(L+CR) Darling in the Franxx

[Solace]

It would have been interesting to see it fleshed out more, but I still believe they already had more than enough episodes to tell the story they are currently telling. As in, they could probably have worked more into each episode rather than relying so heavily on the big climax/revelation episodes to pull everything together. More episodes is always great, but not if the time is used poorly. One of the biggest problems with the old 24-50+ cour series was how many episodes were spent adding next to nothing to the story and then rushing like crazy to tie as much as possible up in the last few episodes.

Heck, some of my favorite shows ended up like that. Even if I enjoyed them, it was still a noticeable flaw. On the bright side, at least most of them actually had an end, unlike the vast vast amount of 12 episode shows.

[mangamuscle]

Originally Posted by Blueknight78

i wanted to means "trigger" standard

Kiznaiver (2016) 12 eps
Uchuu Patrol Luluco (2016) 12 eps (half length)
When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace (2014) 12 eps

Trigger is still far from being a 2 cour only studio and I do not foresee them becoming one since the trend still is one cour.

Originally Posted by Solace

One of the biggest problems with the old 24-50+ cour series was how many episodes were spent adding next to nothing to the story and then rushing like crazy to tie as much as possible up in the last few episodes..

I think we still have this problem, TBT I think anime studios should return to the 6 episode length of the OVAs of the 20th century for many original series since many one cour series seem feel like the have filler on the middle *cough*yatterman night*cough* and I would prefer to see two original series without filler instead of one bloated to fill the 12 episode mark.

[Solace]

I would love to see the OVA format return, but a big part of the allure of the OVA era was how much those creators could get away with, especially with the budgets they were given. I'm not sure how well that would work in today's internet world. The were some upsides, even if only in retrospect, to a world that wasn't always hyperconnected.

[Blueknight78]

Originally Posted by mangamuscle

Kiznaiver (2016) 12 eps
Uchuu Patrol Luluco (2016) 12 eps (half length)
When Supernatural Battles Became Commonplace (2014) 12 eps

Trigger is still far from being a 2 cour only studio and I do not foresee them becoming one since the trend still is one cour.

but he also not exactly a 12 only too.

and i don't like that idea of OVA i do like at last 12 episodes even if some ending being filler still good for me, again not every serie must be "plot, plot, plot" on each episode, is important to have some "calm before the storm" and things like that, i do like the famous "beach and bathouse fanservice episodes and i really don't mind it, ofcourse this don't means which a serie must be full "plot(coff coff boobs) or close to it to be 'good", i like balance and specially based on the type of serie, like full comedy shows you can't spectate it to be "plot plot" or even close to it, or "light series" and things like that, what is matter is the type of serie and what is trying to "bring" if it is "full plot driven" or no and thnigs like that, even "filers episodes well done can be good or even better than "regular plot episodes when well done.

Normally i try to look for the serie "for what it is trying to bring" and not just "what i want to see", if what it is trying to bring is not good for me and neither it is what i want the i skip, but if what it's bringing is good even if not was what i want then i will give a try the same goes for if it is trying to bring something fall in things which i don't like but still trying to match what i like ( for exemple really good and funny harems, while overal i'm not a big fan of harem if it is fun enought them i can enjoy because i like comedy), then i will give a chance, if after the 3 or 4 episodes rules (in some case less) it really fail to delivery something which can hold me, them i will drop.

[RDNexus]

In Franxx's case, other than a couple episodes that felt more like extra time while also adding a bit of plot and character development her and there, 2 cours seemed more than enough for me.
The problem wasn't the amount of time it had to tell the story, but rather how it's time was properly used, as some people here already noted.

[Blueknight78]

to be fair even if we had "more episodes" i do believe which it not could had any really big change in the anime since the "focus" and plot aways was about "what means be human and what means "grow" and never really a "mecha" show, even more episodes could be more "episodes" about others aspects of life and more life drama and bla bla bla because that aways was the focus the mecha and klaxs and battles where just the "extras" not the main point" of the serie.

Individualism x collectivism, which both of then have the "good and bad", and the importance of balance on them, importance of reproduction( specially for japan), the hardship of become a adult and have to live by yourself and all that things which ended being the "main point of the serie.

[wissenschaft]

Honestly. the biggest gripe people have with the story is the Virm reveal. If that was made a little less jarring it would improve the show quite a bit. And it wouldn't take much time to do so either. An episode or two at most.

Of course, theres people who think the shows story was trash before the Virm reveal but hey, no shows for everyone. As others have pointed out, while the plot might be messy, the character interactions are great.

[Gan_HOPE326]

Originally Posted by Blueknight78

to be fair even if we had "more episodes" i do believe which it not could had any really big change in the anime since the "focus" and plot aways was about "what means be human and what means "grow" and never really a "mecha" show

I'm kind of curious what people's idea of a "mecha show" is. Care to mention one single mecha show made in the last, dunno, 20 years, where everything was just about killing baddies with giant robots and there was no sort of character focus, overall theme, metaphor or symbolism in play?

