Review of the anime Darling in the FranXX (“Favorite in France”)

So we have reached, perhaps, the most anticipated and unpredictable title of the winter season of 2021. If only they wouldn't wait for it - when will you ever see an anime created in collaboration with such powerful giants as studios A-1 Pictures and Trigger . Here, like it or not, you will expect the highest level of both visual, musical, and semantic accompaniment. But not always everything goes according to plan: the atmosphere around the anime became even more curious due to the fact that after the broadcast of several episodes, a barrage of criticism and negativity fell upon it - yes, this often happens with high expectations. Here and there on forums you can come across reviews with lower ratings. Well, let's figure out whether this criticism was deserved or not. This time I want to tell you about a fantasy title called Darling in the FranXX (“Beloved in the Franx”).

Brief information

Darling in the FranXX is an anime series created by A-1 Pictures , Trigger and CloverWorks in the winter of 2018. Based on an original script written by Naotaka Hayashi and Atsushi Nishigori , the series consists of twenty-four episodes. The director was Atsushi Nishigori . In parallel with the anime, a manga with illustrations by Kentaro Yabuki .

In the distant future, humanity is on the verge of extinction. The initiator of the disaster was the beginning of the use of a new effective source of fuel - magma, extracted directly from the bowels of the planet. Initially, everything went well, but at a certain moment strange creatures began to appear from the ground, nicknamed kyoryu - “ klaxosaurs . Without mercy, they attacked all living things, and only nuclear warheads could stop them. It is not surprising that the planet was soon deserted and turned into an endless desert. The few survivors had to hide behind specially built mobile cities called plantations . To fight the revosaurs, people began to raise specially trained children, nicknamed “ parasites ,” who, breaking into pairs, fight the revosaurs in giant furs - franks . Depending on the strength of the parasite, it is assigned a number: the lower the number, the stronger the parasite, and the greater its potential. The events of the anime begin at the moment when one of the strongest parasites with number 002 (Zero Two) arrives at the plantation number thirteen, just at the moment when the student Hiro, . However, their plans change dramatically when the plantation is unexpectedly attacked by a powerful revosaurus...

Characters

You know, when I watched a few episodes, I was ready to write a devastating review. Because none of the characters in the title caught my attention at first glance. However, it is not surprising - the main characters in Darling in the FranXX are indeed stereotyped, typical characters, of which you can find a great variety in any title about schoolchildren. Hiro is a gifted, good-natured guy who has lost the motivation to fight and plays the victim. He seems like just another pretentious, ordinary OYASH, who for half the series does nothing sensible except make speeches about the need to unite and about the fact that he will save everyone. By the way, a good half of the characters make their living by screaming about the fact that they will save each other. 002 (Zero Two) seemed more successful, although the image of a strong girl suffering in her soul also does not shine with originality. Things are even worse with the rest of the characters. Hyperactive, loud Miku and Zorome ; quiet and reliable Futoshi and Kokoro ; childhood friends Goro and Ichigo ; and finally the arrogant and aloof Ikuno and Mitsuru . Nothing outstanding or original - the most popular characters that even a fifth grader could come up with for an essay on literature. And, of course, the interactions between them are initially limited to banal jokes or even more banal showdowns in the style of “I don’t like you, I’ll hate you, and let the viewer guess why.”

However, for some reason, towards the middle of the series, the characters began to warm to me . At least some of them. No, don’t think so – they haven’t become less stereotyped. And what is happening to them can hardly be called development. However, there is one thing about Darling in the FranXX that allows you to watch the characters without any problems, irritation or boredom. And the name of this trait is an even distribution of screen time between all protagonists . Yes, technically Hiro and 002 can be called the main characters, but they are not given much more time than the rest of the squad. Each hero is dedicated to an episode or a secondary storyline, during which they are shown from new, previously unknown sides. Hiro and 002 are the best portrayed in this way, but the stories of Dzorome in the city or Futoshi with the trials he had to go through as a child were no less vivid. This is how you watch the characters, you watch them, and somehow you get used to them. And they no longer seem so formulaic and uninteresting, and the simple psychology and romance underlying their interaction no longer seem so simple-minded. In my opinion, it was the competent distribution of screen time and the constant transfer of emphasis from one character to another that allowed Darling in the FranXX to begin to reveal its potential. And he is definitely in this anime.

About anime

There was a lot of noise around “Darling in France” and the opinions of viewers were sometimes polarized: some said that it was the original and best anime in recent times, others saw blatant copying of plots from “Gurren Lagann” and “Evangelion”.

According to critics, the anime is worth watching due to its visuals and well-developed characters, but otherwise the show is quite weak.

