FLCL a.k.a Fooly Cooly: Volume 1 on DVD

Get ready for the most stylish, frantic, bizarre and rock 'n' roll-spirited anime ever to hit the screen. FLCL a.k.a Fooly Cooly: Volume 1 will be released on DVD (£15.99) by MVM on 28th April 2008.

Created and directed by Kazuya Tsurumaki (Rebuild of Evangelion), written by Yōji Enokido (Neon Genesis Evangelion) and co-produced by Gainax (Neon Genesis Evangelion) and Production I.G. (Ghost In The Shell; Kill Bill; Dead Leaves), FLCL (aka FOOLY COOLY) begins with the musings of a young boy living in a dull Japanese town where "nothing amazing happens, only the ordinary." At least that is the case until a crazy, Vespa-riding, Rickenbacker bass-wielding young woman hits town and sets this whole eye-searing, ear-blasting rollercoaster on an anime in unstoppable motion.

Twelve-year-old Naota's tranquil if somewhat boring existence essentially revolves around going to school and spending time at home with his lecherous father and grandfather. And things have been worse since his older brother, Tasuku, left to play pro baseball in America causing in his girlfriend, Mamimi, to focus her inappropriate and unwanted attentions on the younger Naota.

But events take an unpredictably dramatic turn with the arrival of Haruhara Haruko, an out-of-this-world girl who literally blasts into Naota's by running him down on her scooter and clobbering him with her guitar. The resulting head injury is not so much a lump as a phallic horn from which robots begin to erupt at the most inopportune moments! As if that wasn't enough, Naota later discovers that his father has employed Haruko as a live-in maid with one of Naota's head-spawned robots as her assistant.

It's not long before Naota discovers the reason for Haruko's earthly visit and, naturally, it's just as bizarre as recent events have led him to expect.

Unlike any other anime you may have seen before, FLCL is virtually impossible to categorize, combining, as it does, elements of comedy, drama, science fiction, romance, philosophy, poetry and numerous knowing reference to contemporary pop culture. At its core, though, FLCL is a mesmerising, radically visualised coming-of-age saga for the 21st century.

Special Features include: director's audio commentary (with English subtitles); The Pillows' "Ride on Shooting Star" music video; character sketches; Japanese promo; Japanese closing; cast profiles; trailers; English and Japanese (with English subtitles) audio options.