Aaaaaaaah that's great! If an anime manage to make me cry it instanly goes up to 9/10 to me. I'd really love to see a reaction of another theme of frieren that you'll see later on towards the end. You'll know. ENJOY YOUR WATCH!
Frieren is 50% interested in chill vibes, 25% great battle set pieces and 25% emotional gut punches music. I binged the whole season in 2 days, and the whole ost stuck with me pretty hard. Your reaction on those emotions are pretty spot on, as usual.
I was the same way, binged the whole thing in just a couple days, I was instantly hooked and it stayed great throughout. Can’t recommend it enough to anyone who would be willing to watch.
I had a double take because he kept saying how he doesn't know anything about the show. The music is played in a fight where a demon is defeated thanks to humanity's thirst for knowledge. It's also the moment when Frieren "lets the bird out of the nest" and completely trusts her apprentice in her first real fight. It's really a song that says "you can do it".
Zoltraak is the pinnical of human progress, completely redefining the landscape of how mages operate. The collective efforts of generations of humans define Frieren's abilities, and she carriees their effort with her into the future, with Zoltraak being the height of that magic.
Zoltraak is basically fight music. Epic fight music. "Zoltraak" is an attack spell, and they pull the song out whenever that spell gets used to a meaningful degree.
I think the best place "Zoltraak" is used was when Stark fights the Solar Dragon. The uplifting quality of the song highlights Stark leaping from the rocks that's being thrown up into the air by the dragon's attack.
@@Marcoweebball You mentioned really loving FMA Brotherhood, right? There's this huge anime webiste MyAnimeList that has a user generated ranking of "all" anime. Since FMA came out it was #1. A few shows could take the spot for a day or two. Frieren actually dethroned Fullmetal. The story isn't over yet, so it's too early for me to comapre them, but if they keep the current quality level, than Frieren deserves the number 1 slot.
Frieren is an emotional rollercoaster from the get go. You love characters that are on screen for 10 minutes, as the story goes on you only end up seeing who those people really are and discovering this through the thoughts and memories of the main character and in turn learning what kind of person the main character is and who she becomes. Its relaxing, exciting, happy and sad at the same time. Someone who takes time to enjoy it, and takes time to notice the small things really get so much out it.
"Frieren the slayer" and then "Journey of a lifetime" next, these two is also really good. Im really glad that you jumped into anime but also enjoying it so far and hopefully it keeps going and going❤.
So glad you reacted to Frieren OST! I don't know if you plan to watch the anime, but I think you should really consider it. The show is beautiful for the eyes and the ears, amazing OST as you noticed, gorgeous animation, and a very emotional story about life, time, people, and a great journey (and cool fantasy shenanigans to). It has a vibe that, I think, would match yours. :) Great video, love the new channel!
For you not having seen the Anime, your sense of the music and the themes is incredible. Whenever I talk about Frieren I compare it to Lord of the Rings, not really for its story, but the tone and the emotion. I think you’d really enjoy the show.
Evan Call is damn good at his job, this is definitely one of my favorite anime soundtracks. On another note, I find it somewhat funny that my 2 favorite anime composers aren't even japanese (Evan Call and Kevin Penkin).
Another OST by Evan Call is the classic anime Violet Evergreen, which I think launched him into the spotlight. He is also behind the OST for Sengoku Shouko that is currently airing.
Frieren is the absolute pinnacle when it comes to anime. Everything just fits here-characters, MUSIC, animations, pacing, and even though there's less action than in similar works, when it happens, it’s meaningful and impactful! You absolutely have to add this to your list!
7:49 yeah that clearly is a guitar + fiddle + claps + either a (tin) whistle or a three hole pipe. The motif is clearly pulling from Celtic ornamentation, mainly cuts, strikes, and rolls.
Im seriously impressed how much you are on point with an anime you never seen! Ill tell you there is tons of great anime music, especially some of the newer ones and underrated. I hope you consider listening to some of those! Thanks again for your throughly analysis! 😊
Glad to see this channel is cooking so well! Just reaffirms that Marco is a man of culture - alot of culture To keep in anime stride, I forget if you still do viewer recommendations but I do recommend you check out Space Battleship Yamato 2199's "White Comet Disco" Who knew evil could sound so good?
I will watch this video at least 100 times over a year, again and again. Also my dream about you reacting to anime OSTs has finally become a reality. I was ready for a video in a year when you first released your AoT reaction but you blessed us with a whole channel. Thank you Marco.
Frieren is definitely up your alley! The OST feels like a character of its own, accompanying the audience through Frieren's emotional journey(plus it's got some banger animation)
That one scene of Fern cat-walking while fighting Lugner with this song playing in the background elevates this track from a 10/10 to a 1000/10. It’s such a fitting OST for a fight between mages.
Frieren's such an amazing, heartfelt, emotional story that moved me to tears in the first episode. I kept saying "It's so peak" and "Absolute cinema" watching it. Definitely on my list of "I'm so happy I experienced this show in my lifetime" anime
"I think that's a male singer" that's Evan Call himself you're hearing yep lol There's a special music video of this song along with the main theme that has him singing with the female vocalist Alina Lesnik
Having seen your other content, you will love the series! I don’t make recommendations lightly, but given how in touch with yourself and your life experiences, I think you will connect with it.
Empowerment is spot-on. This piece (and the Zoltraak spell itself) is really about turning the tables on evil and triumphing over it. Even in the "badass" battle music, Frieren's music and story manages to be highly emotional and meaningful. Love it!!
Frieren is my favorite piece of media of all time, in no small part to the pure artistry that Evan Call brings to the table. What is really fantastic is the first 4 episodes are fully scored individually which is extremely rare in anime.
@@Lillmackish If I remember correctly they had the episodes ready, and made the music based on the actual show. Usually OSTs are created detached from the actual show, a long time before anything is actually animated.
@@Lillmackish It means that instead of composing a bunch of music and then chopping it up and putting it together to match the show, Evan Call composed one entire single piece to fit with the entire episode.
