Darling in the FranXX

[Ryu]

Title: DARLING in the FRANXX (DarliFra)
Japanese: ダーリン・イン・ザ・フランキスXX (ダリフラ)
Airing date: 13/1/2018 (TV series 24 episodes + recap special)
Genres: Action, Science fiction, Mecha, Post-apocalyptic
Original creators: Kentaro Yabuki and Mato (manga)
Directors: Atsushi Nishigori and Toshifumi Akai (assistant)
Written by: Naotaka Hayashi, Masahiko Ōtsuka and Rino Yamazaki
Music by: Asami Tachibana
Character designer and chief animation director: Masayoshi Tanaka
Action animation director: Hiroyuki Imaishi
Art director: Satoru Hirayanagi
Director of photography: Yūya Sakuma
3D directors: Ryūta Undo and Shōgo Tsurii
Sound director: Shōji Hata
Mechanical animation director: Kazuyuki Asaka
Mechanical design by: Shigeto Koyama
Color design by: Kazuko Nakashima
Kyōryū design by: Shōta Iwasaki
Mistilteinn design by: Shōko Nakamura
Art setting by: Yoshinori Shiozawa
Stampede Strelizia setting by: Sushio (ep 1)
Monitor graphics by: Kayoko Zama
Editing by: Akinori Mishima
Animation producer: Yūichi Fukushima
3D producer: Hiroyasu Kobayashi (Studio Khara)
Produced by: Yōsuke Toba, Mikio Uetsuki and Eiichi Kamagata
Studios: Trigger, A-1 Pictures (1st cour) and CloverWorks (2nd)
Network: Tokyo MX, GYT, GTV, BS11, ABC, Mētele, HOME, BSS, BBC, AT-X
Opening theme: "Kiss of Death" by Mika Nakashima
Ending theme: "Torikago (トリ カゴ / Birdcage)" by XX:me (Kiss Me)
2nd ED theme: "Manatsu no Setsuna (真夏のセツナ / Midsummer Moment)" by XX:me (ep 7)
3rd ED theme: "Beautiful World" by XX:me (eps 8-12, 14-15)
4th ED theme: "Hitori (ひとり / Alone)" by XX:me (ep 13)

Main cast: Code (コード) 016 / Hiro (ヒロ) voiced by Yūto Uemura (JP), Matt Shipman (EN), Ami Koshimizu and Mikaela Krantz (young)
Strelizia (ストレリチア) pilot: Code (コード) 002 / Zero Two (ゼロツー) voiced by Haruka Tomatsu (JP) and Tia Ballard (EN)
Delphinium (デルフィニウム) pilots: Code (コード) 015 / Ichigo (イチゴ) voiced by Kana Ichinose (JP) and Brittany Lauda (EN)
Code (コード) 056 / Gorō (ゴロー) voiced by Yūichirō Umehara (JP), Austin Tindle (EN), Natsumi Fujiwara and Morgan Berry (young)
Argentea (アルジェンティア) pilots: Code (コード) 390 / Miku (ミク) voiced by Nanami Yamashita (JP) and Bryn Apprill (EN)

Code (コード) 666 / Zorome (ゾロメ) voiced by Mutsumi Tamura (JP) and Ryan Reynolds (EN)
Genista (ジェニスタ) pilots: Code (コード) 556 / Kokoro (ココロ) voiced by Saori Hayami (JP) and Jeannie Tirado (EN)
Code (コード) 326 / Mitsuru (ミツル) voiced by Aoi Ichikawa (JP) and Bryson Baugus (EN)
Chlorophytum (クロロフィッツ) pilots: Code (コード) 196 / Ikuno (イクノ) voiced by Shizuka Ishigami (JP) and Leah Clark (EN)
Code (コード) 214 / Futoshi (フトシ) voiced by Hiroki Gotō (JP) and Blake Shepard (EN)

Supporting cast: Nana (ナナ) voiced by Marina Inoue (JP) and Michelle Rojas (EN)
Hachi (ハチ) voiced by Katsuyuki Konishi (JP) and Eric Vale (EN)
Dr. Werner Franxx (フランクス博士) voiced by Kenyū Horiuchi (JP) and Kent Williams (EN)
Code (コード) 703 / Naomi (ナオミ) voiced by Ami Koshimizu (JP) and Megan Shipman (EN)

Squad 26 FRANXX pilot: Code 090 (コード090) voiced by Makoto Furukawa (JP) and Josh Grelle (EN)
Strelizia former pilot: Code 081 (コード081) voiced by Takanori Hoshino (JP) and Jeff Johnson (EN)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWhTQ_eF8Z4
Seven Sages (七賢人) / Papa (パパ) voiced by Tesshō Genda, Mitsuo Yokoi, Nobuo Tobita (JP) and Christopher R. Sabat (EN)
9's FRANXX pilot: 9'α / Nine Alpha (ナインアルファ) voiced by Sōma Saitō (JP) and Justin Briner (EN)


