#frieren is so good and sad and just

[chadsuke]

Books Read in 2023:

I Want to be a Wall Vol. 2 by Honami Shirono (2023)

The Villainess is a Marionette (Season 1) by Han Yi Min & Manggle (2021)

Delicious in Dungeon Vol. 1 by Ryoko Kui (2017)

Delicious in Dungeon Vol. 2 by Ryoko Kui (2017)

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Vol. 1 by Kanehito Yamada &  Tsukasa Abe (2020)

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Vol. 2 by Kanehito Yamada &  Tsukasa Abe (2020)

The Apothecary Diaries Vol. 1 by Natsu Hyūga, Itsuki Nanao &  Nekokurage (2017)

The Apothecary Diaries Vol. 2 by Natsu Hyūga, Itsuki Nanao &  Nekokurage (2018)

The Apothecary Diaries Vol. 3 by Natsu Hyūga, Itsuki Nanao &  Nekokurage (2018)

[ID: Covers of the above books. End ID.]

[foreverxdaydreaming]

mdzs watching me finish tgcf practically overnight after having abandoned it:

[cestacruz]

Sweet jesus this is absolutely gorgeous

I am . Dying. This is so good..!

Thank you so much for this, this was everything and more than i hoped for

Everyone please read this gorgeous piece or i Will show up. Eventually.

And thank you So Much again! I am incredibly grateful😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Falls to my knees , hiii so like... the requests.... would you be so kind as to consider Ushiwakamaru|Yoshitsune (and her wife Shizuka Gozen....) (she gets 1 dialogue in Heian-Kyo (Incredibly romantic line about wishing to follow Yoshitsune until the very end) and mentioned in Little Big Tengu)

Scenario... Ushi getting reminded of Shizuka and realizing how much she misses her...im basic i am starved

The idea of Ushi joining the "i miss my spouse" club and Tomoe being there is hilarious honestly. I am rambling

I am very sorry if this ask was too late </3

The monkey's paw curls.

Sure i can write that for you!

/\/\/\/\/\/\

It’s a quiet, clear night, the full moon shining brightly down on the trees, the courtyard, the roof of the mountaintop compound.

Sitting on that rooftop, one knee tucked up and the other dangling casually from the edge, foot swaying back and forth, a figure clad in a Japanese armor sits alone, drinking and looking out at the light of the city far below, long unbound hair fluttering slightly in a gentle breeze.

Behind them, a scattering of gold motes of light blows into shape and coalesce, as a woman dressed in similar armor stands behind them, posture straight and proper, sharing the same view.

“Ah, Lady Archer.” Her voice, normally energetic or cheerful, is subdued yet friendly. She turns, casual and unmannered, to smile thinly through the weight of emotion at her guest. “Please, come,” she says, offering the bottle and a small cup to her visitor. “Share a drink with me, and some familiar company in this foreign land.”

Archer ignores her offer, continuing to stare out into the city.

“…Lord Saber. I would kill you here, now, if our Masters were not allied.”

“Mm.” She nods, acknowledging the statement as true, if not important. “Such is the nature of the war we fight.”

Archer’s eyes narrow.

“…I will state the truth plainly, then. I would kill you if there were no war. Knowing you live, I would seek your death. Only duty now stays me from seeking vengeance for my Lord.”

Saber takes in a deep breath and lets it out in a sigh, staring out over the city.

“…Fair enough. I can’t apologize for anything I’ve done to serve my own Lord. But, if my Master permits, once our alliance is over, I will give you a proper fight to the death.”

The wind blows through the trees, rushing, cool. The tips of Saber’s hair blow in the breeze. She takes a sip, and studies the bottle of alcohol with casual interest.

Archer’s fists clench, the sound of friction audible like a creak of leather, before she lets her fair, callused hands relax.

“I am surprised to hear you’d take consideration for anyone other than the master you serve.”

Saber’s head bobs in positive appraisal. She continues to stare out into the night.

“My Master told me to convey to yours that he is to meet her in the shed tomorrow in the morning to discuss plans regarding Caster and Rider.”

Saber nods again. She stares into space for a moment, as she convey the message through the link.

Then, she takes another sip of alcohol, looking up at the moon.

Archer waits a few minutes longer.

Her eye twitches.

Just as she prepares to leave, Saber speaks again.

“It was a night like this, when I last saw my love.”

Archer regards her carefully.

Saber smiles, wistful, fond. “She liked to go for walks at night, and I would go with her, and stand close to keep her warm. Even on hot summer nights.”

For a moment longer, she looks out over the edge, features softened into a sad smile.

Then her face falls.

“But the last night I saw her… we didn’t have time for such happiness, such peace.”

She looks down, now, into the courtyard, at the earth.

“My retainers managed to convince me to run, when my brother decided to put me down. I gave it my best, really. But I knew he would catch up to me. And… I think she knew, as well.”

Archer stares at her, uncompromisingly.

“She wanted to stay with me, even so. I never… really understood people, or love. I don’t know what I did to deserve such loyalty. Or maybe that’s just how she was. But I appreciated it. I needed it. To know there was someone with me who would never move, never leave, even as I am… how I am. Who really cared.”

