Karhu

For the better half of my life, I have been looking for an anime series where bunch of kids --who don't know what sexual intercourse is-- fight against tensai super robot power rangers inside settings which has plot for 6 episodes, but still lasts for 24: Filling the remaining air time with b-grade melodramatic past stories, and current time with slice of life soap opera which looks like the anime version of Jersey Shore. For such a specific request to be filled, I had almost lost all hope. Then my boy Trigger arrived to town and not only did this exact thing, but filled theseries with epic symbolism. Basically, whenever anything happens, it is a sexual innuendo about relationships, hugging, kissing and dicks. Really, thanks. The actual story centers around our ten kids who are trying to find their soulmate/significant other/person with whom they share the best body compatibility with. They do this by piloting mecha in the pairs of two and fighting against these things called Klaxowhatever. Klaxosaur, just like everything and anything else, is a reference. If you remove xo from the name, you get the combination of klasa and ur, klasa standing for "class" in polish - and xo obviously meaning hugs and kisses - giving us klaxosaur as: "U R hugs and kisses class." Same thing can be said about the actual title of this series. Darling in the FranXX basically standing for Darling in the Fran hugs hugs. The whole "two parties fight against each others until one collapses" is initially just a debate over should you remain loyal to your significant other and are hugs truly enough. The robots think it is not enough, and the whole series is basically our characters realizing the same little by little. This is, indeed, the plot of this series. Pretty cool, huh. There are in total of ten main characters here (in case you forgot what you read 17 seconds ago). By 10 main characters, I mean we have 3 actual characters and the remaining 7 are filler people. The characters are just great. Oni girl is basically a whore who is looking for her prince charming. I musn't runway guy does the opposite his name suggests. And the third wheel dude and the most potential prince charming... exists. I call this trio The Cuck Squad, by the way. Rest of the "characters" are so much filler I believe the thought process behind creating them was something like: "Hmmm. we need more people here. Let's see........ One fat guy? Yes, one fat guy coming in.......... girl who wears glasses? ...... Oh yes, f**k yes." The production is based Trigger. Not exactly as ADHD as Kill la Kill nor a masterpiece from every aspect like Inferno Cop, but at least doesn't ruin the series like they did with Uchuu Patrol Luluko and Ninja Slayer. The OST could use some Tomatodermewhatever they called the band in KlK, and some tedious German language vocals would be great addition to put in the mix, but otherwise I was pleased to get a confirmation that every Trigger anime from now on will be the exact same thing production wise as all the rest have been. When it comes to enjoyment, my expectations were very mixed. I heard so much praise and flaming, and after watching it, I have to conclude that this series can be liked and disliked for infinite different reasons. In one way, the series is a clusterfuck, the seasonal shitstorm, the trainwreck and sum of all wagons. This obviously makes it an obligatory watch for every critic so they can hit it with 1/10 and call the worst thing ever because once again you can criticize FranXX for thousand and one things. On the other hand, Darling is often so ridiculous that it can offer enormous entertainment value with ironic viewing. All you need is a sense of humor and some chill. The drama, the cute and comfy stuff and the happy moments will serve those are ready to take them for what they are. As a final verdict: Critics and the likes can write thousand pages long analysis of all the things that are wrong in this one, people with sense of humor laugh their asses off, and people who approach it with more "casual" and open mindset will enjoy this show for what it is. This series has something for each and everyone. If a series like that is not a masterpiece, then I do not know what is. 10/10.

Shingster

Please note this review is intended for those that have finished watching Darling in the Franxx and while care has been taken to minimise spoilers there may still be spoilers within character analysis. You have been warned. As ever this review is based on my own impressions and thoughts upon the anime. A coming of age story where 10 teenagers fight to both protect their homes and their bonds of friendship and comradeship as they fight in a war where the truth may not be what it seems. Based off an original idea and concept Darling in the Franxx is a science fiction, mechaand romantic genre anime that also features elements of drama within it. Taking place in a futuristic setting that’s rarely seen within animes Darling in the Franxx gives us the opportunity to see the kind of life that the members of squad 13 a squad of teenage pilot’s experience as they become the newest defenders of their plantation and the kind of problems both personal and professional that they encounter as they enter a world that is fraught with danger where the threat to them and to the human race is not always what it seems. The first episode of the series made a pretty good impression on me and did a great job of hooking me as I become curious not just on the setting but also on the relationship that is forged between Zero Two and Hiro as well as how the squad would change as they enter the life that they had been training so hard to prepare for. Looking back, I'm glad that I decided to stick with the series right to the end as it was a series that I really enjoyed watching. Taking place in a futuristic setting where the planet Earth has been devastated by humanity’s relentless mining of the planets key resource of magma humanity has now been reduced to a mere handful whose remnants are forced to live in large mobile fortress cities called plantations. Within these plantations while the adults live in the cities within specially trained and created children called parasites are raised and housed together in isolated home areas where they learn to bond and befriend their fellow parasites and learn the finer points of achieving their dream of becoming a part of the plantations defence force as a pilot that pilots one of the plantations valuable mecha the franxx. The bonds and friendships that are forged between the parasites, however, are more than one can expect them to be however as they are something that is vital for the operation of the franxx and to the life that all children within the plantations hope to achieve with their lives. Each franxx is piloted by a paring of parasites that consist of a female parasite a pistil and male parasite a stamen where alongside their mastery of the franxx’s controls they also have one more weapon in their arsenal which is the shared bond with one another that allows the two to synchronise their thoughts and feelings and use this bond as a weapon in the war against the Klaxosaurs a hostile alien race that seems bent on humanity’s destruction. The overall story follows the character of Hiro also known as code 016 and the members of squad 13 a squad of parasites that had been created and housed in their home of plantation 13 as they train and prepare themselves for their eventual task of taking up the duty of becoming a franxx pilot and a defender of their plantation as they join the war effort against the humanity’s enemy the monstrous and horrifying Klaxosaur species. As the time draws near and the members of squad 13 begin to work even harder to become ready Hiro encounters a slump that causes him to lose hope and strain