My favorite spell Frieren learns is the one that makes grapes sour. She offhandedly mentions it early on and only after a few episodes do you find out that one of her party member's favorite snacks is sour grapes.
Frieren is the only show I've ever seen that will have one episode feel like an hour, and the next feels like 5 minutes. Both are equally engaging, both leave me wanting more. It's so incredibly well done.
I think it's because they don't seem to really take pacing into account as if it's a normal show. Things happen, and when it's time to get raw, it just does, without too much buildup... all the multi-episode buildup is a low psychological boil until it just explodes. What I mean is that they don't do like cliffhangers mid battle, nor do they bloc it out so that an encounter ends the episode. Kind of like the story's concept as a whole, the action tends to happen at the HALFWAY point of an episode, so you get to see a buildup from the beginning, conflict and resolution in the middle, and the aftermath/how perspectives shift leading to the end. I haven't seen another show do it like that before aside from Mushoku Tensei.
This is so true. I distinctly remember watching an episode and picking up the remote in anticipation of going to the next episode only to find that I was only half way through!
Check out To Your Eternity. I swear when the the first episode ended I felt like I had to exit the movie theatre. But I was at home in my chair... blew me away.
Fun fact: "Sousou" the way it is spelled means (according to jisho) "attending a funeral procession; seeing off the deceased; burial of someone's remains; observing a burial", which in a way Frieren does, sending off her old friends. But also "Sousou no Frieren" is the name demons give her, because she sends them to their grave
The english manga uses the title frieren at the funeral, then the aura arc happend and people were all like "shit do we change the title?" But frieren the undertaker might have been a tad too heavy metal. The anime localisation team decided not to bother with the double meaning of sousou and went with beyond journey's end
One of the most surprising shows I’ve seen in the past couple years didn’t think I’d enjoy this show more that JJK that season alone w/ Apothecary Diariesa
Stark's motivation is actually a little bit more nunanced than you made it to be. It's not really vague or shonen-esque (i.e about getting stronger or proving anything), he told Fern in one of the episodes that his main motivation is to have an epic adventure and many interesting tales of adventure that he can go back and tell to his master Eisen before Eisen dies of old age, that's his true established motivation so far which is quite unique IMO.
Stark realy is the best boy. his motivation is entirely selfless as he does it for Eisen and to see him happy when he tells his own tale. meanwhile his char arc is to overcome his own fears while learning, that everyone is afraid at certan times and that it is no weakness to be afraid. I can't remember the last time where a cowardly char was not only taken serious, but be a total badass during this time
@@KeitieKalopsia lol “stark” contrast but yes all three are on the journey to repay a debt in a sense. Only the person Stark owes it to is still alive. The themes are interwoven so well. Frieren is traveling to form memories and Stark too but he has someone to relay them to when he gets home.
It's amazing the amount of criticism this series is getting today, over the first class mage exam arc. Yes, about 40 percent of the anime is going to be that exam, but the manga and the light novel source material is to blame for that. This is also setting up why the main character and the archmage are enemies. It is also necessary to set up the next series of side quests and adventures. People are introduced in this exam that are significantly important later on. As a current manga reader, I would not have written out the exam, I would not have shortened the episode count either. The same idiots who are criticizing the direction of the finale for The season, are also forgetting that the group spent five or six episodes stuck in a town fighting Aura the guillotine.
Frieren’s tiny smile at Fern and Stark’s antics, her smug look when she thinks she is going to blow everyone away with a bit of knowledge or the gift she picked out. Fern’s pouty face when she is annoyed, or her look of disappointment when she was about to be impressed by Stark’s words, until he actually says them. It is the small things that I love, but then Even Call’s score swells, and someone is going to do something badass. Love this series so much.
My favorite is when Fern says to Stark with a deadpan face "And you also have the face of a scoundrel", then lets a small quick smile escape when Stark tells her to shut up. So quick you might miss it on first viewing, but I love that detail and chemistry.
@@vianneyb.8776 the subtlety is really what makes it great. Makes it feel genuine, like they are actual people with real quirks and ways of thinking and behaving almost on instinct, not forcing it but just doing it out of sheer personality habits
Lol that scene where she is chasing Stark for his birthday and finds him looking at clouds, I laughed so hard! Her face and then him saying I gotta tell Fern, so so funny.
The story is about Frieren finding Himmel inside herself. Every time she is faced with a situation, she is constantly choosing an outcome based on if it's what Himmel would do. She cries at the beginning because she thinks she didn't get to know Himmel well enough, and i believe it will be shown through the story that in fact she knows him very well, because she's now living her life in a way that Himmel would have lived. Frieren is slowly becoming the Himmel of the party, which is why the party doesn't need a "face" of the party.
I personally think there is one thing that this show does well, that almost every other show somehow misses. The timing of the lack of dialogue is perfect. Simple words, gestures, and silent head nods say so much more in this show than others that I have watched. The best example is the exchange between Old Man Voll and Frieren when leaving the village. It was just him saying that he dreamt about his wife, and how talking with her helped that to happen. All Frieren said was, "See you," then she smiled slightly and turned away. That simple 15-20 seconds said so much about the level of story-telling that this show has. Because I, personally, could feel the 3-4 hour conversation that had just actually happened between them in that little space in time. It made me smile and tear up at the same time. Even if you took away the conversation they had earlier in the episode, you would still feel the exact same thing from it. Because of the "hidden" words between the two of them. At least that's what I believe.
Frieren's anime production have understood 'Show don't tell' that most anime just simply cannot seem to reproduce and it's so refreshing. it makes the characters have so much emotions and truth behind them, that you can truly connect with what they feel, or ask yourself 'What are they feeling or thinking right now ?', 'what's going on in their head ?'. It makes you be so much more attached and engaged with their turmoil instead of being 'Just get over it !' or 'stop being a useless mess, we get you're conflicted !'. You just appreciate every detail because, Tchekov's gun, you get rewarded for it, like 'Oh Frieren has a sour grape spell lmao.' and 'Wait, Aisen's favorite thing is sour grapes ? *Oh*'. You treat every detail as important, and that's what makes Frieren great to me. It makes you CARE for silly things and oh how poetic it is when it's the freakin point of the story, managing to make the audience connect with the subject like that.
@@rosevalety3408 That is so true about storytelling overall today, not just anime. This show steps away from the "tropes" aspect (which while it helps give some shows a template in some cases, I feel it is overused, though I do enjoy it from time to time myself), which I feel brings a deeper connection to the characters overall. They feel more "real" than just a cut-and-paste retread of something that has been done so many times already. For me, I feel a similar attachment to Frieren that I do to Holo from Spice and Wolf. Both are powerful beings, but they have their flaws. They are in fantasy worlds, but they don't have a "demon king" type of threat that most of them are usually based around. You have less focus on "let's kill the big baddie", and more of a "who are these people?" kind of aspect to the story. Then there is the pacing. The beauty of that pacing, it is all about the story. It is slow to develop and build each moment. This show does it so well, that when the story allows it, a "powerful" moment will hit way harder than it would in most other shows. It is an example of the right way to use slower pacing in the story. More than once I've found myself thinking at the end of an episode, "I can't wait to see how this aspect finishes", or "I can't wait to see where this goes next". It's been a while since I've thought or felt that during a show of any kind. It hasn't faded yet, and the last episode I've watched up to this point was #26. Frieren hasn't overstayed her welcome in my mind. None of the characters have, they all still have so much room to grow. It has a similar feel for me when it comes to Holo and Kraft from Spice and Wolf, even at the end. I honestly think that this show will end up in a similar way with me. That is a testament to the storytelling in and of itself.
@@keithricker504 I distinctly remember in the scene in that same episode, where Voll is telling Himmel that it might seem silly how he is keeping a promise he made to someone who is already dead. The shot lingers to a closeup of Himmel's eyes as it slowly shifts downwards, as if in thought. I'm certain that the subtext for that shot was to show Himmel thinking how Voll's story parallels theirs. About what could happen to Frieren if he pursues her in a romantic light, only for him to leave her alone as he naturally died. That small bit was so wonderfully done.
One thing that really impressed me is just how much happens in the first episode. Solo Leveling in two episodes has less happen than Frieren did in 10 minutes. It's a masterful presentation of how to start a show.
The author is really talented and you can tell the adaption team REALLY care about this project . The “passion project” vibes are just oozing out of this adaption . It’s hard to describe but you can just tell when a whole team is putting their all into a project
Solo leveling was hurt from not doing a double premier. Frieren is a story that takes place over 50 years. And it also has a storybook style where events are told you and dont happen in front of you. This pacing is way too fast for a story where you are meant to feel you are experiencing the world istead of viewing it from above. Solo leveling is a mote intimate show in regards to the viewers perspective. Slow pacing is neccesary for the big hit in episode 2 to land. Also, solo leveling got ALOT of the worldbuilding, and setup out of the way. From now on. Its gonna be jjk type pacing, fight after fight after fight.
@@ayoo_wassup Sorry, but solo leveling was just a bad first episode. It clearly should have gotten to the appearance of the System cliff-hanger at the end of the first episode, not the second. There's nothing else in there that couldn't have been world-built or flash-backed later. "The Unwanted Undead Adventurer" gets this right, for example: you see its evolution gimmick before the end of the first episode.
@pfeilspitze Hmm. I'm not too sure. Waiting a week between them I agree with you. Not enough to hold you for a week But binging them together I don't agree. I feel like sinking into the normalcy of this world was important. Characterizing sung as a normal struggling guy was important. Taking the time to see the group dynamic in the dungeon, slower pacing helped the gritty and feel real. Dread building, this isn't an isekai dungeon romp, it DANGEROUS culminating in the horror esque climax. That lead up is IMPORTANT to identifying with his mental breakdown on the alter. When you hear his personality shift. Like I said. Solo leveling first part is viewed closer by the viewer. Frieren feels like a fairy tale. You're disconnected. Kept at a distance. Also not fair to compare pacing of wolrdbuilding when solo leveling world is at least marginally unique requiring some explanation While frieren was just like. "Genereic fantasy world....demon king.....moving on"
well yea but Solo Leveling isn't a great comparison since Solo Leveling is basically a nothing story, it's just a straight power fantasy with nothing interesting to say
The pacing being magically relaxed and soothing while the time stamps tell you that your are going at two plot points by episode is indeed some kind of sorcery. Also, the pauses to enjoy the moment is such an exquisitely done overarching meta point.
This show is probably one of the best shows to really hit home about living life after losing someone you love in such a way that really can't be understated. The old dwarven man forgetting his wife really hit home because I can barely remember my grandfather and yet he was such a huge person in my life that I still wish he were alive because he very well could've been. His impact on who I am is immense and yet I can barely picture him in my head, or hear his voice anymore...
Yes I remember mine now. Some years ago I told my young son about him and this little boy said we could build a ladder to meet him. Needless to say I cried. Frieren let me reflect on my lost ones.
I feel the same way bud. My grandpa passed nearly a decade ago. He wanted so badly to watch me grow up. But his health continued to decline until he just cudnt anymore. Even tho my grandma wanted to pass on right away to be w him in heaven, she pushed herself so that she cud watch me grow up and get my 1st job in his stead. Now it’s been 4 years without either of them.
Yaknow what Frieren's favorite spell is? The field of flowers spell. That really says it all. Its such a beautiful story. And her arch-nemesis? Mimics! giggle.
I started Frieren on a whim and wound up binging all released episodes in a single weekend. I truly wasn’t expecting it to be as phenomenal as it was. Also I describe Stark to people who haven’t seen the show as Zenitsu, but he doesn’t suck.
