Sousou no Frieren (Frieren at the Funeral) is a manga that starts its story at the end of the hero’s journey. The hero’s team disbands after killing the demon lord and each members go their own way. The interesting twist is that this manga uses the perspective of the elf mage who have unimaginably long lifespans. So much so that within the first chapter, 50 years have passed and most of our characters have aged and our hero has passed on, yet our elf barely aged a day.
The manga follows Frieren, who visit places in search of honing her magic, while at the same time she recounts some of the misadventures she has with the team. There is a strong theme of “appreciating the present” because it is hinted that Frieren had missed out on a lot of opportunities due to the different perspectives in time.
The story telling is masterfully done – It is amazing how the manga is able to make the reader feel a sense of nostalgia when Frieren recounts the past incidents and reminiscences together with the reader, even though the reader had never experience any of those adventures.
It is still ongoing with a handful of chapters but it’s shaping up amazingly – Great premise, beautifully delivered, together with an art style that transitions from chibi to stunningly detailed when required. Absolutely recommend.
Airztonne Anime 