his relationship with the members of his squad. But in his moment of despair, Hiro encounters Zero Two a half human and half Klax pilot and a member of APE’s elite Nine’s spec ops unit. Though a girl of ill repute and possessing a sinister reputation and nickname of partner killer Hiro and Zero Two soon forged a bond after an attack on the plantation forced them to fight together to repel it. A bond that will be tested as Hiro, Zero and the members of squad 13 after graduation must come to terms with as they witness the brutal nature of fighting against the klax on the frontlines while at the same time reminding them that they need to get stronger and forge stronger bonds and friendships with one other if they want to protect their friends and home. But as the war continues and the squad and their allies are confronted with sinister revelations the reasons for the war and the true aims of APE and their leader Papa become more clouded but one things for certain. The bonds of friendship, understanding, and romance that has been forged between Hiro, Zero and the members of squad 13 are not an illusion and even when pressed to the limit they will use these strong bonds to protect each other, their home and their fellow parasites and allies from all dangers whether from within or without. Joining Hiro and Zero Two in this endeavour are a host of allies that include the members of his fellow parasites in squad 13 which includes the Kind and level-headed Ichigo, the loyal and calm Goro, the perceptive and intelligent Kokoro, the proud but surprisingly stubborn Miku, the overconfident but surprisingly understanding Zorome, the calm and logical Ikuno , the arrogant but surprisingly fragile Mitsuru and the squads mentor and guardian the kind and caring Nana who wrestles daily with her duty to her superiors and her duty to the children. Together Hiro and his friends and allies would fight to protect their friends, allies and their home from all enemies and in the process grow not just as franxx pilots but also as human beings as they learn to forge a life for themselves and for the first time in their lives control their own destiny. Hiro Hiro played by veteran voice actor Yuuto Uemura of Bungou Stray Dogs fame is one of the main characters of the series and is the main protagonist of the series. At the beginning of the series, Hiro is a trainee parasite that along with the members of squad 13 are preparing for their accent to full parasite status. At the beginning of the series, Hiro was a quiet and composed person that seemingly preferred to remain apart from his fellow squad members. He was also noted to be of low self-esteem due to the fact that unlike the rest of his squad his abilities to syn with his assigned partner and thus be able to pilot a franxx had seemingly vanished from his body. This shock of losing his much-prized ability as well as being labelled as the failed prodigy by others caused Hiro to go into a state of depression as too him being to unable to pilot a franxx means that he’s little more than useless baggage to not just the squad but also to the plantation. However, this feeling of depression within Hiro gradually disappears after he encounters a strange human girl that had horns during one of his many walks in the nearby park an encounter that provided the perfect catalyst to awaken Hiro from the doubts and depression that had been making his life difficult. After meeting Zero Two and successfully becoming her partner Hiro’s personality gradually begins to change as a result of not just meeting Zero Two but also fulfilling his own dream of becoming a franxx pilot. While still quiet and composed it can be seen that after his awakening Hiro has become more confident and determined and willing to help his squad mates when needed. While not shown often in his initial self but more so in his awakened self, it can be seen that Hiro is an intelligent, kind and calm person that prefers to be logical and think things through before committing to them. However, despite his composed nature, it can be seen that Hiro can also lose it pretty easily especially when confronted with unexpected situations. As a result of his new-found confidence and his willingness to help his friends Hiro rather than stay apart from his friends instead starts bonding with them and expresses regret that his past actions have worried them greatly. A key aspect of this process was the development within Hiro of a desire to forgive his friends for the many comments and doubts that they had subjected him to an aspect that I felt matched this development nicely. At the beginning of the series, Hiro was noted to be a firm believer in the belief that a parasite that cannot pilot a franxx was nothing more than trash for the plantation which was a key reason for Hiro’s depression at the beginning of the series. However, as the series goes on and Hiro and his squad mates forge stronger bonds of friendship as they fight alongside each other this belief of Hiro gradually changes and is replaced by a desire to value his friends and the bonds that exist between them more. This is shown in Hiro’s gradual realisation that there is more to a parasite’s life than piloting a franxx and that having fun with friends, learning about them and spending time with them to overcome problems together is also part of a parasites life as well a development that I felt shows just how much Hiro’s personality has changed since his awakening. As a result of this while still retaining his core desire to protect the plantation as a franxx pilot Hiro also developed a desire to fight to live and have fun with his friends rather than simply fight because he had to as part of his duty as a franxx pilot. While Hiro’s desire to have fun with his friends and enjoy life by being with them were important another change that emerged within Hiro was a desire to find the truth that within the series was paired with the desire to be independent and be able to pursue their own destiny. This change can be said to be a development borne from Hiro’s new-found bonds with his friends and his desire to preserve them in the face of increasingly risky missions that were ordered by his superiors. This development I felt was surprising and was another indication of just how much Hiro has changed as a person and character. The character of Hiro I felt was an interesting character that was both well designed and developed as the series went on. The change from a depressive and quiet person who ignored all of his friends attempts to help him to someone that was both willing to help others solve their problems as well as forgive those that had no faith in him I felt was a great development of his character when combined with his new-found outlook on what a life should be. I felt that his voice actor Yuuto Uemura did an excellent job of portraying the character of Hiro. Zero Two Zero Two voiced by veteran seiyuu singer Haruka Tomatsu of SAO and Anohana fame is one of the main characters of the series and is the main heroine of the series. A klax human hybrid that was specially created by the members of APE Zero Two outwardly had the appearance of a beautiful young girl with long pink hair and a peculiar headband that had horns on it and if one did not look closely most people would believe that she was human. At the beginning of the series, Zero Two was someone that behaved very similarly to a girl of her age being positive, innocent and playful while also possessing a strong sense of confidence and a certain streak of independence that quickly got her labelled as a problem child by her minders. While seemingly someone that preferred to act in the moment it can be seen that Zero Two was also someone that was perceptive and understanding at times which I felt was a nice contrast to her childish and