Duality in FLCL

[PostRed]

Hi evryone!
I dunno if anyone touched this aspect yet, but imo, there is a clear theme of bipolarity in FLCL, or two parts forming a whole. The whole FL-CL thing to my mind may evolve around this duality - male and female, the ing and yang, and so on.
Generally there are two parts - and these parts are connected and somehow need to be together. When the balance is broken, the parts seek to somehow restore it, because everything needs to be counterweighted and compensated. When this thought came to me, I just started seeing this almost everywhere! It involves characters, objects, symbols, etc.

The title itself - FLCL, consists of two parts - Furi and Curi. This may represent male-female reations, like "Furi" is a male part, and "Kuri" is a female part, or smth like this. This unity may symbolise sex also. Well, every furi needs a kuri, and in characters, it is presented by the following:

- Haruko and Atomsk - this is the main pair here, which stimulates all the action to evolve. In seek of Atomsk Haruko comes to earth, and it spurs the action. Throughout the series she is in search of her missing partner, and leaves after him in the end. Her bracelet shows that there is some kind of a missing second part out there, which she was symbolically linked (or chained) to. All her other connections just serve to that goal.

- Mamimi and Tasuku - once together, this couple is now separated too, leaving Mamimi in a depressed state, and causing her to seek for replacement. And she seeks for it in Naota, in Canti, in the cat Tak-kun, in the core doggy, and maybe even in a firestarter game. However, none of them are enough to substitute him. Her overflow, most probably, is a result of not having a partner, of this great disbalance she cannot deal with.

- Kamon and his wife (Naota's mom) - this couple is separated now, and we don't know exactly why, but we see the consequences of one part being deprived of the other - Kamon is strange, perverted, generally mad and in seek of the replacement, which is Haruko primarily, and whom he fails to satisfy because of his weakness.

- Naota and Mamimi. This combination forms as Mamimi tries to find someone to come back to harmony, but Naota is not old enough, and generally unwilling to accept this relations.

- Mamimi and Takkun cat - another replacement which didnt work out.

- Ninamori and Naota - this girl is what turns out to be Naota's "kuri", showing real interest for him, and even demonstrating the same N.O. potential. In the end, to my mind, it is shown that most probably they get to be together somehow (this is just my guess).

- Haruko and Canti - This relationship is not so clearly obvious, but it all goes on latently with symbols like wings - Canti wears black ones, while Haruko is shown wearing white ones - like angel-devil duality (again, just a far guess).

- Bass guitar and electric guitar - Haruko's bass guitar as an object involed in action also needs its second half, which is the electric guitar taken out of Naota's head. It is symbolical, as a bass guitar is clearly not enough to play any music, and a single electric guitar needs this backgroung sound a bass guitar can provide. Together, Naota and Haruko manage to fight the Baseball with these two. Later, two guitars merge together, partly showing the atomsk powers, and partly referring to this duality again.

- The cat Tak-kun and another cat - again, it is shown that eventually everyone will find his second half. Mamimi has to let go of a cat when this happens.

- Left and right side of the brain - duality again, when both sides form a portal for robot transportation.
+ Left and right-handed people. Kamon, Tasuku and Haruko are left-handed, while Naota, Mamimi and Ninamori are right-handed ones. I don't know if this matters really, but it would be nice if it did. And here is also important to remember that left-handed people are controlled by the right side of the brain, and vice versa.

- The medical mechanica plant (an iron), and a hand to hold it - they almost get together in the end, and it is also very symbolic.

Thats all i can think off-hand. This theory has its defects, and it is only a narrow viewpoint, but some things get more interesting though. What you think?

[Psychonaut]

I kinda touched this... i just didn't have a term for it, lol

check out the "relationships in flcl" or something, it's kinda like that.

I didn't think to think that that stuff was really that way... but it is, if it makes sense, which it does.

awesome find, yo. stick around, plz?

[PostRed]

Thanks!
Generally, i think seeking for completeness of meaning is useless, as there are a lot of different subtleties, hidden meanings,often unconnected.
Some of them are probably put there as a joke, or even without clear meaning (if you watched 12oz Mouse - you know what i mean):))

[PostRed]

Plus: Cats and People, all along the story this kind of relations goes on and on. People need cats, though cats are independent and dont follow man's orders. Cats images are in every episode, i think, and it is either just usual japanese obsession, or a message..dunno

[scoobyroo9001]

Excellent post, I think that's a very interesting take on the show, and it makes a whole lot of sense. I would agree with everything u said, except i tend to take a different understanding of Kamon's role in the story. See my post in the thread "Kamon's Role in Deeper Meanings of FLCL" for a better understanding of my thoughts on him.

If, I may piggy back off your idea. In the context of duality I would look and the relationship between Kamon and his Wife thusly. I would say that in her He found his other half, or the missing part of himself, and he would do the same for her. However, for some unknown reason she isn't around anymore during the time frame of the show. Either she died, left or something, but she is no longer in the picture. I would say that because Kamon still manages to be a functioning adult, the idea that was being portrayed was that even if one's other half leaves, if it is not your fault, then just having known that half and been with them is enough. Even though she is gone, he still manages and can continue with his life and seek playful companionship with Haruko, but I don't think he thinks that she could be a replacement for his wife.

[PostRed]

Whell, probably youre right, but: wasnt it kamon who was dreaming of a new young wife in that manga episode and fighting with naota for haruko? I dont say that his only purpose was to find a replacement, and, of course, he still continues to live and all after his wife was gone - thats all the point. People get separated, and when it happens, they feel something's missing - isnt it natural?