“If you really appreciated it,” Archer says, voice heavy, tinged with venom, “then why. Why did you send her away, before the end?”

Saber turns and looks at her. She smiles, faintly.

“Because I wanted her to live.”

Archer snaps.

“Selfish! You say you appreciated her loyalty, yet you would trample it for your own selfishness!”

“…Mm. It was selfish.”

Archer stalks toward Saber, where she sits balanced at the edge of the roof, “If her love, her loyalty truly meant so much to you, then why deny her the chance die alongside her Lord!” she demands, breathing hard, long-restrained anguish bleeding through into her fury.

Saber makes no move to respond, to back away or take a defensible position. She curls, hugging the knee tucked up against her chest, eyes cast down.

“Because… I always knew she would die for me, but I… I would always serve my liege, first. In the end, though, when my brother decided I should die… I thought, for once, I would like to return that devotion. To thank her, for always… for always supporting me. If I was to die… then I could still give her a life, to live on. I could do that for her, at the end.”

“I was never good at expressing my feelings. I knew enough, to know it would hurt her. But still… I wanted to do that for her.”

She takes a sip of alcohol, and smiles ruefully.

“I failed in the end, though. My brother captured her anyway. I was dead, by the time it happened, but…”

Archer stares at her, still breathing hard, glaring, body tense. But the earlier fire is gone from her eyes, and they instead search through old emotions.

“… We do not decide how fate will turn. It is the choices we make that speak for us.”

A moment later, she turns away.

She pauses.

“…Saber. The Master you serve…”

“Hmm?” Her face brightens visibly.

“…” Archer looks up, over the compound, fists balled at her sides. “…That person is not worthy of your devotion.”

She dissolves again into swirling gold motes of light, and they blow away in the gentle night breeze.

“… I wouldn’t know,” Saber says, to the empty rooftop. “I'm not the best judge of people. All I want… is the chance to faithfully serve, until the end.”

—

Cautiously, Tomoe Gozen enters the ruined compound, the remaining fires burning low. The building where she spoke with Saber on that night in the first days of the War is rubble, pulverized by the shock of Rider’s Noble Phantasm, and then cleaved in half.

Master— she begins, reporting out of habit.

Foolishness. Her gentle, composed Master is gone. She feels the loop of prayer beads at her side where they hang under her robes.

Rest easy. For my Master’s sake… I will see your wish granted. I will save them.

She is cursed, cursed to always be the survivor.

She’s too late to witness the conflict, but the state of the war has shifted dramatically. She picks her way through the buildings to see what she can still learn.

The night is darker, now, the moon waning. The courtyard is in ruins, stones broken and split, the lonely pear tree torn up from its roots. Great slashes are carved into the walls of the sturdy storage building that makes up its other side, and the wall has fallen over.

As she proceeds toward the center of the compound, she finds the headless body of Rider’s Master, lying flat on its back.

One of Caster’s siege defense machines has fallen from the rooftops, burnt almost completely, its bolt still loaded lying on the floor.

She tightens her grip on her self control as her oni blood flares, threatening to overtake her reason. She looks up to survey the surroundings

The other giant crossbows that line the remaining buildings are mostly intact. The one farthest back is split in half, jagged wooden remains stained by a heavy spray of blood.

But they are pointed into the heart of the compound, not at its surroundings.

A trail of blood leads her way deeper into the compound

A pit of dread fills her stomach. She worries at the prayer beads that keep her temporarily sustained with mana, her Master’s parting gift to her.

She materializes her sword with a lick of flames, and raises it in preparation before turning the highly defensible corner.

She finds the remains of the body Assassin was puppeting, leaking black ichor.

A few paces away, one of the giant crossbow bolts has buried itself into the earth. It’s stained red with blood.

The trail of blood thickens beyond it. There are bloody handprints, smears against the walls.

Tomoe Gozen narrows her eyes, and steels herself, and proceeds through the bounded field into the heart of the compound.

It’s burning. Ichor and bloodstains everywhere.

At the far side of the space, the largest crossbow is spattered with blood. Beneath it, the severed sleeve of Caster’s robe lies trampled on the ground. And beside that, a mangled figure.

Maintaining her alert, she makes her way quickly across the space.

Saber—Yoshitsune lies slumped against the building’s wall, still clutching her sword in her hands. Her skin is blistered, her long hair burnt away. Cuts and pierces litter her ruined armor. And a crossbow bolt the size of a wooden beam pins her against the building behind her.

So it’s true. Saber’s Master has taken Rider as his Servant.

The loyal general Minamoto no Yoshitsune has once again been betrayed and cut down by the lord she serves.

Tomoe Gozen feels no joy at the sight of her husband’s killer.

The lively, energetic Saber is almost inert, staring blankly up at the sky with dulled eyes. But as she approaches, she looks up at her in awe. Her sword falls from her fingers. Her bare, dry voice whispers.

“…Shizuka?” Tomoe’s heart drops.

She kneels by her foe, and takes her remaining hand in her own. Sightless, dull eyes cast toward her, feebly.

