Frieren's Exam Arc is Underrated

When I first started watching Frieren, it seemed like the perfect show. I mean, it was such a breath of fresh air among all of the isekai and video-game style anime we're inundated with year after year. That's why I, among others, were pretty disappointed once it started to veer towards more typical fantasy fodder.
We should've never doubted it.
For Frieren's exam arc is not a departure from what made the show so good, rather, it goes beyond that. Almost as if chiding us the viewer for becoming so attached in the first place.
References:
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[@ade1174]

"The way we live reflects those that are important to us." I think the last episode of the season beautifully showed how many people Frieren changed during the exam arc from Kanne and Lawine being thankful for her mentorship to Denken no longer being as jaded from losing his wife as a young man and now himself taking on a role in mentoring the next generation to Fern choosing a simply laundry spell as the one she learns from Serie as she grows appreciative of her master's philosophy of collecting spells that have meaning to the one she cares for like creating a flower field for Himmel or the berry spell for Eisen.

[@franklinwhitsell2987]

It is true, and I think when Fern selects her magic spell reward the series really hit that home. She went with something that kept her clothes perfectly clean instead of anything related to combat. The master than commenting to her that there was no doubt she was her pupil. Fern simply agrees at the move on at the end. People in real life are much the same with others who are important to us. We may not always care about an event or thing ourselves, but will often honor something if it is important to the people we care about. This show is much deeper than most anime. It is all about relationships both past and present and how they impact us in the world. It does this in a beautiful way as well.

[@soysaucerb]

To me, the laundry spell seemed like a Fern spell more than a Frieren spell. Frieren collects spells for novelty, and they are sometimes useful, such as Flamme's spell that helped cheer up a lost young boy or another that happened to make grapes taste better to her companion. The spell that Fern chose was practical, because she's a practical person. Clothes need to be cleaned, and now she has a way around the work that goes into that. I would say that it still proves she's Frieren's student because like her master she sees magic as something useful for more than just fighting.

[@tpsam]

​@@soysaucerband it's a parallel to ubel fighting wirbel the Northern commander chad in their first exam almost killing each other The spells we use reflects the kind of people we are The way we live reflects who is important in our lives We conduct ourselves based on our environment and community And we specialise in the skills specific to what kind of personality we have Our upbringing changes us like we dictate our skillset to suit our desires

[@tpsam]

​@@franklinwhitsell2987similarly the other mages that passed except for denken and methode Ubel and wirbel being fighting obsessed people they're perfect pupils of series Ubel literally no words needed from just a glance we are on the same page you pass next The guy from the northern commander fighting demons to save his village Magic is a tool to kill (demons) it doesn't matter which one I like more Pass as well He is a kid that grew up experiencing both peace and war so he knows the importance of power to win wars and protect peace he is a warrior which gives him that fire necessary to pass and be accepted by series

[@raylf3141]

Exam arc was worth it just to see her get stuck in multiple mimics out of sheer stubbornness.

[@Kamimashita]

I almost included a line like this in the video haha

[@themaskedhobo]

The best payoff was Fern choosing an epic level spell for cleaning clothes from Serie 🤣

[@Doodlesthegreat]

@@Kamimashita My two most hilarious moments are in the second test, first with Sense, then with the rest of the mages at the end when they realize that Frieren, the legendary mage who helped defeat the Demon King... ...is a gatchapon addict. ("1%? Why, those sound like great odds to me!" - any player of a Hoyoverse mobile game)

[@misssniperella]

​@@Doodlesthegreat When you live as long as Frieren, you realize how likely 1% is and in comparison to how much time she has, the time it takes to get that 1 in 100 chance is relatively short. That said, after playing RNG heavy games for nearly 30 years, I have come to see single digit percent chances as way more likely to happen than most people would. It's kinda crazy at first when you realize how often 1 in 100 actually happens when you are exposed to it, and even lower odds regularly. For example encountering wild shiny pokemon in the older generations with 1 in 8192 odds, makes 1 in 100 seem huge.

[@Fluttersniper]

“Let’s go gambling!” CHOMP. “Kowai yo!” CHOMP. “Kowai yo!” CHOMP! “Kowai yo!” CHOMP! “Kowai yo!” CHOMP! “Kowai yo!”

[@0019329077]

I know it's good because it's bringing old anime youtubers out of the woodwork

[@ObiwanNekody]

Yeah, it's pretty amazing for doing that. Get people posting their first videos in years about Frieren all over the place.

[@hang_kentang6709]

I suspect because the theme of second chances hits quite hard to those that grew up watching anime in the 2000s.

[@wahidpawana424]

If you've been watching anime or read manga since the 80's or 90's, Frieren introduce many concept that could hit a soft spot to people in their 30's and older, especially concept like aftermath of major event or main quest in their life (e.g college, job hunting, promotions etc.).

[@analogmoz]

45 years old. I am back because of shows like this.

[@salamander337]

While Frieren & Fern was taking the exam, Stark was all alone in the village helping the folks with the small things like how Himmel did in the past. At the end we got a little clue when Fern ask Stark that everyone in the villages seems to know him very well. 😂

[@NAANsoft]

So true, and now that I remember I'm getting emotional again...

[@GregRohr]

Stark was trained by his master Eisen - but he has the heart of Himmel. My guess - when they get to Heaven, Himmel will finally be able to confess his love for Frieren. And Stark and Fern will love each other, redeeming what was lost between Himmel and Frieren.

[@TheTexasDice]

The path of a warrior is without end. You have taken yet another step toward mastering it's secrets. There is nothing left to teach you.

[@wahidpawana424]

Frieren breaking an almost impenetrable barrier just so Kanne is not restricted to use her specialised water base magic, os peak mom move.

[@bonel0rd326]

2 places you NEVER fight a water mage in 1. The ocean or on a boat 2. In a Rainstorm / Thunderstorm

[@looots1320]

Serie said she doesn't care about Flamme, teaching human mages is useless etc but also keep coming back to Flamme's grave to make flowers.. this little elf brat

[@dakilangraikage9988]

A Tsundere at it's finest fr

[@joseybarrolim3364]

Where was it shown that she came back to Flamme’s grave?

