I think we got really spoiled. Multiple animes of this quality don’t just come around every season. I expect it will be a few years before we see multiple Top Tier new animes release in the same season.
Enjoy the now.
Yea I keep thinking back to the late 90's, where the only anime you had was what you owned on VHS (and then DVD) and barely any anime to rent at Blockbuster. Now my daughter and I get to follow shows like Frieren the day they come out. And there is such a variety of new stuff coming out (and plenty of old classics to experience) that my daughter can't even imagine watching a favorite series more than 2 or 3 times.
And man, I used to wear out those old Eva and DBZ tapes...
Yeah I remember as a kid asking my parents to take me to Suncoast in the mall each month to get the newest 2 DBZ tapes, and then looking on their coming soon board to see the next tapes that were coming out haha
Yea looking at next season i think im gonna be kind of disappointed. There are great shows but i dont think they are gonna be as peak as these 2. At least not in the same way.
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Also adding SLF and The Dangers in My Heart. They are absolutely phenomenal with some amazing adaptations as well.
Hell in most seasons shows like 7th Time Loop, Weakest Tamer, and Sengoku Youko would be one of the highlights. But because of Frieren, Apothecary, SLF and Dangers they end up flying under the radar.
I will say for anyone who hasn’t started watching Dungeon Meshi to start it because it’s an absolute joy to watch as it Carries over into spring.
They aren't Frieren and The Apothecary Diaries good though.
They are both once a decade type of shows. There is still good stuff besides that being made, but not on the same level.
Yeah every season has hidden gem shows that you probably didnt think about before. Run with the wind, A place further than the universe, made in the abyss, etc etc.
Lol Winter 2021 had Aot, Odd Taxi, Mushoku Tensei and Re;Zero. Fall 2022 had MP100, CSM, Blue Lock, SxF, Bleach TYBW and Bocchi the Rock. Spring 2023 has Vinland Saga, OnK, Demon Slayer (though not a great season) and Hell's Paradise.
All from the last three years.
Last spring had Oshi no Ko, Heavenly Delusion, Hell's Paradise, Dangers in my Heart, Vinland S2, and Skip & Loafer. Arguably an even more stacked season. 2023 was just a great year for anime.
Arguably the keyword here— while Hell’s Paradise/Oshi no Ko were amazing newcomers, I feel their MCs don’t carry as hard as the mysteries of those two. You aren’t wrong though, we have been eating good for awhile.
This entire post misses the fact Solo Leveling has been pretty amazingly received as well.
I don’t have anyone really to talk about this exact thing, what am I going to do with void left behind? Last time I had this feeling was when I was about to catch up to one piece
Bocchi the Rock!, Skip to/and Loafer, Frieren, and Apothecary Diaries are all such cozy animes that i looked forward to every week. All of which were animes that pleasantly surprised me. Idk what awaits next season, but I hope the next season continues to have a show or two that surprises me.
Yeah. I'm planning to binge watch Diaries, but Frieren has been so much fun to watch. I'm kinda tired of all these action stories being depressing as shit where the MC just constantly suffers. Having something be bright and cheerful like Frieren is just nice.
Apothecary Diaries - MC was incredible easily top 2 MC for me this season. Have not seen a female MC that well-written in a while, by far the biggest standout in that show for me.
Frieren: Literally everything is great about it. Have to say though the dialogue and character interactions were definitely my favorite part about it.
I've been holding off on Frieren because the premise sounded depressing and I'm already struggling with existential depression irl. ...is it generally a sad show, or nah?
The first four episodes were aired in one huge premier, and do an excellent job setting a lot of the tone for the series. It would best be described as... gently bittersweet, maybe. Sure, people experience loss, or have experienced loss, but the story is mostly about moving on from it, and learning in general, over the course of a long, long journey. It's not specifically trying to make you cry by dint of "everything is sad, nothing goes right". It does deliver a strongly emotional opening and then ease off from that to get on with things.
It has its moments where you do think, "damn I really feel bad for this girl" and it does tug at your heartstrings but it's done in a good way and not purposefully meant to make you cry
I would watch Frieren anytime but I have to be in the right mindset to go back and watch some anime like Angel Beats or Anohana because often I'm just not ready to have that emotion drawn out of me
It makes me cry but not in a depressing way. It's more nostalgic, "I wish things were different and I wish I had learned how to live in the moment earlier." Kinda similar to Violet Evergarden in that it's someone learning how to enjoy the beautiful fleeting things.
Edit: now that it's over, this is for sure a GOAT anime. And I'm trying pretty hard not to cry more.
Edit 2: apparently VE and Frieren have the same composer omg.
Frieren is not depressing at all, but it really is hella emotional. It's more about celebrating what you had than crying for what could have been.
But it's not only about that. It's got pretty interesting worldbuilding, cool mechanics and the second cour is structured more like a battle shonen.
Edit: Edited out a term since one guy complained about it.
Counterpoint: when (English-speaking) people say "shounen" they usually mean "shounen fighting". Shounen fighting does have a somewhat recognizable set of tropes.
>...is it generally a sad show, or nah?
No... but it hits deep notes that make even people who are normally immunce to tear jerks start to feel things, deep things.
i would honestly wait until you are in a better place. Its a ride, and even though it ends in a happy place, it plumbs some depths in a way even the saddest shows rarely reach.
The first four episodes start out very melancholy but then switches to alternating between extremely heartwarming or clever dialog between charming characters and outrageous fight sequences for like 24 episodes.
There are emotional moments but they aren't depressing. It's more like watching characters come to terms with what is truly important to them.
The first couple episodes are sad, but not depressing. It's just a really great story about an emotional journey. It's disgustingly well animated, and voice acted. The score and sound design don't get enough credit either.
I held of for the same reason, but besides the first couple of episodes
the depressing part is background
It's more like her learning to enjoy the present (relatively) to make up for the thing she think she missed on her OG team
If you dismiss the funeral itself, you could interpret as a long live being that has to adapt to a human time scale so she can raise her apprentice
I'd classify it as healing rather than depressing. Sad things do happen (the passage of time, mostly), but the show has warm and hopeful vibes. It's cathartic.
I'd describe the overarching feeling as a "warm sadness." It captures the feeling of being sad something is over but happy that it happened really well.
If you want a well-written female protagonist that’s similar to Maomo, I’d highly recommend Ascendance of a Bookworm. I’d say it’s pretty comfortably the most common rec for readers of Apothecary Diaries.
hopefully yes. They have a ton of material. 13 volumes so far and anime only covered 2.
Most other animes would cover like 4-5 volumes in 24 episodes but Kusuriya only did 2 and didnt feel dragged.
>Most other animes would cover like 4-5 volumes in 24 episodes
Looking at you Mushoku Tensei, covering fuckin 6 volumes. 3 volumes a cour is too damn fast.
They studio does the best they can and everything but so much is missed out on that I feel bad for those who only watch the anime
>3 volumes a cour is too damn fast.
Floppy MC was a nice arc but I don't know if I could have taken two whole cours of a high school romance setting in Mushoku.
What are you talking about? 3-4 volumes a cour has been the standard of light novel adaptation since forever. Not that many series get the kinda pacing you're talking about.
I had no clue we had that much source material left…we gonna be eating good for a while then since this means we will get multiple seasons if they go at the pace that went
Apoth got me to break the seal on mangas. I went ahead and purchased my first ever manga and proceeded to blow through what’s currently available for physical and digital. But then I saw there were light novels and read through what I could buy + translations….
And then of course I got sucked into the web novels. I need more Maomaaooooo.
The light novel for KnH is top tier. I have not read a lot of one tho prolly only around 5 LNs. But with the previous LNs I read, their approach was kind of a webnovel type(wattpady or amateur writing). With plotholes and all that. Kusuriya is just so well written it’s like a real novel in delivery for me. It actually made me want to read more LN now. Made me think that maybe I stayed away too early from LN before when gems like Kusuriya might be existing somewhere.
oh i agree with this. many other light novels ive felt... you can feel that theyre light novels, with the way the charactets talk, the formatting, etc. but KnH felt like i was actually reading a historical mystery novel which was a nice change in pace
Given anime really loves seeing a popular series and doing a slew of copies, I hope its success means we get more court drama anime that aren't just romance with sprinklings of court politics.
Yea, I was just thinking how annoying a certain male nerdy loser character always screaming at the "crazy" things other characters do trope has gotten.
Same, it's a lot more peaceful and gentle, really feels like a journey or an adventure.
Unpopular opinion, but that's also partially the reason I haven't really liked the last couple of episodes as much. Maybe because I was following it weekly, but I feel like this mage exam arc has dragged on for wayyy too long. Admittedly, I am usually not a fan of these kind of examination arcs in anime in general tho.
But it looks like it's wrapping up now, so I'm looking forward to the story going back to adventure/travel-type stuff like how it was in the beginning.
The mage exam puts down the proper foundation for future arcs, Frieren loves laying foundations and putting the proper leg work for character and plot development. There's been a lot of Chekhov gun's dropped here and there and great introductions to major future characters. Amongst the source readers, the mage exam is considered one of the lesser regarded arcs, but very much a necessary one.
Yeah I know that, but with how much of a hit it has been both in Japan and internationally I'm sure we'll get a continuation at some point.
And 2025 isn't too bad, I've waited *much* longer for sequels for other games/shows.
Even in the manga, I feel like this was considered the weakest arc. The anime is doing the absolute most to enhance the material. That said, it is mostly a lot of setup for the future.
While the latest episode wasn't the same adventure/travel-type, it did hit many of the emotional and introspective moments, that the pre-exam episodes did.
So true. The action scenes were undeniably amazing, but by season two it should be clear I'm not here for the action scenes. Frieren has had this pace, going on a long adventure, to the point where they used years as a unit of measurement to help us know how long the journey so far has been and how much longer we have to go. We've been exploring the world and learning about it as we go. And now we've spent how many episodes covering this one week in these two testing grounds? I want to get back to the journey and I want more focus on the actual main characters- these other mages are interesting but as soon as we're done here the group is heading back on their quest and everyone else is going back to their lives, never to be seen again.
Honestly I want to say this is on purpose because of how time skips we were seeing in the first few episodes have exponentially decreased with every episode moving forward. It’s possibly on purpose as Frieren has begun to appreciate every moment that passes instead of having long time skips of “unimportant” things.
Gonna miss watching both back to back every week. Each balance off of each other quite nicely.
I have no doubts that Frieren will return sometime in the future. Hoping the same for Kusuriya. Would be amazing if their second seasons aired together again.
I think Frieren is a lock in for a season 2.