4:40, you nail it very close to the context, "zoltraak" in the anime is name of the strongest magic created by a demon mage that terrorized every human mages and the context where it plays is the confrontation of MC against that same demon, further explanation to how you nail it would be spoiler in case you plan to watch the show
1:40 I haven't finished finished the video yet, but wow, I have to point out how spot on your guess was. "Zoltraak" the song revolves around the spell of the same name. So the intresting thing is that Zoltraak is basically one of the strongest spells of the time when it was first introduced to the world 80 years ago before the start of the story by an enemy race called the demons. Out of the sheer desire to pursue the knowledge of how to beat the spell, mankind reverse engineered it, improving it to be far better than it ever was. So, its uncanny how accurately guessed the purpose of the music.
Regarding the five alarm-siren yells at the start, it sounds like a code I might specify for a medieval nightwatch to alert the town that a demon has been spotted. 5 = five points of a pentagram. 6 would be one short of 6 points of a hexagon which would, in contrast, specify a more benevolent yet similarly imposing angel. 4 would signify a mage or unknown noble. 3 and lower would be reserved for tests, although 5 triplets would signify a demon lord existential threat.
really impressed how much you got right about the show from just this if I could recommend something then Madoka Magica OST, and especially the most famous piece from it: Sis Puella Magica but, the whole OST is worth listening it, I absolutely love it, it's my favourite anime and hearing any song from it makes me want to rewatch it again
The whole soundtrack is up on Spotify, and listening to it made me feel like Evan Call took queues from the LotR soundtrack for the slower ambient adventure music, and took queues from The Witcher 3 soundtrack for the battle music.
Frieren is something truly special as an anime. It's the first fantasy anime in many years that doesn't rely on tropes and instead immerses the viewer in the world, you watch the characters grow over several years as they become more experienced with the world around them, and each musical piece adds and enhances every scene. 'Zoltrakk', 'Fear Brought me this Far', 'Magic Within' and 'Freiren the Slayer' are easily the most powerful.
Yeah you're totally spot on about what this is about actually! Without revealing too much this tune plays during a moment of great determination for one character, and it's a culmination of years of study of magic all coming to a singular moment where that knowledge is tested for the first time by a formidable opponent in a life-threatening situation. It's also important to note that this moment - while having a certain degree of danger to it - is a moment of triumph for an unexperienced but talented person, where they see for the first time how powerful they truly are. All the while their mentor character has a "told you so" moment where they knew all along this person is destined for greatness.
Hopefully Re: Zero OST - Requiem of Silence is on your to listen to list, it's phenomenal. Great video, Evan Call did a wonderful job on the Frieren OST and loved the thoughts on the song!
Marco, Frieren is literally the #1 anime of all time on MAL. Even beating out Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (Which had been #1 for well over a decade) And it's not even close in terms of score. So yeah you should watch it, 100%
I currently still consider FMAB to be better and Frieren's current position to be a slight case of recency bias but that's not due to any intrinsic quality of the works. But to me that's just a biproduct of FMAB being a completed work that we've seen where it goes, whereas Frieren technically still has to prove it's going to go the distance to a satisfying conclusion - rather than an indictment of one show's superiority. That said, Frieren has done absolutely everything in it's power to prove that it not only knows what it's doing but that it's a story that has been planned out with dear dear love, and it's absolutely a masterpiece that is here to stay in the top 3 for a long long long long time. And it's by far the best piece of fantasy I've seen since I've read lord of the rings many many years ago. It helps that Madhouse is animating it, and pulling out every stop to make it as breathtaking as can be. If it keeps it's course it's earning it's place as my favorite piece of animation and of comic-book artistry of all time with no questions asked.
Please check out anytime anywhere from the same, its the ED and is what S1 leaves us off with alongside a beautiful wrap-up, A heavily emotional song that definitely represents the main story.
I really like your analysis of this OST, your thoughts are pretty much spot on, I would HEAVILY recommend some OSTs from Made in Abyss, they are too good
Former opera singer reacts to an actual opera piece (well sort of) from an anime and then believes in you who believes in me and pierces the heavens with his drill (which - as we all know - is a man's soul)
Honestly, have almost forgotten to recommend libera me from hell since I have pushed for a Frieren ost from the start. But yeah he needs to react to that one eventually.
Your analysis is really good and was a pleasant to listen to. Having heard this music when I initially watched the anime, my impression of it was simple - Competence. Sheer, overwhelming, frightening, competency.
Oh my god, I'm so excited and happy that you actually reacted to this, Frieren was such an amazing show for me and many others. It has some of the most beautiful OST's out there, and was composed by a pretty great composer, Evan Call. He also made the OST's for Violet Evergarden, and his orchestrations are all fantastic!
I absolutely cannot express how amazing it is that music that has vocals without words can be so incredibly powerful, on like a primal level. it just does something to the soul. goosebumps!
3:16 You know what this part reminds me of?! Wheatfield form the Twister Soundtrack!!! Something about it has that bombastic western kind of vibe and I love it!
Really good analysis. I'd really recommend that you watch the scene where this music is used most memorably. The scene is about Frieren's apprentice, Fern, finding her own strength and successfully dueling a powerful demon on her own for the first time (she's fought monsters before, but Frieren has always been around, even if she did not help). Everything you've said fits well with the story and Fern's journey. The first time the theme is used is briefly in ep 3 and it is also focused on Fern, again defending Frieren and her/dueling against a demon. But it is ep 9 where it is used most memorably and completely.
Oh? Anime? Zoltraak is a fantastic start. Evan Call did amazing OST for Frieren. The main theme is also pretty good. Other anime composers I personally love are Kevin Penkin (Made in Abyss OST specifically), Yuki Hayashi, Kensuke Ushio, and I think you already know Hiroyuki Sawano. Oh yeah, also Joe Hisaishi's "Merry-Go-Round of Life" from Howl's Moving Castle is iconic.
