Line #132 YMMV/DarlingInTheFranxx


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4	* AlasPoorScrappy: Despite their lack of characterization and posse antics, [[spoiler:Delta and Epsilon's deaths]] weren't mourned any less by the fans.
5	* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation:
6	** Hiro's inability to pilot with anyone other than Zero Two can be seen as making his partners feel just as inadequate as he himself feels. This is best seen in episode 2, as Ichigo's inability to activate the Franxx by kissing him and her "awful" line refers to herself, [[WordOfSaintPaul an interpretation supported by her Japanese voice actress]], just as much as it seems to be directed at him.
7	** Plantation 13's relationship with Hiro is sometimes thought to be less ideal than previously thought, and more self-centered on Hiro's part. Despite being childhood friends most of their lives to the point where Hiro names them all, Hiro isn't willing to share his heart with them, staying silent and internalizing his problems even when pushed for answers/better understanding (which causes quite a few problems down the road). Combined with how he only thinks about his ability to perform in the early stages, how he only thinks of Zero Two the majority of the time (and in general has his moments with Zero Two as his most cherished memories with none of the other kids showing up), and how passive he is with the team, some felt like he didn't really see his friends as "friends". Then again, it's possible that it all might have something to do with his [[spoiler: partial memory loss]], which had a significantly negative effect on his personality.
8	** The relationship between Hiro and Zero Two. Some look at it and see a pure, unconditional love that Hiro tries to weather in order to make others see how Zero Two isn't as monstrous. Others see it as a mutually toxic relationship, with Hiro being Zero Two's LoveMartyr and excusing her actions because of his love for her, while also serving as her object of obsession and simultaneously [[LivingEmotionalCrutch bringing out the best of her]] and triggering the very worst parts of her volatile and casually violent personality.
9	** When Mitsuru rides with Zero Two in Strelitzia, is Ikuno in such silent distress at being cast aside and being blamed for Chlorophytum's poor performance? Or is she worried for her partner, who is riding with a known partner killer?
10	** Does Zero Two really love Hiro, or is her affection just superficial? Those who point to the former see that she becomes more comfortable around him. Those who point to the latter say that her affections decrease as the episodes go on, her love looks more possessive and dangerous as time goes on, and that she keeps him at arms length when it comes to true intimacy. By episode 12, it's revealed that [[spoiler:she ''did'' fall in love with Hiro as a child, and he was the "Darling" she's been unknowingly seeking for the first half of the series]], but seeing that she doesn't recognize him by the time she sees him in episode 1, it's likely that she was trying to get on his good side so she could get to who she thought was her real love. While Episode 15 does clear things up a bit, [[spoiler:it doesn’t completely answer if she knew it was him on some level]].
11	* AmericansHateTingle: While the merchandise sold well in Japan and it appears in the list of top 20 anime for the first half of 2018 according to ''Newtype'', Western reception has been mixed, especially in its second half. Mecha anime fans also criticize the series for having an inconsistent plot, characters whose motivations were changing, and trying to combine the teen angst from ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' with the over-the-top zaniness from ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann''.
12	* {{Anvilicious}}:
13	** "No man is an island, people and love are stronger together" is a theme beaten over the audience's head every major arc. And if you haven't gotten it by episode 21 with the Jian metaphors, the nature of piloting, and the interpersonal interactions between the P13 cast, [[spoiler:the Klaxxosaur Princess]] explicitly spells this out [[spoiler:as Zero Two sacrifices herself to save Hiro]].
14	** Kokoro's "So what if I want [[spoiler:to have a child]]?" defense in episode 17, coupled with Alpha's [[spoiler:disgust]] at her reasons, dropped the relationship moral a little too hard.
15	* AssPull: A common complaint among reviewers was that the finale, in which [[spoiler:the conflict evolves into a galactic war about soul collectors]], was hastily shoved into a narrative that neither supported nor needed it, simply because other series like ''Tenga Toppa Gurenn Lagann'' and ''Neon Genesis Evangelion'' had similar endings. Also from said finale, [[spoiler:VIRM apparently surviving the explosion that destroyed its entire planet due to the justification of "VIRM cannot die" was also criticized by some due to it being a rather jumbled reveal that only serves to leave a lazy SequelHook that might never happen, despite the fact Tarsier, one of its members, was killed by the Klaxosaur Princess with little effort]].
16	* SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic:
17	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPfrt2sCmJs "Reversal"]], a rousing, optimistic piece that makes a Franxx sortie sound like a glorious endeavor.
18	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzDhYru2SSE "Vanquish"]], playing when Hiro and Zero Two first pilot Strelizia together, [[spoiler:as well as [[LongSongShortScene briefly]] when Kid!Hiro rescues a young Zero Two in Episode 13]], sounds equal parts glorious and melancholic. Bonus points for the EtherealChoir lyrics subtly conveying Zero Two's [[IJustWantToBeNormal motivation]] and [[DarkAndTroubledPast backstory]].
19	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY2LBKcMh3o "VICTORIA"]], which plays during Hiro and Zero Two's first battle in Strelizia, is magnificently triumphant and exultant.
20	** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzJqxT1UGho "Kiss of Death"]] which plays as the main theme and [[spoiler:during Strelizia transformation into the ultimate form in Episode 15 when Hiro and Zero Two are reunited]].
21	** The first ending, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7HKMTUsumg "Torikago"]], an incredibly uplifting song with lyrics that, fittingly, ask about the meaning of one's being and express the dream of flying high, away from the control of the adults, like a free bird.
22	** Episode 13's special ending, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXmNVANEXoI "Hitori"]], sung exclusively by Zero Two (Creator/HarukaTomatsu), captures heartbreakingly well how lonely she'has been all her life, wishing to reunite with her first and last love and be by his side forever.
23	** The fifth ending, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbbqqH1-1r8 "Escape"]], may also qualify given the epic feel of the tune and lyrics that could tell a legendary love story of a princess and a boy from humble beginnings. Which make sense in context.
24	* BrokenBase:
25	** Depending on who you ask, either the entire series ultimately wasted its potential to be interesting and ended up going down the drain from episode 20 and onwards or it still remained enjoyable all the way throughout.
26	** The LoveTriangle between Kokoro, Futoshi and Mitsuru. It's either an interesting subplot that gives more screentime to them, or a waste of time that could have been used to flesh out other characters like Zorome and Miku.
