
Commander Amarao
Commander Amarao |
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Kanji | アマラオ・指揮官 |
Rōmaji | Amarao Kanrikan |
Age: | Unknown |
Birthday: | Unknown |
Height: | Unknown |
Voice Actor | |
Japanese | Kouji Ohkura |
English | Dave Mallow |
Commander Amarao (アマラオ・指揮官, Amarao Kanrikan), is a special agent working for the Bureau of Interstellar Immigration, an organization tasked with monitoring and managing extraterrestrial activity on Earth. He serves as a secondary antagonist and a foil to Naota Nandaba in FLCL, representing the consequences of resisting change and clinging to a false sense of maturity. Amarao has a deep connection to Haruko Haruhara and appears to have prior experience dealing with her, warning Naota of the dangers she poses.
Background

Appearance in anime
Amarao was once similar to Naota a young boy who encountered Haruko and became entangled in her unpredictable schemes. However, unlike Naota, Amarao failed to grow past his experiences and instead developed a deep seated fear of Haruko. In an attempt to suppress his emotions and appear mature, he wears thick fake eyebrows, which he believes prevent NO (N.O.) energy from activating in his brain. This detail is both a comedic exaggeration and a metaphor for his emotional repression and fear of change.
As an adult, Amarao now works for the government, attempting to prevent extraterrestrial threats like Medical Mechanica from interfering with Earth. Despite his official position, his motivations are deeply personal, as he seems driven by past regrets rather than a genuine concern for humanity.
Appearance
Amarao is a tall, lanky man with short brown hair and a slightly unshaven face. His defining visual trait is his large, blue fake eyebrows, which contrast heavily with his otherwise unremarkable appearance. These eyebrows symbolize his attempt to maintain control over his emotions and his resistance to the chaotic forces that Haruko represents. His attire consists of a government-issued uniform, reflecting his bureaucratic lifestyle and rigid worldview.
Personality
Amarao is cynical, jaded, and emotionally repressed. He presents himself as knowledgeable and authoritative, but beneath his surface confidence lies deep insecurity and regret. He views Naota as a younger version of himself and tries to warn him about Haruko, believing that she will use and discard him just as she did to him in the past. However, his approach is condescending and hypocritical, as he constantly tells Naota to “grow up” while demonstrating extreme immaturity himself.
Unlike Naota, who eventually embraces change and grows as a person, Amarao remains stuck in the past, unable to let go of his resentment toward Haruko. His failure to move forward in life makes him a cautionary example of what could happen to Naota if he resisted growth.
Role in the Story
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Foil to Naota
Amarao represents what Naota could become if he refuses to embrace change and maturity. He warns Naota against trusting Haruko, claiming that she is only using him for her own selfish goals. However, his attempts to guide Naota often come across as self-serving and bitter rather than genuinely concerned. -
Knowledge of Haruko and Medical Mechanica
As a government agent, Amarao has extensive knowledge about Medical Mechanica, the N.O. Channel, and Haruko’s true nature. He explains to Naota that Haruko is manipulating him in an attempt to summon Atomsk, the most powerful space pirate in the galaxy. However, his warnings are largely ignored, as his credibility is undermined by his obvious personal vendetta against Haruko. -
Confrontation with Haruko
Throughout the series, Amarao tries (and fails) to prevent Haruko from using Naota to activate the N.O. Channel. His attempts to stop her culminate in a final confrontation, where he is ultimately powerless against her influence. His role in the climax highlights his inability to change or take meaningful action, serving as further contrast to Naota’s eventual growth.
Relationships
Haruko Haruhara
Amarao harbors deep resentment toward Haruko, believing that she manipulated and abandoned him in the past. However, his feelings toward her are complicated, as he also seems infatuated with her in a twisted, self-loathing way. He warns Naota against trusting her, though his warnings are tinged with personal bitterness.
Naota Nandaba
Amarao sees himself in Naota and tries to prevent him from making the same mistakes. However, his approach is ineffective, as he talks down to Naota rather than guiding him in a meaningful way. In the end, Naota surpasses him by embracing change and moving forward with his life.
Kitsurubami
Amarao’s subordinate at the Bureau of Interstellar Immigration. She is often exasperated by his childish behavior, particularly his obsession with Haruko and his over-reliance on his fake eyebrows. Kitsurubami serves as a straight-man to Amarao’s comedic paranoia.