[@il3fortunato664]

​@@joseybarrolim3364 She didn't, the only was Frieren.

[@themaskedhobo]

@@il3fortunato664 She may not go to the grave, but she does still use the "useless" flower spell in the interview portion of the exam arc, she admits that she cant help but keep and use all of her apprentices favorite spells even the silly ones. She also said she needs to stop taking Human apprentices then immediately flips and offers to take on Fern. 🤣

[@asteri8299]

​@@themaskedhoboin the manga you can tell that even though Serie is very elf in struggling to express emotions, Serie does actually care about all of her students and remembers every minute detail about them, worries about Frieren's oppinion of her, ect. She disagrees with Frieren and Flammel's view of and intentions with magic, but she does care about them, just sucks at expressing it. Just like Frieren!

[@smoovbynature]

It is genuinely surprising how many anime viewers assume 28 episodes is the climax of such a wonderful story and work by the creators. The manga has enough material to make another 28 episodes easily. The "exam arc" is but a setup for the reality check that is still to come. The reason I'm so drawned to this new masterpiece is because of how "lived in" and realistic the story feels despite being High Fantasy. This is not a story than can be predicted, that's all I will say.

[@aditxd1]

If second season has 28 episode too, it's gonna adapt el dorado and goddess monument arc. This 2 arc alone beat the entirety of season 1 content. Can't wait for people to see this arc 😔👌

[@smoovbynature]

@@aditxd1 goddess monument arc was such a curveball sheesh!! It doesn't even feel like manga honestly

[@amalakram8755]

i swear i can't wait for season 2, the manga was a wild ride

[@andylozano5193]

I’ve heard of the name of the El Dorado arc and I love that I don’t know what will happen from that name haha.

[@smoovbynature]

@@amalakram8755 you know it's still going right? Latest chapter just dropped

[@nightvision999]

Himmel is to Frieren what single season anime characters are to us.

[@ghetoknight7801]

I wanna protest but honestly that is a brilliant scale of reference "Remember that one goated underrated anime with an ultra fleshed out character that you adored? You will never see them again."

[@travisperkins9920]

​@@ghetoknight7801Noragami

[@andilemakanza1768]

That is so real😂

[@marodonthemorone]

not only the exam arc is outstanding on its own, but it's also fundamental in establishing so many characters and plot points for future arcs, people are not ready for what's to come 🙏

[@ObiwanNekody]

One of the arcs this sets up is truly golden indeed.

[@aditxd1]

Oh my god, people wasn't ready for el dorado arc. This exam arc really just a set up arc and to show what past this point will be whole different league of danger

[@citra1885]

​@@ObiwanNekody I see what you did there😂

[@amalakram8755]

i see what you did there

[@tlesser-aase7394]

I didn't think the exam arc deviated from the beauty of the original plot. It was completely necessary with the plot's progression and set up in such a way that they could not go any further without completing it. It delved deeper into each character and their motivations and even more of the world that came from the Hero's party defeating the demon king. It's so beautiful.

[@TheGreenB1rd]

Yea, the arc kinda makes the show less sad and less lonely since we know more characters with different traits within the exam

[@notationmusical]

I thought the exam arc was a perfect way of showing how much Fern cares for Frieren. From the way she's emotionally detached when with other people, to when she becomes jealous of Frieren latching onto others, to the moment where she has to fight Frieren. There's a whole ed dedicated to Frieren and Fern's connection, and I think that's pretty neat.

[@sentryion3106]

Even the serie third exam pays homage to the two’s connection. The Frieren theme playing when fern proudly announced she is Frieren student and refuse serie’s offer

[@kiteflying9317]

Don't forget when she was mad at Frieren and that middle age shop owner mage asked Fern if she was Frieren student or kids and Fern didn't respond because she was mad at Frieren. 😂

[@fatesteeltaylor9805]

"Just like how in the middle of living a good life, Himmel ended up saving the world before he knew it." WHAT A BANGER OF A LINE GOAT GOAT GOAT GOAT GOAT

[@Catonzo]

Its a surprise to me to hear people "disliked" the last part of Frieren. To me it was a crescendo. Yes, it had more combat, but it was not exactly overburdened by it. Every battle had a good reason and they were animated quite well. They all served a purpose and showcased each Mage's personality. It is only natural that there's some form of organization in a world of magic as well. It is a way of life and it is likely to be necessary to govern to some degree. Much like there is the Church for Clerics and likely some organization for Warriors as well. It just builds the world a bit. And man, the beauty of the animation is alone reason for this arc to have so much battles. None of them are as high stakes as the previous battles, but they are beautiful.. and we got to see Frieren at her peak. Vastly more powerful than Fern, but Fern still was the deciding factor. I love seeing this development myself. In a few years when we get part 2, I will be sinking my teeth right into that as I did now. I was sold on Frieren within a few seconds when I watched the teaser.. and I am sold on season 2 still.

[@Kamimashita]

Frieren vs. Frieren was an ingenious endcap to a great arc.

[@ClickBeetleTV]

Also, the music was stunning throughout And the arcs were each never really about combat at their core - one didn't have to fight to catch the bird; the dungeon centered on cooperation; Serie's judgment was the matter of a moment. Each was really about the choices of each character when confronted with these challenges, and they made the choice of each character relevant and memorable, while keeping each character similarly relevant to the future story instead of just jobbing for Frieren. It's an amazing accomplishment in building out the cast as well as the world

[@mamadirga2822]

​@@KamimashitaWhy doesn't an anime as good as Frieren get many Ranime Award nominations? most importantly... aoty or the best animation, even ignoring Evan Call's music score and ignoring the cinematography

[@aritrasaha441]

Maybe next yr​@@mamadirga2822

[@Kamimashita]

@@mamadirga2822 it wasn't eligible for 2023 cause it hadn't ended yet. I'm sure it'll get plenty of awards soon

[@Darko807]

