Hello everyone, I have been looking through your comments and began noticing a trend, so I want to clarify something: I know that Frieren is not an Isekai, I have never said that it was, and I thought I made it pretty clear by explaining what the sub-genre was in the video. Also, clips of shows coinciding with specific parts of the script should not necessarily be taken as us targeting that show in particular. This critique is not of this or that Isekai anime, but rather of the general principles that seem to be followed by most of them (hopefully the handful of segments where we are intentionally using specific clips and images to make a certain point should be rather evident). In other words, using clips of much beloved shows like Re:Zero and Mushoku Tensei stems from the fact that, as some of the best Isekai out there, they inevitably represent the genre. And, like it or not, this also means that they may carry some of its problems. With that being said, both shows are clear examples of Isekai that do not shy away from fully utilizing the formula, and that try to tell an interesting story about change and growth through their flawed protagonists (hence why we purposefully use clips of them in our “exceptions” segment), while also introducing unique and fresh worlds that have their own history and mysteries. Thanks again for watching our video!
I don't really think it is fair to lump a bunch of anime together because they share the same genre. Jobless Reincarnation and Re:Zero managed to avoid playing into the same strengths/mistakes as other isekai anime make. They turned what a lot of people see as a weakness in isekai anime and made it their biggest strength. Honestly if we compare all 3 anime side to side I'd say Frieren has the most OP protagonist out of them all and it's not even close. Subaru is a pushover in combat. Rudeus while powerful could and has been absolutely destroyed by other powerful people. He has struggled in the past against opponents and probably will continue to in the future. Frieren is currently so powerful that we as an audience only know of 1 other person who could beat her, that being her grandmaster who is most likely THE most powerful mage if not individual in the world of Frieren. Also in-terms of world building I think both above examples does a better job than Frieren. Frieren's world is mostly introduced on the fly whenever the plot needs it. It isn't usually built up or foreshadowed. Meanwhile Jobless introduces them fairly well and puts a lot of emphasis on each location and it's culture. Re:Zero doesn't do this as much, but achieves something similar through political intrigue and while uncovering the secret lore of it's world. I think the main appeal of Frieren is the format of the story and the lack of blatant fanservice. The story takes place at the end of another story, so there is plenty to reminisce about and develop Frieren as a character in smaller bit-sized flashbacks that tie to what's happening in the present. The fact that it doesn't have blatant fanservice makes it more digestible for non-anime fans that haven't learnt how to stomach it, thus scares them away less. Then there's a bunch of other factors like the 1st opening being an absolute bop, the animation being of really high quality with lots of pretty visuals and the music really selling you into that beautiful and nostalgic feeling the visuals and story presents you.
We are talking about the episodic travelogue elf Mary sue show and comparing it to a what now? Wish fulfilment dimension hopping fantasy and me dead everything reset with waifu show? Ye serious now brother?
Frieren should not be categorized as Isekai. It is pure fantasy with a bit of slice of life. Slice of life in this sense is the daily life of an elf in a fantasy world, wasting her time, seeing old friends go away and moving towards the future and meeting new people. This is the essence of fantasy blended with slice of life. Frieren is given another chance to be in a party and defeat the demon king while her real pupose is to see Flamme in the land of the living dead. This might sound similar to isekai and has its shared similarities like having a second chance and learning along the way but this is not the essence of isekai. Isekai means other world but in the world of Frieren there is only one world. This is why Frieren cannot be categorized as isekai. It would have been more fruitful if you talk about related genres such as Natsume's book of friends, where natsume the grand son of a well known lady by youkai is entrusted with her notebook of friends, Natsume then re-lives the life of her grandmother's experiences and learning through the journey in a slice of life and fantasy setting. There are more genres like this and I think you completely missed Frieren's essence.
@@daleryanaldover6545 He never said Frieren was an Isekai. lol He said that the majority of fantasy anime was Isekai and that Frieren contrasted with all those.
What i love about Frieren is that it's in a realm where magic and fantasy is common but the most beautiful and captivating scenes for me were normal everyday experiences that exist in the real world. (Watching a sunrise, making flower crowns, having desserts in a restaurant overlooking a pier by the sunset, a subtle love confession of putting a ring to the person you love, your big brother cooking you a meal for your hard work, two people dancing, crying to a beloved comrade from his funeral, just appreciating things that matter).
Goodness I had never thought of it that way but you're right. The stand out scenes when I pick them out is never the magic itself, it's what they do with it. Stark fighting the dragon was awesome, but I remember his fear leading up to it and the triumph after more than the fight. Frieren learns so many spells, but the connection of WHY she learned the sour grapes spell, or the flower field spell is so much greater than anything the flashier ones ever did.
As a widowed man reaching retirement, this anime is an emotional experience. I look at my very old photos and see myself looking a lot, metaphorically speaking, like Himmel and then I look in the mirror today and see the balding old man and I can feel that cut between the Hero's party at the start and when they later re-unite for the meteor shower and, for me, it really seems that fast to go from one to the other. It is also so refreshing to see that Frieren is not the perfect in all ways main character seen so often. It is so refreshing to see a real multi-faceted character. She annoys her companions, does really foolish things like falling for mimics over and over and yet she is unbelievably powerful. She shows that one can be the greatest and yet not be perfect. It makes one feel safe to laugh at their own shortcomings - almost like they add to your character as a person instead of making you seem somehow less.
Sir firstly I really appreciate you talking about the anime in such a positive light. In few days I'll be 18 and the anime has already affected me on a personal scale, I have always spent a lot of time with my mother but not my father, this week I had some talks with him and I really enjoyed it because I've realised how less time is left between us Yes it might be in years but it's still too less for me. Hope you find happiness and peace in what you love doing🙏
Thanks for sharing sir, I’m 34 and I already feel like an old timer in this medium lol. So it’s always good to see people even older than myself enjoy it in this day and age. This show has made me reflect on my life and actions in the past and moving forward as well, that’s what makes it such a special piece of art. I hope your wife is resting in piece and keeping an eye on you from a better place, im not religious by any stretch of the imagination but I still hope that’s true for her and you, “it’s more convenient that way” 🙏. Edit: that last line is a quote from the show, just Incase it came off as rude or crass lol
What is also important, is that Frieren's central conflict is not related to her power as a mage. Her struggle is about better understanding her mortal friends (some of whom have already died and only exist in her memory) and growing as a character. She might be overpowered in a fight, but what use is that, when her main problem is that she wasted the time she could have spent with those she loved?
Great video essay, not ashamed to say I shed some tears because of it. One more thing deserving of attention beyond what was already mentioned in the video and many comments is the gentle beauty in seemingly every frame of the animated visuals. Almost every one of them could be seen as a lovingly crafted still worthy of looking at for more than just a fraction of a second. Even the most dynamic scenes have a clarity and lack of clutter that is rarely seen even in many of the most well-animated shows out there.
Escaping is such a pathetic thing, either you continue fighting and prove everyone wrong or you go up and when you're independent, you look at the chances you've lost and think "should I do this again?" There really should be no in between
Reminds me of The Faraway Paladin. There is a time in which the protag and his elf buddy are talking to... essentially an elf spirit, asking for help quickly. They agree, and the protag starts walking in the direction of the request, and his elf buddy grabs his arm, and throws him in that direction. "We need to move, as fast a possible. Elves live thousands of years and don't understand time well, so when an elf asks for something as quickly as possible, its some awful catastrophe NOW"
@@cblancha1187 that doesn't make any sense, shouldn't it be the opposite, that because they live for thousands of years and don't understand time well, soon might be within 10 years
What I love about frieren, is that it is so calming and relaxing watching them travel and grow together as a group. I will be devastated when fern and stark will die, which will happen eventually. But until then, I’ll enjoy every second of what I see from their journey
Frieren gives me two things as a guy in his 30's. It gives me the perfect platform to review and reminisce, remind myself of my past and that I can take my time with things. And weirdly it always reminds me that to dogs, we are the elves
@sorenjunkers3834 crazy, just from a couple of paragrafs you can according to you accurately determined what said person have and doesn't have. we should give you 1/4 of a tree leaf, from that you should be able to find the meaning of life itself
I’m really curious what the two original creators think of the almost universal acclaim/success their creation has had for this adaption. It’s gotta be a great feeling for them as artists
Long before the Anime, when people discovered this manga, everyone was shocked by how good the writing was. But I’m sure no one expected it to become the number 1 anime.
My wife and I are 30 now and have been watching anime since we were kids in the late 1990’s. I have never looked forward for a new episode release quite like Frieren. Frieren Friday’s will be missed. What a wonderful way to tell a story about not taking your time with your loved ones for granted, and not forgetting that life is about the journey, rather than the destination. Not only that, the battles and animation are just as good. Madhouse made a modern day masterpiece IMO. A classic that I will revisit more than once.
I find that frieren as a character relates to people who are lost in life. Reflecting their own experience with feeling lost, but for frieren she has all the time in the world to figure things out while mortal beings rush to their end. But her finding joy in the little things in life reminds us that just because we don’t have one driven purpose doesn’t mean we shouldn’t stop and smell the flowers
I agree wholeheartedly. It does resonate with you if you have that breath of perspective, when you realise how far you have come and how much things have changed and how little control you had over things in this time. It gives you that pause, that realisation that be what may, we do have the ability to push back and change course, and that it is never too late.
It's twofold, both what you first said, but also for people who do have a set goal in life they want to achieve, and are rushing to meet that goal, likely hitting obstacles and roadblocks, and feeling frustrated they haven't reached it. There are many who think, "I'll start to enjoy life once I have this", or "once I reach that", when, in truth, happiness also lies along the journey to the end goal, and not just the ending itself. We shouldn't rob ourselves of joy just because we haven't lived up to what we want to be.
@@Neonagi It is those who had set goals who feel lost once the goal is almost achieved. It is at that time you feel the sense of not having enjoyed the journey enough and hence you have that breath of perspective. Fern and Frieren are like personification of these two energies: fast focused goal oriented youth vs chill, lost, wise and mature. When someone is in their Fern only young phase they would rather prefer action- DBZ type action growth. When facing disappointment and failures they would be drawn to isekai for inspiring second chances, and the mature and wise resonate with the beauty of Suso no Frieren.
The one thing i liked the most in Frieren is the hero, who was in love with Frieren, knew he wont be there for her forever and decided to make memories. All of those statues of the hero party, were made so future generation knows they werent a fairy tale and to protect Frieren, if the time in far future comes, if nobody remember the hero party anymore would hurt Frieren the most mentally so that why almost each villages, there is a statue of a hero or the hero party.
Yeah i love how he's a box of surprises there hasn't been a single memory that didn't have me pumping my fist for my man himmel The statue seems like an action fueled by narcissism, but he's actually trying to live as long as Frieren (in his own way) to keep her company. I think my favorite part about himmel is that he truly loved her to the point of really understanding her AND having the patience to wait for her to realize his feelings for her he's the man for that one very silly tbh but his determination is unrivaled
I love how the statues are just the frosting on the cake, in a way, of Himmel's gifts to Frieren, besides their main quest, doing tons of little village side-quests are the reason he gets to put statues up and trust they will stay around, so the memories they share and the heroism are the real foundation for the statues
I like how Himmel was introduced bit by bit, first as an irresponsible leader, and it was as more and more that we discover the whys of what Himmel was trying to achieve, that we truly see what a great leader and hero he really was.
Reasons I liked Frieren so much: It's old style. It takes it's sweet time, shots linger and are detailed. It doesn't try to assault my senses, it asks if they may have a dance with me like a gentleman. Outside of very select scenes it doesn't do the fanservice tropes, and even then, they aren't FOR fanservice. The good guys aren't creeps who never learned to grow up. (Seriously, Stark is more adult at the start than most protags these days) It actually managed to craft emotional story lines. I loved spice and wolf growing up. This is that.
@@SimonWoodburyForget frieren has a lot of adult themes. dealing with death, grief, growing up, fear. It just doesn't have childish teenbait. which is what fansevice is today all too often. if you want to see some of what I call good fanservice, check out ghost in the shell. There is a reason why the major is my phone background.