wilful nature. Despite her seemingly stand-off nature Zero Two was someone that can be surprisingly kind to people that she respects and even willing to break the rules to aid them if it means that she can help them. At the beginning of the series largely due to her experiences with her watchers Zero Two had a very poor impression of humans and of life in general and as a result, she had a very low opinion of her fellow franxx pilots as well as that of the civilians that lived within the plantations. Combined with Zero Two’s sensitivity to comments and ill-will being displayed towards her this had the effect of making it very difficult for others to get to know her causing them to distrust or even fear her and thus creating even more distance between Zero Two and her teammates and allies. This relationship with her fellow teammates and allies remained unchanged until Zero encounters a young boy her age that drew her interest in him because he was able to do something that very few Stamen could manage which was to ride with her and survive. After meeting Hiro and forging a bond with him as her new partner Zero Two’s personality gradually starts to change as for the first time in her life she has found someone that treats her with genuine kindness. Though still guarded to a degree it can be seen that after meeting Hiro and forging a deep bond with him that for the first time in Zero Two’s life she is happy as she is able to show her affections for Hiro who she sees as her darling openly without needing to hide it from her watchers. Indeed, it can be said that her affection for Hiro is strong enough that no matter who tries to stand in her way she will still persevere in treating Hiro as such. However, despite the happiness that Zero Two felt at this point as the series goes on it can be seen that beneath the surface Zero Two also struggles with the unique curse that exists within her a curse that has the effect of creating sudden mood swings within her that if left unchecked would cause her to display anger towards not her beloved but also to her allies as well. During this phase of her development as a result of giving in to the anger that she feels towards her creators and the life that they have given her Zero Two suppresses the feelings of love that she feels towards Hiro and replaces it with a desire to get stronger by fighting harder on the field and thus increasing the strain placed on her partner all in a desire to achieve her dream. After being snapped out of this reckless action however and after seeing what this has wrought upon her beloved it can be seen that Zero Two displays immense regret at her actions regrets that later served as the catalyst to forge an even stronger bond with her beloved darling and one that finally gave a sense of security for the worries and fears that Zero Two had within her. After this and as a result of the change that was imparted within Zero Two by the stronger bonds that had been forged between the two Zero Two’s personality changes into her final form. Unlike her past self in which Zero Two showed nothing but disdain towards her fellow squad mates and cared little about friendships and bonds in this form Zero Two can be seen to have finally realised the importance of friendships and bonds and as a result becomes not just friendlier but also more willing to help them solve problems that are bothering them. At the same time Zero Two also becomes somewhat more rule-bound which when compared to how wild and unpredictable her personality was in the past I felt was a great change. Arguably one of the most important developments of this new change was the realization that her constant desire to become more human in the past was misguided and that being a human is not about transforming yourself to match them physically but rather its about living your life like them by forging friendships, finding love and enjoying the time that you spend with your friends as you walk the road that is called life. As a result of this new understanding Zero Two rather than having a bleak outlook of what her life and her future would be like instead see’s both in a new light one that is filled with both hope and wishes. The character of Zero Two I felt was an interesting character that was both well designed and developed. The development of her character from a mysterious, innocent but anti-social girl to one that was both friendly and understanding of others and yet playful and hopeful towards the future as a result of her new-found bonds I felt was really well done. The core concept and main focus for Zero Two which was her determined attempts to become human I felt was one that matched her character and personality perfectly and I felt that her struggles to achieve that goal was shown really well within the series. More than ever I was really glad that Zero Two was able to come to the realization that at the end of the day it’s the bonds with your friends and how you live your life that defines whether you are human or not and not physical appearance. I felt that her seiyuu Haruka Tomatsu really did an excellent job at portraying the character of Zero Two. Ichigo Ichigo voiced by new seiyuu Kana Ichinose in her first main role to date is one of the main characters of the series and is a member of the series main squad s13. A teenage girl that ’s the same age as Hiro and the members of her class squad and its commander Ichigo is a kind, caring and cheerful person by nature that approaches each situation with calmness and logic. A perceptive and understanding person by nature Ichigo is someone that can be said to be the very ideal image of a leader as in addition to possessing the after-mentioned personality traits Ichigo is also someone that’s responsible and always working to ensure that her squad mates and friends are fulfilling their duties as parasites to the city and that their actions are not causing trouble for their superiors. While this sense of responsibility was seen to cause tension between Ichigo and the more independent-minded members of her squad such as Miku and her partner Zorome it can be seen that Ichigo is someone that cares deeply about the unity of the squad and as a result dislikes it when this sense of balance within the squad is disrupted such as when Zero Two was inserted into her squad. While for the most part Ichigo is a serious-minded person that works hard to ensure the squad remains united and functional it can be seen that Ichigo also has a more childish and innocent side to her that is more prevalent when she’s interacting with her fellow squad mate and friend Hiro that was borne out of the happy childhood that both shared when they were children. This contrast with her serious-minded self I thought was pretty cute. From the beginning of the series it can be seen that Ichigo’s job of being the leader of the squad was a hard one and was a constant uphill battle as she had to deal with the many personalities that existed within the squad chiefly the independent personalities that Zorome and Miku had which caused them to dislike her as they saw her as too bossy and controlling. At the same time, Ichigo was also constrained by her own feelings towards Hiro which often clouded her judgement and kept her from seeing the larger picture and goals of a mission. Judgement flaws that led to a precarious situation that almost proved the end for the squad. As the series goes, however, Ichigo’s personality and character begins to change as a result of not just dangerous missions but also of the increasingly brutal nature of the war that she and the squad bore witness to as it progressed. As a result of the guilt that she felt at freezing at a critical moment Ichigo becomes more determined vowing to become stronger so that she can protect her squad mates better and not rely on