Fern needed this Arc to develop her Master/Foster Mom relationship with Frieren. Also she had to realize further her standing in the world of magic and as a person with what she can and can't do with her skill. Like Frieren said in the fight against her copy: " Only I know how frightening I can be" which is a pretty hardcore line if you think about how her name is Frieren the Slayer in the Demons domain. In Magic: Fern had to see for herself what her "Master" is capable of and why she is still her master by a landslide that is all but just the metasupport for the social component to imprint the Master/Apprentice (& Mother/Daughter in a way) connection. If you watch the whole season again you'll notice that Fern herself never says that Frieren is her Master. But after she got her staff repaired, understood how Frieren deals things emotionally in conclusion to everything seen before in the season and stood against Serie she tells her proudly from the chest "I am Miss Frieren's student" for the first time. And also later to Frieren face to face with the response "naturally" This is also further enforced at the scene with Richter when he asks if she is Frieren's student and Stark had to answer because she didn't respond. (Even when Eisen asked "is she a good master?" - "I don't know" - "Fern, she is a good Master" and Fern agreed it was never said from her pov)

[@achintyamitra493]

The things that Frieren has gained from Himmel are many and numerous but I feel that the acceptance of change that you attributed to Himmel has existed even pre-Himmel for her. For example, in the flashback between her and Serie, she says she looks forward to the era of humans where she would get to see so many new spells and mages. I suppose one can attribute this to Flamme as she was the other big game changer for Frieren besides Himmel. I will go as far as to say that it was Flamme's tutelage that made Frieren even capable of connecting with humans way down the line. I just feel across this whole fandom we might be underestimating Flamme's impact on Frieren.

[@Kamimashita]

This is a great point!

[@CanMe-no5sw]

My favorite line is Frieren saids that even after a thousand years, her master still has her dancing in the palm of her hand. Flamme truly understand frieren true nature, every path frieren took is guided by flamme.

[@10thletter40]

I was totally going to comment (in much less eloquence) that I would say Flamme was the one who started the difference, as Serie constantly pushes emotional connection away despite actually caring

[@ChairmanAnime]

On the subject of Zoltraak vs. the exam arc and Fern being the icon for the next generation of mages, I think it's incredibly cool that Zoltraak has basically looped around to being sleeper OP again. Mages developed powerful anti-magic shields to beat Zoltraak and then developed an offensive magic style that utilizes physical elements to beat anti-magic shields - but since these spells are so slow, a fast Zoltraak ends up beating them. Qual even hints at this conclusion in his episode, and the exam arc and Fern is the proof of concept. What was once old and outdated is now new and optimal.

[@AnlaVerse]

Surprisingly a lot of people miss this aspect of the world building when it comes to zoltraak. Many people ask why wouldn't you just spam zoltraak but they fail to realize that not everyone can afford to just spam zoltraak like fern and that the new spells are probably so recent that most mages haven't realized this is the optimal way of combat. And that is not to say other spells are useless, just look at sorganeil and everything frieren uses in the clone fight, there's clearly more to being a mage than just spamming magic attacks.

[@hulmhochberg8129]

All those new kids just don't understand the meta like frieren.

[@IzakiAkanami]

What makes the exam arc different from most animes with "similar" flows, is that we actually got to know every character by giving each and every one of them equal amounts of screentime, and that alone made it that much more enjoyable

[@Paul-A01]

That happens all the time in these arcs. We get to watch them beat the shit out of each other and we learn what their powers and motivations are. That's why these exam arcs are so common.

[@rumpelstilzchen4202]

To me, something remarkable about frieren is, that it does NOT do anything revolutionary. No crazy twist on a genre, nothing genre defining. But what a lot of people forget is, that tropes and conventions exist because they work, or have worked in the past. A lot of times, stories that rely on tropes are lazy and uncreative, only treading what has worked before in hopes of an appealing setting. Frieren however takes tropes and old story elements and actually puts the work in to make them excel. Character growth, attention to detail, solid and believable worldbuilding. Same with the exam arc. Exam arcs have become a trope because they are beloved in many iconic anime and are an excellent storytelling tool. But you still have to put in the work to use the potential of an exam arc, which frieren does and many others do not.

[@Kamimashita]

Exactly!

[@TheGameleader5000]

Like often you need to do it right. Frieren did it, because you dont need to invent the wheel new. You dont need to force to be "different". It needs to fit well together and make it look like 1 big part. I love to compare it to the PS2 version of Dragon Quest 8. There was nothing new, there was nothing innovative, BUT it felt all part of a whole. Everything fit together and it was great. (Funfact: the DS remakes were much worse because they changed stuff and it really did hurt the fun in the game even though it was more modern) The effort done in Frieren pays off, because it was done to bejust like that. The tropes and points like an exam arc, are simply perfectly fitting everything with reasons for these things. Not just for having an exam in the story.

[@judopunch2672]

@chairmananime s comment above, thats kinda like how Zoltraak and regular defensive magic worked, metaphorically. Taking the old tropes and using them properly and understanding them can overcome those who forgot why they learned Zoltraak and Defensive magic barriers in the first place.

[@lulu111_the_cool]

Ok but why then subvert frieren them all the time? And it seems like doing stuff the right way with high quality is revolutionary in today's landscape of anime.

[@TheGameleader5000]

@@lulu111_the_cool Doing things the right way beeing revolutionary is not just in anime, it is in videogames too. And what do you mean with Frieren subverting them all th time? If you mean anime in general I dont think its subverting them at all. Could you elaborate what you mean with that, otherwise I wont understand what you mean.

[@misterdayne2792]

I loved the series from the beginning. I was caught by the feel-good nostalgic style from episode 1, could feel tears welling up when Himmel was buried, and I was estatic when Fern shot through the rock. I felt anger and bewilderment when Stark showed his cowardice the first time, and in awe when Eisen said he was *afraid* of that little, redheaded bull of a man. The very same that would bend a massive dragon to his will seconds later. Their stories and everyday life is full of engagements, reality to a degree, and the trifles of life. When it came out that Himmel, the Hero that slayed the Demon King, didn't even have the Hero's Sword because he couldn’t lift it from the stone, that was when one of my most loved moments happened. He did that as a "fake hero", but he did it nonetheless. The exam was absolutely the logical point to take, for Fern to fully realise herself as a mage, and I'm surprised and saddened that anyone would think of this series as boring or mid...