@@SimonWoodburyForget I kind of hope they don't strike that last "cord" (you meant "chord" maybe?). There's enough gore in F. as is, heads rolling, dismembered hands flying off, blood, fantastical wounds taking out huge chunks of a character's chest... It's enough to make a point, and that's fine with me. I don't need every anime to be focused around really graphic representation of gore or sex. It has a certain set of themes that it explores and there's no real need to add stuff to it for the sake of adding stuff. Btw, Attack on Titan is still running? I completely forgot about that series...
@@SimonWoodburyForget What makes a show truly great is not the gore or adult themes. It is having a compelling story and characters and some underlying theme or idea it is trying to explore or convey. The reason those three are on your list is because they all share those common traits. A compelling narrative, well written characters, and a strong sense of what they are trying to tell the viewer. Frieren's aesthetic isn't as gritty, because the story isn't about cycles of war and violence, it isn't about humanity's fears manifesting to disrupt or destroy human lives, it isn't about trying to find meaning and purpose in a corporate hellscape. It is about how to appreciate the passage of time and the people around you. To appreciate the moment because no matter how much time you have, those moments will never happen again. That is the foundation of the story, valuing your experiences, making memories, being present in the now. Frieren doesn't need to be a graphic, violent, sexualized experience because those things wouldn't help convey the message the story is trying to offer or be narratively relevant. Those elements absolutely have their place in other stories, not this one.
@@SimonWoodburyForget Again, this story is a quiet, intimate show dedicated to themes of loss and regret, and a desire never to take the lives of those around you for granted. It was pg13 because that was how the manga was written. It was a passion project nobody thought would take off, until it did. The author wanted to explore an idea, and did so in the way that fit that theme. It never needed to have stakes because it was never about the demons, it was about Frieren's inner journey towards making positive changes for herself. It was about Frieren realizing she had wasted so much time with her friends and honouring the memory of them by learning how to connect with the people around her so those moments would never again be wasted.
Your video essay got me to shed a few tears on a couple occasions. Honestly this is a beautiful video and you are a gifted narrator. Frieren is also a tremendously beautiful anime, I actually teared up as she watched her friends die, and smile when she realized she needed to carry their legacy on for her friends. It reminds me a lot of Spice and Wolf, and the animation style and mix of slice of life, fantasy, adventure, and friendship is something Miyazaki would have crafted himself. It has become my number one anime even over FMAB or Darker than Black.
Seeing Frieren has filled me with joy difficult to describe. Here's a slow, atmospheric, relaxed story that does not try to frontload any action or try to hook you in with some wacky premise. It lets the episodes breathe, it takes its time with its gentle exposition, its visuals and music aid that exposition and make everything come together near the moment that the characters on screen figure something out. Frieren takes the viewer seriously. It likes to goof around occasionally, but never too much. It likes to show incredible, flashy action - but never too much. Its animation is conservative and simple in some scenes, overwhelmingly dynamic in others. It is fully mature in what it is. And really, it's a story that perhaps will resonate with older viewers. I personally have changed homes, changed jobs, changed friend circles and survived friends and family. I've made mistakes, I've also set on mastering skills. Everything about this story resonates strongly, deeply. When Frieren reminisces about Himmel and his unrequited love towards her, I do the same with someone in my own life. When Frieren recalls a quirky friend as she joyfully casts a spell that would make that friend happy, I recall doing similar fun with those friends. When Frieren sleeps past noon and stays up all night, yeah, that's totally me. And when she shows the deep, unmistakeable joy of teaching another in something that she loves - I know that feeling all too well. And she just can't refuse the allure of being able to beat the odds and that 1% chance of a mimic NOT being a mimic finally happens, all to her chagrin - as we all have our specific vices that we are powerless against. Every single frame, every single note, every single part of this story screams "Live! You matter!". It is so deeply life affirming without getting preachy or pretentious. It just does what it desires, its a clear work of passion for everyone involved, and it moves me with nearly every episode as each of the side characters learn and grow alongside or because of Frieren. It is the perfect story about how even the most aloof, reserved person can still change everyone else's lives for the better, no matter their weird quirks or strange habits. And for an artist and writer, this show is also a beacon of hope - that you can ignore trends entirely, that so long as you fully devote yourself to telling a story the way you want, there will be people that will see it and appreciate it. No matter what changes in the world, people will always desire to feel genuine human emotion and lived experience that's plain to see in a work of fiction, no matter how many flashy, but substanceless things might drown us at times. Quality will always shine through.
And yet, despite taking its time, it still moves along faster than many other anime. Compare how far the first episode of Frieren got -- despite more than one multi-decade montage -- to the first episode of Solo Leveling, for example.
i think this anime is so good because a lot of people in the world feel lost in their life and this anime helps remind people that you only have a limited time on this planet. the relationships we forge with others is so important that almost nothing else matters. its very up lifting for people who are trying to find and make connections with others but feel the same way as frieren and want to make that change to be a better person but just don't know if its all worth it in the end because of the fear people now have of others from when we were all locked inside our houses for a few years. IMO this show will help some people pick up the broken pieces they feel and put them back into place and help them to move on and live life to its fullest.
Yeah I agree. What makes a MC unique is how people relate to them. I think Frieren is that good of a MC because it does not matter your age or gender or anything,you can still relate to her. Like I am a guy at 20 years old and moved away for university and slowly losing all my friends from my home country. It feels so distant and the memories of all the things we did during high school and all the moments that were awesome.....after watching frieren I find it beautiful and try to appreciate the time I have with my family,because when they are gone in the future I probably would regret not spending time with them right now. Frieren for me is a solid 10,it is just my opinion because it has made an impact in my life,and no other anime has achieved this on me. I do not often give shows high ratings. Even some of the classics like FMAB,AOT,One piece I put them at 9.5 but somehow frieren,it was extremely short. Just a few months of my life,but it feels like it changed something in me. Is those kind of shows that are an artistic piece of literature. What brings people together. Also the best female MC in anime/manga for me
Very true, we live in lost times filled with false promises. I imagine this story wouldn't have hit as hard 80 years ago when people had a strong sense of pride and purpose
@@MALICEM12to be honest people have always felt lost, The difference is that when you have to worry about world wars and political wars it’s kind of hard to live your life
This show is about having a good time In a fantasy world where something like magic is great. But it also reminds you of getting to know each other. Aside from that you’re reaching 😡
I'd like to describe as to why Frieren probably has a lot of adult audiences is because it storytells about regret in her life and her journey to make amends with it. It somehow hits home in a way; we empathize as we all have been in a similar feeling of mourn.
I am looking for a video I can send my friend so I can properly explain why I liked Frieren. I couldn't find the reason within me, but I know it brought a warm fuzzy feeling in my heart. You worded it so wonderfully, and made me realize that Frieren portrays each of us. That is why it resonate so much to human emotions. Thank you for this video, this brought tears to my eyes.
It is the subtleness and gentleness of the anime frieren that keeps me engaged with,, every character has a depth and no one exist unnecessarily..i love it it deserves a spot in my heart
I never knew a show where I actually really enjoy and look forward to the flashbacks. Despite there being an immortal elf leading this show, Frieren has to be among the most human shows to ever roll across the screen. It is all things quirky and touching, easy-going and yet humbling. It was just _right._
Aside from the story plot.. The animation of this series is pure. It brings me back to the 90's 2000's days when CGI is not yet taking over and the dynamics of each movements and angles tells the story. This is ART made by hands of passionate true artists.
A poignant theme of this show is theme-while the rest of the world has moved on and sees the mythical heroes of old only in statues-Frieren remembers the actual people, including their flaws. It’s a stark reminder that the figures in our history books were people too.
"Frieren, They say Hero Party Slay a Wyrm the Size of 1000 meter, is it True.." "Now it is Folded 100 Times huh," The Tale get hyperbolic like real life myth and only Frieren knows the Truth.
they definitely will with how successful the show has been. unfortunately the first season adapted about half of what there is in the manga currently so if season 2 adapts the next major arc there won't be much left afterwards. unless there's a couple years between seasons.
First, this was so beautifully edited. You, sir, deserve every single like and none of these dislikes. No matter how much you dislike the anime, this video was brilliantly edited, and the soundtrack and narrative were so good! Now, for the anime, I love how the story was told. They break the rule of "show don't tell" many times in the anime, but it still feels so good. Moreover, whenever they break the rule, it is with intent, and it continuously improves the flow of the story. Looking at each episode was a blast, and I was surprised. I never imagined liking Frieren because of the slow pace. Additionally, from the storytelling perspective, the writers do a fantastic job. If you ever DM'd an RPG session, there are so many relatable moments. The story feels alive, with them going from town to town just doing what adventurers would do because even though they have a mission, they also have other needs that so many isekais forget or don't worry about.
Frieren makes me cry. I still can't stop watching it. It came out in a time in which i couldn't relate more. Here is my story. When I was 12 I got into a online game. At that time I didn't even know how lonely I was. I had given up on other people and making friends. Right at the start I was invited to a guild and just joined it, not knowing what it actually was or what the people would mean to me in the future. At first I stayed shy and didn't talk much with them. But the more time I spend with the game, the more I realized the benefits of comunicating through it with others. But it took me years until I realized that it were the other people who kept me playing and I really enjoyed their company. I was 19 when we first met in "the real world", and I remember it as one of the happiest days in my life. They all cared a lot for me, well it probaly helped that I was the youngest, way younger then most of them. As the years went on everyone got older and some stopped playing the game. When corona came, many found their way back into the game and I was actually very happy. But things werent anymore the same. Our leader was actually very annoyed from the game and seemed to just play on, because there was nothing better to do. After corona was over, very less of our guild still met to play. Especially our leader, who was there from the beginning, till 2022 that were more 10 years and we met every year at least once in "real life". He was 8 years older. While corona we couldn't met. And after it was everything was allowed again our leader tried to initiate another come together, but everyone was so busy with theire life that I was the only one who responded. I also was busy and didn't arange to just meet him again. I deeply regret it now. He died this year on a short sicknes. I don't know exactly what it was, but one of our members who had always close contact with him gave us the info. We were all shaken and want to meet again at the first place we once met. But until now we didn't even search for a date. I think only because of this guild I found back my faith in people and giving others a chance to surprise me in a positive way. After meeting my guild the first time, I made some friends around my town, and lost as the time passed the contact with some as well. The game, I still don't wana stop playing is Guild Wars/2, it has one of the friendliest community in all mmorpgs. But becoming 30 this year I also don't have much time for it. And its not anymore as much fun as it was when I started or when Guild Wars 2 came out. At least 4 people still try to keep the contact through the game as well. I just often think back at how fun it was with our leader and how much he and the others helped me developing social skills. But right now I feel more lonely than ever....
i'm glad they got to touch your life and gave you lots of meaningful memories and lessons. i know losing people hurts, especially when it's people you have known since you were young. fortunately you still have time. you can touch other peoples' lives, help some poor shy kid on a new mmorpg develop social skills and make friends for the first time... :) God bless you, my friend.
hey, just want to say thank you so much for sharing such a deeply personal and touching story of yours :> not just myself, but I'm certain your story has helped someone out there as well who also feels lonely. I'm so glad that you had the opportunity to make such beautiful memories with others, and I hope you can continue making these memories down the line with friends, or even strangers :) Idk who you are but I'm still so genuinely proud of you for having come this far and made all these meaningful friendships/connections! God bless you amazing person :>>
Man, something very similar happened to me with exactly that same game. I had a guild that migrated in from Guild Wars 1 and they were the closest friends I had for a good couple of decades. We never met online, and I currently only stay in regular touch with one of them. I've seen them get married, form families, lose loved ones, become "serious" adults over time. It's sad, but a kind of happy sadness that brings fond memories that I'm glad to have.
I felt this so deeply. I miss playing MMORPGs, but life just doesn't provide the time. I miss the friends I made in the guild I was in, gather mats while chatting, then everyone gathering to to raid, and then the small groups continuing on to PvP after for a bit. Weekly, if not daily, check-ins. I watched, felt, as it slowly took longer and longer to get in touch with others, and over the years, it slowly dwindled. I hope you're doing well. You're not alone, not matter how lonely this world can feel.
