Darling In The Franxx...

[mochi]

17 hours ago, elfie said:

I was talking about REGULAR pairings, like, NOT piloting a Franxx.  Kissing n such.

either way I finally saw some screenshots and it looks like the Nines still have their pilot pairings segregated by gender, just that they have all of the boys acting as Pistils and all of the girls acting as stamens

 

 

so no homosexual pilot pairings yet

 

just strap-on femdom pegging pilot pairings

Edited May 6, 2018 by mochi

[Chapinator_X]

It was alright, but other than the scenes with Dr. Franxx, the leaders who wanted to let Hiro's plantation languish, and the Zero Two-esque girl in the end, there wasn't much substance to the episode. Ichigo was decent with her realization, but it would've been nicer if that happened a few episodes ago instead of now that Zero Two has a chance to be a happier version of herself. Futoshi is definitely being set up for disappointment now that he's trying to purge and diet his way into being more desirable. 

The OP/ED sequences are the most interesting things about this episode because it hints largely at Zero Two disappearing again from Hiro's life and the possibility of Ikuno being more forward about being in love with Ichigo. Now that the ship may or may not be not sailing with Mitsuru and Kokoro depending on how much he's willing to get past his wish to pilot with Hiro, she's looking to probably be the only character that's the most gung-ho about piloting with a same-sex partner. 

[Daos]

Well a couple things happened in episode 17, but they're still slow walking this plot.

[The1gairon]

Dunno.  For the slow pace they sure revealed A TONNA stuff!

[mochi]

3 hours ago, elfie said:

Dunno.  For the slow pace they sure revealed A TONNA stuff!

according to your PM the gist of what was revealed is that Plantation 13

is ACTIVELY homophobic and trying to work towards a heteronormative and homophobic future society,

and plantation 26 was trying to do the exact opposite and create a gay and trans utopia

[The1gairon]

25 minutes ago, mochi said:

according to your PM the gist of what was revealed is that Plantation 13

 

  Hide contents

is ACTIVELY homophobic and trying to work towards a heteronormative and homophobic future society,

and plantation 26 was trying to do the exact opposite and create a gay and trans utopia

 

OR

None of them are human so they have no need for genders, while Plantation 26 or whatever ARE human!

[mochi]

Just now, elfie said:

OR

 

  Reveal hidden contents

None of them are human so they have no need for genders, while Plantation 26 or whatever ARE human!

 

that's worse because it implies this show is actively pushing a homophobic message

[Daos]

So 17 episodes in, and we still really have no idea what the fuck is going on. So apparently the "leaders" always knew about the Klaxosaur princess. 

Are the leaders Robots or aliens? 

Is it possible they're aliens and they refer to the kids as parasites because they saw ALL human beings as parasites that were destroying their world, then intervened and outlawed reproduction which led to humanity's decline? Is that why most of the remaining humans spend their time in some sort of virtual world?

Hiro grew some horns, and it seems like they confirmed that cloning is indeed going on when they referred to "getting another Nana."

If this is really just a 24 episode anime then the fact that we don't know any of this stuff by this point is pretty ridiculous.

 

[Jman]

9 hours ago, mochi said:

that's worse because it implies this show is actively pushing a homophobic message

Oh God I knew you were going to say something about this.

The message appears to be about choice, hence the rather heavy hints of one of the heroines being a lesbian and being in favor of a society for individuality, rather than one of emotionless blob people.

[PokeNirvash]

2 hours ago, Daos said:

If this is really just a 24 episode anime then the fact that we don't know any of this stuff by this point is pretty ridiculous.

Darling in the FRANXX truly is the Evangelion of anime, isn't it.

[Daos]

Just now, PokeNirvash said:

Darling in the FRANXX truly is the Evangelion of anime, isn't it.

I was actually thinking it was planning to go the Evangelion/ Big O route. Where they never explain anything and just throw a bunch of shit at the wall at the end and we're just like.... wut?

I'm realllllly hoping they do better. Or this gets a second season so they can take their time.

[CaptainStarwind]

On 5/12/2018 at 10:33 PM, mochi said:

that's worse because it implies this show is actively pushing a homophobic message

I knew you'd have this exact reaction as soon as I watched episode 17.

Edited May 14, 2018 by CaptainStarwind
Specified the episode.

