Finally we get an explanation as to what ‘kissing’ means and also foreshadowing of a big battle. The kids from Plantation 26 are very interesting as well; they claim to be vastly more experienced yet also claim Hiro is popular even within their circle. I knew they were all doomed the second I saw all there hair colors were brown and black. If mecha anime have taught me anything over the years your best chance at survival you need three things. Have a first and last name, have a unique hair color or design, and no girlfriend/wife/kids you waiting to go home from your return. If you don’t have two of those things and you even touch a mech you as good as dead.
With regards to Zero Two’s behavior. Remember that she’s lived her entire life with relationships with people being extremely short, every single one she’s piloted with has died in 3 rides, even if she likes Hiro there’s no reason for her to think he’s an exception to that rule. That doesn’t mean that she doesn’t care about Hiro in her own way, I think it’s just that her perspective on what’s normal is completely warped. It’s normal for a parasite to be willing to throw their lives away, it’s in the opening ceremony.
If anything Ichigo’s perspective is the one that’s out of sorts, partially in no small part because Hiro gave everyone names and recognized them as individuals instead of blank statistics, even though now he doesn’t seem to be able to view himself as anything more than cannon fodder.
「The Only Shinyuu Site」 
Definitely an interesting episode—I think what stands out is the lack of information here. Hiro keeps jumping in blindly; Ichigo and Goro don’t understand how Hiro feels or know what 002 is; and the parasite team doesn’t know that they’re apparently not meant to reach adulthood. It’s an interesting use of the lack of reveal—we as the audience are blind, but so, too, are the characters.
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