@@Oliwav??? The first 3 episodes were some of the most interesting. If youre looking for an action packed series with adventure, youre looking in the wrong place. Frieren is more about introspection and its quiet moments, much like Berserk. However Berserk differs by making the action so noisy to make the quiet moments really pop out.
@@lucklesscomet4987 ok, then there's no point watching it for me:/ i heard few times its the best anime of 2023 and we started watching with my wife. We fell asleep. What a disappointment 😥
@@Oliwav sadly the show might just not be a good fit for you, that being said don't knock it off your list, maybe one day for some reason you will need something whit less action or whit more characters and world building...and Frieren might be there to fit your need
Frieren as a character is one of the most interesting takes on the Elf character I've seen as I wouldn't say she's emotionless, she does feel them but she's lived so long that she's experienced most things they are to experience enough times that they don't register like they should. But it was her first journey with Himmel and the rest that reawakened her interest by showing her that even if she's done this before, it can still make life worthwhile. Before Himmel, she only kept up her magical training because her master asked her to, she saw it as an obligation. But after him, she does it because he complimented her on it, saying that he could tell that she enjoyed it and that she should continue that. Even the other members of the party like Heiter and Eisen helped her to understand things she didn't or had forgotten such as the concept of faith even when you're not sure and true bravery. And we see her take such lessons and apply them t herself, such as how she believed in Stark when he didn't believe in himself, and why she so set on that one Priest joining them. Gigguk said something in his review of the manga which really sticks out to be which was that while her party saw her a friend, she was too disconnected from to say the same, which was why when she finally internalized that Himmel had died of old age, she wasn't so much crying over the loss of a dear friend as she was at the wasted opportunity to be his close friend, the signs of which were placed in the beginning and mid-points of that first part when she sees how the party celebrated their 10 year quest coming to a end, and Himmel revealing that he kept that one thing she gave him, despite the bad vibes for 50 years-just because his friend asked him to keep an eye on it, something that at first couldn't understand as it was 'just a spell ingredient' and '50 years isn't much time'. Also, there is a hint of tragedy to the story as we see that while the entire party were close to her, she was closest to Himmel who sought her out in the first place over a hunch, was the one she interacted with the most, would get her to engage with them in a social situation, and even would scold her whenever she did something bad like damaging the bodies of the reanimated. A lesson she still follows over 70 years later and will take GREAT offense to if a demon tries to tell her is stupid. There was even the reason he posed for so many statues as Himmel did it for her, so that in 10, 50, or 200 years time, they'll be evidence that they existed, that they did the things they did and that they were her friends so she could just find one of them on her later journeys, and be able to think back to the time they spent together. We also see through the ring sub plot that Himmel might have developed romantic feelings towards her, which he never tried to pursue, and she never noticed till 20 years after he dies which leaves us, and her feeling sad as it's anything thing she missed out on, but also another reason to cherish what she still has.
The "Final Farewell to the Departed" isn't referring to where she's going, it's referring to the entire story. She's retracing their steps to remember them and get to know them in a way that she failed to do so the first time. The entire journey is her farewell to her departed friends. The easier version of that title "Frieren at the Funeral" works better in this way. The entire journey is an extended funeral. Personally I don't think "you can talk to the dead at Ende" is going to turn out to be literally true, and Frieren will get there and realize that by revisiting the journey she's heard everything she needs to hear from them already. I mean, despite Flamme writing about it and claiming it will revolutionize the study of souls, nobody else has ever heard of it, including Frieren herself. I think Flamme just wrote that because she knew Frieren would need to read it in the future (since she clearly was able to see the future to some extent).
I think it's because Flamme understood Frieren's personality. Through their time together, Frieren was even _more_ apathetic. Joining her memories of important places and events together with being able to see how those places have changed can trigger nostalgia in anyone, but she'd need to actually go to outside to do that rather than sitting in one spot and dicking around. I also think that's why Kraft chose his path, and seemed happy to see Frieren (another rare creature) surrounded by people she seems to care about.
This is exactly why I’m on the fence about the existence of Heaven in Ende. However I wouldn’t mind it existing for the plot. Both outcomes would be very interesting.
I think it being real will be a much more satisfying ending. Imagine if eisen is there, the emotional rollercoaster that would be starks reaction to him being dead but still getting to recount his adventure would be beautiful
I think a middle point would be great. Heaven is real and the souls of the departed are there (not limited by physical manifestations within time and space), but there are no bodies and they manifest as echoes of their current, more ethereal condition. So there is no real conversation like you would have with a person that has a body and is alive, but probably a more mystical and subdued experience (maybe imbued in the surroundings themselves).
Do you have a sense of how many episodes will be in this first season of the anime? I rotate through paid subscriptions to streaming services and basically want to know when to re-subscribe to Crunchyroll to catch the end of this series. Thanks.
@@Jackman-yl1ke Thanks. I let my Crunchyroll subscription lapse at the end of 2023. I tend to binge anime for a month or two then take a break for a while. My current plan is to resubscribe every three or four months, so that should work out about right.
That was a beautiful outro, relating the message of Frieren starting to appreciate the "now" to us remembering to appreciate the things we currently have.
I feel like Frieren (and maybe all elves) has some kind of eidetic memory. She's traveling around, mapping everything in her head (she remembers the layout of the trees, for instance), and then she updates the mental map when she returns (I think we get a hint at this when she has to realize that Eisen isn't as young as he used to be). Humans, unlike the landscape, are constantly dying and changing so they're just a mess of different faces and relationships. But the passing down of knowledge (specifically magic) to the next generations stays the same. It's something about humanity she can hold on to. That is, until she finds there are people she regrets not knowing and observing grow up and grow old. And I think that's what makes this story so beautiful is that we watch Frieren go from a living database of humanity's magical knowledge to having this deep desire to become a memorial for and to honor her old friends. Living for generations, remembering exactly how they were, and passing that knowledge down to their pupils are things that only Frieren can do for them. Plus maybe she'll get a second chance to watch those pupils grow old, something she missed out on before with her previous friends.
Seeing what we've seen of Serie so far it is clear elves can recall extremelly old memories like they happened yesterday. Which makes me want to see Kraft come back even more.
It's been such a long time since a show with this level of consistent animation have been released. Really feels like the earlier days of anime when the standard in general was so much higher
@@raresmacovei8382 Aot is many things. Rushed is one of them. It’s good but even the most fanboys of fanboys have to admit animation wise it’s inconsistent. It goes up and down
There have been other anime with very high standard across multiple episodes/ whole season.... Mushoku Tensei (season 1), Kill la Kill, One Punch Man (season 1). And probably a few other I can't remember .... Miru Tights XD
@@Mic_Glow while mushoku tensei is cool, it's an anime known it's op mc and cool moments. Not for it's pacing or animation or anything close to that regard. Heavily relies on OP and it's fanservice. Would I call it high quality? no, it's decent. Above average for sure. I never said decent anime season has never come out in the 2000's. I said recently, one punch man is almost a decade old and kill la kill is 11 years old. And while they're good I'm talking about the extraordinary quality. OPM sure but I'm leaning towards Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood or Hunter X Hunter as of recent and they're a decade old aswell (aka not recent if you don't understand). Frieren is the only one that has beat FMAB in the number 1 rating AND still stay there, deservingly so too. In this context when I'm talking about high quality standard like the early days of anime, I'm not referring to mushoku tensei that doesn't clear that bar, it's stuff like Evangelion or ghost in the shell. when the standards of animation were just insanely high. Frieren doesn't clear that standard, but where Frieren is Mushoku tensei isn't even close. All I said was it reminded me of the days were standards where higher.
Also break form fanstay anime or isekai it more about story and character are have layers than be a type or try to defeat a demon king with op powers with a mc who are cut and pace and a harem they don't deserves because their no real reason of why they should like the mc them in that way so no real chemistry and lead to nowhere
I love how Madhouse can take a few panels from the manga and create amazing motion. Case in point the scene where Stark is on the ground after being attacked by Lügner then Fern shows up to take care of business. It is my favorite scene. I was surprised when I did read that part of the manga to see a panel or two. Same with the dance. Just one of the reasons why Frieren is my current favorite anime.
what a powerful note to end the video on, because that is something that Frieren has truly taught me after all is said and done: to appreciate the present, no matter how ephemeral it may seem
Regarding the point of Frieren's Party not having a "Face", I think that is not entirely incorrect. It's true that there's no replacing Himmel, but the party DOES have a friendly face whose actions mimic Himmel's in a lot of places: Stark. It is most obvious during the 1st Class Mage Exam arc, where we see the townsfolk greet him as they walk past, and ask if he needs anything, has eaten, etc. and one other points where Fern is looking for him, and she follows a trail of people Stark helped. Frieren's Party might not have a Himmel, who is charismatic and attractive, and who everone cares about because he is Hero Himmel. But they do have Stark, a young man with a slightly scary face, who just walks around and helps people whenever he has time, and who makes friends wherever he goes through simple acts of kindness.
My favorite thing that I saw in the show is when Frieren loses a ring after getting launched into the air and tries to say it doesnt matter and then fern learns himmel gave it to her and we get the back story that himmel essentially gave it to her in a proposal type manner. Though Frieren didnt see it as a proposal we know it means a lot to her because in the first episode after himmel's death we see her looking at a ring and only halfway through the show do we learn the ring she was looking at was the one himmel gave her. Such attention to detail that really tugs on your heart.
I can tell you how. Example: the music that accompanies the montage for the Graf's city in the aftermath of Aura the Guillotine's defeat. The song reaches its emotional climax exactly when the sword of the Graf's son is shoved into the dirt as part of a funeral scene and that gives the moment more of an impression with the audience (the moment brings me to tears actually). Another good example is the triumphal music that accompanies Frieren's capture of the Stille in the most recent episode. It reaches its emotional climax exactly when Frieren uses bird capturing magic to capture it off her shoulder giving the scene that added weight. The art of making music work to a scene is as old as Chaplin near the end of the silent era or even Stalling and his use of classical motifs in his cartoon scores. Its about finding a way for sound to levitate the moment so it has that direct impact on the audience. Evan Call does that so well throughout Frieren with strong orchestral flourishes as well as quiet less explosive music and captures his subject matter effectively
Yup! A crescendo doesn't always need to come with an enemy getting hit with a final blow. I posted up a bit about _Solo Leveling_ using Sawano's music, but it feels fake. Like they just used his name and reputation, but had him make carbon copy #35 of a Shingeki no Kyojin track in the exact same way. There was no thought, care or understanding behind it. Just a collection of references with no heart or mind.
In my experience, animé rarely utilizes music to its full potential to enhance a scene. This is often due to the short timeframe in which animé is produced, they simply do not have the time or the budget required to score out a unique piece of music with leitmotifs that match the action onscreen for a single scene. That they’re doing this properly in Frieren really shows just how much music can elevate an experience.
I love how much Frieren has to say, and then they put that message in an absolutely beautiful package, visually, aesthetically, musically, etc. So, it's also my anime of the year.
When watching yesterday's episode of Frieren I had the very strange experience of checking the timestamp halfway through because "they have to have done enough for a full episode already" and then screaming in frustration at the end because "that had to have only been five minutes". Both from the same episode.
With a mediocre show, you check timestamp hoping it's near the end already. With a good show, you don't check it at all. With a great show, you check it hoping there's still a lot to go.
If the pacing of the Exam arc is to judge, you won't be dissapointed until the very end of the first season. If anything, it only gets better from there.
