English Dub Review: Darling in the FranXX “What It Means to Connect”

Hiro gets a chance to prove himself in a mock battle, but ultimately can’t connect without 02.

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Fresh off the high of piloting a Franxx with 02, Hiro resolves to do it again – anything to feel like he’s still valuable to his squad. His chance comes when orders from ‘Papa’ arrive. Hiro takes part in a mock-battle test to see if his previous piloting was a fluke. Unfortunately, he and Ichigo fail to maintain their connection. What will this mean for the squad going forward?

Our Take:

Despite the increase in sexual overtones, I actually enjoyed this episode more than the premiere. Probably because most of the expository explanations are over with for now. We’ve got a firm handle on how Franxx are operated: connecting, kissing, and ‘becoming one with another’. (Also, those piloting positions are not subtle.) Trust between partners is required to make a Franxx move, and it’ll be interesting to see if Hiro and 02 have what it takes to stay together in the long run. None of her previous co-pilots have lasted more than three times with her, after all.

Seeing lots more of the supporting characters in the squad was great. Ichigo’s partner is a very supportive friend to Hiro, which I enjoyed. Ichigo herself looks to be caught in a love triangle: she seems to harbor feelings for Hiro, despite the connection he shares with 02. (After that lick, though, I’m totally shipping Ichigo with 02.) Perhaps the failed connection in the mock battle will change the way she looks at Hiro going forward.

The dub is still very good, especially Brittany Lauda’s performance as Ichigo. She sounds very natural in the role, which is always welcome when it comes to dubs. Hiro’s voice seemed a bit lower to me than the previous episode, but that may have just been because he was speaking under his breath a lot this time around. The dub writers are obviously having fun with all the double entendres the show has to offer.

Animation-wise, I doubt if I will ever have many things to criticize. As a joint production between Studio Trigger and A-1, there are some heavyweights behind DarliFra. The backgrounds were nice to look at, and the OP is suitably stylish.

Score
8/10