Geekly Essential means that something is so good that it deserves to be discussed long after it was released. It may be 10 years old, but it is still worth your time.

“Nothing amazing happens here.”

FLCL (pronounced as Fooly Cooly) is just six episodes. Six wonderful, nostalgia-inducing, nonsensical, crazy episodes. The illustration, done by studio Gainax, is beautiful and varies in style from episode to episode. You may recognize the studio name if you’ve ever seen Gurren Lagann. Every time I watch FLCL, I find an appreciation for a new aspect of the show. Let me tell you why.

FLCL tells two stories concurrently: you’ll quickly pick up on the giant fighting robot and city destruction story, but there’s also a rich coming-of-age tale hidden beneath. Everything is brought about by a new woman in Naota’s life, one who hit him with her Vespa scooter before smashing a Rickenbacker guitar into his head. Since that moment, he has to deal with his feelings for her while trying to hide the horns that sprout from his head. Oh, and the robots that grow out of them.

Over the course of six episodes, we see Naota go from a child trapped within the bounds of his small reality to someone with a greater understanding of the world and the universe beyond it. There’s a lot of change in the other characters as well, and I think that’s why this is a show that can reach a wide group of people. Though every path may be different, each character finds a way to confront the upheaval in his/her life.

For people who haven’t seen the show, keep in mind that a lot of it won’t make sense the first time you watch it. It will still be entertaining, but there’s not a lot of explanation, even when it comes to character names and backgrounds. I put together a little guide below. Be warned: there may be *spoilers.*

“I told you. I don’t like sour stuff”

Naota Nandaba is a 12-year-old living in Mabase with his father and grandfather in the bakery that they own. His older brother, Taskuku, recently left for America to play baseball. Now, he spends his free time with Mamimi Samejima, his brother’s supposed former love interest. His life and outlook begin to change the moment he’s hit by the bike of Haruko Haruhara.

“Well, I like him more than stale bread.”

Mamimi Samejima was rescued from a fire by Naota’s brother when they were in elementary school. Since then she has been infatuated with him and has nickname Naota ‘Takkun’ to remember him. Mamimi is seen as an outcast due to her family’s economic standing, and she often skips school. As Naota begins to drift away from her, she finds herself searching for her own place in the world.

“You are a million years under-evolved, primitive monkey!”

Haruko Haruhara came to Earth in search of Atomsk, the pirate king. She craves his power, but others suggest that she’s also in love. Her plans come together when she meets Naota. She realizes that his N.O., the power to pull objects and energy through space, are her only chance to find Atomsk (cue the horns and giant robots.) That may be the reason she initially takes an interest in Naota, but the relationship develops into something much more substantial.

“They’ll have to learn to ‘think smooth’, I guess”

Medical Mechanica opened a factory in Mabase sometime before the start of the series. Their place in the story isn’t very clear until the end, but think of them as a background antagonist. They have gone around the universe, flattening planets one-by-one, and now their target is Earth. They have also managed to capture Atomsk, which is why Haruko is interested in them, although their plans are of little consequence to her.

“Eyebrows.”

Commander Amarao is the leader of the Bureau of Interstellar Immigration and a serious Haruko-hater. Amarao is the contrast to Naota’s growth into maturity. Despite his stature, he resorts to childish antics to get what he wants. His motivation comes from his desire to stop Medical Mechanica from succeeding while thwarting Haruko’s plans to free Atomsk for her own needs.

“That’s just our TV.”

Canti, or TV-boy, is the first robot to emerge from Naota’s head. He is taken in by Naota’s family as a live-in servant and housekeeper. In times of danger, Naota will merge with him to become incredibly powerful. The symbol that appears on Canti’s monitor is a foreshadowing of the power world-changing events to come.

Whether you’ve never had the chance to see it or you’ve seen it a million times, FLCL is an anime that is always in style. It occupies a special place on my shelf and in my heart.