Very good anime. Enjoyed watching it over and over again as RUclips ran a month long marathon. I liked your explanation. Never really thought about how shonen stories work. I can relate somewhat to Frieren. I wish I did more to learn about the people around me. Now they're gone forever and sometimes I wish I could turn back time and change the past. Frieren was really a good story about cherishing the moment now. You never know if tomorrow may never come.
This Anime show us, what we have to develop to become better people. Yet we need people, that know the important values in the life to praise those who done rly the important deeds
We should remember the guy that stopped someone hurting people in the Taiwan metro, getting a scar on his face, and answered that Himmel would done the same. This Anime (and for my opinion its the important thing) give the peoples the braveness they need to Step forward in there life.
Frieren is original epic fantasy. The Modern fantasy genre has become about escapism, allowing ourselves to delve into a fake world where our real problems don’t exist anymore. A “safe place” for people where responsibilities no longer worry us. But Frieren is the kind of anime fantasy that utilizes the genre to depict the real world through an imaginative lenses. Creatively teaching the viewers lessons that encourage us to face the real world.
@@natalimoina you need more life experience and be more grounded. Frieren takes the ordinary from the extraordinary which makes it resonate more to the life experiences of common folks.
@@vylon1075I feel like it’s simply an anime that is well written that focuses on different sides rather than just fights. Which is why we relate so much to it and in a way despite how dangerous it can be a lot of people wished they were there or something.
After clicking on just about every Frieren think piece that's appeared in my feed (a LOT, let me tell you), your "redefining a shonen hero" idea is the first new concept for me to consider in maybe the last eight months. Good on you for finding a new angle in a very crowded space. Denken knew who she was immediately, but he's someone who grew up steeped in magic, and he wasn't directly affected personally by the Hero's adventure. Also Denken probably knew that she was a leading voice in the deciphering of Zoltraak which would have left a big impression on him.
I calculated this a while ago, but I think Denken is around 75 years old, so that would put him in that age where everyone, especially kids are talking about the demon king and the party of heroes. It makes sense he would gravitate to the mage if he himself had an affinity for magic. Basically, he was the kid who liked drums so he followed the drummer of his favorite band more than the popular lead singer.
3:23 Let's not forget that Himmel knew Frieren was a great mage because, when he was a child and got lost, she not only guided him back to his village but also showed him the flower field spell. Perhaps I'm biased because it's one of my favorites, but it's a small detail that gave more meaning to the story.
@@NiTeHaWKnzremarkably, it's her favorite spell because it was what inspired him to remember her, and she found his faith in her inspiring. Just by being herself, She caused the thing that became her greatest inspiration.
Frieren is also a lesson on how to build good relationships. How to be emphatic, being more aware of how others may feel. My most favorite lesson is that one small good deed, no matter how mundane or unremarkable, could change someone's life
Excellent comment! I would agree completely, and also well said. The story is an example of Synchronicity. The strange connections various events have on each other. The Flower Spell derided by Serie as being useless, ends up being the primary cause of the destruction of the Demon King.
When you completey binged it all in one go like did after it ended it was a delayed feeling. But about 20 minutes of doom scrolling while deciding what anime to watch next it hit me. Idk what type of scorcery this anime has but you truly do feel something from the heart. I actually had to put my hand on my chest to double check if i wasn't going crazy. This anime truly is breathe taking after it sinks in. And now I am so excited to getting a S2.
My favorite part is that Frieren takes nearly ten years to get to know Fern, despite deliberately trying to do so, and then with the help of just a few humans along the way, she learns how to see Fern. And then we get to see through her memories that she actually knew Himmel quite well, remembering his favorite flower, favorite food, favorite sayings, his vanity, his laugh, his love of the mundane. Fern likes sweet things and magic, and is grumpy sometimes. Frieren is still learning and growing, and I love that.
Not my comment. I saw it under another video - Why very few people analyze the story telling? There is wonderful video essay called "When you tell an entire story in 9 minutes". It explains how well Frieren is written. The writing follows something called "bracketed ideas". The show is structured in a way that it builds its setups very meticulously and preemptively which allows for the pay-off to be very satisfying and not artificially shoehorned afterwards. Not only this but the pay-offs does not end up there. They continues being explored and having impact in other episodes which add nuances to the themes, character and the world. Thus everything - from Fern and Stark catching fish, to Frieren saying random quote like "I am used to loosing things" have meaning in the whole picture. Another thing is that the show is grounded and realistic. A lot of people fall into the trap of the anime tropes while watching it - expecting power levelling, flexing and screaming who is who, which lead to someone getting stronger etc. But here the struggles are internal. For example very few people noticed how throughout the series Fern was shown several times to pass very nervously between ridges on wooden logs. This represents her lack of confidence in herself. The relationships are very human like, instead of being hyperbolic and on the nose. Every action has consequences in the world the show is developed. For example Frieren saying "I know" to Fern in ep.17 when holding her hand for 2nd time. We were shown preemptively how Frieren still see Fern as a kid, it showed why Fern felt embarrassed, it gave us their perspectives and also added Stark's one and the origin of holding the hand. So when Frieren said this quote it was build comprehensively. There was no need of 5 mins of verbal exposition or internal dialog who feels what. We saw how the setup and payoffs were build in front of us. This is something which is hard to find in other animes.
@@gallenberger1 It's true. It's a triumph of writing. Here's a fun game to play: Get a 5 person watch party together, then discuss every episode at length after. You'll be blown away by what happens.
Haven't rewatched the Frieren anime in a while but this incredible video just convinced me. Also, don't know if you read the manga but if not just know that you are going to adore season 2. Frieren is a gift that keeps on giving
@@gallenberger1 I second this. Next massive arc is going to be amazing. I can't wait to see how they'll impliment it into an anime because the source materials are so good.
Good video! One point I disagree with is Kraft though.. We don't know how Kraft made the people feel.. whatever he accomplished in the past, it's likely been hundreds, if not thousands of years ago. Himmels Impact on the world of Frieren is huge and might have been greater.. but that's speculation at best. It's only been 80~ years since he died. There's still a generation that remembers him. Not to undermine the point of how people will remember you for how you made them feel.
