Main | Television Series | 2018 Anime Series
TV Anime (24 Eps) A-1 / Trigger / CloverWorks Tokyo MX
SciFi
Romance
Action
Winter 2018

 

Darling in the Franxx

In a bleak distant future, the last remnants of human civilization are besieged by monolithic beasts called Klaxxosaurs. Taking refuge in massive mobile fortresses called Plantations, their only line of defense against these terrifying beasts are giant fighting robots called Franxx. Operated with a single boy-girl pair, each Franxx can wield a power dependent on the connection between both pilots. With no end in sight to the struggle for their very survival, the graduating class of Plantation 13 are about to embark on an adventure that will change the course of humanity forever.

OP: Kiss of Death by Mika Nakashima
ED [1-6]: Torikago by XX:me
ED [7]: Manatsu no Setsuna by XX:me
ED [8-12, 14]: Beautiful World by XX:me
ED [13]: Hitori by XX:me
ED [16-20]: Escape by XX:me
ED [21-23]: Darling by XX:me

Availability: English Dub

1. Alone and Lonesome 2018.01.13
On the eve of their graduation, an important delegation visits Plantation 13 with news of a powerful new Franxx, the Strelizia, to be tested out against the Klaxxosaurs. Dr. Franxx himself is among them, as well as a mysterious pink haired girl referred to only as Zero-Two. Among the students of Plantation 13 is Hiro, who has failed at becoming a pilot and is preparing to leave since he has no purpose there anymore. When a Klaxxosaur inevitably attacks, Zero-Two deploys and her fatal toll experienced by all of her now deceased co-pilots are revealed to everyone. With a final opportunity to make himself useful, Hiro volunteers to be her partner as the Klaxxosaur bears down upon Plantation 13 once again.
meeting zero two at the lake dr. franxx and nana klaxosaur attacking the plantation franxx fighting a klaxxosaur
2. What it Means to Connect 2018.01.20
Hiro returns to the orphanage with the other cadets and everyone conducts a test run of their new Franxx. Hiro is not officially recognized as Zero-Two's partner so he is unable to participate. Ichigo volunteers to be his temporary partner so he can take the exam. During the mock battle, they are able to connect momentarily but are unable to continue. Still wanting to help Hiro, Ichigo finds out first hand what happens when you try to pilot a Franxx solo.
ichigo and hiro outside the orphanage orphanage dining room zero two in the city of adults franxx pilot duel
3. Fighting Puppet 2018.01.27
The orphans are given their first real mission against a Klaxxosaur that is harassing a mine on the outskirts of a Plantation. As the operation unfolds, Mitsuru and Ikuno fall out of connection and the rest are forced to go without them. Upon arriving at the mines, there are more Klaxxosaur there than predicted and they find themselves surrounded. Zero-Two wants to go out again with Hiro but is denied. Seizing on the opportunity to prove he is truly superior to Hiro after all, Mitsuru volunteers to pilot the Strelizia with her. They are able to cut through the Klaxxosaur horde with ease and rescue everyone but upon returning to base, Mitsuru is revealed to be heavily wounded and barely responsive in the cockpit.
hiro's childhood orphanage living room nana in the control room strelizia slaying a klaxosaur
4. Flap Flap 2018.02.03
Mitsuru is still in recovery after surviving piloting the Strelizia with Zero-Two. Ichigo pleads with Hiro not to pilot that Franxx again so he doesn't end up like all of Zero-Two's other partners but he is still determined to make himself useful to everyone. Zero-Two is called back to the front lines by command but when another Klaxxosaur attacks the Plantation, Hiro pleads with her a final time to be his partner in the Strelizia.
papa in his control room franxx fighting a klaxosaur zero-two and hiro klaxosaur core
5. Your Thorn, My Badge 2018.02.10
Plantation 13 sets a course to Plantation 26 in order to dock in an operation referred to as 'kissing'. Everyone is excited for the ceremony thrown for them by the adults, but Hiro is hiding is rapidly deteriorating health as a result from being Zero-Two's partner. Unfortunately, the two connected Plantations make a prime target for the Klaxxosaurs and a massive group is headed right for them.
parade franxx in the plantation's dock battle plan in the control room zero-two with hiro at the lake
6. Darling in the Franxx 2018.02.17
A plan is devised to make use of Plantation 26's veteran pilots as the front line of defense and 13's rookies bringing up the rear. The first wave is defeated easily enough but the real threat is revealed as a massive Gutenburg class Klaxxosaur. Leaping into action, Zero-Two charges forward and fiercely attacks but fails to destroy its core. On the verge of losing consciousness, Hiro gives her the last bit of energy he has left so she can complete her mission.
hiro waving hiro suffering saurification zero-two going berserk wings of the strelizia
7. Shooting Star Moratorium 2018.02.24
As recognition of their achievements in saving both Plantations, Squad 13 is given some time off to spend at the nearby beach. After looking around a bit, they find a path leading to some weird old buildings that are revealed to be the ruins of an ancient city. The ancient society is confusing to them since they have never heard of humans living outside of Plantations but everyone is eager to explore.
franxx pilots at the beach finding ruins of the old surface city zero-two campfire at the beach ichigo and hiro looking at the stars
8. Boys x Girls 2018.03.03
On a seemingly routine mission, they end up defeating a Klaxxosaur that explodes into a clothing-dissolving liquid all over each Franxx. When most of the boys react as expected, the girls begin a feud that separates the orphanage house in two - with no boys allowed in their section. To her own amusement, Zero-Two tries to get the boys to walk in on the girls in the bath but when things cascade out of control, Nana steps in and puts an end to it all. Kokoro is still disturbed by the pregnancy book she discovered in the surface city and looking for a place to be alone from the chaos of the orphanage. Everyone joins in searching for her and they find an old room, not disturbed since its last occupant, before they all came to live there.