All the most famous mecha shows have something like that. Gundam is traditionally about war. Evangelion was about loneliness and the difficulty of relating with others. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann was about growth and the limits (or lack thereof) of humanity. Having a theme or some kind of symbolism isn't something that is detrimental to a mecha show, or forces it to disregard its main plot so badly that it ends up not making sense. I mean, that's sort of what happened with Evangelion, but at least that had decently written characters. That's no excuse for Darling in the Franxx ending up the way it is. If they really cared that much about themes and character development, then maybe, dunno, they could have not introduced an ALIEN INVASION as a last hour plot device? Just go on show the kids' lives as they try to wrestle free of Papa's control and try to make sense of their own existence! That would have been good enough, and would have fit the themes nicely, with less need for time to explain new concepts. What exactly is firing them to the freakin' Mars orbit going to accomplish, thematically?

[RDNexus]

The main reason why I've avoided Gundam until a friend of mine convinced me to watch 00 was precisely because it's mostly mechas blasting each other, political conspiracies and tons of deaths that leave me with a sour taste in the mouth.

Then there's been other stories like Captain Earth, Majestic Prince, Gargantia, Buddy Complex, Aquarion and Macross, which give more time to the characters themselves, have less conspiracies and the death toll tends to be shorter. In a way, to me, Franxx is in this category.
And don't ask me about Valvrave and Aldnoah...
Gurren Lagann was all kinds of whacky, Knights&Magic was pure Mecha Nerd Porn and Heavy Object---

Well, I could be here all day expressing my varying views on Mecha Anime...


P.S.: The one Gundam series I'm kinda enjoying watching is...obviously...Gundam Build Series

[KPSJ]

Originally Posted by Blueknight78

i was watching a very well informed and popular otaku br yotuber video about this episode and he told something interesting, which in one of the interviews the director told which his original plans for the anime was to have at last 36 or 39 episodes like 3 cours instead of just 2 cours but not was able to do that (pretty much the studio don't wanted to take the risk and only allowed they normal standard of 24 episodes).

if trigger had allowed the director do what he wanted then this serie was supposed to last much more and only end in the next season, now i bet is the serie is really the sucess it's looks like them they must be regreting now they decision over it.

Another thing which i noticed many of the peoples which where claim naomi dead in net and all the "dark" mistery and forget her, are now the same peoples saying things like "who is that girl??", why i must care, she is nothing and bla bla bla as aways and even in some extreme cases they still refute she being "alive" saying which it is a dead body, it's seens which really when things don't go in the way they want they just "find another way to "be really crap internet trolls haters.

Post link to the video.

[Blueknight78]

Originally Posted by Gan_HOPE326

I'm kind of curious what people's idea of a "mecha show" is. Care to mention one single mecha show made in the last, dunno, 20 years, where everything was just about killing baddies with giant robots and there was no sort of character focus, overall theme, metaphor or symbolism in play?

All the most famous mecha shows have something like that. Gundam is traditionally about war. Evangelion was about loneliness and the difficulty of relating with others. Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann was about growth and the limits (or lack thereof) of humanity. Having a theme or some kind of symbolism isn't something that is detrimental to a mecha show, or forces it to disregard its main plot so badly that it ends up not making sense. I mean, that's sort of what happened with Evangelion, but at least that had decently written characters. That's no excuse for Darling in the Franxx ending up the way it is. If they really cared that much about themes and character development, then maybe, dunno, they could have not introduced an ALIEN INVASION as a last hour plot device? Just go on show the kids' lives as they try to wrestle free of Papa's control and try to make sense of their own existence! That would have been good enough, and would have fit the themes nicely, with less need for time to explain new concepts. What exactly is firing them to the freakin' Mars orbit going to accomplish, thematically?

ok i was avoiding talk about that but, the "alien invasion make a lot of sense when you see the last episode, which was about "the aftermatch", papa being a alien was like a parabole for the "papa which is away far away or typical "japanese family" with a too busy at work father which rarely have time to the childrens, them onje day the children grow and "be alone" and learn the hardship of life, which all they have so far was just a "childrens play" and the world is much bigger and bla bla bla, papa being a alien was to make more easy the "papa" suddenly leave" and take with him the "mother if the case" to leave the kids "alone" which is a metaphor for the "family style in japan and honest in some extention big part of western, where normally when the kid grow he somehow cut his tie with his parents to have his own life or the family make the kid leave the home to have his own life.

Well the idea was find a way to make papa disappear in a way the kids can't reach him in any "normal way" leaving the alones and in need to take care of themselfs, them that was pretty much one of the reasons why they choose "allien" cuz that was one of the most efficient way to make it, to emulate the deattachment and need to relly on papa, ofcourse they could choose go with killing all the adults too but that looked more like what they wanted by turning papa in the big villian.

When i talk about "others mechas" while they also try to pass others messages aswell they are more "subtetly and try to focus more on the "action aspect" while here the focus is more on the drama and metaphor that is why i say it is "different".