Synopsis: The story is set in the distant future. The land is ruined, and humanity establishes the mobile fort city Plantation. Pilots produced inside Plantation live in Mistilteinn, also know as the "birdcage." Children live there knowing nothing of the outside world or the freedom of the sky. Their lives consist of battling to carry out missions. Their enemies are mysterious giant lifeforms known as Kyōryū, and the children pilot robots called Franxx to face off against them. For the children, riding the Franxx proves their existence. A boy named Hiro is called Code:016, and he was once known as a prodigy. However, he has fallen behind, and his existence seems unnecessary. Not piloting a Franxx is the same as ceasing to exist. One day, a mysterious girl known as "Zero Two" appears before him. Two horns grow out of her head.

Darling in the Fran XX? a mecha series... I like the poster. ^_^

i have doubts, after how Trigger's Little witch Academia went downhill on tv

 

[gdpetti]

Darling in the FranXX is some dystopian mecha project... looks typical, but ok so far.... another high school thing, only teaching the kids to be pilots etc... same plotline as usual... I'll wait a few eps to see how it goes.

 

[Ryu]

Darling in the FranXX is some dystopian mecha project... looks typical, but ok so far.... another high school thing, only teaching the kids to be pilots etc... same plotline as usual... I'll wait a few eps to see how it goes.

wasn't sure at first to keep seeing this before i tried ep.2, still not so over-the-top as KillLaKill (same studio) which... 'themes' are living clothes and nudeness while here, kissing and suggestive positions to pilot a mecha if compatible :lol:

 

[gdpetti]

Yea, they are really pushing the sexual aspect of boy/girl needed together to operate these mecha.... which is stupid IMO, but rather basic in most mecha, no? So far only the horned girl is interesting.... I'm hoping it picks up in the next ep or two.... most of these animes are best when watched in more than 1 ep a time.

 

[Ryu]

Yea, they are really pushing the sexual aspect of boy/girl needed together to operate these mecha.... which is stupid IMO, but rather basic in most mecha, no? So far only the horned girl is interesting.... I'm hoping it picks up in the next ep or two....

i think it will in 02xHiro's 3rd ride after ep.5! 2'cours long so he'll survive, what doesn't kill him make them stronger... right? stupid or not that's studio Trigger style after all, still i'm impressed to see its mechas and enemies aren't 3DCG

 

[gdpetti]

Well, these kids being totally ignorant of the outside world or its past... or how previous teams have died off.... though it was hinted early on that if he left, there wasn't much waiting for him... if I remember correctly.
I'm not into the mecha... the sexual jokes etc are getting tired... but the kids being ignorant of most of it, even if natural biologic, is understandable and a common trope from the recent Xmen film Logan to so many others over the decades... and it does have historical accuracy if many ways... just not sexual, that's about the only thing that isn't forgotten... or there is no future generation.. and maybe these kids were test tubed? not sure.... but they are setting up the characters ok... especially the horned girl.... who seems to have much more knowledge due to her many experiences around their world... as a test subject herself.

The show does have a few good points.... but very tropey so far.... I'm always hoping for more.. 2 cours? Hmm.. that explains the pacing and slow exposition release... no dumping here.... but they need more dramat to give it meaning... substance.. or it goes nowhere... they haven't done a very good setup IMO... too much unexplained, and if that stays the same too long, most people would dump it... which I think about every time I watch the last few eps... it's rather common so far.

 

[Ryu]

Well, these kids being totally ignorant of the outside world or its past... or how previous teams have died off.... though it was hinted early on that if he left, there wasn't much waiting for him... if I remember correctly.
I'm not into the mecha... the sexual jokes etc are getting tired... but the kids being ignorant of most of it, even if natural biologic, is understandable and a common trope

despite fanservice fillers is rare to see a coming-to-age mech show, how them All hit puberty and get more depth... even ep.10 that annoying #666 kid is less unidimensional, learning of the 'admirable adult's dystopic city they defend -_-

 

[gdpetti]

Yeah... that kid let the older adult female slip from his memory... we are told in his later narration... but that could be part of his 'programming'? as it seems these kids are test tube subjects engineered for piloting these craft/mecha to protect the adults.. which, if most of them are like this older woman, live in a rather disconnected reality compared to the kids... seems the writing is strongly hinting at some dystopian stuff... the whole emotional aspects are implied to be Dr. FranXX's experiment... which is either to make better soldiers ( a common storyline) or for perhaps some sort of remake of humanity? or both?