@@shaikhulud1989 it will at the end. But El Dorado was some of the slowest parts of the manga in the first half. It's good, but I found myself disappointed with how long we spent on it compared to the other arcs in the manga.
@@gho5trun3r68 I don't think the slowness of the arc was entirely on the manga itself and more on the number of breaks the mangaka took in between many of the chapters. The arc is still slow but not as slow as I remember it to be having recently reread it.
I love the end of this arc too. Honestly the writer is very good at ending arcs- it always feels subversive, climactic and anti-climactic at the same time. The Aura arc is a perfect example
I think I love Frieren's Magic of the Mundane because it remembers us what we are and enjoy vs. what we must do to get a living. For all her power, her prowess in Fire Magic and success in dealing with demons, Flamme's favorite spell was the one that produced a field of flowers.
rest easy knowing that Frieren did not sizzle out, finishing season one has only left us feeling a mixture of joy and melancholy as we wait for a much needed second season.
With how reknown and well recieved frieren has been i hope the industry changes for the better so we can appreciate more art like this instead of quick cash grabs.
Public: We really liked this well made original anime! Ecxecutives: Quick, they want OP protagonists in fantasies with elf girls and lots of fan service! (I have no idea how they will connect Frieren to fansirvice, but they will)
@@looots1320 Much like how, to this day, moeblob shows exist, the tensei series will continue chugging along. The only change will be that it will be one or two a year, instead of one or two a day.
FUCC I lost this sub and forgot the name for like a decade, cause I lost my old account. We have both grown a lot, I'm glad we can finally meet again. I'll sub to you now.
Being 54 and just getting into anime never reading any of the books i found this series and instantly became my fav, not because of the animation but the actual story. The older you get you realize your own eventual death and the friends and the life you lived starts to come back in memories you relive moments and think of them quit often. While Frieren will live another 1000 or more years ours is short and the people we spend time with is the only thing that will keep our memory around. I hope this series continues until i am no longer here.
Been eagerly watching this every week. I've really enjoyed the small montages showing the passage of time, and the superb animation with the small moments, like putting on clothes (mostly stark putting on his jacket)
I usually like fantasy with more action, but I have to say this kept me watching even with the lack of weekly battles. I love the story of Frieren trying to understand and gradually developing a human connection
Agree. But I think that shows how fucking well done this anime is. The Art, the story, the characters, the music. Everything and when there is a battle its sick.
I initially didn't have a huge amount of interest in Frieren but thought I'd give it a shot and it quickly became my favorite anime. Madhouse has done a lot of good shit but I feel like if they can keep up the quality it's going to be their masterpiece. I get so excited for each episode and there hasn't been one yet that's left me saying "that's it?" Every thing about it is just so charming and the quality is just so consistently good. Love Frieren.
Got recommended here by "Mothers Basement", and so happy I listened. I've been binging as much of this channel as I could, great opinions and well spoken. Easy Sub
This was a very good analysis on Frieren's greatness, I hope more people watch it and value it for what it does to help you reflect on your own life and how important it is to cherish those around you.
DUDE YOU ARE MY FAVORITE. Your videos are a work of art. You have an in incredible expressive voice that belongs in voice acting lowkey, with an intelligent hilarious mind to match. I LOVE anime but you are the ONLY person on UA-cam who I bother watching anime videos about cause no one does it like you man. Thank you so much for your hard work and I hope you love doing these videos and are getting properly paid for this because I hope this never ends haha
You really hit me with perspective at the end there. Frieren is my favorite anime, too. I've thought that about a lot of anime... and I've always been right.
Reminder that "beyond journey's end" is a slightly questionable translation. The episode "Frieren the Slayer" is also a translation of "Sousou no Frieren". Thus why various places attempt other transitions of the name, like "Frieren at the Funeral" to try to keep some of that wordplay.
Ah, you got to this more around 13:30. The answer to your question about why that's the subtitle in English is that it's Crunchyroll, and they tend not to really care about their transitions. So they just did the "well that seems like what's going to happen based on the couple of episodes we saw at the beginning" more than actually knowing what would be best for the show. (See also silliness like "Cat Planet Cuties". Official English titles are often just bad.)
i like that little segment towards the end about how peoples favorite anime changes and its about enjoying what you are watching and going to watch not about defending what you previously liked for years down the line, even when you no longer can find joy from it.
This video aged well. It actually does not matter where the anime ended. This is one of the few anime that really, REALLY, is just about the journey, and not the destination. And boy, what a journey this is.
This was a lovely video that really put into words many ways in which this story excels, but I was shocked when you said your “last favorite” anime was Laid Back Camp- that also was my favorite anime of all time until the moment I started Frieren. It’s such an uncommon opinion, and I’m sure it’s no coincidence both of us experienced the same change in favorites. I think they’re deceptively similar, not in content, but presentation.
The observation seemingly no one else has made (and the hill I'm prepared to die on) is that Frieren makes us all feel profound sadness because her relationship with humans subconsciously reminds us of our relationships with our dogs. We appear as ageless immortals to them and know we'll outlive them yet they matter to us and, to dogs, while we're gone for "ages" (going to work) they know we'll always be there for them when they need us.
About the soundtracks (bgm), in some anime it feels like they are actually made for each other, and like you said a part of that is allowing it to breathe. Making it emphasize on what's shown on screen. Of course Violet Evergarden, also done by Evan Call, is a great example other favorites of mine are Non Non Biyori, Yuru Camp, Kobayashi's Dragon Maid and Cowboy Bebop. They elevate an already great anime to another level and make it all fall into place. Especially with Slice of Life great music is so so important!
The first time I read Sousou no Frieren I was 100% certain that it would not be adapted to an anime, not because its bad but because its so difficult to project the atmosphere and all around taste the manga brought to me. It was phenomenal and I could not imagine it being animated yet here we are! I'm just so thankful that I can still see Frieren animation and bask in all of its glory!
I like to examine visual media from two points. Production: Frieren is brilliant. The animation, even outside the bombastic battle scenes, are incredibly detailed. The animators have rendered the background, clothing, and character expression with a lot of care. The sound design and music is also very fitting. In fact, I expect that every instrument employed in the soundtrack could also be found in this fictional universe. Narrative density: this is hardly the place to attempt an exhaustive discussion of the many threads that weaved the story, but the primary draw of Frieren for me lies in its expressive nature. The story speaks the loudest when it talks in whispers. Wrapped within every statement, facial expression, recollection, and movement are narrative crumbs that makes otherwise trifling issues a fascinating, and often maudlin peek into the characters. It is quiet, morose, but surprisingly whimsical. It is something I can easily recommend to anyone who does not watch anime or fantasy.
I want to say that you have pretty much described exactly what and why I believe this anime is one of the best anime I have watched in recent years. It was a masterpiece and I fully loved this anime and it message. It was a beautiful and powerful story that made me cry made me laugh and awed me in equal measure. I read the anime before watching past episode one and I can honestly say that it has been one of the most faithful and fantastic adaptations that I have had the PRIVILEGE of watching and I hope that it continues. It is a beautiful story and needs to be told and finished. Thank you for putting into words the emotions and thoughts that I had when watching this beautiful and amazing series.
Only 4 minutes in but thats one of the things I LOVE about Frieren. I've often thought about these grand stories and adventures people go on in stories, video games, moveis, anime, whatever and what happens to these people *after* how is life for them? to go on some form of adventure that grand is it possible to return to a normal life? Its a super interesting question to me.
This anime made me feel that life is worth living. Not putting off my "great adventures" for tomorrow. It's not just a beautiful story, it's a question to yourself
I love the fact that in its slow beautifully slice of life pacing and mellow vibes, we know Freiren would absolutely stain the ground with these mages without so much as a bead a sweat.
The sound folks knew when to turn the music off in the first episode. The sound of a shovel, Frierens monologuing, and some headpats.. no music. It showed the audience that they were confident enough to go at it, without a music soundtrack.
It's my current favorite anime as well! Don't get me wrong there are many anime through the years that I've loved and probably have been my favorites, but just like you I can't have a favorite for a lifetime. But for now at least, I can fearlessly say Frieren is my favorite anime. And hopefully if the adaptation continues, even if it's further down the line, years from now, and keeps the same quality as it already is has, it will still be my favorite for the foreseeable future.
I'd like to thank you for this video... Not only for showing me that I'm not the only one who feels this way about Frieren, but also for introducing me to the absolute treasure that is Yuru Camp
I stg every time I find myself thinking (yet again) about Frieren and how amazing it is, I just endlessly repeat "it's just so good..." over and over. No other anime has stuck with me quite the same way.
You mentioning Frieren's "overpoweredness" and how it doesn't feel like a problem at all reminded me of MP100, and I think it says a lot about the sort of direction to be taken with OP characters. Frieren and Mob are both compelling and interesting protagonists to watch even if you know they're going to win a fight, because its the resolution of their emotions, memories and inner states that compels you. We're not here to see how flashy and strong they are (even if we can appreciate some sick fight scenes) but to see their emotions instead. I feel like there's definitely a fine line to walk with "emotionless OP protag" because I can very easily see that being a mind-bogglingly boring character, but it's nice seeing how compelling it is when done well.
Frieren isn't as overpowered as she seems, in part because she's not combat oriented. She learned violent spells to kill demons, but it's not what interests her. She's an eccentric collector who can fight, rather than a warrior. I'm pretty sure she's much weaker than an elf mage her age COULD be. that's probably why demons tried to kill all the elves.
@@dvillines26 Flamme trained her specifically to kill demons, so she's definitely combat oriented to a degree. What makes her overpowered is more the technical understanding of magic (probably tied in to her obsession with 'minor' spells) than raw power as such - pretty much every opponent we see her defeat she does so by out thinking rather than overpowering them.
It's not the big hole of infinite pain and sadness that Made in Abyss was but it is an upbeat adventure with a main character that's in some different ways of dealing with losing people.
Whats great about Frieren being my favorite right now is that as this show becomes my whole personality, this just means that more of my days will be spent trying to become a kinder person and slowing down to live more in the moment.
Thanks for making all these great videos over the years. I don't have time to watch anime because life is too busy and disorganized for me, so your videos really help me stay connected to the scene, if only tangentially. Keep up the great work.
Frieren sits top of all time anime, it might be an exaggeration but it is also rationally and objectively justified as it does everything it meant to do and excels at it, I know alot of nostalgic people hate that its at the top or even at the top 10 but lets look at it objectively where can you fault the anime for what it wants to do? No one can look at frieren and say well its a meh anime, its distinctively apart and unique while done very well, from the music to the pacing and story telling, characters and designs to even the fights when its not really about the fights, I think this series will be loved for a long time, I dont mind it being the top even when its not my fav of all time but it slowly becoming a very well loved anime to me and to many, its a breath of fresh air and its one of those that will have a place in many peoples hearts and minds, doesn't matter what genre youre a fan of you will still find what makes you like the show alot, drama, goofiness, romance, story, sadness, adventure, dialogue or even fights. its my opinion but I think it really deserves a high place in every metric you can name.
I find it ironic that the best anime of the year came out at the very end and immediately eclipsed EVERYTHING that people were basically talking about throughout the year. Especially the shows that tried the hardest to manipulate people and create hype. I even wonder what arguments the haters of this anime will have, since such extremely popular shows always attract immature people who hate everything that is popular.
