Fooly Cooly-thon: Reactions to Episode 5

Oh my god. This freaking episode.

I remember it all now. THIS was the very first episode I saw on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim segment.

So, long story short, this is one of the first episode of any anime I ever watched ever and likely to be the VERY first.

And long story even shorter, it did not make a good impression back then.

Let's just see how the rewatch went, da?



Warning to non-actioney people: there are SO many guns in this episode. Like... Oh my goodness. I can't even come up with anything creative and/or partially witty to describe it.

Recommended video mirrors

Sub        Dub

Like I stated earlier, I REALLY did not like this episode when I was younger.

Why exactly? Well, lets put it like this. (Another warning: possible rantish thing ahead. It will end at some point and the review will be positive from then on.)

Back when we were all still watching Cartoon Network on TV (for those that belong to the 90's generation like I do), most of us were used to episodic 12-15 minute episodes (for the most part) that all began with a set up and concluded by the very end or by the next continuation episode.

With all that in mind and after watching the first 5 minutes of the show, I had absolutely no idea what the heck was going on. Setting up or establishing anything is really hard with fast-paced dialogue without subtitles, shifting changes in animation or even when references to everything ever start flying at you with rapid succession.

At least they knew what they were subjecting their audience to

Keep in mind that all of those images literally happen within the first five minutes...

And EVEN with that in mind, this series has a plot line and expects you to know what happened before hand in order to understand what is happening in the next episode.

However with... THAT in mind and after writing reactions and reflections after each episode, aside from all the antics and craziness of the first part of the episode (heck I should even be used to it after watching all of the prior episodes one after another like this) I should be able to safely say that I would understand what was happening within these first five minutes. 

Well, I would tell you that I did but I would not want to be branded a liar within my first few posts on this blog.

Seriously, put on a seatbelt and get a pencil and notepad while watching this introduction you will really need it!

Despite all of the seemingly negative things I am saying though, I can't really be so harsh on it. It actually does need to get the things that need to get across at the beginning and set up some very interesting character elements that change the way the episode is tailored.

For example, we have a "new Takkun" here. After saving the town in the last episode, most of the people close to him begin to praise him. 

... Which is really what I think he wanted in the first place. He wanted several things, but one of them was to become a separate entity from his brother. Rather than be "Tasuku-kun's younger brother", he wanted to be known for something he did. 

Aside from other things, I believe this is one of his issues and he definitely satisfies that desire within this episode.

Naota lets this idea that he is a badass get to his head and he starts getting more and more... cocky with every mention of the deed. You will look back at this blogpost after watching the episode and see exactly why I choose the word cocky and somewhere at sometime, you will have a brain-splosion when you do realize it.

Anyways, it gets to the point where Mamimi even starts to notice and call him cool. We, and Naota alike, all knew how distant she actually was to him up until this episode and, with this moment, he believed that he was actually able to get her to notice him because he grew up into a man by saving the city.

However, she kept on noting that it was not really him speaking but that Haruko changed him. Which, could be partially true.

From episodes prior and even this episode, we can see them... bonding (?) a bit. Maybe even like a brother and sister in some way because it felt like that at moments throughout the series, particularly when she taught him how to use his bat, "aim for the stars" and finally swing. And with these skills, in essence, it really was Haruko who changed him.

Unfortunately, I believe Naota changed in his ideals a bit and took Haruko too lightly throughout the events of the episode seeing her as someone close, like a sibling or possible love interest, while I believe that she is simply using him to reach her own desires.

Honestly, my head is still spinning a bit from the events of the episode so if I continue on like this, it will probably start to make less sense as I elaborate so I think it is about time to move on.

After that... well I would LOVE to tell you about the other events in the episode, they are great and actioney and they reveal a lot about the characters and how they are developing or renaming static. But I just can't bring myself to spoil it for those who are reading this post before watching the episode.

All you have to know is that
 it will go from this

to this relatively quickly.
It is actually quite something

So all in all, after a pretty infuriating introduction to the episode, I still managed to enjoy the episode very much despite the fact that my head is still spinning.

I really hope that they got the last of the crazy out before we move onto the final installment because not only was it a doozy, but the plot REALLY thickens at the very end of this episode with a huge revelation. We will see what becomes of it and if everything will be explained!

... Sounds like a feat of gods and men if any but we will see!

Next time! Final episode! See you all then!

Here have an image from my childhood.
... And I ask myself why I am so strange now why exactly?

-AvatarHippo