Forum - View topicEP. REVIEW: DARLING in the FRANXX
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Arale Kurashiki
Posts: 793 |
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Y'know, I love psychosexual symbolism stuff like in Eva/Utena, so it sucks that a show's decided to ape that to hide its own shallow nature...
...Sorry, I want to believe that it's all intentional too, but I don't want to get my hopes up. So I might wait to watch most of this until later on when I can be more informed about where it's going. |
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GoldCrusader
Posts: 1023 |
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This was an amazing ride so far. I figured whoever reviewed it wouldn't really like it with what the episode did and the preview guide. I hope it continues to be as provoking as it was in episode 2. It makes everything unique and interesting. Also I think the world is super interesting. Like it has so many dark secrets. Very fun.
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relyat08
 Posts: 4125 Location: Northern Virginia |
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I definitely have a lot of the same concerns. I'm not opposed to fanservice in the slightest, in fact, I quite enjoy it when there is a reasonable amount of agency and it doesn't enforce antiquated and backward gender and relationship roles. What made me struggle a little with this episode is exactly that though. As well as the power dynamics. When specific gender roles are presented like this, in such a matter-of-fact way, it comes across as a little unsettling(and I wholeheartedly hope this is exactly the point).
I'm totally enjoying this on a visual level though, and I do think it is going to do something with the content to give it some depth and value outside of just ogling hot anime girls. I'll be incredibly disappointed if it doesn't though, because just based on these two episodes it's kind of sexist.
Production-wise, there will probably be less Imaishi involved in episodes without much action, since he is the mecha-action director. And the singular "battle" in this episode was handled by someone else. Trigger as a studio will be making their actual debut on episode 4, so so far, it's been mostly A-1 with just a few Trigger regulars(who are actually just freelancers) showing up for specific scenes.
It's still the same reason. lol Possibly combined with the directors specific instructions, but given the clout that Tanaka has, he probably made them however he wanted. |
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Angel M Cazares
 Posts: 5524 Location: Iscandar |
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I have concluded that saying that A-1 Pictures is an untrustworthy studio has become a hip thing to say. In my experience they have done solid work most of the time. Some of my all time favorite shows (Your Lie in April, Anohana, From the New World, Sound of the Sky) were animated by A-1. |
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MJKS
Posts: 102 |
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Of their works that I'm familiar with (Fractale, Kannagi, Occult Academy, Oreimo 2--which they inherited, I realize--Sword Art Online, Your Lie In April, Anohana, Grimgar, Working!!, Servant X Service), I find they very often exhibit bland and/or juvenile qualities that are indigestible to me. And Darling in the FranXX so far fits the trend. I have grown to assume this is an institutional effect of how the studio as a whole shapes productions. Plus, I sure feel like Hiro came out of central casting for A-1 protagonists. Although A-1 certainly isn't the only studio repeatedly pulling Hiro-types off the shelf, to be fair. Leaving my preconceived notions about the studio aside, Nishigori and Hayashi aren't inspiring much confidence as of now. Obviously Nishigori's record as an animator speaks for itself, but the overall direction and writing of the show is lacking for in my opinion. With that said, the show looks destined to be a mass-market success regardless of me being a stick-in-the-mud. |
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Angel M Cazares
Posts: 5524 Location: Iscandar |
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I apologize for butting in again in your conversation. Most of the A-1 shows you cite were produced by Aniplex. I would blame Aniplex, and not a particular studio, for shows with those bland and/or juvenile qualities you dislike. |
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Mojave
 Posts: 178 |
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I actually really liked this second episode. I thought the fanservice was pretty tame, and not really off-putting or problematic. The awkwardness between the teens and all of their raw emotions were really what stood our for me this episode. I'd also disagree that this episode was particularly sexist, as several of the female pilots are quite blatantly the ones in charge in their partnerships. The failed partnering between Hiro and Ichigo was one where they both blamed themselves, and the frustration, awkwardness, and fear of failure all came across really well from both of them.
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MJKS
Posts: 102 |
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No don't worry about it. And that's interesting! I hadn't thought of that. What's also interesting is that what is easily my favorite A-1 show, Grimgar, was one of those not produced by Aniplex. And since you mentioned it, I notice From the New World, which I've been meaning to watch on account of all the praise I've heard, isn't either. So I look forward to getting to that. On the other hand, I see that FRANXX is being produced by Aniplex, so... I have a feeling my mind isn't likely to be changed in this case. |
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vonPeterhof
Posts: 729 |
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Agent355
 Posts: 5113 Location: Crackberry in hand, thumbs at the ready... |
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This is the strangest part of the set up--the adults are basically forcing all these kids to simulate sex without telling them anything about sex. I saw people on Reddit point out that Dr. Franxx is noted in show as the designer of the Franxx robots, and he is also the character who groped a female assistant's butt in the first episode. So it's possible he's just forcing his preferred butt fetish on everyone just because he can. I know I don't appreciate it--I think the cockpits are really gross. What possible reasons could the leaders of this weird, plant-based, klaxosaur-haunted world have for forcing kids into sexual situations while keeping concepts like "kissing" from them? I'm intrigued and grossed out all at once to find out. |
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Arale Kurashiki
Posts: 793 |
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Yeesh, when that's pointed out, it almost sounds like a child pornography metaphor or something. Or just generally how the way kids are brought up is with an assumption of them eventually being sexual.
Hmmm, this might be interesting. |
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Cab329
Posts: 132 |
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I'm putting this on my "Sit and wait" list. In other words, I'll wait a few weeks without watching new episodes and just watch comments in the mean time
I want to believe that episode 2 is just helping set up for what will later be a subversion but right now I'm not getting anything that interests me. I don't care about the characters and the little bit of action we got in episode 1 was...okay I guess. i mean, it's clear the society that is raising the kids is the real enemy and with 24 eps they have time but right now, i got nothing. . |
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MarshalBanana
 Posts: 5538 |
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The show sort of feels like a mix Trigger and Bones, yes Bones not A-1 Pictures. In regards to the sexual nature of the show, I do not think we should criticise the show for that. After hearing about criticism against fanservice for a number of years now, I've come to realise the problem is that Anime fans are very prudish.
The first episode made it seem like this was going to be a more fast paced show, but after episode 2, it looks like it will have a couple of episodes of build up. I am still really happy about the key-framed mechs. But also disappointed that this is not standard for Anime. |
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ThatMoonGuy
Posts: 364 |
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I for one find myself strongly taken aback by the most lavishy effort this shows make to guarantee that every other dialogue line can be taken as sexual innuendo. It's double entendre turned into an art form.
But, no, really. They're at least being honest with their audiences and leaving mostly clear what this show is all about unlike some other shows who'd go for unspecific "metaphors" just to hide the fact that there's not really anything behind them. Besides that, I'm siding with the "that's really A-1" side. Barring the Trigger visuals it just... doesn't feel like something out of them? The closest analogue in Tigger would be Kiznaiver which is just very "Mari Okada" and their weakest work. But then again, maybe this will actually be good? Maybe all that on-the-nose metaphors are part of the plan and this will turn out to be a surprisingly smart show. Which I don't think it will be if I'm to judge just by how much it monkeys Eva and and how it tried to sound all smart with the hedge... I mean, the Jian story and all the butt and boob shots and the not exactly clever terminology. Still, I'm gonna sit back and keep watching. Maybe I will be wrong again and if not at least it will be fun to see all that innuendo being thrown around like it's the smartest thing ever. |
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Arale Kurashiki
Posts: 793 |
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"You shouldn't criticize it, because people criticize it" This is some kind of reverse-circular-reasoning that I have never seen documented before. |
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