Frieren, tome 1

葬送のフリーレン [Sōsō no Frieren] #1

by Kanehito Yamada (writer), Tsukasa Abe (illustrator), Géraldine Oudin (Translator)

Que deviennent les héros une fois le mal vaincu ?
Le jeune héros Himmel et ses compagnons, l'elfe Frieren, le nain Eisen et le prêtre Heiter, rentrent victorieux de leur combat contre le roi des démons. Au bout de dix années d'efforts, ils ont ramené la paix dans le royaume. Il est temps pour eux de retrouver une vie normale... Difficile à imaginer après tant d'aventures en commun !

Frieren, elle, ne semble guère touchée par la séparation. Pour la magicienne à la longévité exceptionnelle, une décennie ne pèse pas lourd. Elle reprend la route en solo et promet de retrouver ses camarades un demi-siècle plus tard. Elle tient parole... mais ces retrouvailles sont aussi les derniers instants passés avec Himmel, devenu un vieillard qui s'éteint paisiblement sous ses yeux. Frieren est sous le choc... La vie des humains est si courte ! L'elfe a beau être experte en magie, il lui reste encore un long chemin à parcourir pour comprendre la race humaine... Son nouvel objectif : s'initier aux arcanes du cœur !

Genres: Manga, Fantasy, Comics, Graphic Novels, Fiction, Adventure, Young Adult

188 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published August 18, 2020

About the author

Kanehito Yamada ( 山田鐘人; Yamada Kanehito) is a japanese mangaka.

Reviews

[Melanie (meltotheany) · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh, this was an unexpected, yet so heartfelt, story about love and grief and time and immortality. this story starts with four friends, in a ten year adventuring party, coming back home from finally defeating the demon king. yet the reader quickly finds out that this beginning that feels like an ending is really just the start, because our main character, frieren, is an elven mage with a much longer lifespan than her human and dwarf companions. she leaves to follow her love for magic and discovery, only to return back 50 years later and realizes how precious connections in life are. and in this first volume we get to see her take on an apprentice and rediscover the paths she took with her old adventuring party many years ago.

this was just really unexpectedly beautiful. i shed many tears flipping through these 170 pages that really celebrated life and love and the importance of honoring and remembering. this story is really gentle and soft while still being something that will be felt so universally hard with all humans. and the art is also so very beautiful and just sets a really perfect tone for the story that this art is telling. i loved this completely and wholeheartedly and i really recommend this one.

trigger + content warnings: loss of loved ones, grief, themes with battle

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[The Artisan Geek]

19/12/20
Advice: don't read this when listening to emotional music, unless you want your eyes to involuntarily start leaking.

Frieren is a manga that starts at the happily ever after, when the adventure has ended. We follow Frieren, an elf with a considerably longer lifespan than humans, as she dwells around the world learning magic and such. The memories of her time on adventure with her non-elf comrades continue to play a big role in her life, while these people themselves slowly all start to pass away.

So far I have mainly seen vampire manga such as Happiness and The Poe Clan tackle this aspect of mortality, so I found this manga to be rather refreshing and as per usual discomforting because, well... death.

Seeing the popularity that this has garnered amongst Japanese readers, I'm excited to see how it will be received here in the west soon -- definitely very excited for more people to find out about it :)


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[Lois Bujold · Rating 3 out of 5]

A standard D&D world, but not at all a standard D&D story; this one is about what happens after the adventure is over. The very long-lived elf of the party confronts human mortality as her former party members age and die.

Pleasant if not outstanding artwork; thoughtful quiet tale, so far. A boon for manga readers looking for something less stupidly frenetic, as it is neither, although the pacing is... interesting, well representing the elf's view of how quickly the human world seems to pass compared to herself.

With so many manga concentrating on that other end of life, this one is a pretty great change, and I may well up its star rating as it goes on. Quick read. Will read more as it emerges from my library.

Ta, L.

[Katie Colson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading Vlog: https://youtu.be/vB3HUVVPvX8

The art is stunning!!!

