{"id":2423,"date":"2020-05-04T22:00:28","date_gmt":"2020-05-04T13:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/biggestinjapan.com\/?p=2423"},"modified":"2020-05-04T11:24:42","modified_gmt":"2020-05-04T02:24:42","slug":"flip-flappers-is-a-magical-girl-anime-on-acid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/biggestinjapan.com\/index.php\/2020\/05\/04\/flip-flappers-is-a-magical-girl-anime-on-acid\/","title":{"rendered":"Flip Flappers<\/i> is a Magical Girl Anime on Acid"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cocona is your relatively average middle school girl. She works hard in class, has a best friend, and lives with her elderly grandmother. Then, one day, she meets Papika–a girl on a hoverboard escaping from a science lab outside of town–and is promptly pulled into the surreal worlds of Pure Illusion. Before long, Cocona and Papika are full blown magical girls, going from one acid trip of a world to the next in a race to gather special magical stones before an evil cult and their own set of magical girls do.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Note: This review contains major spoilers for <\/b>Flip Flappers<\/i><\/b>.<\/b><\/p>\n

\"\"Image source: TV\u30a2\u30cb\u30e1\u300c\u30d5\u30ea\u30c3\u30d7\u30d5\u30e9\u30c3\u30d1\u30fc\u30ba\u300d\u516c\u5f0f<\/a> on Twitter<\/em><\/p>\n

Honestly, the surface level plot is the weakest aspect of the series–not because of what it shows but because of what it doesn\u2019t. Many episodes start in media res and never really explain how we got there. Instead, we just have to accept that Cocona and Papika are in the middle of some personal drama despite everything being fine at the end of the previous episode. It literally feels like whole episodes are missing.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is a problem the series as a whole shares as well. While we know the state of things in both the past and present, we never learn how the transition between the two occurred. How did young Cocona and Papika get out of Pure Illusion–and why didn\u2019t they remember each other? How did the lab turn into a cult? How did Dr. Salt start his own rival organization? How did Dr. Salt gather all his allies–and while we\u2019re at it, what are their back stories? Who is the brain inside TT-392? How was Mimi separated into the various magical stones?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Image source:\u00a0TV\u30a2\u30cb\u30e1\u300c\u30d5\u30ea\u30c3\u30d7\u30d5\u30e9\u30c3\u30d1\u30fc\u30ba\u300d\u516c\u5f0f<\/a>\u00a0on Twitter<\/em><\/p>\n

These are just a few of the vital questions the anime never bothers to answer. While annoying to say the least, it is somewhat forgivable because creating a complete plot isn\u2019t the goal of the show–it\u2019s merely the framework for creating a stunning visual experience and exploring the anime\u2019s main theme.<\/span><\/p>\n

Flip Flappers<\/span><\/i> is first and foremost a visual spectacle. Each new world is an acid trip of bright colors and mind-bending surrealist fantasy. Most are more than a little familiar. One world might as well be called Wonderland while the next draws its inspiration from <\/span>Mad Max<\/span><\/i>. Another world is a forbidden-lesbian-love-story-turned-horror-tale and yet another is centered around giant mecha battles. Each world has its unique visual style and more than a few will make your eyes bleed-especially when it comes to the action scenes.<\/span><\/p>\n