Wow, this thing is so beautiful, so beautiful and you wouldn't expect much from it at first. In the manga, there are plenty of scenes like this. I highly recommend this anime; it's really good. There's something about it that will please you, it's possible you might not like everything, but there are many cool things. There's a bunch of directors in there who've been in the industry for years, they have the experience. They've made a bunch of anime, and they can't do half of what this director did. The guy is fantastic. It's something I looked at sideways because every episode is like this, and such, every episode has flashbacks. But after a while, yay, flashbacks! Hey folks, we're back with another article of "Frieren." In this , I'll give my final impressions of the anime, and after that, from the middle to the end of the post, I'll comment on what I found in detail, the scenes that caught my attention the most from the final arc of "Frieren" because the other arcs don't need it. I already commented on them in separate post for you, of course, we have to comment on this because for the love of God, the anime is over. Its rating, which was already absurdly high, is still at the top, practically since it started, and it hasn't moved. Many thought it would drop by the end of the anime, but no, it climbed even higher. It's an absurd achievement, what this anime managed, and it needs to be talked about too. It's the story of a legendary Mage from the group of heroes who managed to defeat the demon lord in the past and her current adventures with the others.
**Part 2: The Story's Structure**
It's an episodic story, especially in the early episodes. As they go by, various different situations unfold, but it's pleasant. In each episode, whether beautiful or exciting, it always conveys something. In this sense, you might even get emotional because, wow, what a beautiful scene, and it's usually melancholic because Frieren constantly uses flashbacks, it became a constant weapon. They were even making memes about it because Frieren kept remembering something from the past all the time, and that thing would connect to the current episode. It became a real cliché in the anime; you expected it to happen almost every episode, but they use it so well that even if it's expected, it's not a problem. If a cliché is used properly, no one cares, I mean, some do, but if it works, it works. And that's the point: whether the cliché being used works or not, if it's being repeated to exhaustion but still works, then use it as much as you want. In Frieren, it's used continuously to either enhance several scenes, making them more emotional or more epic, reveal something from the past, and when this connection with the present happens, it works wonderfully well every time, never failing. So, the flashbacks are part of Frieren; some found it odd at the beginning, as it was used all the time, but you have to get used to it because it's not going to stop, and thankfully it doesn't stop because, as I said, it works. It's even funny because I was thinking at the beginning about the story's premise, why they don't take the flashbacks and try to stitch them together with extra scenes, creating a first episode that briefly shows her adventure with her former companions, with the various scenes and flashbacks that the manga shows. It's possible to create something like that, they even have contact with the author, so they could have...
**Part 3: Flashbacks and Story Impact**
Asking him to close some gaps that were missing. So initially, I had this idea that instead of having a flashback in every episode because they don't take and aggregate everything and create a big episode, initially with the adventure of Frieren's heroes, if they had done that, it wouldn't have had half the impact. Several scenes that you've already seen, if shown in the first episode on a large scale or something similar, wouldn't have the same impact when they're shown there. Showing the whole scene again would feel like they're always reusing the first episode. So although it seemed like a good idea, as you watch the anime, you realize that those flashbacks, useful as they may have been, are shown bit by bit, pieces here and there from time to time, so the story works very well like that. It's a characteristic of it that turned out very cool; it's extreme appreciation for it. It's something that I looked at sideways because every episode is like this, and such, every episode has a flashback, but after a while, yay, the flashback! I started to appreciate them. And well, the direction does a fantastic job here; it magnifies every little story you have in the original. If you read the manga, in terms of design, it's prettier and such, obviously, there are some blatant parts, but if you look at the story itself, there are several moments that are not given the proper value, especially in flashbacks in Frieren. In the manga, I'm talking, and here comes the anime, what does it do? It gives more time to a scene, adds one more scene to that scene. This scene with the ring is one of the main examples I'll give because, my God, the scene doesn't have anything special in the manga; you just go through it like, ah, okay. But when you watch it in the anime, there's a beautiful music, slow motion, focus on the hair, two strands moving, and such. Wow, it's so beautiful, so beautiful, and in the original, you wouldn't expect much from it. In the manga, there are plenty of...
