History YMMV / FLCL

** Is Kamon an AbusiveParent {{manchild}} or he's an adult that has realized that he doesn't have to pretend a stoic attitude to be one. There's evidence for both suggestions.

** This anime is often universally paired with [[Music/{{Toxicity}} Chop Suey]] by Music/SystemOfADown due to the fact that during the early years of Website/YouTube, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqfH-dhBV4s it was one of the earliest AMVs]] that made fans of the anime and the band.

** Episode 5: Haruko [[spoiler:surfing on (in midair) and using a bass guitar]] to take down a [[spoiler:multi-story five-armed gunman robot that's actually a giant hand (each "arm" is a finger)]] -- while wearing a PlayboyBunny suit. That's not something you see every day, folks.[[note]]Haruko wearing a PlayboyBunny suit during this batshit insane battle is actually a reference to [[Anime/DaiconIIIAndIV one of the opening videos a group of amateur animators made for DAICON in 1982 and 1983 before they later formed Gainax.]] To drive the point home, Haruko even shouts "Daicon!" in that scene.[[/note]]

* TrueArtIsIncomprehensible: Knowing what's going in on this series will probably just ruin it.

* MagnificentBitch: [[BigBad Haruko Haruhara]], real name Haruha Raharu, uses her employment in the Galactic Space Police Brotherhood to covet the N.O. powers of the mighty [[SpacePirates "Pirate King" Atomsk]] for herself. Seeking out the powerful N.O. user Naota Nandaba, Haruko uses him to summon and recruit the Medical Mechanica robot Canti, using his strength to get closer to freeing Atomsk from Medical Mechanica's captivity and subverts the efforts of both the company and government officials seeking to stop her. Leaving Earth after being defeated by Naota powered with Atomsk's strength and professing his love for her, Haruko [[Anime/FLCLProgressiveAndAlternative returns years later]], finding more N.O. users to begin her plans anew. Through a series of manipulations and deals with rivals--including her own split-off personality--Haruko again nearly unites with Atomsk and though initially torn by his repeated rejection, recovers with his comforting before preparing to chase him once more, calmed and enlightened.

** Naota's older brother, Tasuku. Did he only care about being a pro baseball player, sparing not a thought for how his family or home town were doing after he left? Is he a decent guy who just isn't good with people? Did he intentionally jilt Mamimi, or did Mamimi just [[Hopeless Suitor completely overestimate their relationship?]] Or both?

* BizarroEpisode: Episode 3 stands out as a result of being so divorced from the rest of the narrative. The episodes before and after it are largely a linear, if bizarre, narrative focusing on Naoto and Haruko, with the included focus of Canti, Mamimi, and Amarao. Episode 3 however is ADayInTheLimelight for Ninamori, delving more into her background and relationship with Naoto, even revealing she has some level of N.O potential after Naoto crashed into her head. While this would suggest her becoming a more important character, she largely fades into the background in later episodes, becoming just another of Naoto's friend circle, up until the final few minutes of the last episode [[spoiler:hinting that she and Naoto will get together]]. As a result, Episode 3 feels rather odd when connected to the rest of the narrative due to how little it has to do with the greater plot.

** Read more in Fridge, but you can take the plot as how literally comes: A kid meets an alien that wants to use his head that develops an adolescent skin condition that opens a interspacial portal that can bring the power of a space pirate. Or you can look the symbolism as see it as a big allegory to puberty, from meeting a new girl, getting all kinds of horny, quite literally, let your manhood pour out, becoming an adult and what does this means, after all, nothing interesting happens in Mabase.

** Did Haruko and Naota have sex during the whole satellite scene in episode 4? Not only is the whole scene a [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything big innuendo]], but in the next episode, Haruko surely refers it as such. Naota's whole attitude after it doesn't help matters as he becomes more aggressive to Mamimi lashing out at her trying to assert his manhood but is clearly afraid and intimidated by Haruko.

* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: This series is almost completely unknown in Japan, even amongst otaku of the time. American anime fans, however, love it. Creator/AdultSwim pushing it relentlessly didn't hurt matters. Creator/{{Funimation}}'s decision to bring the series back into print was treated as a very big deal. The series' popularity among American fans and the staff at [adult swim] eventually reached the point where, in 2016, it was announced that Cartoon Network would be partnering with Creator/ProductionIG to produce [[Anime/FLCLProgressiveAndAlternative two more seasons]], something which only occurred one other time in the past with ''Anime/TheBigO''.

** Naota's older brother, Tasuku. Is he a giant asshole that cared only about being a pro baseball player and not what damage he caused by leaving? Or is he a decent guy who just isn't good with people? Did he intentionally jilt Mamimi, like a giant asshole? Or did Mamimi just completely overestimate their relationship? Or both?

** Read more in Fridge, but you can take the plot as how literally comes. A kid meets an alien that wants to use his head that develops an adolescent skin condition that opens a interspacial portal where to bring the power of a space pirate. Or you can look the symbolism as see it as a big allegory to puberty, from meeting a new girl, getting all kinds of horny, quite literally, let your manhood pour out, becoming an adult and what does this means, after all, nothing interesting happens in Mabase.

* MemeticMutation: Some people like to joke that Naota managed to do in six episodes what [[Manga/OnePiece Monkey D. Luffy]] couldn't in 900+: Become the Pirate King (or at least gain the power of one).