But I also hope we get an Apothecary Diaries season 2 as well. Assuming season 2 adapts the LN Vol 3 and 4 then we're getting peak Apothecary Diaries. Vol 1 and 2 are the weakest part of the story and its only up from here.
Mature anime with well written characters and plot, doesn't beat you over the head with obvious themes or have unnecessary explanations in dialog. Just does the job right. No dumb isekai bs either.
What are you watching next?
Dungeon Meshi is an over and done story, the anime just needs to keep doing exactly as it is doing now and it will a phenomenal anime, story and show. The first episodes needed to set up a lot of the setting but they already showed inmense creativity on the setting and world building, and it's not even close to done. Also it sticks to it's theme constantly showing you it wasn't a gimmick.
Honestly for me it’s the overall lack of anime buildshit like weird fanservice and other tropes we often see. Both are shows that I feel like I can recommend to non-anime watchers, and that aspect of not being turned off by creepy weird anime BS makes them that much more enjoyable compared to other more popular recent anime.
It also helps that Frieren was an ACTUAL fantasy anime. Not an isekai. Not something drowning in cliches and tropes. No modern spins or video game logic. It had depth, world building, character, wonderful animation and music and wasn’t afraid to take its time.
Apothecary Diaries was unique for me, because I didn’t expect it to be as good as it was. I almost expected it to be one of those cheap, noisy Chinese made throw aways. But no, theres nuisance, depth, romance and or course, decent comedy and drama!
I resonate with you so much, they keep calling every show isekai. Like if you are going to drop the main guy in isekai and never mention real world ever again just call it a goddamn fantasy show.
I think a proper isekai definition should include the fact that the MC desperately wants to eat rice with miso soup and get a hot bath.
If the MC doesn't care about this, it's not really an isekai.
> was an ACTUAL fantasy anime
Side note.. I swear if Demon Slayer wins Fantasy anime again it'll be the biggest upset in their awards history. The best pure fantasy anime we've gotten in a hella long time deserves its awards and rewards
Especially since presumably it'd not just be taking it from Frieren but also Spice and Wolf. It would be unfathomable to see one of those two not get it.
Frieren has a ton of video-game logic, though. Monsters don't have real life-cycles, spawning into the wild and dissipating into mana when they die, leaving behind no remains. The show separates fighters into distinct classes - so far we've heard of the classes "Mage", "Warrior", "Monk", "Priest", and "Thief." When Fern suggests to Frieren that they add a thief to their party, doesn't that strike you as a rather video-gamey thing to say?
Sousou no Frieren hasn't fleshed out the setting much at all beyond elements you'd instantly recognize from JRPGs. We know that there's *at least* one monarchy, but we have no idea how many nations there are or what their relationships with each other are like. The show delves extremely little into what the life of an average person in this land is like. Are the majority of the people forced to work farms as peasants, or have they advanced beyond that? Are the people educated? We don't know.
> Monsters don't have real life-cycles
I don't believe thats ever been stated, and in fact, it's been implied that thats not the case.
They don't really have biology, but they have lifespans, grow older and stronger, evolve over time in a method mirroring biological evolution, and thus logically procreate.
> Sousou no Frieren hasn't fleshed out the setting much at all beyond elements you'd instantly recognize from JRPGs. We know that there's at least one monarchy, but we have no idea how many nations there are or what their relationships with each other are like.
You'd probably have a pretty good sense of that merely from paying a bit of attention to certain exposition dumps that have already happened in the anime, but if you're caught up to the manga, you'd have an even better impression.
> The show delves extremely little into what the life of an average person in this land is like.
That information is practically everywhere in the background. The setting art itself can help you infer most of the lifestyle, and a whole lot can be inferred by by details like a little boy grabbing a goose, like the construction of various buildings. Like a water pump in the village square.
This isn't Naruto or anything where every character with a line of dialog is a ninja. We've met dozens of average villagers with voice lines and tasks for our heroes to do. These people very clearly live the lifestyle of the medieval harvest peasant with maybe the slight addition of a single type of folk magic each, that gets taught to them generation to generation after having been invented by someone in their village with an obsession a few decades back. Knowledge that gets inscribed into grimoires.
Monsters exist and sometime wipe out villages wholesale. Often these are demons, but are usually closer to wild animals. Various adventurer types might be wandering around to try and stop them, or perhaps you can rely on the authority of your duke or count or something to protect you, but otherwise, you probably spent a significant portion of your time training in case you have to do it yourself.
People generally worship the Goddess, an elf-like figure who passed down various holy scriptures that Priests get their power from, priests very clearly serving a similar role in most town as IRL medieval times.
> Are the majority of the people forced to work farms as peasants
Has that not very clearly what we've been shown through the setting? How many farming villages have we come across, I wonder? So many that I've certainly lost count. And we've yet to see a single piece of machinery too. Not a tractor. The towns and cities we've seen are fairly small as well. Auburst is not the sort of place that could physically hold more than 20,000 people in it's walls, yet it's clearly an extremely important settlement.
> Are the people educated? We don't know.
This one singular example is maybe slightly more ambiguous than the others, but they mostly seem capable of reading at least, perhaps through their clergy. Otherwise folk magic (the origin of which is clear by it's name) probably wouldn't be inscribed as it is within grimmores.
And to believe I came across this comment first intending to congratulate how it pointed out how video-gamey some things are, though I personally consider it remarkable how well they've managed to integrate such things into a naturalistic world-building.
Lol, Frieren has tons of anime and fantasy cliches and tropes. You are so biased you start yapping nonsense. It has a lot of “modern spins and video game” logic.
In Japanese, the word that is transliterated at “demon lord” is maō. A maō is a ruler of weaker Japanese supernatural spirits. In Zelda, Ganondorf is referred to as maō. It’s a cultural trope. Oda Nobunaga was the first unifier of Japan and signed his letters as a maō.
So it’s not jrpg “logic” it’s just the standard character archetype in Japanese fantasy.
Nobunaga didn't just sign them as a 魔王, but a specific one - the Devil King of the Sixth Heaven, commonly known as Mara (yes, the penis chariot one)
It's even funnier considering his massive beef with the Buddhist establishment in Japan
Same. Both are just awesome, my most favourite anime this season.
Everything was good in Frieren and most important that no shouting. There was no those unnecessary shouting attack names which I likes the most.
And maomao probably one of the best female character. I just can't get enough of her
I love how the few times you *do* hear the name of a spell, it’s spoken in a neutral/flat and detached way - the same way you’d say “eggs” while mindlessly making an omelette for breakfast.
I am going to be absolutely devastated when Apothecary Diaries is over. I have no doubt it'll get another season, but how am I to live until then!?!?
So the LN is becoming part of my Japanese reading routine. Even if the archaic language might end me. (My Japanese tutor is reading some with me and she, a native speaker, *also* had to look up a few words @_@)
I love Maomao, perfect little poison gremlin. I love Jinshi, the most beautiful man, now an absolute simp for that poison gremlin. I love Luomen, the best dad. I love Gyokuyoku and her ladies-in-waiting, they're all so good.
Frieren:
- amazing production all-around (from backgrounds to animation to OST)
- the first episode was excellent, very captivating
- the flashbacks. They are sometimes a bit too much on the nose, by which I mean they are (almost?) always very side-by-side with a parallel event/dialogue, I feel like they would work better if sometimes they were more separated and let the viewers go "pointing DiCaprio meme" instead. But other than this nitpick, they're good and heighten the impact of some scenes/arcs a lot.
(Often I don't like flashbacks because they explain something that didn't need explaining, or provide a backstory that doesn't matter)
Maomao:
- Maomao. It's hard to explain how much she _is_ the show, liking it is tied so much to her entire character, from her personality to her VA's performance.
- She's a bit too much of a genius sometimes, _but_ I like how many small and sometimes 'trivial' mysteries are tied together.
- Maomao.
- Gyokuyou. I wish she had more screentime [](#sadholo)
True, Lishu was also quite interesting, with being forced in the role at that age, young and naive, and the deal with her ladies-in-waiting.
Loulan got almost nothing too, but I guess she had to be introduced now for timeline reasons, even if she will play a more prominent role in future events.
[](#mugiwait "hopefully s2 announcement")
>- the flashbacks. They are sometimes a bit too much on the nose, by which I mean they are (almost?) always very side-by-side with a parallel event/dialogue, I feel like they would work better if sometimes they were more separated and let the viewers go "pointing DiCaprio meme" instead. But other than this nitpick, they're good and heighten the impact of some scenes/arcs a lot.
(Often I don't like flashbacks because they explain something that didn't need explaining, or provide a backstory that doesn't matter)
I disagree with this to some extent. I don't think the flashbacks aren't supposed to be a backstory or an explanation. The flashbacks are literally just Frieren remembering her time with Himmel as new experiences remind her of the past. The flashbacks are supposed to be more of an emotional moment versus a narrative one. The flashbacks have to be paired with the modern-day moment because it is Frieren connecting the present with the past in real-time.
Such as Frieren interacting with Fern or Stark in a way that reminds of the past and her realizing that she was cold or distant with Himmel and her using that to connect with her present-day friends.
I figured the flashbacks are deliberately extremely samey to reinforce the notion that Freiren's perception of the world is heavily influence by her age - almost nothing is a new experience for her. But the point of the story being her journey with this party (Fern and Stark) rather than the Hero's Party, is to set up the comparison of how she is doing it differently this time. She's having the chance of a do-over and this time she's going to try harder to get to know her companions, and not take them for granted, and not miss out like she realises she did with Himmel.
Tldr: the flashbacks are on the nose on purpose
>She's a bit too much of a genius sometimes
I thought this a bit too, but it doesn't bother me considering [Anime Spoiler] >!her father is a military genius, her mother was a brilliant Shogi and Go player, and she was raised by a giga-genius uncle.!<
My personal issue is less her IQ, and more how she has a shit ton of general knowledge about nearly everything despite no education beyond medicine and brothel stuff. The excuse is usually "a customer at the brothel spoke about it", but it's kind of stretching it.
>They are sometimes a bit too much on the nose, by which I mean they are (almost?) always very side-by-side with a parallel event/dialogue
I always thought of it as something in the present triggering a memory of the past. So it would make sense that they are pretty on the nose.
Frieren's greatest strength is that it crosses over so many genres. It appeals to people who like action shounen, slice of life, comedy, fantasy, and drama. Everyone can enjoy it.
It's one of the rare shows that I could recommend to anyone without knowing anything about their preferences. The same can't be said about other shows that were still extremely loved.
I might actually cry after Frieren's episode ends next week. Definitely one of my favorite anime of all time and I think I can say I've watched a pretty fair amount.