Oh Frieren is EXCELLENT, both the OST and the anime itself is so fun. If you’re in the mood for something a little more…chill than something like AOT or FMAB I would definitely recommend Frieren. It’s emotional and well paced and sentimental, one of my faves for sure!
I love your analysis of songs like this, and I want you to listen to some of the others on this ost. They're all amazing. But you saying you haven't seen the anime yet gives me an idea. I'd love for you to come back and give an update of the feeling you get after watching, maybe just give a recap of each song you make videos on, to see how knowing the story this accompanies influences you're feelings. I've got to say, the show is amazing, and I feel like it's something you'd appreciate.
Not many anime have made me cry. There were a few that tried hard but couldn't quite get there. But every single time I've watched Frieren beginning to end, I did it while wiping my face.
Man how long have I waited for someone to break down this You rarely see people reacting or talking about inside music and there is a ton of masterpieces like that And I just like watching reactions since I don't have anyone I can shere the music I like with
Really one of the most beautiful journeys the anime world has taken me on. I wondered when a track from this anime would appear in your channel. Looking forward to see more tracks.
Always love seeing your genuine reactions, both excited and analytical! I came from your other channel and I love anime, so I'm looking forward to what you'll have in store here ✨ If you haven't watched Yuri on Ice, the OST is incredible but there's an opera piece I adore called Stammi Viccino, with an 'Aria' version and a 'Duetto' version - I highly recommend listening to both for the storytelling aspect ☺️
Marco you gotta react to more of Frierens songs!! Zoltraak is just the begining. There's every piece of the OST of this anime is incredible. My favorites are the one you heard now, Zoltraak, Dragon Smasher, The Magic Within, Knife to the throat and the best of all, Frieren the Slayer!! But still every and each of the songs in the album are extremely beautiful and just listening to it is alone enough to transport you to a fantasy world. Now a small piece of info the song Zoltraak is also the spell Frieren and Fern use the most during season 1, but funny fact, for some reason they named it Zoltraak, but in the manga and light novels the name of the spell is actually "Soul track"
Finally you reacted to it! This is, in my opinion, Evan Call's greatest work. Also, please react to soundtracks composed by Taku Iwasaki, especially from Soul Eater, Noragami and Gurren Laggann. He's probably one of the most unique composer in anime out there alongside Kensuke Ushio (Chainsaw Man, Dandadan etc).
I just found out that you have a second channel now, I was missing out wtf, you should check out Kevin Penkin, he's the composer for Made in Abyss, and the soundtrack is way beyond amazing. Love your videos :D
I would freaking love to watch your reaction to Frieren. It's an absolute masterpiece and the music connects with moments just as much as it does in Nier games. 100% must watch.
I'm so behind on your videos 😂 I love that you are pushing out so much content. This one I have not watched but would like to because of the music. I listen to random anime music on Spotify all the time and that's how I pick my next one to watch.
you totally should its amazing its been ahead of full metal alchemist in terms of ratings for over 9 months now which as far i know it is the only anime to ever do so its a really chill action adventure (heavy on the adventure) anime and the art music and story are all really well made
For reference, MyAnimeList and Anime-Planet _both_ currently have it rated as the #1 anime of all time, unseating the long-standing favorite Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood. Even if we assume it's currently massively overrated, it's still easily in the top 10 of the decade as the most conservative rating I can give it. I don't have the money for Patreon, so I gain nothing by saying this, but it is absolutely worth your time. And yes, currently just 1 28-episode season, though it has the feel of 2 seasons due to how the narrative is structured.
Frieren was SO well made you basically described the entire fight scene this song is used in, without having ANY context of the show. That is absolutely amazing. And part of what I love about the show. It does such an amazing job of telling a story, but it doesn't do it all verbally or upfront. It's a slow and steady build up.
I'm so glad you got to react to one of Evan Call's pieces! I love his process for creating these pieces for OSTs. I watched his interview for My Happy Marriage since he also did the OST for that anime and he said how he'd read a little bit of the manga. Then he'd make the titles before he starts composing. He's one of the top composers for me! 😊
WHY DID I JUST FIND ABOUT THIS CHANNEL? I was wondering if u ever listened to Frieren music and just got here woah. Very interesting to listen to this analysis and interpretation. I found this manga 4 years ago and have been in love with the characters and story ever since. The anime especially because of the music made such a strong impression on me, I fell in love with it all over again. The music gives me that "together we can achieve a brighter tomorrow" feeling
On point with pretty much everything: this is a fight song, used for the first time when Frieren's apprentice Fern, the girl with violet hair, a character whose capabilities weren't explored in the previous ten or so episodes, during the fight against a demon boss depicted as extremely powerful and dangerous during the small arc where he's a main villain, shows the extreme mastery she has gained on a simple blast spell, with perfect control, power and rapid fire, defeating him easily and spectacularly, and showing us her growth (we first see her as a child with some magical potential, but in this fight we see the truly powerful mage she has become)
Frieren was the most excited I'd been tuning in weekly for something in years. It's a very special kind of high fantasy, stripping down the glitz and glamour of magic and monsters to call back to a very Tolkien-esque sentiment about the importance of building bonds with one another, of companionship and friendship, and how small acts of kindness often are the biggest acts of heroism. It certainly has its flashy moments too, which are extravagant as it's an exceedingly high quality production as a whole. But it's the emotional core of this story, and the sincerity in which it approaches and portrays human relationships, especially in a time where cynicism and sarcasm are all the rage in media, that makes this a stand out show that you'd probably enjoy. And it helps that the soundtrack is full of absolute bangers like this one. If nothing else, I hope you remember composer Evan Call's name because of this.
So one of the things you deffinitely picked up on that fits well with its meaning in the series. Zoltraak as a concept in the series represents the efforts and ingenuity of humanity overcoming something once seen as intimidating as the wrath of a god and now turned into something so well understood its now commonplace. A past horror, overcome and made into our own strength.