**Part 4: Flashbacks and Battles**
I won't go into detail about each of them here; it's an exaggeration, not my intention. But the flashbacks in general are extremely more emotional in the anime compared to the manga. All the flashbacks usually have a beautiful, emotional scene that didn't exist in the manga, it's very, very impressive. So, "Frieren" is that adaptation that has already done that, I have to say. That's why it doesn't try to copy the original; it tries to take the best parts and amplify them. Another really cool thing in the original is the battles. Although it's a story that starts with a lot of slice of life and such, some didn't like it so much because of that, they expected more action. There are some really cool action moments, and what they do at those action moments, they amplify them. The fights are much superior in the anime compared to the manga, and not just because of the soundtrack used beautifully. Another fantastic thing about "Frieren" is the soundtrack. It's beautiful, and they use it very well because there are a bunch of anime out there that have a decent or very good soundtrack but use it poorly. It's about crying, basically, because there's something good there, but they don't know how to use it, or then it's that thing I hate too because some directors have this thing: "Oh, I won't repeat the soundtrack because each moment has to have a unique soundtrack." So, it's clear that some soundtracks work much better than others. So, they use that fantastic one that moves you and does everything right, and then if you want to use another one that doesn't have as much effect, it's because it would be repetitive to keep using that one non-stop. They don't use it constantly in "Frieren," and if you notice, the best moments have basically three or four really catchy soundtracks in "Frieren," really impressive, and the others are complementary. But what they keep doing is using these best tracks over and over again, and it works beautifully, it's emotional...
**Part 5: Director's Work and Adaptations**
It won't repeat the soundtrack; that's half the problem with several scenes. So, another thing I really appreciated was the timing for the use of the soundtrack by the director. It's fantastic, this director. In fact, it's another thing I want to commend him for; he's really good. My goodness, he came from an anime that was slice of life with comedy, and he did a fantastic job there. He has a fantastic sense of comedy; he brought a bunch of exes, including in that anime, he even got The Rock, and then he went to another anime, which was fantasy adventure with epic scenes here and there, and he went there and did a fantastic job too, completely different from what he had done in the previous anime. The guy is just starting; the first anime he directed had The Rock, then he moved on to "Frieren," and the guy nailed it. There are a bunch of directors out there who've been in the industry for years, they have a ton of experience, made a bunch of anime, and can't do half of what this director did. The guy is fantastic, and clearly, he has good contacts too because every anime of his comes out so well produced, everything, and he worked with decent studios, one was CloverWorks, the other was Madhouse, but still, my goodness, the guy hit the nail on the head; it's fantastic. And better than the original, both adaptations he did were better than the original. Obviously, the original being good has its merits; "Frieren" is a very good manga, but the point is that the director did a fantastic job. I don't have anything to say against him; everything he could improve from the manga, he did. The fights are so exciting, animation is constantly taken care of, it's so well produced, and with several scenes that you're like, "Wow,"...
**Part 6: Character Development and Story Arcs**
Moving forward here, there are some scenes that I want to highlight, but the point is that I was very excited about them. So, for those who are going to watch the cutscenes, take notes; I found it amazing what he did, especially when you compare it to the manga, it's on another level. They did a really great job there, and the most important thing is the characters; they valued that because you can have the best story in the world, the best animation, the best soundtrack, a really good director, but if the characters don't win over the audience, it won't matter. The characters are the most important; the story can be a mess, but with good characters, they carry it because you get attached to those characters, you like them, and you want to see what will happen to them. So, it doesn't matter if it's an arc, a filler arc, if it's good or not, if you're more interested in the characters you like. You want to see more of their adventures, and that's the feeling of "Frieren" in every episode. Even though some arcs are better than others, there are several arcs that are basically a bunch of short stories; while they're traveling, they encounter a different city each time, have a little adventure, slice of life, an emotional scene. And then there are the slightly bigger arcs; usually, these arcs are more tense. But the point is that there are bigger arcs, and there are others that are not that big. It's just a cute story, but it's pleasant, and you want more because you liked the characters. You got attached to them; you liked them. "Ah, I want to see one more story with them." So, "Frieren" does this magnificently well because there were people who, at the beginning, found "Frieren," for example, very cold and somewhat unfriendly. But over time, you see that she has many flaws, and those flaws of "Frieren" are what win you over. Obviously, her being badass and strong as heck is a...