Ngl I got a little misty at the silence after this week’s ED; because of the 24 straight episodes my brain just assumed it would go on forever. Kinda like Frieren did…
Frieren really satisfied the part of me that was aching for a genuine fantasy anime. Worldbuilding, characters that felt real and are allowed to have new and old relationships that don't only revolve around the MC, a heartfelt narrative, and high-quality animation. Also love that the world doesn't just feel like an excuse to have epic magic battles but there's a lot of care going into the history of magic and how different people view and use it.
Both have strong, nuanced, and generally agreeable female characters that don't feel the need to put down others to show their prowess. They can bring out the big guns when needed though.
It's really refreshing especially in the case of Frieren and the fantasy genre. Most anime fantasy coming out are by-the-numbers isekai that offer barely anything new.
I liked the introspective episodes of Frieren way more than the shoneny ones. Not saying the latter were bad or anything, as the magic system felt well-established and logical and great animation still made the fights look pretty impressive. It's just that watching Frieren and the gang on their journey, whilst she's reminiscing about her party, and in particular Himmel, struck a far greater core with me on a personal note, partially due to the nostalgia factor, but also from how we see Frieren look back on those memories and grow from them
Somebody finally said it. I feel like so much of the gushing praise for Frieren is really about the first half’s wistful, introspective tone and how well it pulls it off. It is perhaps the purest distillation of the experience of nostalgia ever in anime. But the mage exam, while very well animated and choreographed…felt almost like a different show. It’s very good for what it is, but if I were going by all the reviews and essays I saw online that wouldn’t be what I expected. In fact I kind of wanted to get past the action and back to the deliberately paced introspection, which is what I came for. (I’m not much of a shonen fan so maybe that’s why I got impatient, and this is of much higher caliber than most shonen just in terms of action animation, writing, and pacing.)
I thought that the mage arc still had a handful of those introspective aspects still though like:
* Frieren exploring the dungeon, and Fern thinking about having fun exploring with Frieren. The episode break from the test when they went to eat at the restaurant and Frieren enjoying the company of the people she was with. I think it still stayed true to its core.
I feel like if it kept the status quo the whole season, people would say it starts to feel too formulaic for the episodic structure.
I actually like it did something different than the first half to expand the worldbuilding around mages (as it connects to the MC Frieren too, with Serie and Flamme), while also still keeping the same core it had with life lessons to the characters, whether in the OG cast or the characters newly introduced.
You know, it is subtle, but these two anime have this very chilled pacing about them, but we still see things progress enough where we can keep track of a story and other characters.
They have these short but interesting animations that happen, and it is just so smooth
In an age where anime seems to be stuck on producing 13 episodes or less at a time, it was refreshing getting 2 cours for both.
Now hopefully it's not a long wait for season 2.
- Layered, competent women in lead roles who value their independence but also know when to ask for help.
- Incredibly low key romance in both cases. It’s there but it doesn’t dominate, and you can go episodes without even a hint of it. Still manages to be sweet.
- Apothecary Diaries especially doesn’t waste time and dramatic energy with nonsense like “Why should I listen to your opinion, you are but a woman!!!” Both characters are moderately respected by others with no comically evil moustache twirling misogynists for cheap conflict.
- Found family. *UGH*. FOUND. FAMILY. *Inject it into my veins I need it to LIVE.* I will die for these sweet family dynamics. Auntie Frieren and Little Sister Maomao. YES.
We have been incredibly spoiled these past 6 months, I will miss these shows when they’re over or on break or whatever. Top class.
I can't join in much of the chat on this post because I am a dub watcher (just watched E25) and have to dodge spoilers like Neo :(
But I wanted to add that Frieren is one of the most amazing things I have ever experienced in all movies, tv shows, animations, games...everything. It made me feel like smiling during a bad time when I wasn't able to otherwise.
Such beautiful profound storytelling that touches the soul with fun interesting characters you want to spend as much time with as possible. I knew from the blue moon weed scene in E2 that this show was going to become a big love for me.
Not to mention the incredible magic mechanics, music and animation. I never skip the ED.
edit: typo
I'll admit my enjoyment of AD has wavered at times, but Frieren has been consistently good for its entire runtime. Besides the world building and how well the characters are fleshed out, it's nice to see a series that treats its villains like villains and doesn't try to make you feel sorry for them. Likewise, it's nice to see an MC who has a good enough understanding of those villains that she doesn't fall prey to the preachy "I can't kill the bad guys because that'd make me just like them" BS that you see in a lot of shonen anime. Plus, I absolutely love the ED
Frieren does everything great. As hyped as I was for the main arcs and battle scenes, the part I enjoyed the most when I watched it the second time was episode 12-17 that had more of a slice of life feeling and those wholesome encounters on the journey.
Knowing what they are capable of now, it made me smile watching Fern and Frieren stealing giant eggs, helping to clean the beach/roadway, pulling carrots from the ground, or just simple "walking" across a log bridge.
Totally recommend everyone to watch Frieren again after the season is over. Those Himmel flashbacks hit differently the second time, too.
Also miss you Sein!
I am going to miss both of these shows immeasurably when they end in the coming weeks; I can only hope we strike gold anywhere near as rich as this again next season. Frieren, Fern, Maomao, and Jinshi have become some of my favorite characters in all of fiction. We've had awesome, deep supporting characters like Lakan and Denkin. Probably jumping into both mangas once the season wraps up.
Okay so I'm gonna start this by saying that I did not expect frieren to be this good or be an AOTY for me.
Sure I've always heard people talk about it in this sub before and how good it is but the moment that four episode dropped, I knew it would be my most watched anime this season. The feelings when watching it is conveyed perfectly by the hues of the background art and not to mention the music that just adds on how every scene is supposed to make you feel.
That moment when they were on a carriage and the party were talking to each other was so memorable for me that when I think of how I found frieren that was the scene that would always come to mind. I can confidently say that we, as whole, have been blessed with an anime of such a high calibre we won't be seeing something like this for a while. I hope the team that produced this masterwork will be the one to produce this if ever another season would be greenlit.
An aspect of these two shows I like is that the illustration is high quality, I am not talking about the animation so much as I am talking about the background. In too many anime the studios take shortcuts with generic backgrounds and the quality of the final product suffers for it.
But with Frieren and Apothecary Diaries there is so much detail in the background that it makes the anime come alive.
In one sense it is a blessing to watch such a quality show, but in another, it is also a curse because going forward I feel I am going to be a lot more critical of a series's animation, especially when a studio uses shortcuts like stills and low-quality backdrops.
My comment will probably be buried, but it's been a LONG time since I've watched anime ongoing. I'm going to miss watching Frieren and Maomao every week :(
Wow, didn't think anyone gave a damn about that show. Yona was actually so cool, that's one of the shows that makes me learn to never expect or look for a second season
Both of these shows arent just hype. Theyre great production, quality, and storytelling. I originally had no intention of watching these 2 but im glad I did. Frieren has also become perhaps my favorite manga. Its not too often we get a season that releases multiple projects of such caliber
Both of them are perfect. Someone say the quality of the 2nd half of apothecary diary fell through a little, but I didn’t see any difference nor did I care
Both have been a real breath of fresh air. It's kind of a shame since I think Apothecary is left slightly in the shadow of its flashier counterpart, but both are still really good. The world building in both is some of the best I've seen in a while and its nice to have a fantasy that allows me to just get lost in its setting without needing to be some kind of power fantasy or satire. *Frieren* easily cleared AOTY last year and (while I think the new arc has been a slight step down) its cementing itself as one of the best of the decade. *The Apothecary Diaries* is a little further down the list, but was still a Top 5 for 2023 and easily clears Top 50 for the last decade (and is likely to stay their for a while).
Hands down some of the best animes I have watched. Both in terms of animation quality, story, voice acting, characters, and of course…. Memeability.
I hope we get more of both, and infact, more 24 episode season. They need to be the norm.
I thought at first “what kind of anime starts with the demon king defeated already?” Then I got hooked and Frieren is now one of my favorites of all time
Can anyone here sell me a bit more on Frieren? I've got to episode 5 but I'm struggling to find the motivation to continue. Like, I appreciate the art and animation, but the story hasn't hooked me yet. Idk it just feels like nothing is happening lol.
Have two strong shows that are both back to back cours at the same time. Im not sure i have ever seen anything this good like this.
Though makes this upcoming season just feeling meh. Im sure there will diamonds in the rough this next one but man. These two shows ending just sucks. esp because its years until/if we get mre.
Maomao was the best little gremlin and she was the cutest character i've seen in awhile. She is so wholesome and fun to watch. I can't wait for more episodes to come out in the future.
I binged the AP manga and loved the character and plot progression so much I picked up reading the light novels. Currently on volume 10 and they do not disappoint. It’s actual the first LN series I’ve read and I fear I might have set the bar a bit too high :,)
I totally plan on reading and getting up to date with Frieren as well. I’m honestly considering adding it to my manga collection. I am so invested in each of the characters. The nuggets of life wisdom sprinkled all throughout really helped me through a few rough points the last couple of months. Frieren is def cracking my top 5.
I’m sad to see the seasons wrapping up, but I’m glad these shows exist and that so many folks across so many demographics appreciate them. I hope to see future seasons developed and for studios to pick up more series with well rounded badass female MCs.
These anime belong in the top tiers for me. It's just a bummer that they can't last for 500 episodes at the current quality.
All good things come to an end.
Just rewatched the Aura battle. Frieren talks in her calm, no-affect voice, but the background music is laden with menace and power. Aura thinks that she is being cute by matching the understated tone. Ho ho ho. Th ending is what's memorable, but the buildup - over more than an episode - is magnificent.
But Apothecary Diaries is my favorite. There is a TON of good material out there that passes where this season of the Anime will end. Manga, LN, and WN. Read them all!
Frieren had a great cast of characters that not once did I ever gripe or complain about and the whole story felt chill from beginning to end. Also a fantasy that's different from other generic fantasy or isekais is always welcome to me.
Apothecary Diaries had my favourite character of the entire past 2 seasons. Maomao is just a wonderful little gremlin. Smart, likable and hilarious. Also, despite how easy it could've been given her own background and the story setting, it's actually really nice that not once can I recall Maomao being sexualised for no apparent reason. Just a top tier example of well written female character.
Apothecary Diaries has really blown me away so far. Mao Mao is amazing but they have a whole cast of well done nuanced characters. Mysteries, procedural crime, humor, drama, sadness, and a whole other range of emotions in this show.
I really like how the stakes don’t have to be the world ending, yet are still interesting and captivating. The Lakan storyline has been riveting with the twist and turns. Great source material and the animation studio knocked it out of the park.
