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Title: FLCL Volume 1
Author: Youji Enokido
Illustrators: Kazuya Tsurumaki & Hiroyuki Imaishi
Original concept and project: Gainax
Licensed by: Tokyopop
Price: $9.99

Reviewed by: Matt122004

One of TokyoPop’s newest light novel releases, and by far the most controversial. When I first heard about the FLCL (Fooly Cooly) novels, I thought ‘maybe’. You see, I had seen the anime long before when it first aired on Cartoon Network. I had gotten interested in it, mainly because of its craziness, but I didn’t really understand it, and when I had seen the ending, I didn’t like it at all. However, I thought, maybe it would work as a novel. Needless to say, I decided I would give it a try when it came out in April of 2008. When it did, I was shocked. The light novel was the shortest I have ever seen! In fact, it’s a shorter read then I think even Scrapped Princess was! However, when I looked at the back of the book, I nearly flipped my lid. It was priced at $9.99, and yet was a 80% less in size than The Twelve Kingdom’s which was priced at $7.99, as well as other light novels much larger and priced the same. Obviously, this was an attempt to get the maximum profit from this book, because TokyoPop knew that dedicated FLCL fans would buy it no matter what the price. Personally, I think it’s an outrage.

Now aside from that, what is the story, for those unfamiliar? The story is about Naota, a sixth grader in Japan. He and his brother’s girlfriend, who keeps using him as a substitute boyfriend as his brother is in America, live normal lives. Naota believes the world to be not full of any surprises. However, one day, a crazy woman named Haruko comes speeding at him on a vespa and strikes him in the head with a strange guitar. It appears, his head has become a gateway for robots to emerge out of. Add to the fact that the robots want to fight each other and destroy things, this creates an obvious problem. Just who is this crazy alien vespa riding woman?

Alright, let’s cut to the chase. The book is one word, and that word is, great! The writing style is awesome and captivating and the story moves perfectly. I had low expectations when I saw how thin it was, but it proved me wrong and happily so.

It was a fast read, but yet, it didn’t feel like it. It felt like the first part of a story just beginning, and it left me satisfied at the end, yet still wondering what the next book would hold for the characters.

I have a confession to make, I didn’t buy the book. I read it at the bookstore in a chair. Will I buy it now? No, not yet. I wouldn’t recommend buying it either yet, until the next and last book come out. It’s a three book series, and I don’t want to spend $30 on a light novel, unless it’s pure awesomeness. So if you’re a fan, your going to get it no matter what, but if your like me and interested in a good novel read, wait to buy this later this year when the final book comes out. Then you can read my final review for the entire series, which really equals one single light novel. I just know that with a series so short and quick, and so expensive, I want to make sure the ending is all worth it.

I think this might be the first ever review for this book. So I hope I helped anyone out wondering about this book.

Until book 2, I bid goodbye.

My Grade for This Light Novel: A