Episode 18

"We will leave the birdcage when the sakura blooms. Together, we had our laughs and we had our clashes. All these memories are as delicate as glass, but they're also the beautiful and invaluable testimony that we were here."

- Ikuno

When the Sakura Blooms is the eighteenth episode of DARLING in the FRANXX.

Plot
Mitsuru wakes up after spending the night with Kokoro. They look out the window together where sakura petals float in the wind. He says it's beautiful and she agrees.

In the control room, Hachi tells Ichigo that they will abandon Mistilteinn shortly and tells her to be ready. She asks why and he replies that the situation has changed, so they will take the next supply ship to the parasite camp. Ichigo realizes that, even though they weren't in contact, they were still being monitored.

Goro holds his head and Hiro asks how his fever is. He smiles and says fine. Hiro says that Miku had her fever recently as well. Ichigo comes out and Goro asks what's wrong.

In the elevator, she tells the two of their plans to abandon Mistilteinn. Though she wants to stay, Goro says that they don't have enough rations and Mistilteinn won't last very long in itself.

As they walk back, Goro says that their life there wasn't all bad. Ichigo says it's sad that they have to leave. Hiro says there's something he'd like them to do while they're still there.

Hiro explains to the parasites that he wants to have a wedding. As they don't know what it is, Hiro explains that it was a ceremony where two people make a vow to be true to each in sickness and health. Miku asks who will get married. Hiro says Kokoro and Mitsuru. Kokoro says that Hiro told them about it and it sounded wonderful. Mitsuru says they decided to do it before leaving. Goro, Miku, and Zorome voice their support. Though they stop to check on Futoshi, he exclaims that he wants to play the priest so he can be right beside Kokoro and Mitsuru to congratulate them. Kokoro thanks him.

Zero Two shows Kokoro a drawing of a wedding dress. Kokoro asks what material they can use to make it. Miku and Ichigo collect curtains to do so. Ichigo and Miku gather the curtains in the abandoned room that Kokoro and Mitsuru have been sleeping in and Miku notices fresh flowers in the vase and Kokoro’s doll on the bed. Ichigo looks around and notices a camera. Mitsuru and Goro make rings for the wedding and Mitsuru explains what they're for. When Goro says that Kokoro will love it, Mitsuru blushes and says he hopes so.

Zorome kicks a ball around as Futoshi and Hiro set up chairs. The sakura petals are blown in the wind. Zorome kicks the ball to Hiro and the three pass it back and forth. Miku comes out and scolds them.

Ikuno lies on her bed when Ichigo enters the room. She asks if she's feeling under the weather. She says she's fine. Ichigo asks if something happened with the 9's since she never saw her get so angry. She says no, and Ichigo apologizes for prying and thanks her for Kokoro and Mitsuru. She says that she didn't do it for them. She sits up and asks if she's interested in her. Ikuno takes off her clip and pins Ichigo down on the bed. She says she also hates the boy-girl system of the FRANXX, like the Nines, and she slapped Alpha to hide it. But she realized she wouldn't be herself if she refused to acknowledge it and neither would Ichigo. She hugs Ichigo and says that her feelings are a mess and she confesses to loving her. She says that she did ever since she named her. A boy says she should be named "Ikuro," and a girl laughs at her name. She asks if Ichigo remembers everyone started copying Hiro and naming each other. Ichigo adjusts the 6 and makes it look like の, giving her the name "Ikuno." Ikuno says that she probably thinks her reason is stupid, but she loved her since then. She says that she changed her hair clip and that she notices things like that about her. She asks if she's creepy and says she gets jealous of boys who get to stand by her just because they're boys and she wants to keep her to herself. She begins crying and asks why she's such a pain. Ikuno thinks that she's just like how she used to be. She sits up and hugs her. As she pets her hair, she says that there's nothing wrong with being a pain and that they all are. Ikuno thanks her.

The parasites paint the side of the house and decide to pose for a group picture. bring Ikuno out and they all pose for a picture.