[@blattsalat77]

I picked up the manga when ch41 released, the beginning of the exam arc. I started reading it on a whim at 3 am after my roommate woke me up by cooking something in the kitchen at such an unholy time of day. And I can't thank him enough for that. I was absolute enamored by the first chapter. And then the next, and the next, and when I got to the sunrise chapter, I could start seeing a feint gloom on the horizon. At that time, during the heights of Covid, I only just recently moved away from home to study in university. I was living in the top floor of an old building and the ceiling was angled, with only a skylight to illuminate the room (and wake me up at 8am every morning). I was struggling with loneliness, but looking back it was also a quite happy point in my life, I got to play video games with my friends every day. So far each chapter had gotten me to cry, but I knew this coincidence was special. So, just like Frieren, I stood up, got on my bed, and watched the sunrise. Frieren has by far my favourite prologue and first few chapters/episodes out of anything I've seen. It manages to so succinctly tackle the core ideas of the series, and all of them deeply connect with me. It's a masterclass in storytelling with absolutely phenomenal foreshadowing at the start of every single little adventure, the highlight being the seed rats in ep2 that lead us to my favourite scene of the series. When it started to diverge in the first major arc of the series, I got worried. Will it devolve into battle shounen? Will they be able to give a complete message without diluting it? To be fair, there is some diluting, but that is not an issue. Because after the Aura "fight" and the, again, absolutely beautiful setup to Frieren's mana reveal, I have complete and absolute faith in the authors. The exam arc is definitely my least favourite in the manga, but seeing it all animated, with the best production we've ever seen in a 2+ cour anime, I get it. I get how it all connects back into the core themes, and you put all of that perfectly. Thank you for this video. I'm so glad you're back.

[@duo1666]

This is why Frieren is so much a superior mage than Serie is or ever will be. Serie claimed that it was Frieren's fault that so many people made it through to the third test, then proceeded to instantly fail a lot of them. The reality is that Frieren didnt get them there, they got themselves there. All Frieren did was recognize their own capabilities and facilitate it. Its the entire reason *WHY* she studied the barrier in the first test. It didnt benefit her, it didnt hinder her opponent, all it did was facilitate the capabilities of someone who was looked down upon as weak by everyone else, showing just how powerful and proficient she was. The same person that Serie didnt hesitate to fail without a second thought is indeed someone who is more than worthy of the title of first class mage and getting to that point. She did it on her own merit. Frieren's existence in the second test likewise didnt help anyone. She was even put as the final obstacle in the way of everyone. Her and fern being there just allowed everyone to actually sit down and think about how to proceed, and each show their own strength to pass the test. She also stood as the final test for Fern to show how far she has come. Fern had to be the one to finish the fight, which she did. She managed to strike the proper opening, take advantage of Frieren's weakness that only she was capable of. Sure, Frieren got the final *final* hit in, but the damage would have been fatal to flesh and blood Frieren, and the opening only existed because of Fern's success. Serie is the better "battle mage", but she hasnt killed anywhere near the same number of demons, hasnt killed the demon lord, didnt save the world, didnt experience the total joy awaiting those who seek it. If Frieren and Serie actually fought, Frieren would likely be the victor.

[@gong-hl7fw]

Nice analysis. Agree with you. But the only reason Fern was capable of landing a hit on the clone was because of Frieren stalling it. Otherwise, as shown at the earlier parts of the fight, the clone would have blocked Fern's zoltraak.

[@imaloser5689]

Frieren says she can't visualise any mage beating Serie in a fight.

[@gong-hl7fw]

@@imaloser5689 op never said anything about beating serie

[@duo1666]

@@imaloser5689 Sure, and yet serie didnt kill the demon lord, frieren did.

[@imaloser5689]

@@gong-hl7fw "If Frieren and Serie actually fought, Frieren would likely be the victor." I mean he literally did.

[@alexc1]

"To be remembered is to live on through others". You had me crying with this one so, liked, and subbed. Loved everything you said in here, and even more so how eloquently you did such a thing.

[@Smol_Eri]

I think as frieren stays with humans, she will eventually become more open midned. She'll start to see magic in many different ways and evolve past her point of "we need to think about how to defend against zoltrak" remember. Fern is teaching her to live fast, enjoy the moment, and respect the flow of time. Those lessons will eventually catch up to frieren.

[@dawesome_sauce]

I loved the exam arc. Such a shame it wasn't as well received. Thank you for taking some time to help them see its importance.

[@PrometheanKitchen96]

To be honest, this show has one of the best exam arcs of any anime I've ever watched I think very few anime can ever top this when it comes to the exam arc

[@ReplayValue]

I fear you have made maybe the only good Frieren video on the platform despite being out of "practice" - a truly damning indictment for the rest of us. This is the best encapsulation of the mage exam arc as it relates to the themes of the opening episodes that I've seen to this point, and made beautifully personal in the process. Excellent work as always my brother.

[@enigma3312]

Hard agree nice job

[@friedhotwings]

Only good Frieren video is a wild statement

[@fm.burbank8461]

@@friedhotwingsits their opinion, and i understand that’s your opinion.. so what now?

[@10thletter40]

​@@friedhotwings I think it's because it isn't a general, Frieran is good show, Frieran cares now, but didn't then, isn't that so cool!

[@Eugene_TEC]

It's basically Frieren's Chuunin exams, which is to say an efficient way to introduce a large number of characters who will feature in all the later arcs, while also showing what is possible in the series' power system. An exam/tournament arc is simply the most narratively convenient way of doing this.

[@mattwoodard2535]

The manga is still going and builds on what came before. There is an arc (you will know when you see it) that REALLY shows how Frieren has changed and continues to change. sm

[@silluete]

Fieren remind the joy of watching my first anime again its also remind me to not so snobby about anime and there is anime for everyone.

[@ricardozelaya4742]

If people complain about the exam arc they are completely blind to the greatness of it, and should be ashamed of their ignorance!