Love the energy in the video and the comments are pretty accurates with anime! New here but wouldn't it be nice to watch the scene with the music at the end of the react? thx for the job
"new and dangerous magic", "knife to the throat", "the magic withing", are all great action songs in the show, "zoltraak" is iconic, "frieren the slayer" is a great theme song, and "journey of a lifetime" is kind of the main theme of the entire show.
Amazing how many themes you were able to pick up from the music alone. I need people like you so I can be properly impressed by brilliant music production
You should absolutely listen to more of Evan Call’s work, he’s up there for me with Kevin Penkin and Sawano in terms of anime composers. I’d look into his work on Violet Evergarden or if you want to stay with Frieren, then Journey of a Lifetime and Frieren the Slayer are also fantastic
Zoltraak was a track that unlocked something in me. As someone who's had depression for a long time, the trappings of being a man (you're not allowed to feel anything because emotion is weakness), and just generally being a very brain-dead consumer of visual media, this song makes me cry. It makes me tear up every time I listen to it. It makes me feel happy, joyous, enthusiastic and a myriad of other emotions that I had never felt before. Zoltraak as a song and Evan Call as a composer single handedly made a huge change that only someone whose talents border on god-like could've achieved in me and has made Frieren probably my favorite show of all time
I discovered your main channel a few years back when you first listened to one of my favourite game OSTs (Zero). And now I discover you have an anime centric channel by finding you reacting to one of my favourite recent anime? 1. That’s crazy. 2. Instant subscription. As others have said, this series is absolutely fantastic. 10/10 recommendation from me. Also, I know Zoltraak gets a lot of attention with it being the big bombastic battle theme of the series (even though Knife to the Throat gets used more often). But I also suggest giving Frieren’s *main* theme- titled Journey of a Lifetime- a listen as well. It really fits the grand fantastical and emotional adventure vibe. Even though I can’t even recall where it plays in the show, I find myself going back to it a lot. Main theme not to be confused with the series’ 2 *opening* themes (Yuusha and Haru. Both of which are both also bangers).
![Lethal Company Music Video 🎵 "Follow The Orders" [VERSION A]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/QeooZB4Z7RA/mqdefault.jpg)
![[#2024MAMA] G-DRAGON - 무제(Untitled, 2014)+POWER+HOME SWEET HOME+뱅뱅뱅+FANTASTIC BABY | Mnet 241123 방송](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ox29z5Nf1Uk/mqdefault.jpg)
Just Started watching this on patreon. It's...I cried. lol.
Touching, right?
RIGHT?
Welcome to the journey of Frieren :)
Aaaaaaaah that's great! If an anime manage to make me cry it instanly goes up to 9/10 to me.
I'd really love to see a reaction of another theme of frieren that you'll see later on towards the end. You'll know.
ENJOY YOUR WATCH!
Yeah, it's such a good show :)
welp, time to sub
Frieren is 50% interested in chill vibes, 25% great battle set pieces and 25% emotional gut punches music. I binged the whole season in 2 days, and the whole ost stuck with me pretty hard.
Your reaction on those emotions are pretty spot on, as usual.
Evan Call has done music work of many great animes, Violet Evergarden is another master piece I would recommend. Warning, it will make you weep.
Season 2 is in the works, hopefully it'll still be as good and not be like OPM S2
@@TheVirginityThief Chill out, Director, Script writer and even Evan Call is coming back. Even the Animation Studio is the same.
@@TheVirginityThief its gonna be even better
I was the same way, binged the whole thing in just a couple days, I was instantly hooked and it stayed great throughout. Can’t recommend it enough to anyone who would be willing to watch.
Just got that video as suggestion in my feed! 🤩Thank you so much for the cool react! I am the vocalist haha!
lovelyyyyyyyyy voice.
Frieren anime when you watch it: "Have you had a good cry recently? Don't worry, you will 😊"
Ooooh, thank you so much. You were stellar, and ever since I heard it the first time, this theme went straight to my D&D playlist :3
the fact that he guessed the desire to pursue knowledge is crazy, especially with a large part of the anime being frieren searching for more magic
Yes and the idea of empowerment, because the demon who created the original spell spent his life to create the most deadly and powerful spell ever
And humanity pursued the knowledge he aquired for 80 years.
I had a double take because he kept saying how he doesn't know anything about the show. The music is played in a fight where a demon is defeated thanks to humanity's thirst for knowledge. It's also the moment when Frieren "lets the bird out of the nest" and completely trusts her apprentice in her first real fight.
It's really a song that says "you can do it".
Zoltraak is the pinnical of human progress, completely redefining the landscape of how mages operate. The collective efforts of generations of humans define Frieren's abilities, and she carriees their effort with her into the future, with Zoltraak being the height of that magic.
Zoltraak is basically fight music. Epic fight music.
"Zoltraak" is an attack spell, and they pull the song out whenever that spell gets used to a meaningful degree.
The best place it's used IMO is Fern and Stark fighting the two Demons.
@@Talon1124 perfection
And, in the current era, the basic attack spell, when in the times of its creation was known as a killing magic.
I think the best place "Zoltraak" is used was when Stark fights the Solar Dragon. The uplifting quality of the song highlights Stark leaping from the rocks that's being thrown up into the air by the dragon's attack.
That's a different song @@rickytleung
Marco Id really recommend you to watch frieren, its a really good anime with lots of secrets meanings, I think you would really enjoy it🤗
on my to do list!
@@Marcoweebball You mentioned really loving FMA Brotherhood, right? There's this huge anime webiste MyAnimeList that has a user generated ranking of "all" anime. Since FMA came out it was #1. A few shows could take the spot for a day or two. Frieren actually dethroned Fullmetal. The story isn't over yet, so it's too early for me to comapre them, but if they keep the current quality level, than Frieren deserves the number 1 slot.
Frieren is an emotional rollercoaster from the get go. You love characters that are on screen for 10 minutes, as the story goes on you only end up seeing who those people really are and discovering this through the thoughts and memories of the main character and in turn learning what kind of person the main character is and who she becomes. Its relaxing, exciting, happy and sad at the same time. Someone who takes time to enjoy it, and takes time to notice the small things really get so much out it.