27	* CommonKnowledge:
28	** The anime is being touted as a Creator/StudioTrigger project. While this is true in the absolute strictest sense, it was animated by Trigger and A-1 Pictures and produced [=CloverWorks=], the latter being a subsidiary of A-1 Pictures at the time. Interestingly, the series is not featured on Trigger's website (seen [[http://www.st-trigger.co.jp/works/ here]]) unlike [=CloverWorks=]' (seen [[https://en.cloverworks.co.jp/works/category_year/2018/ here]]).
29	** From the controversial finale, chances are you'll find a ton of fans who claim that [[spoiler:APE being a HiveMind of Assimilator aliens in episode 20]] came out of nowhere. In actuality, [[spoiler:episode 17 already foreshadowed this when 001 killed Tarsier and called APE "human wannabes" and it was shown that behind his mask there was nothing. Heck, there were hints (admittedly vague) even earlier such as Papa claiming that they will soon be freed from the shackles of their bodies and APE's tendency to talk about humanity without including themselves in a condescending fashion]]. A plot twist was clealry coming, but the specifics were sort of out there.
30	* CompleteMonster: [[spoiler:[[Characters/DarlingInTheFranxxAPE Papa and the Vice Chairman]] are the face of the [[HiveMind VIRM]], a [[AliensAreBastards vicious alien species]] that [[AssimilationPlot assimilates others]] and exterminates those which refuse their subjugation. Arriving on Earth, the VIRM exhaust the planet's magma supply, leaving humans as a target for the Klaxosaurs and rule the planet as a cruel regime, with those who defy them having their minds wiped or being left in cryo-storage for their disobedience. After a devastating assault, the VIRM attempt to completely wipe out the Klaxo-Sapiens. When Papa [[EvilAllAlong reveals himself]] as the VIRM, he tries to absorb the souls of all humanity before deciding to simply destroy Earth, tormenting the heroes as they try to stop the alien monsters.]]
31	* CreatorsPet: Some viewers accuse Mitsuru and Kokoro of being this. Being the human counterpart relationship to Hiro and Zero Two, as well as being favorites of the staff, they get a lot of focus in the second half of the series. However, due to their poor performance in battle, their plots taking up more focus than the other characters, and [[spoiler:their unambiguously happy ending compared to the ending of the leads]], some fans felt it was unjustified.
32	* CreatorWorship: Due to the widespread belief that the anime was produced solely by Trigger, any praise the series receives will inevitably be towards Trigger, excluding out co-producer A-1 Pictures. Unusually, this also means that any criticism towards the series will be directed at Trigger as well.
33	* DieForOurShip: There was a ''massive'' one toward Ichigo from Hiro/Zero Two shippers after episode 14, with this being on full display. [[spoiler:Fortunately, Hiro/Zero Two [[OfficialCouple turned out to be canon]] in the next episode and any possible Hiro/Ichigo romance was [[ShipSinking firmly sunk]] by her accepting their relationship.]]
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36	[[folder:E-H]]
37	* EsotericHappyEnding: [[spoiler:In the end, [[EarnYourHappyEnding Squad 13 earned their happy ending]], while Hiro and Zero Two get reincarnated. While this may seem happier than an average BittersweetEnding at first, it's heavily implied that Hiro and Zero Two were reincarnated centuries after the final battle. This means that the couple will never have the chance to reunite with their friends. Moreover, Papa and the Vice Chairman both survive, meaning the VIRM is still out there and could invade Earth once again.]]
38	* FandomRivalry: Moreso than most fandoms, the ''[=DarliFra=]'' community has made its fair share of enemies across the internet. Not helped by the fact that ''Creator/CloverWorks'' is also involved in its production.
39	** A particularly nasty one with ''Literature/VioletEvergarden'', due mainly to both series being the most hyped of the Winter 2018 anime season. ''Violet.Evergarden'' fans call ''[=DarliFra=]'' "another stupid, raunchy harem" with [[OffModel poor artwork and animation]] while ''[=DarliFra=]'' fans call ''Violet Evergarden'' "pretentious" and "boring" and having an overreliance on DepthOfField and [[RackFocus blur effects]]. Both sides call the other "melodramatic soap operas". During one especially vicious online fight on a Chinese forum, a Chinese ''Violet Evergarden'' fan went so far as to report ''[=DarliFra=]'''s heavy {{fanservice}} to the Chinese MoralGuardians, resulting in the series being literally BannedInChina for a short while.
40	** With fans of ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' and ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann''. Lots of fans of both series believe that ''[=DarliFra=]'' tried to be "The Second Coming of ''Evangelion''/''Gurren Lagann''" and emulate many important themes from both series (namely the character analysis and DysfunctionJunction setting of the former, and the high-octane action and romance between the protagonists of the latter) while [[TheyCopiedItSoItSucks failing to do either of them justice]]. It doesn't help that a lot of these fans started watching ''[=DarliFra=]'' because of the alternative take on said themes, leaving them rather disappointed with the end result. Likewise, ''Manga/GetterRobo'' fans have a love-hate relationship with the ''[=DarliFra=]'' community, and have evolved a number of anti-waifu and anti-dinosaur memes to mock them; even moreso when ''Getter Robo Arc'' aired at 2021, just a few years after ''[=DarliFra=]'' ended its run.
41	*** Generally, ''[=DarliFra=]'' had an unfortunate tendency to gather defenders who could get too defensive on its elements and often shove it as the most important aspect of the show (NTR elements, the waifu factor of Zero-Two) and proceeded to say that mechas are not important to the show, it's like a dead genre, the most important part of the shows are the character drama and interactions, all while also thinking that unless it's the aforementioned ''Evangelion'' and ''Gurren Lagann'', and some widespread shows like ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' or ''Franchise/CodeGeass'', mecha is 'non-existant' or 'a dead genre', without bothering to acknowledge the many many mecha shows has permeated anime since 1970's and still going on in 2010's. Naturally, [[FandomEnragingMisconception this riled up the mecha fandom]], beyond ''Getter'' fandom, [[YourApprovalFillsMeWithShame and even the fandom of]] ''Evangelion'' and ''Gurren Lagann''. It's not too much to stretch that ''[=DarliFra=]'' fandom has made a rivalry to the majority of MechaShow fandom.
