How would you rate episode 5 of

FLCL Progressive ?

Well, this is probably going to be divisive. Coming off probably the strongest spectacle showing FLCL Progressive has had in its whole run, Production I.G. outsources another episode to result in a more-surreal-than-usual experience. Whether it's good surrealism or not will largely be up to each viewer, but I don't think it would be out of place to categorize this shift as jarring. With distinctive linework that appears almost unfinished at times, this whole episode comes off even more disconnectedly dream-like than even the dream sequences of previous episodes. In terms of insanely cryptic visual metaphor, this is probably the strongest FLCL Progressive yet, washing over you quickly without lacking for intensity.

That isn't to say that the visuals in this episode are bad by any means. Once you get accustomed to the changeup, there's as much energetic action and visual cleverness here as the best parts of the previous episodes. The dream sequence is a treat as always, pointedly free of dialogue to result in a positively haunting cold open. It's almost enough to make me wish the whole episode looked like this, but that would detract from its unique visual power. Manga mode also returns, albeit in a different form from its infamous usage in the original series. The extremely simple shojo-manga presentation in contrast with the intensity of the memories it represents for Hidomi creates a viscerally unique effect, and of course we can't ignore the final minutes of the episode, which feature an incompletely transformed mecha-Hidomi taking on Haruko in a fluidly animated battle. In terms of its visuals, this is an episode worth talking about, whether you liked it or not.

But how is the content itself? It's almost hard to say at first pass, since the raw unexpectedness of the visuals can be distracting enough that the story might completely pass you by. Once the surprise has abated and you can actually digest what's happening, the show's previously straightforward plot rapidly evolves into an escalating pile of complexities and competing agendas. Large swaths of the script seem devoted to stacking the deck for the series finale, so judging these elements on their own proves difficult.

In broad strokes, it appears that all the various factions in this series are gearing up to fight each other. Medical Mechanica's overturned iron is revealed to be a superweapon of some sort, with the alien-monitoring organization starting their own plan to harvest N.O. from the adolescent feelings of amusement park attendees to power their own counter-weapon. And that flower pot from episode 3 is still important somehow, and it seems like everyone is ready to pop (except maybe the baby bump Haruko's sprouted since absorbing Jinyu).

This is all the sort of insane background noise that FLCL thrives on, with the main question being how our characters will develop through it. After fast-tracking some growth over the past few episodes, Ide seems to properly wrap his arc this week. Compared to how he was at the beginning of the series, it's impressive to see the boy become so proactive in his dealings with Haruko. Her antagonism in this series has become truly unambiguous, with Ide and Hidomi both rejecting her outright. Ide's dismissal of telling her point-blank that she doesn't satisfy him is satisfying itself, and the way Haruko turns that into an attempt to seduce him in front of Hidomi gets the story where it needs to go. A simple misunderstanding isn't my favorite way to kick-start Hidomi's mental overflow, but it's more acceptable in light of what happens afterward.

The idea of Canti's ‘spirit’ leaving his body was floated in the previous episode, and since our favorite robot returns in a form not unlike the Terminal Core dog from the original season, it seems that Hidomi's head-portal activation may have separated Ide's body and soul in the same way. Ide leaving a literally deflated husk behind to float through the atmosphere up to a space station and get absorbed by Canti seems to (somehow) awaken Atomsk by the episode's end, but Hidomi's reaction to all this is what matters most. After seemingly absorbing his essence, Hidomi literally lets go of Ide and triggers her transformation. Minutes later, on the cusp of her fight with Haruko, she's lecturing the tricky teacher over still pining for Atomsk, denouncing her motivation as a girl in love to be ‘stupid’.

Between all that and the remarks made (particularly by Hidomi's mother in the manga flashback) that she is ‘different’ now, this brings up the question of how Hidomi has changed since her reawakening last episode. She's still got the detached disinterest in things like the amusement park, but she's willing to lash out with more palpable emotion at things like her mother closing the cafe or Haruko's selfish motives. Far from the performative energy of her planted personality in the previous episode, these flashes of character from Hidomi seem more genuine (and bring out some new sides of her talented voice actress). Is this a result of her truly ‘letting go’ of Ide and the vulnerability of her crush on him? Her reaction to catching Ide with Haruko would seem to imply that her emotions are still tangled in this regard, but the tragedy that follows could be the extra push she needed to break out of her shell.

That feeling of developments being incomplete is probably the biggest criticism I can make of this episode. As compelling as the musings this episode prompts can be, it's still all just setup to be paid off in next week's finale. The success of this show's final message mostly rests on where the story will ultimately settle Hidomi's character. We could be watching the prelude to a smashing success or the setup for a total misfire. On its own, there are a lot of strong components to this penultimate episode, but the story feels more unfinished than the animation looks at times, complete with cutting to credits more abruptly than necessary. Taken as a ‘Part One’ it gets the job done admirably, but the overall effect may be too jarring to have much impact yet.

Rating: B

FLCL Progressive is currently streaming on Adult Swim.