English Dub Review: Darling in the FranXX “When the Sakura Blooms”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

When Hiro suggests that they perform one last ritual in order to create a final, lasting memory, the Parasites are confused to learn about this crazy thing called a ”wedding”. They quickly throw themselves into preparations, however, and Mitsuru and Kokoro are perfectly satisfied to play bride and groom.

When the ceremony is broken up by Squad 9, attacking under Papa’s direct orders, the loving couple is confiscated from their friends and home. After waiting for what seems like several long weeks, Kokoro and Mitsuru are reunited with the group… but they have had their memories stolen.

Our Take:

There was a lot of stuff going on in today’s episode of Darling in the FranXX, and I’m not sure all of it was as successful as it was intended to be. This show excels when it aims for big, flashy sequences that allow the staff to show off their excellent animation and colorful character designs. When it comes to the more intricate things, like story arcs and overall themes, it can get really messy really fast.

Speaking of speed, I just cannot buy into how quickly it seems like Mitsuru and Kokoro’s relationship has progressed. In the previous episode review, I wrote about how they felt more like a mother and son to me. Given some more screen time and increased exploration of why they feel this way about each other, I could perhaps come around to their special bond. But at this point, it just seems like these two are meant for each other because the show tells they are, not because of anything it has shown us. While we’re on the topic of ‘feelings’, how about that scene between Ikuno and Ichigo? It’s nice to finally get some more explicit confirmation of Ikuno’s thoughts toward her team leader, but ultimately I’m not sure what came out of this bit. Ichigo seems to acknowledge her friend’s feelings for her but doesn’t seem to have much of a reaction besides saying that Ikuno will have to deal with her vice because it’s a part of life…

Regardless of how well Darling in the FranXX dealt with these relationships, at least everyone can agree that Hiro and 02 are still going strong, and get more adorable with each episode. Their circling scene was extremely sweet, and the show hasn’t done a bad job at making us see a deeper side of 02. The entire wedding sequence was also very beautifully done. I think the sheer strangeness of it helped create that sense of atmosphere. I mean, really? Kids re-enacting a wedding ceremony from a picture book in their free time when they aren’t battling monsters to the death? 02’s fight with her former squad after they crashed the wedding was also well done, and exciting to watch.

This week’s dub showed off the skills of the entire cast. While there was not a single standout performance in my mind, everyone did a fantastic job. (Maybe this means dub director Clifford Chaplain is my featured cast member this time around?)

When the Sakura Blooms proved to be an action-packed (if not entirely coherent) entry in the latter half of Darling in the FranXX. It had plenty of big, dramatic scenes, like Ikuno’s confession to Ichigo, and Kokoro’s wedding to Mitsuru. However, it’s overarching themes remain too broadly drawn to be effective. There aren’t that many more episodes left in this saga, and I’m not too confident that it can turn things around on the thematic front. At this point, I’m just hoping for a solid ending for Hiro and 02, as well as some happiness for Ichigo.

Score
7/10