The first few episodes of the series had me thinking this was just another anime light porn setup disguised as a mecha series. However the longer the series ran the more it was obvious there was much more to it.
Story: Consistently written. Confusing at first until you have all of the information, then it makes perfect sense. I know a lot of people think this is some propaganda by the government of Nippon/Japan, but it hit home for me as a U.S. citizen. Blind devotion, unquestioning sacrifices. There's a lot to unpack but it's worth the effort.
Art: The fight scenes are very well done. The characters and the machines are given equal attention. Nothing feels like an afterthought.
Sound: The music fit the anime really well. There were no standout songs but it was still pleasant.
Characters: The main characters felt real. They are children tasked with adult roles and behave accordingly. You feel empathy even for the side characters, which isn't common.
Enjoyment: This is one of those series I'm sure I'll come back to for a rewatch.
Overall: Again, there are some reviews that seem to follow a disturbing trend of bashing shows because they saw one thing one one website that told them it was bad. This is not the case. "Darling in the Franxx" is a show that should be watched and judged on its own merit and not the whim of others.