[Daos]

21 minutes ago, CaptainStarwind said:

I knew you'd have this exact reaction as soon as I watched episode 17.

Hahhhh you watched Infinite Stratos. I love that trash. Gonna watch S2?

If you're in the mood for another trashy harem I have to recommend Freezing. Highschool DxD is the King of the Genre I'm sure you know about that one.

And you watched Toradora, nice!

Just remember, IS S2 has best girl

[Chapinator_X]

This is an episode that should've come along ages ago. There's definitely much more information to go off of this time around, and it'll be interesting to see what the conflict will be like now that our main plantation might have to square up against Papa, but they'll be rushing at breakneck speed to answer all of the questions they should and tie up any loose ends by seven episodes. Yes,  we're on the last 1/3rd of the show, and now they want the story to kick in with a updated OP and plot development outside of who is homewrecking who.

And now that Kokoro got the plantation on Papa's shitlist for wanting to groom Mitsuru to be the one to impregnate her, all the death flags are coming into play for the both of them, Futoshi, and Nana. Hopefully, we'll get more of Ikuno the Destroyer because her stepping up to the plate and laying the smackdown has been the most interesting development yet aside from seeing 001 in action. 

[CaptainStarwind]

1 hour ago, Daos said:

Hahhhh you watched Infinite Stratos. I love that trash. Gonna watch S2?

If you're in the mood for another trashy harem I have to recommend Freezing. Highschool DxD is the King of the Genre I'm sure you know about that one.

And you watched Toradora, nice!

Just remember, IS S2 has best girl

Doing a Google Image search for that top image was the reason I decided to watch Infinite Stratos in the first place lol.  I'd be lying if I said it wasn't trashy, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.  I know of both Freezing and Highschool DxD.  I've been meaning to check HDXD out, so I'll add Freezing to that as well.

Infinite Stratos Season 2 is in the near future.  I have two other shows on my list (Baka and Test, Konosuba) that I have yet to watch the second seasons of, so my current plan is to finish the show I'm currently watching (Nadia), then finish off those three series.  After that, I don't know what to watch, but I'll cross that bridge when it comes.

I loved Toradora. The show is in my Top 10, without a doubt.  I think the thing I liked most about the show was how it felt more natural and realistic than it could have been.  It would have been easy to make Taiga a tsundere through and through, and while she starts and ends the series as a tsundere, she grown up and has changed significantly as a character in the process.  My liking of the series is also really helped by the fact that it's a really good romance; I'm not ashamed to say that I love romance stories, so having a well written, emotional, and satisfying romance earned Toradora major points in my book.

[Daos]

Yeah it's pretty rare to find someone who doesn't like Toradora, unless they just hate slice of life. Toradora and Pet girl of Sakurasou are basically as good as it gets for Slice of life.

Or you could just watch....

 

[The1gairon]

36 minutes ago, CaptainStarwind said:

Doing a Google Image search for that top image was the reason I decided to watch Infinite Stratos in the first place lol. 

Aaaand the anime committee did its job.

[PokeNirvash]

Whereas I watched Infinite Stratos because my uncle bought both seasons. Watching it with him was the only way I could get through it, what with the majority of Ichika's harem being violent bitches (even Charlotte!). Which is why I personally consider Kanzashi best girl, though Chifuyu's pretty alright too.

Also, I'm probably the only person on the planet who doesn't think Ichika is really that dense.

[CaptainStarwind]

46 minutes ago, PokeNirvash said:

Also, I'm probably the only person on the planet who doesn't think Ichika is really that dense.

While I was watching, I got the feeling that Ichika understood more than he let on and was deliberately acting dumb about it all, though admittedly there's little evidence to that point, so maybe it's just me rationalizing his behavior.

[PokeNirvash]

I watched the dub for both seasons, so I'd say Josh Grelle's performance as Ichika was evidence enough.

[Jman]

I’d say this is where Futoshi binge eats to deal with his problems...but that train left the station 

[Daos]

4 hours ago, Jman said:

I’d say this is where Futoshi binge eats to deal with his problems...but that train left the station 

How in the hell do you get fat in a post apocalyptic world? Does junk food even exist?

