The depressing part is that many people defend FLCL Progressive due to thinking the original is overrated.
I assume these people are young SAO/Naruto fans who are pretty new to anime? Or just contrarians who hate the best stuff because that makes them cooler? "Idiot, Fire wasn't man's most important invention, the button down tweed blazer was man's most important invention by far, now go back to your plebeian life, the adults are talking!"
As things go it is the ONLY feature worthy of really deep examination by high level film students (you know the kind*).
It is the best coming of age piece I have seen.
Spotting the Christ figure is well just a little too easy.
The Vespa represents time (hence it is often doing what time does). Haruko represents hormones. The blue Rickenbacker represents puberty, etc. But the way they put it together and make it work.. immaculate.
*if you do not they are the kind who have been taught to pull everything apart into symbolism and draw new stories, meanings, and statements from things.
Apocalypse Now starts with Martin Sheen laying on the bed but the shot is upside down. This is because Martin Sheen is the Hanged Man. As you all knowing in tarot the The Hanged man represents life in suspension.