There is a small hope that, like other anime, Darling in France will be resumed after some time, but you shouldn’t hope for it too much.

Plot

Just like in other Trigger works, the storyline of Darling in the FranXX resembles a spiral. It all starts from afar - calmly, slowly and reluctantly. The first turn introduces the characters, provides a minimum of details about the world in which the events take place, and shows a couple of weak battles. Then the spiral begins to narrow, gaining momentum with each new turn and tending to the climax center. Battles become larger, relationships between characters develop, and small details, gathering into a single picture, allow you to give free rein to your imagination and attempts to predict what the hell is going on here. On the one hand, this manner of plotting allows you to keep the viewer glued to the screen until the very last episode, because the most interesting things unfold in the finale. I’m sure many people remember the crazy battles of a galactic scale in Kill la Kill or Gurren Lagann , watching which gives goosebumps. So the focus on the ending of the story is quite understandable. In addition, the ending in Darling in the FranXX was decent - of course, not as cool as in Lagann, but definitely not bad. He answers the questions posed and is impressive in scale. On the other hand, a weak start may be the reason for the loss of interest among impatient viewers and a huge number of critical reviews written after five or six episodes, which, in fact, is what happened.

Despite the increasing dynamism of the series, which slightly softens the following negative effect, I cannot help but note the amazing, huge, amazing abundance of plot cliches that literally fill every episode. Unexpected events that occur during conversations and prevent the character from completing an important phrase? Yeah. Love triangle with your best friend and girlfriend? Eat. Fanservice scenes in a pond or bathtub? Certainly. An episode with a trip to the sea and girls in swimsuits? Where would we be without him? Scary details hidden behind doors marked “Do not enter”? Still would! Scenes with a sudden awakening of internal forces and reserves on the verge of death, in the best traditions of shonen? Of course! "Accidental" eavesdropping on conversations? Yeah. Oh, and, of course, I left the sweetest for last - this is amnesia ! Literally the worst possible plot flaw, which is given pride of place in Darling in the FranXX . And this list goes on and on. I don’t even remember where I would have seen such a complete set of plot cliches in one work. In my humble opinion, for an anime that is based on an original script specially written for it, this is categorically unacceptable.

Another drawback regarding the plot, I would say, is the ridiculous construction of battles in the first half of the series. In fact, all battles follow the same scenario: the Franks, controlled by the characters, rush headlong into battle, commit incredible stupidities one after another, and then they are heroically saved by 002. That is, such morons were really entrusted with the defense of cities? Were they actually trained and taught to fight? How is it even possible that schoolchildren, who had difficulty destroying even the weakest beetle, could be entrusted with the protection of important objects? No, I, of course, understand that all this was done in order to add more light drama to the anime, and to more clearly emphasize the development of the characters' combat skills, but what was the point of making them so incompetent from the very beginning? A trifle, but an unpleasant one. In addition, there is no justified development of combat skills as such - at a certain moment they simply begin to tear everything and everyone apart, while still acting inadequately and thoughtlessly. Well, it’s cool that it’s very interesting to watch something like this (no). I personally lacked some .

Another extremely forced and intrusive element of Darling in the FranXX was romance . Of course, in an anime where the characters are divided into pairs, forced to work with each other in explicit positions, live in the same dorm and are at such a specific age, it would be foolish not to expect to see a romantic relationship. I was ready to endure love triangles, squares, and even pentagrams, but you need to know the limits in everything. Talk about children, reproduction, marriage, hints at same-sex relationships, etc. and so on. – there was a ton of all this in Darling in the FranXX . The wedding arc is generally one big misunderstanding, without which the title could have easily managed and even become better. I understand why something like this was added to the title. I understand that without this it would hardly be possible to fully demonstrate human essence, instincts and the fact that perfection and rationality are not always an absolute good, because it is thanks to their imperfections such as emotions or desires that people remain who they are. This is the strength and weakness of humanity. This idea is one of the leitmotifs of the title. But how inelegantly all this is shown... Lately, I often cover my face with a facepalm when watching this or that title, but in this case, after a couple of specific scenes, I almost hit myself with it. I already caught flashbacks from Mirai Nikki , brrrr.

