"FireStarter" (Japanese ファイスタ Fai Suta) is the second episode of the anime FLCL. // A scene from Cowboy Bebop (1998) Anime ) is the Japanese contraction and pronunciation of the English word animation, most popularly referring (but not limited) to the medium of animation originating in Japan, with distinctive character and background aesthetics that visually set it apart from other forms of animation (e. ... FLCL , pronounced and officially romanized as Fooly Cooly) is a six episode Japanese animation OVA series, the brainchild of director Kazuya Tsurumaki of Gainax and released by Gainax and Production I.G. The series has been broadcast on Cartoon Networks Adult Swim block numerous times. ...

Summary

The Episode starts out with Mamimi playing some handheld videogame about burning stuff to please a dark god Cantide. Mamimi is obsessed with this game, which is probably related to her past, when she burned down her elementary school, which was also when she met Naota's brother, who saved her. Mamimi rescues a small cat that she calls Ta-Kun (also her nickname for Naota).

Canti is now living with Naota, and Kamon is using him to run errands, do work, and all sorts of crap. Haruko, the maid, barely does any maid-like work. During Canti's free time he wanders to the site of the burnt school yard, and is collecting small pieces of the back of his head. Mamimi sees him, and mistakes him for the angel, Cantide (cause he has a little halo thing on, and some small wings). Hence, she names him Canti.

Haruko uses Canti to take x-rays of Naota's head. She reveals that his head is empty, and all that is left is a black hole type thing. Haruko also reveals herself to be a part of some space organization. A new horn is growing in Naota.

Haruko gets on her vespa and drives towards the MM Plant in town. She crashes into it, and is detained by two guards. She makes the comment that the MM plant is not a place where people work, as there are no doors or windows. Naota comes to Haruko, gives her a spare part for her vespa (a small gundam), and they drive home.

Fires have been popping up all over the city, officials suspect it to be arson. Naota and some of his school friends go and visit the site of one of the fires, some boat house. One of the guys (Masashi) talks about how some people say it is UFOs, and how some magazine got a picture of a flying object (Canti). Naota sees Mamimi in the river, she had been bullied by some other kids. Naota leaves his friends and goes to Mamimi. While walking behind her, Mamimi drops the handheld video game, and lights a cigarette. It then clicks in Naota's head that Mamimi is causing the fires, trying to be like the character in the game, trying to win Cantide's affection (Canti). Naota looks up, and Mamimi is gone.

Naota goes to the burnt down school yard and seeing Mamimi sitting in a circle of cigarettes with the Atomsk symbol drawn on the ground (think pentagram or whatever). She is "summoning" Canti/Cantide. Canti happened to be around, and Ta-Kun (the cat) notices him. Mamimi approaches Canti and attempts to kiss him. Naota spazzes, the horn grows, and out emerges the rest of the robot from Episode 1. It begins kicking the crap out of Canti. Mamimi realizes that Canti is not a god, he is not Cantide, he is weak.

The robots fight, and Mamimi is thrown into danger. Naota rushes to save her, and he does, kinda. Canti is laying on top of him, and the other robot is moving in for a big kill. Naota calls out for his brother, and something clicks in Canti. On his screen the sign of Atomsk shows up, and he counters the enemy robot's attack. Then he absorbs Naota. Then he turns red. Then he proceeds to kick the crap out of the other robot, transforming into a gun thing. Haruko comes in to make the finishing move.

Canti expels Naota, and Naota decides that he will stay by Mamimi for as long as it takes, that he will protect her. They leave.

Basically in this episode we find out more about Mamimi. We find out that she is a loner, gets pushed around by her peers, is kinda delusional, and blurs reality. Canti only reaches his prior full potential (as shown in episode 1) when he merges with Atomsk, though some of his strength returns when the Atomsk symbol appears on his TV. I think that this is supposed to show how the power of Atomsk is kinda split between Naota and Canti. When Naota became scared, and called out for his brother, the two aspects of Atomsk probably reacted to each other, and that is what caused the Atomsk symbol to appear on Canti's screen, which saved them from the attack.

Trivia

• References to the Japanese swimsuit magazine Delabe are replaced with references to the American porno magazine Hustler. Also in the same scene reference to a Japanese swimsuit idol were replaced by a reference to Anna Nicole Smith. In the subtitled version the references are "Jugs" and "My favorite pop-idol", respectively.
• At the end of this episode, the next episode preview's narration has been altered. In the Japanese audio there is a musing on why owners should not name their cats because their relationship to them is more primitive, unlike the friendship man has with dogs. In the English version Haruko discusses anime director's love of cats and refers to the anime director Oshii's preference for dogs.
• The viewer can clearly see Naota's blood type on his X-ray: A positive [+]. (2:37)

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