“… ah. My Shizuka. You’re safe. I’m glad… I’m glad.” She sighs, shuddering. “If you live… then all was not lost. I—“ she heaves a breath, and smiles. “can meet my death, without regret.”

Tomoe takes a ragged breath. Suddenly, her vision is full of tears.

—

“Lord Yoshinaka, I beg of you—“

“I have given you my command!” Her husband shouts, voice trembling with fervor. “Leave this battlefield! I will meet my death with Kanehira at my side!”

He looks at her, then, and feeling flashes over his face. Love. Sorrow. Pain. “I will not—“ his voice chokes, rough, raw. “—be shamed by dying together with a woman.”

She takes in a deep breath, trembling, spine straight, mastering her feelings. Then she bows stiffly.

“—As my Lord orders it.”

Before she turns away for the last time, filled to overflowing with mastered emotion, tears leaking from the corner of her eyes—

She sees something like peace come over her husband’s face.

—

She trembles, kneeling before Saber.

Her mortal foe takes in a slow, desperate breath.

“Ah, but Shizuka. Your Ushiwaka… has so rarely received an injury. It really… hurts, after all.” she laughs weakly, and then coughs, and trails off.

Tomoe draws in a deep breath, steadying herself.

“Lord Yoshitsune,” she says. “Allow me to ease your pain.”

“…thank you,” that haggard voice says, relieved. “Thank you.”

Saber slumps forward, presenting her bare neck.

Tomoe stands, and draws her sword.

“…forgive me!”

With one swing, she separates Yoshitsune’s head cleanly from her shoulders.

A moment later, in a shower of gold mana, the body of her great enemy, of her husband’s killer, dissolves and fades away into the smoke-filled night air.

Tomoe stands alone. She cleans, and sheathes her sword.

“Lord Yoshinaka,” she whispers. “Your wife has avenged you. And if it gave you peace, then I will proudly carry forever the shame and sorrow of surviving you.”

With one final lingering glance at the place where a crossbow bolt lies embedded in the wall, she leaves the place of death behind.

Her Master, still, remains to be avenged.

There are yet more ghosts for Tomoe Gozen to carry.

[nyoomerr]

i've spoken about this in a couple discord chats already but the idea of a binggeyuan frieren au is so so tasty and yet there is no fucking way i am ever going to attempt it bc i just KNOW it would be sad in order to be good

the idea of bingge traveling alongside frail mortal shen yuan for some years, watching the way sy interacts with the world, letting sy coax him into using his immense power to help save some group of people (or beasts, or whatever strikes sy's fancy). bingge goes along mostly for amusement - life gets quite boring, when you're as old and powerful as he is - and at the end of everything he goes his own way without thinking twice.

later - much, much later - bingge thinks that things have gotten quite boring again, and he wants to go find the little mortal that had amused him for some years.

the little mortal is dead.

bingge is furious, of course. he hasn't allowed anyone to deny him anything for centuries now, and he hasn't had to actually deal with a mortal's death in nearly as long for the way he surrounds himself with other powerful demons and cultivators. the solution is simple, though: bingge will simply resurrect shen yuan.

but since shen yuan has been dead for years at this point, there is no body to easily restore, and in this au there wouldn't be so many convenient resurrection tools in this universe to begin with. it would turn into the whole frieren-esque adventure, perhaps with bingge picking up a kid that shen yuan had been mentoring before his death - perhaps one of bingge's own neglected kids, in fact, that shen yuan had picked up in part bc he missed bingge.

and as bingge adventures onwards towards a miracle resurrection tool, he'll occasionally run into situations that could easily be solved through pure power and callousness, and he... won't. he'll think about the way sy would scold him for being cruel, and he'll sulk and throw tantrums but in the end he'll avoid whatever the easy but cruel option was. the journey will take far longer for bingge than it necessarily would have to, because the goal of the journey has put sy at the front of his mind and now he can't stop thinking about all the stupid ""lessons"" sy had tried to give him.

and this is why i could not write this au: the most fitting ending i can think of for this au would be that the only way to resurrect shen yuan would be through some horrific sacrifice of hundreds of other innocent lives, and bingge would choose not to do it.

it would make him furious - it would drive him to the edge of qi deviation, to the edge of declaring some stupid pointless war just so he can work out his anger and get those innocent souls to resurrect shen yuan anyway. but he wouldn't. this whole slow adventure has reminded him bit by bit of just why he'd spent so long following that foolish little mortal shen yuan around, of the way that living a kinder life had felt so relaxing after years of constantly being ready to spill blood at a moment's notice.

shen yuan would be so disappointed in bingge if he choose that method of resurrection, and so bingge can't do it. bingge would be unsatisfied with that method of resurrection, just because he'd know sy would dislike it.

shen yuan stays dead, but his memory haunts bingge for the rest of his nearly immortal life, and bingge ever so slowly shapes himself into what that memory was.

