Why Frieren Dethroned Fullmetal Alchemist—And Sparked Anime's Biggest Debate

The fantasy anime that made millions cry, broke MyAnimeList records, and ignited a controversy about fictional genocide.

When Frieren: Beyond Journey's End premiered in September 2023, nobody expected a slow-burn fantasy about an immortal elf processing grief to become the highest-rated anime of all time. Yet here we are: Frieren sits at #1 on MyAnimeList with a staggering 9.3/10 rating across 500,000+ reviews, dethroning the legendary Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and selling 30+ million manga copies worldwide.

But this isn't just another overhyped seasonal anime. Frieren represents something rarer—a generational masterpiece that trusted its audience with silence, stillness, and the weight of mortality. It also accidentally started one of anime's most polarizing debates about demons, morality, and whether fantasy can ever justify genocide.

Buckle up. This is the deep dive into why everyone's talking about the elf who learned to feel.

What Is Frieren: Beyond Journey's End?

The Premise That Shouldn't Have Worked

Picture this: The hero's journey is over. The demon king is dead. The legendary party has saved the world. Roll credits, right?

Wrong.

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (Sousou no Frieren) begins after the adventure ends. Our protagonist is Frieren, an elven mage who spent just ten years traveling with the hero Himmel and his companions—a blink of an eye for her thousand-year lifespan. When Himmel dies of old age decades later, Frieren realizes she barely knew him at all.

Wracked by regret, she embarks on a new journey retracing their original path, this time with apprentice mage Fern and warrior monk Stark. Her mission? To understand the humans she once dismissed, collect obscure spells, and confront the reality that everyone she'll ever love will die long before she does.

It's Lord of the Rings meets The Remains of the Day—epic fantasy filtered through profound melancholy. And somehow, it became the most beloved anime on record.

The Animation That Made Episode 26 a Cultural Event

Madhouse's Silent Masterpiece

Director Keiichiro Saito made a radical choice: prioritize atmosphere over spectacle. While contemporary action anime bombard viewers with kinetic camera work and flashy effects, Frieren luxuriates in quiet moments—a character gazing at clouds, the rustle of forest leaves, the weight of unspoken grief.

The animation quality is consistently gorgeous: fluid character acting, breathtaking landscape shots that feel painted rather than drawn, and action sequences that explode with controlled ferocity when they finally arrive.

Then came Episode 26: "An Era of Humans."

The battle between Frieren and Aura the Guillotine became the franchise's viral supernova. With minimal dialogue, the episode showcased Frieren's true power through hidden mana manipulation—a reveal so visually stunning it spawned millions of TikTok edits under the "Frieren Aura" trend. The scene exemplifies Saito's philosophy: finding the perfect expression for each moment, resulting in viral cultural moments that weren't forced marketing but organic artistic excellence.

The internet went feral. YouTube reaction videos hit 1+ million views. The memes wrote themselves: "Frieren has that aura" became shorthand for any impressive display of dominance.

The Soundtrack That Makes Grown Adults Sob

Evan Call's Timeless Compositions

Composer Evan Call received explicit instructions: write music that feels timeless, not trendy. No busy modern action-anime sound design. No electronic filler. Just melodic, orchestral arrangements that could carry entire scenes in silence.

He delivered a score that does the emotional heavy lifting. The ending theme became a cultural touchstone—emotionally sensitive viewers reported full-body cathartic crying during montage sequences. Call wrote generalized "feeling tracks" (melancholic-but-joyous, nostalgic-but-present) without knowing exactly where they'd appear, trusting the production team to match them perfectly.

The result? Music that transforms mundane moments into profound meditations on time, loss, and connection. When Frieren gazes at a field of flowers Himmel once showed her, Call's score doesn't manipulate—it amplifies the character's genuine realization that she wasted precious time.

Voice Acting That Carries a Thousand Years

The Japanese cast delivers career-defining performances. Atsumi Tanezaki voices Frieren with measured restraint—her aloofness isn't cold but ancient, a being slowly awakening to emotions she thought beneath her. Kana Ichinose's Fern balances exasperation and affection, while Chiaki Kobayashi's Stark provides comic relief without undermining dramatic stakes.

The subtle voice direction shines in flashbacks featuring Himmel (Nobuhiko Okamoto), whose warmth and gentle teasing make his absence devastating. You feel why Frieren regrets not asking him more questions.

The Pacing Problem (That's Actually the Point)

Why Some Viewers Bounce Off

Here's the controversy critics won't tell you: Frieren's first 6-8 episodes move glacially. If you're expecting Demon Slayer-level action from the jump, you'll be disappointed.

The show prioritizes world-building, character interactions, and atmospheric quietness over constant plot momentum. Episodes can feel repetitive—travel montage, small-town encounter, Frieren collects an obscure spell, repeat. Community discussions across Reddit threads consistently show that approximately 10-15% of viewers cite this "slow pacing" as a dealbreaker.

But that's intentional. Frieren operates on elf time. To an immortal, a decade-long journey is nothing. The structure forces you to experience time's weight the way Frieren does—moments bleed together until suddenly, devastatingly, they're gone.

The payoff? When emotional beats land, they obliterate you. The show earns every tear.

