Since its debut, Darling in the Franxx has received mixed reviews from the audience for its bitter-sweet storyline that we criticized much in the beginning, but as the series progresses, we end up following it only to find ourselves longing for nothing but a sequel of Darling in the Franxx. The final events of the series overwhelmed the viewers emotionally, which is indeed another promising aspect of Darling in the Franxx. Even though Darling in the Franxx ended four years ago, it is still unclear whether we will see a sequel.
With that said, Let’s navigate through the entire series and events connected with it to conclude whether Darling in the Franxx Season 2 is possible or not.
Historic Timeline for Darling in the Franxx
Darling in the Franxx started off as an original anime in 2018, but eventually, we got a manga version of it, which is quite different from the anime. The manga version is written and illustrated by several writers and illustrators collectively named Code 000, while Atsushi Nishigori not only directed the anime version but also wrote the anime story of Darling in the Franxx along with Naotaka Hayashi. As you already know, the combined efforts of several reputed writers, directors, and studios of the anime industry resulted in the birth of Darling in the Franxx; it is not surprising that it seems to adapt the concepts of other mecha anime like Neon Genesis Evangelion and Kill la Kill.
Considering it came off as an original anime without any prequel or Manga, it is possible that creators just collaborated and decided to throw in a series based on their combined views. Darling in the Franxx bears a strong resemblance to Neon Genesis Evangelion in terms of concept and storyline, supporting this argument even more. Furthermore, the director of Darling in the Franxx has worked on the Evangelion series as a Key Animator and Storyboard Assistant; therefore, it’s no coincidence that Darling in the Franxx reflects some part of Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Darling in the Franxx Everything We Know so Far
Although Darling in the Franxx has only 24 episodes, it feels like we have gone through so much; it might be because of the rushed ending and time skip, which we see in the finale of Darling in the Franxx. The story begins with the male protagonist Hirobeing unable to pilot Franxx because of compatibility issues, but his fateful encounter with a girl named Zero Two changes everything as he is able to fly again with her. Their relationship develops with every subsequent episode, and before we can realize it, their unconditional love for each other influences the supporting characters and the very world itself.
Eventually, We see a twist in the storyline when a new enemy called VIRM surfaces and claims to be the savior of all life forms as they will consume all souls and subject them to eternal pleasure. Hiro and Zero Two travel through dimensions to put an end to their schemes, but they end up sacrificing their lives for the future of their beloved fellows and humanity itself. Although Hiro and Zero Two died in the process of defeating VIRM, their souls remained as they swore to meet each other in the next life. In the final episode of Darling in the Franxx, We see Hiro and Zero Two souls making their way back to earth. After a few years, a boy and girl who look like Hiro and Zero Two cross paths, prompting us to believe that God indeed reincarnated them.
Possible Storyline of and Release Date of Darling in the Franxx Season 2
Considering the ending point of Darling in the Franxx Season 1, it is quite difficult to predict the possible plot of Season 2 because the story itself seems to be ended, and there is nothing more left to continue in Season 1 timeline, which means Darling in the Franxx Season 2 will take a fresh start as Hiro and Zero Two are reincarnated several hundreds of years later. It is another debate whether they will continue as main characters of the series or we will see an entirely new cast of characters.
As far as I can conclude, Darling in the Franxx Season 2 won’t be introducing a new cast of characters as the reincarnation of Hiro, and Zero Two would be a waste if they are not going to be the main characters in the sequel, so it is highly possible that Hiro and Zero Two will continue as the main character of the series. On the other hand, we might be able to see the children or grandchildren of previous supporting characters. It’s worth noting that in Season 1, the primary antagonist, VIRM, stated that they would return at the pinnacle of the next evolution with much more power, implying that Darling in the Franxx Season 2 is a possibility.
Even though it has been four years since its premiere, there has been no word about Darling in the Franxx Season 2, and if we are going to see Darling in the Franxx Season 2, an announcement would have been made long ago. According to research made a year or two before, Darling in the Franxx Season 2 was expected to be announced in the year 2022, but the lineup of anime series scheduled for 2022 doesn’t include Darling in the Franxx, which leads to only one conclusion that a little hope remains for Darling in the Franxx Season 2. Looking on the bright side, it is possible for anime to come back for a sequel even after a span of 5-7 years. With that said, only time can tell what will be the future of Darling in the Franxx Series.
Does the Manga hint at anything about a Second Season?
As you already know, Darling in the Franxx Manga came after the debut of the anime series; therefore, Manga is considered a non-canon version. Darling in the Franxx Manga began serializing on the Shonen Jump Website on January 14, 2018, and continued till January 26, 2020. Moreover, the Manga is actually a spin-off of the original Darling in the Franxx Series, as there are many differences between Manga and anime regarding the storyline, characters, and events. With Manga being a spin-off, it is highly unlikely that anything from Manga will be adapted in Darling in the Franxx Season 2 as the differences in the Manga will contradict the events featured in Season 1.
It is important to note that the manga version is quite detailed with respect to anime, and if Manga followed the exact same story featured in the anime, then the chances for Darling in the Franxx sequel would have increased very much. After addressing all these points, it is fair to say that Darling in the Franxx Season 2 will also be an original, just like the Season 1.