others to help her in a job that she was supposed to excel at. This strong desire to improve herself and not only to rely on others but also protect them soon bore fruit as the battles within the war turned even more brutal. In the past Ichigo while an efficient battle leader was someone that can be seen to rely too much on instructions from command and often let that dictate her actions on the field. At the same time, her cautious nature and her care for the members of the squad while welcome also hindered her as it made her rather inflexible on the field and not willing to trust her squad members for more serious objectives. As part of the lessons that she learned from the mine mission Ichigo becomes not just braver and more determined in battle but also more flexible with her thinking and developing the ability to make rational decisions in the midst of combat which is shown in the later battles within the series where she’s able to react to new situations and come up with new tactics to deal with new developments on the field without having to consult higher command. At the same time while not completely letting the members of her squad perform their own actions on the field Ichigo also becomes more mindful of her own performance as a franxx pilot and instead of worrying about the antics that the squad gets involved in instead makes the decision to care less about their antics and trusting them to make responsible decisions on their own initiative. This development is a good indication of the lessons that Ichigo has managed to learn as a result of the often-strained relations that she has with her squad mates and also from her interactions with Zero Two. The character of Ichigo I felt was an interesting character that was both well designed and developed as the series went on. The evolution of Ichigo from an overly cautious, inflexible and somewhat controlling person to one that was more open-minded, trusting and more flexible in both her actions on the field as a battle leader and her interactions with her fellow squad mates and fellow parasites I felt was well done and ensured that among the cast Ichigo alongside Zero Two and Hiro remains one of my favourite characters within the series. I felt that her seiyuu Kana Ichinose really did an excellent job in portraying the character of Ichigo and given her performance I feel that her performance has already been noted by many of her seniors within the industry. Goro Goro voiced by veteran voice actor Yuuichirou Umehara of Amanchu and Juni Taisen fame is one of the main characters of the series and is a member of the series main squad s13. A teenage male that’s the same age as the other members of the squad Goro on first appearance can be seen to have an attitude and aura of that of an older brother like character itself a rarity within the anime world. A kind, easy-going and caring person by nature Goro is someone that can be said to be the voice of reason within the squad. While not as bossy and as responsible as his partner and commander Ichigo Goro is still someone that cares deeply about the members of his squad and works hard to keep the peace in it taking great care to stop the arguments between Ichigo and Miku and Zorome from getting out of hand. An understanding person by nature Goro can be seen to be someone that’s moderate in temperament and indeed is someone that prefers to listen to all sides of an opinion or argument first before deciding on a course of action. As a result of this side of his personality, Goro handily fulfils the role as a deputy leader in an unofficial capacity within the squad. Like the other members of the squad, Goro was wary of Zero Two’s appearance and her subsequent insertion into the squad. However, unlike the likes of Ichigo who disliked Zero Two due to personal reasons Goro was wary of her because he wanted to protect the members of the squad from harm and to stop the unity that his partner had worked so hard to create within the squad from breaking. While distrustful of Zero Two in the beginning like the other members of the squad as the series went on Goro like the rest of the squad was able to bear witness to how the actions of Zero Two have affected his childhood and also best friend Hiro and introduced within him a great many changes that enabled Hiro to become a better person and regain the confidence that he had in the past. As a result of this it can be seen that Goro feels that he owes Zero Two a great deal and having seen the interactions between Hiro and Zero Two knows full well that the two are meant to be together despite Ichigo’s fierce denial of it and as a result had no problem with giving the two the opportunity they needed even if such a decision made him oppose Ichigo on a matter that was personal to her. While the members of the squad like all parasites were created and trained at the facility known as the garden it can be said that Goro, Ichigo, and Hiro have deeper bonds with each other than most members of the squad. This is due to the fact that unlike the rest of the squad the three of them knew each other and it can be said that all three are childhood friends. As a result of this strong bond, Goro can with a certain level of success be able to determine whether any of his two friends are hiding something that is bothering them. Arguably Goro’s most prominent trait is his loyalty to not just the mission and to the city but also to his friends as well. Indeed, it can be said that his loyalty to his friends is so strong that he will be willing to put their safety above that of his. This attitude I felt was admirable and matched well with his character. The character of Goro I felt was an interesting character that was both well designed and developed with his loyalty and good-natured and easy-going attitude with his friends and comrades being the best aspects of his character. In addition, I felt that the balance that Goro’s personality traits provided to the squad was also something that was welcome as it helped preserve the unity and chemistry dynamics of the squad. I felt that his voice actor Yuuichirou Umehara did a great job at portraying the character of Goro. Kokoro Kokoro voiced by veteran seiyuu singer Saori Hayami of Owari no Seraph and the Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei fame is one of the main characters of the series and is a member of squad 13 the series main squad. A teenage girl with a very well-endowed body for her age Kokoro on initial appearances has the aura and the impression of a classic Madonna a character type best described as the ideal girl in the eyes of males. A quiet, kind and caring person by nature Kokoro at the beginning of the series was someone that seemingly preferred to not speak much preferring to instead listen to the concerns and problems that the other members of the squad are facing in their lives. However, while a quiet person by nature Kokoro was not afraid of offering her own opinions to a discussion opinion’s that can be surprisingly observant and rational often considering variables that the others have not thought off showing that beneath her quiet nature Kokoro was also someone that was perceptive and intelligent. Despite her quiet nature, Kokoro is not someone that is unapproachable and indeed is the opposite in that she is someone that most people find easy to approach which allows her to listen to their problems without interrupting them and providing them much needed advice when needed which shows off her understanding nature. At the beginning of the series, Kokoro was noted to be someone that was rather indecisive in her actions and can be seen to lack the courage to fight on the field when compared to the likes of Zorome. This attitude while certainly understandable also made her stand out somewhat when compared to the rest of