The Demon Controversy That Split the Fandom

Anime's Most Polarizing Debate

Here's where things get messy.

Frieren portrays demons as inherently evil—creatures who mimic human emotions to deceive prey but feel nothing genuine. Our protagonist believes this absolutely, shaped by her mentor Flamme's thousand-year war against demonkind. When faced with demons who seem to express fear, grief, or longing, Frieren remains unmoved: "Demons deceive with words."

The community exploded into ideological warfare:

The Critics' Case:
Demons display convincingly human emotions, contradicting the "pure evil" thesis. Frieren's absolutist stance frames her as fascistic—does the anime justify genocide of sapient beings? Is this fantasy racism?

The Defense:
Demons are predators by design (species biology, not ideology). Frieren's perspective is intentionally unreliable; the narrative subtext challenges her worldview. Season 2's Macht arc will likely complicate this further.

The Nuanced Reality:
Writer Kanehito Yamada intentionally created ambiguity. Frieren's "always evil" belief is inherited trauma, not universal truth. The show explores how grief shapes ideology—and asks viewers to grapple with the same discomfort Frieren refuses to acknowledge.

Reddit user u/Flat_Box8734's viral thread (1,833 upvotes) nailed it:

"People need to separate their dislike of a concept from the actual quality of the writing. Frieren's demons are intentionally complex; viewers' discomfort with 'inherently evil races' doesn't mean the writing failed."

The demon debate remains anime's most significant ongoing ideological divide heading into 2026.

The Numbers That Prove the Hype

Let's talk receipts:

• Manga sales doubled post-anime: 10M copies (pre-anime) → 20M copies (April 2024) → 30M+ copies (July 2025)
• 8.6 million viewers in premiere week (exceeded Spy x Family Season 1)
• 29 Crunchyroll Anime Awards nominations (most of 2024, outpacing Solo Leveling's 13)
• 6,765 Blu-ray copies Week 1 (strong for expensive modern format)
• Won Manga Taisho Grand Prize (2021), Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize, and Shogakukan Manga Award before the anime even aired

The anime didn't just succeed—it created a commercial juggernaut. Quality adaptation literally doubled intellectual property value, proving the blueprint other studios are racing to replicate.

Why Frieren Transcends Anime Gatekeeping

The Secret Sauce

Most anime juggernauts require franchise knowledge (One Piece), tolerate mediocre pacing for epic payoffs (Attack on Titan), or appeal to niche demographics (Monogatari). Frieren broke through because:

1. Complete story arc per season—no cliffhanger manipulation
2. Emotional honesty—avoids melodrama, lets silence speak
3. Visual mastery without showboating
4. Respects audience intelligence—no exposition dumps
5. Cross-demographic appeal—teen gamers, art-film enthusiasts, and grieving adults all resonate

It synthesizes Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood's character depth, Your Name's emotional resonance, and A Place Further Than the Universe's contemplative slice-of-life into something authentically its own.

Season 2: The January 2026 Test

Can Lightning Strike Twice?

Premiere: January 16, 2026, 11 PM JST
Episode Count: ~10 episodes (shorter than Season 1's 28)
Production: Madhouse Studios, full returning cast
Wildcard: Co-director Tomoya Kitagawa leads after Director Saito admitted "burnout"

Expected arcs include the Divine Revolte (demon intrigue) and Golden Land (major character moments). The Macht arc—featuring a demon character with genuine complexity—will either validate or inflame the genocide debate.

Community predictions split between hope (surpassing Season 1's ratings) and concern (shorter episode count rushing pacing). One thing's certain: Frieren's legacy hinges on sticking the landing.

The Verdict: Is Frieren Actually the Best Anime Ever?

Balanced Reality Check

Strengths:
✅ Authentic ensemble character development
✅ Consistently masterful animation
✅ Soundtrack carries narrative weight
✅ Thematic depth rewards repeated viewing
✅ Director's vision prioritizes meaning over spectacle

Weaknesses:
❌ Glacial early pacing alienates action-preference viewers
❌ Demon portrayal invites legitimate moral debate
❌ Some episodes feel repetitive
❌ Director burnout signals production intensity concerns

Final Score: 8.5/10
Frieren genuinely deserves top-10-all-time consideration, but "best ever" claims overstate objectivity. It's an excellent, expertly conceived fantasy that resonates deeply with contemplative audiences—not a universal masterpiece for everyone.

Why This Matters Beyond Anime

For creators, developers, and entertainment professionals: Frieren's success model is the blueprint for 2026+. Quality production + audience respect + cross-platform reach = sustainable cultural impact. The series proved thoughtful, character-driven stories can eclipse action blockbusters in lasting influence.

30+ million manga copies, 29 award nominations, and an unwavering #1 MyAnimeList position represent proof: trust your audience, invest in craft over trends, and tell stories about mortality with honesty.

What's Your Take?

Will Season 2 surpass the original? Does the demon controversy ruin the series, or elevate it? Is Frieren genuinely the GOAT, or is recency bias inflating the hype?

Drop your hottest takes in the comments. Let's settle this before Episode 1 drops.

And if you haven't watched yet—clear your weekend. Just bring tissues. You'll understand soon enough why Himmel would be proud.