One thing I noticed a lot of is that Frieren looks directly at the reader in a lot of frames. It's a nicely subtle nod to take what we're reading to heart but almost having us be part of the conversation.
I think the "you dont need a second life to have a second chance" mantra is especially encouraging looking at Haiter. Someone who, in his old age found a different pleasure from drinking and debauchery through raising fern. You are never too old to begin a new life
The review also seems to indulge a bit in the Just World fallacy: it's fine to be irritated at someone else's lack of desire to self-improve, but the eagerness to say it is immoral to acknowledge that sometimes people get shit luck in life (or get screwed by things that aren't luck) didn't sit well with me. I can definitely see the appeal of the current Isekai trend to someone who happens to not be accepted for who they are, and sometimes the reasons people aren't accepted for who they are are very valid but sometimes they are not.
@@hermean I don't know if I understood your point, but it's never valid to not accept someone for who they are. By "who they are," I mean inherent characteristics that are not just bad personalities. If someone is too rude, that doesn't count; it's okay not to accept rude people. And yes, I also hate the just world fallacy... it's the kind of rhetoric that really makes me mad. There are a few things that I hate more than this fallacy...
You don’t need a second life, a second world, nor a thousand years lifespan to have a second chance; every day you wake up is a new opportunity to turn things around
@@trueuniverse690 what you say is true but misses the point. The fact that we have authority over our next action doesn't change the fact that, as the saying goes, "no man is an island". The fact that we can keep making choices might not be a comfort to the desperately poor, or to the condemned criminal, to the chronically ill, to the victim of oppression. There are persons who would benefit from a complete fresh start, and it's not wrong that a genre of literature addresses that desire.
I think what set Frieren off more than other fantasy animes is the fact that this is the closest we've gotten to modern adaptation of Tolkens work that is good. Frieren is easier to compare to european fantasy book, rather than other fantasy mangas from Japan.
It’s funny to imagine that Sousou no Frieren does a lot better at paying homage to Tolkien’s works than a literal show included in the LOTR franchise. What’s even funnier is that both shows have similar premises, but Sousou no Frieren is not tedious to watch and has likable characters.
I've read LotR trilogy and besides both being fantasy there is about nothing in common between the two, not in substance nor style. Are you referring maybe to other books?
@@vulpex4105 World-building is closer to D&D, but I think the atmosphere is a LITTLE closer to LOTR (I've also read the books), especially the post-ring destroying period. Instead of being all action with an awesome protag being awesome in a world where a new baddie pops up every Tuesday, Frieren's focus is on the main characters moving through the world around them, and their own personal struggles. Likewise not every settlement they run into is plagued with a terrible problem that only the adventurers can solve; most people are just living their lives day-to-day without worrying about being eaten by a dragon or enslaved by a Dark Lord.
Frieren's journey resonates with you if you have that maturity in life, and that breath of perspective and lived experience, making you realise how far you have come and how much things have changed and how little control you had over things in this time. It gives you that pause, that realisation that be what may, we do have the ability to push back and change course, and that it is never too late.
“if you have that maturity in life…” What a great way to describe it. I’m 25 and finishing my time in the military, while my good friend is 20 and still has time left in service. We both watched it together and he found it boring, where I found it profound and beautiful. One day he’ll go back and find exactly what we saw.
@@BadApple909 I watched Frieren as it aired when I was 18 and I found it profound and beautiful as well, and I haven't done too much with my life. I suppose I'm just saying that you don't need experience and age to be able to appreciate what makes Frieren such an amazing show.
@@Strawlocka If you're young, you need empathy. If you're an old fart, you just need to allow yourself to feel stuff, because there's no need to guess or empathize to know why some of it would hit -- it just hits. So... It's not like a young person can't appreciate it. But as a young person you can't really experience it quite the same way. That's not to diminish your experience, that's just to say that they are different experiences. ;)
I like how the names of every character in the show are German words that describe an aspect of the character the word is attributed to. It's not quite related to the overall message of this vid, but it can really help understand a lot of the different characters' basic tropes *or* how those characters go against said tropes.
The film is great and emotional, and your analysis is on point, but darn, the way you edited this video? Gorgeous. Perfect. Makes me wanna watch the whole series again, even though I have just watched it this morning 😂😂😂 You got yourself a new follower! Keep up the good work!
@@futuza not really in the sense that he returned back to the title on how frieren revitalized the fantasy genre that isekai kind of sullied (and explaining the reasoning why he brought up isekai to bring up Frieren in comparison to it). He went back to the main point that the title was implying which is not click bait when he refers back to it on why he made it.
i think the point is that frieren, despite being an adjacent genre of fantasy, has touched the fantasy genre in such a way that it is making the flaws of isekai that get shoveled out nonstop more and more obvious; and as the saying goes, "the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem" it doesn't need to be an isekai! it deals with so many of the same concepts that are often tapped into by isekai that it feels very similar, but it takes a drastically different approach and that way illuminates exactly what is wrong with most isekai; they are detached from reality. frieren seems to be embracing those things about reality that people use isekai to run from, and showing that not only are those "mundane struggles" not worth throwing away, they are something to appreciate... they can be quite beautiful, even if they are painful. and this video demonstrated to me that not only is isekai a good genre, it is one that is good even in spite of being overdone/abused/generally misunderstood. if the next isekai writers look to shows like frieren and accept that some of the traditional isekai strategies have a shallowness to them or float over real issues they can address, the next batch of isekai will probably be absolutely splendid. and i think that's what these creators were trying to highlight :) it may not be an isekai, but it certainly can influence isekai... just like old western mystery novels aren't fantasy, but they HEAVILY influenced one of my favorite fantasy series of all time, umineko! (umineko even gets into how Biblical study borders on mystery-novel type puzzle analysis, and uses that to thematically propel itself. i think that kind of adjacent influencing is exactly what our CC friends here are trying to highlight)
I knew that Frieren was a special anime when I started ugly crying within the first 5 minutes. While I am a fairly emotionally sensitive person, it takes a certain skill to be able to write in a way that so firmly plants the viewer into the emotions of characters that they only just met a few seconds ago. Normally, you have to kind of get to know the characters and "fall in love" with them to be able to empathize with them, but the way this show was written, it feels like you already know the characters. I don't really know how to put my feelings into actual words. Either way, I'm glad that I randomly decided to start watching Frieren.
OMG ME TOO! In my case I was actually shocked because of Himmel's death. I was like, "IT'S NOT EVEN HALF OF THE EPISODE AND SOMEONE DIED?? WHATT?? NOOO!!"
I picked up the Sousou no Frieren manga three years ago while randomly browsing various fantasy/Isekai manga. I still remember binging what was released at the time. I also recall how much the manga came off as all that I wanted in a Shounen Fantasy series. I even had an inkling that the manga would become an anime someday, so I was ecstatic when I saw the anime announcement last year. I, for one, am glad how well the series is doing and happy that others find it such a great series as well. To me, Frieren contains multiple genres in one well executed package: 1. Emotional and philosophical undertones sprinkled along the story? Check. 2. Slice-of-life with subtle comedy? Check. 3. Hot-blooded Shounen battles? Check. 4. Well-paced world-building? Check. 5. Implied or subtle romance? Check. I know the fantasy genre isn't for everyone, but I feel like Sousou no Frieren contains so many sub-genres that it appeals to a much wider audience that one would think for a fantasy series. To me, Frieren is the quintessential example of a how good the anime medium is and it's why I've basically been a lifelong fan of anime and manga. Thank you for your thoughtful exposition, I loved your video style and on-point commentary. Hopefully Frieren helps to elevate the anime medium further and I love how you broke down all the good points of Frieren.
The quote, "It is never too late too change." is such a simple sentence. Yet such sentence is merely ignored by others, until he/she loses what "was" important to them. Though through attempts to feel or know this has been unsuccessful for most, "It would never be too late to try." Is your next sentence. Only once where you lazed around, you begin to remember "Moments like these, come and go, forever etched in memory. It repeats inside your head as you get trapped in its melancholy."
Frieren is definitely worthy of the top spot on Mal, it is an instant classic, it's kinda like Steph curry many will discount his greatness until he's retired, some won't recognize the greatness of Frieren until a decade has passed and we see the effects it has on other manga, only those who are open to change will realize we are watching a classic unfold before us, the new standard. Also really great to hear someone else recognize the wasted potential of isekai.
You make a great point. A true expression of greatness is how it affects other stories in the genre. It will take some time before we see any influence, but it is worth paying attention to the new offerings over the next 5 years.
@@PremMumi wasn't talking about Frieren, was commenting on the part where he talks about isekai and how he feels the idea is wasted on kirito clones/generic op mcs , when so many other possibilities exist but no one wants to step out of that box to truly explore what could come out of that
I agree, Frieren will define the fantasy and perhaps even the Isekai genre for the next decade or more. If anything, pure Fantasy stories will be back in the mainstream in next 5 years.
Coz it is that definitive fantasy anime. And it is classic epic fantasy that's why it is a breath of fresh air. And obviously story and characters are amazing. With top notch score and animation the anime just doomed to be number 1
nothing about what you said aligns with breath of fresh air. you have failed to acknowledge what separates it and why majority people connect with it, like how this video does so well. you said how you identify with it on a very surface level. dive deeper, understand what emotions it is provoking
Man... I just want to point out - timing those Anime shots with 'Clair de Lune' was a stroke of genius! What a quality materail - instant like & subsribe 🙏
Thank you. I truly appreciated how the delivery was similarly paced to Frieren unlike the usual fast paced videos that are common today. I really appreciate that in great detail and I too relate to finding Frieren pre anime and I couldn't continue reading it back them because it gave me an existential crisis. However, now that I've watched and continued to read it it truly is something I hold close to my heart. Thank you for this video
This anime truley felt like a wake up call to whimsically wandering through life, I felt not the pressure to take things more serious, but to enjoy the time spent doing the things I love all the more. those friendships that you want to nuture, the passions that you wish to achieve more with, self growth in it best form of living in those moments.
This is the third of these chanel's videos that I watched and I gotta say they are so well made! The editing, the choice of music, the spoken text and so on. High quality stuff!
It's worth it. We just got Episode 26 today, and it was a rollercoaster. The show finds a way to move the audience every single episode. Better yet, there is no fluff or filler. Every single frame has purpose in the story. Even the mimics, which is subtle fan service, show that despite being very old and wise, Frieren is still a young elf.
@@dawnfallon6812 Heck, I feel like in this show the episode they stop to clean a statue is top content, and occasionally they stop and annihilate a demon army for filler.
This was a beautiful, intelligent, concise essay. I teared up three separate times, either from understanding of how good Frieren was written and seeing someone else appreciate it, or from your words themselves- of how well written the video itself is. I cannot give you and your team enough praise. It was genuinely awesome.
I've read the manga and it made me realise how little time I have left to spend time with my grandparents. Took them around the country and they passed on 2 years later. When the anime adaptation came out, I realised I need to touch grass again. Took 2 weeks off to the Borneo Island and never regret that decision.
This had me crying... Obviously Frieren is a masterpiece of its own, but you analyzed its themes in such a soft, loving way that proves just how meaningful it is to you. Thank you, cause everything you said is exactly what I got out of this beautiful story and I truly hope this inspires someone else to watch it as well 💞 Frieren is a wonderful journey that I hope will be experienced by many
I've been wandering around on UA-cam watching 'Frieren analysis/essays' or whatever else you could call that for a few days now, simply because I wanted not to part with story just yet. And in most cases, these videos were summaries of first episode of the show, with pointing outs of what the creators have found most important. Your work, however, has much deeper analysis of the show. Instead of talking about things that happened in the show, you put Frieren in context with other animes of similar genre, interpret important lessons which can be taken from it without telling exact detail of any episode (sorry but that really started ticking me off after a few videos), and make every part of the video relevant to its main idea. It made me think about the show in a way that I haven't thought about yet, and appreciate it even more. So yeah, that's my way to say: I love your video mate, keep up the great work!
They don't serve what he is saying as well as they can. He sometimes picks the wrong examples for what he is describing, and that throws those who know the context of the associated clips off. Otherwise the editing is smooth and engaging.
u did a great job i dont know if its because its frieren but it felt really good to watch this video. the things u said... the background music u used.... and the glipses from the show .... all were (for a lack of better a word) soothing. thank you.