42	** On the ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' side of things:
43	*** The series has earned the ire from fans of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamIronBloodedOrphans'', since both of them are DarkerAndEdgier mecha anime involving ChildSoldiers, FauxSymbolism, [[spoiler:corrupt organizations]], and have {{Bittersweet Ending}}s where [[spoiler:[[HeroicSacrifice their respective main characters go out in a blaze of glory]]]]. While there are some fans who like the mecha designs and the increasingly romantantic relationship between the main pairing being more fleshed out, others dismissed ''[=DarliFra=]'' as "an ''Iron-Blooded Orphans'' rip-off".
44	*** Fans of ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamTheWitchFromMercury'' are not very fond of ''[=DarliFra=]'' and vice versa, since both series are different from each other in so many ways, [[spoiler:''especially'' how the romance bewteen their respective main characters played out as well as their endings]].
45	** A minor one with fans of ''Franchise/{{Kirby}}'' and ''Manga/ChainsawMan''. For the former, this is mainly due to their annoyance that their own [[VideoGame/Kirby64TheCrystalShards Zero Two]] was driven away from Google and Pixiv in lieu of this franchise's Zero Two. As for the latter, this is mainly due to Zero Two and Power having similar appearances, with many seeing the latter as "the cooler and more modest Zero Two".
46	** One that grew overtime came with it's "sister" Trigger series, ''Anime/SSSSGridman''. While divisive on it's own, ''DARLING in the FRANXX'' had the misfortune on following on the feels of ''Anime/LittleWitchAcademia2017'' and ''Anime/{{Kiznaiver}}'' having rather [[BrokenBase divisive]] and infamous second half, so ''[=DarliFra=]'''s own HypeBacklash ended up getting magnified to the point where it got singled out as "start" of Trigger's AudienceAlienatingEra. ''Gridman'' meanwhile enjoyed a more consistently positive fan reception with people memeing that it "saved" Trigger. Naturally, this caused negative feelings from fans of ''[=DarliFra=]'' who were resentful at ''Gridman'' being used to bash the series. (And even moreso about how ''Gridman'' has enjoyed collaboration everywhere, not just ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars30'', while ''[=DarliFra=]'' lacked ''any'' collaborations as a result).
47	** And to a lesser extent, ''Series/KamenRiderZeroOne'', which is also a DarkerAndEdgier series like ''[=DarliFra=]'' and has [[TroubledProduction major production issues]] even ''before'' the COVID-19 pandemic broke out. While ''Zero-One'' is generally seen by many as "''[=DarliFra=]'', but better" due to how the story and characters are handled, fans on both sides ''unconditionally'' appreciated the "Zero-Two" jokes.
48	* FanNickname:
49	** The nameless partner of Zero Two in the first episode who dies in a bloody mess has been nicknamed [[GallowsHumor Juice box-kun]].
50	** Goro is nicknamed "Gobro" for always getting Hiro's back.
51	*** Upgraded to "Godbro" in Episode 15 after he [[spoiler:personally swaps places with Hiro in Delphinium in order to get him to the rampaging Strelizia and, by extension, reunite with Zero-Two.]]
52	** Ichigo gets called "Strawberry-chan" by some fans. [[note]]"Ichigo" means "strawberry" in Japanese[[/note]]
53	*** After episode 14, she gained another one. "Bitchigo", by the courtesy of a furious fandom for [[spoiler:her incredibly selfish actions in splitting Hiro and Zero-Two apart by any means necessary]].
54	*** One episode later she gained "Ichibro" because she [[spoiler:finally accepted that Hiro will never see her as more than a sister and helped him get into Strelizia. She even showed some begrudging concern toward a rampaging Zero Two]].
55	** Kokoro has been called by some people [[spoiler:"Cuckoro" due to breaking her promise with Futoshi]].
56	*** Later on, she also gets [[spoiler:"Momkoro" due to her kindness and desire to have children]].
57	*** Pretty self explanatory: [[spoiler:[[Series/SixteenAndPregnant "556 and Pregnant"]]]].
58	** For the Nines:
59	*** Nine Alpha is called certainly an [[spoiler:"Alpha Man", having taken quite an approaching nature towards females.]] Due to his similar looks, "[[Anime/SpacePatrolLuluco Nova-kun]]" gets thrown around occasionally.
60	*** Nine Delta (the member of the Nines that looks a lot like Ichigo, only with green hair) is called "Grape-chan".
61	*** Some fans call the Nines the "Thot Patrol". Hilariously fitting for Nine Alpha, seeing how he brazenly approached Ichigo in a "thot"-like manner.
62	** [[spoiler:Child Zero Two is called "Eo To"]] because that's how she mispronounced "Zero Two" when [[spoiler:Hiro first gave the name to her]].
63	** Zero Two is the fandom's [[HalfHumanHybrid "Local Dinogirl"]]. Whenever she smiles it's a good day.
64	*** After [[spoiler:Episode 21 some fans started calling her [[EmptyShell "Potato Two"]]]]. Nothing like BlackComedy to alleviate the mood uh?
65	** Hiro is a "Madman" because of [[spoiler:how insanely brave he was as a kid and especially after he gets his memories back. His determination to go after what he wants, guile and willingness to break the rules get him compared to ''[[Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann Kamina]]'' of all people.]]
66	*** He also got [[spoiler:[[HalfHumanHybrid "Dinoboy"]] after Episode 17]].
67	** Mitsuru is usually referred to as "Milkman" due to him drinking milk in a fancy glass in the early episodes, and his subplot with Kokoro calling to mind the CheatingWithTheMilkman flavor of {{Netorare}}.
68	*** Upgraded to [[spoiler:[[TheirFirstTime "Milked-man"]]]] after Episode 17 thanks to Kokoro. Hiro being a great wingman helped.
69	** Futoshi is sometimes referred to as Fatoshi, Fat, or Fatty. [[TheBigGuy Go on, guess why.]]
70	*** He upgraded to "Brotoshi" [[spoiler:after he volunteered to officiate Kokoro and Mitsuru's wedding in Episode 18]]. This man is the IWantMyBelovedToBeHappy trope incarnate.
71	*** "Father Futbroshi of the Cooking Pot" is gaining traction as well, for the same reason. Considered to follow the teachings of the Church of Godbro.
72	** Slamming with brute force some dough in Episode 16, and scaring Miku in the process, gained Ikuno the nickname of "The Destroyer".
