Episode 5: Brittle Bullet
By far, episode 5 of FLCL is my favorite in the entire series. Honestly, episode 5 of season 1 made me believe that episode 5 of seasons 2 and 3 would have to pull out all of the stops in terms of music and animation. This is because it gave me some of my favorite action scenes and even before I started looking at the music, I’ve looked into the construction of each episode and seen that episode 5 is about the action genre. In particular, I’ve heard it be categorized as an anime take on John Woo action films, personally I’ve never seen those films, but I have and I still appreciate the zany anime GIFs of one or two recycled animations with a crazy soundtrack as a backdrop to it.
Also, guns.
(1)Runner’s High- Instrumental
Immediately we are thrown into a scene of Naota and Haruko hiding in grass as part of a war game. The context of this scene will be explained later in the episode, but this is another example of Haruko’s crazy antics forcing Naota in a crazy situation. This song continues in its instrumental as the contextual scene is displayed with its Lupin III reference and ends naturally on the compromising scene where a nearly naked Haruko lands on top of Naota…I’ll just leave that alone and not go further…Dizzy my future, silly my way.
(2) Sad Sad Kiddie- Instrumental
At this point I would consider Sad Sad Kiddie to be Kamon’s theme, considering that this song opens back on the wargame scene for a brief moment where Kamon and Canti are hunting down Naota and Haruko.
(3) Nightmare-Instrumental
Considering that this song is named “Nightmare,” it actually gives me nightmares…It’s a creepy and harsh soundtrack that quite literally breaks “Sad Sad Kiddie” as it enters on Kitsurabami and Amarao planning to attack Canti from a distance in the middle of the wargame.
The song itself is only 2 minutes long, but the bombastic drum and guitar wailing in a demonic fashion continues for several loops as the scene drags on. In the span of this music’s possession of the scene, Amarao and Kitsurabami plan to shoot Canti, you have the hilarious South Park animation with Amarao, Kitsurabami shooting at Canti, and finally you have the song end on the tire screeching of Naota’s friends showing up at the end of the scene.
(4) Patricia-Instrumental
The one and only time this song is used is on the scene where Ninamori looks through the plastic frame of the toy water gun. I find this scene to be very significant; considering that this is the first time we’ve seen Ninamori since episode 3; she looks different. Her hair is in pigtails and she’s wearing a red coat as opposed to her red t-shirt.
Instead of bringing up any unnecessary tension because of her interactions with Naota and Haruko in episode 3, she seems to mind her own business and not give anything a second-though. Capping it off with a childish game, as she makes the nonchalant declaration of “I won” when she’s finished her ice cream and receives the water gun.
At this point, Haruko, Sameji, and Ninamori all appear to be in the same general area of the scene right before the title card strikes.
The song itself carries a campy tune that seems to coincide with how Naota feels, he’s constantly blushing as everyone praises him for his heroism in the previous episode and with other people knowing that he has the ability to pilot Canti.
Haruko and Sameji both seem to fawn over Naota. Haruko, with him winning the wargame and Sameji acknowledging that his habits have changed—he drinks things with pulp in them like Haruko and acknowledging his ability to pilot Canti. The song fades before its natural conclusion as you hear a gun click in the middle of Naota’s conversation with Sameji.
(5) Sleepy Head-Instrumental
Here’s one we haven’t heard in a minute. Also, this is my favorite scene!
Haruko reveals herself to Commander Amarao and thus a crazy gun-battle ensues. I won’t describe it because you should honestly watch it for yourself, but I do like how the song naturally ends right as Commander Amarao delivers my favorite line from the episode, “You can’t be real.”
The song itself loops for quite a while on the bass line to keep up the pace of the action, which also made for a fun experience.
(6) Advice-Instrumental
Pretty much any time you hear this song, tensions are rising. This time, it’s between Naota and sameji.
This time I’ve noticed that Naota is really trying to act like an adult by making a move on Sameji, and she’s not having it because Naota’s acting so differently. But the tension culminates in the arrival of the big bad, the Gun Tower robot (that’s what I call it at least).
The instrumental is normal this time, not adding the heavy metal riff from before, and ending almost naturally as Haruko springs into action against the Gun Tower.
(7) Blues Drive Monster
The first and only time this song is used, and it is used in such a badass way!
The song strikes as both Haruko and Naota spring into action against the Gun Tower. First, Haruko hits us with a nice Daicon V reference as she fires upon the Tower before Naota summons Canti in a rage after Sameji continues to cry his brother’s name out of fear.
Pissed as he is, Naota puts his foot down and declares “My name is Naota. Don’t ever call me Takkun again!”
The whole song plays through and gives us quite a few interesting lyrics to look at.
The era of boys locking themselves away in rooms
Littered with keys
You subtly hear this as Naota summons Canti; in some ways its sort of a way of saying that Naota declares that he’s no longer a kid and that he wants to be recognized for who he is, not Takkun, not Tasuku’s brother, he wants his own identity.
The speakers only whisper out
What you shouted at the top of your lungs
I saw the era's chosen hero
Vanquished before my eyes
Power Station
I'll give you as many volts as you want
These are some interesting lyrics. You hear the phrase Morning Station, Power Station, and Radio Station as well as references to electricity and other things. It honestly sounds like a superhero’s theme song as he’s springing into action against a bad guy. In this moment, Naota is trying to talk hold of his identity as “the era’s chosen hero,” considering that everybody has been worshipping him so far this episode.
(Chorus)
Blues Drive Monster
Can't you just smash up this melancholy world of ours?
I'm forever waiting
I just love the badass chorus and the wavering electric hum.
Adults wrinkle their brows
Your laughing voice
And your footsteps, announced your arrival
Drawing slowly nearer
Those guys are holding a pistol
Aimed at your overlarge throat
To think that sort of thing would have any effect on you
Is so conceited
Radio Station
Destory the wall of illusions
I had to post this entire voice because it is so badass. This scene utilizes the soundtrack in such an expert way because the lyrics are describing the battle that is taking place. The song ends naturally on the climax of the battle as Canti/Atomsk appear and deal the finishing blow to the Gun Tower.
(8) Little Busters
Unfortunately, this leaves Naota out of the picture. Technically, he didn’t finish the battle as he got ejected from Canti in the middle of it. To boot, Haruko lands standing on top of him and instead of fawning over him, she directs all of her attention to Atomsk. To add insult to injury, the song ends in a rushed fashion, the only lyrics to be heard being the chorus calling Naota a “Little Buster” before fading away only for Sameji to say “ouch” as she realizes that Haruko is standing on Naota’s body with her 5-inch heels.
Naota is once again, a “Little Buster,” in the wake of Atomsks’ real power, Naota goes from local hero to second fiddle and all of the praise that was given to him so far seems to go out of the window.
It’s pretty sad if you think about it, but that’s the end of the episode