[sweetchcolate]

Himmel just casually propose to Frieren and only Frieren realize how important the ring and her memories are after he dies 29 years later. Like, what am I suppose to do with that info anime. Cry? Cause I will!

god i know. their every fluffy moment is soooo bittersweet because it can only pay off in the present time (when Himmel is already long gone). frimmel is the kind of slowburn that only hits after DECADES, when one half of the ship is dead and the other finally realizes how much they were (and still are) loved and cherished

Himmel is honestly a king for putting all the work ahead of time without ever being pushy or judgemental with Frieren. he knows his efforts will probably only bear fruit long after he's dead. everything he says or does (the proposal, telling Frieren about his hometown's flowers, praising her spells, giving her important lessons about the worth of helping people or doing thing with your friends even if it's a pain, commissioning statues of their person, etc.) has one purpose: to comfort and cheer up the elf he loves when he's no longer around to do so

and I love how Frieren's realizations at the depths of Himmel's feelings are sad at first (especially after his death, when she comments how she took their time together for granted and didn't get to know him better), yet grow lighter over the show. now every reminder of Himmel brings a smile to Frieren's face as she reminisces on the good times with him <3

[darkbluenostalgia]

I've just been living in a state of numbness the majority of 2023 and fell out of love with Kdrama.

However, I'm having an anime era resurgence thanks to JJK and the 2024 January line-up for ongoing anime is so good...

Here are some of my recs for dealing with the aftermath of lobotomy kaisen in no particular order.

1. Solo Leveling

(MC just gets infinitely hotter the moment his life falls apart. The way he switched up from baby girl to shadow daddy. He's so Dorian/Rhys coded. I am but a simp. Live, Laugh Love, Sung Jin Woo forever 🥰😘)

2. Apothecary Diaries

(Black cat/golden retriever dynamic. I just love Japan/Korea's takes on fictional ancient China like Alchemy of Souls and Akatsuki no Yona. Lots of court intrigue, some mysteries to solve and what not. Also, the frog. 🐸)

3. A sign of affection

(Cute. Wholesome. Pretty art. Top-tier shoujo romance. I just fold when their love language is being known 💖)

4. Frieren

(Elf mage is immortal and spends the rest of her life remembering. Sad but healing. The episodes just make me cry but in a good way 🥲)

5. 7th Time Loop

(Idk what to say just like the title says villainess regresses back in time everytime she dies. I will live and die by this trope. You will have to pry it from my cold dead hands🔪)

[sevi007]

@fortythealien

Oh that one was fantastic. Let me put that under read more because of spoilers AND it got long:

I mean, the "reveal" of the illusion really hit me like a slap to the face. This was both extremely beautiful as well as cruel, and it hits you all at once that this might ACTUALLY work on one, or both, of them.

Because, I very much doubt that it was Grausam who thought out the details of this particular illusion. As we learned very indepth by now, demons cannot understand human emotions. I don't see how Grausam could look into Himmel and / or Frieren and understand that this - a wedding - could be a good way to trick them.

So, imo, Grausam's ability rather reaches into the subconsciousness of the victim and draws out what the victim itself secretly wishes for, and then paints that world for them. For this, Grausam does not have to understand emotions or relationships - he lets the victims create their own illusions.

Meaning, this is something Himmel or Frieren or both wanted, deep down.

There was actually a moment where I was worried they would fall for it and maybe Heiter will have to wake them but of course I underestimated them:

Like, how. How are you HUMAN Himmel. Grausam himself stated that there is no way to tell the illusion from reality, but Himmel just goes and does it anyway. I feel like Heiter when his friend keeps going above and beyone here.

But still, look at his face before he stops Frieren. There is this hint of sadness again - we have seen that one before,for example in the flashback with the mirror lotus ring. I think it's the face he makes when he really briefly gets close to having this with Frieren - a life, love, relationship, whatever you want to call it - before he catches himself again because he knows it's not quite possible. He lets this illusion play out for just one beat longer before going back to the matter at hand.

Also, how gently he stops her nearly made me cry. No grabbing her, no holding her at arm's length, and he does not even ask if she realizes this is not real. His trust in her is implicit! He knows she knows, and will get them out somehow.

Also also, Frieren was into this too, you can't tell me otherwise. This was a trap for both of them, and it WORKED on both of them for a beat.

And to really put emphasis on how impossible it should be for Himmel to see through this all, Frieren confirms this once again:

(But in a way, maybe this shouldn't surprise us. It is a great callback to the illusion the beast "Einsam" created early on in the story, where Himmel appears in front of Frieren. Frieren recalls that before meeting Himmel, Flamme had appeared to her instead, and THAT apparation had begged for mercy / help. Himmel's apparation, though? Told her to "shoot me, Frieren". Not even an illusion OF Himmel was going to hurt Frieren, Himmel INSIDE an illusion obviously can break free.)

And when I said before that Himmel's trust in Frieren is implicit, I would like to point out that this goes both ways:

I mean, look at this stuff. Not only does Frieren not even TRY to break out of Grausam's spell (she knows she can't) but she instead trusts Himmel to fight despite it. She is entirely helpless in this situation, but instead of fighting or panicking (which, fair, is not her usual behavior) she instead asks exactly one question, and then quite literally puts her life in his hands. She gives no orders, no pointers, she just says "you can move right? Then move (like you always do)".

