarao is trying to convince Naota to remain a kid and not pursue Haruko, those lyrics actually have an interesting place in this scene. Amarao wants to make sure that Naota feels okay, that he’s content with the world instead of engaging in Haruko’s B.S. It’s never brought up again and the song ends normally, but I think that was an interesting musical enhancement.
(3) Stalker-Instrumental
While there wasn’t any action in the scene where “Stalker” was used, the bass hum underscores Commander Amarao and the Immigration agency observing the satellite. This is a critical moment, considering that the main villain or main force has been revealed.
Also, the strike of the electric guitar highlights the awkward scene where Naota observes Haruko and his father and the red dot that represents a beacon for where the satellite will strike appears on his head. It’s very minute, but I like how it is used.
(4) Carnival-Instrumental
Tension builds yet again as the bass and drums of “Carnival” strike yet again, this time for a different purpose. Any time “Carnival” or “Stalker” plays it is used to display tension. This time, the tension rises as Naota refuses to play baseball while hanging out with Sameji, this time, he’s enjoying her attention.
Pouty and stubborn, Naota seems to want to have Sameji draped over him, until Haruko reminds him that the game is started and when Sameji leaves to watch Canti play, Naota suddenly shouts at Haruko like a stubborn child, shouting that he doesn’t want Haruko to teach him baseball anymore.
(5) Beautiful Morning With You- Instrumental
Almost immediately after “Carnival” ends, the intense section of Beautiful Morning With You kicks in as Haruko’s plans are realized as the baseball game begins. The contrast created by this song is interesting; like many songs that build tension there is a high point and a low point, and this time the high point strikes when Haruko throws a deadly pitch while the low point occurs when Commander Amarao interrogates Naota and continues until the song ends abruptly on their conversation.
(6) Come Down- Instrumental
The song “Come Down” in itself is an acid trip, and it comes in not so long after the previous song. It sort of serves as a breaking point in all of the crazy nightmare imagery. The song strikes as Naota discovers that Kamon’s body is in the drawer and we are briefly taken through the bombastic animation of Naota screaming and taking his father to get fixed up before Haruko bursts in and the song ends.
Quite like the manga scene, the fact that Kamon being stuck in the drawer was Haruko’s doing sort of cements the song “Come Down” as a Haruko Induced Craziness Theme.
(7) Crazy Sunshine
The one and only time this song shows up is at the end of episode 4, and it opens on Haruko’s speech shortly after she bursts back into the Nandaba residence and continues all throughout the climactic scene where both her and Naota strike the satellite back out of orbit.
This is the culminating scene of the episode where Naota learns his lesson, he finally swings the bat and breaks out of his shell to take control.
This song is actually a gold mine of interesting lyrics. The opening lyrics translate:
All the world's cowardly monkeys
Are caught up in a game they'll never finish
Banana roulette won't let them go til they die
We'll pry open our sewn-up eyelids
And the feelings this generation has lost
Will be reflected in the tears that fall
While this isn’t exactly a plot point that is discussed in this episode, Haruko refers to humans as “primitive monkeys,” and the overall goal of Medical Mechanica is to enslave humanity by “ironing out the wrinkles in their brain.” This makes the aforementioned lyric so interesting to the story’s narrative.
But for Naota, who finally decides to act on his condescending outlook on the adults. He sees them as monkeys and playing a pointless game, and the scene quiets enough so you hear the lyric:
A nameless monster
Is going to consume me
As the satellite/baseball is accelerates towards Naota from the atmosphere.
The chorus of the song translates to:
Crazy sunshine
Shine on the future of our sullen group!
Tightrope dancing
I can jump even with one leg
We'll set this blue desire on fire
I've got no worries
Even though Naota freaks out and cries for his brother, in the moment he is still the one that everyone seems to depend on in this moment, Naota is “the future of our sullen group” who needs to drop his worries and swing the bat to come to terms with himself and others.
(8) Little Busters-Instrumental
And just like that, “Little Busters” rings after the sky clears. This time there are no lyrics to call Naota a “little buster” anymore. At this point, the episode is over, and Naota finally did something to prove that he is actually not a kid anymore. He’s graduated from the lyrics that make him seem like a shonen character and let his inner rock-and-roll speak for itself.
