Details
- Episodes:24
- Format:TV
- Average Score:68
- Popularity:61
- Status:Finished Airing
- Season:Winter 2018
- Duration:24 min. per ep. minutes
- Genre:Action, Drama, Mecha, Romance, Sci-Fi
- Country:JP
In the distant future, humanity has been driven to near-extinction by giant beasts known as Klaxosaurs, forcing the surviving humans to take refuge in massive fortress cities called Plantations. Children raised here are trained to pilot giant mechas known as FranXX—the only weapons known to be effective against the Klaxosaurs—in boy-girl pairs. Bred for the sole purpose of piloting these machines, these children know nothing of the outside world and are only able to prove their existence by defending their race. Hiro, an aspiring FranXX pilot, has lost his motivation and self-confidence after failing an aptitude test. Skipping out on his class' graduation ceremony, Hiro retreats to a forest lake, where he encounters a mysterious girl with two horns growing out of her head. She introduces herself by her codename Zero Two, which is known to belong to an infamous FranXX pilot known as the "Partner Killer." Before Hiro can digest the encounter, the Plantation is rocked by a sudden Klaxosaur attack. Zero Two engages the creature in her FranXX, but it is heavily damaged in the skirmish and crashes near Hiro. Finding her partner dead, Zero Two invites Hiro to pilot the mecha with her, and the duo easily defeats the Klaxosaur in the ensuing fight. With a new partner by his side, Hiro has been given a chance at redemption for his past failures, but at what cost? [Written by MAL Rewrite]
Episodes
1. Alone and Lonesome
The land has fallen into ruin, and children represent the last hope for humanity. One of them, Hiro, fails to live up to that purpose and decides to walk away from it all.... until he meets a girl with horns.
2. What It Means to Connect
The parasites struggle to come to terms with Hiro being the one who piloted Strelizia. Even Hiro can't really believe it himself. Things come to a head when he's ordered to participate in a mock battle.
3. Fighting Puppet
After their failure in the startup trial, things are awkward between Ichigo and Hiro, who decides to ask to ride with Zero Two again.
4. Flap Flap
With the squad still feeling the aftershocks of the previous mission, things come to a head as the leaders run out of patience and decide to summon Strelizia back to the front lines.
5. Your Thorn, My Badge
It's time for Plantations 13 and 26 to start kissing, and the squad prepares for the huge battle this will cause. They also have to get used to Hiro being Zero Two's partner, and so does he.
6. DARLING in the FRANXX
Ichigo, Goro, and the rest of Squad 13 engage in a battle far more dangerous than any they've fought before, all while having their mind preyed on by the fact that this will be Hiro's third ride with Zero Two.
7. Shooting Star Moratorium
Squad 13 is given a much-needed break after defending the kissing plantations in a fierce battle. They head to an unexpected location and find something even more unexpected.
8. Boys x Girls
The boys get caught in a compromising situation, causing a rift within Squad 13. Will they be able to bridge this divide? And how will Zero Two react to the most human of spats?
9. Triangle Bomb
Soon after Goro becomes keenly aware of his feelings, he is put in a perilous situation. How will he and Ichigo respond in this do-or-die scenario?
10. The City of Eternity
APE decide to give Squad 13 a reward in order to accelerate their development. The ceremony is held in a place Zorome has always dreamed of living in, and there he meets someone he has always wanted to meet.
11. Partner Shuffle
Squad 13's growth has been remarkable, but Chlorophytum's score keeps going down. With this in mind, Nana and Hachi propose a partner shuffle, which finds an unexpected taker
12. The Garden Where It All Began
Squad 13 heads back to the Garden for testing, with Zero Two's emotional state worsening by the day. They run into Nine Alpha, who offers some insight about her, but the most revealing words come straight from the horse's mouth...
13. The Beast and the Prince
In the deepest, darkest parts of a forest lived a strong and beautiful beast princess. Beckoned by the moonlight, she wandered into a land of humans, and in the moonlit garden of a small castle, she fell in love with a prince.
14. Punishment and Confession
The information regarding Hiro's condition changes the entire dynamic of Squad 13, much to Zero Two's chagrin. She only wants to speak to Hiro, but people stand in her way one after another.
15. Jian
The fierce battle to take the Grand Crevasse begins, and Hiro is forced to watch from the sidelines. Zero Two may have left, but Squad 13 is still concerned about the way she fights.
16. Days of Our Lives
The parasites' living situation has changed drastically after the battle for Gran Crevasse. Zero Two's attitude toward them seems to have changed drastically, too.
17. Eden
Having seized Gran Crevasse, emissaries are sent out to demand the surrender of the klaxosaurs' leader. Meanwhile, the Nines visit Squad 13, and there a shocking discovery is made.
18. When the Sakura Blooms
Squad 13 is told they will be abandoning Mistilteinn soon, and they decide to go out with a bang by making one last memory of their lives there.
19. Inhumanity
Dr. Franxx confronts the APE brass about what they did to Kokoro and Mitsuru, and their attitude makes him reflect on his past, the choices he and humanity made, and the path they took.
20. A New World
Humanity's operation to wipe out the klaxosaurs once and for all begins, and APE sends Strelizia to take control of Star Entity, the enemy's biggest weapon. However, the klaxosaur princess has other ideas.
21. For You, My Love
There appears to be no escape from the impending destruction of Earth. But at the end of the world, Zero Two decides that she will keep her promise, no matter what.
22. Stargazers
Hiro is left shattered with an unresponsive Zero Two, and the children struggle to come to terms with the aftermath. Left all alone to battle for their survival, what path will they choose to take?
23. Darling in the FranXX
The gang heads off to space to fight in what they believe to be the final battle. Meanwhile, Kokoro and Mitsuru stay behind to fight a battle of their own.
24. Never Let Me Go
While Hiro and Zero Two head to VIRM's home planet to defeat them, the rest of Squad 13 do their best to get life on Earth back on track.