There is some interesting stuff here, but it's being dragged out to the point that I'm always wondering whether to drop it or not. Just checked, this anime is original, so no manga or LN basis.... so hard to tell what they are implying or heading to... doesn't seem very mecha actually, which is probably a reason i'm still watching it.... the mecha seems just a tool, like a samurai's sword... not the sole purpose of the storyline... but it seems to imply the kids are seen that way by the adults in those protected cities... or that was my impression by that kids encounter when he stepped out of the norm... the writing needs to pick up pace soon, these little hints need to get bigger to maintain interest. I still find the horned girl/woman the most interesting... and the writing isn't focused on her much at all recently... hints in the past ... she probably knows much more as is hinted when her partner questions her near the end of the last ep.. but she merely tells him not to worry, they'll be together till they die... or something like that.... more hints... from a writing standpoint, this story needs to pick up pace and start connecting those hints.... too much foreshadowing will kill the story sooner or later as their 'enemies, these beasts seem unreal... could be the usual man-made creation of the past etc etc.... but c'mon... connect the dots already, it's a wee bit boring.. it'd be better in a longer setup like a movie, but in this tv format, it's start/stop/start/stop... and this story can't be done this way much longer.. before I give up on it, thinking that the writing will never actually do so... so many of these stories seem to follow this format of trying to 'milk' the story... which makes me think there isn't much there in the end.

 

[Ryu]

Yeah... that kid let the older adult female slip from his memory... we are told in his later narration... but that could be part of his 'programming'?

to even show her face reacting seems they're related, or it was just a motherly feeling if that's why adults wear masks... Frail like the bitter guy starring ep'11 partner swap, because he thinks his Hero (pun intended) 'forgot' promises <_<

 

[gdpetti]

Well, last ep 12... is finally getting into the meat of this story it seems... on the horned girl, her partner, and all the rest.... about time... seems the heart of this story is a dystopian one... but little has been revealed yet... and the kids are all hybrids being trained to fulfill their missions and then apparently disposed of? or most of them die young? earlier our male MC's partner girl was tested out and left... so? The story hinted this ep, from that blond boy on the other team, that all the villages or whatever they call their moving cities/castles? ... all of them are going to some central locale meetup... so a few hints are finally being foretold... the mecha aspect is sideline to the main story, which seems centered on her... even the title sequence shows that.... but only now are they starting to focus on her... it's got another cour to go... original anime I think... 24 eps... they should've foreshadowed more.. the whole flower/male-female shared duty in the mecha seems juvenile, but that is the targeted audience I have to assume... so I'm really only waiting for this reveal on WTF is really going on.... not sure it's worth the wait... but she is the only real interesting character so far... everyone else is support staff IMO... the 'kids' and adults.... Too little has been told on the world setup.... that's a weakness in the script IMO... our horned girl is probably another 'project'... probably told lies about becoming fully 'human', same as the kids haven't been told much of anything... lack of curiousity is showing... programming... does seem Japanese in that aspect, but if that's been your whole conditioning since birth, it's very understandable.... it seems that our team is slowly, in their own way, being pushed to 'wake up'... and what will they find... in the adult world? that previous episode of the kid who left the group in the city seems to point to the kids as tools... expendable ones... and our MC the horned girl seems to know, but the kids on our team are only just starting to ask questions.... the adults say nothing... so the horned girl has to be their way to learn about themselves, their role, the situation etc.... Some of this should've been in the setup in the first few eps... the writing is a little weak.... especially when dealing with a collection of tropes for the most part... only question is whether this anime production has any new angle/twist to put on them.

It's getting better, but so slowly.... that out of body (red) of the horned girl on her partner was interesting... so at least it seems this story is finally going somewhere.

 

[Ryu]

Well, last ep 12... is finally getting into the meat of this story it seems... on the horned girl, her partner, and all the rest.... about time... seems the heart of this story is a dystopian one... but little has been revealed yet...

#13 gets even better revealing its main couple already met as kids, recovering memories like Zero(O)+2(ni)=ogre xD... her picture book and past are alike in a sad, faily·tale way but we'll see if the rest (happy ending?) is yet to be shown

 

[gdpetti]

Yes, just watched it... it's about time they moved the story along.... I thought there was something in this, but the writing focused way too much on setup of the kids in the mecha, the flower sexual aspect... a few laughs.... when, IMO, they should have introduced some of this backstory earlier... at least foreshadowed it more.... too many wasted eps, which I think could be fast forwarded if I was to start it today.. I do that with others that start to bore me... usually, you can tell if there's something embedded in a story or not... This is really showing promise now... finally!