Nah I don't think so, if anything I think it's impressive that Frieren came out all the way at the end of the year and Vinland Saga all the way at the beginning, and yet several people in the comments of the first video were still talking about and listing Vinland Saga as their #1. Me included. Maybe I'll change my mind after Frieren finally ends and I can finish watching it, but I've never had an anime leave such a mark on my soul as Vinland Saga. It's the only anime that has ever gotten me to read a manga from beginning to end, and it helped me through a severe bout of depression by helping me dream that there was a better place in the world to escape to.
It’s has been a while since I have felt this way for an anime. Thanks for making this video, I really appreciate you making such a great video on such a special anime.
My 2 favorite anime of 2023 are Frieren and Apothecary Diaries. I can't decide which I like more, especially because I'm reading the manga too and they both just continue to get better and more interesting with time.
I am rotating on and off various streaming services to save money. As a manga reader, do you have any feeling as to how many more anime episodes this season will have? I plan to resubscribe to Crunchyroll to catch up and then see the end of this season and am curious as to when that will be. Thanks.
I genuinely think that Frieren (Season 1 for now) will remain my favorite for as long as I live. There are just so many beautiful moments.. so many life-relating events.. so much "realness", yet with the fantasy backing it up. I, like you, also adore Ascendance of a Bookworm. It was, and still is, a beautiful story. An Isekai with not so much a twist as it is just a little sprinkle of slice of life. It steadily became more fantasy, but did so slowly.. and with good portrayal of how such things would always be attempted to be abused by nobility to further their cause. But with Frieren.. it is high fantasy that takes tremendous steps to ground itself.. until the times where such would be impossible. However they still manage to do it even then. The cast of characters, both main and side, is done exquisitely well. All of them have personalities and behaviors that make it seem like they could be far more important than the role they inhabit in the show. As such you generally manage to connect with them on at minimum a surface level. The old dwarf (not Eisen, but the other - the name eludes me) is only seen like.. 10 minutes, but he could make anyone tear up with his simple story and progression. Going from a funny interaction to painful.. to hopeful. Training Stark, to his talks with Frieren and showing signs of dementia with how he forgets that the Hero party has already defeated the Demon King... and to the painful story of how he has forgotten his wife's face and voice. Then to how they manage to turn it all back around again and he finally gets to dream of her and remember her. It's beautiful. I simply love this show. I want it to continue, but I also fear that the second season won't be able to live up to the first. However I am fine with that. I just think it deserves to be amazing. Lord of the Rings managed to do a trilogy that is all thought of as near equally amazing, so why not Frieren?
For me, Frieren is the only one that surpasses Pluto currently. But it also surpasses A Place Further than the Universe, which IMO is quite a feat! Yeah, nothing has ever made me cry to the point of having to stop to go to the toilet to catch my breath from tears like the scene with the laptop in Sora Yori, and that was after watching the series 5 times over (PROBABLY will happen again if I do rewatch that episode), but the level of sophistication and complexity in Frieren and its characters and narrative is something I haven't seen since Evangelion and Lain. For me, it's a masterpiece for the ages. So is Sora Yori, BTW, but for different reasons.
Frieren is one of the few anime that I have ever rated a full 10/10 among only five others; Clannad: After Story, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, Violet Evergarden, and Wolf Children. Only Violet Evergarden and Frieren have earned that score in the past 5 years. The rest were watched earlier in my anime journey with heavier novelty bias (though obviously not entirely, they are great shows) and now heavy nostalgia bias. For context that's out of 378 series, 101 movies, and 36 specials so its not even out of a small amount of shows. I have about 5x that many 9/10 rated shows. Its SO good.
@@wendellpardillo7191 I can see it being boring if you do not appreciate the incredible world building, the twisting of tropes, or the incredibly subtle jokes and inferences taking place in the backgrounds.
@@jasonjanisewski78boring generic plot, u probably just watch it cause of the attractive girls the mc is cringe mc, id probably like eminence if i was still 14 like u
Easily is an insult to the other great shows. I personally think Vinalnd is the best, but Frieren is close behind followed by Apothecary Diaries, Heavenly Delusion, and JJK.
Why am I discovering you so late?! You are the most sympathetic guy I have seen in a while. I can completely relate to your opinion on Frieren. Really good Video!
Something I look out for in shows, movies, games, etc, is the attention to detail. Frieren is just full to the brim with this, really shows people put a lot of soul and effort in making it. They deserve all the praise and time of the world
i cannot get over this Anime, it makes me feel like I have been missing out my entire life on what a great anime should be, it is so refreshing and so insightful and deep and engaging....i could go and on!! I will have to keep rewatching this Anime....will go down as one of the all time greats!
I saw a clip of Frieren vs Draht then Aura that had me a little curious. So I give it a try to check this anime without any info aside from those 2 clips. Gaddem after the 1st episode, I was in awe thinking why is it good and can't put my finger on it. It feels so different that I don't understand. Me like like.
I think that despite the fantasy setting, the story is very human. It's a melancholy view of the passage of time and those moments we may of had with friends in the past. I miss and look back on my old friends and group, it's bittersweet but I'm glad I experienced it. It's the little things that stand out.... not the big events. We all can emphasize with it
When I started Frieren, I was reminded of Violet Evergarden. They are similar in how, despite the premise, they focus primarily on the human emotion, the deepest, most personal interactions between our experiences, our emotions, and our environment.
Frieren has made me gasp twice in amazement at its subtlety. One is the beach episode where she realized moments can be beautiful because you are sharing it with someone. Then there's the episode where it's revealed why she's been looking for mundane spells; she's been looking for a spell that makes her happy the same way her master had her own favorite spell. These things are beautiful because you're not just told what to think through exposition and flashbacks. It uses the rare method of subtlety and respects the viewer's intelligence to give them the satisfaction of having them figure it out themselves.
@@mookiestewart3776 well, yeah, but that could mean the powerful spells that she already has. The episode with Flammes' speech about her impending death made it crystal clear.
@@jeremygonzal8603 the first time the show brought up why she collects spells it showed Himmel saying he loved her magic my friend. She’s a complex character and her reasoning is multifaceted but the show EXPLICITLY shows that the primary reason she collects spells is because of Himmel. The primary reason she does ANYTHING at all is because of him, she is who she is and acts the way she acts primarily because of HIM. The entire point of her “character journey” is her coming to realize how much he meant to her and how she fucked up with her relationship with him by not seeing things outside her own perspective. And now she’s trying to fix that ….THATS THE SHOW MY DUDE , THATS THE POINT
I originally started reading Frieren a few months before the anime was announced, and I was really loving it, and now seeing the anime, and how well the adaptation is handled, and how much praise it's getting, feels really damn good. I'd barely been reading manga at all prior, just a few here and there, but it really awakened something in me, suddenly I'm reading TONS of manga, I think I've finally realized that good feeling of randomly finding something, that then ends up getting massively highly acclaimed, and you can be like "Yeah, I was reading this before it was popular!" xD But on a serious note, this is genuinely one of my all time favourites, and I really hope it stays as consistently good. Also, I need to get back to the manga, cuz the anime has overtaken me now... xD
@@claytonrios1pop culture, not nerd culture People will know of Galadriel and Legolas, and now Frieren, people will scratch their heads like monkeys if you mention others from Tolkien's works, that's just the truth (in my opinion, sad truth)
I can tell this much... This is easily one of the best anime I've seen. Assuming they don't mess anything up later on, it is easily going to stand among the greatest of all time. And more importantly - it is one of the best fantasy pieces available on screen. Now, that alone may not be saying much, considering that a lot of the western fantasy movies or series scrape the bottom of the barrel, with very few notable exceptions like LoTR... And that most of the Fantasy anime follows video game logic quite a lot. What makes Frieren amazing is... well, just about everything really - music, visuals, setting, plot... but most importantly, characters and pacing. Finally we have a show with characters who are genuinely flawed, where changes are not relegated to one single event. Where banter feels natural and always fitting. And the pacing - a show that does not fear being slow. But while slow, it is still not boring. It creates this nearly dreamlike atmosphere. And you know what... We finally have basically Tolkien-esque elves - graceful, calm, immortal, inhuman, almost alien. The show very effectively hammers that Elves are like that, that this obliviousness is not just a character trait. It is nature. And the shows makes a very good attempt to show the audience how the world looks from the eyes of the immortal being.
Wonderful storytelling, beautiful animation, and a touching message about time, mortality, but also the little moments. Its something older viewers can empathize with. Appreciate the time you have with each other and the melancholy of the past. Top 5 anime to me. Ever episode is a masterpiece and has touching and comedic scenes
My favorite spell Frieren learns is the one that makes grapes sour. She offhandedly mentions it early on and only after a few episodes do you find out that one of her party member's favorite snacks is sour grapes.
yeah its a dwarf warrior :3
Exactly, it's subtle but throughout the series she keeps learning more and more to value their friends and those around her, it's heartwarming.
This is so sweet that it keeps me smiling through several days😊
she then uses it for said party member, Eisen , upon meeting :D
Me too it's really cute moments that she is not cold as she might seem but actually listen and care about people around her.
Frieren is the only show I've ever seen that will have one episode feel like an hour, and the next feels like 5 minutes. Both are equally engaging, both leave me wanting more. It's so incredibly well done.
I think it's because they don't seem to really take pacing into account as if it's a normal show. Things happen, and when it's time to get raw, it just does, without too much buildup... all the multi-episode buildup is a low psychological boil until it just explodes.
What I mean is that they don't do like cliffhangers mid battle, nor do they bloc it out so that an encounter ends the episode. Kind of like the story's concept as a whole, the action tends to happen at the HALFWAY point of an episode, so you get to see a buildup from the beginning, conflict and resolution in the middle, and the aftermath/how perspectives shift leading to the end.
I haven't seen another show do it like that before aside from Mushoku Tensei.
Bad pacing
its pacing is perfect tho?@@JohnnyBoy7267
This is so true. I distinctly remember watching an episode and picking up the remote in anticipation of going to the next episode only to find that I was only half way through!
Check out To Your Eternity. I swear when the the first episode ended I felt like I had to exit the movie theatre. But I was at home in my chair... blew me away.
Fun fact: "Sousou" the way it is spelled means (according to jisho) "attending a funeral procession; seeing off the deceased; burial of someone's remains; observing a burial", which in a way Frieren does, sending off her old friends. But also "Sousou no Frieren" is the name demons give her, because she sends them to their grave
The whole story is just a decades-long funeral procession for Himmel.
To humans, "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End"; to demons, "Frieren, Journey Ender".
The english manga uses the title frieren at the funeral, then the aura arc happend and people were all like "shit do we change the title?" But frieren the undertaker might have been a tad too heavy metal.
The anime localisation team decided not to bother with the double meaning of sousou and went with beyond journey's end
@@pougetguillaume4632 "frieren the undertaker might have been a tad too heavy metal" Now what's wrong with that? :v
Gave me chills when episode 8 dropped the series title as the episode title
I don’t know what arguments are made in this video but I agree
One of the most surprising shows I’ve seen in the past couple years didn’t think I’d enjoy this show more that JJK that season alone w/ Apothecary Diariesa
@@MiLfshAke5020MORE than JJK?!
@@markymark9378 Not everybody enjoys getting kicked in the nuts every week (Damn you GEGEEEEEEE)
@@markymark9378 honestly, same.
I concur
Stark's motivation is actually a little bit more nunanced than you made it to be.
It's not really vague or shonen-esque (i.e about getting stronger or proving anything), he told Fern in one of the episodes that his main motivation is to have an epic adventure and many interesting tales of adventure that he can go back and tell to his master Eisen before Eisen dies of old age, that's his true established motivation so far which is quite unique IMO.
