Sousou no Frieren

[Buffalobiian]

The bizzare part is that she's been travelling and engaging in society for the past 50 years but still doesn't quite get some stuff - not that she needs things explained in meals.

It makes sense that she wouldn't remember currency from Flamme's time, but we're lead to believe that she's been secretly training for 1000 years before Himmel went on a journey with her for 10 years. Then she went around the world collecting spells before coming back for another run.

She remembers geographic locations, and which family ran which town, as well as suits of armour that she had once allied with. It actually makes more sense for Frieren to remember currency than not. It doesn't change that quickly.

I feel the same way about the Mimic gag. It's funny and quirky, but realistically Frieren should be handling them fine. After your first Mimic, everyone knows to attack the chest before you open them.

[DarthEnderX]

I feel the same way about the Mimic gag. It's funny and quirky, but realistically Frieren should be handling them fine. After your first Mimic, everyone knows to attack the chest before you open them.

If the game is smart, attacking the chest can ruin the treasure inside.

[MFauli]

Kinda sad that the lord didn't tell Stark "if you ever feel tired from adventuring, feel free to come here and stay as long as you want" and Stark then replying with a gentle smile "I will". Would have made it nicer imo. Guy was so sad he lost his son, and after a dumb argument, too. And Stark could have needed it, too. I guess the strong similarity to the dead son actually made it worse for that to happen. Had Stark only looked KINDA similar, they could have built a stronger relationship, but resembling the son that closely added some awkwardness.

About the monster: I'm actually upset that Frieren would fall victim to such dumb monster. What is that anyway, why does it exist and why do people not have widespread countermeasures? That thing only needs to move between cities and in no time the world is depopulated, lol.

Frieren not being an "onee-san" was lol, too. At this point it's abundantly clear that he's talking about big boobs, lol. Would have been nice if Frieren had reacted to that and given him some shit

Also, if this show doesn't end with Stark and Fern getting together officially, I'll be mad.

[DarthEnderX]

About the monster: I'm actually upset that Frieren would fall victim to such dumb monster. What is that anyway, why does it exist and why do people not have widespread countermeasures?

Lol, like what? What's the countermeasure to "if this thing is in the region, everyone falls asleep and dies?

They were lucky a priest came along.

[Ryllharu]

Kinda sad that the lord didn't tell Stark "if you ever feel tired from adventuring, feel free to come here and stay as long as you want" and Stark then replying with a gentle smile "I will". Would have made it nicer imo. Guy was so sad he lost his son, and after a dumb argument, too. And Stark could have needed it, too. I guess the strong similarity to the dead son actually made it worse for that to happen. Had Stark only looked KINDA similar, they could have built a stronger relationship, but resembling the son that closely added some awkwardness.

The deal here was that Stark and Lord Orden both immediately recognized that Stark couldn't replace his older son, and Lord Orden would never be a replacement father-figure for Stark. They both tolerated the motions for mutual gain, but this story is really good because there was immediate mutual understanding that there are no redos/replacements when it comes to blood family (as opposed to "found families").

Stark tried to give advice to Lord Orden for being stern with his remaining son because of the way Stark's father treated him, and Lord Orden corrected him by saying that he was only being stern because his son got a little bit overconfident when he had been praising him weeks prior. Lord Orden made the offer to stay, but he also saw how close Stark is to Fern, he knew that he couldn't take away that companionship from Stark to be the new double for his lost son.

They were both seeing their own lost family members in each other, but they both knew it the whole time. It is a refreshing change to that type of grief trope in fiction.

About the monster: I'm actually upset that Frieren would fall victim to such dumb monster. What is that anyway, why does it exist and why do people not have widespread countermeasures? That thing only needs to move between cities and in no time the world is depopulated, lol.

The chaos flower is a common enough monster with known capabilities. The problem is that its known capability is that it 'merges with other local flora to become a subspecies'. This one randomized into a sleep curse inducing, magic reflecting super terror. Worst possible outcome from a randomizer, basically.

The presumption is that other chaos flower subspecies are substantially easier to deal with by either mages or warriors or the average battle-priest.

Frieren not being an "onee-san" was lol, too. At this point it's abundantly clear that he's talking about big boobs, lol.

That's the joke. Frieren doesn't get it and is "Pretty Sure :3" that she more than qualifies.

[MFauli]

Episode 16:

Do they even know what a gorilla is?

[DarthEnderX]

I guess they'd have to.

This episode is evidence of why statues should have inscriptions.

[Buffalobiian]

Fern accepted Stark's hand!

