Trivia

A list of trivial details in DARLING in the FRANXX.

Character names

 * All members of Squad 13 and their caregivers have Goroawase names that correspond with their code numbers.
 * Hiro’s name means generous, widespread, and it is the apt name for hero, which signifies his status as the main male protagonist.
 * Zero Two’s code can form the Goroawase name Oni, which means demon in Japanese. This signifies her horns and klaxosaur characteristics which give her a demonic outlook.
 * Ichigo’s name means strawberry in Japanese. Zero Two notes that Ichigo tastes ‘sweet’.
 * Kokoro’s name means heart in Japanese, in reference to her kind personality.
 * Futoshi's name can mean thick, or fat in Japanese, in reference to his portly appearance.
 * Zorome's name means repeated digits in Japanese, in reference to his code number (Code 666). His name is also the only one which isn't a Goroawase name.
 * Miku’s name means beauty in Japanese, in reference to her need to constantly appear cute.
 * Naomi's name has two meanings, depending on which culture looked at. While the Japanese kanji in this name is pretty random and does not seem to make much sense, the name Naomi means pleasantness in Hebrew, which may be in reference to her pleasant personality.
 * All members of the 9's have names derived from the Greek alphabet. Zero Two’s former code name was Nine Iota, which means nine in Greek.
 * All members of the APE council wear masks that resemble different monkey species and they have names that correspond with their masks. Such examples are Gorilla, Baboon, Marmoset, Lemur, and Tarsier. Papa and the Vice Chairman are the only ones who do not fit this criterion.
 * Papa’s name comes from a term used in which one who is an authoritarian figure is called by his followers, commonly in religious sects. It also reflects his status as the leader and commander in chief of humanity, especially the children.
 * APE’s alternate name, the Lamarck Club, is derived from Jean-Baptiste de Monet Lamarck, who invented Lamarckism - the theory that all the physical changes occurring in an individual during its lifetime are inherited by its offspring.
 * The name of the Klaxosaur Princess’ serpent, Nawabari (縄張), is the Japanese term for castle layout. During the Edo Period, the shape and structure of a castle were important factors in determining the victor of castle sieges, and the castle layout, or nawabari, was arranged with the intention of giving the defender an insurmountable advantage.

Location names

 * The quarantine location of the parasites is referred to as a Birdcage, signifying how the children are kept in isolation from the world and only allowed out unless they are needed, like birds in a cage.
 * The safe haven for the parasites was named the Bird Nest, which architecturally resembles a bird’s nest. It could be used to signify the gathering of all the parasites and housing them until they had matured enough to venture in their own, like baby birds.
 * Plantation 13 is named Cerasus (a type of edible sour cherry), the home of its parasites is named Mistilteinn (mistletoe), Plantation 26 is Chrysanthemum (a type of flower used as medicine, and means ‘gold flower’ in Greek) and APE's HQ is named Cosmos (tall and colorful summer flowers).
 * The developmental facility for the children, the Garden, is a metaphor to describe the children as flowers in a garden; created and fertilized from seedlings to flowers.
 * The two satellites, Phobos and Deimos, located on two rocks within Mars’ orbit are named after two moons that orbit Mars in real life.

DARLING in the FRANXX terms

 * Parasites refer to the children who pilot the FRANXX. However, in biological terms, a parasite is an organism that lives on or in another organism, deriving benefit from living on or in that other organism, while not contributing towards that other organism sufficiently to cover the cost to that other organism.
 * For parasites, the male pilots are called stamens and the female pilots are called pistils, which are the male-female gametes used in floral reproduction.
 * All the FRANXX units and Plantations are named after flowers.
 * Strelizia: Known as the Bird of Paradise flower due to its resemblance to the head of an exotic bird. It holds a meaning of love and joy.
 * Delphinium: Known as larkspur for its deep blue flowers with a hint of purple. It has a meaning of strong attachment and also ambition of reaching one’s goals.
 * Argentea: Known as cockscomb or feathery amaranth, it has plume-like flowers ranging in colour from dark crimson to orange and golden yellow. It holds a meaning of silliness and affection.
 * Genista: Known as Broom, it is a genus of shrubby plants known for their yellow flowers. It holds the meaning of creativity and imagination.
 * Chlorophytum: Known as the Spider Plant for its long, slender leaves and thick roots. It holds a meaning of protection.
 * Strelizia’s true form, True Apus, derives from Apus, which is a small constellation in the southern sky. It represents bird of paradise, and its name means "without feet" in Greek because the bird of paradise was once wrongly believed to lack feet.
 * The FRANXX units are named after their creator whose real name is Dr. Werner Frank. The double xx is in reference to the normal complement of female sex chromosomes (as the FRANXX are the byproducts of Klaxosaurs, which are formed from female klaxosapiens).
 * The Klaxosaurs translate to Kyoryuu in Japanese, which uses the kanji for scream and dragon, hence screaming reptiles in Japanese. Klaxosaur is a portmanteau of klaxon, which is a loud electric horn, and the suffix -saur, which is derived from the ancient Greek for lizard and identifies the genera of the extinct great reptiles, the dinosaurs.
 * All varieties of the Klaxosaurs have names that derive from German origin, such as Conrad, Gutenberg, Mohovoric, and Lehmann.
 * When the words VIRM and APE are combined and rearranged, it forms the word ‘vampire’. This is befitting for VIRM, as they are an alien species that devours the souls of other lifeforms.
 * The term pruning means to dispose of excessive material from a tree or flower. In the series, though, it refers to the disposal of a parasite who fails to meet expectations and it is implied that those who are pruned are killed (which is confirmed in the manga).
 * The term stampede mode refers when a FRANXX is piloted by the pistil without a stamen and it gives the FRANXX a beast like appearance and causes it to act wildly aggressive. In dictionary terms, stampede is the occasion in which many large groups of animals or people suddenly move in the same direction at the same time in an uncontrolled way, usually because of fear.
 * Kissing refers to the act of two plantations mechanically joining together to transfer magma energy, like how two people join together by kissing on the lips.
 * The transportation units are called Plants, though they appear as large, round orange vehicles.

