Score: A

We are truly back! It was such a good feeling to have this show airing once again. They just naturally picked up from where they left off and on we went. I’d say there’s no need for a big recap, but they also don’t have time for that. Somehow this season only ended up with 10 episodes so…gotta get right into it!

We are so back!

This was honestly just a really nice way to get back into the show. The previous arc was all about new characters, Fern and Frieren taking part in a mage exam, and staying in one place basically. This episode just let us get right back into the adventure. Frieren, Fern, and Stark just out there in the world. Comfortable adventuring stuff where they take stock of their finances, camp, bathe, and deal with life or death situations. The way things should be! It may be silly to say, but it was nice to see the cast re-establishing their relationships and interacting. It was good to add more side characters to the story in the last arc, but it’s also nice to stay with the basics.

Valuable rock

It’s kind of a shame they had to leave the anti-magic stone behind. That thing would’ve resolved all their money problems right away. There is obviously the issue that they’d have to carry the thing until they reached a town big enough to process it. But man…so many issues solved in one move. And it would be possible to manage since Stark can carry it and doesn’t use magic. But…I do appreciate that there are risks. The range is wide enough that if Stark was in trouble then Fern or Frieren wouldn’t be able to carry him or they’d fall too. There’s some benefits to the risk, but certainly there are issues.

I kind of like my interpretation that Fern was just scared of that thing. She had a pragmatic reason to refuse to take it, but there was probably an emotional reaction to it. Magic has opened up Fern’s possibilities and she’s blossomed into one of the most talented young mages of the age. Basically being cut off from magic and magical sensing would probably be terrifying. And we see that when they drop into the cave of that stuff. It leaves Fern feeling weak and helpless.

Frieren was great in this

I love how this episode shows Frieren’s character growth. It’s silly to say, but it’s absolutely reflects her growth that she noticed things were uncomfortable with Fern and Stark. It’s obvious to everyone, but for Frieren that’s a huge step. But beyond that it was nice to see growth in various ways. She’s learned from the hero’s party and Himmel especially how trust is essential. There’s no stupidity or naivety here. Frieren knows that parties need to trust and rely on each other to function. So even when she’s cut off from magic she’s not stressing out. Because she truly does trust Stark. And since he protects both her and Fern effectively that’s trust well place. I also just like how she was open to letting Stark make his choices. She knows there are elements to being in this party that are uncomfortable for a guy like him.

Great episode for Stark

Stark of course was never going to take that offer to leave. But it was nice on Frieren’s part to leave that up to him. Could see him having a good time chatting with Wirbel and his friends. Fern and Frieren are pretty quiet and more subdued in a lot of ways. And both being girls means there are no guys now for him to hang out with. It wouldn’t be crazy to think that Stark might like a different travelling arrangement.

But in the end of course Stark isn’t doing that. Not only are things not that bad in this party and he’s got an obvious ship with Fern that’s slowly building. Beyond that though…there’s emotional value for him being here. Fern especially did so much for getting him to pick himself up and step forward. He was at his rope’s end and needed help to push past his fears. That gratitude isn’t light and he won’t walk away anytime soon. And beyond that there’s still the angle of getting to walk on the journey his teacher went on. Seeing that through has value too.

This episode nailed who Fern is

This episode was fantastic for Fern also. We could see the flaws and weak points that she does have to be sure. But this episode showed the good sides, the vulnerable sides, and really was what her character needed. Even just the river scene with her taking such good care of the things she’s been given says a lot. It’s both a reflection of how much she’s lost in her life, but also says how much she treasures those around her. Frieren, Heiter, and Stark are all important people in her life. I also just loved that scene when showing how scared she was without her magical detection or senses. It’s those human moments that make her a great character. Not flawless, but a good girl at her core.

Himmel is the man!

Every flashback scene with Himmel is a reminder of how great a guy he was. Himmel is such an interesting part of this story. He died in the first episode, but he’s always there. The memory of him is always with Frieren. Her journey as a member of that party was a full and true adventure. So there’s always something that is relevant regarding current circumstances. And I love that they fought this dragon, the team was trying to back each other up, but in the end it was time to run…so they did. And naturally Himmel wouldn’t give anyone a chance to carry Frieren besides himself! Sorry Heiter, that position is occupied! Honestly though, these flashbacks are like giving us two anime for the price of one. The current adventure is great, but so was that previous one.

Welcome back Frieren!

I’m completely sure that this is the one series that doesn’t need extra coverage since everyone will be watching and talking about it. But I’m 100% in! This one is completely for me. Everything in this episode just felt right. I won’t say Frieren is my top anime of all time. But it is absolutely a great show and one that’s truly enjoyable to watch. So I’m completely down for covering this show during the winter season unless something shocking happens to prevent that.