English Dub Review: Darling in the FranXX “Partner Shuffle”

Plot-wise, this was a very good episode. We learned a lot about Mitsuru and his experiences that have shaped him into the grouch he is today. When he was a child, he received an injection that multiplied his “yellow” blood cells. This shot is also believed to enhance one’s ability to pilot the FranXX. While his climactic finale didn’t have the most unique set-up (Hiro forgot a promise they made together during childhood), it was executed fairly well and gave Kokoro a chance to make a positive impact with her own power during the battle.  And what a battle it was – definitely one of the best so far in my opinion: filled with fluid animation, colorful explosions, and an interesting enemy that posed a unique challenge to the team.

Thematically, things remain somewhat of a mystery. The show seems to be interested in exploring what a pistil/pistil piloting team would look like, but quickly dismisses Ichigo and Ikuno’s attempts to pair up. Mitsuru seems to be yearning for a similar connection with Hiro, but the entire point of this episode is to allow him to move past this and take over the job of “protecting” Kokoro. Sure, forgiving Hiro of his slight feels like a nice redemptive arc for Mitsuru, but it also rapidly erases the implications of his feelings toward him. I’m curious to see if we will learn more about this in future episodes, or if the show thinks this single episode is enough for Mitsuru to move on permanently. (And are they going to treat Ikuno in a similar way?)

If Darling in the FranXX is serious about its piloting premise, it needs to be able to explore all of the implications and questions this poses. Based on what we’ve seen so far (and what I’ve caught from sub viewers), the show is not really interested in saying anything new or worth hearing when it comes to the issues of gender and sexuality brought up by its premise. This lack of thematic freshness isn’t necessarily vital to my continued enjoyment of the series – it’s still a fun ride filled with top-tier visuals and action sequences. However, it would be nice if FranXX could fire on all cylinders before we reach the end.