73	*** Reinforced once she [[spoiler:bitch-slapped Alpha in Episode 17 and outright put him through ''[[WrestlerInAllOfUs the Romero Special]]'' in the yonkoma]].
74	** [[spoiler:The Klaxosaur Princess]] that appears at the end of Episode 16 is either called [[spoiler:Evil Two, Loli Princess or Creator/LadyGaga]].
75	** Mitsuru and Kokoro's [[spoiler:wedding in Episode 18 got nicknamed [[Series/GameOfThrones "Red Wedding"]]. Blood wasn't spilled, but it was definitely a bleak event]].
76	** Squad 13's increasing [[spoiler:[[ThisMeansWar "done-with-your-shit" attitude at APE]]]] made them become "[[VideoGame/MassEffect Normandy]] 13".
77	*** Similarly [[spoiler:Hiro, the one most determined and the inspirator of the kids' rebellious thoughts, got called a few times [[Anime/CodeGeass "Code 016: Hiro of the Rebellion"]]]]
78	** Nana has "Our Nana", stemmed after she was seemingly [[spoiler:replaced by another "Nana", Code:007, in episode 20]].
79	* FanonDiscontinuity: Many believe the Hiro/Zero Two story arc wrapped up nicely in Episode 15, and disregard the rest of the series, especially the very divisive last five episodes.
80	* FauxSymbolism: The flower and bird imagery, the male/female pilot pairings help draw the comparisons with symbolism in ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion''.
81	* FountainOfMemes: Zero Two. With pink hair, [[LeParkour parkour]] skills, NoSenseOfPersonalSpace, and {{troll}}ing tendencies that give [[VideoGame/KidIcarusUprising Hades]] and [[Franchise/BlazBlue Terumi]] a run for their money, she has become ''extremely'' well known.
82	* GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff: Brazil is the only country outside of Japan in which this anime was broadcast in more than one network, being half of them free-to-air. This sounds somewhat weird to most of the series' fans [[ValuesDissonance knowing the political and religious views of animation in general in that country]].
83	* HarsherInHindsight:
84	** All the "Fatoshi" jokes came to an uncomfortable halt when Episode 16 showed that [[spoiler:Futoshi threw up all his food and reveals he can't eat anymore]], along with his line of reasoning for doing so.
85	** The "Darling in the NTR" jokes become much harsher after episode 20 in which [[spoiler:Hiro ends up being forced by 001 to pilot a Franxx while being forcefully kissed as Zero Two watches in horror]].
86	** The Zero Two having horned children idea became a bit harsher [[spoiler:when Dr. Franxx reveals that the Nines are Zero Two's clones, which technically makes them her children, and they have a negative and estranged relationship with her rather than a familial relationship. While it it's true that they don't have horns, their holo horns are close enough]]. There's also the fact that Zero Two is [[spoiler:unable to even have children]].
87	* HilariousInHindsight:
88	** In the beginning threads and on popular Japanese social media sites, many people joked about piloting FRANXX with the boy as the Pistil and the girl as the Stamen as a play on pegging, and thought that this was going to happen to Hiro and Zero Two. Come episode 15, it's shown that [[spoiler:Hiro's ''look alikes'', Nine Alpha and Nine Epsilon, pilot this way. And even more so when Alpha temporarily acts as Hiro's Pistil in Episode 23.]]
89	** All those jokes about ''DARLING'' being a ''Film/PacificRim'' anime becomes this when the official 4koma decided to cross the franchises over for a few strips to promote the Japanese release of ''Film/PacificRimUprising'', but it ends up more towards a plot coincidence by Episode 20 [[spoiler:where the aliens are manipulating humanity]] is a similar plot to ''Film/PacificRimUprising''.
90	** Due to being hospitalized for acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, Creator/YuichiroUmehara [[TheOtherDarrin was replaced as the voice of Goro in episodes 23 and 24 with]] Creator/DaikiHamano. Years later both of them would voice two separate characters in another Creator/StudioTrigger Anime, ''Anime/SSSSDynazenon'', respectfully Koyomi Yamanaka and Gauma. And [[OddFriendship they even become friends]].
91	** In the LoveTriangle between Hiro, Ichigo, and Zero Two, Hiro/Zero Two is the pairing wins out. In the same year the series premiered, however, Hiro's dub voice actor, Creator/MattShipman, was engaged to Ichigo's voice actress, Creator/BrittanyLauda.
92	* HoYay: [[HoYay/DarlingInTheFranxx Now with its own page.]]
93	[[/folder]]
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95	[[folder:I-R]]
96	* IKnewIt:
97	** Many fans had called the [[spoiler:partner switch]] all the way back in Episode 3, where they show that certain FRANXX teams were struggling with synchronization, and Kokoro seemed to be more at ease with Mitsuru while Ikuno was much less sad and upset when she was with anyone other than Mitsuru. The manga adaptation makes [[spoiler:Kokoro's interest in Mitsuru]] even more blatant, in that she drops her conversation as soon as Mitsuru arrives and uses the garden as her excuse.
98	** Not so much confirmed, but restating what people already figured given the heavy traditional pairing imagery-- same sex FRANXX teams are impossible, as they cannot get the mech to even move, as we see with Ikuno when she attempts to pilot with Ichigo.
99	** A lot of fans had been speculating that [[spoiler:Hiro and Zero Two had met before when they were both children and that, somehow, APE messed with their memories to make them forget. Episode 12 confirms it]].
100	** Hybrid pilots (those that can be the Pistil or Stamen), which the Nines turn out to be. [[spoiler:Their status as antagonists, solely because of this, was predicted as well.]]
101	** Many fans were vindicated learning that the green member of the Nines, Nine Delta, was a girl.
102	** In Episode 15, after seeing the preview, [[spoiler:it became apparent that [[{{Determinator}} Hiro would somehow find a way to get into the battlefield and reunite with Zero Two despite not having a franxx]]. Fans started speculating on how he'd actually do it, and some [[LikeYouWouldReallyDoIt jokingly said he'd use the training unit he used to practice with in the first few episodes]]. Guess how he joins the battle.]]
103	** Episode 17 reveals that [[spoiler: Hiro is turning into a Klaxosaur hybrid with horns]]. Fans guessed this since the early stages of the series. The "[[spoiler:Blue Oni Hiro]]" variation of this was also confirmed, given that [[spoiler:the nubs on his head had a slight blue coloration at the time]].
