Feb 22, 2020
[Spoiler Warning]
I watched Franxx for the first time in July of last year, and only recently bought it on Blu-Ray. $60 for the whole series was too good a deal to pass up, and it's now the only the third anime I've purchased. So, I wanted to give my thoughts on Darling in the Franxx after a second viewing. (Vague spoilers, I guess.)
It’s the very definition of a mixed bag.
Up to Episode 15, it’s solid enough. It’s got some sillier episodes and plot lines, but Hiro and Zero Two are able to pull it all through, culminating in the absolute masterpiece that was Episode
...
13. Episode 14 dipped a bit in contrivences, but 15′s end more than made up for that much. Hiro is the most personally relatable protagonist I’ve come across, speaking as someone who rarely ever “identifies” with a single character like I do with Hiro. He reminds me of myself so strongly in both major and minor ways that it’s honestly rather remarkable. Zero Two′s character, meanwhile, is intriguing and complex in her allure, identity, and outlook. Their relationship starts off as a multi-layered and rather toxic dynamic in the vein of AsuShin from Evangelion, before pulling a 180 and turning into the absolute apex of wholesome, cinnamon-roll goodness over the course of only a few episodes - without ever feeling forced. Both archetypes and the transition between them are done so masterfully that Hir02 may well be my favorite relationship in fiction.
The problem is everything in the show past them, unfortunately. It’s evident from how front-loaded their development is that the writers didn’t have any other strong concepts of where they wanted the plot to go or what they wanted to do with the other characters. Even before Hir02′s get together, the show struggles to create anything interesting from the other characters, while the plot relies on episodic concepts and Evangelion/Gurren Laggan/Brave New World homages to get by. But once the story has brought Hir02′s arc to a head in Ep 15, it becomes painfully apparent. Zorome and Miku as well as the 9′s strike me as the ones who potentially could have been interesting, but ultimately never get much to do nor the development they need. MitsuKoko’s relationship is far too rushed and underdeveloped, something the writers even seemed to realize themselves when they more or less drop their arc and painfully contrive a rehash of separating Hir02 instead. Then there’s Virm, the Klaxosaur/apocalyptic backstory, and Dr. Franxx's and the 9's redemption. All of these felt contrived, like the show was just desperately throwing darts at a wall, trying to come up with some sense of direction on the fly. None of it worked, unfortunately. The end result is that pretty much everything beyond Hir02 feels shallow, forced, and even insultingly idiotic at times.
Given quotes from interviews with the director and staff, it would seem the problem was that Nishigori set out with solid ideas for up to Episode 15 - with Episode 13 being central from the start - but the staff was unsure of where to go from that point onward. Whatever the case, Franxx flounders and burns itself out by the end. Nevertheless, I can’t find myself faulting it too hard. It’s a hot mess, but a hot mess that gave me one of the most profoundly beautiful romances I’ve ever seen. The show’s flaws may be numerous and overwhelming, but I feel certain that if nothing else, the story of Hiro and Zero Two will stick with me for many years to come.
That’s something I can’t say for the vast ocean of anime that, while overall better than Franxx, gives me little to nothing that stands out and quickly falls to the wayside.
Reviewer’s Rating: 7
What did you think of this review?
Nice
0
Love it
0
Funny
0
Confusing
0
Well-written
0
Creative
0Show all
