Darling in the Franxx arrived in January 2018 as one of the most anticipated anime of the year. A joint project from Studio Trigger and CloverWorks, directed by Atsushi Nishigori, it blended mecha action, dystopian sci-fi, and a deeply personal romance between Hiro and Zero Two. The series quickly built a massive following for its striking visuals, complex world-building, and exploration of what it means to be human in a controlled society. I was totally bought in and loved what the show was at the start. The early episodes delivered strong character development, themes of rebellion, identity, and love, and intense battles that felt earned. For many viewers like me, it was the kind of show that promised something special. Then the final stretch arrived, and for a large portion of the audience, that promise went unfulfilled.
The first half of the series excelled at building emotional investment. Squad 13's parasites lived in a sterile world under the thumb of the mysterious APE organization, piloting Franxx mechs to fight the Klaxosaurs. Hiro, the "defective" boy who could not pilot, formed a profound bond with Zero Two, the mysterious "partner killer" with horns and a tragic past. Their relationship drove the story forward, but the supporting cast also had room to breathe. Ichigo's quiet leadership and unspoken feelings, Goro's loyalty, Kokoro and Mitsuru's budding connection, and the group's growing awareness of their limited lives all added layers. The world felt alive with questions about humanity, sexuality, freedom, and the cost of survival. Battles had weight because viewers cared about the characters inside the cockpits.
That depth started to slip away in the later episodes. The introduction of the VIRM as the true cosmic threat felt abrupt, shifting the story from grounded rebellion and personal growth to a sudden space opera. What began as an intimate look at a group of teenagers fighting for autonomy turned into a galaxy-spanning conflict that many felt came out of nowhere. The final episodes compressed massive revelations, sacrifices, and resolutions into a short window, leaving little time for the emotional payoff fans had grown to expect.
Hiro and Zero Two's sacrifice in the climax, followed by their reincarnation as birds a thousand years later, became the most divisive part. For some, it was a poetic close. For many others, it felt like a shortcut that abandoned the characters' arcs and the themes the show had spent so much time establishing. Side characters who had been central to the early story saw their development cut short or resolved off-screen. The Klaxosaur lore, the true nature of the parasites, and the rebellion against APE could have supported far more exploration, but the pacing left those threads feeling incomplete. The ending prioritized a grand, bittersweet image over the quiet, human moments that made the first half so memorable.
Director Atsushi Nishigori has spoken about the ending in interviews. In one discussion shortly after the finale, he stated, "I regret nothing" regarding the choices made in the later episodes, including the controversial episode 14. He described the story as exactly what he intended, with a focus on the feeling of "this is this" and "that is that" rather than a perfectly blended narrative. In a 2022 interview with The Natural Aristocrat, staff member Hiromi Wakabayashi noted that episode 13, which delved into Hiro and Zero Two's childhoods, was especially important to Nishigori and reflected his passion for the core relationship. The creators stood by their vision, but many fans still argue that the execution in the final arc did not match the potential built in the first 15 episodes.
The manga adaptation, which ran alongside and after the anime, offered a different path. It diverged significantly in the later chapters and delivered an ending where Hiro and Zero Two survived the final battle without the space sacrifice or reincarnation twist. Squad 13's futures felt more grounded and hopeful, with relationships allowed to develop naturally. For fans disappointed by the anime's conclusion, the manga provided a version of the story that preserved the emotional core without the cosmic leap. It ended right after the Gran Crevasse battle, avoiding the VIRM escalation entirely and giving the characters a chance to live out the freedom they fought for.
As of 2026, there has been no official announcement of a sequel anime, new manga continuation, or novel series. Persistent rumors and fan petitions for a second season have circulated since the finale, with some online speculation in 2025 and early 2026 suggesting a possible remake or fresh storyline. However, no concrete plans from Trigger, CloverWorks, or the production committee have emerged. Nishigori and the team have maintained that the original anime concluded the story as they envisioned it, with no active development reported for new material.
That lack of continuation has kept the debate alive. Darling in the Franxx remains a series that fans return to and discuss years later precisely because the early promise was so strong. The world-building, the romance, and the themes of breaking free from a stifling system had room for so much more. Characters like Ichigo, who grew from a protective leader into someone finding her own path, or the deeper lore around the Klaxosaurs and the parasites' origins, could have supported entire arcs that explored the cost of rebellion and the meaning of humanity. Instead, the final episodes compressed those ideas into a rushed resolution that left many feeling the story ended before it truly finished.
The anime's legacy is complicated. It introduced a new generation to mecha romance and sparked conversations about identity and connection that still resonate. Zero Two remains an iconic character, and moments like the early squad dynamics or the visceral Franxx battles are still praised. Yet the ending continues to divide audiences because it feels like the creators had the foundation for something truly lasting but chose a path that prioritized spectacle over the emotional depth that made the show special in the first place.
Darling in the Franxx had the potential to be remembered as a modern classic that stuck the landing. Instead, it became a cautionary tale of a series that soared high only to stumble in the final stretch. Fans still hope for some form of continuation or even a thoughtful remake that could give the characters and the world the full development they deserved. Until that happens, the anime stands as a reminder of what could have been, a beautiful, flawed story that captured hearts and then left many wondering where it all went in the final episodes. The Franxx may have stopped moving, but the conversation around what the series could have been is far from over.
Do you agree with any of my points? What else did you like or not like about the series? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!