FLCL Naota Dissertation

each episode of FLCL (the first show) encapsulates a specific part of the process of maturing that Naota has to grapple with, each literally manifesting in the protrusions from his head. These all work into the broader story and how he interacts with people, but I’m more focusing on his exclusive development:

1. Truth - Naota has to tell the truth about Tasuko to Mamimi, something that he’s seen dealing with when Canti’s finger starts sticking out. It finally emerges when he tells Mamimi what’s going on.

2. Selflessness - Naota has to stand up for someone other than himself - Mamimi - and show that he has the capacity to support other people. This manifests in a full Hand-robot thing coming out, where he has to finally accept his ability to be more than a single person by literally fusing with Canti to become a catalyst for Atomsk

3. Embarrassment (this is the most obvious one) Naota has to learn to accept that sometimes shit is out of his control, and that he can’t drag other people through the mud to save his own image. This manifests first in the cat ears, which start to mimic in Ninamori which is going through a lot of the same struggle insofar as her *self* image is out of her control due to her parents’ scandal. This finally manifests in Naota passing the ears onto Ninamori who then goes apeshit and only ends up getting beaten from Naota’s boxed lunch, something he initially was deeply embarrassed by.

4. Action/Inaction - Another really obvious one - Naota has to discover and come to terms with the fact that he can’t be a bystander in his own life, he has to act to see change. I feel like I don’t have to talk too much about this one because it’s pretty much just the text of the show instead of being subtextual.

5. Toxicity/Masculinity (trust me here for a sec this one might be a jump) - Naota has to grapple with the expectations that have been pushed on him by the outside world - his dad is a weird pervert which he’s seen and is aware of, but it ends up rubbing off in a way when the Gun forces him to act in kissing Haruko, his brother was someone who dated and (implied) showed off to Mamimi by taking her out places, which is ultimately what he tries - and fails - to replicate. He tries desperately to tap into the masculine sort of rage and righteousness that heroes in media portray by summoning Canti and yelling at Mamimi, but this only arrests him of any sort of Autonomy as Atomsk literally disposes of him and ends up saving the day despite his failure. His acted masculinity ultimately robs him of himself, which is where the episode ends.

6. Honesty in Emotion - Another sorta obvious one, most of this episode feels like it’s Naota wrapping up his interpersonal arcs and relationships by being honest. He has wrought this destruction, this fate, upon himself and the people that he knows. This finally manifests in him being the key to Medical Mechanica’s plan - his inability to be honest is what will/would ultimately destroy the planet, but it doesn’t. He becomes totally honest and grabs the reins of his fate, instead choosing to act for himself and be totally, completely honest. He *is* selfish, he *is* just a kid who’s growing up, and he doesn’t have to pretend to be anything else. This is what finally gives him the upper hand in the fight with Haruko, who has been using and abusing his self image to get what she wants. Finally, he admits that he loves her in a pure hearted childish way, gives her a fleeting kiss and lets everything come crumbling down because it doesn’t matter to him anymore. Power isn’t important, Haruko ultimately wasn’t what he truly wanted, he just wanted something interesting, and he found that he had the power to be that interesting thing.