Given this ep 13, I'm interested in how 'human' she seems now in comparison to her childhood state and why the change... is it more of Dr. Franxx's experiments? isn't that what we are led to believe? She is becoming 'human' it seems... and that licking of her knee... the blood transfer could be a reason for some of his DNA change since as well.. perhaps other issues too. Interesting... Finally... I wonder if the committee putting this together focused on the kids in mecha combat to entice more viewers? Use one cliche/trope as a basis to move into other more dystopian ones?... but again, I think the writing could've foreshadowed more along the way..... makes you wonder if they've thought out how they want to end it... 24 ep series... so another 11 to go... I hope the rest of the eps are like this last one... picking up the pace in exposition...

Dr. Franxx is made out to be a rather 'dark' one in this series by this point... barely alluded to in previous eps... oh well.... it's mostly a decision on how to tell the story... I would've gone in a different direction, as I think this approach has most likely turned off most viewers... thinking the show rather bland and stupid... too tropey etc... this underbelly of the character's past and present should've been included in all those previous eps...

But finally... I was really starting to think I misjudged this one... as I am watching three other tropey animes just to see how the stories are finished off... usually I'd drop them and move on... so good experience either way.... and this one is jumping up in the quality ratings fast with the last couple of eps.

 

[Ryu]

Yes, just watched it... it's about time they moved the story along.... I thought there was something in this, but the writing focused way too much on setup of the kids in the mecha, the flower sexual aspect... a few laughs.... when, IMO, they should have introduced some of this backstory earlier... at least foreshadowed it more.... too many wasted eps, which I think could be fast forwarded if I was to start it today.. I do that with others that start to bore me... usually, you can tell if there's something embedded in a story or not... This is really showing promise now... finally!

Given this ep 13, I'm interested in how 'human' she seems now in comparison to her childhood state and why the change... is it more of Dr. Franxx's experiments? isn't that what we are led to believe? She is becoming 'human' it seems... and that licking of her knee... the blood transfer could be a reason for some of his DNA change since as well.. perhaps other issues too. Interesting... Finally...

also I think 02 looks human since his saliva DNA on her wound, or feeling love did the trick? but yes why·halfway... hard to tell at first if a show alike is worth watching, now she left after misunderstandings in ep'14 until next battle :huh:

 

[Kid-Wolf]

Would I be wrong to say this series more or less feels like Evangellion:NTR Edition here? I mean we have the children pilots deal, random adults doing their own thing making sure that things go their way too, but the only difference is here that we don't have the "Get in the damn FranXX, Hiro." just yet I take it.

 

[Ryu]

Would I be wrong to say this series more or less feels like Evangellion:NTR Edition here? I mean we have the children pilots deal, random adults doing their own thing making sure that things go their way too, but the only difference is here that we don't have the "Get in the damn FranXX, Hiro." just yet

Also more fanservice romance so now reunited with 02, right after ep.15 hints klaxosaurs used to be humans we got... Playback special ;( not bad for a recap told by seiyuus, but the manga adaptation from Shonen Jump interests me!^_^

 

[Kid-Wolf]

Yes I remember seeing one page where Zero Two and Ichigo had a rap battle of sorts it would seem. Also, with how things are nearing the end the series seems like it took a turn and went for the first half of Gurren Laggan ending I see.

 

[Ryu]

Yes I remember seeing one page where Zero Two and Ichigo had a rap battle of sorts

I would like to see those fun manga scenes as 0VAs or Specials, now that 02 is happy getting along with them in ep.16... By its cliffhanger looks like '2nd half' climax will be soon, as expected a new ED but similar 0P song (which is cool)b)

 

[Kid-Wolf]

So with episode 16 we now have a normal every day sort of lifestyle for the group it seems. Granted they seem more or less stranded than anything, but from the looks of it they are figuring out that there is more to life than just the FranXX now. Also, it seems that Ichigo and Zero Two are now on good terms as of late along with the others towards Zero Two as well. I take it after her total meltdown and recovery with Hiro she actually mellowed out a lot now.

 

[Ryu]

we now have a normal every day sort of lifestyle for the group it seems. Granted they seem more or less stranded than anything, but from the looks of it they are figuring out that there is more to life than just the FranXX now. Also, it seems that Ichigo and Zero Two are now on good terms as of late along with the others towards Zero Two as well. I take it after her total meltdown and recovery with Hiro she actually mellowed out a lot

also she looks more girlish in ep'17 so he just grew horns too, like the 9s now visiting them this got more serious... especially if finding what KokoroxMitsuru are up to, seems its 'tale' is based on that princess hating human·wannabes

 

[Kid-Wolf]

So in the end they weren't allowed to know that sex makes babies apparently. Also, I think that might of also been the reason why the Doctor had the FranXX setup the way they were just to see if anyone would get it.... maybe. This reminds me of an old quote from an old movie, and it goes, "Life finds a way."