104	** [[spoiler:Alpha and Delta riding as a traditional Stamen/Pistil pair (i.e. Alpha as Stamen, Delta as Pistil) came true in the manga, as that version of the final battle has only them of the Nines left.]]
105	* JerkassWoobie: The Nines. Smugness and bullying of Squad 13 aside, their status as [[spoiler:flawed clones of Zero Two]] makes them tragic figures to many fans. After TheReveal about [[spoiler:APE being manipulative aliens all along]], they become less {{Jerkass}} and more [[TheWoobie Woobie]], with [[spoiler:most of the squad dying and the remaining members [[HeroicSacrifice sacrificing their shortened lives for the sake of Squad 13]]. [[ForgottenFallenFriend And nobody seems to remember them in the finale (sans a couple of gravestones dedicated to them which get regular visits from time to time).]]]]
106	* JustHereForGodzilla: Plenty of fans admit they're only watching because of Zero Two.
107	* LGBTFanbase: [[{{Gayngst}} Ikuno]] and [[AmbiguousGender the Nines]] are popular among LGBT fans. [[AmbiguouslyBi Mitsuru]] gets some love as well.
108	* LikeYouWouldReallyDoIt: The general fan reaction to the apparent death of [[spoiler:Zero Two at the end of episode 21. It's too early to kill off a deuteragonist this far from the last episode and, sure enough, the PV for Episode 22 shows Zero Two alive, albeit in a vegetative state]].
109	* MemeticBadass:
110	** [[spoiler:Kid!Hiro/Hiro post memory restoration gets compared to [[Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann Kamina]] fairly often]]. He's a master of IndyPloy and cares very little about APE's rules.
111	** Ikuno [[FanNickname "The Destroyer"]] [[spoiler:reached the status after slapping Nine-Alpha in Episode 17]].
112	* MemeticLoser:
113	** On the [=4chan=] threads, it's common to see Ichigo portrayed as a desperate HopelessSuitor towards Hiro, especially given that she couldn't get her FRANXX moving despite her assertiveness. This status has spread among other websites.
114	** Futoshi slowly became this due to being fat, his notable character trait being food, and having very little screentime to the point that people forget his name. And on top of all this, his partner Kokoro's subplot was about her secret interest in Mitsuru blossoming into a full blown romance, which leads to people also calling him a {{cuckold}}. This only got worse after Episode 11 [[spoiler:when Kokoro opts to switch partners to Mitsuru and Futoshi is reduced to a crying wreck the entire episode, while Kokoro seems to get over it much more easily. When Kokoro later has sex with Mitsuru, the fanbase exploded, solidifying Futoshi’s place as this. However, due to his arc afterwards leading him to get over her and even become one of Mitsuru's close friends, he fell back out of this a little. In the TimeSkip, it's revealed that he was able to move on completely as he has a family of his own.]]
115	** For Goro x Ichigo shippers, Goro is somewhat this since he is "[=NTR'd=]" ''[[spoiler:twice]]'' by Ichigo since Episode 14 [[spoiler:and Ikuno in Episode 18]], solidifying his FanNickname "[=GoBro/GodBro=]". [[spoiler:Although like Futoshi, this reputation is subverted following the time skip since he and Ichigo got together and are expecting a child]].
116	** The whole show tends to be considered this trope in comparison of other mecha anime (especially those by Creator/StudioTrigger), since it has a very controversial ending as well as a notorious BrokenBase with its defenders often making things up on the fly (especially about the character drama or NTR elements, which were considered 'the most important part') to defend it (and accidentally making a fierce FandomRivalry with a lot of other mecha shows). It was enough that ''Franxx'' was accused of 'killing Trigger', and when the next Studio Trigger show, ''Anime/SSSSGridman'', was majorly successful, the fans claimed "[[AuthorsSavingThrow Thank]] [[WinBackTheCrowd you,]] [[MemeticMutation Gridman!]]", as if Studio Trigger showing that they StillGotIt and cleaning up the mess ''Franxx'' caused. Adding insult to the injury, ''Franxx'' was never included in ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'', a game series that celebrated mecha overall, during its high time after its end, and when the time comes for [[VideoGame/SuperRobotWars30 the series to be released globally...]] ''Gridman'' was the one to represent the new age Creator/StudioTrigger show instead of ''Franxx'' (which isn't even a mecha anime, but a {{Toku}}-inspired one). Keep in mind that ''Super Robot Wars'' is a franchise known for fixing controversial mecha anime stories with plot changes (such as the infamous ''Anime/MobileSuitGundamSeedDestiny'' and the similarly fanservice-laden ''Anime/CrossAnge''), but doesn't want to even touch ''Franxx'' in any capacity.
117	* MemeticMutation:
118	** Ichigo's eyes and mouth from her crying face is also used as a photoshop template.
