Frieren Almost Wasn’t Frieren

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As an ardent fan, I can’t help but sing praises for the extraordinary series, “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End” by Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe. This acclaimed masterpiece is undeniably a top contender for the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) title, a claim few would dare to challenge when you see it sitting atop MyAnimeList and other anime rankings. When Madhouse brought its animated adaptation to life in 2023, “Frieren”‘s status as one of the all-time great anime was undoubtedly confirmed. However, the series almost took a different path, as revealed by DDNavi in a recent interview with the editor-in-chief of the manga’s original publication, Weekly Shonen Sunday.

The anime “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End” presents a fresh perspective on the familiar tale of a group embarking on a journey to save the world, reminiscent of “D&D”. Instead of focusing on the adventurers saving the world, we follow Frieren, an elf who is almost a millennium old. She and her party saved the world from the Demon King in the past. The story unfolds decades later, with Frieren’s former companions growing older while she remains ageless. A young apprentice mage becomes responsible for her care. Throughout the series (and into the upcoming second season), Frieren gradually learns to treasure each moment of her extended lifespan. Originally, editor Kazunori Ohshima intended to eliminate this aspect of Frieren’s character development.

Frieren’s Personality Was Nearly Very Different

Due to her long lifespan, spanning hundreds of years and predicted to last for more, Frieren finds it challenging to appreciate and cherish life’s fleeting moments. Consequently, in the initial episodes of the series, she comes across as indifferent and somewhat aloof, seldom showing a smile. However, during an interview with DDNavi and Weekly Shonen Sunday, editor-in-chief Kazunori Oshima disclosed that he had initially harbored doubts about Frieren’s character when it was first proposed to him. “I didn’t anticipate it would garner such success,” the editor remarked, expressing his surprise at Frieren’s remarkable popularity.

Interestingly enough, one of the points of criticism for Oshima regarding the early draft of Frieren was a feature that ultimately became pivotal to her entire narrative. He had expressed, “It was quite intriguing during the planning phase, but when I reflected on the serialization project, I remarked, ‘I wish the elves were a bit more endearing.'” Fortunately, this modification wasn’t made, allowing Oshima to acknowledge his own misjudgments, admitting it as an “unexpectedly misguided comment in light of how beloved Frieren has become now. I imagine [my former editor] Ogura might have responded with a shocked ‘Really?’

Oshima’s Critique Could Have Ruined Frieren

It’s understandable that Kazunori Oshima had his unique perspective on the original concept of Frieren. Fortunately, his ideas weren’t carried out in the final product. Although the series tackles various topics like mortality, aging, heroism, love, friendship, idolization, and masculinity, at its heart, Frieren is a tale about time. In the initial stages of the story, Freiren shows an indifference towards the flow of time, struggling to grasp why humans value each day so dearly, despite understanding that their lifespan is much shorter than hers. This indifference is primarily conveyed through her body language and facial expressions rather than dialogue.

Transforming Frieren into a typical cheerful, friendly anime elf girl might strip the narrative core and her character development bare. In her fresh journey with Fern and Stark, not only does Frieren start to gradually accept the human-like emotions expressed by those around her at that moment, but she also values and mourns the time that has elapsed and her history with Himmel the Hero and her old comrades. Throughout the season, as she matures emotionally, so too expands her smile as a tangible symbol of her growing emotional depth and sensitivity.

Frieren Season 2 Is In the Works

It’s somewhat amusing that fans of the series Frieren have been kept in suspense about the release of its second season, considering the very themes portrayed in the show itself. The first season wrapped up in March 2024, and despite receiving rave reviews from critics and significantly expanding the manga’s fanbase, Studio Madhouse took a full five months before announcing Season 2, making fans feel as if they were in Fern’s shoes – waiting patiently for Frieren during their journey.

The official launch date for Season 2 has been announced, and we can look forward to seeing Frieren, Fern, and Stark again on our screens within the next ten months or so, with Season 2 scheduled to premiere in January 2026.

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2025-03-21 01:11