The Jian, also known as "the bird that shares wings,"
Known as "the bird that shares wings"
only possesses one wing.
Unless a male and female pair lean on each other and act as one,
they're incapable of flight.
They're imperfect, incomplete creatures.
Imperfect, incomplete creatures
But for some reason,
their way of life
Their way of life
struck me as profoundly beautiful.
Struck me as profoundly beautiful
It was beautiful,
It was beautiful
I felt.
I felt
I wanna take a bath.
Not again. Show some self-control.
Hey, how do I smell?
Let him rest.
He's drained after the last battle.
Sheesh, what a high-maintenance girl.
Does Plantation 13 have an ocean?
An ocean?
I wanna swim in some clear ocean water.
I'm sorry to say there's no ocean there.
Won't a shower do?
I'm in the mood for a swim.
We'll be descending shortly.
Please sit down and buckle your seatbelts.
Understood.
Let's continue this later.
I hate how I taste.
The Jian is also known as "the bird that shares wings."
The book I read about it a long time ago
said it can't even fly unless a male and female support each other.
They're pitiful creatures.
Until it finds a partner,
it must hide among tree leaves,
wait with bated breath,
The briefing's over. Contact me. We need to talk.
and dream of the day it can take flight into the skies above.
Hey, slacker. Where are you right now? Anyway, you'd better show up for the recruit welcoming ceremony tomorrow. Got that? Too bad about Naomi, but you've been told you can stay, so don't act all stubborn
It's blood.
H-Hey...
If so, where does a bird that ends up never flying go?
I know the answer to that all too well.
The answer is...
Oh, found one.
"Partner Killer"?
Apparently, the girl has horns and fangs,
and any parasite that rides with her will have his blood sucked
and die after the third time, without fail.
Yikes. I don't wanna ride with her.
Surely that's just a rumor.
It's true!
Someone actually overheard security talking about it!
Ichigo.
Did you get a hold of Hiro?
Nope. Not a trace.
Hey...
So is he gonna stay here after all?
But he didn't attend today's briefing.
Maybe that means he's gonna turn down the chance?
Hiro's going to leave? That's so sad.
But if he doesn't, where would that leave Naomi? She got caught up in his mess.
I say Hiro's showing real integrity.
It must be hard for him to face us after what happened, too.
Spare a thought for how he feels.
God, how forced.
Are you okay with this, Ichigo?
That idiot!
Good grief. A transport plane's seats are too hard for an old man like me.
Can't we travel some other way?
Deal with it.
We don't have many options when it comes to transporting cargo that massive.
I haven't seen you in ages, but I see you're still as stiff as ever.
I wish the seats and your personality
were this soft and yielding.
Doctor! Stop that!
Is Hachi well?
He's been asked to speed up the children's training.
After all, this will be the first trial run for the unit we're using this time.
I see.
May I ask you something, Doctor?
Why run that test case here?
And with such a makeshift team, no less?
Something's been bothering me.
Although the geezers in APE might not understand it.
So you do have some sort of idea in mind?
Oh, and please do attend the startup ritual.
I know.
All that aside, I see that our problem child has already gone missing.
But she was just here...
Huh? Where...
Over there.
Damn it! She's running off again.
It's alive!
I never knew there was a place like this.
A parasite?
But the uniform's not like ours.
No way!
Is she drowning?!
I've gotta help her!
It was like I'd been put under a spell.
Her two alluring horns
and my first-ever look at a naked female body
left me transfixed, unable to take my eyes off her.
N-N-N-N...
Naked?!
Wait, no!
Oh. And here I thought you were dead.
A-Are you a parasite?
Why were you bathing here?
It's so weird. I heard ocean water was salty.
Uh, this isn't an ocean.
I know that much.
But it's the most ocean-like place I know.
Aren't you gonna swim?
Huh? Me?
Nah, I'm good.
Really? But it feels so good.
You were staring so hard, I thought you wanted to swim, too.
Th-That's because...
I thought you were drowning,
so I jumped in to save you, and...
S-Sorry, but could you put your clothes on?
Oh, I get it! You're a pervert!
Where'd that come from?
Th-This isn't what it looks like!
Your face looks hilarious!
But you jumped in to save me, huh?
I appreciate that.
Thank you.
That uniform... Are you a parasite, too?
No.
So you don't pilot?
I can't pilot.
I no longer have the ability.
I even dragged my partner down with me.
I don't have a place here anymore.
Huh. So you're just like me.
I'm always alone, too,
thanks to these horns.
If you don't belong here, just build a place where you do.
If you don't have a partner, just find another.
And if you can't,
take one by force!
Wow, your taste makes my heart race.
It bites and lingers...
The taste of danger.
Wh-What are you...
Would you have preferred a kiss?
A kiss?
Oh, you guys don't know, huh?
It's a very special thing.
I think I've taken a liking to you.
Won't you be my darling?
D-Darling? You mean partner?
Your ability's probably just still dormant.
I can awaken it for you.
And you weren't frightened by my horns.
When she held out that hand,
I...
Too bad.
Time's up.
We've been looking for you.
Why do you keep running off alone?
It's not like there's anything else to do until tomorrow's welcoming ceremony.
Well, as your partner, I'm the one who suffers for it.
Partner?
Are you a parasite cadet? Your welcoming ceremony's tomorrow, right?
Sorry she bothered you.
It's okay...
Um, what did you mean by "partner"?
Let me give you some advice.
Stay far away from her.
She's not the kind of pistil that just anyone can handle.
Your name!
What's your name?
Name?
Do we parasites even have names?
But, well, my code is 002.
Everyone calls me Zero Two.
"So you're the same as me," she said.