Code Numbers

 * Kokoro’s code number 556 and Mitsuru’s code number 326 adds up to 882, which can translate to hahani (“to become a mother”) in Japanese. With handakuten, it translates to papani (“to become a father”). This reflects how the two go on to become the first parasites to naturally bear a child.
 * With a different kanji 反乱 ‎(hiragana: はんらん, romaji: "hanran”), "hahani" also means "rebellion". Consummating their relationship and conceiving a baby were acts of rebellion against APE as Papa had banned any relationships besides professionalism.
 * Hiro’s code number 016 and Zero Two’s code number 002 adds to 018; in episode 18, they reaffirm their promise to get married in the future. The number 18 can be read as Seiha (制覇), which means domination in Japanese. When subtracted, 016 and 002 becomes 014; in episode 14, Hiro and Zero Two are separated due to the fear of Hiro losing his humanity if he continues piloting with her. When divided, 016 and 002 becomes 8; in episode 8, Hiro starts to see more of Zero Two’s human side during the Boys vs Girls’ conflict.
 * Futoshi’s code number 214 and Ikuno’s code number 196 add up to 410, which can be read as Shitto (嫉妬), which means jealousy in Japanese. This is in reference to their unreciprocated love for Kokoro and Ichigo respectively, as Kokoro is in love with Mitsuru and Ichigo is in love with Hiro but Goro also has feelings for her.

FRANXX

 * All the FRANXX units from Squad 13 have unique colors, which the pilots also wear on their suits, to distinguish their connection to their FRANXX. Each color has a hidden meaning to the pilots’ personalities and relationships.
 * Strelizia: Red. This is an intense and warm color that symbolizes passion, love, and danger. This reflects Hiro and Zero Two’s intense and passionate love for each other, and Zero Two’s dark past as the Partner Killer.
 * Delphinium: Blue. This is a color that represents the sky and sea. It also symbolizes loyalty, wisdom, and trust. This reflects the unconditional trust between Ichigo and Goro, Ichigo’s status as the squad leader, and Goro as the most level-headed of their pair.
 * Argentea: Pink. This is a color commonly associated with women. It also symbolizes immaturity, appreciation, and friendship. This reflects Miku’s fondness for anything cute, Zorome’s immature antics, and their constant feuding but strong amicable relationship.
 * Genista: Green. This is a color that represents nature that symbolizes growth, fertility, and healing/balance. This reflects Kokoro’s desire to become a mother, Futoshi and Mitsuru’s growth as individuals, and the initial fallout and reconciliation from the partner shuffle.
 * Chlorophytum: Purple. This is a color that represents royalty and symbolizes ambition, creativity, and moodiness. This reflects Mitsuru’s obsession to surpass Hiro and Ikuno using other means to activate the FRANXX other than having a close bond to her copilots.