[@batangbatugan]

I love your analysis of the exam arc, other characters made connections, too. Denken appreciated Richter and Laufen so much he treats them as his son and granddaughter he never had. Wirbel despite his cold nature looks after his inexperienced party. Ubel tries to emphatize with Land (albeit maybe for selfish purposes) and even Serie admitted her mistakes after chastising the current 1st class mages for passing too many participants. To me, the exam arc is great world building. Since magic is a big part of the story its important to understand the politics of a world where magic exists and how it is controlled and regulated. All we knew prior is that Frieren learned magic from Flamme, and Fern learned from her. Now we learn that magic colleges, associations and bureacracy exists that even Frieren now only found out that Fern had to take an exam to get a license. Its kinda like learning how to make video games. Back then there were no game engines or software, you had to figure out how to use basic computer programming code. Now there are schools and courses that teach almost every aspect of game design and video games are now a billion dollar industry.

[@Revealingstorm.]

People dislike the tournament arc? Youre the first person to give that notion to me at all. I think it's by far the best part of the second half the show.

[@flaviusiacob1558]

The first one I saw disliking the arc, was Connor from trash taste

[@Revealingstorm.]

@@flaviusiacob1558 all a lot of the opinions on that podcast are contrarion on purpose I think

[@LocalHobo631]

@@flaviusiacob1558I like Connor but he often has dogshit opinions so 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@reality_101]

Yeah I was looking forward to the exam arc in fact I loved it

[@badassoverlordzetta]

Beautifully said. As an anime-only watcher I never doubted for a second how astoundingly well written this show was, and now I'm comforted to know that many others feel the same.

[@SeaCow1g]

Good to have you back Kamimashita. You’re a Himmel to me.

[@Kamimashita]

That means the world.

[@Ballard258]

The exam is the best arch in the anime. It introduces a bunch of interesting characters like Denken, Übel Wyrbel Serie and a cupple more. Allso expand the magic system and shows us how other mages beside Ferne and Frieren think fight and live and that's not even talking about the awesome fights

[@TheGreenB1rd]

Yea, that arc makes the anime less sad, less lonely

[@elifretty1018]

I had all notifications turned on and it didn’t tell me you uploaded I’m so happy I missed your content man I so very much hope you’ve been doing good

[@anonyme4881]

People complaigning about the exam arc didnt understand that its that without it we couldnt establish so many interresting character in so little time. Lets take Sein as an exemple, for one character that will definitively return we needed like 5 episodes. With the exam arc in 10 ep we got, in order of importance based on my own feeling : Übel (that one will probably beat Frieren one day), Denken, Serie, the first class mage as a whole, Wirbel, Land, Method, Kanne and Lawrine, Richter..... Exam is a neet plot device to introduce tons of new character without forcing And also Frieren wasnt really about only peacefull life. Its just about life itself. And as its life it got many slow moment coupled with tons of hard moment like Lugner fight or the exam.

[@randomthings3695]

thank you for the wonderful captions

[@GMSquared]

OMG! This is how you do Clickbait! I thought this was going to be just an edgey anti-confirmist hot take. But here you are making me be happy to find out that it was a great clickbait title.

[@NationalistsRuinAmerica]

Frieren is not that ground breaking as a concept, it's just that Fantasy anime has been so severely starved of new ideas that any new idea, be it so small, feels revolutionary. Fuck Übel btw

[@GMSquared]

@@NationalistsRuinAmerica Quality art and storytelling is so hard to comeby that we can't help but to fall in love with it whenever we do see it. And yeah, fuck Übel.

[@shawnvogt888]

​@@NationalistsRuinAmerica not a very good take. The hero is gone, the main story has ended, but it explores what happens after that. I'd like to know how many anime you've seen that have explored that topic? A list, please. Or is this a hot take?

[@NationalistsRuinAmerica]

@@shawnvogt888 That's literally just the premise, but the actual story is a thing on its own. Frieren is literally still fighting against demons and the anime has many other elements typical for fantasy shit. A "fresh air" fantasy anime would either be something like Konusuba which doesn't take itself seriously at all, or something actually mature, not catered towards a teenage audience, which frieren sadly fails to do because Characters like Übel or Genau still exist. At least Frieren holds back on the fan service part.

[@royalfun1031]

​@@NationalistsRuinAmericawut

[@markfrantz4612]

“Let’s get this over with” is the exact phrase frieren warns us about. By making us think that and then proving us wrong the show forces us to rethink our perception

[@fatalhope7945]

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End has connected with me in a way no other anime has. The way Frieren lives her life blind to the passage of time, and the effect that has on her relationships mirrors my experience with ADHD. I see so much of myself in her, it resonates deeply. Your video made me realize this, so thank you!!

[@majakawalio2631]

My faith in the show dropped during the exam arc too. I am not sure if it's a good defensive point - if the culmination is fantastic then everything before it is justifable. I felt tired to hear too much "science" details about magic, annoyed by the sudden drop of so many new characters (and too many of them seemed quite annoying, one more "cool" and more powerful than another or so blank you could be sure for him to be gone in a next scene). It looked like a cheap attempt to have more material for more episodes rather than a honest story. It got better with time but I hate to feel not caring about a character because someone threw him at me in a too big crowd. They took away a lot of screen time from connections I already cared about - Fern, Stark and Frieren. I think exam arc was a good idea but I am uncertain it was as well developed as other beautiful aspects of Frieren. Anyway thank you for sharing your point of view! Loved to hear it and you have some nice thoughts about this arc. Frieren is such a beauitful show. Rare animated gem to me

[@OtakuBox]

I think along with the way it blends and builds upon the character stuff already mentioned, the one thing that I'm a bit more impartial to the arc, or at least warm up to its existence, is that it's also in my view a necessary evil. In that, up to that point as well we hear the whispers and murmurings of like, mages, the existence of other mages and the concept that magic is this widespread thing. But other than perhaps Sein, who uses more like faith-based magic, we don't really get to see the extent of that. Not only does the arc sit us down and introduce us to that world building of having all of these varied kinds of magics which imo is cool, but it also confirms and allows us to see for ourselves what the magic world is like. With the journey aspect there's a good chance we otherwise would have barely or never encountered the breadth of what the world has to offer. This is a conglomeration of all of these (supposedly, sorry that one guy who just sat in the dungeon and cried) pretty good mages to even attempt and get here, and getting a taste of this I think is cool. And yeah like mentioned its not like we lose out on every aspect that the show has done, like we frequently still got so much of what we've come to love with the blending of time and memory and how that plays and intermingles with the events. It's just a different flavour and I can totally understand why that sets things off kilter, but, it is what it is. Nice Runescape reference

[@analogmoz]

Frieren's passive, unnoticed love of Himmel is stunningly beautiful.