This trust, man. This (literally, hah) blind trust just gets me.

Also. When I say I forget that Himmel and party are terrifying, THIS is what I mean:

Himmel never woke up. He is still inside the illusion, eyes closed, and fighting a Great Demon (one and a half, since Solitär is giving half-assed support) blindly right then and there. Not only that, but he is putting Grausam on the backfoot even.

Now, of course, Grausam's illusion magic is probably what he relies on the most, so you could argue that he is not much of a fighter otherwise. But I don't think one becomes a Great Demon without some serious skills beyond one spell, especially considering that such an illusion which relies on the victim being intrigued by it probably does not work well on demons without feelings. To be acknowledged by his kin, he has to have SOME fighting skills beyond that of a normal demon. So this is still a seriously cool (and terrifying) feat right there!

(Also, even eyes closed, Himmel is protecting his friends - look how he destroys Solitär's sword as it goes for Frieren!)

See, now you made me teary-eyed again guys. Himmel even acknowledges - in front of Frieren! - that this was an "euphoric dream" for him. He wants / wanted this, with her. He never pushed for it, maybe because he knew it was not what Frieren wanted, or because of their differing lifespans, or whatever, but he wanted this so badly, it even pops up in Grausam's illusion. He should have fallen for this. That he did not is a testament to his skill, iron will, and his trust in and how well he knows Frieren.

Also, Frieren is really just imprinting this moment into her memory before going.

And:

The one thing Solitär - who is a master at manipulation with words, as Frieren has acknowledged - has to threaten Himmel is not "I will kill you", but instead "I will destroy Frieren's future". That's far more likely to get Himmel to let them go than anything else.

All in alll, after hitting you with such an outburst: I think this is the very best take of "protags get put under an illusion spell" I have ever seen. Once again, this manga does very well in subverting the classical tropes, because here, there is only a minimal moment of doubt, the protagnosits don't fall for it nor do they despair over being trapped, and they don't need a push from inside or outside the illusion to break free. They know basically from the start what is going on, and I quite like that they don't really break out before the fight can resume, but really just keep fighting while still being under the spell. It was a fantastic way of showing several things at once in a short span of time like:

* once more affirming Himmel's feeling for Frieren, and vice versa

* The utter trust they have in each other in this party but especially these two have in each other * How competent and strong Himmel and Co actually are

Easy to say, I was an emotional wreck after this because it was beautiful but also so painful to know they never really had this. Where's that Sein pic going "when will they get together already?!" because I need it.

Bonus in case you also need to cry a little:

Fifty years have changed absolutely NOTHING about their trust and love for each other. Okay Peace out.

[assumptionprime]

Just watched what’s out of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. It’s the first time I’ve been a fan of a manga before it became an anime, and I’m really glad the show is good! I was worried they might try and condense it or speed it up for an anime, but they kept it slow and maintained the mood, which is the whole point imo.

Go watch Frieren.

It’s fun, and nice, and sweet, and sad.

They dropped the first four episodes at once, so there’s already a good chunk of it to enjoy.

[alexaloraetheris]

Just finished watching Frieren and it's SO GOOD! It really says life doesn't stop just because you've fulfilled your 'purpose'. The actual purpose of life is to form bonds with people anyway, and if you try to avoid it they will form bonds with you. We will be remembered by those who matter to us, for as long as they live and as long as the stories of us are told, but being forgotten also brings peace. Cherish not just the time you have but the others' time they grant you. You cannot judge person by knowing them for three minutes, give them a day and something happening. At their core, even the person you think bad and ornery and assholish has redeeming qualities, but those that talk the sweetest with no equal actions just use their words as another form of manipulation. Virtue has vices, and vice has virtue. It's okay to lie to people who lie to you. Arrogance has been the downfall many people who abuse power. At some point you do need to stop giving third and fourth chances, but do give them a second chance. That being said, bureaucracy is colder and crueler than any one individual can be. Even the oldest, most orneriest grandma will remember her grandchildren, even if she was a distant figure in their lives. Having power means being responsible for it. What use is knowledge if it's written down somewhere in a dusty old tomb? Being a 'sexy older woman' doesn't count if you look 12, tho, implying the reverse is also true, real men don't like Lolicon even when given an excuse. But you CAN be 16 and have the soul of a stuffy old nun. Your friends will love you even when they are annoyed at you. Being brave means doing it scared. The heroes will be written about for their heroic deeds, but they will be remembered for the much smaller acts of heroism. In order to be loved the way you want to, you need to communicate with the people you love, and they will do their best. You will forgive them when they fail, and they will forgive you too.

Everything about Frieren is SO DUCKING GOOD OMG.

Except one thing.

If you're going to give your elves ears that size, WHY WOULDN'T YOZ MAKE THEM ARTICULATE!?!?! THEY HAVE ZERO EXPRESSIONS ON A GOOD DAY, WHY CAN'T THEY EVEN PERK UP THEIR EARS TO SHOW EXCITEMENT OR DROOP THEM WHEN SAD/TIRED????? TRAVESTY!!!!!

[littlestfallenangel]

So what's this Fireren story about? I just keep seeing people praising the twintail girl.