Freiren showed me I want more from storytelling. Many animes/stories are built around hype and fights. but freiren and another show delicious in dungeon is built around the world and the characters place, stories, and conflicts within it with the worldbuilding itself still being prominent, interesting and unique
I also want to point out how Frieren keep the mystery aspect revealed so little and left in the dark, made it more like how story of legend and myth in real life. Not only Kraft's past. The mythical era itself, story of Ewig the sage, the fuck that magnificent beast that makes Aisen tremble, who else in the 7 sages of destruction, what about hero of the south that said the strongest of humanity at the time, the demon king himself and why theres an elves genocide, i want more of southerland where Fern & Laufen comes from. Damn, the world of Frieren just too fascinating.
Two Thoughts. First, the troupe breaking fights. You cited Stark versus Linie, but the one that stands out is Fern versus Lugner as the inversion of the standard "find inner strength" boss fight. We get the inner dialogue from _LUGNER!_ So instead of the hero rising to the occasion, we get the villain realizing they are facing a Dark Souls boss. Just...wow. Second, Stark is Zenitsu done right. Whereas it took virtually the entire plot of _Demon Slayer_ for Zenitsu to finally break through, _Frieren_ did it in two episodes. Perfect comic relief, without the painfully annoying cowardice that does nothing to advance the character and plot. Bonus Thought: Episode 10 is the greatest episode of anime of all time. I shall die on this hill.
Frieren had a lot of good things going in the show but my favorite aspect of the series were the incredible storytelling and it continues season 1 onwards into the manga as well. They make you feel for almost every character with interesting storyline sparked with deep moral lessons that doesn't feel artificial. Lastly himmel himself which i don't need to explain why because this series does a incredible job showing why he was very important to frieren and so many other characters in their world. If himmel didn't influenced eisen and heiter the way he did, Stark and fern wouldn't have been able to survive their childhood and most likely would have gotten a grave of fireflies type ending (Baby Fern was about to jump off a cliff if heiter didn't stopped her). Not having fern and stark means frieren would have been all alone again too just like after flamme died. Another thing i noticed while reading this manga was how small details feels insignificant at first but once the arc concludes everything makes sense which in return gives it overall a more satisfying conclusion. Overall 10/10 Can't wait to see more of this incredible series
One thing i like about fight in Frieren is that by being so short and to the point thet feel more real. In a life or death fight you are not going to go on a tangent explaning your powers to your opponent while asserting that they have no chance. You are not going to go easy on someone who is trying to kill you. You will try to finish it fast and by any means.Fights in Frieren are untill the first mistake or misjudgment. Characters only start talking when they feel like they are totally in control, which often ends up being a fatal mistake anyway. It adds a lot more danger and stakes and feels more visceral.
I agree with everything you said, except when it comes to Kraft. It's pretty subjective, I suppose, but I feel the whole episode with Kraft wasn't to insinuate that he did nothing notable with his character, but that it had been so long ago that people simply didn't remember. The only legacy of Kraft and his companion was in the form of Statues, which no one remembered the purpose of. The idea of Himmel's Hero's Party killing the Demon Lord was just another short little human adventure to Kraft, as it was implied he did similar feats in the past. I think the scene was really trying to showcase the difference in age between Frieren and Kraft, and shows how Kraft came to terms with his longevity and acceptance of it, while Frieren was still finding her place with her pace. It lines up with the whole plot of the story as well, looking at it this way. When it comes to the statues as well, and people recognizing Frieren, I don't think it's a case of no one recognizing her because of her timid character. It was noted by characters who didn't initially recognize her (if they did at all) that she has an uncanny similar appearance to the Frieren that was in the Hero's Party. I don't think it's a fault of Frieren not making an impact, but rather the rarity of Elves and people not understanding that hundreds of years can go by and their appearance will remain exactly the same. There were a couple scenes (I think two in the anime but more in the manga) where people even point out that she should look older, as it's been ~70 years since the demon lord was killed, but she doesn't, because she's an Elf. Anyway, both of the opinions I said above are just that, subjective opinions, but in any case your video was 10/10, thanks for making and posting it :)
About Freiren not being recognized, there actually are some people who recognize her, and they’re to drive the point home; the few people who did have some direct interaction with her. The older people, who were around back then, Denken, who became a mage because he admired her, a little brat who flipped her skirt as a prank… it shows that the adventure of the hero party was a very long time ago, and she only made connections with a select few people in that time.
Something that defined the top anime not only last year but in general is that it's got to be more than just pretty or amazing fight scenes. There has to be a well crafted, compelling story to back it up. The characters need to be interesting and have depth to them, not just be a one trick pony. And it all has to flow and feel relatable enough to keep you wanting to see what happens next. Frieren checks all of those boxes.
Its not really about the ability or lack of to make connections: The reason Frieren is not "famous" is because throughout their journey she preferred that Himmel become more visible for their exploits so she can lie low, as instructed by Flamme. Nobody remembers Kraft because he is that old, everyone who did and the many generations after those are all long dead.
I think the best way to explain Himmel's fame is that everyone remembers that he defeated the demon king, but that's not WHY anyone remembers him. The reason they remember him is all the small things he did along the way. Or to but it another way, defeating the demon king is on everyone's list of things they remember about Himmel, but it's not number one on anyone's list. By the way, there are a few people who identify Frieren on their first meeting, most notably Lernen and Denken.
Frieren was a new level of visual storytelling emotions, somewhat similar to how second season of Clannad in its own time rose it to new levels. Both will be remembered as groundbreaking!
Excellent take - agreed completely. Frieren is a masterclass in excellent storytelling, character development, and relationship building. Instant favorite
Hello and happy new year. I enjoyed your analysis of the video for Freiren. I like it when one goes into depth on the anime as well as explains the lessons it teaches.
Aside from the things mentioned, I think another point that hits us the audience is how the show treats time…. Elves like frieren and Kraft live very long lives in contrast to humans…. So when they spend long months in a specific town or when they allowed the stormy winter to pass, it felt like such a waste of time to us and am we feel it for fern and stark too…. But for the elves, it would have been a blip… It makes you appreciate how short of a life span we really have and I’m sure because we have a short life, that’s why we try to make decisions that would immortalize our memory…. Which is circles back to the elves … since they have such long lives they don’t really feel the need to leave a mark just yet because there’s still a lot for them to experience… So in short, for viewers who soak it all in… it makes you realize that we really should be living to our fullest and leave a legacy.
