Darling in the Franxx premiered in Japan simultaneously on TV and streaming services as an original work from prominent anime artists, although despite all the hype, viewers may find this to be familiar mecha genre stuff, albeit dressed up (or undressed, as the case may be) in much adolescent erotic innuendo. Far-future humanity—more accurately, post-humanity, given the number of cyborgs—has retreated to a domed underground "plantation" city, under siege by biomechanical monsters called klaxosaurs. The counter-response: raise children in couples (usually, but not always, boy-girl) to pilot "Franxx" armored fighting suits that would look right at home in a Cirque du Soleil production. The pubescent juveniles—nicknamed "parasites"—are lab-reared without basic knowledge of sex and biology; yet while operating a Franxx, they assume very suggestive body positions. Young Hiro, who is downcast over fear that he’s failed his squad, finds himself paired with an enticing, brash, super-powered girl called Zero Two, who has klaxosaur DNA (and horns) and a predatory reputation for eventually killing her partners. The will-she-or-won’t-she element (applicable to both sex and death) provides the dynamic storyline with gravitas, which it begins losing over time as the vibe see-saws uncomfortably between the comedic and the dystopic. Presenting the first 12 episodes from 2018 in a dual-language Blu-ray/DVD Combo set, rated TV-MA, extras include audio and video episode commentaries and a behind-the-scenes featurette. A strong optional purchase. [Note: Darling in the Franxx: Part Two is also newly available.] (C. Cassady)
Darling in the Franxx: Part One
(2018) 4 discs. 300 min. Blu-ray/DVD Combo: $64.99. Funimation (avail. from most distributors). Volume 34, Issue 5
Darling in the Franxx: Part One
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