@@Marcoweebball You may also like Violet Evergarden. That one will hit you in the feels.
@@Marcoweebball please do if you got time to binge watch it, very recommended. hopefully you enjoy it.
*theme of absolutely normal battle magic*
How can you put normal and magic in the same sentence...
Oh right the 80 years of research xD
Zoltraak, the ultimate killing spell, becoming Basic Attack Magic, which all other offensive spellwork is built off, is amazing worldbuilding.
Everyone else: There is nothing normal about 30 Zoltraaks per second!
@@nano65114 Yeah Fern got that attack speed buff.
Fun fact, the male voice heard in the background is Evan Call himself.
what 😲
Oh wow. I love Evan call, but I didn't even know that
@@raraanangfd- Yes, he composed the shows BG music.
Oh wow, I didn't know the dude sang 😲
"Frieren the slayer" and then "Journey of a lifetime" next, these two is also really good.
Im really glad that you jumped into anime but also enjoying it so far and hopefully it keeps going and going❤.
Oh yeah, definitely "Frieren the Slayer", such a great track. Also i really like "Journey of a Lifetime" the Frieren main theme.
Second that, Frieren the Slayer is amazing!
you , my friend, have good taste
And don't forget "Dragon Smasher".
My personal favourite from show is the ending Anywhere Anytime.
So glad you reacted to Frieren OST! I don't know if you plan to watch the anime, but I think you should really consider it. The show is beautiful for the eyes and the ears, amazing OST as you noticed, gorgeous animation, and a very emotional story about life, time, people, and a great journey (and cool fantasy shenanigans to). It has a vibe that, I think, would match yours. :)
Great video, love the new channel!
i will be!
@@Marcoweebball yes I'll sub to patreon just to see you watch frieren I MUST
It's also one of the few anime that feel genuinely European in its fantasy and extremely true to the rules of its world.
For you not having seen the Anime, your sense of the music and the themes is incredible. Whenever I talk about Frieren I compare it to Lord of the Rings, not really for its story, but the tone and the emotion. I think you’d really enjoy the show.
ugh that sounds incredible.
@@Marcoweebballtop 5 anime of all time, and I’ve seen over 1500 anime over the decades.
Evan Call is damn good at his job, this is definitely one of my favorite anime soundtracks.
On another note, I find it somewhat funny that my 2 favorite anime composers aren't even japanese (Evan Call and Kevin Penkin).
kevin penkin mentioned lets go
im hoping he reacts to something from Penkin thats Shield Hero or Made in Abyss
Gotta love Kevin Penkin the GOAT
Another OST by Evan Call is the classic anime Violet Evergreen, which I think launched him into the spotlight. He is also behind the OST for Sengoku Shouko that is currently airing.
@@zam023 the one he did on Spice and Wolf remake also stand out
@@damidir Kevin Penkin made OST for spice and wolf remake. Not Evan Call as you suggested.
Frieren is the absolute pinnacle when it comes to anime. Everything just fits here-characters, MUSIC, animations, pacing, and even though there's less action than in similar works, when it happens, it’s meaningful and impactful! You absolutely have to add this to your list!
2:25 the male harmony underneath is actually sung by Evan Call the composer of the piece
7:49 yeah that clearly is a guitar + fiddle + claps + either a (tin) whistle or a three hole pipe. The motif is clearly pulling from Celtic ornamentation, mainly cuts, strikes, and rolls.
Im seriously impressed how much you are on point with an anime you never seen! Ill tell you there is tons of great anime music, especially some of the newer ones and underrated. I hope you consider listening to some of those! Thanks again for your throughly analysis! 😊
That just goes to show how perfectly made this track is!
Glad to see this channel is cooking so well!
Just reaffirms that Marco is a man of culture - alot of culture
To keep in anime stride, I forget if you still do viewer recommendations but I do recommend you check out
Space Battleship Yamato 2199's "White Comet Disco"
Who knew evil could sound so good?
I will watch this video at least 100 times over a year, again and again. Also my dream about you reacting to anime OSTs has finally become a reality. I was ready for a video in a year when you first released your AoT reaction but you blessed us with a whole channel. Thank you Marco.
That’s really sweet. I’m glad you’re happy and so supportive. Thank you.
Frieren is definitely up your alley! The OST feels like a character of its own, accompanying the audience through Frieren's emotional journey(plus it's got some banger animation)
Now THIS anime is PEAK. You would LOVE it Marco, I guarantee you.
Don't forget the tissues, though.
That one scene of Fern cat-walking while fighting Lugner with this song playing in the background elevates this track from a 10/10 to a 1000/10. It’s such a fitting OST for a fight between mages.
made in abyss would be a delight, kevin penkin is amazing, VOH and Old Stories are amazing
;)
Juroimoh mutation
I HARD second this, abyss has my all time favourite soundtrack, and VOH is my favourite track from it.
YES ABSOLUTELY
Kevin Penkin has a very particular and unique way to combine the most different sounds to make a new thing that sounds amazing.
Your analysis is on point as always! Loving the new content lately ❤
Frieren's such an amazing, heartfelt, emotional story that moved me to tears in the first episode. I kept saying "It's so peak" and "Absolute cinema" watching it.
Definitely on my list of "I'm so happy I experienced this show in my lifetime" anime
"I think that's a male singer" that's Evan Call himself you're hearing yep lol There's a special music video of this song along with the main theme that has him singing with the female vocalist Alina Lesnik
Having seen your other content, you will love the series! I don’t make recommendations lightly, but given how in touch with yourself and your life experiences, I think you will connect with it.
Noted
Empowerment is spot-on. This piece (and the Zoltraak spell itself) is really about turning the tables on evil and triumphing over it.
Even in the "badass" battle music, Frieren's music and story manages to be highly emotional and meaningful. Love it!!