The story takes place about 80 years after the archetypical quest to defeat the Demon King and save the land. The human members of the party are elderly and close to death, and even the dwarven warrior is far past his prime.

Frieren was the lone elf of this party. And when one of the humans from her party finally dies, she realizes how little she knew him, and becomes filled with regret.

So, she goes on a quest to understand humans and fulfill the final wishes of her party members.

It's very sad, and very beautiful. But it also isn't constantly sad, with a lot of humor and some good action scenes.

[nijigasakilove]

Oh my goodness Madhouse you’ve done wonders on me. Masterclass in the truest sense. Storyboarding, background art, pacing, Sakuga, you name it. Episodes like this remind you why Frieren is so highly regarded.

Had a feeling after last week’s episode that we hadn’t seen the last of the Frieren clone and the others, and turns out I was right. this became a war of attrition that sadly Lawine and Kanne failed. I was definitely sad to see them have to be escorted out, after getting thru the first stage of the exam they surely had to feel like this was their year. But they’re young and can always try again in 3 years. Better that than them dying.

Übel really shined in this episode. I feel like they kinda downplayed her strength tbh. She was the perfect matchup for Sense’s clone. Effortlessly cutting her hair and defeating her. The flashback to the last exam with her killing the dude with all those protective spells on him was crazy too. She might not be the strongest, but her only limit is her imagination. If she thinks she can cut ya, it’s over.

Fern and Frieren vs Frieren clone part two was immense. A true visual spectacle. Fern had the upper hand initially, but wtf was that spell from Frieren’s clone at the end? No arms or staff left and it just took a stare to push Fern all the way back like that. It’s scary how we’ve never really seen Frieren go all out. Who knows what other tricks she has up her sleeve with all these thousands of years of knowledge.

And with the Spiegel’s defeat that concludes the second phase of the exam. Can’t wait to see what comes next.

Frieren gotta just stay away from treasure chests at this point lmao

[tobiasdrake]

AGGGGGGGGGGGH Frieren was so good season two when

Serie is a smug prick and I'm kind of sad that she isn't a villain villain because she's exactly the kind of smug prick who would be fun to defeat climactically but instead she just kind of gets to be a total asshole to everyone and we just have to deal with it. (•̀⤙•́)

Poor Stark had to go entertain himself during the entire mage exam arc for like ten straight episodes. Just popping in every now and then to cash his poor voice actor's paycheck. XD I'M SORRY MY GUY BUT WE'RE DOING WIZARD SHIT AND YOU DID NOT SELECT THE RIGHT LOADOUT FOR THIS QUESTLINE

Bestie and i were calling Kanne and Lawinne "Better Ruby and Better Weiss" for the entire duration of the exam arc. If those two characters had been written as deftly and as interestingly as these two then we might have bothered to keep watching RWBY.

I was rooting for those two to pass as hard as I was rooting for Fern. Alas, it was not to be. Not for Fern, though; She made Serie's test eat shit. ATTAGIRL

Also spent the entire test referring to Ubel as Spooky Mage. XD She is the spooky! Super cool, though. Bestie relates to Stark best among the main cast but to Spooky most of all. My character remains Fern.

"Himmel doesn't believe in long farewells" YOU'RE TELLING ME! HE FUCKING DIED QUIETLY WITHOUT TELLING ANYONE AT A SOCIAL REUNION. The unmitigated gall! XD

Honestly, the flagrantly official Frieren/Himmel ship is amazing every time we get to see a glimpse of it.

This show is so good I WANT MORE GODDAMMIT

[ecargmura]

The Apothecary Diaries Episode 24 Review + Final Thoughts

Did Lakan just speed run and earn a platinum trophy from the fastest change from a villainous to a good character? Like the man instantly realized Fengxian was still alive and in the brothel and chased after her. Fengxian’s face is marked with rashes, yet her face to Lakan is the same one that he fell in love with all those years ago. It was a nice way to close the story on Maomao’s parents’ story and what not. Poor Meimei, though. She obviously had a crush on Lakan, but she wants Fengxian’s happiness above all else. I’m sure there will be someone for her someday…

It was nice to hear Maomao’s feelings on the entire matter. She doesn’t hate Lakan, but only dislikes him. It makes sense that she has some disdain for him as he was never an active part of her life. Though, she still has some positive feelings about him as her whole ploy for getting him to play Chinese chess was so she could get him to lose and buy out a courtesan for the brothel’s sake and for Fengxian’s sake. Even if she denies that it’s for her parents’ happiness, Maomao still has some kindness underneath her aloofness.

I really liked the dance sequence towards the end. While the dance was originally meant for Meimei if she were to be bought out, but Maomao decided to celebrate Fengxian’s happiness (being bought out by Lakan) by dancing for her. It was really well animated. Maomao is truly a woman of many talents and being a dancer is added into her resume. Though, why does it feel like the song used in the sequence is a sad one? Why is it so sad? Shouldn’t it be happy? There’s a melancholic vibe to it.