This anime broke the mold for me by allowing magic and technology to coexist and humanity to develop at the same break neck speed as in real life. I always held the belief that magic is the enemy of technology and that we should be grateful we live in a world without magic of this kind as it would interfere with mankind's creation of tools. But, somehow this philosophy was overcome by this exceptional storytelling. This problem is addressed by showing how new tools and knowledge is being developed precisely because of magic, which is something I haven't considered. Magic is treated like a new substance to be analyzed and studied, which fuels humanity's development, rather than just an ability someone learns while doing a few exercises in their shack. The story is very well put together, because they establish a fully fleshed out mythology and let the protagonist rediscover everything dynamically as she retraces her steps in the world. We also get to learn everything in the right time in the form of flashbacks as we go along for the ride. This creates a thriller esque tone for every event no matter how mundane it might be otherwise. Also, they don't shy away from showing the flaws of each character in an amusing way. The writing reveals that no one is perfect and that there is one great threat to us all that no one can overcome: the passage of time. Time itself is the main villain in this anime! The prospects are you either grow old and die or if you're an immortal elf, you're in danger of going mad due to losing all your friends over and over and being bored out of your mind having already read every grimoire in existence. Magic is limited only by the imagination, so the most powerful mages are forced to take on apprentices to keep learning new perspectives from them. Nobody is infinitely creative all on their own no matter how much power they already amassed. It's a brilliant concept that keeps every character pursuing a greater goal and their struggles are deep and entertaining to watch.
If the hero's party was a rock band, Himmel would be the singer/frontman. Frieren would be the bass player or the drummer. If band shows up once in your town and you have no prior knowledge of the band or their music, you will remember the frontman even though the bass player or drummer is just as important.
The defeat also is already a lifetime ago. People don't know that there are any survivors from the hero party that defeated the devil king. And the people that do know there was an elf are old or dead. The young don't know to know.
What a great video, that was a great analysis of the show. I only just watched it last week I started watching and first few episodes I almost dropped it but then I was like I'll give it a few more. Then boom I binge watched the whole show not a lot of action but it was FANTASTIC puts it up there with Ghost in the shell and Fullmetal alchemist for me.
Excellent video, nevertheless there are some things that I think you got wrong: 1. While you're right about how Himmel made others feel and the help he provided along the way made a lasting impact with people, he was also very vain and actively sought to be remembered; by contrast Frieren actively sought to live in obscurity, like Flamme taught her. Even after the defeat of the demon king she still seems to live by that rule 2. The reason people don't remember Kraft is that his deeds happened many centuries ago
You know... if i had a penny for every time an elf was more human than humans, i'd have 2 pennies... and im all here for it. Elysia (HI3rd) was portrayed as the elf who loved humanity so much, and was even dubbed "The Flawless Human", to become the first pro humanity herrscher that helped form other pro humanity herrschers over time. Frieren, the apathetic elf that came to regret not making connections when she could, growing to be someone who strives to follow in Himmel the Hero's footsteps. To be remembered, to help wherever she no matter how trivial a task. It's actually crazy how these 2 elves were written to be so human while not being humans themselves.
I like to elaborate on the Long fights part, where it is used as a Major Climax and finale of the story arc rather than being the Bread and Butter like most Shonen do where the focal point is the battle and not the finale for that arc. I will spoil here so be warned for anime only: In the El Dorado Arc and the Northern Plataeu arc have major drawn out fights that focuses on the conclusions on all sides have. For example, Macht and Denken's conclusion was one to end it all, and it simply puts the battle as that final conclusion. Meanwhile we go to Demon Slayer where Fighting Douma was the most unique fight ever because its the only fight where it starts and ends the way it is intended to be, the conclusion of Kanao's growth as a person and Inosuke's maturity, while Douma would get what he wanted at the end. Which really shows just how to use the battle wisely rather than crashing into a fight with Muzan where it just concludes everything because it really doesn't have that much to go.
I watched all the great ones and this one is just above them. It might not have the composition like Joe Hisaishi but it also doesn’t need it.. it is the perfect anime. The greatest show of all time.. I hope we get more episodes on the same level as S1 and if That’s not possible I‘d rather have none.
Frieren is considered a shounen anime!? It may be family friendly, but it's so deep and touches on such mature storytelling that I'd consider it to be seinen
What throws people off especially Americans, is they normally think of " shounen" as " shounen jump" ie dbz,bleach,naruto,deamon slayer , etc type anime/manga. There are plenty of non jump titles people probably wouldn't think of as "Shounen" like komi can't communicate, haruhi suzumiya, Hyouka, Horimiya, the girl who lept through time etc.
Honestly the more I think about that Ubel fight against the guy with defensive cloth the more I doubt the explanation. I mean it goes both ways, doesn't it? She believes that she can cut it and the guy believes it won''t be cut. So.... What made the difference? The fact that she has plot on her side?
Of very recent series, the only one I place at Frieren's level is The Apothecary Diaries. Very different shows, but with the common thread of absolutely superb writing. Of course, given that I'm someone whose all-time favorite series is Violet Evergarden, it's not hard to predict what I'll like! ;)
The greatest fight in anime I've ever seen was Aura the Guillotine vs Freiren the Slayer. It was proof positive that a fight does not have to take 5 episodes and a ton of property damage to be amazing, powerful or exciting.
I thought it was interesting having an unconventional love interest such as Himmel. Watching Frieren fall in love with his memory, knowing there is no hope for their love to be truly realized it so... frustrating
good job although frieren was on top of mal i dont think i heared a lot of people talk about i hope its just my imagination cause it is really really good also is ur manga out yet or what?
did fern blow off frieren arms in the dungeon fight, as you can see at 6:55 or am i not seeing it right? i have not seen any one talk about this as it is pretty badass of fern
I love your second point, because for a story to be great all it usually takes is good storytellilng - who would have thought? ^^ Set-up and pay-off should come in that order. Sadly many anime series show a great action moment and then take minutes explaining why it was cool. But that's just bad storytelling, nothing else.