**Part 7: Character Depth and Development**
Something that certainly grabs attention as well, but what stands out the most are the funny scenes of her being careless, cunning, or a bit air-headed. So, the scenes where she shows that she's not perfect, although she's very powerful, those are the ones that win you over because people usually connect with others' flaws. Those characters who are too perfect are usually kind of dull. So, they did that very well; all the characters in "Frieren" have some flaw. Even Stark, because for heaven's sake, the guy is too straight-laced, but his interaction with Fern, for example, who is often in a bad mood, ends up being funny. His personality makes you feel sorry for him because he's so nice, and she's in a bad mood with him all the time, so they make a couple, and there's even a bit of romance, it's so complete that there's even romance, you have fantasy, drama scenes, cool action scenes, cool characters, and a bit of romance. You have everything here, and in a quality of fantasy with fantastic direction. Another thing worth appreciating is Fern's character development, and you notice that through the flashbacks, how she was in the past, the things she said in the past, what she thought, and how she changed, her attitudes. If you compare her actions in the flashbacks to her actions in the present, they're quite different, and it's deliberate. It shows you blatantly how she acted and then immediately how she acts completely differently because she matured in those 10 years. That's something that's even mentioned at the beginning of the story; the old man doesn't tells to Frieren that those 10 years she spent with them on the hero's journey might not have been much in her total lifespan—it's insignificant—but it was a period that completely changed her. So, you notice this development she had as a character, her maturing...
**Part 8: Character Growth and Appeal**
There's a lot of character growth by comparing her past with the present using flashbacks, but there are also other characters who initially don't seem like much. However, as you learn more about them and their past, you start sympathizing with them a lot. There are several of them, especially in the final arc, where there are a bunch of new mages introduced at the beginning, and you don't pay much attention to them. But over time, as the arc develops them and reveals more about their past, you start to like many of them. So, it's a very complete anime. I think that's one of the reasons it became so popular; it delivers a little bit of everything. It will never leave you wanting just action. Sorry, you'll never be 100% satisfied, but occasionally you'll see scenes and think, "Wow, I want to see more of that!" For those who like Slice of Life, there's a bit of that. For those who like beautiful, dramatic parts, they occasionally pop up. For those who like a more melancholic tone, it's there sometimes. And for those who like romance, it's there too. It has everything, even comedy, so it has a little something for everyone. I think that's one of its greatest merits. I highly recommend it. I've been recommending it since my October 2023 predictions; I put it in the spotlight, even though it wasn't so popular here at the time. But it ended up winning people over, and even the manga, my goodness! It became a huge hit. It sold like crazy; the sales skyrocketed. Then the anime came out, and it started topping popularity charts. It even became a mega success in the West, so it was a global phenomenon. It's so much so that even Manelis, who represents Western tastes in general, look where it ended up—becoming a top favorite in just a few episodes, surpassing all expectations.