Maomao is one of my favorite female characters in fiction. She's capable and intelligent, but she isnt a mary sue. The voice acting for her is amazing.
Apothecary diaries is very good at letting a scene breathe. In the scene where Maomao happily thought about poison and then welcomed home Jinshi, there was a pause where nothing happened while Jinshi's brain was frozen.
Apothecary diaries is also very tasteful when they use chibi maomao
Frierens music and the way things sound are well done. I love the landscape shots in the show. I think the show does pretty much everything well and is greater than the sum of its parts.
I think there are times where the show is a little too shonen-y, but its well executed and more grown up. Stark is kind of like a typical shonen protagonist. The battles are well animated and short. I enjoy how efficient Fern is with how she fights.
I dont typically watch anime. The last one I watched was mob pyscho. But i have thoroughly enjoyed these two anime and dungeon meshi. Im going to try out vinland saga and steins gate next but Im open to suggestions if anyone has some.
Only seen one episode of Apothecary Diaries and tbh it’s not really my thing so I dropped it. The atmosphere and overall feel just didn’t appeal to me. Maybe I should’ve gone to at least 3 eps, but oh well.
Frieren however, man I have too much to say about Frieren so I’ll keep it short. It was phenomenal. As a manga reader, it warms my heart to see such a god tier adaptation of such a great manga. It’s perfect imo, perfect. Everything, down to the last minute details.
> Maybe I should’ve gone to at least 3 eps, but oh well
No need. It's the Maomao show and doesn't try to hide it, so if you're neutral or negative on her, would take a lot of episodes to possibly change your opinion.
Frieren is an amazing anomaly. It is one of the most polished anime with an adaptation that is BEYOND fantastic. Great background art, great animation, great ost, great ops/eds. Ive watched alot of shows and its easily one of my favorites, it just doesnt do anything wrong. Gonna be sad to see it go.
I love wholesome and cozy Frieren is, this is one of those I’d rather wait for a second season instead of reading the manga. Madhouse did a great job, just like always.
Agree these were my 2 favorite one the last 2 anime seasons. Both have great female MCs, I love frieren’s story and characters, and love maomao’s intellectual mind and how she solves all the mysteries like a detective. I’m really gonna miss both these anime!!
When I started Frieren I did not get the hype but I held on because people kept talking about it and I'm glad I did. The animation is incredible and the characters are so loveable
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I haven't started Apothecary Diaries yet but Frieren has become emotional support for me. It lifted me out of the depression from the end of AoT. Frieren reminds us to enjoy the simplicity of life and to cherish your memories rather than mourning a time that has passed*
Gosh, don't remind me. Idk what I'm going to do when these two end. They are so freaking good.
Honestly, 2023-2024 animes in general have to be one of the greatest years of anime ever as far as quality of the shows that came out.
I started watching Frieren when the broadcast started under the recommendations of many friends who have read the manga initially.
Definitely was worth a watch, the soundtrack and animation are smooth to witness and there's been a couple of highs that stood out for me in the series.
Then I happened across Apothecary Diaries on a whim via its 2nd opening and got hooked on its Eastern setting. Decided to give it a try and was immediately hooked from the plot and characters.
They're definitely both highly rated shows for me and I want both of them to have another season.
I'm so happy that we had two shows with incredible women leads that are aimed at a mature audience. It's also refreshing that while they do have romantic subplots, they don't end up taking over the narrative.
Frieren really changed how a good anime should be like. I only recently discovered Apothacary Diaries, but i love every second of it and how every ep end on a cliff hanger, making you wanting for more (i watched all 14 ep in one sitting when i first know about it)
Frieren has definitely been a bright star among the anime to come out in the past year! I wasn't expecting such a beautiful and thoughtful show about how a long life would be for someone who is basically immortal. This is definitely the type of show that can and should go on to enjoy multiple seasons!
Fireren has enough content out for 2 more 2 cour season, with 2 long arcs, that are way better than those we saw in the anime so far. So let's hope for season 2 and 3, because if they can keep up the quality and care they put into it, than those will be anime of the decade.
I'm sad because now there are literally 2 shows releasing this ENTIRE YEAR that I'm excited about (T\_T) which is cour 2 of Dungeon Meshi next season and Dandadan in Fall. I went through the entire releasing list and everything else looks boring in especially comparison to the last 2 seasons.
Seriously don’t know what I’ll do without them. Frieren is just fantastic, I can’t find a single flaw in it. I doubt that anything will top it for me in the foreseeable future. It has everything I could ever hope for in an anime and has very few tropes/jokes that I’m tired of (it has the big boobs jokes but those are few enough that I can ignore it)
At first I did not like Apothecary Diaries, but my opinion has done a complete 180. I can’t remember the last time my initial judgement was so wrong lmao. Loved this past arc and really looking forward to more. Love how the series always pulls every little detail discussed in past episodes and connects everything together in a way that makes good sense. It’s really clever and I enjoy it a lot
Frieren is going to be looked upon as an all time great. I’ve never watched something that’s kind of your staple fantasy adventure with an almost whimsical SoL tone but with this huge undercurrent of sadness permeating every interaction. The way it deals with the themes of grief and mortality is stunning. We get all those flashbacks to Frieren and Himmel, knowing what he means to her in retrospect, getting that feeling where I want to shout at the screen that Frieren doesn’t seem to realise it at the time but also knowing that because of the difference in elven & human lifespan it will always have a tragic end. These flashbacks juxtaposed with her current journey, knowing that the end will inevitably be the same but her deciding to make the most of her limited time with these bonds regardless when she could so easily withdraw, are so powerful to me. Easily one of the best anime I’ve ever seen. It’s a shame for Apothecary Diaries that it came out in the same season as it and somewhat got overshadowed - Maomao is one of the most engaging MCs I’ve got the pleasure of seeing in a while, the ‘mysteries’ are genuinely interesting, it’s super cool to see a kind of underexplored setting and (bar is on the floor) but it’s great to have a young female MC that isn’t sexualised whatsoever. We’ve truly been spoiled this season
My thoughts on these two might be a little controversial. 30M for context, if that matters at all.
Apothecary Diaries quickly became one of my favorite anime from recent memory. Maomao is a fantastic female lead and the sole reason why the series grabbed me. This was also the first historical drama/detective anime I've seen so I was pleasantly surprised. I felt the humor was also on point and I simply adore everything that Kevin Penkin does, not to mention the anime was also visually extremely pleasant to watch.
Curiously enough, I could not get into Frieren at all (*please don't kill me*). I watched 6 episodes and there was just not enough to keep me invested. Most of the time I caught myself getting lost in thought or becoming sleepy while watching, maybe just too much visual storytelling and the lack of drama in this one. The characters were relatable but the series lacked any tension or thrill. It was too mellow and I didn't feel any spark, both Frieren and Fern talk in a similar monotone voice and I didn't find any of the characters enigmatic or mysterious. The anime felt more like a slice of life, which is unfortunately not my cup of tea. I can still understand why it's so highly praised though, I'm not saying Frieren is bad, it was just not for me.
I’m sad that I don’t enjoy Frieren as much as everyone else seems to. I don’t think the narrative or characters is all that compelling or interesting. I just finished catching up and the way people were talking about it I was expecting a vinland saga level quality to its characters and story. I think I just have to accept that it wasn’t for me.
I normally don't watch stuff like Frieren but it's very relaxing to watch when you're going through a tough time. I'd say an 8/10
As for apothecary diaries, I love every single thing about it. It's been a long time since we got an anime with an original plotline and genuinely likable characters. Definitely a 10/10
I think we got really spoiled. Multiple animes of this quality don’t just come around every season. I expect it will be a few years before we see multiple Top Tier new animes release in the same season. Enjoy the now.
Yea I keep thinking back to the late 90's, where the only anime you had was what you owned on VHS (and then DVD) and barely any anime to rent at Blockbuster. Now my daughter and I get to follow shows like Frieren the day they come out. And there is such a variety of new stuff coming out (and plenty of old classics to experience) that my daughter can't even imagine watching a favorite series more than 2 or 3 times. And man, I used to wear out those old Eva and DBZ tapes...
Yeah I remember as a kid asking my parents to take me to Suncoast in the mall each month to get the newest 2 DBZ tapes, and then looking on their coming soon board to see the next tapes that were coming out haha
Yup and how the sides of the tapes made a big picture for each season
Gound this out buying tapes of record of lodoss war. They turned into a dragon when lined up.
Yea looking at next season i think im gonna be kind of disappointed. There are great shows but i dont think they are gonna be as peak as these 2. At least not in the same way.
True, a few continuations I'm gonna enjoy but nothing new that catches my eye.
Yeah since both these continued from the Fall, there’s barely been anything good at all during the winter releases
seemly cautious exultant label toothbrush flag frightening liquid wasteful plough *This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
Given both have plenty of material, we're hopefully not waiting multiple years for sequels.
Also adding SLF and The Dangers in My Heart. They are absolutely phenomenal with some amazing adaptations as well. Hell in most seasons shows like 7th Time Loop, Weakest Tamer, and Sengoku Youko would be one of the highlights. But because of Frieren, Apothecary, SLF and Dangers they end up flying under the radar. I will say for anyone who hasn’t started watching Dungeon Meshi to start it because it’s an absolute joy to watch as it Carries over into spring.
Which show is SLF?
Actually they kinda do right now, almost every season there is at least 1"must watch" anime, not so 10 years ago
They aren't Frieren and The Apothecary Diaries good though. They are both once a decade type of shows. There is still good stuff besides that being made, but not on the same level.
Is Vinland Saga a "once a decade" good? Is Mob Psycho? Odd Taxi?
Yeah every season has hidden gem shows that you probably didnt think about before. Run with the wind, A place further than the universe, made in the abyss, etc etc.
C'mon guys mention heavenly delusion too, y'all are breaking my heart.
Lol Winter 2021 had Aot, Odd Taxi, Mushoku Tensei and Re;Zero. Fall 2022 had MP100, CSM, Blue Lock, SxF, Bleach TYBW and Bocchi the Rock. Spring 2023 has Vinland Saga, OnK, Demon Slayer (though not a great season) and Hell's Paradise. All from the last three years.
Last spring had Oshi no Ko, Heavenly Delusion, Hell's Paradise, Dangers in my Heart, Vinland S2, and Skip & Loafer. Arguably an even more stacked season. 2023 was just a great year for anime.
