Darling in the Franxx had a very strong start. It took a few episodes to get to know all the characters, but Hiro and Zero Two were definitely the selling points. That's not to say the other characters weren't great, but there were a couple that did not stand out, because the series constantly shifted the focus away from them. That said, I think the world and characters are amazing and intriguing, and if the first part of the series was its own season, it could have definitely been considered a masterpiece. However, my first complaint comes in the story's weird sexualization of teenagers which is present in both the first and second part. This isn't a seriously recurring issue, so I excused it, because I understood that it was supposed to complement the theme of the series, but it still made me feel very uncomfortable. Despite that, I really liked the first part and the story was definitely an experience.

However, the second part of the series definitely ruined the momentum it had. A part of me thinks it's the shift from the manga to blame. Simply, it's a mess. Some characters barely have any progression, while others move incredibly fast. The villains of the series were hardly ever touched on and the plot twist was less than satisfying, because there was almost no reason to care about it. The ending was the final blow, which was essentially a slide-show and a timelapse fused together. There was nothing satisfying about it, apart from the final scene.

That's the main problem with the second part of the series. A lot of things just kind of happen and there's nothing leading up to it or explaining it. Even in the finale, they mentioned several things that were never properly discussed before. Another problem I have with the second part is that the beautiful action which was present in the first half is almost non-existent afterwards. The stunning style of story-telling in the first part became a disastrous mess in the finale as it constantly shifted different styles. This made me the most upset, because these styles conveyed so much emotion towards the episodes they were carefully used in before, and then they were practically used as devices to end the series faster.

If you're interested in watching Darling in the Franxx, then keep everything I said in mind. Don't let your expectations in the first part get your hopes up. I haven't read the manga, but from what I know, there should have been enough material for at least another season. Another season would have been great to flesh out the characters, world, and the villains more. I think it could have brought the series to a satisfying conclusion. Above it all, I think Hiro and Zero Two's relationship carry the entire series along with their friends (mainly Ichigo, Goro, Mitsuru, and Kokoro). While the series did rush to an ending, I feel like the themes and message still sing above it.