Before the episode ends, we get one last Jinshi and Maomao moment. It was funny how he just popped up out of nowhere and wondering what she was doing and dressed like that. I think the funniest part was the bait. She looked as if she was going to say something romantic to Jinshi as he was holding her bridal style, but the twist was that she was asking for the ox bezoar. While the headbutt was hilarious as a response, will Maomao ever get that bezoar?

Overall, this was a nice way to conclude the first season. Maomao’s family issues get resolved in their own way and that she gets a nice moment with Jinshi. It’s definitely nice closure. Most of all, the finale didn’t have to rely on flashback sequences. In some anime, the dance sequence would’ve been the perfect opportunity to sprinkle in flashbacks of all of Maomao/the MC’s biggest and memorable moments, but I’m glad that OLM didn’t do that and kept the dance sequence as it is. I honestly can’t wait for the second season!

Final Thoughts

I finally finished watching the Apothecary Diaries. I was super late in watching this and it took a while for me to finish it completely. I sort of regret not watching it episodically like everyone else did during Fall 2023 and Winter 2024. I would’ve been super happy to have engaged in discussions with others.

However, I feel like due to Frieren and The Apothecary Diaries, there will be a big shift in mainstream anime in a few years? I feel like genuine fantasy stories like Frieren and The Apothecary Diaries are going to be the norm in later years to come. I would definitely love to see more fantasy shows that aren’t isekai and is just pure fantasy. Yes, The Apothecary Diaries is fantasy, but eastern/oriental.

It also shows to viewers and consumers that a show that have a female MC isn’t always romance or cutesy but they can have solid storylines and action! I’d love to see more fantasy stories with female protagonists!

What makes The Apothecary Diaries stand out a lot is the fact that while it isn’t as action-oriented like Frieren and Delicious in Dungeon, it keeps the audience engaged with a more mystery-oriented storyline in a fantasy setting. Because it takes place in ancient fantasy China, there are lots of deep topics that are explored like trafficking, misogyny, class imbalance, etc.

I’m also glad I watched the show because it introduced me to one of the best protagonists I’ve seen in such a long time. Maomao is seriously an S-tier protagonist. She’s intelligent, cunning, but also chaotic and gets herself into a lot of trouble at times. She looks perfect but has many flaws like not being taken seriously by her peers at times and being small so she isn’t as strong and gets tired out easily. However, her flaws are made up for it with her intelligence. Seriously, she’s one of the smartest protagonists out there.

The other characters are great too! So many likable characters. If I had to list a Top 5, it’d be Maomao, Gaoshun, Jinshi, Gyokuyou and Ah Duo. I like that everyone contributes to the story in some way.

The voice acting is top notch. The cast is filled with top stars and rising stars. Aoi Yuki is superb as Maomao. The way she voices Maomao makes her so entertaining that Maomao could legit just be the only character in the story and I’d still be entertained. Takeo Otsuka takes another big role after Aqua from Oshi no Ko as Jinshi. Because the way he voices Aqua and the way he voices Jinshi are so different, people are actually surprised when they learn they’re voiced by the same person. I think this helps Otsuka reach out to anime fans that he has range. The other supporting cast are filled with big names too like Katsuyuki Konishi as Gaoshun, Atsumi Tanezaki as Gyokuyou and Yui Ishikawa as Lihua to name a few. I think it’s an interesting choice to sprinkle in big names and rising stars instead of using rookies as a whole. I’m glad that they kept big names because they’re too good not not use.

The animation is nice! I’ve only associated OLM with Pokemon and they’ve been doing a super nice job with their current Pokemon anime, so the quality for The Apothecary Diaries has been stellar. There has been no bad animation nor did the anime regress when it came to quality. Everything has been consistent from beginning to end. I honestly love how they color the sky in sunset and how they color flowers. I think it stands out to me.

The music is good. I’m surprised that the OST makes it so that it matches the eastern fantasy setting. Never have I seen odd music choices for this anime. The opening and ending songs were good too. I think the first opening was way too iconic.

Anyways, watching all 24 anime makes me want to collect the manga and light novels. I’ve become a fan. I want to know what happens next. Right now, I’m in the process of moving so I’m refraining from buying more books until I’m completely settled down at the new place. All in all, I’m glad that I finally done with one anime in my backlog. Now, off to resume the others ones. Also, let me know your thoughts on The Apothecary Diaries!

[etheweirdo]

Frieren Thoughts (Some spoilers)

Recently completed Frieren, man what an anime. The double hitter of that and dungeon meshi was wild. I really don't think any fantasy story was as interesting to me since LotR, and bam two right back to back that I watched/read. Watched the dub of frieren cause I like her voice in it and it was very good, everyone sounded like they should I felt.

Frieren ended up being this really beautiful story about life, death, and the regrets of never knowing what you had until it's gone. It's obviously more extreme since elves live like hundreds of years if not longer, but I think it honestly makes it so impactful as you (and frieren) realize just how much the little time she had with some people meant. Honestly reminded me a lot of old friends and coworkers that I only knew for like a year or two and how despite that there are a lot of things that changed me in that span of time. This is one of those shows that makes me sad when I hear people say they don't like metaphors for things and just want only literal interpretations of things. I think by using such an exaggeration of the idea it really makes you reflect on it more.