Videos like this makes frieren so good it's just so good everything from the story the animation to the developments the side characters as well felt like they were real people with actual personality and feelings
This almost made me cry, thanks. Beautifully written and said, Frieren quickly became my all time favorite anime and this video pretty much captures why.
@@futuza It's not really an issue exclusive to animators. Everyone in japan works long hours and gets paid little because the Japanese government has high taxes and a safety net where fired employees continue to get paid until they find a new job. So most of your income you don't get to keep and companies don't want to hire anyone who got fired or quit, leading to little chance of changing employers if you want a skilled career, leaving you to the mercy of your current employer.
the isekai concepts i like are the ones where the protagonist is already a professional in our own world and is merely applying their profession onto the new world.
I noticed that I generally like competent main characters, or at least characters who seem to know what they're doing. Watching people embarrass themselves makes me cringe in an uncomfortable way for some reason. Characters like Frieren (who's practically OP). John Wick would be another good example for an OP character done right. (They don't have to be OP, these are just two examples that came to mind). Making them compelling can be difficult though, as powerful characters can become boring to watch if not handled correctly.
@@Lurion_K9 indeed. i think the trick is to understand the difference between a competent character and a powerful character. and if you think about it, most of the chars in isekais actually incompetent and only getting by because of some magical cheat power or the world is based off "rpg mechanics" that lets them buy into being magically better at whatever just for smacking enough monstrous animals and pick enough magic flowers
I agree, that was actually something I liked about "Worlds Greatest Assassin becomes an Aristocrat" (or whatever the title was) because the main character was already a world class assassin, so when he gets isekaied and is a bad ass in the fantasy world, it makes sense. Its not some weeb who never left his house but as soon as he enters the fantasy world he gets cheat code powers and one shots everything, its as you said, a professional applying their profession to the new world. And its actually ironic that even though the main character of this isekai is a world class assassin, reborn in a magical world where he is the son of a master assassin, he doesn't feel bullshit op. He has two life times worth of assassination experience, yet in a test against his isekai dad, he still struggles and the antagonist of the last few episodes he has to take out with prep time and manipulation because fighting him head on would be suicide. I have watched quite a few isekai and its amazing how a world class assassin feels less op than loser nerds in this genre.
@@MysteriousTomJenkins exactly. that's another i need to watch. another anime i was thinking of but not entirely sure counts as a proper isekai but still involves travelling to a fantasy world is The Gate. that one anime where basically the japanese military isekais itself by passing through an interdimensional gate between tokyo and fantasy world and brings modern weapons and vehicles along. main character is a "relatable" nerd but also was already a lieutenant for the military.
@@MysteriousTomJenkins What do you think of the Anime Knights and Magic or even its Manga? It is a Mecha genre. It is about a Programmer who is then isekai into a world with robots and Magic. Magic is a lot like programming. Also if you think about Kenja no Mago (Wise Mans Grandson) if you combine the programming component and the chemical make up of the process to the finished result you could be like a god right? And no cheat code powers. I find it funny about what you said here though " Its not some weeb who never left his house but as soon as he enters the fantasy world he gets cheat code powers and one shots everything, its as you said, a professional applying their profession to the new world. " Cause in those cases we don't know about their profession though. So they could be a weeb but had a job that they benefit with experience. Another is Kamitachi ni Hirowareta Otoko (By the Grace of the Gods) even though he has cheat skills he lives a normal life thanks to his previous life experiences as an office worker/salaryman. What do you think on that?
I just came from Star Wars de-infantilized. I got 2 things: 1) WOW are you an underrated tuber. The way you string together footage that lines up and goes in time with the music is amazing. 2) I never expected to see a tuber that loves both Star Wars and anime. My hat's off to you and the sub button is pushed!
This is the first time I've been compelled to leave a comment on a video. This was a very well made video about Frieren and I enjoyed every second of it. You summed up what I felt about Frieren's story with very clear and precise words. A lot about this resonated with me and gave me comfort. I thought I'd let you know. Thank you so much for this.
It shows how much you like this story and its characters just by how you speak. It's like you bottled up all the things you liked most and showed it to us like it your own private collections of wonders! Thanks!
This is an excellent video essay about Frieren. The quality in writing and producing is leagues better than some other videos out there that only scratch the surface. I feel like you really struck at the core of what makes this show so great, nice work!
This was an absolutely beautifully done video essay, and put into words a lot of things I love about the show that I hadn't been able to express. And the editing to Clair de Lune in the beginning? So, so lovely. You've got me almost crying on my lunch break 😆🥰
I just wanted to tell you that this channel is beautiful. You have a great feel of beauty, and you can talk about it in a very wholesomely simple way... Thank you for that
i love how you explained everything. i started this anime but find it boring at first ep, but saw a lot of people talking about how beautiful it is so i want to give it another try. then saw this. definitely gonna watch it soon! thank you!
@@freesoftwareextremist8119 mmm i see. I was speaking in general about isekai. Though sometimes I see it in Live action shows too. Its not exclusive to anime.
This applies to reincarnated as a slime well because they don’t even mention the life of Rimuru before his death after like 10 episodes in. Jobless Reincarnation on the other hand has constant involvement of the MC’s past life such as referencing the MC’s struggles during his past life.
@@zephyrias Isekai is a simple way of explaining the world to the viewer, by having a character explain them to another character as they crop up. I remember being tempted to go down that path with my own writings but I felt it was a lazy method even back then (this was over 20 years ago btw, before the genre was even given a name.) There are countless other methods ranging from having a character who's highly sheltered to the world itself undergoing a radical shift (bringing the Isekai to the characters in a way I guess)
Oh man, the editing on the opening Clair de Lune section was fantastic and certainly not easy to do! While many - myself included - get stupefied by the production values of Frieren, it’s nice to be reminded that the story and themes hold us captivated just as much as animation or score. Eager to see what else you guys create!
Frieren is by far one of the best shows I've ever watched. And as a 25+ year long fan of the genre, that says a lot. I've seen hundreds of shows in my lifetime if not close to a thousand and this show is genuinely phenomenal
This channel is such a gem. The editing is tight, the subject matter is explored thoughtfuly, and the whole thing is full to the brim with passion and personal investment. I just can't get enough!
You have made a wonderful video essay, even had me tearing up on some parts. This is a great homage to this masterpiece and I hope more people see this. Subbed!
just enough that i feel like i know the story a bit now, but just not enough that i am still engaged in wanting to watch it... fantastic analysis, and gave me a lot to think about with fantasy/isekai in general. thank you guys for your great work
this anime and its message is just beautiful. It had me so hooked that i watched 27 episodes in two sittings (one 4 hour nap) visually and emotionally it was just art. the production team fucking nailed it. Frieren is also very cute (i will never get tired of seeing sleepy frieren). i agree with you 100% about most isekai anime. they feel souless
@@gattogigi9688 @gattogigi9688 not old enough to learn the difference between "than" and "then"... But you have a point, the first couple of episodes are kinda boring, but it will make sense later as comparison for character growth, also the payoff is just the best ive seen in a while, if you are above 30 you should watch it bro This is how good it is: I never read comics or manga in my entire life, but I just had to know how the story plays out so I read the manga even though I never believed I could force myself to do it, it was worth it
this reminds I once thought of something, an immortal bard who goes around and tells the stories of people not known, people who lived, who existed, he travels with them, remembers them, and passes on their stories, be it small or big. Everyone knows that hero, but have you heard of blah blah? they did this and that or whatever.
I loved this show for a hundred reasons, and you helped me out words to the culmination of a lot of fragments I had already identified! Really great video
Hello everyone,
I have been looking through your comments and began noticing a trend, so I want to clarify something:
I know that Frieren is not an Isekai, I have never said that it was, and I thought I made it pretty clear by explaining what the sub-genre was in the video.
Also, clips of shows coinciding with specific parts of the script should not necessarily be taken as us targeting that show in particular. This critique is not of this or that Isekai anime, but rather of the general principles that seem to be followed by most of them (hopefully the handful of segments where we are intentionally using specific clips and images to make a certain point should be rather evident).
In other words, using clips of much beloved shows like Re:Zero and Mushoku Tensei stems from the fact that, as some of the best Isekai out there, they inevitably represent the genre. And, like it or not, this also means that they may carry some of its problems. With that being said, both shows are clear examples of Isekai that do not shy away from fully utilizing the formula, and that try to tell an interesting story about change and growth through their flawed protagonists (hence why we purposefully use clips of them in our “exceptions” segment), while also introducing unique and fresh worlds that have their own history and mysteries.
Thanks again for watching our video!
I don't really think it is fair to lump a bunch of anime together because they share the same genre. Jobless Reincarnation and Re:Zero managed to avoid playing into the same strengths/mistakes as other isekai anime make. They turned what a lot of people see as a weakness in isekai anime and made it their biggest strength.
Honestly if we compare all 3 anime side to side I'd say Frieren has the most OP protagonist out of them all and it's not even close. Subaru is a pushover in combat. Rudeus while powerful could and has been absolutely destroyed by other powerful people. He has struggled in the past against opponents and probably will continue to in the future. Frieren is currently so powerful that we as an audience only know of 1 other person who could beat her, that being her grandmaster who is most likely THE most powerful mage if not individual in the world of Frieren.
Also in-terms of world building I think both above examples does a better job than Frieren. Frieren's world is mostly introduced on the fly whenever the plot needs it. It isn't usually built up or foreshadowed. Meanwhile Jobless introduces them fairly well and puts a lot of emphasis on each location and it's culture. Re:Zero doesn't do this as much, but achieves something similar through political intrigue and while uncovering the secret lore of it's world.
I think the main appeal of Frieren is the format of the story and the lack of blatant fanservice. The story takes place at the end of another story, so there is plenty to reminisce about and develop Frieren as a character in smaller bit-sized flashbacks that tie to what's happening in the present. The fact that it doesn't have blatant fanservice makes it more digestible for non-anime fans that haven't learnt how to stomach it, thus scares them away less. Then there's a bunch of other factors like the 1st opening being an absolute bop, the animation being of really high quality with lots of pretty visuals and the music really selling you into that beautiful and nostalgic feeling the visuals and story presents you.
We are talking about the episodic travelogue elf Mary sue show and comparing it to a what now?
Wish fulfilment dimension hopping fantasy and me dead everything reset with waifu show?
Ye serious now brother?
@@redcomn If you're talking about Frieren, she's no Mary-sue.
Frieren should not be categorized as Isekai. It is pure fantasy with a bit of slice of life. Slice of life in this sense is the daily life of an elf in a fantasy world, wasting her time, seeing old friends go away and moving towards the future and meeting new people. This is the essence of fantasy blended with slice of life. Frieren is given another chance to be in a party and defeat the demon king while her real pupose is to see Flamme in the land of the living dead. This might sound similar to isekai and has its shared similarities like having a second chance and learning along the way but this is not the essence of isekai. Isekai means other world but in the world of Frieren there is only one world. This is why Frieren cannot be categorized as isekai. It would have been more fruitful if you talk about related genres such as Natsume's book of friends, where natsume the grand son of a well known lady by youkai is entrusted with her notebook of friends, Natsume then re-lives the life of her grandmother's experiences and learning through the journey in a slice of life and fantasy setting. There are more genres like this and I think you completely missed Frieren's essence.
@@daleryanaldover6545 He never said Frieren was an Isekai. lol
He said that the majority of fantasy anime was Isekai and that Frieren contrasted with all those.
What i love about Frieren is that it's in a realm where magic and fantasy is common but the most beautiful and captivating scenes for me were normal everyday experiences that exist in the real world. (Watching a sunrise, making flower crowns, having desserts in a restaurant overlooking a pier by the sunset, a subtle love confession of putting a ring to the person you love, your big brother cooking you a meal for your hard work, two people dancing, crying to a beloved comrade from his funeral, just appreciating things that matter).