Stark realy is the best boy. his motivation is entirely selfless as he does it for Eisen and to see him happy when he tells his own tale.
meanwhile his char arc is to overcome his own fears while learning, that everyone is afraid at certan times and that it is no weakness to be afraid.
I can't remember the last time where a cowardly char was not only taken serious, but be a total badass during this time
Yes! And this reason was not forgotten but brought up again and again in subtle ways in the manga chapters the anime hasn’t gotten to.
Wow, that’s a stark contrast to Frieren considering he has a very important time limit. I haven’t seen the show, but this sounds very interesting.
@@KeitieKalopsia lol “stark” contrast but yes all three are on the journey to repay a debt in a sense. Only the person Stark owes it to is still alive. The themes are interwoven so well. Frieren is traveling to form memories and Stark too but he has someone to relay them to when he gets home.
So, basically Ussopp from One Piece. Got it. 👍
Frieren has done the impossible of making sidequests memorable
The real friends in life were the little side quests we completed along the way.
CDPR : finally an worthy opponent
NieR Replicant and NieR Automata are games that also make sidequests extremely memorable.
Highly recommend them.
FFXIV Eureka content..... One of the only sidequest Chains you can love.
It's very interesting content in a plot-driven game.
It's amazing the amount of criticism this series is getting today, over the first class mage exam arc. Yes, about 40 percent of the anime is going to be that exam, but the manga and the light novel source material is to blame for that. This is also setting up why the main character and the archmage are enemies.
It is also necessary to set up the next series of side quests and adventures.
People are introduced in this exam that are significantly important later on. As a current manga reader, I would not have written out the exam, I would not have shortened the episode count either.
The same idiots who are criticizing the direction of the finale for The season, are also forgetting that the group spent five or six episodes stuck in a town fighting Aura the guillotine.
Frieren’s tiny smile at Fern and Stark’s antics, her smug look when she thinks she is going to blow everyone away with a bit of knowledge or the gift she picked out. Fern’s pouty face when she is annoyed, or her look of disappointment when she was about to be impressed by Stark’s words, until he actually says them. It is the small things that I love, but then Even Call’s score swells, and someone is going to do something badass. Love this series so much.
That plant monster... had to rewatch that more than a few times.
Hehe, I hope smug-Frieren is gonna be a thing for a while
My favorite is when Fern says to Stark with a deadpan face "And you also have the face of a scoundrel", then lets a small quick smile escape when Stark tells her to shut up. So quick you might miss it on first viewing, but I love that detail and chemistry.
@@vianneyb.8776 the subtlety is really what makes it great. Makes it feel genuine, like they are actual people with real quirks and ways of thinking and behaving almost on instinct, not forcing it but just doing it out of sheer personality habits
Lol that scene where she is chasing Stark for his birthday and finds him looking at clouds, I laughed so hard! Her face and then him saying I gotta tell Fern, so so funny.
The story is about Frieren finding Himmel inside herself. Every time she is faced with a situation, she is constantly choosing an outcome based on if it's what Himmel would do. She cries at the beginning because she thinks she didn't get to know Himmel well enough, and i believe it will be shown through the story that in fact she knows him very well, because she's now living her life in a way that Himmel would have lived. Frieren is slowly becoming the Himmel of the party, which is why the party doesn't need a "face" of the party.
I personally think there is one thing that this show does well, that almost every other show somehow misses. The timing of the lack of dialogue is perfect. Simple words, gestures, and silent head nods say so much more in this show than others that I have watched. The best example is the exchange between Old Man Voll and Frieren when leaving the village. It was just him saying that he dreamt about his wife, and how talking with her helped that to happen. All Frieren said was, "See you," then she smiled slightly and turned away. That simple 15-20 seconds said so much about the level of story-telling that this show has. Because I, personally, could feel the 3-4 hour conversation that had just actually happened between them in that little space in time. It made me smile and tear up at the same time. Even if you took away the conversation they had earlier in the episode, you would still feel the exact same thing from it. Because of the "hidden" words between the two of them. At least that's what I believe.
same those small details made me love this show
Let me tell you, that line had me holding back tears! (The one about him dreaming of his wife). How dare they.
Frieren's anime production have understood 'Show don't tell' that most anime just simply cannot seem to reproduce and it's so refreshing. it makes the characters have so much emotions and truth behind them, that you can truly connect with what they feel, or ask yourself 'What are they feeling or thinking right now ?', 'what's going on in their head ?'. It makes you be so much more attached and engaged with their turmoil instead of being 'Just get over it !' or 'stop being a useless mess, we get you're conflicted !'. You just appreciate every detail because, Tchekov's gun, you get rewarded for it, like 'Oh Frieren has a sour grape spell lmao.' and 'Wait, Aisen's favorite thing is sour grapes ? *Oh*'. You treat every detail as important, and that's what makes Frieren great to me. It makes you CARE for silly things and oh how poetic it is when it's the freakin point of the story, managing to make the audience connect with the subject like that.
@@rosevalety3408 That is so true about storytelling overall today, not just anime. This show steps away from the "tropes" aspect (which while it helps give some shows a template in some cases, I feel it is overused, though I do enjoy it from time to time myself), which I feel brings a deeper connection to the characters overall. They feel more "real" than just a cut-and-paste retread of something that has been done so many times already.
For me, I feel a similar attachment to Frieren that I do to Holo from Spice and Wolf. Both are powerful beings, but they have their flaws. They are in fantasy worlds, but they don't have a "demon king" type of threat that most of them are usually based around. You have less focus on "let's kill the big baddie", and more of a "who are these people?" kind of aspect to the story.
Then there is the pacing. The beauty of that pacing, it is all about the story. It is slow to develop and build each moment. This show does it so well, that when the story allows it, a "powerful" moment will hit way harder than it would in most other shows. It is an example of the right way to use slower pacing in the story. More than once I've found myself thinking at the end of an episode, "I can't wait to see how this aspect finishes", or "I can't wait to see where this goes next". It's been a while since I've thought or felt that during a show of any kind.
It hasn't faded yet, and the last episode I've watched up to this point was #26. Frieren hasn't overstayed her welcome in my mind. None of the characters have, they all still have so much room to grow. It has a similar feel for me when it comes to Holo and Kraft from Spice and Wolf, even at the end. I honestly think that this show will end up in a similar way with me. That is a testament to the storytelling in and of itself.
@@keithricker504 I distinctly remember in the scene in that same episode, where Voll is telling Himmel that it might seem silly how he is keeping a promise he made to someone who is already dead. The shot lingers to a closeup of Himmel's eyes as it slowly shifts downwards, as if in thought. I'm certain that the subtext for that shot was to show Himmel thinking how Voll's story parallels theirs. About what could happen to Frieren if he pursues her in a romantic light, only for him to leave her alone as he naturally died. That small bit was so wonderfully done.
One thing that really impressed me is just how much happens in the first episode. Solo Leveling in two episodes has less happen than Frieren did in 10 minutes. It's a masterful presentation of how to start a show.
The author is really talented and you can tell the adaption team REALLY care about this project . The “passion project” vibes are just oozing out of this adaption . It’s hard to describe but you can just tell when a whole team is putting their all into a project
Solo leveling was hurt from not doing a double premier.
Frieren is a story that takes place over 50 years. And it also has a storybook style where events are told you and dont happen in front of you.
This pacing is way too fast for a story where you are meant to feel you are experiencing the world istead of viewing it from above.
Solo leveling is a mote intimate show in regards to the viewers perspective. Slow pacing is neccesary for the big hit in episode 2 to land.
Also, solo leveling got ALOT of the worldbuilding, and setup out of the way. From now on. Its gonna be jjk type pacing, fight after fight after fight.
@@ayoo_wassup Sorry, but solo leveling was just a bad first episode. It clearly should have gotten to the appearance of the System cliff-hanger at the end of the first episode, not the second. There's nothing else in there that couldn't have been world-built or flash-backed later.
"The Unwanted Undead Adventurer" gets this right, for example: you see its evolution gimmick before the end of the first episode.
@pfeilspitze
Hmm. I'm not too sure. Waiting a week between them I agree with you. Not enough to hold you for a week
But binging them together I don't agree. I feel like sinking into the normalcy of this world was important. Characterizing sung as a normal struggling guy was important. Taking the time to see the group dynamic in the dungeon, slower pacing helped the gritty and feel real. Dread building, this isn't an isekai dungeon romp, it DANGEROUS culminating in the horror esque climax.
That lead up is IMPORTANT to identifying with his mental breakdown on the alter. When you hear his personality shift. Like I said. Solo leveling first part is viewed closer by the viewer.
Frieren feels like a fairy tale. You're disconnected. Kept at a distance.
Also not fair to compare pacing of wolrdbuilding when solo leveling world is at least marginally unique requiring some explanation
While frieren was just like.
"Genereic fantasy world....demon king.....moving on"
well yea but Solo Leveling isn't a great comparison since Solo Leveling is basically a nothing story, it's just a straight power fantasy with nothing interesting to say
The pacing being magically relaxed and soothing while the time stamps tell you that your are going at two plot points by episode is indeed some kind of sorcery. Also, the pauses to enjoy the moment is such an exquisitely done overarching meta point.
This show is probably one of the best shows to really hit home about living life after losing someone you love in such a way that really can't be understated. The old dwarven man forgetting his wife really hit home because I can barely remember my grandfather and yet he was such a huge person in my life that I still wish he were alive because he very well could've been. His impact on who I am is immense and yet I can barely picture him in my head, or hear his voice anymore...
Yes I remember mine now. Some years ago I told my young son about him and this little boy said we could build a ladder to meet him. Needless to say I cried. Frieren let me reflect on my lost ones.
I feel the same way bud. My grandpa passed nearly a decade ago. He wanted so badly to watch me grow up. But his health continued to decline until he just cudnt anymore. Even tho my grandma wanted to pass on right away to be w him in heaven, she pushed herself so that she cud watch me grow up and get my 1st job in his stead. Now it’s been 4 years without either of them.
@@baileydombroskie3046they are looking down on you smiling. Hang in there friend
-you did not! my tears kept fallin. Missin my grandpa badly. and grandma.
So in other words, depression sells
Frieren has already made it into my Top 3 anime of all time. I hope it continues to be great.
hi can u share me ur top 3 😊
@@nathanolson3135watch ping pong the Animation it owns
@@nathanolson3135they didnt ask you....
also curious
Ping Pong the Animation
Vinland Saga
Mob Psycho 100
Yaknow what Frieren's favorite spell is? The field of flowers spell. That really says it all. Its such a beautiful story. And her arch-nemesis? Mimics! giggle.
I started Frieren on a whim and wound up binging all released episodes in a single weekend. I truly wasn’t expecting it to be as phenomenal as it was.
Also I describe Stark to people who haven’t seen the show as Zenitsu, but he doesn’t suck.
Thank the gods he's way less annoying than Zenitsu, and way less loud.
How did you not fell asleep? Is it more interesting from e3?
@@Oliwav??? The first 3 episodes were some of the most interesting. If youre looking for an action packed series with adventure, youre looking in the wrong place. Frieren is more about introspection and its quiet moments, much like Berserk. However Berserk differs by making the action so noisy to make the quiet moments really pop out.
@@lucklesscomet4987 ok, then there's no point watching it for me:/ i heard few times its the best anime of 2023 and we started watching with my wife. We fell asleep. What a disappointment 😥
@@Oliwav sadly the show might just not be a good fit for you, that being said don't knock it off your list, maybe one day for some reason you will need something whit less action or whit more characters and world building...and Frieren might be there to fit your need
Frieren as a character is one of the most interesting takes on the Elf character I've seen as I wouldn't say she's emotionless, she does feel them but she's lived so long that she's experienced most things they are to experience enough times that they don't register like they should. But it was her first journey with Himmel and the rest that reawakened her interest by showing her that even if she's done this before, it can still make life worthwhile.