119	** Darling in the [[NetorareGenre NTR]]/ [[NetorareGenre NTR]] in the [=FranXX=]/ Darling in the CUCXX [[labelnote:Explanation]]The series quickly became infamous due to just how thick the sexual metaphors were laid. Franxx pairings are often compared to romantic partners, so the acts of switching partners comes off as this. Since this has been such a recurring issue with the central cast, this has become an in-joke with the fans.[[/labelnote]]
120	** "Top 10 Anime Betrayals" and "{{Cuckold}} in the Franxx"[[note]]It took Kokoro less than five minutes to break the promise of always piloting with Futoshi, and it took the fandom even less to make up these jokes.[[/note]]
121	** Bitchigo (or in a ''very'' less punny extent: [=IchiThot=], or Thotchigo) and Pray For Go Bro (or [=GodBro=])[[note]]Due to the backlash that Episode 14 had thanks to Ichigo's actions, many fans had called her that and has expressed a sympathy for Goro.[[/note]]
122	** [[spoiler:Ichibro]][[note]]In episode 15, Ichigo finally accepts Hiro's feelings for Zero Two and helps him get to Strelizia.[[/note]]
123	** Ichigo did nothing wrong! [[note]]As a counter to the perceived RonTheDeathEater treatment Ichigo was suffering after episode 14, a defense started to amount to defend Ichigo's actions from the episode.[[/note]]
124	** Go-Bro best supporting actor [[note]]Fans ultimately praised Goro's support to returing Hiro and Zero Two to each other.[[/note]]
125	** Holy Church of the God-Bro[[note]]Goro is such a NiceGuy that he's become the supreme god of the fandom.[[/note]]
126	** Awwi [[note]]In a flashback in Episode 13, child Zero Two tries to say "marry" but comes off as "awwi" due to her limited knowledge of human language at the time. Needless to say, this phrase exploded in popularity amongst fans.[[/note]]
127	** Borkborkborkbork [[note]] A small section of Hiro and Zero-Two's reunion in Episode 15 with somewhat OffModel animation, made to loop with the sound replaced.[[/note]]
128	** "I love this picture." [[note]]A scene in Episode 17 where Zero Two says this while holding Hiro's drawing quickly became exploitable when fans photoshop Hiro's drawing with just about anything.[[/note]]
129	** Ravioli ravioli... [[note]]After discovering the Klaxosaur Princess [[OlderThanTheyLook looks like a little girl]], it's been prohibited to draw or refer to her in too racy terms. Same goes for [[CuteMonsterGirl child Zero Two]].[[/note]]
130	** {{FBI\|Agent}} OPEN UP! [[note]]In Episode 18, APE soldiers kick down the door to apprehend Kokoro and Mitsuru just as the two were about to finalize their marriage. The screencap of their dramatic entrance has gained a lot of attention.[[/note]]
131	** [[Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureBattleTendency SHIIIZAA!]] [[labelnote:note (spoiler for the series and JoJo pt. 2)]]When Dr. Franxx died by being crushed by the ceiling of the Grand Crevasse, many comparisons have been made to Caesar Zeppeli's death.[[/labelnote]]
132	** Associating [[UsefulNotes/JapanesePoliticalSystem Shinzo Abe]] with the show, often as a [[Creator/{{Bethesda}} Todd Howard]]-esque persona urging viewers to have families of their own. [[labelnote: note]]Due to the series not-so-subtle family imagery and themes, a chunk of viewers jokingly interpret this as part of Abe's campaign to raise Japan's birthrate.[[/labelnote]]
133	** [[FanonDiscontinuity "What a great 15-episode anime!"]][[labelnote:Explanation]]Due to the very controversial second half of the series, many watchers pretend that the anime only had fifteen episodes and ended with Hiro and Zero Two reuniting.[[/labelnote]]
134	** Zero Two's [[TrademarkFavoriteFood penchant for honey]] has led to more than one comparison between her and Literature/WinnieThePooh.
135	* MisBlamed: Trigger is usually pointed to for all of the writing inconsistencies and the character drama whenever an episode or two goes south. Trigger does have a track record for being seen as a studio that does spectacle very well, but falls short on writing and characterization, but the series was being co-animated with A-1 Pictures and therefore they have just as much fault in a poorly received episode as Trigger does. Inversely, when something goes right, it's Trigger that gets all the praise while A-1 Pictures gets the rap for bogging the script down with the undesirable parts.
136	* MoralEventHorizon:
137	** Papa and the rest of the council had two in episode 15 when they ordered [[spoiler:Squad 26 to act as suicide bombers and detonate Plantation 32 to stop the Klaxosaurs]].
138	** Dr. Franxx being part of [[spoiler:experimenting on a young Zero Two and mind wiping her and Hiro's memories]], though his later regrets might subvert it.
139	** Nine Alpha and his squad go way beyond it when [[spoiler:they crash Kokoro and Mitsuru's wedding to alter their memories the way Dr. Franxx did to Hiro and Zero Two.]]
140	* {{Narm}}:
141	** The fact that this series takes itself so seriously in-spite of the cartoony mecha designs and the blatant sex metaphors has turned this series off for some viewers.
142	** The climax of episode 23, the penultimate episode of the series, has [[spoiler:Zero Two's consciousness take over the giant Streliza Apus and turn it into a giant version of herself with the mechanical parts resembling a wedding dress, complete with a veil and "bomb" serving the "bouquet".]] Even fans who liked the series admit it was a bit too over-the-top to be taken seriously.
143	* NarmCharm:
144	** In episode four, Hiro straight-facedly bellows, "I feel myself going deeper inside you. I can't tell where I end and where you begin anymore. But I love it!" accompanied by swelling orchestral music. The fact that he's piloting a ''giant robot'' takes it from a stupidly earnest description of sex to this.
145	** The mere fact that a melodramatic psycho-sexual giant mecha anime devotes one whole episode to ''ThisIsMySide'' is so ludicrous it's delicious.
146	** To some, Hiro and Zero Two [[spoiler:making up in episode 15. A bit cheesy and even suffering of OffModel animation at one point? Yes. Much needed, cathartic, heartfelt and [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments incredibly pure]]? Hell yeah.]]
147	* RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap:
148	** Zorome was disliked for antagonizing Hiro, but fell into this when it was shown that he does care for Miku. He also quickly comes to accept Hiro once he proves himself as a pilot.
149	** Mitsuru earned some sympathy points when he was finally the focus of an episode. Namely, the reason for his antisocial and hostile attitude is because [[spoiler:he had made a childhood promise with Hiro to pilot together and underwent a dangerous operation with a 15% survival rate to keep that promise. Hiro then forgot that promise, which devastated Mitsuru so much that he closed himself off from people to prevent himself from getting hurt again, all while wishing to be acknowledged by the person he sacrificed so much for. He even breaks down crying when relaying his backstory to Kokoro and wonders why anyone would put their faith in him]].
150	** More like Rescued From the ButtMonkey Heap, but Futoshi gained the respect from the some of the fans when he not only let Kokoro go, but asked to be the priest to marry her and Mitsuru, but after she got mindwiped, outright Refused to take advantage of it to get her back.
151	[[/folder]]
152
153	[[folder:S-W]]
154	* TheScrappy: [[spoiler:VIRM. APE were {{Flat Character}}s that served only to oppose the protagonists, but at least the chance existed for an interesting reveal of their motives. However, when it turned out that they were an alien HiveMind trying to take over humanity, fan opinion immediately turned against them, with their reveal being labeled as nonsensical. Other critics have pointed out that besides coming out of nowhere, their inclusion doesn't make any sense with the series' previous plot or tone, and they're only there to force a dramatic climax in space similar to [[Creator/StudioTrigger the studio's]] previous works, regardless of how little sense it makes]].
155	* ShipsThatPassInTheNight: Some ship [[AmbiguouslyGay Ikuno]] with Nine Delta, the green-haired Nine who is a feminine stamen, to match Ikuno's status as a pistil.