This is damn sad y'all. If I'd read the summary before going in then I would have been prepared. But, alas. I was hit upside the head with that funeral. And it's like sentence 2 of the summary on the back of the book 🤦🏻‍♀️

This has a fantastic plot, deep characters, interesting magic, and intricate illustrations.

The concept of living for thousands of years is unfathomable for most. But this author did such a fantastic job of creating a character who shows us what it's like to go so deep inside one's self in order to protect their heart from death and even life. It is deeply sad and poignant.

This could have been one volume and I would have been satisfied. I really enjoyed it.

I will say that I'm struggling with this series though. Because I don't see where it's going. Or how it can go beyond just a few volumes. There is no obvious projection on where we're going or what we're fighting for. It's like lit fic but for a magical fairy. Not that that isn't great. But I am struggling to feel motivated to continue with the series. Every time I pick up the second volume, I love it. But when I set it down, it feels like the story's over. Does that make sense?

Still highly recommend though.

[Nicolo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading Frieren or Sousou no Frieren for two years now, and I am glad that the release for the first volume of the official English edition allowed me to experience the first few chapters all over again.

The series starts after defeating the demon king, as Frieren and her party return to their normal lives. The years pass, but for the long-lived Frieren, she perceives time differently, and as her former party-mates grow old and wither, she lives a carefree life guided by her whims. As her friends reach the end of their lives, she realizes that she did know them as well as she wanted, and so she recreates the journey that was the highlight of their lives and reconnect with the memories and places they visited. In this iteration of the journey, Frieren brings in an apprentice, a legacy from one of her friends, and it is through their point of view we can experience Frieren reconnecting with her past.

I just love this manga. It's a fantasy story with both funny and poignant moments, both slice of life and magical combat. It hits a broad emotional spectrum. As of this writing, this is my favorite title without an anime, current or upcoming announcement. However, as I said, this is so good, that an anime would be made eventually, but right now, I am enjoying the manga-only experience.

[Sarah ♡ (let’s interact!) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally started the manga series my favourite, comfort, anime! 🥺🫶 Words cannot express how much I love Frieren and I will be collecting all the physical copies:)

[Skye Kilaen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. Y'all. This is one of the best manga I've read. It follows an elf mage, Frieren, after she and her companions defeat the Demon King and go back to their regular lives. Except Frieren is near-immortal, and the rest of the party is human. She spends the next fifty years off exploring and learning more magic... while her former companions age and approach death.

At the funeral of the first one to pass away, Frieren has the profound realization that her different relationship to time means that she barely knew him, despite having adventured with him for ten years. It's an emotional shock, and much of the volume is bittersweet as she grapples with the mortality of those around her. It's not melodramatic, though - it's understated and contemplative, and more effective because of that.

This take on "what happens when the adventure is over?" isn't like anything I've read before, and I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes.

[DianaRose · Rating 5 out of 5]

a new favorite series of 2025🩵

oh… this series is going to break my heart, isn’t it? i can just tell that there’s unrequited feelings brewing 💔

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 4 out of 5]

So you have a standard adventuring party who defeat the Demon King and bring an era of peace to the land. One member of the party, an elf named Frieren, is only loosely attached to her companions. It's clear that she considers the ten years of their adventures to be no time at all and that their association barely registers on her, despite the great deeds they have participated in. And that's the first chapter.

Time dilates in this story, mirroring Frieren's experience as a long-lived elf. We get her reaction (or lack) as her former companions age and, eventually, die. And we see how unaffected she is. Or appears to be. The tale picks up when one of her very clever companions, the reprobate priest, tricks her into taking his ward as an apprentice. What follows is Frieren's natural curiosity being bent on itself to engage her in the people she once knew.

The story really picks up as Fern joins in Frieren's journey and the time dilation slows a bit. Fern's impatience with tasks that take months, even years, reminds the reader how distinctly odd Frieren's perspective is, even as we're drawn into the effect of these diversions. And realize, as Fern does, the hidden depth to the trivial tasks she is undertaking—such as the search for a now-rare flower to festoon a neglected memorial site. Awareness of the hidden depth builds slowly and is delivered with a light touch that drew me in.