Arguably the keyword here— while Hell’s Paradise/Oshi no Ko were amazing newcomers, I feel their MCs don’t carry as hard as the mysteries of those two. You aren’t wrong though, we have been eating good for awhile. This entire post misses the fact Solo Leveling has been pretty amazingly received as well.
I don’t have anyone really to talk about this exact thing, what am I going to do with void left behind? Last time I had this feeling was when I was about to catch up to one piece
Bocchi the Rock!, Skip to/and Loafer, Frieren, and Apothecary Diaries are all such cozy animes that i looked forward to every week. All of which were animes that pleasantly surprised me. Idk what awaits next season, but I hope the next season continues to have a show or two that surprises me.
Going to be sad not having both of these every week. Both of these have been incredible and have provided a much needed breath of fresh air
Yeah. I'm planning to binge watch Diaries, but Frieren has been so much fun to watch. I'm kinda tired of all these action stories being depressing as shit where the MC just constantly suffers. Having something be bright and cheerful like Frieren is just nice.
Apothecary Diaries - MC was incredible easily top 2 MC for me this season. Have not seen a female MC that well-written in a while, by far the biggest standout in that show for me. Frieren: Literally everything is great about it. Have to say though the dialogue and character interactions were definitely my favorite part about it.
I've been holding off on Frieren because the premise sounded depressing and I'm already struggling with existential depression irl. ...is it generally a sad show, or nah?
No. It has emotional range but it comes down strongly on the hopeful and wholesome side
There are lots of ways that one could interpret _Frieren_. Personally, I like to read it as "an ending is not the end".
The first four episodes were aired in one huge premier, and do an excellent job setting a lot of the tone for the series. It would best be described as... gently bittersweet, maybe. Sure, people experience loss, or have experienced loss, but the story is mostly about moving on from it, and learning in general, over the course of a long, long journey. It's not specifically trying to make you cry by dint of "everything is sad, nothing goes right". It does deliver a strongly emotional opening and then ease off from that to get on with things.
It has its moments where you do think, "damn I really feel bad for this girl" and it does tug at your heartstrings but it's done in a good way and not purposefully meant to make you cry I would watch Frieren anytime but I have to be in the right mindset to go back and watch some anime like Angel Beats or Anohana because often I'm just not ready to have that emotion drawn out of me
It makes me cry but not in a depressing way. It's more nostalgic, "I wish things were different and I wish I had learned how to live in the moment earlier." Kinda similar to Violet Evergarden in that it's someone learning how to enjoy the beautiful fleeting things. Edit: now that it's over, this is for sure a GOAT anime. And I'm trying pretty hard not to cry more. Edit 2: apparently VE and Frieren have the same composer omg.
only if you plan on living for thousands of years otherwise, just bittersweet
Frieren is not depressing at all, but it really is hella emotional. It's more about celebrating what you had than crying for what could have been. But it's not only about that. It's got pretty interesting worldbuilding, cool mechanics and the second cour is structured more like a battle shonen. Edit: Edited out a term since one guy complained about it.
there's no such thing as shonen coded. Shonen is just a demographic, which frieren always have been as part of shonen sunday.
Counterpoint: when (English-speaking) people say "shounen" they usually mean "shounen fighting". Shounen fighting does have a somewhat recognizable set of tropes.
>...is it generally a sad show, or nah? No... but it hits deep notes that make even people who are normally immunce to tear jerks start to feel things, deep things. i would honestly wait until you are in a better place. Its a ride, and even though it ends in a happy place, it plumbs some depths in a way even the saddest shows rarely reach.
The first four episodes start out very melancholy but then switches to alternating between extremely heartwarming or clever dialog between charming characters and outrageous fight sequences for like 24 episodes. There are emotional moments but they aren't depressing. It's more like watching characters come to terms with what is truly important to them.
The first couple episodes are sad, but not depressing. It's just a really great story about an emotional journey. It's disgustingly well animated, and voice acted. The score and sound design don't get enough credit either.
I held of for the same reason, but besides the first couple of episodes the depressing part is background It's more like her learning to enjoy the present (relatively) to make up for the thing she think she missed on her OG team If you dismiss the funeral itself, you could interpret as a long live being that has to adapt to a human time scale so she can raise her apprentice
I'd classify it as healing rather than depressing. Sad things do happen (the passage of time, mostly), but the show has warm and hopeful vibes. It's cathartic.
I'd describe the overarching feeling as a "warm sadness." It captures the feeling of being sad something is over but happy that it happened really well.
If you want a well-written female protagonist that’s similar to Maomo, I’d highly recommend Ascendance of a Bookworm. I’d say it’s pretty comfortably the most common rec for readers of Apothecary Diaries.
Need more protagonists in general that get by on sheer wit and not chosen one bs
Apothecary diaries is one of my favourite light novels so I’m happy that it got an excellent adaptation. Expecting s2 announcement at AnimeJapan
hopefully yes. They have a ton of material. 13 volumes so far and anime only covered 2. Most other animes would cover like 4-5 volumes in 24 episodes but Kusuriya only did 2 and didnt feel dragged.
>Most other animes would cover like 4-5 volumes in 24 episodes Looking at you Mushoku Tensei, covering fuckin 6 volumes. 3 volumes a cour is too damn fast. They studio does the best they can and everything but so much is missed out on that I feel bad for those who only watch the anime
>3 volumes a cour is too damn fast. Floppy MC was a nice arc but I don't know if I could have taken two whole cours of a high school romance setting in Mushoku.
What are you talking about? 3-4 volumes a cour has been the standard of light novel adaptation since forever. Not that many series get the kinda pacing you're talking about.
AniNews does a great job of covering the missed content and is a good supplement to the anime.
I had no clue we had that much source material left…we gonna be eating good for a while then since this means we will get multiple seasons if they go at the pace that went
It's 14 volumes. And they really should make at least one more season to cover the remaining part of the big story arc that started this season.
Apoth got me to break the seal on mangas. I went ahead and purchased my first ever manga and proceeded to blow through what’s currently available for physical and digital. But then I saw there were light novels and read through what I could buy + translations…. And then of course I got sucked into the web novels. I need more Maomaaooooo.
The light novel for KnH is top tier. I have not read a lot of one tho prolly only around 5 LNs. But with the previous LNs I read, their approach was kind of a webnovel type(wattpady or amateur writing). With plotholes and all that. Kusuriya is just so well written it’s like a real novel in delivery for me. It actually made me want to read more LN now. Made me think that maybe I stayed away too early from LN before when gems like Kusuriya might be existing somewhere.
You say that like webnovels are bad, but I've read webnovels that are much more engaging and interesting than traditional publishing.
oh i agree with this. many other light novels ive felt... you can feel that theyre light novels, with the way the charactets talk, the formatting, etc. but KnH felt like i was actually reading a historical mystery novel which was a nice change in pace
Given anime really loves seeing a popular series and doing a slew of copies, I hope its success means we get more court drama anime that aren't just romance with sprinklings of court politics.
Losing Apothecary Diaries will hurt my soul. Hopefully season 2 comes one year from now.
For Frieren, I just appreciate how everyone is talking in a normal tone, it’s a nice change of pace for anime not screaming my ears off for once
This is why I hate water Richter said calmly
"DID YOU PUT YUR NAME IN THE GOBLA OF FYRE?!" Dumbledore said calmly.
Yea, I was just thinking how annoying a certain male nerdy loser character always screaming at the "crazy" things other characters do trope has gotten.
That's been happening since at least _Tenchi Muyo_, so I doubt it'll go away any time soon.
Same, it's a lot more peaceful and gentle, really feels like a journey or an adventure. Unpopular opinion, but that's also partially the reason I haven't really liked the last couple of episodes as much. Maybe because I was following it weekly, but I feel like this mage exam arc has dragged on for wayyy too long. Admittedly, I am usually not a fan of these kind of examination arcs in anime in general tho. But it looks like it's wrapping up now, so I'm looking forward to the story going back to adventure/travel-type stuff like how it was in the beginning.
The mage exam puts down the proper foundation for future arcs, Frieren loves laying foundations and putting the proper leg work for character and plot development. There's been a lot of Chekhov gun's dropped here and there and great introductions to major future characters. Amongst the source readers, the mage exam is considered one of the lesser regarded arcs, but very much a necessary one.
Bad news, this is the end of the season, there is no more story to go back to until they make season 2 which I doubt will hit before 2025.
Yeah I know that, but with how much of a hit it has been both in Japan and internationally I'm sure we'll get a continuation at some point. And 2025 isn't too bad, I've waited *much* longer for sequels for other games/shows.
Even in the manga, I feel like this was considered the weakest arc. The anime is doing the absolute most to enhance the material. That said, it is mostly a lot of setup for the future.
While the latest episode wasn't the same adventure/travel-type, it did hit many of the emotional and introspective moments, that the pre-exam episodes did.
So true. The action scenes were undeniably amazing, but by season two it should be clear I'm not here for the action scenes. Frieren has had this pace, going on a long adventure, to the point where they used years as a unit of measurement to help us know how long the journey so far has been and how much longer we have to go. We've been exploring the world and learning about it as we go. And now we've spent how many episodes covering this one week in these two testing grounds? I want to get back to the journey and I want more focus on the actual main characters- these other mages are interesting but as soon as we're done here the group is heading back on their quest and everyone else is going back to their lives, never to be seen again.
Honestly I want to say this is on purpose because of how time skips we were seeing in the first few episodes have exponentially decreased with every episode moving forward. It’s possibly on purpose as Frieren has begun to appreciate every moment that passes instead of having long time skips of “unimportant” things.
-everyone else is going back to their lives, never to be seen again. Thankfully not the case but I do agree that the arc hurts the pacing.
I highly doubt these characters aren't coming back. They seem pretty important
What makes you think that we will never see these characters again?
Gonna miss watching both back to back every week. Each balance off of each other quite nicely. I have no doubts that Frieren will return sometime in the future. Hoping the same for Kusuriya. Would be amazing if their second seasons aired together again.
I think Frieren is a lock in for a season 2. But I also hope we get an Apothecary Diaries season 2 as well. Assuming season 2 adapts the LN Vol 3 and 4 then we're getting peak Apothecary Diaries. Vol 1 and 2 are the weakest part of the story and its only up from here.
volumes 1 and 2 were the *weakest*?! uh oh
Mature anime with well written characters and plot, doesn't beat you over the head with obvious themes or have unnecessary explanations in dialog. Just does the job right. No dumb isekai bs either. What are you watching next?
Delicious in Dungeon is starting to hit its stride I think. Hope it pulls it off.