Goodness I had never thought of it that way but you're right. The stand out scenes when I pick them out is never the magic itself, it's what they do with it. Stark fighting the dragon was awesome, but I remember his fear leading up to it and the triumph after more than the fight. Frieren learns so many spells, but the connection of WHY she learned the sour grapes spell, or the flower field spell is so much greater than anything the flashier ones ever did.
"I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay… small acts of kindness and love." - Gandalf the Grey
The greatest art comes from admiring the real world. It is by paying attention to God's creation that people become good artists.
Stooooop dont make me remember the ring scene! 😭😭
You might enjoy the Yokohama Kaidashi Kikou manga.
As a widowed man reaching retirement, this anime is an emotional experience. I look at my very old photos and see myself looking a lot, metaphorically speaking, like Himmel and then I look in the mirror today and see the balding old man and I can feel that cut between the Hero's party at the start and when they later re-unite for the meteor shower and, for me, it really seems that fast to go from one to the other. It is also so refreshing to see that Frieren is not the perfect in all ways main character seen so often. It is so refreshing to see a real multi-faceted character. She annoys her companions, does really foolish things like falling for mimics over and over and yet she is unbelievably powerful. She shows that one can be the greatest and yet not be perfect. It makes one feel safe to laugh at their own shortcomings - almost like they add to your character as a person instead of making you seem somehow less.
Sir firstly I really appreciate you talking about the anime in such a positive light.
In few days I'll be 18 and the anime has already affected me on a personal scale, I have always spent a lot of time with my mother but not my father, this week I had some talks with him and I really enjoyed it because I've realised how less time is left between us
Yes it might be in years but it's still too less for me.
Hope you find happiness and peace in what you love doing🙏
Thanks for sharing sir, I’m 34 and I already feel like an old timer in this medium lol. So it’s always good to see people even older than myself enjoy it in this day and age. This show has made me reflect on my life and actions in the past and moving forward as well, that’s what makes it such a special piece of art. I hope your wife is resting in piece and keeping an eye on you from a better place, im not religious by any stretch of the imagination but I still hope that’s true for her and you, “it’s more convenient that way” 🙏.
Edit: that last line is a quote from the show, just Incase it came off as rude or crass lol
❤
I related to a lot of this anime and Frieren as someone who just turned 30, but I most related to not being a morning person 😅
What is also important, is that Frieren's central conflict is not related to her power as a mage. Her struggle is about better understanding her mortal friends (some of whom have already died and only exist in her memory) and growing as a character. She might be overpowered in a fight, but what use is that, when her main problem is that she wasted the time she could have spent with those she loved?
Great video essay, not ashamed to say I shed some tears because of it.
One more thing deserving of attention beyond what was already mentioned in the video and many comments is the gentle beauty in seemingly every frame of the animated visuals.
Almost every one of them could be seen as a lovingly crafted still worthy of looking at for more than just a fraction of a second. Even the most dynamic scenes have a clarity and lack of clutter that is rarely seen even in many of the most well-animated shows out there.
i agree, i always stopped sometimes or rewatched it just too look at it again. Such a beautiful series. Also, i cried too 😭😭😭
"you dont need a second life, or a second world to have a second chance"
Best quote I heard this week
@@Aankit9000 Fr
not when u live multiple millennia u don't
Ok, so what does BEYOND second chances mean?
Escaping is such a pathetic thing, either you continue fighting and prove everyone wrong or you go up and when you're independent, you look at the chances you've lost and think "should I do this again?"
There really should be no in between
"when you say a little longer, how many years is that?" I remember how hard Fern's line hit me.
the meteor shower is a lot prettier from my special place, we should go there next time.
but they only comes once every 50 years. So?
@@rphb5870 i dont get it
@@rphb5870😂
Reminds me of The Faraway Paladin. There is a time in which the protag and his elf buddy are talking to... essentially an elf spirit, asking for help quickly. They agree, and the protag starts walking in the direction of the request, and his elf buddy grabs his arm, and throws him in that direction. "We need to move, as fast a possible. Elves live thousands of years and don't understand time well, so when an elf asks for something as quickly as possible, its some awful catastrophe NOW"
@@cblancha1187 that doesn't make any sense, shouldn't it be the opposite, that because they live for thousands of years and don't understand time well, soon might be within 10 years
What I love about frieren, is that it is so calming and relaxing watching them travel and grow together as a group. I will be devastated when fern and stark will die, which will happen eventually. But until then, I’ll enjoy every second of what I see from their journey
Frieren gives me two things as a guy in his 30's.
It gives me the perfect platform to review and reminisce, remind myself of my past and that I can take my time with things.
And weirdly it always reminds me that to dogs, we are the elves
There was this meme with Frieren comparing humans to hamsters 😂
@@Tea_princess Stop... I forgot about my Russian Dwarf hamsters 😭
@@sorenjunkers3834 You old enough to be off UA-cam Kids?
whyd you have to bring up the dogs 😭 no im not crying
@sorenjunkers3834 crazy, just from a couple of paragrafs you can according to you accurately determined what said person have and doesn't have. we should give you 1/4 of a tree leaf, from that you should be able to find the meaning of life itself
Damn if I was the writer of Frieren I'd be crying happy, because this one feels like a really genuine love letter
I’m really curious what the two original creators think of the almost universal acclaim/success their creation has had for this adaption. It’s gotta be a great feeling for them as artists
It'd be only fair given how many times those bastards got *me* weepy. It'd serve them right.
Long before the Anime, when people discovered this manga, everyone was shocked by how good the writing was. But I’m sure no one expected it to become the number 1 anime.
lol the writer is an absolute sadist, dangling something what could have been right in front of our noses
you'll understand when season 3 comes
Outstanding video. Almost got emotional all over again just watching someone explain the show lmao
My wife and I are 30 now and have been watching anime since we were kids in the late 1990’s. I have never looked forward for a new episode release quite like Frieren. Frieren Friday’s will be missed.
What a wonderful way to tell a story about not taking your time with your loved ones for granted, and not forgetting that life is about the journey, rather than the destination. Not only that, the battles and animation are just as good.
Madhouse made a modern day masterpiece IMO. A classic that I will revisit more than once.
I find that frieren as a character relates to people who are lost in life. Reflecting their own experience with feeling lost, but for frieren she has all the time in the world to figure things out while mortal beings rush to their end. But her finding joy in the little things in life reminds us that just because we don’t have one driven purpose doesn’t mean we shouldn’t stop and smell the flowers
I agree wholeheartedly.
It does resonate with you if you have that breath of perspective, when you realise how far you have come and how much things have changed and how little control you had over things in this time. It gives you that pause, that realisation that be what may, we do have the ability to push back and change course, and that it is never too late.
It's twofold, both what you first said, but also for people who do have a set goal in life they want to achieve, and are rushing to meet that goal, likely hitting obstacles and roadblocks, and feeling frustrated they haven't reached it. There are many who think, "I'll start to enjoy life once I have this", or "once I reach that", when, in truth, happiness also lies along the journey to the end goal, and not just the ending itself. We shouldn't rob ourselves of joy just because we haven't lived up to what we want to be.
@@Neonagi It is those who had set goals who feel lost once the goal is almost achieved. It is at that time you feel the sense of not having enjoyed the journey enough and hence you have that breath of perspective.
Fern and Frieren are like personification of these two energies: fast focused goal oriented youth vs chill, lost, wise and mature.
When someone is in their Fern only young phase they would rather prefer action- DBZ type action growth. When facing disappointment and failures they would be drawn to isekai for inspiring second chances, and the mature and wise resonate with the beauty of Suso no Frieren.
Frieren is really powerful and your way of words is really nice. The script along with the remembrance of the scenes show really made me tear up.
The one thing i liked the most in Frieren is the hero, who was in love with Frieren, knew he wont be there for her forever and decided to make memories. All of those statues of the hero party, were made so future generation knows they werent a fairy tale and to protect Frieren, if the time in far future comes, if nobody remember the hero party anymore would hurt Frieren the most mentally so that why almost each villages, there is a statue of a hero or the hero party.
Yeah i love how he's a box of surprises
there hasn't been a single memory that didn't have me pumping my fist for my man himmel
The statue seems like an action fueled by narcissism, but he's actually trying to live as long as Frieren (in his own way) to keep her company.
I think my favorite part about himmel is that he truly loved her to the point of really understanding her AND having the patience to wait for her to realize his feelings for her
he's the man for that one
very silly tbh but his determination is unrivaled
I love how the statues are just the frosting on the cake, in a way, of Himmel's gifts to Frieren, besides their main quest, doing tons of little village side-quests are the reason he gets to put statues up and trust they will stay around, so the memories they share and the heroism are the real foundation for the statues
This comment is a bit hard to read
I like how Himmel was introduced bit by bit, first as an irresponsible leader, and it was as more and more that we discover the whys of what Himmel was trying to achieve, that we truly see what a great leader and hero he really was.
Yes, the scene where Frieren finally realizes what Himmel was doing when he got down on one knee and gave her the love ring was very poignant.
Reasons I liked Frieren so much:
It's old style. It takes it's sweet time, shots linger and are detailed.
It doesn't try to assault my senses, it asks if they may have a dance with me like a gentleman.
Outside of very select scenes it doesn't do the fanservice tropes, and even then, they aren't FOR fanservice.
The good guys aren't creeps who never learned to grow up. (Seriously, Stark is more adult at the start than most protags these days)
It actually managed to craft emotional story lines.
I loved spice and wolf growing up. This is that.
@@SimonWoodburyForget where did I say kids friendly.
@@SimonWoodburyForget frieren has a lot of adult themes. dealing with death, grief, growing up, fear. It just doesn't have childish teenbait. which is what fansevice is today all too often.
if you want to see some of what I call good fanservice, check out ghost in the shell. There is a reason why the major is my phone background.
@@SimonWoodburyForget I kind of hope they don't strike that last "cord" (you meant "chord" maybe?). There's enough gore in F. as is, heads rolling, dismembered hands flying off, blood, fantastical wounds taking out huge chunks of a character's chest... It's enough to make a point, and that's fine with me. I don't need every anime to be focused around really graphic representation of gore or sex. It has a certain set of themes that it explores and there's no real need to add stuff to it for the sake of adding stuff.
Btw, Attack on Titan is still running? I completely forgot about that series...
@@SimonWoodburyForget What makes a show truly great is not the gore or adult themes. It is having a compelling story and characters and some underlying theme or idea it is trying to explore or convey. The reason those three are on your list is because they all share those common traits. A compelling narrative, well written characters, and a strong sense of what they are trying to tell the viewer.
Frieren's aesthetic isn't as gritty, because the story isn't about cycles of war and violence, it isn't about humanity's fears manifesting to disrupt or destroy human lives, it isn't about trying to find meaning and purpose in a corporate hellscape. It is about how to appreciate the passage of time and the people around you. To appreciate the moment because no matter how much time you have, those moments will never happen again. That is the foundation of the story, valuing your experiences, making memories, being present in the now.
Frieren doesn't need to be a graphic, violent, sexualized experience because those things wouldn't help convey the message the story is trying to offer or be narratively relevant. Those elements absolutely have their place in other stories, not this one.
@@SimonWoodburyForget Again, this story is a quiet, intimate show dedicated to themes of loss and regret, and a desire never to take the lives of those around you for granted. It was pg13 because that was how the manga was written. It was a passion project nobody thought would take off, until it did. The author wanted to explore an idea, and did so in the way that fit that theme. It never needed to have stakes because it was never about the demons, it was about Frieren's inner journey towards making positive changes for herself. It was about Frieren realizing she had wasted so much time with her friends and honouring the memory of them by learning how to connect with the people around her so those moments would never again be wasted.
Your video essay got me to shed a few tears on a couple occasions. Honestly this is a beautiful video and you are a gifted narrator.
Frieren is also a tremendously beautiful anime, I actually teared up as she watched her friends die, and smile when she realized she needed to carry their legacy on for her friends. It reminds me a lot of Spice and Wolf, and the animation style and mix of slice of life, fantasy, adventure, and friendship is something Miyazaki would have crafted himself. It has become my number one anime even over FMAB or Darker than Black.
