Greetings Animated World!
Welcome to the first episodic journey on Animated! We’re starting off episodic journeys with Darling in the Franxx, a Trigger Studio anime I’ve been very excited for! I’m going to run these posts probably a little different from most. I’ll be posting these a little later than when the episodes air because I want to watch each episode twice. Once for pure enjoyment like watching any other anime, and the second for actual blogging purposes. Any who, that’s enough so lets get into it.
Darling in the Franxx is basically summed up in a bird analogy during the first episode. In order to fly a bird must use both its wings. A bird can’t fly without its partnered wing. A pair of “Darlings” must be partnered together in order to operate and pilot a “Franxx”. Well played Trigger, well played. A Franxx must have a female and male companion in order to be piloted. So where does a bird that never ends up flying go? Both Hiro (016) and Zero Two seem to be birds with one wing. Hiro seems to want a partner to assure himself he can pilot a Franxx after failing a test with his original partner Naomi. Zero seems to enjoy the idea of having a partner, as she says she always alone. It seems like from the first episode that whoever is Zero’s partner in a Franxx is at high risk of sustaining serious injuries. We learn at the end of the episode she carries Klaxosaur blood in her which could be the reason. Both are the same in wanting a partner, but both have different motivations for obtaining one. It is said that when a negative and positive come together an iron maiden of a Franxx will appear. Hiro, being a negative, has lost his ability to pilot a Franxx and dragged down his partner. Zero, being a positive, for being a fighter against Klaxosaurs.
Overall, I found the first episode a fun watch. You can definitely see the resemblance of previous anime though. The iron maiden transformation (Kill la Kill), the partners piloting the Franxx (Gurren Lagann), and personally Zero reminds me a little of Haruko from FLCL. I’m excited to see where Darling in the Franxx branches off to, but I hope it can make a clear distinction to stand out from its predecessors.
Till next episode, stay tuned! 🙂
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