[@KukuMomsHouse]

Finally back to making YT videos... Today is a good day.

[@chrisschultz8598]

I am not an anime connoisseur. I was attracted to Frieren because of its story, it's beautiful animation and the different perspective (what DO heroes do after completing their quests?). It never occurred to me that the exam would be a controversial turn in the narrative. It's always interesting to hear others' perspectives on a story, particularly one that I enjoy. And there are some real haters out there. But nothing they say changes my perspective on the story. It's more like a soccer fan critiqueing baseball, which I love. You know ... whatever. Anyway, loved your analysis and it gave me a new perspective on the story and the clear path in the writing.

[@alkon8032]

What annoyed me with the exam arc is how incredibly how short it was. But it was great to see that people who found each other for the first time there became lifelong friends. Denken got a granddaughter to spoil, and he also got a friend who runs a mage's general goods store. The green haired girl got someone to rely on, Wirbel who look like a psychopath turns out to be wanting to be like Himmel, like the side characters have actual personalities and developed even just for a short amount of time (it's like the whole plot of Frieren) I really hope there's a season 2

[@Palitato]

Honestly, being annoyed with the exam arc, thinking "lets get this over with" is exactly how Frieren herself feels about it. She thinks it's useless and silly to have to go through it, and she's only doing it because they HAVE to to get the permission they need to go further north. So it's kinda fitting.

[@Ryuseishun]

The exam arc really opened up for plenty of potential with where the story can go for sure.

[@sofiav7071]

I loved the exam arc and am surprised to learn people didn't

[@KoKoraaaaaaaa1995]

I felt the same way going into the exam arc, but quickly got over it within the first couple episodes of the first test. Loved all the new Mage characters that got introduced too.

[@IwrsTheKing007]

wait, I just realized, one of Series students favorite spell is the spell to catch birds... 12:12

[@tric5122]

What i like about freiren so much is that exact thing. At some point age anf technology cross and the older you get the more you struggle with keeping up. And here you see the gift of age, wisdom and accumulated knowledge, but also the struggle to understand the new. I realized all this when my dad had to live with me. He didnt understand streaming tv, or using the Internet to watch things or find information. He would struggle to use his laptop after awhile or it wouldnt stay charged, and you'd go to look at it, and it had 80+ tabs, many duplicates. He was only 84, imagine 1000s of years, mostly in isolation or with limited contact, living life searching for equally old, not if not older information. She is lost in the past, and it takes Fern and Schtark to drag her into the present.

[@donney3389]

I never had any dought about the 1 class magie arc. I trusted the story to stay within its own theme it was building to.

[@zoam7881]

I feel like it shows that Fern is catching up. Even after defeating the clone, Fern loses. There is still more growth for her.

[@FrauZehel]

The exam arc is very important since its the introduction of recurring characters outside of Frierens old and new party.

[@Chuck8541]

I guess I'm in the minority. I was disappointed when I realized I was suddenly in the beginning of yet another 'exam arc trope'. But I still loved the anime tho.

[@TheAceCook]

idek how people can complain. they could come out with a whole other exam arc and i’d just be thankful we get more of this universe 😭

[@LeReVaQ]

The channel is finally alive!

[@Isogyre_]

The absolute only issue i have about the exam arc is… I DIDNT GET MY STARK Mostly jokes, i do miss my man but honestly he’s such a good side character to two female mcs and its a breath of fresh air, i just hope he gets some more spotlight bc i miss him!

[@Xagroth]

First, the Auberst arc is another trope (the gatekeeping of the next part of the adventure) so it's consistent with the whole theme in the series. Second, it also serves to further diffuse Frieren's place as "top dog overpowered PC on new game+" feeling people may have from several past episodes in which she seems to be tying up loose ends easily (to be fair, she gives that air due to her usual expresionless looks). Third, it's also a defeat, of sorts, that completely removes any feeling of mary sue the character may have outside of her isolationist cocoon (possibly an effect of a very long live with powerful magic that lets you bring forth changes on the world with only your mind), not only because she does not get the 1st class mage title (which she didn't care about aside as a way to be allowed to travel further north), nor because her clone gets plastered in an epic battle in which Fern was the critical sniper (kudos for the black hole spell!), but because of how the magic system levels most powerful mages equally we get shown in the Ûbel Vs Sense's clone fight. Suddenly, the story is no longer a Lord of The Rings after Sauron's fall with an unfettered Gandalf going around with superpowered novices, but risk becomes everpresent again... as an appetizer for Golden Land arc, no less!

[@TheTexasDice]

This arc is fantastic, because while at first glance it feels like a completely unrelated filler-sidequest for half a season, the magic exam is REALLY important for world building. This part of Frieren is the best exploration and explanation for a universes magic setting I have ever seen.

[@jaredelliott5778]

i didnt realize the exam arc was even able to be underrated. it was by far my favorite arc and ive prolly watched every episode in it at least 4 times

[@ryankwon8785]

What made this arc work is that every character is interesting and has the potential to return in the future. Denken paid off if you read the manga. I hope Land returns because he really is the work from home guy. Also, Sense’s test is the easiest as everyone could just work together and pass. The problem is that mages tend to be too prideful.