Frieren is my favorite piece of media of all time, in no small part to the pure artistry that Evan Call brings to the table. What is really fantastic is the first 4 episodes are fully scored individually which is extremely rare in anime.
What's meant by "scored individually"? Just curious :)
@@Lillmackish If I remember correctly they had the episodes ready, and made the music based on the actual show. Usually OSTs are created detached from the actual show, a long time before anything is actually animated.
@@Lillmackish It means that instead of composing a bunch of music and then chopping it up and putting it together to match the show, Evan Call composed one entire single piece to fit with the entire episode.
Amen, that's exactly how I describe it to people verbatim. Favorite piece of media of all time.
4:40, you nail it very close to the context, "zoltraak" in the anime is name of the strongest magic created by a demon mage that terrorized every human mages and the context where it plays is the confrontation of MC against that same demon, further explanation to how you nail it would be spoiler in case you plan to watch the show
This instantly became my #1 or #2 anime of all time. Still #1 on the MAL leaderboards too, by a lot.
YEEEEEEEEEEEEES SO HAPPY YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THIS ONE! One of the best pieces of action music for any anime, it just gets you so PUMPED!
1:40 I haven't finished finished the video yet, but wow, I have to point out how spot on your guess was. "Zoltraak" the song revolves around the spell of the same name. So the intresting thing is that Zoltraak is basically one of the strongest spells of the time when it was first introduced to the world 80 years ago before the start of the story by an enemy race called the demons. Out of the sheer desire to pursue the knowledge of how to beat the spell, mankind reverse engineered it, improving it to be far better than it ever was. So, its uncanny how accurately guessed the purpose of the music.
Regarding the five alarm-siren yells at the start, it sounds like a code I might specify for a medieval nightwatch to alert the town that a demon has been spotted. 5 = five points of a pentagram.
6 would be one short of 6 points of a hexagon which would, in contrast, specify a more benevolent yet similarly imposing angel.
4 would signify a mage or unknown noble.
3 and lower would be reserved for tests, although 5 triplets would signify a demon lord existential threat.
really impressed how much you got right about the show from just this
if I could recommend something then Madoka Magica OST, and especially the most famous piece from it: Sis Puella Magica
but, the whole OST is worth listening it, I absolutely love it, it's my favourite anime and hearing any song from it makes me want to rewatch it again
"FRIEREN THE SLAYER" IS AN AWESOME OST AS WELL❤
Oml I love how you captured the essence of not just the drive, but the journey to knowledge. Which is who Frieren is.
The whole soundtrack is up on Spotify, and listening to it made me feel like Evan Call took queues from the LotR soundtrack for the slower ambient adventure music, and took queues from The Witcher 3 soundtrack for the battle music.
Frieren is something truly special as an anime. It's the first fantasy anime in many years that doesn't rely on tropes and instead immerses the viewer in the world, you watch the characters grow over several years as they become more experienced with the world around them, and each musical piece adds and enhances every scene. 'Zoltrakk', 'Fear Brought me this Far', 'Magic Within' and 'Freiren the Slayer' are easily the most powerful.
Wow can't believe I got here early!
Didn't watch the video yet but cool to see you giving Frieren a consideration!
:)
Yeah you're totally spot on about what this is about actually!
Without revealing too much this tune plays during a moment of great determination for one character, and it's a culmination of years of study of magic all coming to a singular moment where that knowledge is tested for the first time by a formidable opponent in a life-threatening situation.
It's also important to note that this moment - while having a certain degree of danger to it - is a moment of triumph for an unexperienced but talented person, where they see for the first time how powerful they truly are.
All the while their mentor character has a "told you so" moment where they knew all along this person is destined for greatness.
I would highly recommend "Dragon Smasher" or "Frieren the Slayer" as well! And definitely recommend the anime :)
Dragon Smasher is so magnificent with the stark vs dragon scene
Dandadan, FMA and Frieren in a short period ? Alright I'm in
Probably the best anime experience of the 2020s
Hopefully Re: Zero OST - Requiem of Silence is on your to listen to list, it's phenomenal.
Great video, Evan Call did a wonderful job on the Frieren OST and loved the thoughts on the song!
Re:zero ost is so amazing. Everything I have heard from Kenichiro Suehiro is soo good.
IEEIEEEIEEEEIEEE🗣🔥🔥🔥
The lyric speaks to me
6:41 she has her whole experience in there
The main theme and "waltz" from frieren are also a must listen.
Marco, Frieren is literally the #1 anime of all time on MAL. Even beating out Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (Which had been #1 for well over a decade) And it's not even close in terms of score. So yeah you should watch it, 100%
I currently still consider FMAB to be better and Frieren's current position to be a slight case of recency bias but that's not due to any intrinsic quality of the works. But to me that's just a biproduct of FMAB being a completed work that we've seen where it goes, whereas Frieren technically still has to prove it's going to go the distance to a satisfying conclusion - rather than an indictment of one show's superiority.
That said, Frieren has done absolutely everything in it's power to prove that it not only knows what it's doing but that it's a story that has been planned out with dear dear love, and it's absolutely a masterpiece that is here to stay in the top 3 for a long long long long time.
And it's by far the best piece of fantasy I've seen since I've read lord of the rings many many years ago. It helps that Madhouse is animating it, and pulling out every stop to make it as breathtaking as can be. If it keeps it's course it's earning it's place as my favorite piece of animation and of comic-book artistry of all time with no questions asked.
The male voice in this is Evan Call himself too! Its so cool, Evan Call is by far one of my favriote modern artist
Please check out anytime anywhere from the same, its the ED and is what S1 leaves us off with alongside a beautiful wrap-up, A heavily emotional song that definitely represents the main story.
This video is amazing just giving us a perspective of what the music means in a way we don’t reallly think about , you gain a subscriber brother
I started and finished Frieren last week. This OST in particular is one I like to revisit... a lot.
