Darling in the FranXX Ep. 21- 24 Review – And on our last page…

Just when you think it’s over.

Y’know, episode 21-22 is pretty darn emotional and visually beautiful. The VIRM took control of the Kyoryuu Princess, and Zero Two rode on a snake to save them. The Princess gave her remaining power to Zero Two and let them decide on earth’s fate. Apas shot a giant beam into space and chased the first wave of the VIRM away. Apas then takes off into space along with Zero Two’s consciousness, leaving her body a doll that gazes up at the sky. Meanwhile, the gang tries to farm but found out that the soil can no longer support life due to over-rigging of the magma fuel. Using his new blue horns, Hiro found out that Zero Two was fighting alone in space and set out to follow her. After some argument, the team decided to follow him. However, Kokoro and Mitsuru stayed behind, the former because of her baby and the latter because he needed to take care of other people.

That part where the snake died. So sad.

This episode really reminded me of one anime I used to love as a kid, Neo Angelique Abyss. Basically, the heroine of that story sacrificed herself to pray forever in isolation in space so that the whole world can be safe from monsters, never mind the hot guys that surrounded her. That ending pretty much stuck with me forever, because not only is it sad for the fifth grade me, it’s also…beautiful. And Zero Two is doing the same thing. However, Hiro isn’t someone to just leave his girlfriend alone when she’s in great pain.

Nana came back per Dr. Francs’ order that she be the adult the kids need. It’s kinda sad how being kind is what drives you insane. In many anime, we see the conflict between the evil and corrupted adults and the young, teenage protagonists. It is also apparent in FranXX, where the adults are usually apathetic bastards controlled by the deceitful and evil Papa, while the teenagers are trying their best to protect the world. However, as seen in how the kids cling to Nana, the young ones still need adult guidance. Nana had once been a kid, moreover, she herself had been a Parasyte. It’s because adults were once kids that they can understand and guide the kids in what to do.

There’s this trend in anime that people tend to…I don’t know, ‘worship’ youth. Young people, watching these teenagers go out and do all these amazing things, aspire to be like them. Older people watch these teenagers and admire them for doing what they didn’t do. A lot of anime songs also have lyrics to do with how great it is to be young. FranXX is kinda like that in the sense that children untainted by adulthood can bring change to the world.

It’s been bothering me for a long time what FranXX’s main theme is. At first, it’s that no man is an island, but then it grew into something else and introduced so many new themes that the initial one lost its importance. One main theme I could think of is gender roles, seeing as how fixed the piloting positions in the robots are. However, when seeing the Kyoryuu Princess, I realized it’s not really about girls being at the bottom and guys doing the piloting, but it’s about our current society. The Kyoryuu Princess is alone despite being connected to all her ‘children’ in the magma fuel, and prefers to be isolated. This is like how we’re all connected by social media, yet we are more isolated from each other than ever. Piloting the FranXX is all about making a connection, a real connection with another human being. No one-winged bird can fly on its own, just like how we cannot forever stay in our cubicle society. That’s why Zero Two and Hiro said that one-winged birds who flew together are beautiful. In the end, it took both Zero Two and Hiro and the Kyoryuu Princess to fend off the VIRM, not one of them alone.

FranXX then went into full-blown interplanetary battle mode. The remaining 9’s gave up their life to protect Apas, and Apas activated its true form, a beautiful robot with boobs. (Hey, it’s better than Sidonia’s intergalactic vagina.) Much to the gang’s protests, Hiro and Zero Two carried a huge bomb to finish off the fight with just the two of them. The gang told them to come back no matter how long it takes, they’ll wait.

And it really took as long as it took. Hiro and Zero Two destroyed the VIRM’s mother planet, but they swore they would meet again at the end of evolution. Meanwhile, the gang lived out their life happily. It was probably a few hundred years before Zero Two and Hiro managed to make it back to earth and meet again under the same tree. Who knows, maybe Ikuno’s research allowed the gang to survive until Zero Two and Hiro were reincarnated. Maybe they all died waiting.

Ahhhh that was quite the ending. I’d be happier if they could meet with the gang one last time, but this is alright. FranXX was an enjoyable watch. There were some parts that made me go WAIT WHAT but like Trigger’s previous works, the ending was great. WAIT BUT WHY ALIENS THIS IS KINDA DUMB where did that dystopia stuff they promised me go hello?

That was Darling in the FranXX with all of its quirks and moments. See you later. Wish you all the happiness wherever you are!