7 hours ago, CaptainStarwind said:

While I was watching, I got the feeling that Ichika understood more than he let on and was deliberately acting dumb about it all, though admittedly there's little evidence to that point, so maybe it's just me rationalizing his behavior.

Ok so spoiler but not really since S3 is probably never coming.... but supposedly he knew what was going on all along. This is according to the source material readers, not sure if they're right or not.

Oh yeah, forgot to mention Haganai and Heaven's lost property. Those are must see harem anime right there They're hilarious.

 

Edited May 14, 2018 by Daos

[Daos]

9 hours ago, imchapp.in said:

This is an episode that should've come along ages ago. There's definitely much more information to go off of this time around, and it'll be interesting to see what the conflict will be like now that our main plantation might have to square up against Papa, but they'll be rushing at breakneck speed to answer all of the questions they should and tie up any loose ends by seven episodes. Yes,  we're on the last 1/3rd of the show, and now they want the story to kick in with a updated OP and plot development outside of who is homewrecking who.

And now that Kokoro got the plantation on Papa's shitlist for wanting to groom Mitsuru to be the one to impregnate her, all the death flags are coming into play for the both of them, Futoshi, and Nana. Hopefully, we'll get more of Ikuno the Destroyer because her stepping up to the plate and laying the smackdown has been the most interesting development yet aside from seeing 001 in action. 

I'm not buying that this is a one season show. I think they're gonna hit us with a cliffhanger ending and then tease a S2 that will never come since the show didn't do well enough.

[PokeNirvash]

11 minutes ago, Daos said:

How in the hell do you get fat in a post apocalyptic world? Does junk food even exist?

Simple: he just gorges on bread whenever he can. Too many carbs can add a lotta weight.

[Jman]

3 hours ago, PokeNirvash said:

Simple: he just gorges on bread whenever he can. Too many carbs can add a lotta weight.

You just know he raids the fridge for sticky buns.

[Daos]

Oh and we probably glossed over it, but one of the Klaxosaurs in episode 15 had something that resembled a human in a fetal position inside it.

[The1gairon]

...

 

Nope. I am done.

 

"I know you fans were angry that two underage kids were fucking for the direct goal of having a baby, but don't worry! We have a GREAT solution to pacify your anger of having to sit through the very idea of it all: .... WE'LL HAVE MITSURU AND KOKORO MARRY."

Hey remember when we all assumed Mitsuru was gay?? MAN THAT was a long 4-weeks-ago!

 

...  I can't.

 

 

...I can't with this anymore.

[PokeNirvash]

If you watched Guilty Crown if it was airing, the fandom would be pissed at you dropping it once instead of every week.

[The1gairon]

..... I drop Darling in the Franxx every week??? When did THAT happen??

[PokeNirvash]

[facepalms]

"I drop this show every week" is a meme associated with Guilty Crown and its trainwreck plot during its original run. What I'm trying to say is that if you watched Guilty Crown around that time, you'd drop it once and never look back instead of seeing the trainwreck through to the end like everybody else, and at least one person would call you an idiot for going against the "norm", so to speak.

I swear, Elfie, you really need to think things through before you post, otherwise these replies are going to go downhill super fast.

[Chapinator_X]

Mitsuru's journey has been weird as shit. 

 

He went from deliberately going out of his way to spite Hiro by trying to pilot Zero Two to having us find out that he's being vindictive because he wanted to be ridden by Hiro, to getting groomed to creampie and marry Kokoro after she found her ticket to getting closer to him.  

I could buy that maybe he had bi vibes to him because he felt some nurturing thoughts around Kokoro after she dropped Fatoshi, but it was strange that all it took for him to be fully committed to impregnating and wife-ing Kokoro was Hiro to gaslight him into thinking that he was in love with Kokoro all along to get him off of his dick. 

The preview was weird as shit too because now there's going to be a wedding where Fatoshi gets turbo-cucked into the fifth dimension as Mitsuru declares Kokoro his lawfully wedded beard. The only saving grace is an appearance from Ikuno the Alpha Slayer, but the way she was coming onto Ichigo might not be as well-reciprocated or could ruin the good-will that Ikuno has developed as The Destroyer in recent episodes if she's as forceful as Kokoro.