Well, as you can see, the shortcomings in the semantic part of Darling in the FranXX can be found in a carriage and a small cart. It's time to move on to the merits, of which there were surprisingly many in the anime. And I would like to start with the constantly maintained intrigue throughout the series. This is where the spiral structure with the gradual disclosure of details showed itself in all its glory. Information about the universe of the world of Darling in the FranXX , in which the events unfold, is presented in moderate portions, constantly giving the viewer food for thought and lifting the veil of secrecy over pressing issues. Who are the Pope and the adults? Why do parasites have to fight? Where did rheuosaurs come from, and who creates them? Here and there various hints slip through the dialogues, which only fuel interest. From this point of view, Darling in the FranXX was very interesting to watch. You understand that behind the bright and vulgar cover of the series there is some kind of secret hidden, and you try in every possible way to get to it.

If we try to highlight some specific successful plot points, then I would note how flashbacks , that is, episodes that reveal the past of certain characters. The first episode that comes to mind is about the past of 002 and Hiro . Just one episode that not only answers a lot of questions, but also develops the characters better than half the series before it. This is a simple, but very sweet and touching story that makes you feel sympathy and respect for the protagonists. To be honest, no matter how hard I try, I can’t remember when just one episode had such a strong impact on me and was so different from the rest of the series. It’s as if it was created by completely different people, who really understand that the viewer’s sympathy can and should be won not by fan service scenes in bathhouses, not by showdowns between sad schoolchildren, but by touching, dramatic, albeit slightly naive stories. And this is the first time that I was able to forgive the scriptwriters for using amnesia as a plot engine, because there is no reason, and the justification is given here. These are the miracles.

Panache

If there is one positive aspect of the collaboration between two such respected studios as A-1 Pictures and Trigger, it is in the visual component. Taking all the best features from previous creations of the Trigger studio, such as bold, contrasting colors , clarity of lines and an abundance of details in character design , the artists received a stable base, which was subsequently supplemented by high-quality animation , the rhythm of battles , original cinematic scenes with frames limited at the top and bottom , as well as meticulous elaboration of backgrounds and an abundance of original angles . The characters are quickly remembered, the battles, coupled with powerful music, look very cheerful, and the non-standard camera work once again refreshes the graphics. The anime looks great – in this regard, it’s worth giving credit to the artists, they did their best. The only thing I didn't like a little was the design of the Franks . I think he could have been a little more brutal or something. And the characters' faces are more detailed. But this, of course, is all very subjective.

Interesting Facts

1. Three studios were simultaneously working on the anime. Fans were anxiously awaiting developments from Trigger, whose projects always impressed fans. The series was released thanks to the efforts of specialists from Clover Works and A-1 Pictures. The anime was praised for its visual design.
2. Atsushi Nishigori acted as director, and he was previously known for his work on the projects Spirited Away and Evangelion. The music was composed by Asami Tachibana, who previously worked on the Volleyball anime.
3. The series combines several genres, including martial arts, romance and action. The creators placed the main emphasis on the first direction, and the rest of the critics called them crumpled.

Music

There are also no problems with the musical accompaniment in Darling in the FranXX Of course, the role of the composer was played by the very experienced Asami Tachibana , who previously had a hand in the amazing soundtrack in Haikyuu!! and managed to appear in a couple of other famous titles. So, when I heard a high-quality, varied soundtrack containing both classical and electronic compositions, I was not surprised. Somewhat vaguely reminiscent of the works of Hiroyuki Sawano, albeit without vocals. In general, the soundtrack turned out great. The work with sound was also done colossally - attention was paid to every detail, it’s pleasant to listen even to silence. No less impressive were the results of the voice actors: the voice actors were selected in an optimal way - the voices fully correspond to their characters and are easy to remember, which is especially important when you consider how many characters need to be remembered in the shortest possible time. The opening of KISS OF DEATH performed by Mika Nakashima x Hyde luxuriously suits the theme of the title. You listen to him and immediately get into a serious mood - you begin to expect some global events and large-scale battles. I think it would be difficult to come up with a better leitmotif for Darling in the FranXX . And it doesn’t sound like an ordinary Japanese opening – that’s already worth a lot. Finally, Torikago's , sung by the voice actresses, sounds light and showcases the heroines in everyday life. Nothing special, but it might help you get into the characters once again.

Schedule

The release date for the episodes of season 2 of the anime “Darling in France” will no longer be announced. When any announcement comes out from the creators of the project and whether there will be any change in the episode schedule in Russia, we will tell you additionally.

Ratings

Characters – 6.5. At first glance, they are stereotyped, but over time they begin to develop and interact with each other, which partially corrects the situation.

Plot – 6.5. There are a lot of plot cliches, which are partially offset by the dynamism and growing scale of what is happening.

Drawing – 9.0. Definitely the best thing in the title. This is where the collaboration of the two studios showed itself best.

Music – 8.0. It copes with its tasks perfectly. Varied, fresh and powerful. Excellent opening and background music.