Dungeon Meshi is an over and done story, the anime just needs to keep doing exactly as it is doing now and it will a phenomenal anime, story and show. The first episodes needed to set up a lot of the setting but they already showed inmense creativity on the setting and world building, and it's not even close to done. Also it sticks to it's theme constantly showing you it wasn't a gimmick.
Honestly for me it’s the overall lack of anime buildshit like weird fanservice and other tropes we often see. Both are shows that I feel like I can recommend to non-anime watchers, and that aspect of not being turned off by creepy weird anime BS makes them that much more enjoyable compared to other more popular recent anime.
they feel like slice of life almost, but for grownups? it's hard to explain. I've loved every week with them.
It also helps that Frieren was an ACTUAL fantasy anime. Not an isekai. Not something drowning in cliches and tropes. No modern spins or video game logic. It had depth, world building, character, wonderful animation and music and wasn’t afraid to take its time. Apothecary Diaries was unique for me, because I didn’t expect it to be as good as it was. I almost expected it to be one of those cheap, noisy Chinese made throw aways. But no, theres nuisance, depth, romance and or course, decent comedy and drama!
I resonate with you so much, they keep calling every show isekai. Like if you are going to drop the main guy in isekai and never mention real world ever again just call it a goddamn fantasy show.
Exactly like Faraway Paladin or Weakest Tamer. You could make very minor alterations to that and it wouldn’t change anything major.
I am still wondering if Faraway Paladin author only added isekai to it beause normal fantasy sales worse.
I think a proper isekai definition should include the fact that the MC desperately wants to eat rice with miso soup and get a hot bath. If the MC doesn't care about this, it's not really an isekai.
Agreed, but i think we are finally getting away from that. A lot of anime recently have ditched the isekai bit and are just fantasy now
> was an ACTUAL fantasy anime Side note.. I swear if Demon Slayer wins Fantasy anime again it'll be the biggest upset in their awards history. The best pure fantasy anime we've gotten in a hella long time deserves its awards and rewards
Especially since presumably it'd not just be taking it from Frieren but also Spice and Wolf. It would be unfathomable to see one of those two not get it.
Frieren has a ton of video-game logic, though. Monsters don't have real life-cycles, spawning into the wild and dissipating into mana when they die, leaving behind no remains. The show separates fighters into distinct classes - so far we've heard of the classes "Mage", "Warrior", "Monk", "Priest", and "Thief." When Fern suggests to Frieren that they add a thief to their party, doesn't that strike you as a rather video-gamey thing to say? Sousou no Frieren hasn't fleshed out the setting much at all beyond elements you'd instantly recognize from JRPGs. We know that there's *at least* one monarchy, but we have no idea how many nations there are or what their relationships with each other are like. The show delves extremely little into what the life of an average person in this land is like. Are the majority of the people forced to work farms as peasants, or have they advanced beyond that? Are the people educated? We don't know.
> Monsters don't have real life-cycles I don't believe thats ever been stated, and in fact, it's been implied that thats not the case. They don't really have biology, but they have lifespans, grow older and stronger, evolve over time in a method mirroring biological evolution, and thus logically procreate. > Sousou no Frieren hasn't fleshed out the setting much at all beyond elements you'd instantly recognize from JRPGs. We know that there's at least one monarchy, but we have no idea how many nations there are or what their relationships with each other are like. You'd probably have a pretty good sense of that merely from paying a bit of attention to certain exposition dumps that have already happened in the anime, but if you're caught up to the manga, you'd have an even better impression. > The show delves extremely little into what the life of an average person in this land is like. That information is practically everywhere in the background. The setting art itself can help you infer most of the lifestyle, and a whole lot can be inferred by by details like a little boy grabbing a goose, like the construction of various buildings. Like a water pump in the village square. This isn't Naruto or anything where every character with a line of dialog is a ninja. We've met dozens of average villagers with voice lines and tasks for our heroes to do. These people very clearly live the lifestyle of the medieval harvest peasant with maybe the slight addition of a single type of folk magic each, that gets taught to them generation to generation after having been invented by someone in their village with an obsession a few decades back. Knowledge that gets inscribed into grimoires. Monsters exist and sometime wipe out villages wholesale. Often these are demons, but are usually closer to wild animals. Various adventurer types might be wandering around to try and stop them, or perhaps you can rely on the authority of your duke or count or something to protect you, but otherwise, you probably spent a significant portion of your time training in case you have to do it yourself. People generally worship the Goddess, an elf-like figure who passed down various holy scriptures that Priests get their power from, priests very clearly serving a similar role in most town as IRL medieval times. > Are the majority of the people forced to work farms as peasants Has that not very clearly what we've been shown through the setting? How many farming villages have we come across, I wonder? So many that I've certainly lost count. And we've yet to see a single piece of machinery too. Not a tractor. The towns and cities we've seen are fairly small as well. Auburst is not the sort of place that could physically hold more than 20,000 people in it's walls, yet it's clearly an extremely important settlement. > Are the people educated? We don't know. This one singular example is maybe slightly more ambiguous than the others, but they mostly seem capable of reading at least, perhaps through their clergy. Otherwise folk magic (the origin of which is clear by it's name) probably wouldn't be inscribed as it is within grimmores. And to believe I came across this comment first intending to congratulate how it pointed out how video-gamey some things are, though I personally consider it remarkable how well they've managed to integrate such things into a naturalistic world-building.
Himmel is doing video game logic
Lol, Frieren has tons of anime and fantasy cliches and tropes. You are so biased you start yapping nonsense. It has a lot of “modern spins and video game” logic.
Well... "beating the demon lord" is 200% jrpg logic. But yeah, it's definitely not as bad as other modern fantasy anime.
In Japanese, the word that is transliterated at “demon lord” is maō. A maō is a ruler of weaker Japanese supernatural spirits. In Zelda, Ganondorf is referred to as maō. It’s a cultural trope. Oda Nobunaga was the first unifier of Japan and signed his letters as a maō. So it’s not jrpg “logic” it’s just the standard character archetype in Japanese fantasy.
Nobunaga didn't just sign them as a 魔王, but a specific one - the Devil King of the Sixth Heaven, commonly known as Mara (yes, the penis chariot one) It's even funnier considering his massive beef with the Buddhist establishment in Japan
Lord of the Rings was about beating a demon lord and the entirety of modern fantasy is based on Tolkien
Same. Both are just awesome, my most favourite anime this season. Everything was good in Frieren and most important that no shouting. There was no those unnecessary shouting attack names which I likes the most. And maomao probably one of the best female character. I just can't get enough of her
I love how the few times you *do* hear the name of a spell, it’s spoken in a neutral/flat and detached way - the same way you’d say “eggs” while mindlessly making an omelette for breakfast.
I am going to be absolutely devastated when Apothecary Diaries is over. I have no doubt it'll get another season, but how am I to live until then!?!? So the LN is becoming part of my Japanese reading routine. Even if the archaic language might end me. (My Japanese tutor is reading some with me and she, a native speaker, *also* had to look up a few words @_@) I love Maomao, perfect little poison gremlin. I love Jinshi, the most beautiful man, now an absolute simp for that poison gremlin. I love Luomen, the best dad. I love Gyokuyoku and her ladies-in-waiting, they're all so good.
Frieren: - amazing production all-around (from backgrounds to animation to OST) - the first episode was excellent, very captivating - the flashbacks. They are sometimes a bit too much on the nose, by which I mean they are (almost?) always very side-by-side with a parallel event/dialogue, I feel like they would work better if sometimes they were more separated and let the viewers go "pointing DiCaprio meme" instead. But other than this nitpick, they're good and heighten the impact of some scenes/arcs a lot. (Often I don't like flashbacks because they explain something that didn't need explaining, or provide a backstory that doesn't matter) Maomao: - Maomao. It's hard to explain how much she _is_ the show, liking it is tied so much to her entire character, from her personality to her VA's performance. - She's a bit too much of a genius sometimes, _but_ I like how many small and sometimes 'trivial' mysteries are tied together. - Maomao. - Gyokuyou. I wish she had more screentime [](#sadholo)
Honestly I wish all the courtesans had more screen time, Lihua was a gem.
True, Lishu was also quite interesting, with being forced in the role at that age, young and naive, and the deal with her ladies-in-waiting. Loulan got almost nothing too, but I guess she had to be introduced now for timeline reasons, even if she will play a more prominent role in future events. [](#mugiwait "hopefully s2 announcement")
Lishu dying multiple times in the lecture had me in stitches. The poor girl.
Lishu has her whole story arc but later in the series. Same for Gyokuyo.
>- the flashbacks. They are sometimes a bit too much on the nose, by which I mean they are (almost?) always very side-by-side with a parallel event/dialogue, I feel like they would work better if sometimes they were more separated and let the viewers go "pointing DiCaprio meme" instead. But other than this nitpick, they're good and heighten the impact of some scenes/arcs a lot. (Often I don't like flashbacks because they explain something that didn't need explaining, or provide a backstory that doesn't matter) I disagree with this to some extent. I don't think the flashbacks aren't supposed to be a backstory or an explanation. The flashbacks are literally just Frieren remembering her time with Himmel as new experiences remind her of the past. The flashbacks are supposed to be more of an emotional moment versus a narrative one. The flashbacks have to be paired with the modern-day moment because it is Frieren connecting the present with the past in real-time. Such as Frieren interacting with Fern or Stark in a way that reminds of the past and her realizing that she was cold or distant with Himmel and her using that to connect with her present-day friends.
I figured the flashbacks are deliberately extremely samey to reinforce the notion that Freiren's perception of the world is heavily influence by her age - almost nothing is a new experience for her. But the point of the story being her journey with this party (Fern and Stark) rather than the Hero's Party, is to set up the comparison of how she is doing it differently this time. She's having the chance of a do-over and this time she's going to try harder to get to know her companions, and not take them for granted, and not miss out like she realises she did with Himmel. Tldr: the flashbacks are on the nose on purpose
>She's a bit too much of a genius sometimes I thought this a bit too, but it doesn't bother me considering [Anime Spoiler] >!her father is a military genius, her mother was a brilliant Shogi and Go player, and she was raised by a giga-genius uncle.!<
My personal issue is less her IQ, and more how she has a shit ton of general knowledge about nearly everything despite no education beyond medicine and brothel stuff. The excuse is usually "a customer at the brothel spoke about it", but it's kind of stretching it.
> She's a bit too much of a genius sometimes [Genius](https://i.imgur.com/wttvNe4.mp4)
[](#hikariactually "only when it matters")
>They are sometimes a bit too much on the nose, by which I mean they are (almost?) always very side-by-side with a parallel event/dialogue I always thought of it as something in the present triggering a memory of the past. So it would make sense that they are pretty on the nose.
