Common Name: Flip Flappers
Score: 8/10, 5/5
Length: 13 Episodes
Genre: Psychological, Action, Comedy
WARNING: Be ready for a batshit mind trip.
Summary: All her life, Cocona has been a cautious person, terrified of both change and the unknown. Normalcy is her day to day and it should stay that way. When bubbly and eccentric Papika suddenly enters her life and drags Cocona along for adventures in the world of Pure Illusion that would make any normal person go insane, she suddenly can't tell what she wants out of life. She could live a safe and normal life, ignorant of world opposite her hometown. But maybe sticking with Papika wouldn't be so bad because at least she wouldn't be alone.
Review: For as long as there have been stories to tell, there have been tales of the fantastical and nonsensical sort alike. What's fascinating though is that these tales, regardless of their events, always reveal something about people, their ideals, and even humanity at large. Flip Flappers is a strange and bizzare journey into the mind of our primary protagonist, Cocona, as well as the collective consciousness of the world around her. At least, I think that's what it is. I hesitate in my certainty because this is a weird show.
A really, REALLY weird show.
To be honest, I doubt I could point out the meaning behind every little detail, reference, or even message, but I do get the feeling that I have the gist of it down pat. And feeling is the optimal word here. While I could analyze this show frame by frame like a professional film or art critic, it's not the individual scenes themselves that really matter. Rather, it's the way in which scenes are crafted, flow together, and elicit the emotions that's really worth discussing especially when dealing with a show that's never consistent. Every single episode has a flavor of the day that reflects everything from a specific emotion and how to deal with it to incorporating various trends in anime. Think of a popular genre or your favorite stereotype in the industry, and it'll probably be represented at some point. Creepy school horror? The show's got it. Mech fights? This show's got it. Dating sim elements? Pick a waifu, any husbondo! Magical girl battles filled with people shouting the names of their special moves?
That's this show's idea of normal!
Like I said before: this show is all about one's girls journey of self-discovery and all people are influenced by popular media and the desires of the world around them. The thing is though, at the start of the show Cocona's basically an blank slate--someone who has avoided things that might change who she is and is afraid to ask herself the hard questions. Then in comes Papika, a girl with dreams who doesn't let fear or worries get in the way of the things she wants. In other words, she's the polar opposite of Cocona, and you know what they say about opposites.
They go on really awkward, sexually-charged adventures!
While I say that in jest, it is eventually the course that this show takes, but it doesn't do this fulfill some idiotic fan service quota. Rather, it's presented as more of a natural and inevitable progression. As Papika and Cocona go on their adventures, Cocona slowly begins to grow as a person. She learns what she likes and dislikes and eventually begins to have hopes and dreams of her own. There are moments where she's eager and willing to go along with Papika because there's never a dull moment when Papika's around. More often than not though Cocona does what any rational person would do in her situation--she becomes scared and anxious and paranoid. She lashes out at Papika because their adventures have made her keenly aware of her mortality and knows that her next adventure might just be her last, or worse, Papika's. She looks for reasons to push Papika away by asking questions and questioning her friend's supposedly pure intentions. After all, who would take interest in a shy nobody who doesn't know what she wants out of life? After the fear and the frustration passes though, she always comes to realize that Papika hasn't left her and doesn't plan to anytime soon. From there, the show about Cocona's self-discovery reveals that it's also one about her sexual discovery because these things are naturally related and are absolutely necessary for someone who is still growing and wants to be comfortable with who they are.
That was me gushing about why this show is such a big deal.
Though this show doesn't speak to me on a personal level, I get why it's a story that needs to be told. There are people out in the world who want or at least deserve shows that speak to them and their own life experiences. While it's accurate to call this show and it's events ridiculous or trippy and even insane, I think life itself is like that whenever you try to expand your horizons or find your place in the world. This story takes a concept that could be easily turned into objectifying fan service and instead takes it very seriously. There an honest, if a bit difficult to comprehend at times, depth to this work and I love it because of that. Flip Flappers is a breathe of fresh air and I can hardly express how fun it was for me, and I'm pretty sure I wasn't even the target audience.