FLCL volume 2 - Hajime Ueda and Gainax

 So, after the for me rather disappointing first volume, let's see if this series redeems itself to my personal tastes.

Because if you see who wrote it, one should have high expectations, but I felt a bit unfulfilled by it though.

 

One day, after a run in with the class president, she starts manifesting a robot from her forehead as well.  Thinking she is dreaming, she engages with Naota, who merges with his robot maid in response. They talk it out, and together they run as they see themselves now as outlaws, taking refuge in a hotel near the border.

 

Haruto returns them home where his friend takes refuge, but as they try and settle for something of a life at the moment, Haruto has to report to the Galactic Police, her employers.  In the meantime, his brother's ex, Mamimi, keeps descending further into madness and suspected arsony. 

When a giant robot starts wreaking havoc, the Galactic Police prepare their superweapon.  This weapon would kill everyone though, and Naota tries to prevent this.  He even goes so far as confessing to Haruko he loves her, but she blatantly replies she only means to kill him as he lacks the power she seeks.  Hijacking the robot, he goes into outer space destroying her spaceship, and as he falls back to Earth reaches a state of omnipotence as he sees the truth.

Back on Earth, he is kidnapped, but saved at the last moment by Haruko's superior.  She kisses him after explaining Haruko is on the run from the corps, and leaves him her Vespa, with which he sets off...

 

 Well, I must admit I didn`t really like this series in the end.  The second volume was a bit better to my liking then the first, but the artstyle keeps bothering me to hard to look favorably on this title.  It`ll end up somewhere at the back of the read shelves I`m afraid...