(L+CR) Darling in the Franxx

[Gan_HOPE326]

Originally Posted by Twi

^ Exactly. I think people are jumping on the evil adults angle a little too soon at the moment.

I mean, if they were going for that right out of the gate, they wouldn't imply it subtlety, they'd beat it over our heads ala Iron-Blooded Orphans based on what we've seen so far. The only adults who've been dicks to the kids so far are the guards, and that's mostly because they're not exactly loose. Besides, if she's still alive we can get more drama in the future. I mean, he's not riding the Franxx for revenge like in Valvrave (Shoko should have remained dead), he wants to pilot because it gives him purpose, so killing her off to spur that doesn't work.

I don't think they're being subtle about it at all. I mean, not all adults will be evil by default, but the government of whatever organisation they are part of screams "evil" from any angle you could possibly look at it. Their leader manifests itself as a masked hologram with cult leader like robes hovering above everyone in a mass gathering. Then we see them gather in a Mysterious Shady Council, all masked and talking cryptically. Those are two big flashing warning signs.

Trust me, they're evil.

[Twi]

Originally Posted by DevilHighDxD

The manga gave a bit more backstory in its prologue, humanity dug into the Earth’s crust to get the magmatic fuel but in the process they completely destroyed Earth’s surface. The Klaxosaur seem to wanting to stop humanity from getting more magmatic fuel. I won’t be surprised if Hiro and 0-2 betrayed their group in the future when they learned that the bad guy are the human (adults). There are hints in the opening where Hiro and 0-2 became exiled or something similar.

Edit: Forgot to say, yeah, I totally agreed that Shouko should remained dead.

But if they don't have fuel then they die, right? I won't say the fact that they screwed up the world was right, but at this point they're locked into it. So at that point its not a matter of good or evil, it's survival.

Unless a third solution/alternative energy source comes up then you'd have a situation where the main characters are turning their backs on humanity. There's no refuge for them to if they do and none of the Klaxosaur have showed Sapience enough to relate to. I don't think the show call pull that off based on the information we have at the moment.

[Irenesharda]

Originally Posted by Twi

But if they don't have fuel then they die, right? I won't say the fact that they screwed up the world was right, but at this point they're locked into it. So at that point its not a matter of good or evil, it's survival.

Unless a third solution/alternative energy source comes up then you'd have a situation where the main characters are turning their backs on humanity. There's no refuge for them to if they do and none of the Klaxosaur have showed Sapience enough to relate to. I don't think the show call pull that off based on the information we have at the moment.

It would be really an interesting twist if the klaxosaurs end up being the sort of good guys in this, or perhaps even that there is some sort of other group of humans out there that are fighting our current faction and are related to the klaxosaurs in some way. Because the way things are going, I highly doubt that mindless mechanical beasts are going to be the real villains of this series. There is usually a lot more too it, with a lot more twists along the way.

Also, I'm not sure if they are also going to go with a FF7 angle here where by trying to use this source of energy, they are effectively killing the planet, and the klaxosaurs who call the Earth home as well, are trying to save it, before whatever they are doing to the magma under the crust, blows up the planet or something.

[Arya]

Well, I have to admit, I'm not bothered by the fanservice, yeah it's a bit intrusive, but it's still ok. I'm enjoying the show so far
As I said the MC and 0-2 are not annoying and are credible as much as their relationship. And that's already more than what I usually get.

In this episode I liked how they strayed a bit (just a little bit) from the "boy gets his mecha out of nowhere and he can pilot it better than anyone else" forcing Hiro to pair with one of his teammates (that only by chance was the girl who has a crush on him, and at the light of it the scenes of the kiss and of the coupling were pretty restrained) just for drama.

About Naomi I agree that the only reason to lie to the kids about her hospitalization would be only for morale, otherwise if her final end was to be disposed the occasion would have been prefect. So probably only the selected kids are dispensable.

On that account so 0-2 former partner was supposed to be a kid who aged fast due to her, right? (not that it really matter much since Hiro is obviously immune ).

[Gan_HOPE326]

Originally Posted by Arya

On that account so 0-2 former partner was supposed to be a kid who aged fast due to her, right? (not that it really matter much since Hiro is obviously immune ).