Before Himmel, she only kept up her magical training because her master asked her to, she saw it as an obligation. But after him, she does it because he complimented her on it, saying that he could tell that she enjoyed it and that she should continue that. Even the other members of the party like Heiter and Eisen helped her to understand things she didn't or had forgotten such as the concept of faith even when you're not sure and true bravery. And we see her take such lessons and apply them t herself, such as how she believed in Stark when he didn't believe in himself, and why she so set on that one Priest joining them.
Gigguk said something in his review of the manga which really sticks out to be which was that while her party saw her a friend, she was too disconnected from to say the same, which was why when she finally internalized that Himmel had died of old age, she wasn't so much crying over the loss of a dear friend as she was at the wasted opportunity to be his close friend, the signs of which were placed in the beginning and mid-points of that first part when she sees how the party celebrated their 10 year quest coming to a end, and Himmel revealing that he kept that one thing she gave him, despite the bad vibes for 50 years-just because his friend asked him to keep an eye on it, something that at first couldn't understand as it was 'just a spell ingredient' and '50 years isn't much time'.
Also, there is a hint of tragedy to the story as we see that while the entire party were close to her, she was closest to Himmel who sought her out in the first place over a hunch, was the one she interacted with the most, would get her to engage with them in a social situation, and even would scold her whenever she did something bad like damaging the bodies of the reanimated. A lesson she still follows over 70 years later and will take GREAT offense to if a demon tries to tell her is stupid. There was even the reason he posed for so many statues as Himmel did it for her, so that in 10, 50, or 200 years time, they'll be evidence that they existed, that they did the things they did and that they were her friends so she could just find one of them on her later journeys, and be able to think back to the time they spent together.
We also see through the ring sub plot that Himmel might have developed romantic feelings towards her, which he never tried to pursue, and she never noticed till 20 years after he dies which leaves us, and her feeling sad as it's anything thing she missed out on, but also another reason to cherish what she still has.
The "Final Farewell to the Departed" isn't referring to where she's going, it's referring to the entire story. She's retracing their steps to remember them and get to know them in a way that she failed to do so the first time. The entire journey is her farewell to her departed friends. The easier version of that title "Frieren at the Funeral" works better in this way. The entire journey is an extended funeral.
Personally I don't think "you can talk to the dead at Ende" is going to turn out to be literally true, and Frieren will get there and realize that by revisiting the journey she's heard everything she needs to hear from them already. I mean, despite Flamme writing about it and claiming it will revolutionize the study of souls, nobody else has ever heard of it, including Frieren herself. I think Flamme just wrote that because she knew Frieren would need to read it in the future (since she clearly was able to see the future to some extent).
I think it's because Flamme understood Frieren's personality. Through their time together, Frieren was even _more_ apathetic. Joining her memories of important places and events together with being able to see how those places have changed can trigger nostalgia in anyone, but she'd need to actually go to outside to do that rather than sitting in one spot and dicking around.
I also think that's why Kraft chose his path, and seemed happy to see Frieren (another rare creature) surrounded by people she seems to care about.
This is exactly why I’m on the fence about the existence of Heaven in Ende. However I wouldn’t mind it existing for the plot. Both outcomes would be very interesting.
I think it being real will be a much more satisfying ending. Imagine if eisen is there, the emotional rollercoaster that would be starks reaction to him being dead but still getting to recount his adventure would be beautiful
I think a middle point would be great. Heaven is real and the souls of the departed are there (not limited by physical manifestations within time and space), but there are no bodies and they manifest as echoes of their current, more ethereal condition. So there is no real conversation like you would have with a person that has a body and is alive, but probably a more mystical and subdued experience (maybe imbued in the surroundings themselves).
Having read ahead in the manga I am shocked how well it keeps its pacing morals even in darker events. Love it.
Do you have a sense of how many episodes will be in this first season of the anime? I rotate through paid subscriptions to streaming services and basically want to know when to re-subscribe to Crunchyroll to catch the end of this series. Thanks.
28 @@jfess1911 by the way if you haven't yet then I heavily recommend you to check out Apothecary diaries
@@jfess1911the anime is set to have 28 episodes, with the 20th airing tomorrow
@@Jackman-yl1ke Thanks. I let my Crunchyroll subscription lapse at the end of 2023. I tend to binge anime for a month or two then take a break for a while. My current plan is to resubscribe every three or four months, so that should work out about right.
Frieren is about "The friends we made along the way" and its superb. One of the most memorable Anime ive ever watched.
That was a beautiful outro, relating the message of Frieren starting to appreciate the "now" to us remembering to appreciate the things we currently have.
I feel like Frieren (and maybe all elves) has some kind of eidetic memory. She's traveling around, mapping everything in her head (she remembers the layout of the trees, for instance), and then she updates the mental map when she returns (I think we get a hint at this when she has to realize that Eisen isn't as young as he used to be). Humans, unlike the landscape, are constantly dying and changing so they're just a mess of different faces and relationships. But the passing down of knowledge (specifically magic) to the next generations stays the same. It's something about humanity she can hold on to. That is, until she finds there are people she regrets not knowing and observing grow up and grow old. And I think that's what makes this story so beautiful is that we watch Frieren go from a living database of humanity's magical knowledge to having this deep desire to become a memorial for and to honor her old friends. Living for generations, remembering exactly how they were, and passing that knowledge down to their pupils are things that only Frieren can do for them. Plus maybe she'll get a second chance to watch those pupils grow old, something she missed out on before with her previous friends.
Seeing what we've seen of Serie so far it is clear elves can recall extremelly old memories like they happened yesterday.
Which makes me want to see Kraft come back even more.
It's been such a long time since a show with this level of consistent animation have been released. Really feels like the earlier days of anime when the standard in general was so much higher
Attack On Titan finished in November tho, that was recent.
@@raresmacovei8382 Aot is many things. Rushed is one of them. It’s good but even the most fanboys of fanboys have to admit animation wise it’s inconsistent. It goes up and down
There have been other anime with very high standard across multiple episodes/ whole season.... Mushoku Tensei (season 1), Kill la Kill, One Punch Man (season 1). And probably a few other I can't remember
.... Miru Tights
XD
@@Mic_Glow while mushoku tensei is cool, it's an anime known it's op mc and cool moments. Not for it's pacing or animation or anything close to that regard.
Heavily relies on OP and it's fanservice.
Would I call it high quality? no, it's decent. Above average for sure.
I never said decent anime season has never come out in the 2000's. I said recently, one punch man is almost a decade old and kill la kill is 11 years old. And while they're good I'm talking about the extraordinary quality. OPM sure but I'm leaning towards Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood or Hunter X Hunter as of recent and they're a decade old aswell (aka not recent if you don't understand). Frieren is the only one that has beat FMAB in the number 1 rating AND still stay there, deservingly so too.
In this context when I'm talking about high quality standard like the early days of anime, I'm not referring to mushoku tensei that doesn't clear that bar, it's stuff like Evangelion or ghost in the shell. when the standards of animation were just insanely high. Frieren doesn't clear that standard, but where Frieren is Mushoku tensei isn't even close.
All I said was it reminded me of the days were standards where higher.
@@Mic_Glow a man of culture I see
Frieren is really spoling us. Its just so good both visually, pacing wise, story telling etc. all matches up to a beautyfull experience.
Also break form fanstay anime or isekai it more about story and character are have layers than be a type or try to defeat a demon king with op powers with a mc who are cut and pace and a harem they don't deserves because their no real reason of why they should like the mc them in that way so no real chemistry and lead to nowhere
I love how Madhouse can take a few panels from the manga and create amazing motion. Case in point the scene where Stark is on the ground after being attacked by Lügner then Fern shows up to take care of business. It is my favorite scene. I was surprised when I did read that part of the manga to see a panel or two. Same with the dance. Just one of the reasons why Frieren is my current favorite anime.
what a powerful note to end the video on, because that is something that Frieren has truly taught me after all is said and done: to appreciate the present, no matter how ephemeral it may seem
Regarding the point of Frieren's Party not having a "Face", I think that is not entirely incorrect. It's true that there's no replacing Himmel, but the party DOES have a friendly face whose actions mimic Himmel's in a lot of places: Stark. It is most obvious during the 1st Class Mage Exam arc, where we see the townsfolk greet him as they walk past, and ask if he needs anything, has eaten, etc. and one other points where Fern is looking for him, and she follows a trail of people Stark helped.
Frieren's Party might not have a Himmel, who is charismatic and attractive, and who everone cares about because he is Hero Himmel. But they do have Stark, a young man with a slightly scary face, who just walks around and helps people whenever he has time, and who makes friends wherever he goes through simple acts of kindness.
My favorite thing that I saw in the show is when Frieren loses a ring after getting launched into the air and tries to say it doesnt matter and then fern learns himmel gave it to her and we get the back story that himmel essentially gave it to her in a proposal type manner. Though Frieren didnt see it as a proposal we know it means a lot to her because in the first episode after himmel's death we see her looking at a ring and only halfway through the show do we learn the ring she was looking at was the one himmel gave her. Such attention to detail that really tugs on your heart.
I can tell you how. Example: the music that accompanies the montage for the Graf's city in the aftermath of Aura the Guillotine's defeat. The song reaches its emotional climax exactly when the sword of the Graf's son is shoved into the dirt as part of a funeral scene and that gives the moment more of an impression with the audience (the moment brings me to tears actually). Another good example is the triumphal music that accompanies Frieren's capture of the Stille in the most recent episode. It reaches its emotional climax exactly when Frieren uses bird capturing magic to capture it off her shoulder giving the scene that added weight. The art of making music work to a scene is as old as Chaplin near the end of the silent era or even Stalling and his use of classical motifs in his cartoon scores. Its about finding a way for sound to levitate the moment so it has that direct impact on the audience. Evan Call does that so well throughout Frieren with strong orchestral flourishes as well as quiet less explosive music and captures his subject matter effectively
Yup! A crescendo doesn't always need to come with an enemy getting hit with a final blow.
I posted up a bit about _Solo Leveling_ using Sawano's music, but it feels fake. Like they just used his name and reputation, but had him make carbon copy #35 of a Shingeki no Kyojin track in the exact same way. There was no thought, care or understanding behind it. Just a collection of references with no heart or mind.
In my experience, animé rarely utilizes music to its full potential to enhance a scene. This is often due to the short timeframe in which animé is produced, they simply do not have the time or the budget required to score out a unique piece of music with leitmotifs that match the action onscreen for a single scene. That they’re doing this properly in Frieren really shows just how much music can elevate an experience.
I love how much Frieren has to say, and then they put that message in an absolutely beautiful package, visually, aesthetically, musically, etc. So, it's also my anime of the year.
Frieren is a masterpiece and I have watched tons of anime. The story is superb and the animation and music complete the journey for us readers.
When watching yesterday's episode of Frieren I had the very strange experience of checking the timestamp halfway through because "they have to have done enough for a full episode already" and then screaming in frustration at the end because "that had to have only been five minutes". Both from the same episode.
With a mediocre show, you check timestamp hoping it's near the end already. With a good show, you don't check it at all. With a great show, you check it hoping there's still a lot to go.
If the pacing of the Exam arc is to judge, you won't be dissapointed until the very end of the first season. If anything, it only gets better from there.
