APE

APE is group of scientists and politicians who govern all of known humanity. All civilian and military organizations report to them or someone under them, with the exception of the special forces pilots, also known as the "Nines," who report directly to APE. They worked with Dr. FRANXX in the creation of the FRANXX program. APE is ruled by a Chairman, who is known as "Papa" by Children and adults alike and worshipped as a god. Members of APE wear elegant white robes and sport unique mechanical masks.

Seven Sages
The Seven Sages (, Shichi Kenjin) or Lamarck Club (ラマルク・クラブ, Ramaruku Kurabu) are the highest members of mankind's governing institution "APE."

The seven adults who assemble at APE HQ. In opposition of the sudden activity of klaxosaur, they pay particular to the awakening of Strelizia and its pistil, Zero Two. They refer to Hiro as the "special specimen." .

Overview
APE was created no less than the year 2025, when the Chairman (known as ‘Papa’ to almost everyone) approached Dr. Franxx about his research on magma energy and cloning. Members of APE hoped to introduce new mining technology to dig up magma energy from underground the Earth’s surface and create a new low-cost and all-compassing energy source. This project was successful and brought forth a wealthy economy and sped up the development of human civilization.

APE then hired Dr. Franxx to conduct a project on human immortality. His research was successful and all the wealthy became immortals but at the cost of the reproductive functions. Initially, only the wealthy citizens could afford this but eventually, this became universally available. By the year 2035, 70% of the world population had become immortal. To combat population explosion, a law was passed to heavily tax childbirth, which caused a drastic decline in the general population as this prevented non mortals from being able to afford bearing children. The frequent drilling of magma energy was at the cost of desertification of the planet, leading the creation of multiple Plantations containing their own ecosystems.

In 2027, the klaxosaurs began attacking the magma plants. To counter against the klaxosaurs, APE instructed Dr. Franxx to develop a defense strategy. His research led to the creation of the Franxx units. However, the units required pilots who shared a mental connection and retained their reproductive functions. This revelation was discovered after many lives were lost in the development of the units. Because all the adults had sacrificed their reproductive functions in exhange for immortality, there was a need for new, fertile children. Through Dr. Franxx’s cloning research, male and female synthetic children called Parasites were created. Kept in isolation throughout childhood, these children were required to develop the emotional responses required to pilot a Franxx. Upon getting a sample of hair from the humanoid princess of the klaxosaurs, Dr. Franxx created Zero Two, a project APE personally oversaw and deemed a highly significant success.

Publicly, APE is dedicated to the preservation and protection of humanity, and oversees the development of the parasites, who are trained and instructed to protect the adults and their leaders. To the public, the Chairman is viewed as a god and undoubtedly pledged their loyalty to him. The Vice Chairman and Five Sages serve alongside him. Their ulterior motives are however unknown to the public. To members of APE, the parasites are disposable; they are created and raised for combat, and not expected to reach adulthood. For the parasites to meet the qualifications to become FRANXX pilots, they are not only routinely injected with klaxosaur blood to increase their abilities but are kept in isolation in order to develop the emotional responses required. APE strictly banned all knowledge on physiology of emotions and human sexuality, which includes sexual intercourse and pregnancy. Those who break those rules are punished with re-indoctrination or sent back to the Garden.

Initially, some members of APE, specifically the Five Sages, secretly attempted to peacefully negotiate with the klaxosaur princess in an attempt to force the klaxosaurs to surrender and end the war but she refused and killed two of the sages in retaliation. Pushed to a breaking point, the Chairman and Vice Chairman revealed themselves as members of VIRM, an alien species that invaded Earth several eons ago and have been in a war with the klaxosaurs over who rightfully inhabits the planet. The Chairman and Vice Chairman kill the remaining three sages and set out to eliminate the klaxosaurs once and for all. However, the parasites turn against APE after this revelation and aid in the fight against VIRM. VIRM, including Papa and the Vice Chairman, are forced to retreat and the children are callously left behind to die on the planet, which is slowly decaying after years of magma drilling deprived it of natural resources. Without the leaders, APE collapses as a government function, allowing the parasites and remaining adults to create a new self-sufficient lifestyle from scratch without the use of magma energy and allow the planet to prosper.

Location
APE convenes in the APE Strategic Headquarters, which is a large, circular glass dome located in an unknown region somewhere within outer space. The facility is equipped with a number of displays and holographic projections to assist in any meeting. Members of APE do not physically meet up, and instead appear via a holographic projection, leaving their true location a mystery.