This is going to contain spoilers through season 1 episode 10.

My tastes in media have become somewhat more demanding as I’ve gotten older. I used to enjoy pretty much anything with a fun adventure, but now I need my entertainment to also be educational or growth-provoking in some way.

I mostly enjoyed episodes 1-7 because even though it was a cute slice of life, it was coming at it from a more unique angle of how we form and value relationships and I felt that it was emotionally meaningful.

But then by episodes 9 and 10 suddenly all these villains have really specific quirks, and the combat is drawn-out as characters over-exposit every detail of what’s going on. They even tell you what’s going to happen with the fight well before it ever occurs, and then they still drag out the result for some reason. It was very disappointing and I’m concerned this is just going to be the state of things from now on.

I got kind of excited about the way Frieren was talking about demons because her beef with them sounds a lot like what a pig or chicken would think of humans, and I got almost a racist vibe, but my partner’s reaction made it seem like we’re not going to get introspective about our biases and hipocrisy, and he suggested we move on to something else. (He’s read the comic and wanted to watch the show together.)

Thoughts? I’d like to think the story is going somewhere, but it won’t be good for our relationship if it just ends up with me complaining the whole time.

  • Endmaker@ani.socialEnglish
    2·
    3 days ago

    But then by episodes 9 and 10 suddenly all these villains have really specific quirks, and the combat is drawn-out as characters over-exposit every detail of what’s going on. They even tell you what’s going to happen with the fight well before it ever occurs, and then they still drag out the result for some reason. It was very disappointing and I’m concerned this is just going to be the state of things from now on.

    Yeah, this is why Frieren is classified as a Shounen anime.

    I got kind of excited about the way Frieren was talking about demons because her beef with them sounds a lot like what a pig or chicken would think of humans, and I got almost a racist vibe, but my partner’s reaction made it seem like we’re not going to get introspective about our biases and hipocrisy, and he suggested we move on to something else. (He’s read the comic and wanted to watch the show together.)

    This is another reason Frieren is targeted at Shounen (i.e. young, less mature boys). Conflicts are always so black and white; villains are villains just because, and there’s no deeper motivation.

    In fact, this is true of most GOATs of shows: LOTR, MCU, Avatar.

    The only counterexample I can think of off the top of my head is

    title spoiler

    Attack on Titan

    Thoughts? I’d like to think the story is going somewhere, but it won’t be good for our relationship if it just ends up with me complaining the whole time.

    If I were in your shoes, I would drop it. I don’t know about you, but my time is extremely limited. I’d rather watch another anime, or just do something that I enjoy more than invest more time into a show on the off chance that it turns out great for me.

    • strayOPEnglish
      2·
      2 days ago

      I didn’t realize it was shounen. I used to really enjoy the genre, but I think it’s because I’ve seen and read so many things now that none of them are introducing me to new concepts anymore. I can still recognize a given entry as good by having cool characters or nice animation or whatever, but I can’t stay interested very long because it’s like I’ve seen it before. Like, I think the MCU is fine, but largely uninteresting. (I got really hyped about Killmonger though!)

      Your counterexample is possibly the last Japanese thing I really enjoyed because it had these conflicting ideologies and delved into issues like human rights and international relations.