boys and girls dividing the orphanage feud between boys and girls zero-two up to no good battle of the baths
9. Triangle Bomb 2018.03.10
Facing off against another Gutenburg class Klaxxosaur, Goro and Ichigo's Delphinium is caught within its gelatinous body. Seeing no other choice, Goro ejects Ichigo from the Franxx so at least one of them will survive. Squad 13 must now race against time to rescue Goro before his life support runs out and he resorts to desperate measures to destroy the Klaxxosaur and himself along with it.
zero-two looking in the mirror gutenburg class klaxosaur goro trapped in the cockpit ichigo suited up
10. The City of Eternity 2018.03.17
For their continues success, the children of Squad 13 are invited to the city of adults for a medal ceremony. The ceremony is brief but everyone is excited to see the city for the first time. Zorome gets separated from the group looking around and ends up meeting an adult. Though she seems familiar, the adult woman seems like she is from a different world, sheltered away in this grand city.
looking at the city the city of adults zorome meeting an adult zorome being decontaminated
11. Partner Shuffle 2018.03.24
Squad 13 is out in the field running defense for a secret 'S-Planning' operation. Mitsuru collapses in the middle of a minor skirmish and Nana discovers it was due to a risky operation he had many years ago that allowed him to become a Parasite. She gives the rest of Squad 13 the option of changing partners and Kokoro wants to become Mitsuru's partner, much to Futoshi's disappointment. Ikuno wants to attempt a pistil-pistil connection with Ichigo but is unable to sync properly. Another Klaxxosaur appears, giving Kokoro a chance to test her connection to Mitsuru. Faltering at first, she talks him through it successfully and they enter a special 'Stampede Mode' state where a Franxx Pilot connection is in overdrive.
s-planning operation nana visiting mitsuru in the hospital klaxosaur attack kokoro in the franxx cockpit
12. The Garden Where it all Began 2018.03.31
Squad 13 is sent back to the Garden facility where they grew up and end up meeting the Nines, Zero-Two's former squad. Everyone is to be examined but Zero-Two is the obvious reason for them being here. Zero-Two has become increasingly obsessed with killing Klaxxosaurs, as part of Dr. Franxx's promise that doing so will bring her closer to being human. APE personnel are concerned she will begin Saurification at this rate and go completely out of control. Deploying to defend against yet another wave of Klaxxosaur, Zero-Two goes berserk in the cockpit and attacks Hiro. In that moment, Hiro is able to recall a past that has been hidden from him and the others.
nines squad of franxx pilots zero-two attacking garden pupil stampede mode
13. The Beast and the Prince 2018.04.07
Zero-Two's mental stability continues to deteriorate, and it even leads her to attack her partner, Hiro. Hiro. Even though he isn't able to get through to her, their connection in battle allows Hiro to see glimpses of her memories. Surprisingly, these childhood memories are familiar, as he realizes they had met once before at Garden. Even though she couldn't speak and had no name back then, Hiro was the reason Zero-Two wished to become more human.
14. Punishment and Confession 2018.04.14
While Hiro recovers in the hospital, the team refuses to let Zero-Two visit him. As Plantation 13 nears its destination, Gran Crevasse, the Squad 13 is assigned to work alongside other Plantations to clear the area of Klaxxosaurs. Consequently, Zero-Two has been reassigned to the Nines, an elite team that operates directly under APE's command. However, more than anything, she wants to see Hiro one last time.
15. Jian 2018.04.21
As the battle for Gran Crevasse rages on, Hiro has to stay back because he doesn't have a partner. The situation looks dire as Klaxxosaurs keep emerging as quickly as they are being killed. Suddenly, a Super Lehmann class shows up and sets a course directly for Plantation 13. Hiro ends up partnered with Ichigo during their desperate defense of their home and she is able to see the intimate connection he shares with Zero-Two during their connection in the cockpit. In a desperate move, she reunites the two destined partners on the battlefield where they are able to finally tell each other how they feel.
16. Days of Our Lives 2018.05.05
Humanity now has control over the Gran Crevasse, but at a great cost to the Parasites. Though Plantation 13 lies in ruins, Mistelteinn has managed to escape destruction, and Squad 13 has been ordered to station there. There has been no contact from the caretakers, so the children have been taking care of themselves by learning to cook and catch fish. Even though the comfort of their previous lives has vanished, even Zero-Two has learned to smile alongside her comrades.
17. Eden 2018.05.12
The Nines suddenly arrive at Mistelteinn with news that Papa hasn't abandoned them. However, they seem more curious about Squad 13's everyday life in the mansion. That night, a book Kokoro had been hiding from everyone is discovered, revealing forbidden information that everyone is seeing for the first time.
18. When the Sakura Blooms 2018.05.19
The environment in Mistelteinn is on its last legs, but the children decide to hold a wedding for Kokoro and Mitsuru before they leave. As the ceremony unfolds, a surprise awaits them, and they are moved to a new facility called the Birds Nest. The reunion is bittersweet, however, as two of their number are now different from before.
19. Inhumanity 2018.05.26