This Exam Arc reminds viewers that even though it is a pretty chill anime, it still features some amazingly animated magic battles.
@@Master10k2 Oh yes. Eldorado will be total fire, I swear.
@@shaikhulud1989 it will at the end. But El Dorado was some of the slowest parts of the manga in the first half. It's good, but I found myself disappointed with how long we spent on it compared to the other arcs in the manga.
@@gho5trun3r68 I don't think the slowness of the arc was entirely on the manga itself and more on the number of breaks the mangaka took in between many of the chapters. The arc is still slow but not as slow as I remember it to be having recently reread it.
I love the end of this arc too. Honestly the writer is very good at ending arcs- it always feels subversive, climactic and anti-climactic at the same time.
The Aura arc is a perfect example
I think I love Frieren's Magic of the Mundane because it remembers us what we are and enjoy vs. what we must do to get a living. For all her power, her prowess in Fire Magic and success in dealing with demons, Flamme's favorite spell was the one that produced a field of flowers.
rest easy knowing that Frieren did not sizzle out, finishing season one has only left us feeling a mixture of joy and melancholy as we wait for a much needed second season.
With how reknown and well recieved frieren has been i hope the industry changes for the better so we can appreciate more art like this instead of quick cash grabs.
Public: We really liked this well made original anime!
Ecxecutives: Quick, they want OP protagonists in fantasies with elf girls and lots of fan service! (I have no idea how they will connect Frieren to fansirvice, but they will)
As long as reincarnation goes extinct I'll be happy
Bro there are really good shows and ln about Reincarnation you need to try one of them.@@looots1320
@@looots1320 Much like how, to this day, moeblob shows exist, the tensei series will continue chugging along. The only change will be that it will be one or two a year, instead of one or two a day.
FUCC I lost this sub and forgot the name for like a decade, cause I lost my old account. We have both grown a lot, I'm glad we can finally meet again. I'll sub to you now.
I think there’s something so comforting about this anime and I love it. The characters are amazing and when it gets intense it pays off
Man im watching this after finally watching frieren, and your segment on pacing rings soooo freaking true
I like how you framed, "My favorite anime," and how you embodied the theme of enjoying the now from Friren
Stark is loved wherever the party goes and just going off of values his match with Himmel's the most.
Being 54 and just getting into anime never reading any of the books i found this series and instantly became my fav, not because of the animation but the actual story. The older you get you realize your own eventual death and the friends and the life you lived starts to come back in memories you relive moments and think of them quit often. While Frieren will live another 1000 or more years ours is short and the people we spend time with is the only thing that will keep our memory around. I hope this series continues until i am no longer here.
Been eagerly watching this every week. I've really enjoyed the small montages showing the passage of time, and the superb animation with the small moments, like putting on clothes (mostly stark putting on his jacket)
I usually like fantasy with more action, but I have to say this kept me watching even with the lack of weekly battles.
I love the story of Frieren trying to understand and gradually developing a human connection
Agree. But I think that shows how fucking well done this anime is. The Art, the story, the characters, the music. Everything and when there is a battle its sick.
I initially didn't have a huge amount of interest in Frieren but thought I'd give it a shot and it quickly became my favorite anime. Madhouse has done a lot of good shit but I feel like if they can keep up the quality it's going to be their masterpiece. I get so excited for each episode and there hasn't been one yet that's left me saying "that's it?" Every thing about it is just so charming and the quality is just so consistently good. Love Frieren.
Got recommended here by "Mothers Basement", and so happy I listened. I've been binging as much of this channel as I could, great opinions and well spoken. Easy Sub
Arkada and Geoff are some of the OGs, and some of the best around.
Been watching glass reflections since about 2010 or so…..I think . Great channel
This was a very good analysis on Frieren's greatness, I hope more people watch it and value it for what it does to help you reflect on your own life and how important it is to cherish those around you.
DUDE YOU ARE MY FAVORITE. Your videos are a work of art. You have an in incredible expressive voice that belongs in voice acting lowkey, with an intelligent hilarious mind to match. I LOVE anime but you are the ONLY person on UA-cam who I bother watching anime videos about cause no one does it like you man. Thank you so much for your hard work and I hope you love doing these videos and are getting properly paid for this because I hope this never ends haha
You really hit me with perspective at the end there. Frieren is my favorite anime, too. I've thought that about a lot of anime... and I've always been right.
Reminder that "beyond journey's end" is a slightly questionable translation. The episode "Frieren the Slayer" is also a translation of "Sousou no Frieren". Thus why various places attempt other transitions of the name, like "Frieren at the Funeral" to try to keep some of that wordplay.
Ah, you got to this more around 13:30. The answer to your question about why that's the subtitle in English is that it's Crunchyroll, and they tend not to really care about their transitions. So they just did the "well that seems like what's going to happen based on the couple of episodes we saw at the beginning" more than actually knowing what would be best for the show.
(See also silliness like "Cat Planet Cuties". Official English titles are often just bad.)
i like that little segment towards the end about how peoples favorite anime changes and its about enjoying what you are watching and going to watch not about defending what you previously liked for years down the line, even when you no longer can find joy from it.
This video aged well. It actually does not matter where the anime ended. This is one of the few anime that really, REALLY, is just about the journey, and not the destination. And boy, what a journey this is.
This was a lovely video that really put into words many ways in which this story excels, but I was shocked when you said your “last favorite” anime was Laid Back Camp- that also was my favorite anime of all time until the moment I started Frieren. It’s such an uncommon opinion, and I’m sure it’s no coincidence both of us experienced the same change in favorites. I think they’re deceptively similar, not in content, but presentation.
Video did age perfectly, the series in fact did not crash and burn
No it got even better.
The observation seemingly no one else has made (and the hill I'm prepared to die on) is that Frieren makes us all feel profound sadness because her relationship with humans subconsciously reminds us of our relationships with our dogs. We appear as ageless immortals to them and know we'll outlive them yet they matter to us and, to dogs, while we're gone for "ages" (going to work) they know we'll always be there for them when they need us.
Its rats for me. But yeah, pets where a goto reference as well:)
About the soundtracks (bgm), in some anime it feels like they are actually made for each other, and like you said a part of that is allowing it to breathe. Making it emphasize on what's shown on screen. Of course Violet Evergarden, also done by Evan Call, is a great example other favorites of mine are Non Non Biyori, Yuru Camp, Kobayashi's Dragon Maid and Cowboy Bebop. They elevate an already great anime to another level and make it all fall into place. Especially with Slice of Life great music is so so important!
The first time I read Sousou no Frieren I was 100% certain that it would not be adapted to an anime, not because its bad but because its so difficult to project the atmosphere and all around taste the manga brought to me. It was phenomenal and I could not imagine it being animated yet here we are! I'm just so thankful that I can still see Frieren animation and bask in all of its glory!
0:01 That’s all I needed to hear to agree that you’re right
I like to examine visual media from two points.
Production: Frieren is brilliant. The animation, even outside the bombastic battle scenes, are incredibly detailed. The animators have rendered the background, clothing, and character expression with a lot of care. The sound design and music is also very fitting. In fact, I expect that every instrument employed in the soundtrack could also be found in this fictional universe.
Narrative density: this is hardly the place to attempt an exhaustive discussion of the many threads that weaved the story, but the primary draw of Frieren for me lies in its expressive nature. The story speaks the loudest when it talks in whispers. Wrapped within every statement, facial expression, recollection, and movement are narrative crumbs that makes otherwise trifling issues a fascinating, and often maudlin peek into the characters. It is quiet, morose, but surprisingly whimsical. It is something I can easily recommend to anyone who does not watch anime or fantasy.
Frieren is like one of the few anime that have standard fantasy tropes but uses them in a way that still makes it interesting and creative.
You know it's a good video when a half hour or so can go by without it really feeling like that.
Frieren has already achieved greatness.
I want to say that you have pretty much described exactly what and why I believe this anime is one of the best anime I have watched in recent years. It was a masterpiece and I fully loved this anime and it message. It was a beautiful and powerful story that made me cry made me laugh and awed me in equal measure. I read the anime before watching past episode one and I can honestly say that it has been one of the most faithful and fantastic adaptations that I have had the PRIVILEGE of watching and I hope that it continues. It is a beautiful story and needs to be told and finished. Thank you for putting into words the emotions and thoughts that I had when watching this beautiful and amazing series.
Only 4 minutes in but thats one of the things I LOVE about Frieren. I've often thought about these grand stories and adventures people go on in stories, video games, moveis, anime, whatever and what happens to these people *after* how is life for them? to go on some form of adventure that grand is it possible to return to a normal life? Its a super interesting question to me.
This anime made me feel that life is worth living. Not putting off my "great adventures" for tomorrow.
It's not just a beautiful story, it's a question to yourself
I love the fact that in its slow beautifully slice of life pacing and mellow vibes, we know Freiren would absolutely stain the ground with these mages without so much as a bead a sweat.
The sound folks knew when to turn the music off in the first episode. The sound of a shovel, Frierens monologuing, and some headpats.. no music. It showed the audience that they were confident enough to go at it, without a music soundtrack.
It's my current favorite anime as well! Don't get me wrong there are many anime through the years that I've loved and probably have been my favorites, but just like you I can't have a favorite for a lifetime.
But for now at least, I can fearlessly say Frieren is my favorite anime.
And hopefully if the adaptation continues, even if it's further down the line, years from now, and keeps the same quality as it already is has, it will still be my favorite for the foreseeable future.
I'd like to thank you for this video... Not only for showing me that I'm not the only one who feels this way about Frieren, but also for introducing me to the absolute treasure that is Yuru Camp
I was looking forward to this, thanks Arkada! Looking forward to hearing your thoughts too!
I stg every time I find myself thinking (yet again) about Frieren and how amazing it is, I just endlessly repeat "it's just so good..." over and over. No other anime has stuck with me quite the same way.
You mentioning Frieren's "overpoweredness" and how it doesn't feel like a problem at all reminded me of MP100, and I think it says a lot about the sort of direction to be taken with OP characters. Frieren and Mob are both compelling and interesting protagonists to watch even if you know they're going to win a fight, because its the resolution of their emotions, memories and inner states that compels you. We're not here to see how flashy and strong they are (even if we can appreciate some sick fight scenes) but to see their emotions instead. I feel like there's definitely a fine line to walk with "emotionless OP protag" because I can very easily see that being a mind-bogglingly boring character, but it's nice seeing how compelling it is when done well.
Frieren isn't as overpowered as she seems, in part because she's not combat oriented. She learned violent spells to kill demons, but it's not what interests her. She's an eccentric collector who can fight, rather than a warrior. I'm pretty sure she's much weaker than an elf mage her age COULD be.
that's probably why demons tried to kill all the elves.
@@dvillines26 Flamme trained her specifically to kill demons, so she's definitely combat oriented to a degree. What makes her overpowered is more the technical understanding of magic (probably tied in to her obsession with 'minor' spells) than raw power as such - pretty much every opponent we see her defeat she does so by out thinking rather than overpowering them.
you just made me realize that Frieren is about enjoying the moment and man dose that hit deep
It's not the big hole of infinite pain and sadness that Made in Abyss was but it is an upbeat adventure with a main character that's in some different ways of dealing with losing people.
And it's also not To Your Eternity. Which in some periords of time, is a good thing.
Whats great about Frieren being my favorite right now is that as this show becomes my whole personality, this just means that more of my days will be spent trying to become a kinder person and slowing down to live more in the moment.