Potentially controversial hot take here... I'll be honest. I think Frieren needed a prequel. Imagine if the first impression everyone got of Frieren was an anime called Frieren - Journey to the End of the World. This anime would have told the tale of what Frieren was doing before joining the hero party, how her talents as a mage were recognized, and how she supported the hero on his journey to defeat the demon lord. I think that as a stand alone title would have been a great anime. After ending the season, a new season would come out called Frieren - Beyond Journey's End. This is where Frieren would get introduced to Fern and Stark and go on their adventure together, but instead of dragging the pacing down with long flashbacks of characters that viewers don't have much of a reason to care about, Beyond Journey's End could have had short flashbacks of things that actually happened in season 1 with characters that the viewers had a full season to know and love. I respect Frieren as an anime for what it accomplished and I acknowledge that it is a very well made anime, but I personally didn't enjoy it. I think something like this is what it would have taken for me to enjoy Frieren.
I'm a person that despises flashbacks. In most shows I skip them intentionally. In frieren, flashbacks are SUCH a crucial part of it, the way the story is told wouldn't make nearly as much sense and would have a much lesser impact without them. Each flashback isn't JUST a flashback, each time it reveals whatever surface thing is being shown, while at the same time foreshadowing and/or showing one or more things relating to the characters. For example, in ep 16 during the flashback then Old Man Voll talks about why he's defending the village, you're not only being told the backstory, you're also seeing the glimmer of resonance within Himmel and realization that he doesn't wish to put frieren in a such a position. When connecting that with other snippets we see, the way the statues cause reminiscence, we can see the love himmel had for frieren that he kept to himself for her sake. Had this been in a prequel, we would not know the future outcomes. Had the flashbacks not been there, the entire episode would lack the gravitas that it'd had.
@@gallenberger1 Thanks. Besides, there is a prequel. It's like 13 frames or so (0.5 sec) in one of the earlier episodes. That's how brief it was from Frieren's point of view :P
Nah that's a pretty cringe thing to say. If people find something special in Frieren then that's great for them. But when I hear stuff like 'oh my gosh Frieren changed EVERYTHING' it just makes me think 'Get over yourself lol'
Probably the most overrated anime this century (same with Demon Slayer). Boring characters (90% of them are stoic without much personality. Generic world building. I've seen better fantasy anime that is less popular than Frerien.
What do you think of Frieren? Did it change something for you too?
goated
@@lomk3656 fr
Very good anime. Enjoyed watching it over and over again as RUclips ran a month long marathon. I liked your explanation. Never really thought about how shonen stories work. I can relate somewhat to Frieren. I wish I did more to learn about the people around me. Now they're gone forever and sometimes I wish I could turn back time and change the past. Frieren was really a good story about cherishing the moment now. You never know if tomorrow may never come.
@raymondgonzales5877 I think this anime can hit home for many of us
This Anime show us, what we have to develop to become better people. Yet we need people, that know the important values in the life to praise those who done rly the important deeds
We should remember the guy that stopped someone hurting people in the Taiwan metro, getting a scar on his face, and answered that Himmel would done the same. This Anime (and for my opinion its the important thing) give the peoples the braveness they need to Step forward in there life.
The stabbing in Taiwan was stopped by a someone who said “Its what Himmel the Hero would have done”.
@@JustAnNPC69 That basically goes to show how impactful he is. Absolutely insane
Yes indeed! Fictional stories about fictional people doing fictional things, can cause inspiration in human beings to do real good!
Frieren is original epic fantasy.
The Modern fantasy genre has become about escapism, allowing ourselves to delve into a fake world where our real problems don’t exist anymore. A “safe place” for people where responsibilities no longer worry us.
But Frieren is the kind of anime fantasy that utilizes the genre to depict the real world through an imaginative lenses. Creatively teaching the viewers lessons that encourage us to face the real world.
@peteryang2067 Beautifully said. Definitely why it hits different
This don't sound right to me 😅
@@natalimoina you need more life experience and be more grounded. Frieren takes the ordinary from the extraordinary which makes it resonate more to the life experiences of common folks.
@@vylon1075I feel like it’s simply an anime that is well written that focuses on different sides rather than just fights. Which is why we relate so much to it and in a way despite how dangerous it can be a lot of people wished they were there or something.
After clicking on just about every Frieren think piece that's appeared in my feed (a LOT, let me tell you), your "redefining a shonen hero" idea is the first new concept for me to consider in maybe the last eight months. Good on you for finding a new angle in a very crowded space.
Denken knew who she was immediately, but he's someone who grew up steeped in magic, and he wasn't directly affected personally by the Hero's adventure. Also Denken probably knew that she was a leading voice in the deciphering of Zoltraak which would have left a big impression on him.
@kaguya6900 It probably helps that I haven't watched many Frieren vids myself so it was just pure research. Great point about Denken
I calculated this a while ago, but I think Denken is around 75 years old, so that would put him in that age where everyone, especially kids are talking about the demon king and the party of heroes. It makes sense he would gravitate to the mage if he himself had an affinity for magic.
Basically, he was the kid who liked drums so he followed the drummer of his favorite band more than the popular lead singer.
3:23 Let's not forget that Himmel knew Frieren was a great mage because, when he was a child and got lost, she not only guided him back to his village but also showed him the flower field spell. Perhaps I'm biased because it's one of my favorites, but it's a small detail that gave more meaning to the story.
@@lautarof3187 Yep, great catch
And don't forget. That's Frieren's favourite spell.
@@NiTeHaWKnzremarkably, it's her favorite spell because it was what inspired him to remember her, and she found his faith in her inspiring. Just by being herself, She caused the thing that became her greatest inspiration.
Frieren is also a lesson on how to build good relationships. How to be emphatic, being more aware of how others may feel. My most favorite lesson is that one small good deed, no matter how mundane or unremarkable, could change someone's life
Absolutely
Excellent comment! I would agree completely, and also well said. The story is an example of Synchronicity. The strange connections various events have on each other. The Flower Spell derided by Serie as being useless, ends up being the primary cause of the destruction of the Demon King.
@folcwinep.pywackett8517 Such a cool detail
I like how they had a character who was into older women, but not the 1000+ year old elf because she looked young.
@@unknownhours 🤣
A 2 seconds clip of Heiter patting Frieren on the head just made me tear up. That's how good this story is.
