Darling in the Franxx

In the future (we do not know exactly when) humanity lives in dome cities called plantations whose source of energy is called Magma and attracts beings called Klaxosaurs. Plantation 13 has been training a group of young people capable of piloting robots known as Franxx to fight the Klaxosaurs.

The story focuses specifically on Hiro, a boy member of the squad but who has had trouble synchronizing with his partner, until one day he meets a strange, spoiled girl who is dressed in red and with horns called only by his code as 02 (zero two).

A particular characteristic of the Franxx is that they must be piloted in pairs. The girls (known as pistils) are those who take control of the parts of the robot (and do it in a somewhat provocative position) and the boys (the stamens) are those who have to control the girl by means of controls that come out of the hips of the girls.

In the group there is some tension for the arrival of 02 as there is a belief that no one has been able to drive with her more than three times and Hiro has been one of the few who have been able to synchronize very well with her (apart from the fact that she always mentions it). 02 is always referring to him as Darling. (Reason of the anime name title perhaps?).

The anime focuses more on the life and feelings of the youngsters but there are moments that we see that there is much more background on the part of the adults who control the plantations.

The Franxx pilots do not know many things about the external world, relationships and adolescence because they have only trained them to pilot the Franxx, so they experience and discover new sensations that lead them to feel fears and insecurities (typical of the teenagers).

Obviously the anime has a lot of similarity with Evangelion. (Only young people can fly the Franxx, they are in some way isolated and disturbed, there is a group of old people who have control, 02 is a reference to Asuka, the klaxosaurs are angels, etc). It is also clear the existence of a love trio between Hiro, Ichigo and 02 so much of the story revolves around that.

Darling in the Franxx is a very good anime. Perhaps for the moment it is considered a bit below the level of Evangelion but remember that even in its beginnings Evangelion was not as valued or understood as it is now. (The anime also has a bit of Gurren Lagan and Eureka Seven mixed in my opinion).

I did not like much the design of the Franxx but I think it's okay taking into account that the animation studio is the same as Kill the Kill.