Locations

 * The most visible flowers in the greenhouse, where Kokoro and Mitsuru spend time together, heavily imply their relationship.
 * Red Lotus, which symbolizes romantic love in reference to their growing feelings.
 * Red Hibiscus, which symbolizes gentleness in reference to how Kokoro treats Mitsuru. In western culture, the Red Hibiscus represents the ideal wife. As the Hibiscus is often shown around Kokoro and Mitsuru, it hints at their future marriage.
 * Celosia, which symbolizes silliness and joyous, uncomplicated affection. As the Celosia in the series are bright scarlet, they represent passion, courage, and vitality. This could not only mean in reference to Kokoro’s impulsive but deep affection for Mitsuru but her admiration for his bravery of being honest and her attempts help him with his problems.
 * Cactus, which symbolizes lust in reference to their sexual relationship (in western culture, it also means maternal love, in reference to that Kokoro and Mitsuru have children together).
 * Succulents, which symbolizes enduring and timeless love.
 * Cosmos, which symbolizes beauty, peace and order but it also carries romantic meaning as it tells your partner that the two of you will walk together through life, hand in hand. Also, it is nicknamed the “flower of love”, as it is used to represent a couple’s deepest feelings and walking through life together.
 * Delphinium, which symbolizes love, affection, and strong attachment.
 * Orchid, which symbolizes love, fertility, thoughtfulness and charm (the orchids in the series are Dendrobium orchids which represent wisdom & beauty). In Greek culture, it was believed consuming the root tubers could determine the sex of the unborn fetus. If the father of the unborn child ate large tubers of the plant, his wife was likely to give birth to a boy. On the other hand, if the man ate small orchid tubers, the woman was most likely to give birth to a baby girl. As these orchids have small tubers, this is a foreshadowing to Mitsuru and Kokoro’s first child being a girl.
 * Cattleya, which symbolizes alluring, in reference to the sexual tension between Kokoro and Mitsuru. It also is used as a corsage for Mother’s Day.
 * Bird of Paradise, which symbolizes joy but it also represents faithfulness of a man to a woman. This is shown when Mitsuru chooses to stay with Kokoro to reconcile with her rather than going to space, despite the two having lost their memories of each other.
 * Purple Lilacs, which symbolizes youth and innocence but also represents first love. It is worth noting that Mitsuru wore purple Lilacs on his uniform during his wedding to Kokoro, which reflects that Kokoro is his first love. In addition, the room, where they spend their nights together, has a vase of withered purple Lilacs, which symbolizes the loss of their innocence after consummating their relationship.
 * Gardenia, which symbolizes secret love, clarity, purity, and dreams. While Mitsuru was recovering from his sprite with Zero Two, there was a vase of Gardenia next to his bed, strongly hinting that Kokoro, as the only person with an interest in flowers, put them there; if true, this may hint that she had been secretly in love with him for a long time. In addition, Kokoro wore Gardenia in her hair during her and Mitsuru’s wedding; this could reflect their desire to live their lives other than piloting the FRANXX and to leave a legacy behind.
 * Marjoram, which is a herb that symbolizes good luck, happiness, and ensures a blessed love life. In Greek mythology, marjoram was represented as a magical barrier against sadness.
 * Alocasia, which is a tree that is known as the ‘Tree that grows up to the heavens’.
 * The presence of Cherry Blossoms during their wedding is in reference to them starting over after their memory erasure, as cherry blossoms symbolize renewal and transience of life.

Openings and Endings

 * In the opening's introduction screens, Kokoro and Mitsuru are the only two pilots who are glancing to their sides and towards their own partners (while everyone else is looking towards the camera). However, the way the shots transition between one another can also make it look like they aren't actually looking at their partners, but at each other. After they pair up in Episode 11, the opening is updated to have them in the same shot and it is revealed that they are actually looking at each other.
 * In the second opening’s introduction, Kokoro and Mitsuru are the only pair who are facing and reaching out to each other but they are being pulled apart. This is clarified when their memories are altered after their relationship is discovered.
 * In the second opening, all the squad members are seen reaching for the sky while Zero Two comes down from the sky and kisses Hiro, and wings sprout from him. The events of Episode 24, starting with the children sending their prayers to Hiro and Zero Two from Earth while the latter fight VIRM in space, and Zero Two saving Hiro before he can succumb to VIRM and they become the Jian, resonate with this.
 * Also in the second opening, Futoshi and Ikuno are back-facing each other and looking into the distance. While they are not on bad terms with each other, they have feelings for someone else who they know they can't have (in Futoshi's case - Kokoro, and in Ikuno's case - Ichigo).
 * The fifth end credits show a shadowy image of Ikuno nearly kissing someone who appears to be Ichigo. Episode 18 confirms that Ikuno is indeed in love with Ichigo.
 * The fifth end credits also show Kokoro being embraced by an unknown boy and another scene shows her sitting and clinging her stomach. Episode 17 reveals that she wants to have a baby with Mitsuru, as she is in love with him, and he comforts her after she is berated for this. After their memories are altered and they become estranged, Episode 22 confirms that she is indeed pregnant, leading to their reconciliation.

Cultural References

 * Kokoro and Mitsuru have been compared to the Biblical story of the Garden of Eden.
 * The cherry tree in episode 24 is based on the real life Yamataka Jindai Cherry Blossom tree in Hokuto, Japan.
 * Episode 17, which centered on Kokoro’s desire to have a child, aired on May 12, 2018, the day before Mother’s Day.
 * Episode 18, which centered on Kokoro and Mitsuru’s wedding, aired on May 19, 2018, the day of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in Great Britain.