@@15P3R14 Yep, everything makes you feel something
When you completey binged it all in one go like did after it ended it was a delayed feeling. But about 20 minutes of doom scrolling while deciding what anime to watch next it hit me. Idk what type of scorcery this anime has but you truly do feel something from the heart. I actually had to put my hand on my chest to double check if i wasn't going crazy. This anime truly is breathe taking after it sinks in. And now I am so excited to getting a S2.
@@_Akko_ S2 is going to be great
My favorite part is that Frieren takes nearly ten years to get to know Fern, despite deliberately trying to do so, and then with the help of just a few humans along the way, she learns how to see Fern. And then we get to see through her memories that she actually knew Himmel quite well, remembering his favorite flower, favorite food, favorite sayings, his vanity, his laugh, his love of the mundane. Fern likes sweet things and magic, and is grumpy sometimes. Frieren is still learning and growing, and I love that.
@@RaindropsBleeding Excellent point
Not my comment. I saw it under another video - Why very few people analyze the story telling? There is wonderful video essay called "When you tell an entire story in 9 minutes". It explains how well Frieren is written. The writing follows something called "bracketed ideas". The show is structured in a way that it builds its setups very meticulously and preemptively which allows for the pay-off to be very satisfying and not artificially shoehorned afterwards. Not only this but the pay-offs does not end up there. They continues being explored and having impact in other episodes which add nuances to the themes, character and the world. Thus everything - from Fern and Stark catching fish, to Frieren saying random quote like "I am used to loosing things" have meaning in the whole picture.
Another thing is that the show is grounded and realistic. A lot of people fall into the trap of the anime tropes while watching it - expecting power levelling, flexing and screaming who is who, which lead to someone getting stronger etc. But here the struggles are internal. For example very few people noticed how throughout the series Fern was shown several times to pass very nervously between ridges on wooden logs. This represents her lack of confidence in herself.
The relationships are very human like, instead of being hyperbolic and on the nose. Every action has consequences in the world the show is developed. For example Frieren saying "I know" to Fern in ep.17 when holding her hand for 2nd time. We were shown preemptively how Frieren still see Fern as a kid, it showed why Fern felt embarrassed, it gave us their perspectives and also added Stark's one and the origin of holding the hand. So when Frieren said this quote it was build comprehensively. There was no need of 5 mins of verbal exposition or internal dialog who feels what. We saw how the setup and payoffs were build in front of us. This is something which is hard to find in other animes.
@antonkarenin7332 Well I caught a little of that but certainly not all of it. I'm sure I could rewatch 100 times and still learn new things each time
@@gallenberger1 It's true. It's a triumph of writing. Here's a fun game to play: Get a 5 person watch party together, then discuss every episode at length after. You'll be blown away by what happens.
Haven't rewatched the Frieren anime in a while but this incredible video just convinced me. Also, don't know if you read the manga but if not just know that you are going to adore season 2. Frieren is a gift that keeps on giving
@danielnsaka2982 Have not read the manga but I am so excited for more Frieren. Glad you want to rewatch it now
@gallenberger1 Man you are in for a ride🔥, and thank you for the awesome video🙏
@danielnsaka2982 Can't wait 😎 for sure, lots more to come
@@gallenberger1 I second this. Next massive arc is going to be amazing. I can't wait to see how they'll impliment it into an anime because the source materials are so good.
@Randomchannelhandle1 You guys are getting me hyped
Good video!
One point I disagree with is Kraft though..
We don't know how Kraft made the people feel.. whatever he accomplished in the past, it's likely been hundreds, if not thousands of years ago. Himmels Impact on the world of Frieren is huge and might have been greater.. but that's speculation at best. It's only been 80~ years since he died. There's still a generation that remembers him.
Not to undermine the point of how people will remember you for how you made them feel.
I did consider that but it was a little too far into the process to change the video 😅
Actually, it was 29 years since himmel died
@@neilkurzman4907 Lmao, you´re totally right. 80~ years since they defeated the demon king.. my bad
@
You elves are always doing that, 30 years 80 years same difference
@@neilkurzman4907 🤣
There is a parallel to gorilla warrior that people felt the silliness and remembered.
@@benjamingoldstein9156 Great point
Liked the point about comparing the heroes
The world would be a better place if everyone watched/read Frieren.
@@ThePCeristas Absolutely
Freiren showed me I want more from storytelling. Many animes/stories are built around hype and fights. but freiren and another show delicious in dungeon is built around the world and the characters place, stories, and conflicts within it with the worldbuilding itself still being prominent, interesting and unique
It's so efficient in its usage of storytelling
I also want to point out how Frieren keep the mystery aspect revealed so little and left in the dark, made it more like how story of legend and myth in real life.
Not only Kraft's past. The mythical era itself, story of Ewig the sage, the fuck that magnificent beast that makes Aisen tremble, who else in the 7 sages of destruction, what about hero of the south that said the strongest of humanity at the time, the demon king himself and why theres an elves genocide, i want more of southerland where Fern & Laufen comes from.
Damn, the world of Frieren just too fascinating.
@@teguhlg Excellent points
somthing i love about this show is the way it shows how people view time different from elves. it does it a beautiful way.
@@kakashikirioshi5731 That's been something that has hit home for many. It's really cool
"Wait... Friere is a shonen ani- OH GOD HOW DID I FORGET"
Two Thoughts. First, the troupe breaking fights. You cited Stark versus Linie, but the one that stands out is Fern versus Lugner as the inversion of the standard "find inner strength" boss fight. We get the inner dialogue from _LUGNER!_ So instead of the hero rising to the occasion, we get the villain realizing they are facing a Dark Souls boss. Just...wow.
Second, Stark is Zenitsu done right. Whereas it took virtually the entire plot of _Demon Slayer_ for Zenitsu to finally break through, _Frieren_ did it in two episodes. Perfect comic relief, without the painfully annoying cowardice that does nothing to advance the character and plot.
Bonus Thought: Episode 10 is the greatest episode of anime of all time. I shall die on this hill.