**Part 9: Fan Base and Success**
Comparing it to "Full Metal," which has a strong fan base that gets pretty upset whenever another anime surpasses it, "Frieren" fans were even stronger than the "Full Metal" fan base. They managed to keep "Frieren" in the top spot throughout the entire season, maintaining it within the top ranks even after it ended. For a year, people kept giving it 10 out of 10 ratings; they adored the story, and it ended up with a significantly higher score. Each point above 9 counts for a lot because it's challenging to increase the points like that, so it was quite an achievement. But it deserved it; it was a very, very enjoyable anime. Anyway, I highly recommend this anime; it's really good and has a little something for everyone. Even if there's something in "Frieren" that doesn't quite please you, it's impossible not to find a lot of cool stuff there. The story didn't wrap up neatly because it continues in the original material, leaving an important story arc open-ended. The adventures continue with the overarching goal of reaching a certain place, which will definitely take a while. So, we'll likely have many more years of "Frieren" ahead of us and probably many more seasons since it was such a tremendous success. For those interested in the data regarding the chance of a second season and when it might happen, how faithfully they adapted the original material, the volumes, and chapters, and all the details, take a look at a article I've made, focusing specifically on that. Now, moving on to the final part, which I haven't commented on yet in that article I occasionally put together by compiling several episodes and discussing them. I haven't said anything about the final arc involving the magic academy. So, let's talk about some standout scenes for me. First, the scene where they break through the barrier was really cool. Everyone was really amazed by it.
They kept emphasizing how it was impossible and all that, constantly focusing on it. But then it turns out it's actually pretty cool; it's not impossible, and nobody can break it. It's like, "Oops, I just analyzed the barrier and broke the darn thing." With the music behind it, it looked really cool. Then there were funny scenes too, like the one with Fern, who's always in a bad mood, interacting with Frieren. The way they try to cheer her up by giving her candy, and she walks off all happily after getting some sweets from Frieren, was hilarious and enjoyable. Initially, I wasn't too thrilled about introducing several new characters and focusing on them instead of the ones I already liked. So, I was a bit skeptical about this arc. Obviously, Stark, for example, barely appears in it; it's like they said, "Let's have Fern without Stark because it's interesting to see the two interact," which I like. So, I was a bit wary of this arc. But then, as they started to focus on the secondary characters and all, I thought, "Okay, I might not like this arc." But I gradually started to like the characters, even though the author used something I found a bit overdone. Every character seemed to be evil, always talking about killing. There's this one character, B, who does this. It became a cliché; everyone was talking about killing, but in the end, nobody actually killed anyone. People actually avoided killing, trying to kill as little as possible. That character who seems evil, almost like a villain, turns out to be a good person. The problem is, the author basically repeated this cliché exhaustively with all the characters, making it a bit tiresome. Everyone talks about killing in this place, but nobody actually does it. It's alright; some find it interesting, even create empathy for the character. But this character isn't as evil as they seem; they actually avoid killing. It's cooler when...
So, this started happening with all the characters, I mean, come on! Seriously? It's like they all followed the same pattern. That's my only gripe with this arc because other than that, it was great. The characters became more involved during the tournament, as well as in the other stages of the competition, and you began to sympathize with them. Initially, you were like, "Hmm, whatever," about them, but after a while, you started to care more, especially when they showed their pasts. That definitely helped. The interactions between them, all of them, were very cool. Even the old man, that old man was great too. In the end, that guy, especially him, out of all those who pretended to be bad, I would have killed him without any problem. But in reality, he avoided killing as much as possible. He was the most interesting because he actually killed even as a child in wars, but that didn't mean he would kill anyone for no reason. He avoided killing as much as he could because, on the contrary, he valued people's lives. Those old man guys were fine; he seemed more cold and calculating at first, but he was actually a good old man. So, I thought that was cool. But then, they did the same thing with him too. At least they let him be bad, but either way, you end up liking the other characters there, like even that green-haired girl starts to grow on you. She's also neurotic about the guy with the clones. Speaking of which, the twist with the guy and the clones at the end, I'll talk about that too. But anyway, another standout scene in terms of action was Frieren against Frieren. That fantastic scene, in terms of animation, I think it was the most impressive of the whole season. It was the grand final climax. What's the best enemy we can give? What's the strongest opponent we can pit against Freer herself? A clone of her, so my goodness, what a fight! It was like everything was at stake. We thought Freer knew it all.