the squad. While not intentionally avoiding the members of the squad Kokoro is shown to be someone that prefers solitude and in this case, she took on a skill that I thought matched her temperament perfectly which was that of gardening. When surrounded by the plants that she cares for it can be seen that Kokoro is truly at peace as she is able to express her worries and doubts about events without having to worry about comments from others. As the series goes on and Kokoro and the squad begin to fight in more fiercer battles as the war with the klax progressed Kokoro’s personality gradually gets expanded upon. In the beginning of the series as noted Kokoro was someone that got scared easily and was visibly hesitant in combat but as the series went on and Kokoro began to see and understand the important role that parasites play in the defence of the city this sense of fear and hesitation gradually begins to vanish being replaced by a desire to become braver and more responsible so that she can protect the friends that she so cherishes. In line with this is Kokoro’s gradual overcoming of her quiet and nervous nature which is shown in her willingness to not just express her own opinions on matters face to face but also be assertive with them instead of feeling pressured to change them like she did in the past. As a result of her new-found confidence, Kokoro rather than stay on the sidelines and get the gist of arguments this way instead decides to interact with her friends more and listen to their problems directly where her perception and understanding skills allow her to provide better advice to them than before. From the beginning of the series, Kokoro was noted to be someone that was far from being just a beautiful girl as she possessed both intelligence and an innate sense of curiosity to explore knowledge that they haven’t been taught. As a result of her new-found confidence, this sense of curiosity was only increased and eventually causing her to begin to ask questions about the past human's something that APE specifically forbids and causing Kokoro to be the first member of the squad to change and setting the stage for the rest of the squad to follow suit. A notable result of this change was the development within Kokoro of a desire to live a life that Is not that of a franxx pilot and one where she can freely create a happy life of her own and bring something back into this war-torn world to create a future where she can be happy. The character of Kokoro I felt was an interesting character that was both well designed and developed with her development from a quiet, nervous and easily scared person to one that was both brave enough and determined enough to fight on the frontlines to protect her friends but at the same time brave enough to ask the questions that nobody before had the opportunity to ask papa and for the first time create the break within papa’s wall that would awaken within the squad a desire to be free. I felt that her seiyuu Saori Hayami really did an excellent job at portraying the character of Kokoro. Mitsuru Mitsuru voiced by new voice actor Aoi Ichikawa is one of the main characters of the series and is a member of s13. At the beginning of the series, Mitsuru had the aura and the air of an honor student though, in this case, the arrogant kind that forms grudges easily. A teenage boy that’s around the same age as the rest of the squad Mitsuru at the beginning of the series was a quiet but arrogant and condescending person that seemed to treat the other members of the squad with disdain bordering on being on anti-social. Indeed, it can be said that in the beginning Mitsuru was someone that viewed friendships and bonds with disdain and as a result did not enjoy a good relationship with the rest of the squad. This had the effect of making the squad dislike him and also feel sorry for his partner Ikuno who had to shoulder the burden of cleaning up his messes when he argues with the members of the squad. Apart from being arrogant and borderline anti-social Mitsuru in the beginning was shown to be someone that preferred to act when under orders from his superiors similar to how Ichigo was before her change and here it can be seen that this is due to the fact that Mitsuru doesn’t want to worry about anything else that might cause his perfect record to slip. During this first phase of his personality, Mitsuru is noted to have a sense of rivalry with the members of the squad and with Hiro in particular and indeed their competition while certainly useful in a certain sense proved to be nothing more than a hindrance to the squad as it affected their sense of unity. This is illustrated in the fact that in the beginning, Mitsuru did not even see himself as wrong even when the facts are shown to him showing not just his arrogance but also of the fact that this nature of his was more than just about pride. As the series goes on however and Mitsuru and the others encounter the ever-changing nature of the war against the klax Mitsuru’s personality gradually starts to change. As a result of a fortunate encounter with his squad mate Kokoro whose unique nature managed to slip through Mitsuru’s guard and get to the core of the person that was Mitsuru, it soon becomes apparent that Mitsuru’s surface personality was actually a safety mechanism that he created to hide his fear. Unlike Mitsuru’s surface nature which is arrogant and overconfident the true personality of Mitsuru is shown to be the opposite as more than ever he fears at being seen as incompetent and useless by others especially his squad mates as unlike them he was not born with innate skills and indeed was judged by APE as being almost worthless back in training. Indeed, the unfriendly nature that he displays towards his squad mates, as well as the rivalry with Hiro, can also be seen to be a by-product of this belief as well as he does not want anyone to see his true face and skills. But more than anything Mitsuru’s dislike of Hiro stems from a more personal matter and a crucial link to Hiro that he unknowingly broke. As a result of being able to open up to Kokoro Mitsuru’s personality changed substantially as he began to realise that not being able to trust his fellow squad mates was not just hurting them but also him as well and that coming clean and telling them of your problems and struggles would not be embarrassing and shameful but instead be a good thing as it will enable the squad to better understand your capabilities and allow them to better support you on the field. After the revelation it can be seen that Mitsuru has become more caring of others and also more perceptive at being able to determine any problems that his new friends may be experiencing and rather than keeping them at a distance as his old self would have been Mitsuru instead elects to try and solve it with dialogue showing just how much Kokoro has affected him. Miku Miku voiced by veteran seiyuu Nanami Yamashita of Trinity Seven and High School Fleet fame is one of the main characters of the series and is a member of S13. From initial appearances, Miku can be said to be the ideal image of a girly girl the high maintenance type specifically. A teenage girl around the same age as the other members of s13 Miku at the beginning of the series was a confident, haughty and proud person by nature that was also bossy and loved to order people around. At the same time, she was also stubborn and fiercely independent. These qualities when combined together made her a great challenge for Ichigo to handle as the latter tried to get the squad to fight together as a unified unit. Indeed, at the beginning of the series, Miku was someone that viewed Ichigo as sort of a rival to her and did all she can to impede her efforts often dragging along her partner Zorome along as well. Though a haughty