You don't know what Fooly Cooly is? But you're the main character! A FLCL Review/Retrospective

You know certain things are possible when a miniseries discusses its title in detail: it could be really well made, it could be really original, it could be terribly, amazingly, confoundingly, cracked out. All might be true. Especially when no one knows what said title means. And that's not just the characters who are discussing it. The people who made the darn thing don't know what it is they named it.
For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about... I wish I could help you.

But the show is called Fooly Cooly (aka Furi Kuri). It's the story of a twelve year-old boy who lives in a terribly boring town, has to constantly deal with his absent older brother's girlfriend hitting on him, and an older woman living with him and his lechorous father and grandad. Did I mention that she hit him in the head with her Rickenbacker guitar and now his noggin is a transdimensional portal that summons robots to this plane? I didn't? Well... that too, then.
You know, it sounds trippier than licking a toad. And it is. And I mean good toad. But that's not what's truly great about this series. It's good fun, but where this show shines, if you let it, is its characterization. It's true. These people are handled so well and so touchingly that you can't help but smile watching this thing. Yes, the Japanese punk is fantastic and rivals Cowboy Bebop's tunes, the animation is better looking than a pancake breakfast, but the way it's written is beautiful. You fall in love with these people and really see who they truly are. I have fond memories of watching this show and I love it.
Watch it.