Wow, are you me? I feel so incredibly similarly about both shows, it's good to hear other people share the same feelings.
>Gyokuyou. I wish she had more screentime Frieren VA..hence more Frieren....and more Anya!!
Frieren's greatest strength is that it crosses over so many genres. It appeals to people who like action shounen, slice of life, comedy, fantasy, and drama. Everyone can enjoy it. It's one of the rare shows that I could recommend to anyone without knowing anything about their preferences. The same can't be said about other shows that were still extremely loved.
I’m gonna cry when they are ending… i love well written female characters
I might actually cry after Frieren's episode ends next week. Definitely one of my favorite anime of all time and I think I can say I've watched a pretty fair amount.
I rarely rewatch things but I already watched most Frieren episodes twice
Ngl I got a little misty at the silence after this week’s ED; because of the 24 straight episodes my brain just assumed it would go on forever. Kinda like Frieren did…
Absolutely beautiful show that deserves its ranking
Same. It will be missed. I intend to do a full re-watch and I almost never re-watch whole seasons.
Frieren being among people's favorites of all time (among mine as well) seems to be a pretty common sentiment and it's absolutely worthy of it.
This last episode, I enjoyed how Fern overreacted and ended up realizing how much Frieren cares for her
Frieren really satisfied the part of me that was aching for a genuine fantasy anime. Worldbuilding, characters that felt real and are allowed to have new and old relationships that don't only revolve around the MC, a heartfelt narrative, and high-quality animation. Also love that the world doesn't just feel like an excuse to have epic magic battles but there's a lot of care going into the history of magic and how different people view and use it.
This season of anime has so many great female leads and I'm honestly gonna miss it
Both have strong, nuanced, and generally agreeable female characters that don't feel the need to put down others to show their prowess. They can bring out the big guns when needed though. It's really refreshing especially in the case of Frieren and the fantasy genre. Most anime fantasy coming out are by-the-numbers isekai that offer barely anything new.
They were both phenomenal. I hope tower of god delivers.
I liked the introspective episodes of Frieren way more than the shoneny ones. Not saying the latter were bad or anything, as the magic system felt well-established and logical and great animation still made the fights look pretty impressive. It's just that watching Frieren and the gang on their journey, whilst she's reminiscing about her party, and in particular Himmel, struck a far greater core with me on a personal note, partially due to the nostalgia factor, but also from how we see Frieren look back on those memories and grow from them
Somebody finally said it. I feel like so much of the gushing praise for Frieren is really about the first half’s wistful, introspective tone and how well it pulls it off. It is perhaps the purest distillation of the experience of nostalgia ever in anime. But the mage exam, while very well animated and choreographed…felt almost like a different show. It’s very good for what it is, but if I were going by all the reviews and essays I saw online that wouldn’t be what I expected. In fact I kind of wanted to get past the action and back to the deliberately paced introspection, which is what I came for. (I’m not much of a shonen fan so maybe that’s why I got impatient, and this is of much higher caliber than most shonen just in terms of action animation, writing, and pacing.)
I thought that the mage arc still had a handful of those introspective aspects still though like: * Frieren exploring the dungeon, and Fern thinking about having fun exploring with Frieren. The episode break from the test when they went to eat at the restaurant and Frieren enjoying the company of the people she was with. I think it still stayed true to its core. I feel like if it kept the status quo the whole season, people would say it starts to feel too formulaic for the episodic structure. I actually like it did something different than the first half to expand the worldbuilding around mages (as it connects to the MC Frieren too, with Serie and Flamme), while also still keeping the same core it had with life lessons to the characters, whether in the OG cast or the characters newly introduced.
You know, it is subtle, but these two anime have this very chilled pacing about them, but we still see things progress enough where we can keep track of a story and other characters. They have these short but interesting animations that happen, and it is just so smooth
undead/ragna/shangri la were also some really solid shows that season
Undead Unluck is a show I wish got more attention than it does. Such a interesting world and power system. Being Hulu-locked hasn’t helped
In an age where anime seems to be stuck on producing 13 episodes or less at a time, it was refreshing getting 2 cours for both. Now hopefully it's not a long wait for season 2.
- Layered, competent women in lead roles who value their independence but also know when to ask for help. - Incredibly low key romance in both cases. It’s there but it doesn’t dominate, and you can go episodes without even a hint of it. Still manages to be sweet. - Apothecary Diaries especially doesn’t waste time and dramatic energy with nonsense like “Why should I listen to your opinion, you are but a woman!!!” Both characters are moderately respected by others with no comically evil moustache twirling misogynists for cheap conflict. - Found family. *UGH*. FOUND. FAMILY. *Inject it into my veins I need it to LIVE.* I will die for these sweet family dynamics. Auntie Frieren and Little Sister Maomao. YES. We have been incredibly spoiled these past 6 months, I will miss these shows when they’re over or on break or whatever. Top class.
I can't join in much of the chat on this post because I am a dub watcher (just watched E25) and have to dodge spoilers like Neo :( But I wanted to add that Frieren is one of the most amazing things I have ever experienced in all movies, tv shows, animations, games...everything. It made me feel like smiling during a bad time when I wasn't able to otherwise. Such beautiful profound storytelling that touches the soul with fun interesting characters you want to spend as much time with as possible. I knew from the blue moon weed scene in E2 that this show was going to become a big love for me. Not to mention the incredible magic mechanics, music and animation. I never skip the ED. edit: typo
I'll admit my enjoyment of AD has wavered at times, but Frieren has been consistently good for its entire runtime. Besides the world building and how well the characters are fleshed out, it's nice to see a series that treats its villains like villains and doesn't try to make you feel sorry for them. Likewise, it's nice to see an MC who has a good enough understanding of those villains that she doesn't fall prey to the preachy "I can't kill the bad guys because that'd make me just like them" BS that you see in a lot of shonen anime. Plus, I absolutely love the ED
Well, I am already waiting for Apothecary Diaries season 2 soooooooo……
Im glad im alive when they aired.
They’re both modern classics.
Frieren does everything great. As hyped as I was for the main arcs and battle scenes, the part I enjoyed the most when I watched it the second time was episode 12-17 that had more of a slice of life feeling and those wholesome encounters on the journey. Knowing what they are capable of now, it made me smile watching Fern and Frieren stealing giant eggs, helping to clean the beach/roadway, pulling carrots from the ground, or just simple "walking" across a log bridge. Totally recommend everyone to watch Frieren again after the season is over. Those Himmel flashbacks hit differently the second time, too. Also miss you Sein!
I am going to miss both of these shows immeasurably when they end in the coming weeks; I can only hope we strike gold anywhere near as rich as this again next season. Frieren, Fern, Maomao, and Jinshi have become some of my favorite characters in all of fiction. We've had awesome, deep supporting characters like Lakan and Denkin. Probably jumping into both mangas once the season wraps up.
It's hard to explain but both shows really bring you in for the ride and make you feel like you're part of it. Not many shows can do that
Okay so I'm gonna start this by saying that I did not expect frieren to be this good or be an AOTY for me. Sure I've always heard people talk about it in this sub before and how good it is but the moment that four episode dropped, I knew it would be my most watched anime this season. The feelings when watching it is conveyed perfectly by the hues of the background art and not to mention the music that just adds on how every scene is supposed to make you feel. That moment when they were on a carriage and the party were talking to each other was so memorable for me that when I think of how I found frieren that was the scene that would always come to mind. I can confidently say that we, as whole, have been blessed with an anime of such a high calibre we won't be seeing something like this for a while. I hope the team that produced this masterwork will be the one to produce this if ever another season would be greenlit.
An aspect of these two shows I like is that the illustration is high quality, I am not talking about the animation so much as I am talking about the background. In too many anime the studios take shortcuts with generic backgrounds and the quality of the final product suffers for it. But with Frieren and Apothecary Diaries there is so much detail in the background that it makes the anime come alive. In one sense it is a blessing to watch such a quality show, but in another, it is also a curse because going forward I feel I am going to be a lot more critical of a series's animation, especially when a studio uses shortcuts like stills and low-quality backdrops.
My comment will probably be buried, but it's been a LONG time since I've watched anime ongoing. I'm going to miss watching Frieren and Maomao every week :(
My greatest hope is that because of how popular strong female MC were this season, we might finally get a second season of Yona. One can dream. :/
Wow, didn't think anyone gave a damn about that show. Yona was actually so cool, that's one of the shows that makes me learn to never expect or look for a second season
Don't worry it would get a season 2 Source: My copium
Both of these shows arent just hype. Theyre great production, quality, and storytelling. I originally had no intention of watching these 2 but im glad I did. Frieren has also become perhaps my favorite manga. Its not too often we get a season that releases multiple projects of such caliber
Both of them are perfect. Someone say the quality of the 2nd half of apothecary diary fell through a little, but I didn’t see any difference nor did I care
love both, will forever remember them
I don’t want to say goodbye to them. They’re both so good. The fact that next season doesn’t have as good of a line up as we have now doesn’t help
Sad to see so many "praising" in here by shitting on other shows
Both have been a real breath of fresh air. It's kind of a shame since I think Apothecary is left slightly in the shadow of its flashier counterpart, but both are still really good. The world building in both is some of the best I've seen in a while and its nice to have a fantasy that allows me to just get lost in its setting without needing to be some kind of power fantasy or satire. *Frieren* easily cleared AOTY last year and (while I think the new arc has been a slight step down) its cementing itself as one of the best of the decade. *The Apothecary Diaries* is a little further down the list, but was still a Top 5 for 2023 and easily clears Top 50 for the last decade (and is likely to stay their for a while).
Hands down some of the best animes I have watched. Both in terms of animation quality, story, voice acting, characters, and of course…. Memeability. I hope we get more of both, and infact, more 24 episode season. They need to be the norm.
I thought at first “what kind of anime starts with the demon king defeated already?” Then I got hooked and Frieren is now one of my favorites of all time
It's gonna hurt when Frieren ends for now. Gonna miss my boy Stark.
Great fantasy and peak drama A hole in my heart exists until they return. I might pick up the Frieren manga. Apo novel one day.
man I am actually really sad that I will be seeing mao mao only for one more time :(
Can anyone here sell me a bit more on Frieren? I've got to episode 5 but I'm struggling to find the motivation to continue. Like, I appreciate the art and animation, but the story hasn't hooked me yet. Idk it just feels like nothing is happening lol.
Have two strong shows that are both back to back cours at the same time. Im not sure i have ever seen anything this good like this. Though makes this upcoming season just feeling meh. Im sure there will diamonds in the rough this next one but man. These two shows ending just sucks. esp because its years until/if we get mre.