Dr. Franxx recalls his past in 2025 as Werner Frank and his first encounter with APE, which at the time specialized in revolutionary mining techniques. Upon discovering Magma Energy, which offered a clean and inexhaustible energy source, they set their sights on using the same technology to completely stop human aging and achieve immortality. Only the wealthy could afford access to this groundbreaking advancement, and the class divide widened as heavy taxes were imposed on childbirth. Due to increased desertification across Earth resulting from mining activity, the Plantation Project was proposed to serve as humanity's Ark.

However, soon after, in 2037, the first Klaxxosaur appeared and was defeated at a great cost. As more Klaxxosaurs emerged, the Plantations were repurposed into mobile fortresses. Now in charge of creating weaponry, Dr. Franxx developed the Franxx units, but at the expense of many lives, including his fiancée, Karina Milsa. When their journey leads them to the Klaxxosaur Princess, this fateful meeting ultimately results in the creation of a pilot who may bear the weight of humanity's salvation on her shoulders.
20. A New World 2018.06.09
Beneath Gran Crevasse lies a supermassive Klaxxosaur weapon known as the Star Entity, capable of ending this conflict with a single use. However, the Klaxxosaur Princess could never afford to let this technology fall into the hands of humans, prompting a desperate attack against the Parasites defending it. Taking control of the Strelizia by ejecting Zero-Two, the Klaxxosaur Princess links with Hiro in the cockpit, revealing the truth behind the Klaxxosaurs and the Klaxo sapiens that co-pilot them. Stranger still, many years ago, the Klaxo sapiens were attacked by alien invaders from space and had retreated underground to prepare for their return. Those space invaders, known as the VIRM, now descend upon Gran Crevasse once again to annihilate both of their enemies in one decisive move.
21. For You, My Love 2018.06.16
With everything on the line, it is revealed that Zero-Two was created to pilot the Star Entity, succeeding where her fellow clones in the Nines had failed. Still loyal to "Papa," the Nines refuse to cooperate as the VIRM begin striking at both humans and Klaxxosaurs alike. With the last of her strength, the Klaxxosaur Princess restores Hiro to regain control of the Star Entity and drive back the impending world-ending attack.
22. Stargazers 2018.06.23
As the war between humans and Klaxxosaurs has finally come to an end, the children are learning to grow their own crops and become self-sufficient, as aid from the adults has ceased. Meanwhile, Zero-Two still hasn't recovered, and Hiro comes to believe it's because her mind is still with the Strelizia. With her physical condition worsening, Hiro wants to use a remaining Klaxxosaur ship alone, but the rest of Squad 13 and the Nines insist on seeing this through to the end.
23. Darling in the Franxx 2018.06.30
The Klaxxosaur ship fights its way through the VIRM fleet until the Strelizia is sighted. Hiro manages to go aboard, forming a link with Zero-Two back on Earth, transforming into the True Strelizia, wiping out the VIRM. In the aftermath, a warp gate appears, a relic created by Klaxo sapiens many years ago. Carrying the ancient bomb through the gate, Hiro and Zero-Two promise their friends they will one day return.
24. Never Let Me Go 2018.07.07
Many days have passed since then, and the children have returned to Mistelteinn. As Kokoro gives birth, they have learned to be completely self-sufficient, exploring for survivors and gathering supplies from the old world. Years after departing through the gate, Hiro and Zero-Two have lost their sense of time as they near the VRIM home planet. Just as the battle seems overwhelming, they recall the hopes and dreams of their friends back on Earth and succeed in their sacrificial attack to destroy the VRIM once and for all, freeing the many souls trapped there. Squad 13, now young adults, reunites during their children's school entrance ceremony, knowing that their two friends will one day fulfill their promise of returning to Earth.

Related Media
Darling in the Franxx (2018 Manga)
Darling in the Franxx! (2018 Manga)