Seeing Frieren has filled me with joy difficult to describe. Here's a slow, atmospheric, relaxed story that does not try to frontload any action or try to hook you in with some wacky premise. It lets the episodes breathe, it takes its time with its gentle exposition, its visuals and music aid that exposition and make everything come together near the moment that the characters on screen figure something out.
Frieren takes the viewer seriously. It likes to goof around occasionally, but never too much. It likes to show incredible, flashy action - but never too much. Its animation is conservative and simple in some scenes, overwhelmingly dynamic in others. It is fully mature in what it is.
And really, it's a story that perhaps will resonate with older viewers. I personally have changed homes, changed jobs, changed friend circles and survived friends and family. I've made mistakes, I've also set on mastering skills. Everything about this story resonates strongly, deeply. When Frieren reminisces about Himmel and his unrequited love towards her, I do the same with someone in my own life. When Frieren recalls a quirky friend as she joyfully casts a spell that would make that friend happy, I recall doing similar fun with those friends. When Frieren sleeps past noon and stays up all night, yeah, that's totally me. And when she shows the deep, unmistakeable joy of teaching another in something that she loves - I know that feeling all too well. And she just can't refuse the allure of being able to beat the odds and that 1% chance of a mimic NOT being a mimic finally happens, all to her chagrin - as we all have our specific vices that we are powerless against.
Every single frame, every single note, every single part of this story screams "Live! You matter!". It is so deeply life affirming without getting preachy or pretentious. It just does what it desires, its a clear work of passion for everyone involved, and it moves me with nearly every episode as each of the side characters learn and grow alongside or because of Frieren. It is the perfect story about how even the most aloof, reserved person can still change everyone else's lives for the better, no matter their weird quirks or strange habits.
And for an artist and writer, this show is also a beacon of hope - that you can ignore trends entirely, that so long as you fully devote yourself to telling a story the way you want, there will be people that will see it and appreciate it. No matter what changes in the world, people will always desire to feel genuine human emotion and lived experience that's plain to see in a work of fiction, no matter how many flashy, but substanceless things might drown us at times. Quality will always shine through.
I read all 'at (nice comment)
Well said.
Pretty much the polar opposite to Demon slayer.
Damn Man you has 100% of right. I totally agree, frieren it's like a fresh Air in the industry. Absolute perk.
And yet, despite taking its time, it still moves along faster than many other anime. Compare how far the first episode of Frieren got -- despite more than one multi-decade montage -- to the first episode of Solo Leveling, for example.
i think this anime is so good because a lot of people in the world feel lost in their life and this anime helps remind people that you only have a limited time on this planet. the relationships we forge with others is so important that almost nothing else matters. its very up lifting for people who are trying to find and make connections with others but feel the same way as frieren and want to make that change to be a better person but just don't know if its all worth it in the end because of the fear people now have of others from when we were all locked inside our houses for a few years. IMO this show will help some people pick up the broken pieces they feel and put them back into place and help them to move on and live life to its fullest.
Yeah I agree.
What makes a MC unique is how people relate to them.
I think Frieren is that good of a MC because it does not matter your age or gender or anything,you can still relate to her.
Like I am a guy at 20 years old and moved away for university and slowly losing all my friends from my home country.
It feels so distant and the memories of all the things we did during high school and all the moments that were awesome.....after watching frieren I find it beautiful and try to appreciate the time I have with my family,because when they are gone in the future I probably would regret not spending time with them right now.
Frieren for me is a solid 10,it is just my opinion because it has made an impact in my life,and no other anime has achieved this on me. I do not often give shows high ratings. Even some of the classics like FMAB,AOT,One piece I put them at 9.5 but somehow frieren,it was extremely short. Just a few months of my life,but it feels like it changed something in me.
Is those kind of shows that are an artistic piece of literature.
What brings people together.
Also the best female MC in anime/manga for me
Very true, we live in lost times filled with false promises. I imagine this story wouldn't have hit as hard 80 years ago when people had a strong sense of pride and purpose
@@MALICEM12to be honest people have always felt lost, The difference is that when you have to worry about world wars and political wars it’s kind of hard to live your life
This show is about having a good time In a fantasy world where something like magic is great. But it also reminds you of getting to know each other. Aside from that you’re reaching 😡
@@ValtierraArestra nah
I'd like to describe as to why Frieren probably has a lot of adult audiences is because it storytells about regret in her life and her journey to make amends with it. It somehow hits home in a way; we empathize as we all have been in a similar feeling of mourn.
Frieren and Dungeon Meshi made me realise that there is more potential to anime's fantasy genre that was clouded by all those isekai's.
Watch record of lodoss wars maybe.
It really was a gem. The Killing Magic episode really does it for me. Frieren brings her apprentice to mob on the former most powerful mage.
isekai/power fantasy frankly are insanely boring.
Dungeon meshi is amazing
Both great shows that go beyond he limitations of the genre…
Frieren will become a timeless classical modern masterpiece in future
Agree!!! ❤
100%
Not really its boring
@@gattogigi9688TikTok attention span 😂
@@swxrn i dont have tiktok and neither a tiktok attention span there are just much better animes i call frieren a good Boring anime
I am looking for a video I can send my friend so I can properly explain why I liked Frieren. I couldn't find the reason within me, but I know it brought a warm fuzzy feeling in my heart. You worded it so wonderfully, and made me realize that Frieren portrays each of us. That is why it resonate so much to human emotions. Thank you for this video, this brought tears to my eyes.
It is the subtleness and gentleness of the anime frieren that keeps me engaged with,, every character has a depth and no one exist unnecessarily..i love it it deserves a spot in my heart
I never knew a show where I actually really enjoy and look forward to the flashbacks. Despite there being an immortal elf leading this show, Frieren has to be among the most human shows to ever roll across the screen. It is all things quirky and touching, easy-going and yet humbling. It was just _right._
Aside from the story plot..
The animation of this series is pure. It brings me back to the 90's 2000's days when CGI is not yet taking over and the dynamics of each movements and angles tells the story. This is ART made by hands of passionate true artists.
A poignant theme of this show is theme-while the rest of the world has moved on and sees the mythical heroes of old only in statues-Frieren remembers the actual people, including their flaws. It’s a stark reminder that the figures in our history books were people too.
"Frieren, They say Hero Party Slay a Wyrm the Size of 1000 meter, is it True.."
"Now it is Folded 100 Times huh,"
The Tale get hyperbolic like real life myth and only Frieren knows the Truth.
As long as future seasons get as much love and attention as this one the series will inded be remembered as one of the best
they definitely will with how successful the show has been. unfortunately the first season adapted about half of what there is in the manga currently so if season 2 adapts the next major arc there won't be much left afterwards. unless there's a couple years between seasons.
@@evanclp514 that just means if they start now, they get a bunchhhhhhhh of time for each episode
@@placeholder38634-5 years for the 1st season
The next arcs are justtt awesomeeee....with some of the best characters
Not really its very boring
First, this was so beautifully edited. You, sir, deserve every single like and none of these dislikes. No matter how much you dislike the anime, this video was brilliantly edited, and the soundtrack and narrative were so good!
Now, for the anime, I love how the story was told. They break the rule of "show don't tell" many times in the anime, but it still feels so good. Moreover, whenever they break the rule, it is with intent, and it continuously improves the flow of the story. Looking at each episode was a blast, and I was surprised. I never imagined liking Frieren because of the slow pace.
Additionally, from the storytelling perspective, the writers do a fantastic job. If you ever DM'd an RPG session, there are so many relatable moments. The story feels alive, with them going from town to town just doing what adventurers would do because even though they have a mission, they also have other needs that so many isekais forget or don't worry about.
Frieren makes me cry. I still can't stop watching it. It came out in a time in which i couldn't relate more.
Here is my story.
When I was 12 I got into a online game. At that time I didn't even know how lonely I was. I had given up on other people and making friends.
Right at the start I was invited to a guild and just joined it, not knowing what it actually was or what the people would mean to me in the future. At first I stayed shy and didn't talk much with them. But the more time I spend with the game, the more I realized the benefits of comunicating through it with others.
But it took me years until I realized that it were the other people who kept me playing and I really enjoyed their company.
I was 19 when we first met in "the real world", and I remember it as one of the happiest days in my life. They all cared a lot for me, well it probaly helped that I was the youngest, way younger then most of them. As the years went on everyone got older and some stopped playing the game. When corona came, many found their way back into the game and I was actually very happy. But things werent anymore the same. Our leader was actually very annoyed from the game and seemed to just play on, because there was nothing better to do. After corona was over, very less of our guild still met to play. Especially our leader, who was there from the beginning, till 2022 that were more 10 years and we met every year at least once in "real life". He was 8 years older. While corona we couldn't met. And after it was everything was allowed again our leader tried to initiate another come together, but everyone was so busy with theire life that I was the only one who responded. I also was busy and didn't arange to just meet him again. I deeply regret it now.
He died this year on a short sicknes. I don't know exactly what it was, but one of our members who had always close contact with him gave us the info. We were all shaken and want to meet again at the first place we once met. But until now we didn't even search for a date.
I think only because of this guild I found back my faith in people and giving others a chance to surprise me in a positive way.
After meeting my guild the first time, I made some friends around my town, and lost as the time passed the contact with some as well.
The game, I still don't wana stop playing is Guild Wars/2, it has one of the friendliest community in all mmorpgs. But becoming 30 this year I also don't have much time for it. And its not anymore as much fun as it was when I started or when Guild Wars 2 came out. At least 4 people still try to keep the contact through the game as well. I just often think back at how fun it was with our leader and how much he and the others helped me developing social skills. But right now I feel more lonely than ever....
Hoping you're okay. Rooting and praying for you!
i'm glad they got to touch your life and gave you lots of meaningful memories and lessons. i know losing people hurts, especially when it's people you have known since you were young.
fortunately you still have time. you can touch other peoples' lives, help some poor shy kid on a new mmorpg develop social skills and make friends for the first time... :)
God bless you, my friend.
hey, just want to say thank you so much for sharing such a deeply personal and touching story of yours :> not just myself, but I'm certain your story has helped someone out there as well who also feels lonely. I'm so glad that you had the opportunity to make such beautiful memories with others, and I hope you can continue making these memories down the line with friends, or even strangers :) Idk who you are but I'm still so genuinely proud of you for having come this far and made all these meaningful friendships/connections! God bless you amazing person :>>
Man, something very similar happened to me with exactly that same game. I had a guild that migrated in from Guild Wars 1 and they were the closest friends I had for a good couple of decades. We never met online, and I currently only stay in regular touch with one of them. I've seen them get married, form families, lose loved ones, become "serious" adults over time. It's sad, but a kind of happy sadness that brings fond memories that I'm glad to have.
I felt this so deeply. I miss playing MMORPGs, but life just doesn't provide the time. I miss the friends I made in the guild I was in, gather mats while chatting, then everyone gathering to to raid, and then the small groups continuing on to PvP after for a bit. Weekly, if not daily, check-ins. I watched, felt, as it slowly took longer and longer to get in touch with others, and over the years, it slowly dwindled. I hope you're doing well. You're not alone, not matter how lonely this world can feel.
One thing I noticed a lot of is that Frieren looks directly at the reader in a lot of frames. It's a nicely subtle nod to take what we're reading to heart but almost having us be part of the conversation.
Excellent video, Frieren makes me cry so much in a good way. Whenever I read it or watch it I am left feeling empty but happy.
If Legolas and Gimli had one final adventure after Aragorn's death and before going to the undying lands it would be Frieren
They do in the Appendices. Involves them going back to a few locations. Won’t say more if you plan to go back and read through it.
@@11070gik I only watched the movies
@@hua_tetsu_cat I suggest reading them and the Appendices.
Aaa, Tolkien Fan!
They kinda do if you read the books
I think the "you dont need a second life to have a second chance" mantra is especially encouraging looking at Haiter. Someone who, in his old age found a different pleasure from drinking and debauchery through raising fern. You are never too old to begin a new life
That’s simply changing your habits…..