So, in this fight, we saw her pull off some incredible magic; she even created a black hole and shot some bazookas. Wow! And there's even this magic she mentioned that she hasn't used since 80 years ago, which was against the Demon Lord when they faced him. So, she has telekinesis magic too, and she can even use it without her arms. Sensational! This final battle was fantastic! I was blown away, even though I already had high expectations. And once again, it turned out fantastic! The use of timing was perfect. I mean, how frustrated I get with various directors because sometimes they get it right, sometimes they mess up, you know? It's hard to find a director who consistently gets it right like this. So, when you find one, well, you have to cherish and appreciate it. Another really cool scene was when Frieren's clone was presented as the final boss of the dungeon. Everyone was freaking out when they saw her clone. And the soundtrack, it really enhances the scene. You can tell because in the next episode where they repeat the scene, there's no thrilling music in the background, and it loses half its impact. The scene becomes ordinary, nothing special. You can see that it was the soundtrack in the previous episode that made the scene feel epic, making her look like a boss at the end. Another scene that also got a lot of attention was when Rimmel reveals that he met Frieren when he was young, and he was fascinated by her ever since. That's why he knew the region where she was when she became the hero and went after her because he wanted her in the group. He even says, "I wanted you." Oh my goodness, this scene! It was so impossible, it turned out he was crazy in love with her, and we find out it's been since he was a kid when she saved him. Very cool. And then, the end of the arc arrived, and something very interesting happened: the approval of those who became level 1 wizards initially.
And it seems like Fern is going to pass because she's exceptional. You see, this mage with an absurd amount of mana was suppressing her mana, and Fern was the only one who detected it, besides Frieren, obviously. So, this absurd amount of mana she has was being suppressed. If she releases her mana, it's much more than Frieren's. So, this twist is interesting, the reason Fern passed the exam too. It's fair. But then, it starts a bunch of nonsense because she starts approving everyone practically after Fern, just because people weren't afraid of her. So, people arrived, weren't afraid of her mana, found her cute instead of fearing her, and they passed. So, she approved a bunch of people who honestly didn't deserve it, in my opinion. But just because they weren't afraid of her doesn't mean they deserve to be level 1 wizards. It takes courage, even for a cowardly person. Why on earth are they giving credit to cowardice? There was this guy who was a coward. Instead of risking his own life, he sent a bunch of clones. He's really good at Clone Magic, but his clones were the ones taking the exam for him. So, she detected that he was never there. He was just chilling in a village, drinking tea, while his clones were taking the exam for him. So, yeah, that's too much nonsense. It's an interesting twist, but him being approved for being audacious enough to do that, that's too much, in my opinion. Basically, she gave him credit for his cowardice. You don't want to come here and take the risk yourself? You're going to pass as a level 1 wizard now because why not? When Fern passes, oh boy, Fern is going to be one of the only ones to pass. Maybe that old man passes too. But not her, she proves a lot of people for the silliest reasons, so that's a bit messed up, in my opinion. But overall, it was a cool arc; I liked it. The fight between Frieren and Frieren was fantastic, like a final showdown of combat.
Phenomenal, and that feeling of longing when it ends, it's like they're sending a message to us. I'm not going to make a long, melodramatic speech or anything because it's going to be kind of embarrassing when we meet again. It's like they're talking to us, choosing a perfect chapter to end on. It's like that in manga too, but in anime, it's the perfect chapter to end on because it feels like they're talking to us. We'll see each other again; there will be another season in the future, so stay tuned. But for those who don't have the patience to wait for this second season, which might take a few years to come out, you can go for the manga. If you want to continue the story, start from volume 7. Well, folks, that's it. I loved it. I think from this blog, you can tell how much I enjoyed it. But leave your comments below. What did you think of this anime? Comment below, and that's it, folks. I'll leave it here. If you liked the blog, share it, subscribe to the social media if you haven't already. Support this blog if you can.
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