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These days, even the people who make it struggle to describe it for the uninitiated.
The original is lightning in a bottle.
I would compare it to a Terry Gilliam movie, maybe likeBrazilorTime Banditsor something.
It has that similar madcap energy, says Jason DeMarco, Adult Swims vice-president of anime and action series.
It was literally two studios, Production I.G.
and Gainax, who didnt care about money at all, who were trying to outdo one another.
(which bought out Gainaxs share of the property years ago).
He credits Production I.G.
Emphasis on the mini.
Every season ofFLCLis self-contained, butGrungeandShoegaze, which debuts a new trailer today, differentiate themselves even more so.
Both are three episodes apiece half the length of every previousFLCLseason.
Theyre made in different animation styles by different studios.
And theyre also being released back-to-back, withShoegazes first episode picking up September 30, a week afterGrunges last.
Ideally, if were doing our job, they both still can feel likeFLCL.
I actually dont mind if people compare them.
Youre probably going to like one a lot more than the other.
Or maybe you wont like either one.
Or maybe youll love both.
Anime fans in particular can be pretty narrow-minded about CG, so I was pretty reticent, he says.
Its going to be compared to the original, which is peerless, DeMarco says.
He specifically felt there were things he didnt say inAlternativethat he could say in the sequel.
the franchises pink-haired de facto mascot, Haruko Haruhara.
That was the biggest decision we made, DeMarco says.
I think thats an open question.
Still feels like it to me, but I think its for the viewer to decide.
And all of thatcanwork, as long as the new entries still feel fresh, compelling, and personal.
The spirit of the original was about being adventurous and doing something different, DeMarco says.
Whether or not there are more is probably going to be up to Production I.G.
and how these perform, DeMarco says.
As far as our involvement, weve done everything we wanted to do.
We werent trying to recapture lightning in a bottle.