156	* ShipToShipCombat:
157	** With Ichigo and Zero Two being the most important girls in the promotional materials, and especially due to episode 2, you have Hiro/Ichigo and Zeto Two/Hiro shippers either at each other's throats or smugly claiming superiority over the other, similar to the [[Anime/{{Kiznaiver}} Chidori vs. Noriko debates]].
158	** Mitsuru/Kokoro vs. Futoshi/Kokoro. Those who defend the former argue that Kokoro's interactions with Mitsuru are much more interesting due to their [[OppositesAttract opposite natures]], while her relationship with Futoshi doesn't have much depth beyond them being SickeninglySweethearts. The side of the fanbase that prefers Futoshi/Kokoro think such relationship wouldn’t work because of [[DrunkWithPower Mitsuru's]] [[JerkWithAHeartOfJerk less than ideal]] [[SmugSnake personality]] and his general treatment of his partner, while Futoshi's [[GentleGiant personality]] and [[NiceGuy relationship with Kokoro]] are endearing to watch. Furthermore, the fact that it would allude to {{Netorare}} doesn't help. In Japan, the opinion, however, is very much toward Mitsuru/Kokoro.
159	* ShockingMoments: Episode 17 drops several bombs at the audience, one after the other. [[spoiler:Hiro is growing horns like Zero Two. Nine Alpha reveals the adults have discarded not only emotion, but ''gender'' as well, with Nana confirming that Parasites only get to keep their sexual organs because they are necessary to pilot the Franxx. Then Nana collapses from a headache, apparently reverting to puberty, which means she may have to be [[DeadlyEuphemism removed]]. And then Kokoro and Mitsuru do indeed have sex.]]
160	* SpiritualSuccessor:
161	** To ''Film/PacificRim'', due to the need for FRANXX pilots to co-operate, blue Kaiju/Kalaxisaurs that are quite dinosaurlike, and the competition over resources on a polluted planet.
162	** ''TabletopGame/BlissStage'': ChildSoldiers who must rely on LevelUpAtIntimacy5 to drive their mecha and defend themselves against alien invaders. As ''Bliss Stage'' is relatively obscure and hasn't been translatated into Japanese, it's almost certainly a coincidental example.
163	** To ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'', complete with mecha, monsters with their only vulnerable part being a core, post-apocalypse, a psycho-sexual examination of relationships, and even ''more'' blatant symbolism.
164	* StrangledByTheRedString:
165	** Viewers have found it difficult to support the romance between [[spoiler:[[BetaCouple Kokoro and Mitsuru]]]] due to its somewhat weak setup. [[spoiler:Kokoro gives several "longing looks" at him, expresses some concern for him, and seems to enjoy talking to him, while Mitsuru brushes her off for most of the first half until significantly later into the series run time. Meanwhile, Kokoro and Futoshi seemed to have a good relationship prior to the switching of Kokoro and Ikuno, and her desire to switch comes out of nowhere after making a promise to Futoshi almost five minutes before said switch. The second half worked to give them more scenes together, but the amnesia plot undid some of that development in some fans eyes; Mitsuru never regains any of his memories of falling in love with Kokoro at all, but still decides to stay with her for their child's sake, making it an almost literal example of this by the end]].
166	** [[spoiler:While some fans were happy to see that Ikuno has companionship in Naomi as an adult, others felt it was a heavy case of LastMinuteHookup, given that the two didn't interact much even when Naomi was with Plantation 13, and she's the only named side character to wake up, making some fans think she was awoken just to make sure Ikuno doesn't end up alone.]]
167	** For some critics, Hiro and Zero Two feel like this, especially in the second half. While the anime makes an attempt to establish their relationship from the beginning, for some the relationship seemed too shallow for anything to feel legitimate and that bland character writing kept Hiro from making their interactions genuinely interesting. And while Episode 13 is praised, the second half only made the red string tighter. Once she actually gets together with Hiro, Zero Two lost a lot of what made her stand out among the rest of the cast. In addition, most of their shared screentime is exchanging a lot of "I love yous" and "Darlings". Both points are criticized for taking away any chemistry the two of them may have had and laying on near obnoxious reminders that the two of them are in love without having actual displays of believable chemistry and realistic interactions. By the end, it can feel like the only reason the viewer should think Hiro and Zero Two are in love is because the narrative is forcing them to, rather than having them form a more believable relationship.
168	** [[spoiler:Despite the fact that she unambiguously rejected him ''twice'' during the series itself, Ichigo is married to and starting a family with Goro by the DistantFinale. It makes some viewers believe that the only reason they do get together in the end is to further hammer in the family moral. One would think that she would have some bigger issues to get over before this (namely, that the person she actually loved sacrificed himself for her and the rest of the cast), but it's all handled offscreen.]]
169	* SuspiciouslySimilarSong: Compare [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jmmz5iLI10 "Kiss of Death"]] to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vck35RIcyQk "Season's Call"]] from ''Anime/BloodPlus''.
170	* TheyCopiedItSoItSucks: It's typical of reviewers to note that the series works best whenever it is not trying to reproduce elements and plot points from ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' (and ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann''). Ironically, however, the final arc was criticized for diverging from those influences in a way that came out of nowhere.
171	* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter:
172	** The Nines as a whole were generally thought to be underdeveloped characters. Despite being a very distinct squad from the rest and having the interesting quirk of [[spoiler:being hybrid pilots cloned from Zero Two's DNA]], only Nine Alpha gets any real spotlight, while the others take a backseat and do whatever the plot tells them to. By the final battle, [[spoiler:over half the squad had died, with the remaining three sacrificing themselves to help the Parasites against VIRM-- and even then their role in the story ends there, with them not even mentioned or mourned in the epilogue.]] The manga versions of them don't fare any better, as they get even ''less'' development due to the scene cuts. [[spoiler:Though Nine Alpha and Nine Delta do get SparedByTheAdaptation, they were the ones with the most characterisation in the first place.]]
173	** Zorome and Miku have the least overall focus of the pilot pairs in general. While Zorome gets an episode allowing him to be fleshed out a bit more, he acts as largely a side character among the group on a while, having little involvement in many of the later plotlines, and his own time in the limelight is pointless since it establishes little in the story. Miku gets this even worse, having what amounts to a single episode focusing on her, but the episode itself is a comical episode with no real development on her part. In the end, they were the only pair to not have some amount of closure in the end, with no discussion of if they got together or not.