person by nature Miku was shown to also have a softer side to her personality that often slips out at times when she feels there’s no need to keep her guard up. Here it can be seen that Miku while haughty is also a positive and playful person that loves to joke around with people that she considers friends. However true to her nature even in this state Miku is always ready for a fight. A prominent trait of Miku that stays constant with both of her personalities is the fact that she has great pride both as a woman and as a fighter and as a result gets annoyed easily at people that offend her too often comical results. As the series goes on however and Miku and her squad mates become involved in the ever-changing war with the klax Miku’s personality gradually starts to change. While still arrogant and haughty to a degree it can be seen that beneath this Miku is someone that’s cautious and not someone that trusts strangers easily which is shown in the fact that among the s13 she was the one that was most suspicious of Zero Two when she joined the squad and was the one that took the longest to trust her. At the same time, however, Miku was also someone that can be seen to be very loyal to her friends and willing to help them with their problems when needed. Despite her attitude, Miku is also very perceptive and understanding of people’s feelings something that becomes much more prevalent as the series goes on. When confronted with situations where the other party is reacting badly she will not be afraid to lecture them on this. This is best seen in her changing attitude to Ichigo a person that while she disliked at first slowly developed a sense of respect for. Zorome Zorome voiced by veteran seiyuu Mutsumi Tamura of Anohana and Digimon Tri fame is one of the main characters of the series and is a member of s13. From initial appearances, Zorome is the classic example of an overachiever and is very similar to Mitsuru in his phase 1 personality state. A teenage boy Zorome, in the beginning, was a moody, overconfident and prideful person that looked down on the other members of the squad. Indeed, it can be seen that at the beginning of the series Zorome seemed to have a fervent belief that he was the main star within the squad to the amusement of both the squad and of me the viewer. As a result of his personality, it can be seen that Zorome was someone that got annoyed at things rather easily and when he did he took it out on others much to their frustration. At the beginning of the series Zorome like Mitsuru had a sense of rivalry with Hiro as to him Hiro’s status as a prodigy was something that rubbed him the wrong way and as a result, the relationship between the two was anything but friendly. As the series goes on however and Zorome’s personality gets developed and expanded upon it can be seen that beneath Zorome’s arrogant and moody nature Zorome was actually someone that can readily admit his own mistakes and would apologise to the people that his actions have caused harm to something that is shown in his interactions with his friend and partner Miku. While seeing Hiro as his main rival in the beginning of the series as Zorome and the members of the squad bore witness to Hiro’s gradual awakening of his abilities and his performance as a parasite on the field this sense of rivalry gradually disappears and is replaced by a newfound respect for Hiro who he now treats as a comrade. A prominent trait of Zorome that is unique to him is the reason that Zorome fights so hard as a pilot which is due to his desire to enter the plantations city and join the adult world as a full-fledged adult. This I felt was interesting as unlike Zorome the great majority of parasites which includes his fellow s13 squad mates fight because it's their duty and also because they don’t want to be seen as useless by the plantation. Having a personal reason to fight for I felt explained a great deal as to why Zorome is fighting so hard to be the main man within the squad. Nana Nana voiced by veteran seiyuu Marina Inoue of 3 Gatsu No Lion and Infinite Stratos fame is one of the main support characters of the series and is the squad’s minder at the beginning of the series. A member of APE Nana is the combat HQ parasite manager that oversees squad 13 both in their personal lives and when on the battlefield where she acts as a controller. A calm, positive and efficient person by nature Nana is someone that is intimately familiar with the members of squad 13 as before being assigned there they were also under her tutelage when they were being trained at the garden. As a result of this type of personal bond Nana while responsible and steadfast in her duties also cares a great deal about the members of the squad and always tries to look out for them taking care to put them at ease when needed. As a result of this Nana is shown to dislike it when the squad is put in danger and in situations where they are not prepared for. As the series goes on it can be seen that Nana has two distinct personalities that she adapts. When on duty Nana is serious, efficient and cold and dislikes it when troublesome situations happen. However, when she is interacting with her fellow charges in s13 this is replaced by a more emotional and perhaps human side to her character one that is more emotionally invested in the members of the squad. As the series goes on and Nana’s personality and character get’s expanded upon it can be seen that in the past Nana was very similar to the members of s13 which explains the kinship and strong bonds that she has with them as she too has also experienced the darker side of the war against the klax. This latter part proved to be a costly affair when she relapsed and remembered the pain that the war had brought her. However while this pain caused Nana no small amount of pain both physically and mentally this also awakened within her a desire to not just protect the children that she manages but also open her eyes to the realization that warfare is not something that they should be forced to do and that they should be able to forge a path that is based on their own wishes and one that is based on their own free will. The character of Nana while only a support character I felt was an interesting character in her own right that was both well designed and developed with the contrast between the calm, cold and efficient officer mode Nana and the friendly, caring and positive Nana being especially well done. While her emotional side and the fact that she’s too emotionally invested in the squad is seen as illogical by her superiors I felt that it was her greatest strength as she’s ensuring that her charges will not suffer the same fate as her friends a move that brings both her calm and to the squad a sense of security as they know that Nana will not risk their lives. I felt that her seiyuu Marina Inoue really did a great job of portraying the character of Nana. AMV In terms of animation, I felt that the series did a great job of showcasing the various types of locations and settings that existed in the post devastated world of the planet both in terms of the surface locations that existed outside of the plantations as well as locations that existed beneath the surface such as the magma mines. This also extends to the various plantations that within the lore of the series are essentially mobile fortress cities that housed the remains of humanity within them. The plantations, in particular, I felt made use of quite the interesting design as while on the exterior they featured large but bland spaces that gave wide sweeping views of the surrounding terrain beneath it lay countless gun emplacements that could be activated at a moment’s notice to protect the city. This helped give the impression that while the city was also a sanctuary for the people living