Frieren had a lot of good things going in the show but my favorite aspect of the series were the incredible storytelling and it continues season 1 onwards into the manga as well. They make you feel for almost every character with interesting storyline sparked with deep moral lessons that doesn't feel artificial. Lastly himmel himself which i don't need to explain why because this series does a incredible job showing why he was very important to frieren and so many other characters in their world. If himmel didn't influenced eisen and heiter the way he did, Stark and fern wouldn't have been able to survive their childhood and most likely would have gotten a grave of fireflies type ending (Baby Fern was about to jump off a cliff if heiter didn't stopped her). Not having fern and stark means frieren would have been all alone again too just like after flamme died. Another thing i noticed while reading this manga was how small details feels insignificant at first but once the arc concludes everything makes sense which in return gives it overall a more satisfying conclusion. Overall 10/10 Can't wait to see more of this incredible series
@@mdraj5655 Great comment
"Just like that Ex of yours."
Savage
@@sooyster4033 😅
One thing i like about fight in Frieren is that by being so short and to the point thet feel more real. In a life or death fight you are not going to go on a tangent explaning your powers to your opponent while asserting that they have no chance. You are not going to go easy on someone who is trying to kill you. You will try to finish it fast and by any means.Fights in Frieren are untill the first mistake or misjudgment. Characters only start talking when they feel like they are totally in control, which often ends up being a fatal mistake anyway. It adds a lot more danger and stakes and feels more visceral.
@@ЗахарКоншин Wish that had dawned on me tbh. Great point
I agree with everything you said, except when it comes to Kraft.
It's pretty subjective, I suppose, but I feel the whole episode with Kraft wasn't to insinuate that he did nothing notable with his character, but that it had been so long ago that people simply didn't remember. The only legacy of Kraft and his companion was in the form of Statues, which no one remembered the purpose of. The idea of Himmel's Hero's Party killing the Demon Lord was just another short little human adventure to Kraft, as it was implied he did similar feats in the past.
I think the scene was really trying to showcase the difference in age between Frieren and Kraft, and shows how Kraft came to terms with his longevity and acceptance of it, while Frieren was still finding her place with her pace. It lines up with the whole plot of the story as well, looking at it this way.
When it comes to the statues as well, and people recognizing Frieren, I don't think it's a case of no one recognizing her because of her timid character. It was noted by characters who didn't initially recognize her (if they did at all) that she has an uncanny similar appearance to the Frieren that was in the Hero's Party. I don't think it's a fault of Frieren not making an impact, but rather the rarity of Elves and people not understanding that hundreds of years can go by and their appearance will remain exactly the same. There were a couple scenes (I think two in the anime but more in the manga) where people even point out that she should look older, as it's been ~70 years since the demon lord was killed, but she doesn't, because she's an Elf.
Anyway, both of the opinions I said above are just that, subjective opinions, but in any case your video was 10/10, thanks for making and posting it :)
@tyray3p I had considered that too, and think that is also a valid interpretation of it. Glad you liked the vid!
About Freiren not being recognized, there actually are some people who recognize her, and they’re to drive the point home; the few people who did have some direct interaction with her. The older people, who were around back then, Denken, who became a mage because he admired her, a little brat who flipped her skirt as a prank… it shows that the adventure of the hero party was a very long time ago, and she only made connections with a select few people in that time.
"just like that ex of yours" 😭 brother ouch
@Freeish Felt right to say 🤣
Something that defined the top anime not only last year but in general is that it's got to be more than just pretty or amazing fight scenes. There has to be a well crafted, compelling story to back it up. The characters need to be interesting and have depth to them, not just be a one trick pony. And it all has to flow and feel relatable enough to keep you wanting to see what happens next.
Frieren checks all of those boxes.
@@Genthar It sure does. Great comment
Its not really about the ability or lack of to make connections:
The reason Frieren is not "famous" is because throughout their journey she preferred that Himmel become more visible for their exploits so she can lie low, as instructed by Flamme.
Nobody remembers Kraft because he is that old, everyone who did and the many generations after those are all long dead.
I love Frieren's action scenes! They are so fun to watch and engaging because they are short and built so well.
💯
I think the best way to explain Himmel's fame is that everyone remembers that he defeated the demon king, but that's not WHY anyone remembers him. The reason they remember him is all the small things he did along the way. Or to but it another way, defeating the demon king is on everyone's list of things they remember about Himmel, but it's not number one on anyone's list.
By the way, there are a few people who identify Frieren on their first meeting, most notably Lernen and Denken.
@@DarwinAwardWinner Good catches!
Yep wirbel also mentioned this at the last episode. The amount of details this show puts on for every character is nothing short of incredible
@mdtaj7563 Absolutely
I'm still attached and spoiled rotten by the sleepy elf. 😂
😭
@@demonetizedvideo5166 How could you not? Special character
Dont forget that Freiren was the one who adapted the Zoltrak spell for humans.
@@cobrakhan0078 Great point
Frieren was a new level of visual storytelling emotions, somewhat similar to how second season of Clannad in its own time rose it to new levels. Both will be remembered as groundbreaking!
That's a great way of putting it, I'm with you.
Amazing video, I really love Frieren and is probably the best anime from the last 15 years... greetings from Costa Rica
@@theoriginalfat Greetings back! Thanks for watching
Excellent take - agreed completely. Frieren is a masterclass in excellent storytelling, character development, and relationship building. Instant favorite
Thanks!
It’s a life changing experience
@@deandredukes95 It kind of is 🤣
One of the only anime where I agree with all the praise it got. Can't wait for S2. And a Laufen spin-off. I need that.
So many characters could get great spinoffs
Hello and happy new year. I enjoyed your analysis of the video for Freiren.
I like it when one goes into depth on the anime as well as explains the lessons it teaches.
@Silvercomet251 Happy New Year to you as well. Glad the video worked for you
Nice video.
With all the drama surrounding Frieren and the series' demons, I wasn't sure what to expect.
I don't really understand the controversy with it tbh
@@gallenberger1 I know that this is a little snarky on my part, but I believe that Lex is just a butthurt FMA fan in disguise.
@@paulbishop251 Who is Lex?
@@gallenberger1 Lextorias is the RUclipsr who started all the drama a couple of months ago.
@@paulbishop251 oh ok
Aside from the things mentioned, I think another point that hits us the audience is how the show treats time…. Elves like frieren and Kraft live very long lives in contrast to humans…. So when they spend long months in a specific town or when they allowed the stormy winter to pass, it felt like such a waste of time to us and am we feel it for fern and stark too…. But for the elves, it would have been a blip…
It makes you appreciate how short of a life span we really have and I’m sure because we have a short life, that’s why we try to make decisions that would immortalize our memory….