Total Episodes of Darling in the Franxx and the possible number of episodes for Season 2
Unlike other mecha anime that tend to have episodes more than 50 or even 100 sometimes, Darling in the Franxx only has 24 episodes that started airing on January 13, 2018, and continued till July 7, 2018. Each episode is 24 minutes long, including opening and ending themes which is the standard runtime for every anime episode. However, some anime have only 12-minute long episodes, but they are mostly short series.
Fans of Darling in the Franxx continue to wonder how many episodes will be in Darling in the Franxx Season 2. To put it simply, the number of episodes entirely depends upon the vastness of the storyline. Keeping in view Darling in the Franxx was an original anime, Darling in the Franxx Season 2 will likely consist of only 12 or a maximum of 24 episodes.
Anime and Manga Sales Figures and Profit Characters, Cast & Staff Credits
Darling in the Franxx anime series made a fair enough profit from the release of Blu-Ray DVDs. According to the research conducted in 2018, Darling in the Franxx first Volume of Blu-Ray DVD sold 6,186 copies in only Japan, and the sale continues to increase with every subsequent release of DVD Volume. On the other hand, Darling in the Franxx Manga generated a large profit in terms of anime, with 400,000 copies sold in Japan alone.
Darling in the Franxx influenced the audience and entertained them very well, and all this credit goes to the hardworking production team that dedicated their everything to producing a memorable anime series. The combined effort of A-1 Pictures, Trigger, and CloverWorks Studios resulted in the creation of a tempting animation that remained beautiful and worth watching throughout the series. Moreover, Darling in the Franxx featured lovable characters like Zero Two and Hiro, who taught us how love could go beyond even a cruel fate. Let’s name the people behind these characters while appreciating their tremendous efforts in entertaining us.
| Characters | Voice Actors |
| Zero Two | HarukaTomatsu |
| Hiro | YuutoUmemura |
| Goro | YuuichirouUmehara |
| Ichigo | Kana Ichinose |
| Mitsuru | Aoi Ichikawa |
| Kokoro | SaoriHayami |
| Zorome | Mutsumi Tamura |
| Miku | Nanami Yamashita |
| Ikuno | ShizukaIshigami |
| Futoshi | Hiroki Gotou |
| Staff Members | Role |
| Nishigori Atsushi | Director, Episode Director, Script, Storyboard, Series Composition, Animation Director, Key Animation |
| ShoujiHata | Sound Director |
| Hiroyuki Imaishi | Mechanical Design, Storyboard, Episode Director |
| Noriko Takao | Episode Director, Animation Director |
| Masahiko Ootsuka | Script, Production Manager |
| Hiroshi Seiko | Scriptwriter |
| Akira Amemiya | Storyboard, 2nd Key Animation |
| SaoriHayami | Theme Song Performer |
| Hyde | Theme Song Performer |
| Satoru Hirayanagi | Senior Art Director |
These are some of the production team members that dedicated their skills and time in producing Darling in the Franxx. All fans of Darling in the Franxx hereby present a tribute to them and expect them to introduce a new sequel of Darling in the Franxx.
Mal Rating and Reviews
As I have mentioned before, Darling in the Franxx received severe criticism from the masses because of various things like a rushed storyline and vague character development, but even with all these flaws, the audience couldn’t bring themselves to hate this series because it indeed overwhelmed them emotionally in the end. Darling in the Franxx managed to claim a solid 7.24 rating on one of the biggest manga and anime platforms called My Anime List (MAL), which again shows this series’s credibility and achievements.
In terms of audience reactions, some rated it a perfect 10/10, while others were dissatisfied and gave it a 3/10, and so on, but overall, Darling in the Franxx received positive feedback on My Anime List (MAL).
Interesting Fact:
Darling in the Franxx focuses very much on biological themes like reproduction and survival of species from names of children to their given titles; all the terms related to reproduction and biology, like the XX symbol on Franxx, symbolize male and female chromosomes while the terms Stamens and Pistils refer to male and female body parts of flower used in reproduction. Moreover, the anime features the decline in birth rate as humanity lost their reproductive abilities in exchange for immortality, and the author of Darling in the Franxx integrated this theme as Japan is currently suffering from a declining birthrate that threatens the very existence of Japan and its people.
You Might Also Like: Neon Genesis Evangelion
Darling in the Franxx was indeed a game-changer in the mecha genre, and it isn’t easy to find more anime similar to it, but rest assured, as Neon Genesis Evangelion is a very famous mecha anime that inspired Darling in the Franxx. Teenagers in Neon Genesis Evangelion combat enigmatic beings known as Angels with innovative mechas known as Evangelions, similar to Darling in the Franxx, where youngsters pilot Franxx in pairs to fight monsters known as Klaxosaurs. In a nutshell, Neon Genesis Evangelion will make you nostalgic for Darling in the Franxx while also taking you on a wild voyage across your favorite mecha genre.
If you want to learn more about Neon Genesis Evangelion, we’ve got articles about it. Click here to read them now.
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