That's what I thought too. Obviously, she's such a sex fiend she instantly makes you into a grown man, and then drains you to death anyway .

Spoiler for Image:

[Arya]

Originally Posted by Gan_HOPE326

That's what I thought too. Obviously, she's such a sex fiend she instantly makes you into a grown man, and then drains you to death anyway .

Spoiler for Image:

Yeah, aka a succubus

[Sixth]

Originally Posted by Irenesharda

It would be really an interesting twist if the klaxosaurs end up being the sort of good guys in this, or perhaps even that there is some sort of other group of humans out there that are fighting our current faction and are related to the klaxosaurs in some way. Because the way things are going, I highly doubt that mindless mechanical beasts are going to be the real villains of this series. There is usually a lot more too it, with a lot more twists along the way.

Also, I'm not sure if they are also going to go with a FF7 angle here where by trying to use this source of energy, they are effectively killing the planet, and the klaxosaurs who call the Earth home as well, are trying to save it, before whatever they are doing to the magma under the crust, blows up the planet or something.

What wrong with just sticking to simple concept such as defeat the evil creatures to save the world? I think the concept of having twist just for the sake of having twist is overdone in the present.

[Gan_HOPE326]

Originally Posted by Sixth

What wrong with just sticking to simple concept such as defeat the evil creatures to save the world? I think the concept of having twist just for the sake of having twist is overdone in the present.

Well, evil unintelligent creatures aren't a very interesting villain in the long run. But besides this, there are already clear signs that the human higher ups are shady and corrupt. So I think this is not even a twist, it's basically the obvious way this is going to go.

[Arya]

Yeah, the real twist would be that behind those SEELE masks hide some good Samaritans!

[Faux Mecha]

so has the mecha designers got asked on why Strelizia bears an uncanny resemblance to Tauburn? unless it's like the Katoki thing with making a SRW Huckebein look like a Gundam.

[Irenesharda]

Originally Posted by Sixth

What wrong with just sticking to simple concept such as defeat the evil creatures to save the world? I think the concept of having twist just for the sake of having twist is overdone in the present.

Basically what Gan and Arya said. The thing about having an unintelligent creatures as villains will only work for so long. If you want to keep it that way, you will have to do something with the plot to either build the world up and vary the focus, or you will have to change the creatures and make them more than anyone thought they were.

A plot has to build. If it stays at a flatline, you are probably talking about a very standard episodic series, and already looking at just these two episodes, I'm pretty sure this series isn't supposed to be episodic.
Since we've already met a klaxosaur and seen it fight in a battle, the plot has to build on that in someway. If not, the show will just devolve into a monster-of-the week series, and that would just be horrible to sit through for 2 cours.

So it's not so much a twist, it's that I expect the plot to expand and begin to become more and more intricate and involved as the series continues. The klaxosaurs are only the beginning.

[Fnights]

This is super clichè, with love triangle and allegory, but is also amazing well done and it work very well, also kudos on the mecha cockpit design, doggy pose, absolutely fantastic.

5/5

[Elder]

Originally Posted by Twi

^ Exactly. I think people are jumping on the evil adults angle a little too soon at the moment.

I mean, if they were going for that right out of the gate, they wouldn't imply it subtlety, they'd beat it over our heads ala Iron-Blooded Orphans based on what we've seen so far.

It's not subtle. The adults dehumanize the kids to the point where they basically give them numbers instead of names and have their self worth derived almost exclusively from their performance as pilots for their weapons. I think it's absolutely clear that we are suppose to see the adult authority figures as super sketchy.

[RDNexus]

I can only guess some people here still want to believe this story won't be as fatalist as it seems to be, so far.

[DevilHighDxD]

Originally Posted by Twi

But if they don't have fuel then they die, right? I won't say the fact that they screwed up the world was right, but at this point they're locked into it. So at that point its not a matter of good or evil, it's survival.

Unless a third solution/alternative energy source comes up then you'd have a situation where the main characters are turning their backs on humanity. There's no refuge for them to if they do and none of the Klaxosaur have showed Sapience enough to relate to. I don't think the show call pull that off based on the information we have at the moment.

They didn’t say whether humanity is in a dire situation for new resource but just that they are able to obtain it. Also ever since they did, klaxosaur show up and start to attack humanity. In episode one you can seem how they talk about magmatic fuel stockpiles in that large dome drops after that attack. I do believe that by depleting Earth of its magma there will be some severe consequences and klaxosaur is there to stop it.