[@Hellacious-Blue-Liquid]

I feel like people thought it was a shonen battle arc when it was really about showing how magic is perceived by the world beyond our main characters. We learned about how magic works and the attitudes of the mages in the current generation towards magic. We saw the actual scope of what Frieren is capable of and the strengths and weaknesses of the current generation of mages It's fights were as fun and interesting as the others in the show and it had just as many interesting character interactions as other parts of the story. Denken was an absolute icon! Just because it had some of the trappings of conventional shonen made people think it somehow had anything in common with it when it really never stopped being itself

[@ryans3199]

I don't think Serie is concerned about the functionality of a spell over its sheer destructive power-- or at least its functionality in a fight. Remember Fern saying how displeased she looked when handing her the laundry spell. I dunno, that seems like pretty great functionality in my book. And, that both Ubel and Wirbel-- one who has the eyes of a killer and the other who only sees magic as a "tool for killing"-- were passed with the least hesitation. The exam arc was some interesting world-building, if a little cliche'd, I won't deny that. But there's something else we in the audience were supposed to pick up on, and we were told it to our faces, time and time again: That the imagination is the most powerful thing in the world-- at the very least the most critical component of magic. It almost feels deliberate, to me, that it was hidden in plain sight, behind all the other things going on. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I realize it's been an underlying theme throughout the series, with the exam arc bringing it to the forefront.

[@Kenalskii]

Great video! But I can't believe you changed Äußerst name to Auberst xD

[@Kamimashita]

I'm sorry, I must've stuttered!

[@dgthunderer]

For me it was when we learned the spell Fern chose. The exam was hectic and forced people to prove themselves. Fern did that and succeeded in society's game, but then chose not to conform to society's ways but to choose a life that is focused on relationships and simple pleasures. That's why she stuck with Frieren and that's why she picked the spell she did.

[@rainbowappleslice]

I loved this arc from the start. Seeing Frieren going up against other mages was so hype

[@fluidicrift]

Frieren is a commentary on how we revere the "immortal" characters in fantasy stories like elves, grand wizards, demons and spirits while not truly apprecriating how much humanity contributes. Freiren shows us that humans take on tragedy and given enough time and resources there is no God humanity will not eventually be able to kill. Frieren's throwaway line saying she expects to be killed by a human mage someday is foreshadowed in the manga where Seire is targeted for assassination. Humans are fascinating in how imperfect and weak we are. Give us the motivation to do something and we will accomplish it incrementally.

[@mandragonna]

I also thought at the beginning that an exam arch is so cliche, but the more it advanced, the more meaningful it became. So I started thinking about why I hated so much, and I came into the conclusion that it was every time Kanna and Lawine are on the screen or given the spot. They’re so boring and irritating that I just couldn’t help myself but sigh of frustration whenever they start fighting with each other. Maybe Lawine could have a more interesting backstory, but every time Kanna was on its own, she does nothing and you can clearly see her “no thoughts head empty” energy. She’s just the girl that makes Lawine take any action.

[@SephTheSin]

Such a great perspective on such a great series, the general hate towards this arc is so baffling to me and I think you raise a lot of good points, honestly besides how hard hitting the first 2/3 episodes are these final few were by far the most investing to me, probably my favourite moment in this season outside of Episode 1 was the little scene of Fern smiling as she watched Frieren explore the hidden room of the dungeon during the second round, and in general Himmel and now by extension Frierens view on the importance of enjoying the dungeon a floor at a time really spoke to me, and honestly changed my view of the show a lot, I wasn't growing bored of the show or anything like I know some people were but it made me appreciate every episode individually and not just as a stepping stone to getting to some conclusion, in my time zone the episodes would come out on a Friday evening so watching Frieren was always the first thing I got to do after a week of work and for the last few months became this nice regular part of my weekly schedule, also must say Fern stole the show for me in this arc, and wasn't until it concluded I realsied just how little we knew about Fern and her true feelings until this arc, and with a mages reason to pursue magic almost being a metaphor for ones meaning in life the fact Fern was at her happiest watching Frieren be happy and that the final line of her interview was that she was Frierens student it really paints a picture of how much Frieren has effected Fern for the better and given her life meaning beyond meeting expectations or paying back debts like she did at the start of the series, and is so heartwarming, sorry for the long ass comment if you've even read this far, have been struggling to script a video of my own on the series so got ideas flying all over the place, Also its so great to see you uploading again even if this is just a one off

[@PKLemon1]

You articulated everything that makes this arc "Frieren" so well. This is one of the best video essays I've seen. You have a new sub. What music did you use in the background? It fits so well.

[@ergicgaming1618]

This exam arc is important as most of the characters in this arc are part of imo the best arc in frieren even a character who didn't pass the exam plays a real crucial role.

[@Damian_h]

is also interesting how flamme students made it into the history and serie students didnt. The closest to Himmel we have in the modern era must be Stark or the dude Sein is looking for i think it was Gorilla.

[@k.t.4613]

Lerner lampshaded this. He _would_ have made it into history had he been born in earlier, in the era where the war against demons was the fiercest. Flamme herself was Serie's student and made it in history after all.

[@exo_eve7575]

The exam arc to me funnily enough feels exactlt like an a real life exam. Everything we learned during the first half, put into practice during the show exam. Everything about Fern and Frieren, the world, the past, the concepts and messages. All coming together to help us understand what the broader world is like and operates.

[@EverRozes]

I love the agreeing and considering conversations people have when it comes to frieren. No arguing over whose the strongest and no weird fandoms or saying "but this character from this completely random anime is stronger". I think thats the art of frieren, everyone agrees with the series no matter what the topic is. Kts just that impactful of a show.

[@martinvalencia798]

Thoroughly enjoyed it! It’s been a while since Ive seen your videos on my feed. I enjoy your content and hope to see more.

[@pikeyMcBarkin]

Very well put video. Thank you.

[@gandralf]

Yes, it is underrated. Being more precise: the damage is underestimated. Until this arc, the show was something unique, beautiful, thoughtful, deep, adult. Then it became a generic battle shonen. A good one, but yet a battle shonen.