Which is circles back to the elves … since they have such long lives they don’t really feel the need to leave a mark just yet because there’s still a lot for them to experience…
So in short, for viewers who soak it all in… it makes you realize that we really should be living to our fullest and leave a legacy.
A lot of people focused on the time element so I left that alone, but you're right, it is fascinating.
great video, your explanation of frieren was very well thought out
It's really cool how they went out of their way not to do the normal stuff and it all worked. Let me know when you've finished the full season!
@ yeah i’ll go back to it soon enough currently im rewatching mushoku tensei and im just about done with it then im going to watch horimiya
@mangkhai746 Both great watches
This is a very insightful take on Frieren. Very well done.
@@jarekstorm6331 Thanks! Hope to see you back
This anime broke the mold for me by allowing magic and technology to coexist and humanity to develop at the same break neck speed as in real life. I always held the belief that magic is the enemy of technology and that we should be grateful we live in a world without magic of this kind as it would interfere with mankind's creation of tools. But, somehow this philosophy was overcome by this exceptional storytelling. This problem is addressed by showing how new tools and knowledge is being developed precisely because of magic, which is something I haven't considered. Magic is treated like a new substance to be analyzed and studied, which fuels humanity's development, rather than just an ability someone learns while doing a few exercises in their shack.
The story is very well put together, because they establish a fully fleshed out mythology and let the protagonist rediscover everything dynamically as she retraces her steps in the world. We also get to learn everything in the right time in the form of flashbacks as we go along for the ride. This creates a thriller esque tone for every event no matter how mundane it might be otherwise. Also, they don't shy away from showing the flaws of each character in an amusing way. The writing reveals that no one is perfect and that there is one great threat to us all that no one can overcome: the passage of time. Time itself is the main villain in this anime! The prospects are you either grow old and die or if you're an immortal elf, you're in danger of going mad due to losing all your friends over and over and being bored out of your mind having already read every grimoire in existence. Magic is limited only by the imagination, so the most powerful mages are forced to take on apprentices to keep learning new perspectives from them. Nobody is infinitely creative all on their own no matter how much power they already amassed. It's a brilliant concept that keeps every character pursuing a greater goal and their struggles are deep and entertaining to watch.
@@robdom91 Beautifully put. The way they handle magic and science in society is absolutely amazing
yet again a great show that has heart love when anime becomes art at a high level because of the heart of the story
@@redred222 💯
If the hero's party was a rock band, Himmel would be the singer/frontman. Frieren would be the bass player or the drummer. If band shows up once in your town and you have no prior knowledge of the band or their music, you will remember the frontman even though the bass player or drummer is just as important.
@@sundragon7703 That's an interesting point
I dont think it changes anything
But for me it was the first thing in years that i really enjoyed so it has a special place in my heart
The defeat also is already a lifetime ago. People don't know that there are any survivors from the hero party that defeated the devil king. And the people that do know there was an elf are old or dead. The young don't know to know.
Another example of redefining a good fight is in Star Wars Rebels in the duel between Maul and Kenobi. It's very short byt very good.
@@Colin_Boecker-Grieme Not familiar with it tbh
@@gallenberger1 well you can change that if you want, it's on youtube.
What a great video, that was a great analysis of the show. I only just watched it last week I started watching and first few episodes I almost dropped it but then I was like I'll give it a few more. Then boom I binge watched the whole show not a lot of action but it was FANTASTIC puts it up there with Ghost in the shell and Fullmetal alchemist for me.
@Ares38D Glad you stuck with it! What was your favorite part?
Naked Granny from the abrigred series
@@Fireybutton 🤣
Excellent video, nevertheless there are some things that I think you got wrong:
1. While you're right about how Himmel made others feel and the help he provided along the way made a lasting impact with people, he was also very vain and actively sought to be remembered; by contrast Frieren actively sought to live in obscurity, like Flamme taught her. Even after the defeat of the demon king she still seems to live by that rule
2. The reason people don't remember Kraft is that his deeds happened many centuries ago
@gigipopescu Fair points my friend!
About kroft, it may just be because he's extremely old. He lived FAR more than Frieren and that's maybe why nobody recognizes him anymore
@@AceFullbusterZ That is absolutely possible
You know... if i had a penny for every time an elf was more human than humans, i'd have 2 pennies... and im all here for it.
Elysia (HI3rd) was portrayed as the elf who loved humanity so much, and was even dubbed "The Flawless Human", to become the first pro humanity herrscher that helped form other pro humanity herrschers over time.
Frieren, the apathetic elf that came to regret not making connections when she could, growing to be someone who strives to follow in Himmel the Hero's footsteps. To be remembered, to help wherever she no matter how trivial a task.
It's actually crazy how these 2 elves were written to be so human while not being humans themselves.
@@lonelyzero2673 Beautifully put!
my fav anime and manga right now
Excellent choice
Excellent analysis and review!
@@folcwinep.pywackett8517 Thank you for watching!
I like to elaborate on the Long fights part, where it is used as a Major Climax and finale of the story arc rather than being the Bread and Butter like most Shonen do where the focal point is the battle and not the finale for that arc.
I will spoil here so be warned for anime only:
In the El Dorado Arc and the Northern Plataeu arc have major drawn out fights that focuses on the conclusions on all sides have. For example, Macht and Denken's conclusion was one to end it all, and it simply puts the battle as that final conclusion. Meanwhile we go to Demon Slayer where Fighting Douma was the most unique fight ever because its the only fight where it starts and ends the way it is intended to be, the conclusion of Kanao's growth as a person and Inosuke's maturity, while Douma would get what he wanted at the end. Which really shows just how to use the battle wisely rather than crashing into a fight with Muzan where it just concludes everything because it really doesn't have that much to go.
Demon Slayer has utilized it's fights perfectly for crafting the best narrative tho
I watched all the great ones and this one is just above them. It might not have the composition like Joe Hisaishi but it also doesn’t need it.. it is the perfect anime. The greatest show of all time.. I hope we get more episodes on the same level as S1 and if
That’s not possible I‘d rather have none.