It will be interesting to see how this is all possibly going to pan out, which means the show has succeeded in using messiness to keeping my attention. It hasn't given us enough plot to work with to really get that trainwreck feel to it, but the precedings of the next batch of episodes should determine just how much they have planned in store to RUIN!

Edited May 17, 2018 by imchapp.in

[The1gairon]

1 hour ago, PokeNirvash said:

[facepalms]

"I drop this show every week" is a meme associated with Guilty Crown and its trainwreck plot during its original run. What I'm trying to say is that if you watched Guilty Crown around that time, you'd drop it once and never look back instead of seeing the trainwreck through to the end like everybody else, and at least one person would call you an idiot for going against the "norm", so to speak.

I swear, Elfie, you really need to think things through before you post, otherwise these replies are going to go downhill super fast.

... I don't know about any Guilty Crown memes! I never watched it! It's not a sign of stupidity. Don't fuckin just assume I make that mistake!

[The1gairon]

1 hour ago, imchapp.in said:

Mitsuru's journey has been weird as shit. 

  Hide contents

He went from deliberately going out of his way to spite Hiro by trying to pilot Zero Two to having us find out that he's being vindictive because he wanted to be ridden by Hiro, to getting groomed to creampie and marry Kokoro after she found her ticket to getting closer to him.  

I could buy that maybe he had bi vibes to him because he felt some nurturing thoughts around Kokoro after she dropped Fatoshi, but it was strange that all it took for him to be fully committed to impregnating and wife-ing Kokoro was Hiro to gaslight him into thinking that he was in love with Kokoro all along to get him off of his dick. 

The preview was weird as shit too because now there's going to be a wedding where Fatoshi gets turbo-cucked into the fifth dimension as Mitsuru declares Kokoro his lawfully wedded beard. The only saving grace is an appearance from Ikuno the Alpha Slayer, but the way she was coming onto Ichigo might not be as well-reciprocated or could ruin the good-will that Ikuno has developed as The Destroyer in recent episodes if she's as forceful as Kokoro.

It will be interesting to see how this is all possibly going to pan out, which means the show has succeeded in using messiness to keeping my attention. It hasn't given us enough plot to work with to really get that trainwreck feel to it, but the precedings of the next batch of episodes should determine just how much they have planned in store to RUIN!

Mitsuru's journey is bar none the absolute poorest written out of any character in this show.

Edited May 17, 2018 by elfie

[PokeNirvash]

22 minutes ago, elfie said:

... I don't know about any Guilty Crown memes! I never watched it! It's not a sign of stupidity. Don't fuckin just assume I make that mistake!

I explained the meme to you, under the assumption that you didn't watch it (which I was right about), I don't understand why you're still complaining.

[The1gairon]

28 minutes ago, PokeNirvash said:

I explained the meme to you, under the assumption that you didn't watch it (which I was right about), I don't understand why you're still complaining.

If you watched Guilty Crown if it was airing, the fandom would be pissed at you dropping it once instead of every week.

^ Where at any point of this sentence EVER indicated this was about a meme???

[PokeNirvash]

I'll admit, I may have written that without ever considering that you heard of the meme before now.

My bad.

[Chapinator_X]

16 minutes ago, elfie said:

Mitsuru's journey is bar none the absolute poorest written out of any character in this show.

They really did slap everything against the wall and hoped something would stick with Mitsuru. His debilitating illness also hasn't come into play recently, but that's a thing I imagine might pop up out of the blue to completely undo all the development he's had up to this point. Whether that means he collapses after the honeymoon or gets Kaji'd once Papa gets the wind of him giving Kokoro the dickings is anyone's guess.

[The1gairon]

2 hours ago, imchapp.in said:

They really did slap everything against the wall and hoped something would stick with Mitsuru. His debilitating illness also hasn't come into play recently, but that's a thing I imagine might pop up out of the blue to completely undo all the development he's had up to this point. Whether that means he collapses after the honeymoon or gets Kaji'd once Papa gets the wind of him giving Kokoro the dickings is anyone's guess.

It's partly TRIGGER.  Kicking the bucket on or around the wedding day isn't out of the cards.

[Daos]

Did they release an early episode preview or something? As far as I know the episode isn't out yet.

Ok yeah I just saw, they did. I'm gonna stay for the underage lesbianism. It needs to go full hentai in order to save the show at this point.