Originally Posted by KPSJ

Post link to the video.

it's a Brazilian if you like i can send a pm to you with the link.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by xrick

The main reason why I've avoided Gundam until a friend of mine convinced me to watch 00 was precisely because it's mostly mechas blasting each other, political conspiracies and tons of deaths that leave me with a sour taste in the mouth.

Have you watched more Gundam series since then (besides Build Fighters)? One AU series isn't enough to give you a good idea of what Gundam is about. 00 in particular doesn't have the traditional "colonies vs Earth" setting, and is the first and so far only Gundam series that has introduced aliens. In that sense it's pretty unique among Gundam shows and therefore not very representative.

To get back to Franxx, I don't think more episode would have helped either, for reasons already stated.

[RDNexus]

Yeah, I should have made it clearer. Since 00, I pretty much checked every new Gundam series.
Only IBO did I skip Cour2 because I didn't feel like watching it, and later got confirmation that it might have been the right choice.

[wissenschaft]

Originally Posted by xrick

Yeah, I should have made it clearer. Since 00, I pretty much checked every new Gundam series.
Only IBO did I skip Cour2 because I didn't feel like watching it, and later got confirmation that it might have the best choice for me.

I'd watched the original gundam. Its really good and is the origin of the Real Robot genre. Also, it has a pretty happy ending. On the other hand, Zeta Gundam is probably the darkest show in the franchise. Thankfully the compilation movies are a little happier. Still brutal. I know one friend who refuses to watch it because of that. lol

As for IBO, you made the right choice with skipping Cour 2. The first season ended on the high point for the show.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by xrick

Yeah, I should have made it clearer. Since 00, I pretty much checked every new Gundam series.
Only IBO did I skip Cour2 because I didn't feel like watching it, and later got confirmation that it might have been the right choice.

Unless my memory is failing me, that means you've watched AGE, G-reco, Unicorn, and the Build series. Out of those, only Unicorn and the first Build Fighters are considered good, but Unicorn doesn't make that much sense if you're not familiar with UC.

There are a lot of good AU series, but if you want to experience the "true Gundam", I say you really have to start with the beginning and work your way through UC. You'd be surprised how well the original Gundam holds up (well, except the animation).

We're getting off-topic though. If you're ever interested, come over to the Gundam subform. Pretty sure there must be a recommendation thread or something like that.

[RDNexus]

Oh, Unicorn I haven't seen.

And no, I'm not interested in going back.

And yes, it's best to end this off-topic.

[James Rye]

Goro hitting Hiro in the face, I so wanted to see that. <3
Nana and Hachi as new papa and mama of so many scared kids, thsoe guys got their work cut out for them. And Naomi is not dead! Just kyro-sleeping. All is good and well "next episode nearly everyone dies fighting the VIRM"..... crap.

[Anh_Minh]

Originally Posted by Kanon

I completely agree with what you said. I would just add that going off to save Zero Two and fight is not only the right choice sentimentally, it is also the smart choice. Honestly, I was surprised they were so focused on rebuilding and planning for the future when there was a battle constantly raging over their heads. If the klaxosaurs lose, the planet will be destroyed, and they know this. It wasn't the time to farm, it was time to fight. Hiro obviously hadn't thought about that and just wanted to rescue Zero Two, but he still ended up leading them in the right direction somehow. He's pretty much been an unintentional hero since the start.

And if they don't secure a food supply, they'll also all die. As far as they were concerned, the food problem is just as important and a lot more actionable. Could they even service their mechs back into fighting shape? To say nothing of getting them into space.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

And if they don't secure a food supply, they'll also all die. As far as they were concerned, the food problem is just as important and a lot more actionable. Could they even service their mechs back into fighting shape? To say nothing of getting them into space.

Food is indeed important, but finding a way to join the fight should have been their top priority IMO. Ideally, they should have divided the tasks, which is pretty much what they ended up doing. To be fair, Hachi and Nana coming back so late didn't help them, they had access to much more information than the kids did.

I just found it really odd that they were so focused on the future when the planet could have been destroyed at any moment. I don't know how to interpret it. Was it a sign of strength? Or was it a sign of weakness, because they were adverting their eyes from the bigger problem? Not once did they talk about the on-going battle, and when they found the dead Klaxosaur and VIRM, they seemed terrified.

[Blueknight78]

Originally Posted by Kanon

Food is indeed important, but finding a way to join the fight should have been their top priority IMO. Ideally, they should have divided the tasks, which is pretty much what they ended up doing. To be fair, Hachi and Nana coming back so late didn't help them, they had access to much more information than the kids did.

I just found it really odd that they were so focused on the future when the planet could have been destroyed at any moment. I don't know how to interpret it. Was it a sign of strength? Or was it a sign of weakness, because they were adverting their eyes from the bigger problem? Not once did they talk about the on-going battle, and when they found the dead Klaxosaur and VIRM, they seemed terrified.

well remember in the end they still "kids" and where totally unaware of the 'big war" until now, everything still "new to them" and most of the "gardens" where destroyed then they where almost back to 0, they only have they franxx as really big remains and being in darkness and without any guidance don't help either, it is a lot of things to process and think.