Zero Two looks at her mirror and headband. She is about to draw something, but stops and looks at the drawings for her book. She hears screaming and a black hole appears in the ground. Stamen, such as 081, climb out of the hole and pull at her. The large hand is about to strike her, but she is woken up by Hiro. He asks if she's okay and she shakes in his chest. She smiles and says she dozed off. Hiro says her books almost complete, and she smiles and says she'll show it to him when she's done.

Zero Two and Hiro walk through the cherry blossom trees. Zero Two wears a formal pistil outfit that Kokoro lent her for the wedding and Hiro compliments her. She asks if he remembers their promise to marry and he says he does. Zero Two says that was also the day when he became her darling. They spin around in the petals.

As the others wait outside, Mitsuru paces at the bottom of the stairs. Kokoro comes down in her wedding dress. Mitsuru blushes as he looks at her but becomes embarrassed and looks away. She asks him to look at her but he is too embarrassed. She takes his hand and says they'll find happiness together. Ikuno runs down the stairs and gives them each flowers and then opens the doors. Zorome asks if they ring the bells now and Miku says yes. The parasites ring their bells as Mitsuru and Kokoro walk together as well as throwing petals. Futoshi cries.

Hachi watches the wedding from the control room but an APE assault ship appears. Alpha greets him from the monitor and Hachi asks who authorized them. Alpha answers that Papa did. Hachi asks if they are going to force them into the parasite camp's re-indoctrination program when Squad 13 is exempt from it. Alpha says just two of them. Alpha tells him to just sit there and watch, like usual.

Futoshi tells the couple to exchange rings. After they do, Futoshi tells them to kiss. Before they can, they are interrupted by APE SP who tell them to freeze. When Zorome questions them, he is hit with a gun. Futoshi stands in front of them and tells them to run. They do, but are stopped by the 9’s. Alpha tells them that Papa said they were dangerous and need to be re-indoctrinated. Zero Two leaps forward and Alpha asks if she's still playing human. She tries to attack him, but he jumps away. The other nines begin attacking her as well. They hold her down and Alpha tells her that she mustn't defy Papa. SP take the couple and tear them from each other. Kokoro cries out to Mitsuru and he orders them to let her go before he is knocked unconscious. Hachi comes down the steps and watches as the children are in distress.

Afterwards, the parasites sit sadly around the yard. Hiro thinks that it's like the Garden and they're not allowed any happiness. As they pack, Hiro wonders where they were taken and if they'll come back. The cargo ship comes and picks them up.

Nana sits in a cell and Hachi asks what he could have said to them if he had emotions. He remembers Nana as a parasite when her FRANXX was destroyed. Hachi opened it to find her and her stamen, who was killed. The SP later took her away too as he watched. The door to her cell closes and he wonders if she could have supported them.

One APE asks what happened with the klaxosaur princess. Gorilla says he thought she would just surrender and asks why they weren't told she was to be assassinated. Marmoset says they seek a world where APE and humanity can live for all eternity. Vice Chairman says they predicted what happened and it won't be a problem, since they already possess the replacement key. Papa tells them to look at the big picture and that they will be released from their bodies when they realize their ideals.

At the Bird Nest, Ikuno says the parasites are being summoned in order. Miku says that it reminds her of Garden. The stamen talk about how it's been weeks since their last mission. Ichigo gets a message and they go to the door. Kokoro and Mitsuru walk through the doors and Hiro apologizes for causing them trouble by suggesting the wedding. Kokoro and Mitsuru are co fused and ask what a wedding is. Everyone else is also co fused and Zorome tells them about the ceremony, and Goro points out their rings but Mitsuru says those were already there before. He and Kokoro believe the other is a new member of the squad. Zero Two says their memories were altered just like hers and Hiro’s were before. Hachi watches this nearby.

Kokoro walks through a hall and looks at the window, and sees a sakura, which she subconsciously recognizes. She then looks at her ring and the sakura turns out to be a fragment of a memory she shared with Mitsuru. Hiro narrates how they will now have to fight for their destiny because they are at their ropes’ end.

Appearances

 * Mitsuru
 * Kokoro
 * Hachi
 * Ichigo
 * Hiro
 * Miku
 * Goro
 * Zorome
 * Futoshi
 * Ikuno
 * Zero Two
 * 9'α
 * 9's

Links

 * Official Website

Episodio 18 Odcinek 18