inside it was also a bastion that will protect them from the enemies that roam this world. Within the plantation, this design continues as rather than house parasites which are the cities specially created and trained defence force with the civilians that they are expected to protect they are instead separated in which the civilians live within the city as adults and the children live in their home area which is called Mistilteinn. This isolation of the children from the adults that they were supposed to be protecting I felt was highly symbolic and represented well of the belief that the children were only seen and used as weapons and tools and nothing more. This is reinforced by the introduction of facilities like the garden and the lab where the children are created and trained as well as in the views of the parasites that the home area in which the parasites live and social at is nothing more than a birdcage which while pretty is also confining. The character designs for the main and support cast I felt was also something that was well done within the series as their uniform appearance while allowing us the viewers to easily distinguish who is who within the series also matches well with the theme that all humans within the series whether its parasites like the members of s13 or controllers like Nana all have a specific role to play in this war. The fact that the uniforms that are worn by the parasites resemble those worn by high school students which when paired with the individual physical appearances and personalities of the cast I felt also symbolised that the parasites by fighting on the frontlines would as they do develop and grow as individuals and eventually graduate from their roles. This analogy to the life of a high school student from the start to the graduation I felt was pretty interesting. In terms of mecha designs for the series main mecha the franxx’s, I felt that their design was rather unique. While most contemporary mecha anime make use of mechas that are vaguely humanoid in appearance the designs of the Franxx I felt were far more closer to this idea due largely to not just the shape of the franxx but also because of the faces that each franxx makes which within the series represents the female part of the pilot pairs since their faces are linked with their helmets when in combat which makes the mecha’s faces actually theirs. This aspect of the design I felt was an interesting one as it reinforced the pair dynamics within the pairing as while the male handled weapons control and the larger picture the female pair handled piloting and navigation and reinforcing the concept that they must rely upon each of their bonds to be successful on the field. The fact that the franxx look far more human than most other mechas that I have seen however are not the only aspects that I thought made them stand out though as the fact that each franxx were designed for and were equipped with different weapons also contributed to this impression as well. When compared to the other teams that are seen within the series whose mecha are not just more uniform not just in appearance but also in weapons load out I felt that the franxx that were used by s13 were more unique as each made use of a weapons load out that matched the personalities of each pilot pair giving them a unique role on the field that other teams did not have. A good example will be the franxx that Miku and Zorome make use of which is oriented for close combat due to its main weapons of claws. When paired with the unique personalities of their pilot pairs I felt that the franxx’s only served to reinforce the fact that s13 is an existence that’s unique to humanity whether on the field or not. In terms of combat animation and battles, I felt that the battles and combat scenes that were featured within the series were both well designed and developed that remained consistent throughout the series whether the battles were large-scale ops or small-scale defensive ops. This was helped greatly by not just the varied designs of the enemies that the cast fight within the series but also by the fact that the squad is still learning to fight as a team. Seeing the squad gradually learn to fight as a team while also seeing their contributions to the larger war effort I thought complimented each other perfectly as it helped not just improve the war effort but also their teamwork as well. In terms of music the series made use of one opening theme and six ending themes which was Kiss of Death which was sung by Mika Nakashima and Torikago, Manatsu No Setsuna, Beautiful World, Hitori, Escape and Darling which was sung by XX:me a unit formed around the main female seiyuu’s of s13 which was Haruka Tomatsu, Kana Ichinose, Nanami Yamashita, Saori Hayami and Shizuka Ishigami. I felt that the opening and ending themes were all pretty well done with the opening, in particular, being able to convey a sense of mystique around the nature of just the war but also of Zero Two as well. The series various ending themes I felt were also well done with each conveying, not just a different emotion but also matching with the themes and developments that were started in the episodes in which they were used in. The series OST I felt was pretty well done and helped complement the various emotions and feelings that the members of the squad experience as they encounter the many events that take place within the series as the war with the klax change, not just their lives but also that of their fellow parasites and the planet as well. In terms of voice acting for the series, I felt that each of the main voice cast did an excellent job of portraying their assigned characters within the series. In particular I feel that Haruka Tomatsu, Kana Ichinose, Yuuto Uemura, Yuuichirou Umehara, Saori Hayami, Nanami Yamashita, Aoi Ichikawa, Mutsumi Tamura and Marina Inoue who portrayed the characters of Zero Two, Ichigo, Hiro, Goro, Kokoro, Miku, Mitsuru, Zorome and Nana respectively deserve special praise as I felt that they did an excellent job at portraying their assigned characters. Additionally, while I didn’t cover their characters within the review I felt that Shizuka Ishigami, Kenyuu Horiuchi, Katsuyuki Konishi and Rie Kugimiya who portrayed the characters of Ikuno, Dr. Franxx, Hachi and Code 001 respectively also did a great job of portraying the supporting cast for the series a role that’s just as important to the series as that of the main cast. Overall conclusion In overall Darling in the Franxx was a strong anime that despite its flaws was alongside Katana Maiden’s one of the heavyweights of the Winter 2018 anime season with its main strong points being its unique premise, strong story, well designed and developed characters, well designed battles and combat animation, strong mecha designs and excellent voice acting. The overall premise of the story on the surface may look to be one that highlights the destructive war that is being fought by the remains of humanity and the hostile alien species known as the klax, but this is far from the truth. Rather it can be said to be half the truth for the true premise of the series is what can be said to be a coming of age story for a group of teenagers as they forge friendships and bonds with each other both on and off the battlefield as they enter a hostile world where they must learn not just about each other’s strength’s but also their weaknesses as well and learn to support them when needed as they learn to forge their own destiny. When paired with the series strong story I thought that this idea while ambitious was one that the series managed to adhere to and largely succeed at. The overall story of the series I felt was one of the main strong points of the series and made great use of the core premise of the series. Like most full-season animes