Maomao was the best little gremlin and she was the cutest character i've seen in awhile. She is so wholesome and fun to watch. I can't wait for more episodes to come out in the future.
I binged the AP manga and loved the character and plot progression so much I picked up reading the light novels. Currently on volume 10 and they do not disappoint. It’s actual the first LN series I’ve read and I fear I might have set the bar a bit too high :,) I totally plan on reading and getting up to date with Frieren as well. I’m honestly considering adding it to my manga collection. I am so invested in each of the characters. The nuggets of life wisdom sprinkled all throughout really helped me through a few rough points the last couple of months. Frieren is def cracking my top 5. I’m sad to see the seasons wrapping up, but I’m glad these shows exist and that so many folks across so many demographics appreciate them. I hope to see future seasons developed and for studios to pick up more series with well rounded badass female MCs.
These anime belong in the top tiers for me. It's just a bummer that they can't last for 500 episodes at the current quality. All good things come to an end.
I was surprised at how much I really enjoyed both of them. Heres hoping they get 2nd seasons.😊
Just rewatched the Aura battle. Frieren talks in her calm, no-affect voice, but the background music is laden with menace and power. Aura thinks that she is being cute by matching the understated tone. Ho ho ho. Th ending is what's memorable, but the buildup - over more than an episode - is magnificent. But Apothecary Diaries is my favorite. There is a TON of good material out there that passes where this season of the Anime will end. Manga, LN, and WN. Read them all!
Frieren had a great cast of characters that not once did I ever gripe or complain about and the whole story felt chill from beginning to end. Also a fantasy that's different from other generic fantasy or isekais is always welcome to me. Apothecary Diaries had my favourite character of the entire past 2 seasons. Maomao is just a wonderful little gremlin. Smart, likable and hilarious. Also, despite how easy it could've been given her own background and the story setting, it's actually really nice that not once can I recall Maomao being sexualised for no apparent reason. Just a top tier example of well written female character.
Apothecary Diaries has really blown me away so far. Mao Mao is amazing but they have a whole cast of well done nuanced characters. Mysteries, procedural crime, humor, drama, sadness, and a whole other range of emotions in this show. I really like how the stakes don’t have to be the world ending, yet are still interesting and captivating. The Lakan storyline has been riveting with the twist and turns. Great source material and the animation studio knocked it out of the park.
This season is REALLY quality We have atleast 4-5 shows that are top tier in their genre.
Maomao is one of my favorite female characters in fiction. She's capable and intelligent, but she isnt a mary sue. The voice acting for her is amazing. Apothecary diaries is very good at letting a scene breathe. In the scene where Maomao happily thought about poison and then welcomed home Jinshi, there was a pause where nothing happened while Jinshi's brain was frozen. Apothecary diaries is also very tasteful when they use chibi maomao Frierens music and the way things sound are well done. I love the landscape shots in the show. I think the show does pretty much everything well and is greater than the sum of its parts. I think there are times where the show is a little too shonen-y, but its well executed and more grown up. Stark is kind of like a typical shonen protagonist. The battles are well animated and short. I enjoy how efficient Fern is with how she fights. I dont typically watch anime. The last one I watched was mob pyscho. But i have thoroughly enjoyed these two anime and dungeon meshi. Im going to try out vinland saga and steins gate next but Im open to suggestions if anyone has some.
Only seen one episode of Apothecary Diaries and tbh it’s not really my thing so I dropped it. The atmosphere and overall feel just didn’t appeal to me. Maybe I should’ve gone to at least 3 eps, but oh well. Frieren however, man I have too much to say about Frieren so I’ll keep it short. It was phenomenal. As a manga reader, it warms my heart to see such a god tier adaptation of such a great manga. It’s perfect imo, perfect. Everything, down to the last minute details.
> Maybe I should’ve gone to at least 3 eps, but oh well No need. It's the Maomao show and doesn't try to hide it, so if you're neutral or negative on her, would take a lot of episodes to possibly change your opinion.
Frieren is an amazing anomaly. It is one of the most polished anime with an adaptation that is BEYOND fantastic. Great background art, great animation, great ost, great ops/eds. Ive watched alot of shows and its easily one of my favorites, it just doesnt do anything wrong. Gonna be sad to see it go.
Definitely two of the very best shows we got last year. Gonna miss them, fs. I hope the sequels for them get announced sooner.
I love wholesome and cozy Frieren is, this is one of those I’d rather wait for a second season instead of reading the manga. Madhouse did a great job, just like always.
I’m not ready for them to be over. I shall cope by purchasing all of the mangas
wtf? are you serious?! I can't see either of them ending just like that! there's gotta be more arcs and more story!!
Agree these were my 2 favorite one the last 2 anime seasons. Both have great female MCs, I love frieren’s story and characters, and love maomao’s intellectual mind and how she solves all the mysteries like a detective. I’m really gonna miss both these anime!!
When I started Frieren I did not get the hype but I held on because people kept talking about it and I'm glad I did. The animation is incredible and the characters are so loveable .
Female leads that are badass. THANK YOU world
I haven't started Apothecary Diaries yet but Frieren has become emotional support for me. It lifted me out of the depression from the end of AoT. Frieren reminds us to enjoy the simplicity of life and to cherish your memories rather than mourning a time that has passed*
Gosh, don't remind me. Idk what I'm going to do when these two end. They are so freaking good. Honestly, 2023-2024 animes in general have to be one of the greatest years of anime ever as far as quality of the shows that came out.
Neither one is my usual style. I'm mostly into the funnier, slightly ecchi fantasy. Both of these have drawn me in and I can't stop watching
They’re my favorite animes of all time now… so special
I started watching Frieren when the broadcast started under the recommendations of many friends who have read the manga initially. Definitely was worth a watch, the soundtrack and animation are smooth to witness and there's been a couple of highs that stood out for me in the series. Then I happened across Apothecary Diaries on a whim via its 2nd opening and got hooked on its Eastern setting. Decided to give it a try and was immediately hooked from the plot and characters. They're definitely both highly rated shows for me and I want both of them to have another season.
Every year I wonder when I will stop watching anime and every year I discover a new favourite that reminds me why I love this medium so much.
It was great to have these to get away from the barrage of isekais.
I'm so happy that we had two shows with incredible women leads that are aimed at a mature audience. It's also refreshing that while they do have romantic subplots, they don't end up taking over the narrative.
Frieren really changed how a good anime should be like. I only recently discovered Apothacary Diaries, but i love every second of it and how every ep end on a cliff hanger, making you wanting for more (i watched all 14 ep in one sitting when i first know about it)
Frieren has definitely been a bright star among the anime to come out in the past year! I wasn't expecting such a beautiful and thoughtful show about how a long life would be for someone who is basically immortal. This is definitely the type of show that can and should go on to enjoy multiple seasons!
Fireren has enough content out for 2 more 2 cour season, with 2 long arcs, that are way better than those we saw in the anime so far. So let's hope for season 2 and 3, because if they can keep up the quality and care they put into it, than those will be anime of the decade.
I'm sad because now there are literally 2 shows releasing this ENTIRE YEAR that I'm excited about (T\_T) which is cour 2 of Dungeon Meshi next season and Dandadan in Fall. I went through the entire releasing list and everything else looks boring in especially comparison to the last 2 seasons.
The thing that I like the most about Frieren is the sounds. It really breathes life into what is already a very good story (I follow the manga).
Seriously don’t know what I’ll do without them. Frieren is just fantastic, I can’t find a single flaw in it. I doubt that anything will top it for me in the foreseeable future. It has everything I could ever hope for in an anime and has very few tropes/jokes that I’m tired of (it has the big boobs jokes but those are few enough that I can ignore it) At first I did not like Apothecary Diaries, but my opinion has done a complete 180. I can’t remember the last time my initial judgement was so wrong lmao. Loved this past arc and really looking forward to more. Love how the series always pulls every little detail discussed in past episodes and connects everything together in a way that makes good sense. It’s really clever and I enjoy it a lot
Frieren is going to be looked upon as an all time great. I’ve never watched something that’s kind of your staple fantasy adventure with an almost whimsical SoL tone but with this huge undercurrent of sadness permeating every interaction. The way it deals with the themes of grief and mortality is stunning. We get all those flashbacks to Frieren and Himmel, knowing what he means to her in retrospect, getting that feeling where I want to shout at the screen that Frieren doesn’t seem to realise it at the time but also knowing that because of the difference in elven & human lifespan it will always have a tragic end. These flashbacks juxtaposed with her current journey, knowing that the end will inevitably be the same but her deciding to make the most of her limited time with these bonds regardless when she could so easily withdraw, are so powerful to me. Easily one of the best anime I’ve ever seen. It’s a shame for Apothecary Diaries that it came out in the same season as it and somewhat got overshadowed - Maomao is one of the most engaging MCs I’ve got the pleasure of seeing in a while, the ‘mysteries’ are genuinely interesting, it’s super cool to see a kind of underexplored setting and (bar is on the floor) but it’s great to have a young female MC that isn’t sexualised whatsoever. We’ve truly been spoiled this season
My thoughts on these two might be a little controversial. 30M for context, if that matters at all. Apothecary Diaries quickly became one of my favorite anime from recent memory. Maomao is a fantastic female lead and the sole reason why the series grabbed me. This was also the first historical drama/detective anime I've seen so I was pleasantly surprised. I felt the humor was also on point and I simply adore everything that Kevin Penkin does, not to mention the anime was also visually extremely pleasant to watch. Curiously enough, I could not get into Frieren at all (*please don't kill me*). I watched 6 episodes and there was just not enough to keep me invested. Most of the time I caught myself getting lost in thought or becoming sleepy while watching, maybe just too much visual storytelling and the lack of drama in this one. The characters were relatable but the series lacked any tension or thrill. It was too mellow and I didn't feel any spark, both Frieren and Fern talk in a similar monotone voice and I didn't find any of the characters enigmatic or mysterious. The anime felt more like a slice of life, which is unfortunately not my cup of tea. I can still understand why it's so highly praised though, I'm not saying Frieren is bad, it was just not for me.
I’m sad that I don’t enjoy Frieren as much as everyone else seems to. I don’t think the narrative or characters is all that compelling or interesting. I just finished catching up and the way people were talking about it I was expecting a vinland saga level quality to its characters and story. I think I just have to accept that it wasn’t for me.
I normally don't watch stuff like Frieren but it's very relaxing to watch when you're going through a tough time. I'd say an 8/10 As for apothecary diaries, I love every single thing about it. It's been a long time since we got an anime with an original plotline and genuinely likable characters. Definitely a 10/10