The anime will most likely end at the end of the Mage Exam arc... hope we'll get a season 2 soon
Thanks for making all these great videos over the years. I don't have time to watch anime because life is too busy and disorganized for me, so your videos really help me stay connected to the scene, if only tangentially. Keep up the great work.
Frieren sits top of all time anime, it might be an exaggeration but it is also rationally and objectively justified as it does everything it meant to do and excels at it, I know alot of nostalgic people hate that its at the top or even at the top 10 but lets look at it objectively where can you fault the anime for what it wants to do? No one can look at frieren and say well its a meh anime, its distinctively apart and unique while done very well, from the music to the pacing and story telling, characters and designs to even the fights when its not really about the fights, I think this series will be loved for a long time, I dont mind it being the top even when its not my fav of all time but it slowly becoming a very well loved anime to me and to many, its a breath of fresh air and its one of those that will have a place in many peoples hearts and minds, doesn't matter what genre youre a fan of you will still find what makes you like the show alot, drama, goofiness, romance, story, sadness, adventure, dialogue or even fights.
its my opinion but I think it really deserves a high place in every metric you can name.
Frieren is that kind of show that makes me want to watch it more than once to notice the hundred little details I missed at first. It's so good.
I find it ironic that the best anime of the year came out at the very end and immediately eclipsed EVERYTHING that people were basically talking about throughout the year. Especially the shows that tried the hardest to manipulate people and create hype. I even wonder what arguments the haters of this anime will have, since such extremely popular shows always attract immature people who hate everything that is popular.
It's really funny reading the negative MAL "reviews".
So this one for him or the actual year award?
Nah I don't think so, if anything I think it's impressive that Frieren came out all the way at the end of the year and Vinland Saga all the way at the beginning, and yet several people in the comments of the first video were still talking about and listing Vinland Saga as their #1. Me included. Maybe I'll change my mind after Frieren finally ends and I can finish watching it, but I've never had an anime leave such a mark on my soul as Vinland Saga. It's the only anime that has ever gotten me to read a manga from beginning to end, and it helped me through a severe bout of depression by helping me dream that there was a better place in the world to escape to.
its ironic that you think this is the best anime of the year, while downplaying others.
@@edgaras1103 With this logic, any naming of something as the best degrades the rest.
It’s has been a while since I have felt this way for an anime. Thanks for making this video, I really appreciate you making such a great video on such a special anime.
My 2 favorite anime of 2023 are Frieren and Apothecary Diaries. I can't decide which I like more, especially because I'm reading the manga too and they both just continue to get better and more interesting with time.
I am rotating on and off various streaming services to save money. As a manga reader, do you have any feeling as to how many more anime episodes this season will have? I plan to resubscribe to Crunchyroll to catch up and then see the end of this season and am curious as to when that will be. Thanks.
@@jfess1911Frieren is slated for 28 episodes. The first 4 episodes were broadcasted as a 1 hour premiere.
@@jfess1911Just pirate on zoro or something if you actually want to save money
I genuinely think that Frieren (Season 1 for now) will remain my favorite for as long as I live. There are just so many beautiful moments.. so many life-relating events.. so much "realness", yet with the fantasy backing it up. I, like you, also adore Ascendance of a Bookworm. It was, and still is, a beautiful story. An Isekai with not so much a twist as it is just a little sprinkle of slice of life. It steadily became more fantasy, but did so slowly.. and with good portrayal of how such things would always be attempted to be abused by nobility to further their cause.
But with Frieren.. it is high fantasy that takes tremendous steps to ground itself.. until the times where such would be impossible. However they still manage to do it even then.
The cast of characters, both main and side, is done exquisitely well. All of them have personalities and behaviors that make it seem like they could be far more important than the role they inhabit in the show. As such you generally manage to connect with them on at minimum a surface level. The old dwarf (not Eisen, but the other - the name eludes me) is only seen like.. 10 minutes, but he could make anyone tear up with his simple story and progression. Going from a funny interaction to painful.. to hopeful. Training Stark, to his talks with Frieren and showing signs of dementia with how he forgets that the Hero party has already defeated the Demon King... and to the painful story of how he has forgotten his wife's face and voice. Then to how they manage to turn it all back around again and he finally gets to dream of her and remember her. It's beautiful.
I simply love this show. I want it to continue, but I also fear that the second season won't be able to live up to the first. However I am fine with that. I just think it deserves to be amazing. Lord of the Rings managed to do a trilogy that is all thought of as near equally amazing, so why not Frieren?
For me, Frieren is the only one that surpasses Pluto currently. But it also surpasses A Place Further than the Universe, which IMO is quite a feat! Yeah, nothing has ever made me cry to the point of having to stop to go to the toilet to catch my breath from tears like the scene with the laptop in Sora Yori, and that was after watching the series 5 times over (PROBABLY will happen again if I do rewatch that episode), but the level of sophistication and complexity in Frieren and its characters and narrative is something I haven't seen since Evangelion and Lain. For me, it's a masterpiece for the ages. So is Sora Yori, BTW, but for different reasons.
I really like your takes. Well done. 🎉
Frieren is one of the few anime that I have ever rated a full 10/10 among only five others; Clannad: After Story, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, Violet Evergarden, and Wolf Children. Only Violet Evergarden and Frieren have earned that score in the past 5 years. The rest were watched earlier in my anime journey with heavier novelty bias (though obviously not entirely, they are great shows) and now heavy nostalgia bias.
For context that's out of 378 series, 101 movies, and 36 specials so its not even out of a small amount of shows. I have about 5x that many 9/10 rated shows.
Its SO good.
No Matter what happens the first 4 episodes are so beautiful they could stand on their own as a short.
Easily the best show this year. I haven’t been this attached to a show so quickly in a long time .
Eminence is better
@@jasonjanisewski78 eminence is boring
@@wendellpardillo7191 I can see it being boring if you do not appreciate the incredible world building, the twisting of tropes, or the incredibly subtle jokes and inferences taking place in the backgrounds.
@@jasonjanisewski78boring generic plot, u probably just watch it cause of the attractive girls the mc is cringe mc, id probably like eminence if i was still 14 like u
Easily is an insult to the other great shows. I personally think Vinalnd is the best, but Frieren is close behind followed by Apothecary Diaries, Heavenly Delusion, and JJK.
Why am I discovering you so late?!
You are the most sympathetic guy I have seen in a while.
I can completely relate to your opinion on Frieren. Really good Video!
So she journeys to heaven to meet Himmel. As a German speaker this is... interesting, since Himmel is the German word for heaven.
Something I look out for in shows, movies, games, etc, is the attention to detail. Frieren is just full to the brim with this, really shows people put a lot of soul and effort in making it. They deserve all the praise and time of the world
I have friends, who are also anime fans, that refuse to watch this.
I'm considering disowning them as friends.
How old are they?
@@ChrisH43 25+
Lol
i cannot get over this Anime, it makes me feel like I have been missing out my entire life on what a great anime should be, it is so refreshing and so insightful and deep and engaging....i could go and on!! I will have to keep rewatching this Anime....will go down as one of the all time greats!
I saw a clip of Frieren vs Draht then Aura that had me a little curious. So I give it a try to check this anime without any info aside from those 2 clips. Gaddem after the 1st episode, I was in awe thinking why is it good and can't put my finger on it. It feels so different that I don't understand. Me like like.
I think that despite the fantasy setting, the story is very human. It's a melancholy view of the passage of time and those moments we may of had with friends in the past. I miss and look back on my old friends and group, it's bittersweet but I'm glad I experienced it. It's the little things that stand out.... not the big events. We all can emphasize with it
When I started Frieren, I was reminded of Violet Evergarden. They are similar in how, despite the premise, they focus primarily on the human emotion, the deepest, most personal interactions between our experiences, our emotions, and our environment.
Frieren has made me gasp twice in amazement at its subtlety. One is the beach episode where she realized moments can be beautiful because you are sharing it with someone. Then there's the episode where it's revealed why she's been looking for mundane spells; she's been looking for a spell that makes her happy the same way her master had her own favorite spell. These things are beautiful because you're not just told what to think through exposition and flashbacks. It uses the rare method of subtlety and respects the viewer's intelligence to give them the satisfaction of having them figure it out themselves.
I mean isn't that the point of anime flashbacks etc? You kinda have to figure it out, I mean it's not rocket science.
@@SpikeTheWolf Maybe you misread me. I just said that Frieren does it without using flashbacks or exposition.
A big reason that she looks for spells is because Himmel told her he likes her magic also
@@mookiestewart3776 well, yeah, but that could mean the powerful spells that she already has. The episode with Flammes' speech about her impending death made it crystal clear.
@@jeremygonzal8603 the first time the show brought up why she collects spells it showed Himmel saying he loved her magic my friend. She’s a complex character and her reasoning is multifaceted but the show EXPLICITLY shows that the primary reason she collects spells is because of Himmel. The primary reason she does ANYTHING at all is because of him, she is who she is and acts the way she acts primarily because of HIM. The entire point of her “character journey” is her coming to realize how much he meant to her and how she fucked up with her relationship with him by not seeing things outside her own perspective. And now she’s trying to fix that ….THATS THE SHOW MY DUDE , THATS THE POINT
I originally started reading Frieren a few months before the anime was announced, and I was really loving it, and now seeing the anime, and how well the adaptation is handled, and how much praise it's getting, feels really damn good. I'd barely been reading manga at all prior, just a few here and there, but it really awakened something in me, suddenly I'm reading TONS of manga, I think I've finally realized that good feeling of randomly finding something, that then ends up getting massively highly acclaimed, and you can be like "Yeah, I was reading this before it was popular!" xD
But on a serious note, this is genuinely one of my all time favourites, and I really hope it stays as consistently good. Also, I need to get back to the manga, cuz the anime has overtaken me now... xD
Frieren is now up there with Galadriel in legendary elves in pop culture!
To be honest, that's any elf nowadays.
@@SpikeTheWolfI could include Elrond and Celeborn too. I'm a Tolkien nerd.
@@claytonrios1 the black kid?
@@claytonrios1pop culture, not nerd culture
People will know of Galadriel and Legolas, and now Frieren, people will scratch their heads like monkeys if you mention others from Tolkien's works, that's just the truth (in my opinion, sad truth)
@@LudwigVaanArthans I thought Elrond was pretty well known.
I can tell this much... This is easily one of the best anime I've seen. Assuming they don't mess anything up later on, it is easily going to stand among the greatest of all time.
And more importantly - it is one of the best fantasy pieces available on screen. Now, that alone may not be saying much, considering that a lot of the western fantasy movies or series scrape the bottom of the barrel, with very few notable exceptions like LoTR... And that most of the Fantasy anime follows video game logic quite a lot.
What makes Frieren amazing is... well, just about everything really - music, visuals, setting, plot... but most importantly, characters and pacing.
Finally we have a show with characters who are genuinely flawed, where changes are not relegated to one single event. Where banter feels natural and always fitting. And the pacing - a show that does not fear being slow. But while slow, it is still not boring. It creates this nearly dreamlike atmosphere.
And you know what... We finally have basically Tolkien-esque elves - graceful, calm, immortal, inhuman, almost alien. The show very effectively hammers that Elves are like that, that this obliviousness is not just a character trait. It is nature. And the shows makes a very good attempt to show the audience how the world looks from the eyes of the immortal being.
You compare it to Mushishi, I'm sold
Wonderful storytelling, beautiful animation, and a touching message about time, mortality, but also the little moments. Its something older viewers can empathize with. Appreciate the time you have with each other and the melancholy of the past. Top 5 anime to me. Ever episode is a masterpiece and has touching and comedic scenes