of this era Darling in the Franxx makes use of the cour concept and divides the overall story of the series into two distinct parts each with distinct themes and plot developments. The series first cour which ran from episode 1 to 15 was the first part of the series whose main purpose was to introduce the members of s13 as well as Zero Two. The main themes that were introduced and used in this cour were bonding with your friends, forging bonds, overcoming differences and finding one’s place in society and on the team. The first cour I felt managed to handle the main themes that it made use of pretty well and succeeded in creating a strong foundation for the squad thanks to the countless struggles that the squad manages to overcome as they settle their differences and focus their efforts on fighting against the true foe. The second cour of the series which ran from episodes 16 to 24 was the second part of the series that acted as the soft reset to the series as it showed the squad as a unified entity and not a scattering of sand that they were back in the first cour. Unlike the first cour where the squad simply acted under orders from their superiors here in this cour as a result of their development as characters the members of the squad are seen to learn to think for themselves and with this discover new concepts and beliefs that their past selves would never would have dreamed off such as freedom, independence, and destiny. Paired with and taking advantage of the squad’s newfound desire to become more independent is the revelation of this war and the desire by the squad to not just reject the current system that’s mandated by APE but also to fight for the truth of this war. Key to this cour is the belief that everyone whether its parasites or not should be free to pursue their own destiny and live their life the way that they want. The second cour of the series I felt while expanding upon the many changes that the main cast develop as a result of the struggles that they managed to overcome back in the first cour also did a great job of introducing new concepts and ideas that were largely unknown to the main cast such as notions of freedom, destiny and a desire to live a life that is your own that’s not dictated by someone else. When combined with the plot developments within the second cour these new themes helped greatly in developing the main cast into their final selves. Despite their differing themes I felt that the two cours of the series overall story supported each other pretty well with the development of the main cast being especially impressive as they went from being a mismatched class that had no small number of doubters to one that brought great change to the world by shining the light of truth into the darkness of APE and Papa’s lies. One particular scene that I felt symbolised the growing change within the members of s13 was the wedding scene within the second cour of the series a scene that was both beautiful and powerful but at the same time tragic at how it ended. The overall story of the series while certainly entertaining also made use of a number of unique concepts that were unique to the series foremost among these is the bond that exists between the male member of the pilot pair the stamen and the female member of the pair the pistil. While bonds of friendship and comradeship are concepts that we often see in other action themed anime I felt that the bond that exists between the pilot pairs within the series are unique because the bond rather than being just a physical one like that of a friendship is one that is both emotional and mental as both pilots of a pair must not only be good friends but also be able to synchronise with each other by merging their minds and fighting as one being. As a result of this specific bond, it can be said that the stronger the friendship and bond that exists between the two the stronger the bond will be and the stronger their franxx will be on the field. This concept of using the feelings that exists between a boy and a girl I thought was an interesting one as it made use of the concept of turning the feelings that you have whether its friendship or romantic ones into a weapon that can be used to protect them when fighting on the field. A concept that was introduced as part of this bond within the series was the existence of the Jian which is a mythical bird that Hiro and Zero witness that must join together with another of its species in order to survive as on its own it cannot. This concept I felt was an apt one as it symbolises the bond that exists between a male and a female as both must rely on each other to survive thus showing the bond between a husband and a wife a meaning that I felt was also apt for the pilot pairs as well. While the story featured a number of interesting revelations that I felt was maybe at times too strong for it I felt that this was handled pretty well within the series by introducing well timed and well-developed explanations for these new faces within the series. While I enjoyed Darling in the Franxx’s overall story and premise I felt that the series was also let down by a number of flaws that existed within the story. Flaws that I felt kept it from getting a higher score in my book. First in terms of character development while the main cast was developed pretty well as the series went on I felt that this wasn’t applied to everyone within the squad. The characters of Futoshi and Ikuno I felt had the least bit of development for their characters as the series went on and while admittedly both were minor characters when compared to the rest of the squad I felt that they could have at least been given some development to highlight the fact that they too are members of the squad. Secondly, there was the problem with the Nines. Within the series, the Nines is a spec ops unit of parasites that report directly to Papa and the APE’s but apart from acting as the antagonists of the squad, they have almost no character development whatsoever. Indeed, of the Nines their leader appropriately called Nines Alpha is the only one that actually gets some degree of development while the rest have nothing. I felt that the Nines could have been expanded upon so that their members at least have a more meaningful role within the series rather than just act as intimidating watchmen. Near the end of the series, I felt that the main cast lacked any kind of clear role within the series and while it can be said that they are at their final forms of development as a character I felt that they could have been given better roles rather than what they were given. Too me I felt that the main cast there acted more like support characters than main ones. While the story of the series was something that I really enjoyed I felt that some things could have been explained and expanded upon better rather than let the viewer infer from whats happening in the background to determine whats going to happen next. Overall Darling in the Franxx was a series that I really enjoyed with its main strong points being its unique premise, story, characters, battle scenes and animation, mecha designs, voice acting and its take on a number of both new and existing themes. While it does have a number of flaws that hinder it and stop it from becoming the masterpiece that a lot of people wished that it was I felt that despite them Darling in the Franxx was a series that I still enjoyed watching as like Nana said within the series I like her have become emotionally invested in the members of s13 and I wanted to see whether they will be able to end this war and live their life independent of the decisions of others and having the freedom to do what they want with their lives in the world that they live in. As a final score, I felt that Darling in the Franxx deserves a final score of 9/10.