Apparently it gets better if you can believe that
Frieren is considered a shounen anime!? It may be family friendly, but it's so deep and touches on such mature storytelling that I'd consider it to be seinen
I've heard it described as a "fantasy slice of life," and that's pretty spot on, imo. Brilliant by any subgenre name...
Yeah, I really don't think this is a shounen show
Fundamentally, I don't think this is aimed at that age bracket at all.
What throws people off especially Americans, is they normally think of " shounen" as " shounen jump" ie dbz,bleach,naruto,deamon slayer , etc type anime/manga. There are plenty of non jump titles people probably wouldn't think of as "Shounen" like komi can't communicate, haruhi suzumiya, Hyouka, Horimiya, the girl who lept through time etc.
I don't think you know what those words mean 😅😅
@@natalimoina 僕は日本語が話して書いて 読めます. 少年の意味は分かります。
Honestly the more I think about that Ubel fight against the guy with defensive cloth the more I doubt the explanation. I mean it goes both ways, doesn't it? She believes that she can cut it and the guy believes it won''t be cut. So.... What made the difference? The fact that she has plot on her side?
@@karmenion That's her gift vs. someone's normal belief is how I took it
Frieren changed everything, other animes now feel pale compared to Frieren...
Dan Da Dan is well received, but it's just not the same as Frieren
Frieren Is considerably better imo
Completely different genre. I can appreciate both for what they bring
Of very recent series, the only one I place at Frieren's level is The Apothecary Diaries. Very different shows, but with the common thread of absolutely superb writing. Of course, given that I'm someone whose all-time favorite series is Violet Evergarden, it's not hard to predict what I'll like! ;)
@DavidKAnderson You're in the right place. Love all three of those
You are right, for me personally frieren is goat which only SNK that I think another goat that on par with frieren in term of how I enjoy it.
The greatest fight in anime I've ever seen was Aura the Guillotine vs Freiren the Slayer. It was proof positive that a fight does not have to take 5 episodes and a ton of property damage to be amazing, powerful or exciting.
It was amazing
I thought it was interesting having an unconventional love interest such as Himmel. Watching Frieren fall in love with his memory, knowing there is no hope for their love to be truly realized it so... frustrating
@@eliscore Very powerful though
Concerning character build, wait to discover what privilege was asked by Ubel, Land and Sense... Awesome is not enough
happy new year brother!
@@AnimeAthletics You too!
good job
although frieren was on top of mal
i dont think i heared a lot of people talk about
i hope its just my imagination cause it is really really good
also is ur manga out yet or what?
Thanks! It's an amazing show.
A trailer for my manga will be dropping real soon
did fern blow off frieren arms in the dungeon fight, as you can see at 6:55 or am i not seeing it right? i have not seen any one talk about this as it is pretty badass of fern
She did
this slapped
NEW SEASON IN 3 DAYS
I wish, but I'm afraid not.
Maybe three months into 2026.
@@TheHoodedBanana21 I'm hoping for 2026
@@michaelmayes8154 I was confused for a sec
never considered Frieren as a Shonen work. It transcends the genre too much to be categorized as such
That kind of proves how different it is
4:21 correct pronunciation of "often" after so many videos
I found Frieren to be somewhat "slice of life" and it's ok.
Definitely has slice of life feel
I love your second point, because for a story to be great all it usually takes is good storytellilng - who would have thought? ^^
Set-up and pay-off should come in that order. Sadly many anime series show a great action moment and then take minutes explaining why it was cool. But that's just bad storytelling, nothing else.
@tkn9931 Yeah, on paper, it's obvious, but Frieren shows it so clearly
❤❤❤❤❤
W
🌻
agreeeeeeeee
@@dwighttilao6596 With what part?
Make slice of life genre great again.. 🥳
💯
Potentially controversial hot take here...
I'll be honest. I think Frieren needed a prequel.
Imagine if the first impression everyone got of Frieren was an anime called Frieren - Journey to the End of the World.
This anime would have told the tale of what Frieren was doing before joining the hero party, how her talents as a mage were recognized, and how she supported the hero on his journey to defeat the demon lord. I think that as a stand alone title would have been a great anime. After ending the season, a new season would come out called Frieren - Beyond Journey's End.
This is where Frieren would get introduced to Fern and Stark and go on their adventure together, but instead of dragging the pacing down with long flashbacks of characters that viewers don't have much of a reason to care about, Beyond Journey's End could have had short flashbacks of things that actually happened in season 1 with characters that the viewers had a full season to know and love.
I respect Frieren as an anime for what it accomplished and I acknowledge that it is a very well made anime, but I personally didn't enjoy it. I think something like this is what it would have taken for me to enjoy Frieren.
I'm a person that despises flashbacks. In most shows I skip them intentionally.
In frieren, flashbacks are SUCH a crucial part of it, the way the story is told wouldn't make nearly as much sense and would have a much lesser impact without them.
Each flashback isn't JUST a flashback, each time it reveals whatever surface thing is being shown, while at the same time foreshadowing and/or showing one or more things relating to the characters.
For example, in ep 16 during the flashback then Old Man Voll talks about why he's defending the village, you're not only being told the backstory, you're also seeing the glimmer of resonance within Himmel and realization that he doesn't wish to put frieren in a such a position. When connecting that with other snippets we see, the way the statues cause reminiscence, we can see the love himmel had for frieren that he kept to himself for her sake.
Had this been in a prequel, we would not know the future outcomes.
Had the flashbacks not been there, the entire episode would lack the gravitas that it'd had.
@@ThePCeristas Great explanation
@@gallenberger1 Thanks.
Besides, there is a prequel. It's like 13 frames or so (0.5 sec) in one of the earlier episodes. That's how brief it was from Frieren's point of view :P
Frieren is not a shounen anime and don't wants to be one.
Almost like it isn't a shounen.
@@crispy1691 almost, yeah
Nah that's a pretty cringe thing to say. If people find something special in Frieren then that's great for them. But when I hear stuff like 'oh my gosh Frieren changed EVERYTHING' it just makes me think 'Get over yourself lol'
@alpha-sama That's the way RUclips makes you play unfortunately
clickbait video
Probably the most overrated anime this century (same with Demon Slayer). Boring characters (90% of them are stoic without much personality. Generic world building. I've seen better fantasy anime that is less popular than Frerien.
I don't agree but all opinions are welcome
W
@@jefflong5831 Thanks dawg