[Kraco]

Fern accepted Stark's hand!

She most certainly has her maidenly side, even if it's well hidden most of the time. Despite keeping it hidden, if it's ignored, especially by Stark, she still gets annoyed. That's the kind of impression I've got. A somewhat difficult personality.

[shinta|hikari]

Fern is a weirdo tsundere pervert. Remember when she immediately stared at Stark's junk using the X-Ray vision spell? When she thought Stark was planning to molest the sleeping Freiren and stopped him from carrying her? When she poured clothing dissolving potion on Freiren instead of disposing it for no apparent reason?

Fern is a sexual deviant that pretends to be an ice princess.

Fuck Fern.

[MFauli]

Fuck Fern.

YES PLEASE

[Buffalobiian]

Episode 17

--------------------






I was kind of expecting Sein to stay with them in that he thought he'd become a hero in his own way as he caught up to Gorilla.

Excited for a magic exam next week.

[Kraco]

I was kind of expecting Sein to stay with them in that he thought he'd become a hero in his own way as he caught up to Gorilla.

That would not really be fitting for his jaded personality. This whole trip, for him, should be more about avoiding regret and looking for his friend. Actually wanting to be a hero or anything like that would be out of scope. I did like his "just get married already" meme outburst, though.

[MFauli]

All I want to say after this episode is what Sein said: GET TO DATING ALREADY!!!1

Fully expected Stark to hold Fern's hand at some point, sigh.

[Ryllharu]

I like that they hit on Fern and Frieren's overall interactions again here.

Frieren operates as a mother-sister-daughter at varying and cyclical times to Fern, and with as competent as Fern is, it is easy to forget that she is still an older teen budding into full adulthood.

Frieren probably always sees people in the light she met them in. She always thinks of Himmel in his prime (which is why she was shocked he got so old), Fern always a little girl. That old dwarf is always an old dwarf in love with his wife, so she took forever to notice that he has Dwarfheimer's.

Stark is lucky that she met him when she did.

I'm pretty sure she treats Sein as a kid because she thinks it is funny. On the other hand, he's middle aged, but still acts with youthful enthusiasm. That's why he has to go find Gorilla. They need to finally have their adventure together.

[DarthEnderX]

That old dwarf is always an old dwarf in love with his wife, so she took forever to notice that he has Dwarfheimer's.

In her defense, faking Dwarfheimer's was apparently his schtick. Which would make it a lot harder to notice that he'd developed it for real.

[Buffalobiian]

Episode 18

-----------------



That was tense and enjoyable. Enjoyable because it's the battle arc. Tense because I get worried about Fern being paired with a killer.

And Fern used snacks. It was supereffective.

I thought one group might have been shrewd enough to take the bird from the examiner. Also weird how a bird that can blast through ice didn't try that while being in a cage, but I'll just assume that it's a special cage. Team 2 is somehow going to use the barrier to corner the bird.

I like all the little things in this show. Like telling us Fern has big boobs and that still annoys Frieren. That Fern's actually known now for her skills amongst mages who care, and Frieren testing Lawine's insight by seeing if she can recognise danger/strength.

[Ryllharu]

But Fern noticeably underestimates herself.

She doesn't think she's a very accomplished mage, but Frieren does nothing but say encouraging words to her. Fern is very well recognized by the whole "magic society" but probably has no idea herself because she doesn't mingle in those spaces.

We see that most mages grind up through ninth certification to third or so in formal, structured education or in specific jobs. Fern just immediately took Third Rank because it was convenient and passed entirely without issue. She just doesn't recognize that as an accomplishment.

I assume the main reason is that Fern is apprenticed to the greatest mage currently living, and probably the 2nd or 3rd greatest mage to have ever lived, inevitably comparing herself to someone who can't be caught in a human lifetime. Even then, Frieren immediately pointed out that she's lost to quite a number of mages weaker than her.

Fern needs confidence in herself. She hasn't developed it because she's thriving in extremely deadly scenarios on their journey so far.

This is good subtle retroactive worldbuilding.

[MFauli]

I don't get it. There's 50 competitive mages inside that relatively small area around the lake, and they don't stumble over each other? Eh.

Also I wonder if the sorceress called ÜBEL might be evil /s.

[Buffalobiian]

Not being German, I didn't pick that up until you mentioned it.

That said, I liked other small things too - like Ubel's eye movement showing she baited the bandits to approach her so she could kill them, and Frieren only mentioning Stark calling her an old hag because his comment made Fern apologise, and Frieren felt bad about that.