I really like your analysis of this OST, your thoughts are pretty much spot on, I would HEAVILY recommend some OSTs from Made in Abyss, they are too good
you definitely have to do "rap is a mans soul" and "libera me from hell" from Gurren Lagann
Former opera singer reacts to an actual opera piece (well sort of) from an anime and then believes in you who believes in me and pierces the heavens with his drill (which - as we all know - is a man's soul)
@@kozermax indeed
Honestly, have almost forgotten to recommend libera me from hell since I have pushed for a Frieren ost from the start. But yeah he needs to react to that one eventually.
absolutely seconded. especially libera me from hell, it feels perfect for analysis
You beat me to it, was about to post this.
Evan Call is one of the best imo. His work on Violet Evergarden is probably my all time favorite anime OST
Your analysis is really good and was a pleasant to listen to. Having heard this music when I initially watched the anime, my impression of it was simple - Competence. Sheer, overwhelming, frightening, competency.
Another of the songs that I like the most from all of Frieren is the one called "Beyond the Journey's end", it is simply beautiful.
As always, love your musical breakdowns Marco❤
Yoo, thanks for reaction on this masterpiece!
Oh my god, I'm so excited and happy that you actually reacted to this, Frieren was such an amazing show for me and many others. It has some of the most beautiful OST's out there, and was composed by a pretty great composer, Evan Call. He also made the OST's for Violet Evergarden, and his orchestrations are all fantastic!
I absolutely cannot express how amazing it is that music that has vocals without words can be so incredibly powerful, on like a primal level. it just does something to the soul. goosebumps!
3:16
You know what this part reminds me of?!
Wheatfield form the Twister Soundtrack!!!
Something about it has that bombastic western kind of vibe and I love it!
Really good analysis. I'd really recommend that you watch the scene where this music is used most memorably. The scene is about Frieren's apprentice, Fern, finding her own strength and successfully dueling a powerful demon on her own for the first time (she's fought monsters before, but Frieren has always been around, even if she did not help). Everything you've said fits well with the story and Fern's journey. The first time the theme is used is briefly in ep 3 and it is also focused on Fern, again defending Frieren and her/dueling against a demon. But it is ep 9 where it is used most memorably and completely.
Notably the track that plays in Episode 3 is "Evolution of Magic," which also shows up near the end of Episode 19.
Great video . Frieren is amazing , it has that Lord of the rings vibe of a journey , after watching it entered my top 10 all time
subscribed. Keep up the amazing work man!
Oh? Anime? Zoltraak is a fantastic start. Evan Call did amazing OST for Frieren. The main theme is also pretty good.
Other anime composers I personally love are Kevin Penkin (Made in Abyss OST specifically), Yuki Hayashi, Kensuke Ushio, and I think you already know Hiroyuki Sawano. Oh yeah, also Joe Hisaishi's "Merry-Go-Round of Life" from Howl's Moving Castle is iconic.
I wish I could watch Frieren for the first time again, I evny you Marco enjoy!
Oh Frieren is EXCELLENT, both the OST and the anime itself is so fun. If you’re in the mood for something a little more…chill than something like AOT or FMAB I would definitely recommend Frieren. It’s emotional and well paced and sentimental, one of my faves for sure!
Omg, i love the ost for Frieren.
I love your analysis of songs like this, and I want you to listen to some of the others on this ost. They're all amazing. But you saying you haven't seen the anime yet gives me an idea. I'd love for you to come back and give an update of the feeling you get after watching, maybe just give a recap of each song you make videos on, to see how knowing the story this accompanies influences you're feelings.
I've got to say, the show is amazing, and I feel like it's something you'd appreciate.
I should do that after I read the manga too that would be fun!
Not many anime have made me cry. There were a few that tried hard but couldn't quite get there. But every single time I've watched Frieren beginning to end, I did it while wiping my face.
honestly the track "beyond journeys end" is incredible. the singing is on another level.
Man how long have I waited for someone to break down this
You rarely see people reacting or talking about inside music and there is a ton of masterpieces like that
And I just like watching reactions since I don't have anyone I can shere the music I like with
Really one of the most beautiful journeys the anime world has taken me on. I wondered when a track from this anime would appear in your channel. Looking forward to see more tracks.
Always love seeing your genuine reactions, both excited and analytical! I came from your other channel and I love anime, so I'm looking forward to what you'll have in store here ✨ If you haven't watched Yuri on Ice, the OST is incredible but there's an opera piece I adore called Stammi Viccino, with an 'Aria' version and a 'Duetto' version - I highly recommend listening to both for the storytelling aspect ☺️
Marco you gotta react to more of Frierens songs!! Zoltraak is just the begining. There's every piece of the OST of this anime is incredible. My favorites are the one you heard now, Zoltraak, Dragon Smasher, The Magic Within, Knife to the throat and the best of all, Frieren the Slayer!! But still every and each of the songs in the album are extremely beautiful and just listening to it is alone enough to transport you to a fantasy world.
Now a small piece of info the song Zoltraak is also the spell Frieren and Fern use the most during season 1, but funny fact, for some reason they named it Zoltraak, but in the manga and light novels the name of the spell is actually "Soul track"
I love how when the beat picks up, it just strikes you
Finally you reacted to it! This is, in my opinion, Evan Call's greatest work. Also, please react to soundtracks composed by Taku Iwasaki, especially from Soul Eater, Noragami and Gurren Laggann. He's probably one of the most unique composer in anime out there alongside Kensuke Ushio (Chainsaw Man, Dandadan etc).
I just found out that you have a second channel now, I was missing out wtf, you should check out Kevin Penkin, he's the composer for Made in Abyss, and the soundtrack is way beyond amazing. Love your videos :D
Honestly Frieren is one of those anime I can happily recommend to anyone. The music, animation, story, everything is just so passionate.
I would freaking love to watch your reaction to Frieren. It's an absolute masterpiece and the music connects with moments just as much as it does in Nier games. 100% must watch.
I'm so behind on your videos 😂 I love that you are pushing out so much content. This one I have not watched but would like to because of the music. I listen to random anime music on Spotify all the time and that's how I pick my next one to watch.
thanks for the love. Read your comments. Lots to explore. really wanting to watch this on patreon....only one season so far right?
