Episode 1: Fooly Cooly
Episode 1 opens up with a scene where Samejima Mamimi is narrating the ins-and-outs of the mechanics of how to properly swing a baseball bat to shaky and fast-zooming shots of the landscape of Mabase before cutting directly to the scene where she and Naota are under the bridge. This brings up the very first song you ever hear of the series, which is “One Life” by the Pillows.
It enters on the chorus preceding the first verse and after reaching the end of the first chorus it skips to the final chorus preceding the final verse of the song before ending in crisp tandem with the completion of Naota’s narration and the title card of the first episode. The lyrics and the overall tone of the song paints a picture of nostalgia, almost as if we are catching the two characters in the middle of something that they have done before and something that is special between them. I want to draw specific attention to the final verse which translates to:
Some day, all those memories we can't touch,
We'll lose them
But even if you leave no shape behind...
You are my light.
And the chorus which translates to:
If the blue poppy's petals
Are swaying without any wind
It's all thanks to my sigh.
I don't know for sure, but it's gotta be
As a person who has listened to The Pillows for about 8 years, I have observed that the lyrics of their songs often seem to be very abstract, just like the content of the show FLCL, but when you experience them all in tandem it seems to make sense without making sense. View the episode, listen to the song, listen to the lyrics, and you will not only feel the nostalgia but experience it in yourself.
(2) Runner’s High
The song Runner’s High enters on the first verse of the song and it plays when we first meet Haruko as her vespa’s engine roars as Naota squints his eyes towards the camera. With the energetic nature of Sawao Yamanaka shouting the English chorus, Haruko dramatically swings into vision and runs Naota over with her vespa. After the deed is done we hear the lyrics:
ESCAPE FROM THE SINKING! DO YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN?
FREEDOM BEAT THE KINGDOM! AND I SAW YOU IN MY DREAM!
Following that chorus the song remains to be an instrumental as opposed to letting the lyrics go, giving us a break as our attention is diverted Haruko’s speech. The song ends before the scene is finished to let the actions sink in.
(3)Stalker-Instrumental
The track “Stalker” was actually used a lot, the rumbling bass line is used to amplify how mysterious and intension Haruko is until the explosion with the electric guitar and drums strike as the scene gets violent. It’s very brief, but since I particularly don’t care for the song, hearing it used in this manner makes me appreciate it and how it is used to set a scene. This song is used in this manner several times throughout the series and I believe it achieves its intended purpose despite it not being my favorite.
(4) Come Down-Instrumental
The song “Come Down” in its instrumental form cements itself as the overall Theme of the manga panel scenes. It is a song that, like “Stalker,” have a brief quiet bass line before quickly springing in volume with the harsh Electric Guitar and Drums. For a scene as spastic as the manga scene, the song blends perfectly with the action of the dialogue and the shaky frame.
(5) Bran-new Lovesong- Instrumental
The one and only time the song “Bran-new Lovesong” is used is when the three acoustic string and three distinct drum stick clacks display the song opening on the scene of Sameji smoking the “Never Knows Best” cigarette and reminiscing about the past.
I believe that the fact that this song was only used once and was used as Sameji narrates in her almost childlike voice the things she love about Tasuku was an expert choice. Forever the song will be known for that scene and the soft, fuzzy guitar vibrating the scene allows you to feel sorry for Sameji for whatever it is she’s going through since the details of her condition are very sparse.
(6) Advice-Instrumental
Almost immediately after the previous song ends, the song “Advice” strikes its electric guitar as Sameji begins to “overflow,” and this song is often used to initiate an action sequence. It’s very brief, but this use of the song is also a special instrumental, it has an almost heavy-metal type of guitar use to it that amplifies the sudden craziness of what just happened. It’s funny in how immediately after hearing a low-tempo song of reminiscence you immediately get thrown into a harsh, fast-paced electric guitar instrumental as a robot suddenly springs from the main-character’s head, almost completely unprovoked.
(7) Sleepy Head- Instrumental
Where Bran-new Lovesong is slow, Advice is fast, Sleepy Head mellows the tempo out to a medium as its bass signifies the ensuing clash between the Red robot Canti and the dismembered robot hand that suddenly spring from Naota’s head.
Like the two songs before them, the instrumental of “Sleepy Head” is very brief and abruptly reaches its end as Haruko enters the scene and puts a stop to the action.
(8) Little Busters
I believe this song, “Little Busters” is used the most out of all songs, and I believe it is used in every episode of season 1. It has a very “onto the next” vibe and signifies the end of the episode. I used to not think much of this song, but when it is used in season 1 it is used very effectively and makes me want to blast it on my own time. I have more to say about this song, but I will specify it in the episode where I believe it has the greatest impact.
ED Theme: “Ride on Shooting Star”
“Ride on Shooting Star” is the Ending Theme of season 1 and it is used for every episode. This song in its lyrics is definitely very FLCL, ironic that I’m using a title as an adjective, but the lyrics are weird and almost song like an esoteric poem rather than a song. The chorus in my opinion is the best, and the Ending Theme is a tie between an AMV of Haruko fooling around on her vespa before she kicks it over after it breaking. The vespa comes to life in anime form before speeding off into a live-action stop-motion scene of a vespa riding down the streets of Japan before circling around a woman and speeding towards the camera and then speeding into the horizon on the final cut.
What I really like is the chorus which translates to:
Ride on shooting star
With the voice of my heart, like a shotgun
I kept on singing
In some way the ending theme encompasses the emotion and imagery of FLCL. With a heart like a shotgun and singing about abstract things like an “orange slide,” a “sponge’s pride,” a “grunge hamster,” a “lobster of revenge.” Yes, these are the lyrics of the song.