174	** The Klaxxosaur Princess is a huge talking point. Despite being built up over the second half of the series, she only gets a few scenes worth of relevance before moving aside for the protagonists to do their thing.
175	* TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot:
176	** Zero Two's antagonistic relationship with Plantation 13 seemed to be a big plot point, and although the group made sure she and Hiro were reunited in episode 15, they did have some legitimate criticism of her. Some fans hoped for some building of trust in the aftermath of Gran Crevise, but when Episode 16 {{time skip}}ped to a few months later and everyone was on good terms with her, those fans felt cheated.
177	** The reasoning for Zero Two's actions pre-story--that she wanted to become human for her Darling because she didn't think he could love her as a monster-- was rendered moot anyway since she spends the majority of the story as a CuteMonsterGirl with only horns to show for it. Some viewers thought she should have reverted to the more monstrous look she had as a child after Hiro affirms his love, but that form only appears in a few crucial moments, and Zero Two doesn't have red skin again until the finale.
178	** Some fans felt like the other Plantation 13 subplots, such as Zorome beginning to question APE, Futoshi trying to let Kokoro go, or Nana and Hachi's past, were either underutilized or handled improperly.
179	* UnexpectedCharacter: Episode 22 has the appearance of [[spoiler:Naomi. Since many viewers believed she died, it's not hard to be caught off guard with the revelation that she's still alive]].
180	* UnintentionallyUnsympathetic:
181	** Zero Two resents her environment and the people in it because she feels she's treated like an experiment and a monster. However, some of the squad's reservations with her certainly are true. Her reputation as a dangerous Pistil is backed up by seeing the extent of the damage done to Hiro, Mitsuru, and the Plantation 26 members, and she [[spoiler:seemingly]] feels bad for only one of these incidents ([[spoiler:but only because the Stamen she hurt this time around turned out to be her "Darling" after all]]). Her backstory in episode 13 made her more sympathetic due to [[spoiler:how she was treated and experimented on by the adults, but she spends the next episode [[PoorCommunicationKills not explaining anything to her teammates]] (though to be fair, neither does Hiro), telling them she never considered them teammates to begin with, and then beating them unconscious when Hiro isn't in the hospital room after they decided to let her see him a final time]].
182	** Ichigo has loved Hiro since they were children, especially since the latter was the one who named her and helped her through hellish childhood upbringing by the APE. The way she acts on her feelings, however, is very questionable. While its understandable she wouldn't trust Zero Two at first because of her reputation, a lot of her actions make her feel like she's acting out of jealousy and trying to force her feelings on Hiro, [[LikeBrotherAndSister who only sees her as a sister]] and holds no romantic feelings for her whatsoever. Despite being the leader of Squad 13, she gets very emotional and makes critical mistakes on the battlefield when Hiro is in danger. This culminates in Episode 14 where [[spoiler:while she's justified in wanting to keep Zero Two and Hiro apart because the former almost killed the latter, she takes advantage of the situation and tries to grow closer to Hiro and declares her love for him when he's clearly emotionally distressed after Zero Two is removed from Plantation 13.]]
183	** In the case of [[spoiler:Kokoro, her reason for abandoning Futoshi was due to his over clinginess towards her which made her uncomfortable. That would be all fine and good, except she never explained these insecurities to Futoshi and so it's made to look like she was only stringing him along. Nevermind the fact that she promised to be his partner forever and no less than five minutes later broke it. Add to the fact that Futoshi was genuinely in love with her and had no idea that she didn't return his feelings at all. He is given no other choice but to accept that she doesn't love him back, leaving a bad taste in the mouths of many fans. Then there's the fact that she could have simply tried to explain the problems that she had to Futoshi- instead of breaking her promise after so little had passed, which makes her appear as rather manipulative. She seems to be somewhat aware of this as well as she later tells Mitsuru that she doesn't see herself as a nice person.]]
184	** [[spoiler:The Klaxosaurs. We're supposed to feel for them because VIRM invaded Earth a long time ago and forced them to flee underground to save their species, then tried to do it again, but it falls flat when you consider that they were attacking cities full of innocent humans for something they didn't even know they were doing wrong (no one knew that "Magma Energy" was actually the souls of dead klaxo-sapiens). It doesn't help that the Klaxosaur Princess explains this while she's tied up Hiro and just given him a ForcefulKiss, making her look like a sexual assaulter on top of it all. Although this behaviour is somewhat justified in that she's the last inteligent member of her species and has gotten a little bit too fixated in stopping VIRM, but still...]]
185	* ValuesDissonance: The way the series touches on the theme of procreation, particularly Kokoro's subplot about her fixation on motherhood and having a child, is deeply entrenched in Japan's long-time struggle with declining birthrates. This didn't go over well with some portions of western audiences, as they feel as though the show is pushing very heteronormative views despite its sympathetic handling of queer characters.
186	* TheWoobie:
187	** Ikuno. In Episode 3, her partner Mitsuru abandoned her and openly blamed her for not being "good enough" for him. She's also revealed to be gay, which, considering the metaphors, basically means that she's being forced into sexual relationships with someone she both dislikes/is ambivalent to [[spoiler:in the case of Futoshi]] and is fundamentally not attracted to. Even in episode 11, she has her moments; she's wanted to be closer to Ichigo and even requested an attempt to pilot a FRANXX with her, but they just couldn't sync up. She even anticipated Mitsuru mocking her for it, saying, "Laugh at me if you must" after her failure. In episode 18, her woobieness reaches new level with an AnguishedDeclarationOfLove to a girl that would never love her, even if she is let down easy. [[spoiler:It comes to a head when she uses a special attack that rapidly ages her, meaning she's going to die shortly after the series ends while the rest of the cast gets to live full lives--and thanks to her making a cure for them, even.]]
188	** [[spoiler:Child Zero Two.]] [[TraumaCongaLine Saying she had a shitty childhood]] [[ColdBloodedTorture doesn't even begin]] [[IJustWantToBeNormal to cover it]]. [[spoiler:The fact that she had been tortured by the adults on the plantation and Dr. Franxx and getting her happiness taken away from them after she met with Hiro by erasing her memory doesn't help it either.]]
189	[[/folder]]

Context YMMV / DarlingInTheFranxx