Let’s take a look at something from the Fall 2023 anime season that recently wrapped up – Sousou no Frieren. Interesting how the Japanese title differs from the English one. Frieren: Be…
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Sousou no Frieren
A manga about the elf Frieren who was the magician in the hero's party who saved the world. A story follows Frieren decades later as she decides to…
Sousou no Frieren – 17
「じゃあ元気で」 (Jaa Genki de) "Take Care" Just as I'm really getting into it, Frieren is headed for big change
Sousou no Frieren – 16
In a way, I think this story is as much as anything about how precariously one must balance to try and live in the moment.
Sousou no Frieren – 09
Sven if this isn't where I expect Frieren to spend most of its time, it's nice to know it can deliver the goods when it's in this mode.
Sousou no Frieren – 11
「北側諸国の冬」 (Kitagawa shokoku no fuyu) "Winter in Northern Countries" Sousou no Frieren's flirtation with battle shounen appears to be over
Sousou no Frieren – 06
Sousou no Frieren's 6th episode is another adventure in slow-play mode, and it's working pretty well for me.
Sousou no Frieren – 20
Who really thought a thrift shop Hunter Exam arc was what Sousou no Frieren needed just when it seemed to be finding its stride?
Sousou no Frieren – 07
It's always interesting to see what happens when a slice of life series switches to plot-driven mode - some can handle it and some can't.
Sousou no Frieren – 15
One of the things Sousou no Frieren is very good at is scoring points when no one is saying anything.
Sousou no Frieren – 22
Frieren is certainly good at quiet and reflective, but that really applies to when it's pondering the big issues of existence.
Sousou no Frieren – 17
This is a good mode for the series to be in - let's hope the myriad major changes about to happen don't throw it off its game.
Sousou no Frieren – 13
We're going to be together for a long time, so the more narrative arrows this series has in its quiver the better.
Sousou no Frieren – 15
「厄介事の匂い」 (Yakkai koto no nioi) "Smell of Trouble" One of the things Sousou no Frieren is very good at is scoring points when no one is saying anything.
Sousou no Frieren – 13
「同族嫌悪」 ( Douzoku Ken'o ) "Aversion to One's Own Kind" Party complete?
Sousou no Frieren – 18
「級魔法使い選抜試験」 ( Ikkyuu Mahoutsukai Senbatsu Shiken) "First-class Mage Exam" Why do shows that stand out for being distinctive try so hard to be conventional?
Sousou no Frieren – 23
Let's be honest - when you're as OP as Frieren is, it's not that hard to have fun in a place that for most would be a death…
Sousou no Frieren – 19
「入念な計画」 ( Nyuunen na Keikaku) "Nyūnen na Keikaku" Steal the stille.
Sousou no Frieren – 09
So it was actually a battle shounen all along? The B-team took the field for almost all of this episode. But in Sousou no Frieren that’s all relative,…
Sousou no Frieren – 08
We're a third of the way - almost - through Sousou no Frieren now. So I think it's fair to start making some general assessments.
Sousou no Frieren – 16
「長寿友達」 ( Chouju Tomodachi) "Long-lived Friends" In a way, I think this story is as much as anything about how precariously one must balance to try and live in the…
Sousou no Frieren – 12
I definitely think the less conventional Sousou no Frieren is, the better it fares. That may be the reason Fern kind of annoys me.
Sousou no Frieren – 21
More Denken, please - he's certainly the best available cure for what ails Sousou no Frieren at the moment.
Sousou no Frieren – 14
「若者の特権」 (Wakamono no tokken) "Privilege of Youth" In the “wistful” area of the emotional spectrum, Sousou no Frieren treads with supreme confidence.
Sousou no Frieren – 05
Normal service is resumed with a single episode of Frieren at the Funeral. But it's still a series quite content to take its sweet time.
Sousou no Frieren – 11
This matter of religious belief seems to me the fundamental question Sousou no Frieren is most interested in exploring.
Sousou no Frieren – 12
「本物の勇者」 (Honmono no yuusha) "A Real Hero" I definitely think the less conventional Sousou no Frieren is, the better it fares.
Sousou no Frieren – 20
「要な殺し」 (Hitsuyou na Koroshi) "Necessary Killing" Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, I suppose.
Sousou no Frieren – 18
Why do shows that stand out for being distinctive try so hard to be conventional?