That would be correct, only a single season so far, but recently got confirmed for a second season
you totally should its amazing its been ahead of full metal alchemist in terms of ratings for over 9 months now which as far i know it is the only anime to ever do so its a really chill action adventure (heavy on the adventure) anime and the art music and story are all really well made
It’s def worth a watch, Patreon or not.
For reference, MyAnimeList and Anime-Planet _both_ currently have it rated as the #1 anime of all time, unseating the long-standing favorite Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood.
Even if we assume it's currently massively overrated, it's still easily in the top 10 of the decade as the most conservative rating I can give it.
I don't have the money for Patreon, so I gain nothing by saying this, but it is absolutely worth your time.
And yes, currently just 1 28-episode season, though it has the feel of 2 seasons due to how the narrative is structured.
@Marcoweebball Definitely, it's a journey that one can easily connect to. You could say it's slower compared to other anime, but that's its charm.
I'm glad you discovered Frieren. Looking forward to watch you react to the show and the ost !
Marco you need to know you're my music theory teacher. Love your work!!
Wow, thanks!
Two other tracks from Frieren with great choral writing are "Frieren the Slayer" and "Beyond the Journey's End" :)
Frieren was SO well made you basically described the entire fight scene this song is used in, without having ANY context of the show. That is absolutely amazing. And part of what I love about the show. It does such an amazing job of telling a story, but it doesn't do it all verbally or upfront. It's a slow and steady build up.
I'm so glad you got to react to one of Evan Call's pieces! I love his process for creating these pieces for OSTs. I watched his interview for My Happy Marriage since he also did the OST for that anime and he said how he'd read a little bit of the manga. Then he'd make the titles before he starts composing. He's one of the top composers for me! 😊
WHY DID I JUST FIND ABOUT THIS CHANNEL? I was wondering if u ever listened to Frieren music and just got here woah. Very interesting to listen to this analysis and interpretation. I found this manga 4 years ago and have been in love with the characters and story ever since. The anime especially because of the music made such a strong impression on me, I fell in love with it all over again. The music gives me that "together we can achieve a brighter tomorrow" feeling
It is nice to see another opera singer/ anime fan here.
On point with pretty much everything: this is a fight song, used for the first time when Frieren's apprentice Fern, the girl with violet hair, a character whose capabilities weren't explored in the previous ten or so episodes, during the fight against a demon boss depicted as extremely powerful and dangerous during the small arc where he's a main villain, shows the extreme mastery she has gained on a simple blast spell, with perfect control, power and rapid fire, defeating him easily and spectacularly, and showing us her growth (we first see her as a child with some magical potential, but in this fight we see the truly powerful mage she has become)
Frieren was the most excited I'd been tuning in weekly for something in years. It's a very special kind of high fantasy, stripping down the glitz and glamour of magic and monsters to call back to a very Tolkien-esque sentiment about the importance of building bonds with one another, of companionship and friendship, and how small acts of kindness often are the biggest acts of heroism. It certainly has its flashy moments too, which are extravagant as it's an exceedingly high quality production as a whole. But it's the emotional core of this story, and the sincerity in which it approaches and portrays human relationships, especially in a time where cynicism and sarcasm are all the rage in media, that makes this a stand out show that you'd probably enjoy.
And it helps that the soundtrack is full of absolute bangers like this one. If nothing else, I hope you remember composer Evan Call's name because of this.
The musical instrument you were trying to identify as maybe a harpsichord is a hammer dulcimer. Great video!
So one of the things you deffinitely picked up on that fits well with its meaning in the series.
Zoltraak as a concept in the series represents the efforts and ingenuity of humanity overcoming something once seen as intimidating as the wrath of a god and now turned into something so well understood its now commonplace.
A past horror, overcome and made into our own strength.
Love the energy in the video and the comments are pretty accurates with anime! New here but wouldn't it be nice to watch the scene with the music at the end of the react? thx for the job
"new and dangerous magic", "knife to the throat", "the magic withing", are all great action songs in the show, "zoltraak" is iconic, "frieren the slayer" is a great theme song, and "journey of a lifetime" is kind of the main theme of the entire show.
Amazing how many themes you were able to pick up from the music alone. I need people like you so I can be properly impressed by brilliant music production
This song shines truly when synchronized to the action. It just perfectly dictates the emotions that the action should give us.
You should absolutely listen to more of Evan Call’s work, he’s up there for me with Kevin Penkin and Sawano in terms of anime composers. I’d look into his work on Violet Evergarden or if you want to stay with Frieren, then Journey of a Lifetime and Frieren the Slayer are also fantastic
Zoltraak was a track that unlocked something in me. As someone who's had depression for a long time, the trappings of being a man (you're not allowed to feel anything because emotion is weakness), and just generally being a very brain-dead consumer of visual media, this song makes me cry. It makes me tear up every time I listen to it. It makes me feel happy, joyous, enthusiastic and a myriad of other emotions that I had never felt before. Zoltraak as a song and Evan Call as a composer single handedly made a huge change that only someone whose talents border on god-like could've achieved in me and has made Frieren probably my favorite show of all time
I discovered your main channel a few years back when you first listened to one of my favourite game OSTs (Zero).
And now I discover you have an anime centric channel by finding you reacting to one of my favourite recent anime? 1. That’s crazy. 2. Instant subscription.
As others have said, this series is absolutely fantastic. 10/10 recommendation from me.
Also, I know Zoltraak gets a lot of attention with it being the big bombastic battle theme of the series (even though Knife to the Throat gets used more often). But I also suggest giving Frieren’s *main* theme- titled Journey of a Lifetime- a listen as well. It really fits the grand fantastical and emotional adventure vibe. Even though I can’t even recall where it plays in the show, I find myself going back to it a lot.
Main theme not to be confused with the series’ 2 *opening* themes (Yuusha and Haru. Both of which are both also bangers).