Move your feet.
Getting mocked for my lack of a partner would be one thing.
Mistilteinn's issued a search request for you.
But the fact that there was still a part of me that hoped for one
made me feel pathetic and ashamed of myself.
I'm all too aware
that a flightless bird has nowhere to go.
That a flightless bird has nowhere to go
Plantation #13: "Cerasus"
Look at all those adults.
Yeah, they're all here to see us.
"You're the chosen ones," Papa said.
My children, you have had the good fortune to be chosen as parasites.
As far back as we can remember,
we children had code numbers assigned to us,
Your great predecessors defended our cities and our people,
and were told that piloting weapons called FRANXX in male-female pairs to fight
and they splendidly took flight as our representatives.
was our sole purpose in life.
Turn your life into a blaze of glory and shed every last drop of blood you have.
I pray that you will become a shining ray of hope for humanity.
Children that aren't fit for that purpose have no value.
That's exactly why I decided to leave this place.
Ichigo.
Focus on the ceremony. Papa is watching, and so is everyone else.
Right.
That's all the official instructions for your return to the orphanage.
Is there anything else you'd like to know?
Nothing, really.
Code 016, HQ has given you special permission to remain here.
Are you certain you don't want to stay?
I am.
Is that so? Understood.
Positive pulse and P-Factor dropping.
Timed out.
Commencing stage six linking.
Measuring ability score.
Negative pulse detected.
Positive pulse on standby.
Three, two, one...
Timed out.
Code 703 and Code 016.
You fail.
You fail
You should've stayed, Hiro.
Did you refuse because of me?
No.
It's not like I'd be of any use even if I stayed.
You've always been like that.
You're just running away.
From your partner, and from yourself.
You remember how many of our friends disappeared from the orphanage, right?
There's no telling when we could end up just like them.
So don't try to play the hero!
Who cares if it's favoritism? You're lucky you have a chance to stay at all!
We've made it so far!
I would definitely stay, even if it killed me!
Quit your chatter.
Naomi...
Why...
Why did you have to be my partner?
Hiro never showed, huh?
Forget that crybaby.
Right to the very end, we could never tell what was going through his head.
I hope they both get back safe and sound.
Their ship probably isn't headed back to the Garden.
I've never even heard of any parasites coming back home.
Are you ready?
Yes, sir!
Well, take care, Hiro.
I don't think we'll ever see each other again.
I'm done now, but you still have a chance.
You don't have to factor me into your decisions.
Wait a second, Naomi!
What are you doing?
I don't need those things anymore.
Share them with everyone.
W-Wait!
You know, I really like this name you gave me.
Hiro, I hope you find a good partner.
Naomi...
Don't! You can take the next plant and still make it!
Naomi...
I smell a klaxosaur.
We will hereby begin the startup ritual.
With this, you kids will finally become official parasites.
What's going on?
This is bad. The fog is rolling in.
What's the matter? Get in already.
Uh, I think I'll—
What was that?
Those things weren't there before.
Naomi!
It's a klaxosaur! Ready intercepting fire!
So that's a klaxosaur?
Wait, that's where...
Damn it!
Another klaxosaur?!
Klaxosaur!
Run away! Take shelter!
A moho-class, huh? It's big, strong, and has a fine look.
This is no time for casual commentary! Prepare to evacuate!
Hurry up and retrieve the parasites!
What's happening?
Garage 2 damaged.
Unfit for housing Delphinium.
A stampede, now?
What an ugly sight. Did she devour her stamen again?
It's hard to tell which is the real monster here.
Guys!
What the hell?
Ow... What was that?
Huh? H-Hey...
Forget about him. He's done for.
You're...
What are you doing in there?
What, you ask? I'm going monster hunting, of course.
You're going to pilot this robot alone?
I gotta go.
W-Wait a second!
You can't! You're hurt!
Out of my way!
This is insanity. Besides, you're by yourself now.
FRANXX can't be piloted alone.
I'm always alone.
That's how it's always been. I'm used to it.
No! You'll die!
I'm not afraid of death.
That thing's going to start moving again eventually.
And when it does, everyone here is gonna die either way.
I'm not afraid of death.
I have a job to do.
I'm going.
I'm powerless.
Right now, I can't help my friends
or fight a klaxosaur.
That's what I thought.
But as I stared at the girl in front of me,
the words that escaped my lips were, for some reason...
Wait.
I'll pilot that robot with you.
I'm not about to let you go alone.
Oh?
Are you prepared to die?
I don't know.
But as I am now, I don't belong anywhere.
That's no different from being dead.
So take me with you!
Huh... You really are just like me.
You and I are very similar.
It's been a long time since I last saw a human cry.
I like the look in your eyes. It makes my heart race.
Now come to me.
Let me get a taste of you.
You are now...
My darling!
It's back!
It's moving again!
W-Was it eaten?
No.
That's...
When the negative and positive— male and female factors combine,
and their hearts become one,
the iron maiden will reveal her true form.
Now this is a FRANXX! How truly beautiful!
You're the best, Strelizia!
But who's piloting it?
Game over.
That's a FRANXX,
the kind of robot we'll pilot.
Episode 1
Alone and Lonesome
I don't know why, but the warm touch of her lips made my heart race.
Other than that, I remember nothing about what happened in the cockpit back then.
Hiro?!
What's he doing there?
Wait, there's someone else.
Are those...
...horns?
You mean that pistil is the one?
The Partner Killer.
Let me introduce you.
This is Code number 002, a pistil with the special forces unit APE directly controls.
She's a girl that carries klaxosaur blood.
But having taken this step of my own free will,
I felt like I might be able to fly again.
Found you, my darling.