So another slice of life episode leaving.... 6 episodes to wrap everything up? Uhhhhh...... no way are they not banking on a second season for this.

This anime is the poster child for squandering hype and potential.

Edited May 18, 2018 by Daos

[stilgar]

On 5/13/2018 at 8:22 AM, PokeNirvash said:

Darling in the FRANXX truly is the Evangelion of anime, isn't it.

Yes, it is overrated garbage.

[mochi]

2 minutes ago, stilgar said:

Yes, it is overrated garbage.

Elfie PM'ed me about the leaked Preview so I may as well give my two cents but I really don't wanna involve myself in any more discussions about this show after this

thoughts: I have no idea what message this show is trying to push, but whatever the message is this show is hot garbage

1. the plot makes no sense
2. the LGBT storylines were apparently meaningless which makes me wonder why they were even there if they were just gonna have Kokoro cure Mitsuru with her magic puta out of nowhere
3. I'm actually embarrassed for Trigger that their name is attached to this project
4. this show is like what happens when someone tries to make a shameless moe fanservice anime, serious, which is unsurprisingly, shit
5. this show is indeed a rip-off of Eva, but UNLIKE some of Eva's rip offs which I actually like BETTER than Eva (Rahxephon and Eureka 7 for example), I cannot put into words what a massive disaster Darling in the Frankxx is to me, it's like they were deliberately trying to make an even worse version of Eva, which is stupid, since Hideaki Anno is currently trying to make a BETTER version of Eva in the form of "Rebuild"

this show's existance is like an insult to the show itself....they should not have done with this show what they ended up doing with it

[Gina Szanboti]

On 5/17/2018 at 10:52 AM, imchapp.in said:

The preview was weird as shit too because now

 

there's going to be a wedding where Fatoshi gets turbo-cucked into the fifth dimension as Mitsuru declares Kokoro his lawfully wedded beard.

Oh god, I'm still dying over this.  Succinct and to the point! 

This is much more fun than elsewhere, where people are arguing that somehow heterosexuals have historically been as oppressed for being straight as homosexuals for being gay, because of anti-miscegenation and one-child laws, and honor killings. 

Edited May 19, 2018 by Gina Szanboti

[Daos]

Well, stuff happened that sets up the final arc I guess.

[Gina Szanboti]

The wedding dress material nearly killed me. :lol:

"That dress looks gorgeous!"
"Thank you.  I saw it in the window and I just couldn't resist it."

[CaptainStarwind]

"turbo-cucked".  That made me laugh so much

It seems like a distant memory that this show had action in it.  There's barely anything happening and, like Daos said, there's 6 episodes left.  How are they going to wrap all of this up in 6 episodes.

I didn't know the episode was released early, so I watched it early this morning, like usual. 

As soon as they brought up the idea of a wedding, I knew this episode was going to take a turn for the worse.  If anybody didn't see that coming, then they're not watching this show.  I can definitely agree that Mitsuru has had by far the worse character arc in this show so far.  And considering there are only three other characters who got any significant character arc, that's saying a lot.  In the first half of the show, I thought he was gay and in love with Hiro.  Okay, fine, I can accept that.  I can also accept that Kokoro, for some reason, had feelings for him before.  But the way the show progressed, it looked like Kokoro partnering with him managed to cure him of his gay and make him straight.  If this show is a big allegory about puberty, what message is that sending?  That gay guys just need to sleep with a woman and they'll be straight?  The fact that the two of them had sex at the end of episode 17 actually left me a bit shocked, even though it was obvious that the episode was building up to that.  But their "wedding" was the icing on the cake.  The episode played it sickeningly sweet, making it seem like it would be cute and everything would be fine.  All the while I'm sitting there just waiting for someone to barge it and stop it.  Could it be any more cliche?  I can't wait until two or three episodes down the line where it turns out Kokoro's pregnant and she has no idea what's going on.  Actually, that's probably when her memories will come back.

And then Ikuno turns out to be a lesbian?  Admittedly, this had some foreshadowing, so I can accept it, but to me it just seems like they were compensating for turning the gay character straight.

I just... I don't know what to think of this show right now.

[korosu]

3 hours ago, CaptainStarwind said:

 

 

I can't wait until two or three episodes down the line where it turns out Kokoro's pregnant and she has no idea what's going on.  Actually, that's probably when her memories will come back.