One other thing I actually really like about Frieren is how the characters are all sorta immature in different but real ways. I and a lot of my family can be childish in a lot of ways, but not like in a detrimental way. It's something I don't think I've actually seen in an anime I feel like? Like there are characters that just like act like kids, but like, sometimes adults just will hold childish grudges or act a bit immature. So despite frieren acting really old and wise, she still has some childish qualities that do make her feel real (again, a lot of characters are like this).

I enjoy the pacing of the first like 18 episodes over the last ten, I think when it started doing the tests, the pacing slowed way down. Also man I hate when anime does the thing where it just kinda reiterates the same thing over and over (Test 2 was really bad about this, I think it could've been like 1 or 2 episodes shorter and been basically the same).

But yeah, it was just a really fun watch the whole time. This is really my favorite kind of shows where it's basically episodic, but you can tell that the characters did experience the things that happen and aren't reset after each episode. I think that's why delicious in dungeon/dungeon meshi also got a strangle hold on me.

Anyways, as per usual when I like a show expect some fan art.

[anitrendz]

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Episode 13

Vote for the anime at anitrendz.com/polls!

After what I thought was the "worst" (which is still good) episode of Frieren, now I'm just in awe at the newest. First of all, this scene is so beautiful. The soundtrack, the direction, and the story - everything came together. That first screenshot has sun glares, like someone has kneeled down to take a photo of this special moment. It's gorgeous.

Additionally, this series portrays religion in such a beautiful way. It simultaneously makes me happy and sad because I am overjoyed to see something bring hope and goodness to the world, but I'm also sad that that's not how religion turned out at all in the real world. All in all, an incredible episode.

[olberic]

ranking anime i’ve watched in 2023:

as expected, here’s this year’s top 10 for how much i personally enjoyed the anime i’ve watched this year. ive watched more than this, but god i watched so many bad ones…. even number 10 sucks but everything else was worse. sad!

as always thank u gifmakers for ur service 🫡 the world would be nothing without u all

10. the legendary hero is dead! (2023)

dont watch this show. it sucks and its bad. hey. come here. hold my hand. now lets just watch and enjoy the OP ok? don't worry about the rest.

9. my daughter left the nest and returned as an s-rank adventurer (2023)

i have to admit this show charmed me. its not the best thing ive ever seen but its nice. comfy. yknow? i haven't finished it but it's enjoyable. can't rank it higher until i finish it

8. sabikui bisco (2022)

if it werent for the positively nonsensical jump in the middle of the show and the way theres just like. a lot of gaps? it’d rank higher. it’s a very cool premise for a show and i like the bisco/milo dynamic, and [SISTER] is fun as hell. it didnt wow me though overall, and while i enjoyed it i was hoping for more.

7. trigun stampede (2023)

im sorry trigun stans i simply didnt love it. i see the appeal i really do but it just didnt hook me. i really liked the animation and the storyline. im intrigued by whatever the fuck is going on with those plants and yall have said theres a tallgirl in the next season? so i’ll keep watching. i just didnt love it

6. that time i got reincarnated as a slime (2019-2021)

in contrast to #7, i can see why this show is weak HOWEVER i just enjoyed it. i like it. huge fan of how much gender the protag has. i love how they get new powers. i enjoy that it can be interpreted as an extremely bisexual show. it was well paced and the slime diaries OVA was a great addition. a lot of the characters really stuck with me too and its like. idk. one of my favourite isekais i guess

5. buddy daddies (2023)

this should rank higher. its so fun. its SO fun. its silly and it doesnt take itself seriously. i laughed in every episode. the dynamic between the guys is great. the dynamics between them and the kid is great. just a really solid show if you can stand the queerbaiting. i dont even care

4. bocchi the rock! (2022)

the bocchi side of tumblr is right this show rules. i like how real bocchi’s social anxiety feels (literally how it felt when i had it). the characters are entertaining, the show’s well done, they even have solid music (which band-based shows dont always do right!). its really funny and its really earnest and its a joy to watch

3. demon slayer: swordsmith village arc (2023)

i included the entertainment district arc in last year’s list so this arc makes the cut. im always late getting around to watch the new stuff and i dont want to read the manga but god DAMN does this show hit different. incredible fight scenes. i loved everything they did for the hashira backstories. i love whatever the fuck is up with genya. it even gave me some akaza to sustain me for the next year or whatever. ik this show gets overhyped but its normal hyped. to me.

2. frieren: beyond journey's end (2023)

oughhh frieren… ive only known this show for a few months but it means to much to me… i dont even wanna talk about it because its so good i just wanna watch it again. go watch frieren if you havent already its anime of the decade. to me

1. gundam: the witch from mercury (2022-2023)

ive never seen a gundam before but i will be watched them after this! what can be said about it that hasnt already been said on this site. the romance storyline is impeccable, the fights are awesome, the moral questions it posed were excellently covered. by the end of the first episode i was speechless. by the end of the last episode i'd cried like 4 times over the course of the show. this thing made me cry to happy birthday. what the fuck