Also in the manga they elaborate more on Hiro’s and Naomi’s situation, Hiro seem be quite a good candidate to be a parasite but he failed his compatibility test with Naomi (hinted that Hiro is a special case where Naomi can’t handle Hiro’s talent). Failure candidates is removed from the dome and is sent to a place called “Garden”. Naomi said that “Even if I die, I will choose to stay” imply whatever this “Garden” place is pretty bad as they had seem countless children went there and never been hear again. Hiro is able to stay because he had favoritism from the higher ups (hinting again that Hiro is special). I won’t say all adults are bad but those APEs are definitely suspicious.

[Gan_HOPE326]

Originally Posted by Elder

It's not subtle. The adults dehumanize the kids to the point where they basically give them numbers instead of names and have their self worth derived almost exclusively from their performance as pilots for their weapons. I think it's absolutely clear that we are suppose to see the adult authority figures as super sketchy.

Right, forgot about the numbers thing because they all use those names, but they are derived by the numbers.

Which by the way... if you mix English and Japanese, 02 = O-ni = "demon". Coincidence?

[Anh_Minh]

One day, one day, the twist will be that the shadowy council leading humanity are actually good guys. One day... (But probably not in this series.)

[Flames]

I'm wondering what is the deal with Hiro having the number 716 when he is walking by himself before it switches back to 016 when he is walking with Zero Two. It could be hinting at the possible fact that Hiro wasn't born at the same lab as the rest of teammates and may be impersonating the person who should be 016. Although that leads to the question on what happened to the original 016 and why and how did Hiro take his place.

[SeijiSensei]

Originally Posted by Elder

It's not subtle. The adults dehumanize the kids to the point where they basically give them numbers instead of names and have their self worth derived almost exclusively from their performance as pilots for their weapons. I think it's absolutely clear that we are suppose to see the adult authority figures as super sketchy.

On top of the dehumanization they seem to have instilled in the children the belief that the life before them has no options other than succeeding as pilots or death. Hiro tells Ichigo exactly that at the beginning of episode two -- if I can't pilot, I might as well die.

Originally Posted by Gan_HOPE326

Which by the way... if you mix English and Japanese, 02 = O-ni = "demon". Coincidence?

I hardly think so.

[kari-no-sugata II]

Originally Posted by Elder

It's not subtle. The adults dehumanize the kids to the point where they basically give them numbers instead of names and have their self worth derived almost exclusively from their performance as pilots for their weapons. I think it's absolutely clear that we are suppose to see the adult authority figures as super sketchy.

Yet despite that the "parasites" are actually treated quite well it seems. They live in the most luxurious part of the place and their opinions are listened to. They were given a big ceremony in front of all the adults as well. Okay, they were also basically told to fight until they die. They're not treated to physical or mental abuse by the adults as far as I can tell.

So it's a curious mix. I wonder if the kids were actually experiments from a different group and things changed at a later date...?

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

One day, one day, the twist will be that the shadowy council leading humanity are actually good guys. One day... (But probably not in this series.)

Heh. But well, generally a good story does require multiple elements to develop for it to stay interesting. Of course, merely throwing in a "twist" or two isn't necessarily a solution. Ultimately, it comes down to the execution - a plain story done well is almost always better than a more advanced story done poorly.

So even if there's plenty of tropes going around, if the characters are interesting and developed well then the story can work well.

I'll be curious to find out more about the background of the kids. 02 has klaxosaur blood - maybe that's common for all the "single digits"? Maybe some experimenters were trying to get something from the klaxosaurs by mixing something from them with humans but it didn't work too well? Maybe the later generation kids have klaxosaur blood as well, just less of it, and are more stable because of it?

So anyway, either way that implies that the klaxosaurs are biological to some degree (else how can a human have "klaxosaur blood"?)

It's also probably not a coincidence that during a "stampede" (as we first saw Strelitzia), they look more like a klaxosaur. Perhaps that's closer to being the natural state of these robots?

Also, I wonder if the XX in Franxx refers to the XX chromosomes that are generally said to indicate the female gender in mammals (it's not quite correct that XX = female but let's no go there...)