 

one thing i don't get in all this, and i haven't seen it mentioned anywhere, not that i've really looked, but early on in the show zorome brings up masturbation. guess papa taught the parasites that . i don't think so though. but, they don't seem to relate it to anything sexual anyway so could go either way. they didn't even know what kissing was. and obviously don't know what ejaculate is for. we're told that papa didn't teach them certain things so they didn't know about it. the boys at least might have ejaculated by themselves but if it's something they were taught i have no idea what the explanation was. mitsuru didn't tell the others "we were lied to. this is what that stuff is used for" after impregnating kokoro.

as children they are shown to be attracted to others, but again i don't think zorome related the two. the line's always confused me. doesn't even matter how they clean it up, they're always being watched and it doesn't seem to have been cause for concern, probably because they know he and the others don't relate the two. the way he mentioned it though doesn't make it seem like it has a different purpose (and if there was no purpose he wouldn't have used it as a taunt) which just really confuses me. is this what bad writing is? or does the lack of discussion regarding it mean i'm an idiot?

Edited May 20, 2018 by korosu

[Daos]

It's just a badly written show. A fetus like thing fell out of a Klaxosaur a few episodes ago, still no explanation. What is the goal of the APE leaders.... freeing everyone from their bodies? Existing in a virtual world? What are the Klaxosaurs exactly and why do they have a boner for magma energy?

What year is it? Is this even Earth? Another amnesia plotline? 

Long story short... bad anime is bad.

[korosu]

1 hour ago, Daos said:

It's just a badly written show. A fetus like thing fell out of a Klaxosaur a few episodes ago, still no explanation. What is the goal of the APE leaders.... freeing everyone from their bodies? Existing in a virtual world? What are the Klaxosaurs exactly and why do they have a boner for magma energy?

i expect all of that will be answered by the finale. there's no explanation for masturbation being something they can possibly be aware of though. it's really the only thing i'm worried about ever getting explained and it seems very relevant to the story.

[Chapinator_X]

10 hours ago, Gina Szanboti said:

The wedding dress material nearly killed me. :lol:

"That dress looks gorgeous!"
"Thank you.  I saw it in the window and I just couldn't resist it."

Someone mentioned that they're glad they used the curtains in Kokoro's room for her wedding dress and not the sheets.

[Chapinator_X]

8 hours ago, CaptainStarwind said:

"turbo-cucked".  That made me laugh so much

It seems like a distant memory that this show had action in it.  There's barely anything happening and, like Daos said, there's 6 episodes left.  How are they going to wrap all of this up in 6 episodes.

I didn't know the episode was released early, so I watched it early this morning, like usual. 

  Hide contents

As soon as they brought up the idea of a wedding, I knew this episode was going to take a turn for the worse.  If anybody didn't see that coming, then they're not watching this show.  I can definitely agree that Mitsuru has had by far the worse character arc in this show so far.  And considering there are only three other characters who got any significant character arc, that's saying a lot.  In the first half of the show, I thought he was gay and in love with Hiro.  Okay, fine, I can accept that.  I can also accept that Kokoro, for some reason, had feelings for him before.  But the way the show progressed, it looked like Kokoro partnering with him managed to cure him of his gay and make him straight.  If this show is a big allegory about puberty, what message is that sending?  That gay guys just need to sleep with a woman and they'll be straight?  The fact that the two of them had sex at the end of episode 17 actually left me a bit shocked, even though it was obvious that the episode was building up to that.  But their "wedding" was the icing on the cake.  The episode played it sickeningly sweet, making it seem like it would be cute and everything would be fine.  All the while I'm sitting there just waiting for someone to barge it and stop it.  Could it be any more cliche?  I can't wait until two or three episodes down the line where it turns out Kokoro's pregnant and she has no idea what's going on.  Actually, that's probably when her memories will come back.

And then Ikuno turns out to be a lesbian?  Admittedly, this had some foreshadowing, so I can accept it, but to me it just seems like they were compensating for turning the gay character straight.

I just... I don't know what to think of this show right now.

 

Whether the show ends on a satisfying note that feels whole or not is steering heavily towards the latter, but it's all part of the show's charm as a sadistic experience that lets the viewer down more than that one drunken relative that's always invited to family outings.