[@professorakiba434]

Watching the show a second time, I realized that the key figure of the series is not Freiren herself but Himmel. From the very start after he passes away, we are met by people who are deeply moved by Himmel's actions in life. When we get flashbacks of the original party it isn't them destroying the Dragon. Its Himmel providing wise thoughts. The impact of Himmel is even felt through Wirbel in the Exam. Of course we see Freiren realizing the wisdom of Himmel. I mean every event in the series is prefaced by " ___ years after the death of Himmel"

[@cameronhayes5393]

I think a big reason Serie and Frieren are so different is because of what flamme said: frieren is a mage of a peaceful era

[@Seluecus1]

Some anime isn't for people. Not sure why they have to try to run it into the ground because they don't like it. I Absolutely LOVE this anime though. It's the best High Fantasy anime i've seen in a long time. The pacing is fantastic. and as someone who loves story-telling and pacing, this anime slaps. If you're getting upset because of the last arc, and just want them to be traveling all the time... Then y'all aren't understanding the anime. This anime is literally about Frierens perception of what's important in her life and the time frame it covers. 50 years between party visits, 2 week travel, himmels death. 30 years after himmel's death (a defining moment of time in her life to the point everything after is based on when he passed away). 8 years pass from the time Frieren picks up Fern to the end of the season. Whereas that time frame (pre-Fern) would have been nothing. So when you get a 7 episode Arc of something that's important to Fern, it's also important to Frieren. THAT is the point of the series, the manga. I do want to add that if the arc was not done and the pace was kept. This would have been a 1 season show. They were already half way to Ende 3/4 of the way through the 26 episodes. That would have been disappointing.

[@lvllb3744]

There is not a single bad episode on this show, even the slower ones had so much essence, every episode contributed to the major picture, its just that good.

[@deaks25]

Initially I was bit roll-eyes with the Exam arc, and it does get off to a bit of a slow start, but actually I warmed up to it very quickly. For one, not a single one of the characters introduced is wasted; every single one has some kind of character arc, and I really enjoyed that. Denken, Laufen, Richter, Wirbel, Ubel, Land, Kanne and Lawine all get plenty of time to shine and to be honest, could probably make for decent spin-offs. Watching Denken, Laufen and Richter travelling on their own journey, or Ubel constantly flirting with Land while they travel and play silly battles of wills constantly could be a great 8-Episode watch. Even Sense fascinated me more and more. And as I watched I realised this was more about Fern than Frieren, about demonstrating how truly powerful she actually is. Her character can be aloof at times, so those little moments and flashbacks where she shows how much she cares about those close to her was great. And we did get to see some of what makes Frieren tick as well, and her contrast to Serie. My only real complaint about the show is how Stark doesn't get enough time to show his metal and Sein departed a bit too quickly, both of those feel like there's a LOT more mileage in their characters.

[@busansanai]

15:29 - as a great man once said "When do you think people die?... it's when you are forgotten by others" - Dr. Hiriluk

[@MartyrPandaGaming]

A human's abundant potential has many flaws, the least of which is a life time that ends all too soon for many. That's the easiest to deal with for most people. Being forgotten. Now that, that is a kernal of a fear that hides so deep that many do not even discover it until it is too late. Even then, there's only so much that can be done to preserve a legacy. Who is grandmother to a grandfather? How many people can tell you the story of an ancestors life? A person must do great things, good or evil, to be remembered for more than a 4th generation. That great deed must be truly awesome for it to be remembered by more than family. Do great deeds.

[@matthewher6560]

10:15 can I ask what the background music is called? Its sounds really good

[@patyos2]

The exam arc reminded me of how important the Chunin Exam Arc was in OG Naruto

[@Paul-A01]

15:29 "To be remembered is to live on through others" This here is my biggest problem with the story because it is ignoring the biggest and most important way people live on through others: children. Nobody has any children or parents in this story, everyone is an orphan or never had kids. None of the original party has any posterity, and the concept itself is almost totally alien to elves like Frieren. Its as if human beings just pop up like flowers conjured by magic.

[@TheAurgelmir]

Frieren is the only anime to truly capture the feeling of what a story that emerges from a Tabletop RPG is actually like to the characters being played. And it follows a very "open ended world" type story. The quests are mundane, and the problems are often very endearing. It feels like "emergent storytelling" from someone who rolled some dice. The Exam Arc though, does not. It feels like it's here the GM has decided to run a pre-written adventure. It's not bad, it's just tonally different. But, I agree very much with the reason for why it's not bad.

[@alpharius5178]

… wait what? People were disappointed with the exam arc? It was a really good arc that expanded the potential cast, had tons of world building, we got major character development, and Fern got a legendary spell!

[@MadelineMysterious]

I don't know how it's under rated. Everyone, i know loves it. I haven't met anyhone who underappreciates the greatness of this series. I don't know why youtubers have to make up pretend stats in the titles of their videos.

[@adamhallgat3298]

What was interesting and maybe underwhelming in the exam arc that the challenges seem to be in reverse order regarding difficulty. The first challenge was a meat grinder with mages dying. The second challenge was safeguarded so everyone can survive. The third was a few minutes of interview. I think most people expected it to get harder with higher stakes, ending with epic 1 vs 1 battles. This anticlimatic closure matches the show though.

[@aiya2324]

idk how y'all could even hate the exam arc... it felt so intact with the 1st season and especially helps the other characters grow

[@Badchi]

Yeah, so underrated that it dethroned FMA for the first time since FMA itself... And I'm talking about the arc specifically, because rating have been gradually growing and reached their peak on it.

[@PlasmaMongoose]

You would think just the fact that she's an elf, a species almost nobody in the present time has even seen would serve as an identity in its own right.

[@gundamzing]

8:40 I think the "acceptance of change" bit came more from Flamme than Himmel.

[@Kamimashita]

Throughout this video I definitely neglect Flamme's influence, but in this instance it was a reference to the restaurant they eat at, and how although in the past Frieren tries to make them promise they won't change, she accepts that it's for the better when she returns with her current party.

[@ChinchillaBONK]

The Mage Exam arc was critical to me for the world building as well. Because it's first time their world od magic is showcased and explained to its fullest.

[@shogenx]

nailed it i went into the arc feeling it sounded like another exam arc but afterwards I was like now that's how you do it