"you don't need a second world or second life to have a second chance, you just need a lifespan of thousands of years"
The review also seems to indulge a bit in the Just World fallacy: it's fine to be irritated at someone else's lack of desire to self-improve, but the eagerness to say it is immoral to acknowledge that sometimes people get shit luck in life (or get screwed by things that aren't luck) didn't sit well with me. I can definitely see the appeal of the current Isekai trend to someone who happens to not be accepted for who they are, and sometimes the reasons people aren't accepted for who they are are very valid but sometimes they are not.
@@hermean I don't know if I understood your point, but it's never valid to not accept someone for who they are.
By "who they are," I mean inherent characteristics that are not just bad personalities. If someone is too rude, that doesn't count; it's okay not to accept rude people.
And yes, I also hate the just world fallacy... it's the kind of rhetoric that really makes me mad. There are a few things that I hate more than this fallacy...
You don’t need a second life, a second world, nor a thousand years lifespan to have a second chance; every day you wake up is a new opportunity to turn things around
@@trueuniverse690 what you say is true but misses the point. The fact that we have authority over our next action doesn't change the fact that, as the saying goes, "no man is an island". The fact that we can keep making choices might not be a comfort to the desperately poor, or to the condemned criminal, to the chronically ill, to the victim of oppression. There are persons who would benefit from a complete fresh start, and it's not wrong that a genre of literature addresses that desire.
I think what set Frieren off more than other fantasy animes is the fact that this is the closest we've gotten to modern adaptation of Tolkens work that is good. Frieren is easier to compare to european fantasy book, rather than other fantasy mangas from Japan.
It’s funny to imagine that Sousou no Frieren does a lot better at paying homage to Tolkien’s works than a literal show included in the LOTR franchise.
What’s even funnier is that both shows have similar premises, but Sousou no Frieren is not tedious to watch and has likable characters.
@@Kureemy It's the difference between creators loving their audience and hating them
I've read LotR trilogy and besides both being fantasy there is about nothing in common between the two, not in substance nor style. Are you referring maybe to other books?
@@vulpex4105 World-building is closer to D&D, but I think the atmosphere is a LITTLE closer to LOTR (I've also read the books), especially the post-ring destroying period. Instead of being all action with an awesome protag being awesome in a world where a new baddie pops up every Tuesday, Frieren's focus is on the main characters moving through the world around them, and their own personal struggles. Likewise not every settlement they run into is plagued with a terrible problem that only the adventurers can solve; most people are just living their lives day-to-day without worrying about being eaten by a dragon or enslaved by a Dark Lord.
Yes-ish.
Frieren's journey resonates with you if you have that maturity in life, and that breath of perspective and lived experience, making you realise how far you have come and how much things have changed and how little control you had over things in this time.
It gives you that pause, that realisation that be what may, we do have the ability to push back and change course, and that it is never too late.
facts.
“if you have that maturity in life…” What a great way to describe it. I’m 25 and finishing my time in the military, while my good friend is 20 and still has time left in service. We both watched it together and he found it boring, where I found it profound and beautiful. One day he’ll go back and find exactly what we saw.
@@BadApple909 I watched Frieren as it aired when I was 18 and I found it profound and beautiful as well, and I haven't done too much with my life. I suppose I'm just saying that you don't need experience and age to be able to appreciate what makes Frieren such an amazing show.
@@Strawlocka If you're young, you need empathy. If you're an old fart, you just need to allow yourself to feel stuff, because there's no need to guess or empathize to know why some of it would hit -- it just hits.
So... It's not like a young person can't appreciate it. But as a young person you can't really experience it quite the same way. That's not to diminish your experience, that's just to say that they are different experiences. ;)
@@tomaszwota1465Stop
1:04 beautiful editting w the piano. Just started the video, and it's already my favorite part
This part made me tear up for some reason😂 Might be a bit hormonal lol
I like how the names of every character in the show are German words that describe an aspect of the character the word is attributed to. It's not quite related to the overall message of this vid, but it can really help understand a lot of the different characters' basic tropes *or* how those characters go against said tropes.
Having me realize that Spirited Away was an Isekai seriously fucked me up. shit.
Same, lol!
The godfather of isekai!
not even @@backpackpepelon3867
The literal idea of Isekai is literally being transported to another world. I'm confused how is Frieren an Isekai if everything happens in 1 world?
@@Vizible21 Frieren is fantasy not an isekai
The film is great and emotional, and your analysis is on point, but darn, the way you edited this video? Gorgeous. Perfect. Makes me wanna watch the whole series again, even though I have just watched it this morning 😂😂😂
You got yourself a new follower! Keep up the good work!
Not being an isekai is a good start in avoiding isekai issues.
Yep that's probably the biggest issue with most isekai.
My first thought lol
@@rasurin Good video, but man that title is click baity.
@@futuza not really in the sense that he returned back to the title on how frieren revitalized the fantasy genre that isekai kind of sullied (and explaining the reasoning why he brought up isekai to bring up Frieren in comparison to it). He went back to the main point that the title was implying which is not click bait when he refers back to it on why he made it.
i think the point is that frieren, despite being an adjacent genre of fantasy, has touched the fantasy genre in such a way that it is making the flaws of isekai that get shoveled out nonstop more and more obvious; and as the saying goes, "the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem"
it doesn't need to be an isekai! it deals with so many of the same concepts that are often tapped into by isekai that it feels very similar, but it takes a drastically different approach and that way illuminates exactly what is wrong with most isekai;
they are detached from reality.
frieren seems to be embracing those things about reality that people use isekai to run from, and showing that not only are those "mundane struggles" not worth throwing away, they are something to appreciate... they can be quite beautiful, even if they are painful. and this video demonstrated to me that not only is isekai a good genre, it is one that is good even in spite of being overdone/abused/generally misunderstood. if the next isekai writers look to shows like frieren and accept that some of the traditional isekai strategies have a shallowness to them or float over real issues they can address, the next batch of isekai will probably be absolutely splendid. and i think that's what these creators were trying to highlight :)
it may not be an isekai, but it certainly can influence isekai... just like old western mystery novels aren't fantasy, but they HEAVILY influenced one of my favorite fantasy series of all time, umineko!
(umineko even gets into how Biblical study borders on mystery-novel type puzzle analysis, and uses that to thematically propel itself. i think that kind of adjacent influencing is exactly what our CC friends here are trying to highlight)
这是UA-cam上少有的对这部作品有真正思考的视频，一开始的intro部分就完美地把故事的情绪传达给观众了，无论是画面，剪接还是音乐，都恰到好处。最重要的是对故事内涵的解读也很有深入的思考，尤其是 “...成功是在错误中学习；和朋友一起从错误中成长” 这些观点都令人难忘。谢谢你的视频，我已经关注你了。
This is truly a great video Bro!
I knew that Frieren was a special anime when I started ugly crying within the first 5 minutes. While I am a fairly emotionally sensitive person, it takes a certain skill to be able to write in a way that so firmly plants the viewer into the emotions of characters that they only just met a few seconds ago. Normally, you have to kind of get to know the characters and "fall in love" with them to be able to empathize with them, but the way this show was written, it feels like you already know the characters. I don't really know how to put my feelings into actual words. Either way, I'm glad that I randomly decided to start watching Frieren.
You and me both 😂 I'm pretty sure it's because of me hitting my Saturn's Return year but this anime sure did hit home
When i saw the movie UP
That first 10 15 mins was such a rollercoaster
Frieren anime is so nice :)
OMG ME TOO! In my case I was actually shocked because of Himmel's death.
I was like, "IT'S NOT EVEN HALF OF THE EPISODE AND SOMEONE DIED?? WHATT?? NOOO!!"
I picked up the Sousou no Frieren manga three years ago while randomly browsing various fantasy/Isekai manga. I still remember binging what was released at the time. I also recall how much the manga came off as all that I wanted in a Shounen Fantasy series. I even had an inkling that the manga would become an anime someday, so I was ecstatic when I saw the anime announcement last year. I, for one, am glad how well the series is doing and happy that others find it such a great series as well.
To me, Frieren contains multiple genres in one well executed package:
1. Emotional and philosophical undertones sprinkled along the story? Check.
2. Slice-of-life with subtle comedy? Check.
3. Hot-blooded Shounen battles? Check.
4. Well-paced world-building? Check.
5. Implied or subtle romance? Check.
I know the fantasy genre isn't for everyone, but I feel like Sousou no Frieren contains so many sub-genres that it appeals to a much wider audience that one would think for a fantasy series.
To me, Frieren is the quintessential example of a how good the anime medium is and it's why I've basically been a lifelong fan of anime and manga. Thank you for your thoughtful exposition, I loved your video style and on-point commentary. Hopefully Frieren helps to elevate the anime medium further and I love how you broke down all the good points of Frieren.
What an excellent and well thought out video!
The quote, "It is never too late too change." is such a simple sentence. Yet such sentence is merely ignored by others, until he/she loses what "was" important to them. Though through attempts to feel or know this has been unsuccessful for most, "It would never be too late to try." Is your next sentence.
Only once where you lazed around, you begin to remember "Moments like these, come and go, forever etched in memory. It repeats inside your head as you get trapped in its melancholy."
Frieren is definitely worthy of the top spot on Mal, it is an instant classic, it's kinda like Steph curry many will discount his greatness until he's retired, some won't recognize the greatness of Frieren until a decade has passed and we see the effects it has on other manga, only those who are open to change will realize we are watching a classic unfold before us, the new standard.
Also really great to hear someone else recognize the wasted potential of isekai.
You make a great point. A true expression of greatness is how it affects other stories in the genre. It will take some time before we see any influence, but it is worth paying attention to the new offerings over the next 5 years.
Frieren is not isekai though... Frieren is just fantasy. jrpg style fantasy
@@PremMumi wasn't talking about Frieren, was commenting on the part where he talks about isekai and how he feels the idea is wasted on kirito clones/generic op mcs , when so many other possibilities exist but no one wants to step out of that box to truly explore what could come out of that
@@PremMumi or some people called them "Native Isekai" XD
I agree, Frieren will define the fantasy and perhaps even the Isekai genre for the next decade or more. If anything, pure Fantasy stories will be back in the mainstream in next 5 years.
I loved the vibe and the delivery of this video, the music, all of it. So wholesome.
This channel's such a breath of fresh air, keep up the incredible work guys!
Coz it is that definitive fantasy anime. And it is classic epic fantasy that's why it is a breath of fresh air. And obviously story and characters are amazing. With top notch score and animation the anime just doomed to be number 1
nothing about what you said aligns with breath of fresh air. you have failed to acknowledge what separates it and why majority people connect with it, like how this video does so well. you said how you identify with it on a very surface level. dive deeper, understand what emotions it is provoking
What an excellent video, from the opening few seconds I knew this was gonna be a new favourite channel.
Man... I just want to point out - timing those Anime shots with 'Clair de Lune' was a stroke of genius!
What a quality materail - instant like & subsribe 🙏
Thank you. I truly appreciated how the delivery was similarly paced to Frieren unlike the usual fast paced videos that are common today. I really appreciate that in great detail and I too relate to finding Frieren pre anime and I couldn't continue reading it back them because it gave me an existential crisis. However, now that I've watched and continued to read it it truly is something I hold close to my heart. Thank you for this video
Beautiful.. it's amazing how you came out with all those words, its like you chant spell on us. keep up the great work
This anime truley felt like a wake up call to whimsically wandering through life, I felt not the pressure to take things more serious, but to enjoy the time spent doing the things I love all the more. those friendships that you want to nuture, the passions that you wish to achieve more with, self growth in it best form of living in those moments.
Your channel has some of the best stuff on UA-cam, it's a crime you aren't recognized more.
I mean he's got almost 1/2 a million subs in 4 months with only 4 videos, it's actually incredibly impressive.
What tf are you on about@@phantomviper211
@maximus1172 oh you are right, still pretty impressive nonetheless
This is the third of these chanel's videos that I watched and I gotta say they are so well made! The editing, the choice of music, the spoken text and so on. High quality stuff!
i dont think anyone has put the problem of isekai more succinctly and politely as you have. you are one of the most brilliant youtube essayists.