 

They gave us enough to go off of for Ikuno being lesbian for Ichigo since she was far less enthusiastic about not being compatible with her when they tried out different partners (the same episode Kokoro got the idea to get with Mitsuru I believe). It's just shitty that Ikuno's confession and feelings are merely present just for Ichigo to get character development. Where because Ichigo saw Ikuno confess to her and get upset, NOW she realizes what it feels like to be in Hiro's shoes, having to turn down someone who had unrequited feelings for you. It's a great moment for Ichigo and Ichigo alone because Ikuno now has to deal with knowing full well that her feelings were never going to ever be returned, and since Ikuno's main character trait rested on the idea of her being secretly in love with Ichigo, the show will probably just call it a day and either ignore Ikuno or actively make her look bad by quietly supporting Alpha's interest in removing the boy/girl pairings from the equation. 

That on top of the Mitsuru arc just feels like it keeps hammering at home that same sex love has no place in the universe, and should be shunned because procreation is love. Or that same sex love is just puberty taking its course, and is something you move on from once you "grow up". It's not that it needed to make Mitsuru 100% gay, but they rushed through his arc so much that it felt like there wasn't any natural progression to Mitsuru and Kokoro's love story. Like I said in previous weeks, he goes from becoming protective of her to falling head-over-heels as soon as Hiro tells him that he must be in love with Kokoro and that his feelings for Hiro were nothing. On top of that, the fact that Hiro automatically suggested that Mitsuru and Kokoro have the wedding really feels like he's trying to get rid of him as quickly as possible.

With Mitsuru, it feels like they didn't just fail him on his sexuality, but on his development where he moves on right away once Hiro mentions that now he suddenly remembers. From then on, Mitsuru is dopey, spacey, and relies on Hiro to have him make sense of how he feels. Despite being ruled over his emotions when resenting Hiro for breaking his promise, he at least had confidence in himself. As soon as the new arc started with him, however, he changed himself completely as soon as Hiro started telling him what to do, and he went from just wanting to protect her to being in love wit her, not out of some natural progression, but because Hiro said, "You guys must be like me and Zero Two, so go for it".

Futoshi is just weird though when he deliberately wanted to be the pastor. The sensible reaction would to say "aww, he's grown so much because he's giving their relationship his blessing, and allowing Kokoro to move on," but he's not having it at all. As he gives the vows, the boy's completely heartbroken, and doesn't even want to watch. I did say "turbocucked into the fifth dimension," but I thought it was actually going to be less awful when he promised to be the pastor. Then the wedding happens, and he's heartbroken as he gives Mitsuru and Kokoro his permission to seal their vows with a kiss right in front of his salad. WOOOSH, right into the Fifth Dimension!

I was going to post the bike comic where the guy who gets his bike stolen moves on knowing that the guy who stole it is happier to have it than he is to lose it, but this is far sadder. At least in that, he's not too bummed out about moving on. This was like if The Killers' "Mr. Brightside" didn't have the "And it's all in my head" line to smooth over that it's just the insecurity talking and the girl in the song isn't actually having bed-breaking sex with another partner. Meanwhile, Futoshi tries to be the better man by getting the front-row seat to his unrequited crush's marriage with another man as she gets ready to plant a fat kiss on her husband that's far more attractive, far skinnier, and definitely got his dick wet the night before. And now that Kokoro has no memories of Mitsuru, now Futoshi has to become the better man again by trying to push her away unless he's cool with everyone being disgusted with him trying to get with a married woman to revenge cuckhold Mitsuru back.

This show has always poorly developed its characters and world because of the pacing issues, but it's been sadistic with its casts love lives, and it's pretty apparent with this episode. Ikuno has no closure over knowing Ichigo will never love her like she does, Ikuno is also used as the stepping stone for Ichigo's character growth when she has to gently let her down, Futoshi tries to rip the band-aid off of his unrequited love by flaying the skin that the bandage covers, Mitsuru gives up on his own personal goals, ambitions, and emotions by gleefully allowing himself to fall in line with being Kokoro's husband and the father of her child-to-be, and all of the effort Kokoro went through to get Mitsuru between her legs was all for naught as her memories of the love she finally got was wiped away.

Edited May 20, 2018 by imchapp.in