Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Star Opens Up Change to The Manga: “It’s Really Frustrating”

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Following the huge popularity of its first season, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 2 is quickly becoming a fan favorite. Though shorter than anticipated with just ten episodes, it features some of the series’ most memorable moments. The first season showed how Frieren’s adventure with Himmel’s group ended and how she began a new journey decades later. The story skillfully blends current events with flashbacks, creating a captivating narrative that jumps between timelines. As Frieren continues to remember her time with Himmel’s party, she also forges new connections with characters like Fern and Stark throughout her travels.

Frieren is traveling to Aurelo, a land of rest for souls, hoping to meet Himmel. Her two closest companions, Fern and Stark, have joined her on this journey. The series has gained a dedicated fanbase, and many viewers particularly enjoy the dynamic between Fern and Stark. Recently, in an interview with The TV, the voice actress for Fern, Kana Ichinose, spoke about a challenging shift in the relationship between the two characters in the latest season.

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Star Explains Why The Manga Is Frustrating

Ichinose described how the characters’ dynamic has shifted, noting that Fern now enthusiastically supports Stark’s more daring statements. She playfully compared it to watching a child you naturally want to encourage and support.

She described how she approaches her role, saying she fully embodies Fern while acting. However, when she revisits the source material, she finds their hesitant relationship frustrating. She appreciates the endearing awkwardness between the characters, but also jokingly wishes they would just get together, echoing a sentiment similar to what her co-star, Sein, has expressed. She feels both of these emotions simultaneously.

Ichinose explains that as Stark and the other character grow closer, they become more aware of each other and start to tread carefully. While Stark is definitely developing, that growth occasionally creates friction in their relationship.

Fern and Stark’s connection has come a long way since the beginning of the story, and that continues to be true in the original manga. While their relationship develops slowly in the manga, it can be a little frustrating to watch because they struggle to be open with each other. Their story is still unfolding, and they’re expected to share many more moments together as the narrative progresses.

Are Fern and Stark Dating in The Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Manga?

It’s clear to many watching that these two characters have feelings for each other, but they haven’t realized it themselves yet. Throughout the first season, they shared several sweet moments – even a supporting character, the priest Sein, playfully ‘shipped’ them as a couple! While their relationship will continue to be a key part of the story, Season 2 promises more exciting adventures and difficult challenges as Frieren’s group journeys towards Aureole. But a romantic connection between them is still a ways off.

The anime series premiered on January 16, 2026, with new episodes arriving on Crunchyroll every Friday at 7:00 AM Pacific Time, soon after they air in Japan. While the manga is currently paused, all available chapters can be read for free on Viz Media’s Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End website, which also provides links to purchase the physical and digital volumes. There are currently 14 volumes available in English, and Volume 15, released in Japan in December 2025, doesn’t have a release date for other countries yet.

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2026-02-14 23:41