He didn't, he said isekai when he means fantasy anime in general
Well... Now I have ANOTHER new show to watch... THANKS
Jokes aside, love the video! Looks like a meaningful and unique series that I'll love to delve into
It's worth it. We just got Episode 26 today, and it was a rollercoaster. The show finds a way to move the audience every single episode. Better yet, there is no fluff or filler. Every single frame has purpose in the story. Even the mimics, which is subtle fan service, show that despite being very old and wise, Frieren is still a young elf.
Frieren is one of that anime that you wish to forget to watch it for the first time again
Hope you’re enjoying it! This show is amazing
@@dawnfallon6812 Heck, I feel like in this show the episode they stop to clean a statue is top content, and occasionally they stop and annihilate a demon army for filler.
You got my tears, and also my time, and few people had gotten this, you diserve my sub
Genuinely one of the most well written and beautifully edited youtube videos I've ever watched.
Thank you.
This was a beautiful, intelligent, concise essay. I teared up three separate times, either from understanding of how good Frieren was written and seeing someone else appreciate it, or from your words themselves- of how well written the video itself is.
I cannot give you and your team enough praise. It was genuinely awesome.
Thank you for making this, I've been enjoying this anime, and I appreciate that you land every note that I've been loving about this
I've read the manga and it made me realise how little time I have left to spend time with my grandparents.
Took them around the country and they passed on 2 years later.
When the anime adaptation came out, I realised I need to touch grass again.
Took 2 weeks off to the Borneo Island and never regret that decision.
This had me crying... Obviously Frieren is a masterpiece of its own, but you analyzed its themes in such a soft, loving way that proves just how meaningful it is to you. Thank you, cause everything you said is exactly what I got out of this beautiful story and I truly hope this inspires someone else to watch it as well 💞 Frieren is a wonderful journey that I hope will be experienced by many
I’m gonna finish this vid later. Just wanted to say, after starting your video I started the anime in question and I’m enjoying it. Thank you
I've been wandering around on UA-cam watching 'Frieren analysis/essays' or whatever else you could call that for a few days now, simply because I wanted not to part with story just yet. And in most cases, these videos were summaries of first episode of the show, with pointing outs of what the creators have found most important.
Your work, however, has much deeper analysis of the show. Instead of talking about things that happened in the show, you put Frieren in context with other animes of similar genre, interpret important lessons which can be taken from it without telling exact detail of any episode (sorry but that really started ticking me off after a few videos), and make every part of the video relevant to its main idea. It made me think about the show in a way that I haven't thought about yet, and appreciate it even more.
So yeah, that's my way to say: I love your video mate, keep up the great work!
the editngs keeps me focus on your voice even more, Truly smooth edit and perfect pace at each word spoken translated to visual
for real, the editing is top tier
They don't serve what he is saying as well as they can. He sometimes picks the wrong examples for what he is describing, and that throws those who know the context of the associated clips off. Otherwise the editing is smooth and engaging.
u did a great job i dont know if its because its frieren but it felt really good to watch this video.
the things u said...
the background music u used....
and the glipses from the show ....
all were (for a lack of better a word) soothing.
thank you.
Videos like this makes frieren so good it's just so good everything from the story the animation to the developments the side characters as well felt like they were real people with actual personality and feelings
Its so hard to move on from this anime to my own life, the feelings it gave me made a huge scar on my own soul, in a good way. Thank you Frieren.
Congratulation, beautiful take and amazing editing !
This almost made me cry, thanks. Beautifully written and said, Frieren quickly became my all time favorite anime and this video pretty much captures why.
And himmel got reincarnated in Japan to be employed in Mappa studio
Damn bruh, why you doing Himmel so dirty 😂
@@dentkort It's praise, Himmel loves Frieren so much he reincarnated to animate her show
@@Mag_ladroth Aren't their animators paid like crap and overworked though? That sounds like a pretty cruel fate.
@@futuza It's not work if you love every second of it
@@futuza It's not really an issue exclusive to animators. Everyone in japan works long hours and gets paid little because the Japanese government has high taxes and a safety net where fired employees continue to get paid until they find a new job. So most of your income you don't get to keep and companies don't want to hire anyone who got fired or quit, leading to little chance of changing employers if you want a skilled career, leaving you to the mercy of your current employer.
Amazing use of music, it made the video way more enjoyable!
the isekai concepts i like are the ones where the protagonist is already a professional in our own world and is merely applying their profession onto the new world.
I noticed that I generally like competent main characters, or at least characters who seem to know what they're doing. Watching people embarrass themselves makes me cringe in an uncomfortable way for some reason.
Characters like Frieren (who's practically OP). John Wick would be another good example for an OP character done right. (They don't have to be OP, these are just two examples that came to mind).
Making them compelling can be difficult though, as powerful characters can become boring to watch if not handled correctly.
@@Lurion_K9 indeed. i think the trick is to understand the difference between a competent character and a powerful character.
and if you think about it, most of the chars in isekais actually incompetent and only getting by because of some magical cheat power or the world is based off "rpg mechanics" that lets them buy into being magically better at whatever just for smacking enough monstrous animals and pick enough magic flowers
I agree, that was actually something I liked about "Worlds Greatest Assassin becomes an Aristocrat" (or whatever the title was) because the main character was already a world class assassin, so when he gets isekaied and is a bad ass in the fantasy world, it makes sense. Its not some weeb who never left his house but as soon as he enters the fantasy world he gets cheat code powers and one shots everything, its as you said, a professional applying their profession to the new world.
And its actually ironic that even though the main character of this isekai is a world class assassin, reborn in a magical world where he is the son of a master assassin, he doesn't feel bullshit op. He has two life times worth of assassination experience, yet in a test against his isekai dad, he still struggles and the antagonist of the last few episodes he has to take out with prep time and manipulation because fighting him head on would be suicide.
I have watched quite a few isekai and its amazing how a world class assassin feels less op than loser nerds in this genre.
@@MysteriousTomJenkins exactly. that's another i need to watch. another anime i was thinking of but not entirely sure counts as a proper isekai but still involves travelling to a fantasy world is The Gate. that one anime where basically the japanese military isekais itself by passing through an interdimensional gate between tokyo and fantasy world and brings modern weapons and vehicles along. main character is a "relatable" nerd but also was already a lieutenant for the military.
@@MysteriousTomJenkins What do you think of the Anime Knights and Magic or even its Manga? It is a Mecha genre. It is about a Programmer who is then isekai into a world with robots and Magic. Magic is a lot like programming. Also if you think about Kenja no Mago (Wise Mans Grandson) if you combine the programming component and the chemical make up of the process to the finished result you could be like a god right? And no cheat code powers.
I find it funny about what you said here though " Its not some weeb who never left his house but as soon as he enters the fantasy world he gets cheat code powers and one shots everything, its as you said, a professional applying their profession to the new world. " Cause in those cases we don't know about their profession though. So they could be a weeb but had a job that they benefit with experience. Another is Kamitachi ni Hirowareta Otoko (By the Grace of the Gods) even though he has cheat skills he lives a normal life thanks to his previous life experiences as an office worker/salaryman.
What do you think on that?
I just came from Star Wars de-infantilized. I got 2 things:
1) WOW are you an underrated tuber. The way you string together footage that lines up and goes in time with the music is amazing.
2) I never expected to see a tuber that loves both Star Wars and anime. My hat's off to you and the sub button is pushed!
Thank you for the message you chose to focus on in this essay. I really needed it today.
This is the first time I've been compelled to leave a comment on a video. This was a very well made video about Frieren and I enjoyed every second of it. You summed up what I felt about Frieren's story with very clear and precise words. A lot about this resonated with me and gave me comfort. I thought I'd let you know. Thank you so much for this.
Awww
It shows how much you like this story and its characters just by how you speak. It's like you bottled up all the things you liked most and showed it to us like it your own private collections of wonders! Thanks!
Fantastic effort on this video. Well written, fantastically arranged and edited. Great work.
This is an excellent video essay about Frieren. The quality in writing and producing is leagues better than some other videos out there that only scratch the surface. I feel like you really struck at the core of what makes this show so great, nice work!
This was an absolutely beautifully done video essay, and put into words a lot of things I love about the show that I hadn't been able to express. And the editing to Clair de Lune in the beginning? So, so lovely. You've got me almost crying on my lunch break 😆🥰
This is a stunning and well-crafted video! Thanks for sharing it!!
I just wanted to tell you that this channel is beautiful. You have a great feel of beauty, and you can talk about it in a very wholesomely simple way...
Thank you for that
Thank you so much!
i love how you explained everything. i started this anime but find it boring at first ep, but saw a lot of people talking about how beautiful it is so i want to give it another try. then saw this. definitely gonna watch it soon! thank you!
I hate how many Isekais don't even need to be Isekai. They could've been fine as stand alone fantasy.
this! the part of coming from another world gets forgotten after ep 1. its like what was the premise again?
@@zephyrias This is because readers on Narou want Isekai. So authors bait them that way into reading their fantasy stories.
@@freesoftwareextremist8119 mmm i see. I was speaking in general about isekai. Though sometimes I see it in Live action shows too. Its not exclusive to anime.
This applies to reincarnated as a slime well because they don’t even mention the life of Rimuru before his death after like 10 episodes in. Jobless Reincarnation on the other hand has constant involvement of the MC’s past life such as referencing the MC’s struggles during his past life.
@@zephyrias Isekai is a simple way of explaining the world to the viewer, by having a character explain them to another character as they crop up. I remember being tempted to go down that path with my own writings but I felt it was a lazy method even back then (this was over 20 years ago btw, before the genre was even given a name.) There are countless other methods ranging from having a character who's highly sheltered to the world itself undergoing a radical shift (bringing the Isekai to the characters in a way I guess)
Oh man, the editing on the opening Clair de Lune section was fantastic and certainly not easy to do!
While many - myself included - get stupefied by the production values of Frieren, it’s nice to be reminded that the story and themes hold us captivated just as much as animation or score.
Eager to see what else you guys create!
Frieren is by far one of the best shows I've ever watched. And as a 25+ year long fan of the genre, that says a lot. I've seen hundreds of shows in my lifetime if not close to a thousand and this show is genuinely phenomenal
This channel is such a gem. The editing is tight, the subject matter is explored thoughtfuly, and the whole thing is full to the brim with passion and personal investment. I just can't get enough!
You have made a wonderful video essay, even had me tearing up on some parts. This is a great homage to this masterpiece and I hope more people see this. Subbed!
just enough that i feel like i know the story a bit now, but just not enough that i am still engaged in wanting to watch it...
fantastic analysis, and gave me a lot to think about with fantasy/isekai in general. thank you guys for your great work
this anime and its message is just beautiful.
It had me so hooked that i watched 27 episodes in two sittings (one 4 hour nap)
visually and emotionally it was just art.
the production team fucking nailed it.
Frieren is also very cute (i will never get tired of seeing sleepy frieren).
i agree with you 100% about most isekai anime. they feel souless
I was bored af. And it was in episode 2
@@gattogigi9688 its Not for Kids
@@cwarnkecomedy iam older then u probably...
@@gattogigi9688 @gattogigi9688 not old enough to learn the difference between "than" and "then"... But you have a point, the first couple of episodes are kinda boring, but it will make sense later as comparison for character growth, also the payoff is just the best ive seen in a while, if you are above 30 you should watch it bro
This is how good it is: I never read comics or manga in my entire life, but I just had to know how the story plays out so I read the manga even though I never believed I could force myself to do it, it was worth it
@gattogigi9688 Age, sometimes, is just a number
This has got to be the best way to explain frieren, you earned a subscription for the lifespan of the elf herself.
This Video brought me to shed tears again.. Thank You.
Only one of your owrks ive ever seen, but damn did you comunicate feelings that I didnt even know I had. I am proud to call myself a new subscriber
same here, i think this vid has perfectly described our feelings that we didn't even know when we watch the show.
Same!
this reminds I once thought of something, an immortal bard who goes around and tells the stories of people not known, people who lived, who existed, he travels with them, remembers them, and passes on their stories, be it small or big. Everyone knows that hero, but have you heard of blah blah? they did this and that or whatever.
Blind Guardian - The Bard's Song
I loved this show for a hundred reasons, and you helped me out words to the culmination of a lot of fragments I had already identified! Really great video
This is one of the best video essays I've ever seen. That was a wonderful closing, thank you for this