Sousou no Frieren – 10
It's just a good thing for this story's human race that Frieren chose to be on their side most of the time.
Sousou no Frieren – 05
「死者の幻影」 (Shisha no Gen'ei) "Phantoms of the Dead" "Confront the darkness, embrace the truth."
Sousou no Frieren – 08
「葬送のフリーレン」 (Sōsō no Furīren) "Frieren the Slayer" The versatility Frieren has shown in the last couple of episodes has impressed me.
Sousou no Frieren – 09
「断頭台のアウラ」 (Dantōdai no Aura) "Aura the Guillotine" So it was actually a battle shounen all along?
Sousou no Frieren – 10
「強い魔法使い」 (Tsuyoi mahoutsukai) "Strong Mage" It’s just a good thing for this story’s human race that Frieren chose to be on their side most of the time.
Sousou no Frieren – 14
I haven't loved every episode of Frieren by any means (though there have been no outright clunkers), but the last two have been really good.
Sousou no Frieren – 19
The association is fine with mages dying in the name of filtering out the weak, but are they also trying to filter out the non-sociopathic?
Rolling Review – Sousou no Frieren – Episode 01
Episode Synopsis: Frieren, an elven mage, and her companions (Himmel the human hero, Heiter the human priest, and Eisen the dwarven warrior) have just returned to the royal…
Sousou no Frieren – Episode 24
Episode Synopsis: Deep within the tomb where our heroes face their latest trial lies a fiend capable of creating perfect replicas of the mages within the dungeon. Different…
Sousou no Frieren – Episode 05
Episode Synopsis: Freiren and Fern begin their adventure, retracing the steps of the hero’s party. In a mountain pass, they encounter a creature that can create illusions of…
Sousou no Frieren – Episode 28
Episode Synopsis: The last of the First Class Mage candidates learn which of them passed, and the successful ones begin to claim their desired spell from Serie. With…
Sousou no Frieren – Episode 19
Episode Synopsis: Taking stock of their capabilities and limitations, Frieren and her teammates resolve to take drastic measures to drive a Stille into their hands. Fern’s team defends…
Sousou no Frieren – Episode 25
Episode Synopsis: The assembled mages discuss how to defeat Frieren’s doppleganger. Frieren reminisces about the second time she met Serie, after Flamme’s death and at the start of…
Sousou no Frieren – 01 – 04
「冒険の終わり」 (Bōken no Owari) "The Journey's End" 「別に魔法じゃなくたって…」 (Betsuni Mahō Janakutatte...) "It Didn't Have to Be Magic..." 「人を殺す魔法」 (Hito o Korosu Mahō) "Killing Magic" 「魂の眠る地」 (Tamashii no Nemuru Chi) ""The Land Where Souls Rest" It’s not…
Sousou no Frieren – Episode 03
Episode Synopsis: Fern trails Frieren during a resupply stop after a suspicious division of shopping, only to discover that the elf was setting up a modest birthday celebration…
Sousou no Frieren – Episode 14
Episode Synopsis: Fern gets into a fight with Stark when he doesn’t have a birthday gift already bought for her. Sein gives her some advice which helps the…
Sousou no Frieren – Episode 16
Episode Synopsis: The party visits one of Frieren’s old acquaintances; an elderly dwarf protecting a small human village. Frieren reminisces with him while the warrior trains Stark, but…
Sousou no Frieren – Episode 22
Episode Synopsis: Fern gets mad at Frieren and demands snacks. This leads them to a famous restaurant in town that jogs Frieren’s memories of her time with her…
Sousou no Frieren – Episode 27
Episode Synopsis: Fern complains to Stark about an off-screen disagreement with Frieren about whether to attempt to salvage the remains of her staff, which was pretty thoroughly broken…
Sousou no Frieren – Episode 21
Episode Synopsis: Lawine and Kanne fight Richter while Frieren fights Denken. The team defeats Richter and Denken, and take back their Stille before the test ends, though Richter’s…
Sousou no Frieren – Episode 17
Episode Synopsis: Just as Sein is deciding whether to stay with the group or leave to find his friend, a blizzard strikes, stranding them inside for an extra…
Sousou no Frieren – Episode 11
Episode Synopsis: Frieren and company wrap up their stay with Graf Granat, and determine the next stop on their journey to be the magical city of Äußerst. On…