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"Ange", apart from the obvious reference to the main character, also means "angel" in French and implies the connection between Ange and Vilkiss, which has an angel sculpture on its head. This connection also extends to the full title Cross Ange: Rondo of Angels and Dragons, which foreshadows the end of Ange's journey, as seen in the last few episodes.

However, "Cross" doesn't quite make sense in the title. According to the preview at the end of episode 24, subtitle by CrunchyRoll:

What the hell did "Cross" in Cross Ange mean, anyway?

Ange is always cross, I guess?

It's a pun?!

1 Cross in this context means "angry or annoyed", according to Oxford Learner's Dictionary.

While it somewhat makes sense, this seems to be a liberal translation to match the fact it is a pun in Japanese.

What is the original explanation in Japanese? Is there any other official explanation of what "Cross" mean in the title?

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nhahtdh
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  • Curse this post-operatory drowziness (had to sleep most of the day). You beat me to the punchline. – Mindwin Remember Monica Mar 23 '15 at 02:02
  • While the relation between Cross in the title to Crusade and Christ (as pointed out in the short answer/comments) sounds feasible, the current answer does not expand on how closely related they are to the series. If you are knowledgeable about those topics, feel free to take the idea and expand on how they are related to the series (and keep in mind that not everyone knows the details about Crusade or Christ) – nhahtdh Apr 17 '15 at 03:27

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The original explanation in Japanese in the preview cited in the question is

「アンジュが苦労｛くろう｝する」ってことでしょう？

which roughly translates to

Ange has been through many hardships, I guess?

In Japanese, the pun is on Cross - クロス (kurosu) and 苦労｛くろう｝する (kurou suru).

As of the time of writing, this is the most official explanation on the meaning of "Cross" in Cross Ange.

nhahtdh
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  • What kind of sauce did you find this in? – кяαzєя Mar 23 '15 at 00:09
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    @ʞɹɐzǝɹ: Right from the preview in the question, but the question uses the English translation, while my answer cites the Japanese audio. My answer assumes the viewer doesn't know Japanese. – nhahtdh Mar 23 '15 at 01:38
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Yes, I think Crusade can be a good explanation, but following the previous 2 explanations and taking into account the "hardships", it can be closer of an analogy with Christ and his Crucifixion.

Remember Christ's story. Son of God, prophet that came to Earth to teach humans on the Grace of God. But then humans went against him and punished him, made him go through several hardships and then the crucifixion. Ange wasn't an explicit prophet, but she was kind of "programmed" as one, -say with biogenetics or so, and started to live the hardships similar as Christ lived them. She also did miracles (like with Sylvia, and "walking again"). The analogy works except in the point that Ange wasn't an explicit but rather an implicit prophet.

Prophet because you can see in the last chapter where everything gets explained:

First the Prophecies which are inside the songs. By the way, "El Ragna" is a reference to Ragnarok. Quoted from HorribleSubs:

The returning El Ragna. The time flows. Through the hour glass.
The flames of countless lives. Fall through and become stars. They fly beautifully.
And fade away in the cradle of life and death.
The wind goes, El Ragna, with roaring wings.
The light of the beginning. The light of the end.

All the elements of the prophecy happen in the last chapter. The world is dying, and "The light of the beginning" and "The light of the end" fight.

Also added from Ange, being a prophet, -a Messiah like Christ (Also quoted from HorribleSubs):

"I won't let myself be controlled by anyone!"
"Humans are: Anti-authoritarian, aggressive, rebellious misfits"
"I understand now why Normas were born!"
"Human genes will not be controlled by the likes of you"
"Why are Normas all women?"
"So they can bear children to those they love, and so reject your world!"
"Mother handed down the song and the ring to me."
"So I could destroy this rotten world, made by a rotten creator."

Then it comes another part of Fukuda's mock on the otaku-waifu culture, then (also quoted from HorribleSubs):

"It's ten million years too soon for you to even try to hold me!"

And the Prophet/Messiah wins.

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The Angel's Crusade: Balade of Angels and Dragons.

The 2 initial answers explained but didn't provide the specific term needed: A "Crusade". In sum up, the Crusades were battles in the name of the Christian Cross.

Although I recognize that after seeing the Crucifixion explanation, it sounds like a more plausible reason for the 'Cross' term, Crusade cannot be discarded at all. It can be possible: Supported in the initial concept, Cross and Crusade relate to a Holy War in the name of beliefs and religions. Ange had to fight around dimensions against The Tuner (a "god") and Aura (New Earth's god). She also discovered the truth and started a new belief (a new religion) where all are accepted. In the end, Crusade translates as "several fights because of beliefs or religions", which happened plenty along the series.

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    And how does this have anything to do with my question? – nhahtdh Apr 17 '15 at 03:00
  • Where do you get the Crusade from? – nhahtdh Apr 17 '15 at 03:02
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    Please edit your answer to include all the arguments which to support your claim in your answer. Currently, it is just a claim. (And Crusade is not part of my history curriculum) – nhahtdh Apr 17 '15 at 03:06
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    @CrossAngefan how do the crusades relate back to the anime? so far you seem to imply that, since the focus of the Crusades were a Cross that means the use of the word Cross in the title of Cross Ange has to be the same without a doubt – Memor-X Apr 17 '15 at 03:20
  • @CrossAngefan: Edit that into your answer please – nhahtdh Apr 17 '15 at 04:05