This first volume ends with a twist as Frieren learns that souls may be real and of a location where she might find her deceased companions. I'm interested to see how this plays out, though I'll admit to being a bit skeptical as well. So far, it's unusual and engaging for that unique quality. I'm not sure how that'll hold up now that Fern is a core character and the quest is more overtly established.

So I'll call this four stars, mainly for the unique perspective and a subtle, but competently delivered, portrayal of those past relationships. And the jury's still out on the moments that break the overall tone. I can't tell, yet, if they're a respite or a distraction.

[emma °❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn, I didn’t even get 15% through this without crying.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

What happens when the heroes' journey ends? That's the question this series seeks to answer as it follows Frieren, an elf mage who was once part of a quest to defeat the demon lord. It's much more classic D & D fantasy than modern takes on the genre, and it frames its narrative around the idea that as an elf, Frieren will long outlive her companions. To say that that makes this volume very bittersweet might be to understate - I didn't cry, but I definitely felt tears threaten a few times.

In part this is because of how the story counts time - after the first chapter, time is measured in how many years it has been since the death of the party's leader, the hero Himmel. At his funeral, Frieren realizes that she never truly got to know him because she didn't fully understand that humans lived so much less time than elves, and now that she's cognizant of the fact emotionally as well as intellectually, it's too late. Memories of their ten years questing together imply that Himmel may have been in love with Frieren, and for her, the realization once again comes when there's nothing more that she can do.

It's an interesting take on the fantasy genre. It's a very sad take on the idea of a journey's end. But I think in the long run I'll be glad that I picked it up.

[Igel :) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this one! It was so cute and wholesome, but also pretty deep and sad. I will definitely continue the series.

[Shawna Finnigan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have a Stark and Himmel cosplay even though I haven’t read or watched this series. It’s a long story… but since it looks like I’m going to be finally cosplaying Stark and/or Himmel this weekend, I decided it was time to finally get into this series. The characters have been throwing me for a little bit of a loop because their personalities don’t match with their physical appearance. For example, Himmel gives soft, kind boy based off of his looks but he very much doesn’t give that vibe with his personality. It’s also very slow paced. I’m hoping the pacing will speed up soon because I’m really struggling with the slow pace so far. I really like Fern though. I think she’s a great character and I’m looking forward to seeing the rest of her character arc.

[Geoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

The true treasure was the friends you made along the way. Too bad they're all dead now.

This was a really interesting first volume for this contemplative fantasy manga. The action occurs after the major quest, after the big bad of the moment has been defeated. But the really interesting thing is that the protagonist is a (very) long lived elf, so long lived that the lives of her human companions flash by like fireflies in the summer. It looks like we're in for a story of personal growth (will the main character learn to connect with and care for others?) and exploration into the nature of magic in this universe. The supporting characters are really well rounded (and don't all have plot armor!), the art is lush, and while the protagonist is a bit of a cipher at this point it will be interesting to see what directions they have her grow and changed.

**Thanks to the artist, publisher, and NetGalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite anime so I am excited to read the manga. The story is so beautiful even though it's a little melacholy. Magic, adventures, friendships, regrets, and new discoveries. Frieren is so cute I just can't get enough of her. I love every thing about this and am excited to continue the story.

Season one of the anime covers vol 1-7 (and three chapters of vol 8). Season two will start with chapter 61 and I think it will be releasing sometime in 2026 😞

[Carm · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is what happens after the credits roll on your favorite JRPG. I love this so much.

[Laura A. Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Out of all the shonen manga I've read thus far, I this was a very interesting first volume of unique series!

I feel (usually) shonen manga is not considered to be "touching" in the same way Frieren is because (usually) we are kicking off with action first thing, but Fieren gives a moving reminder from chapter one that life is precious…and it is short.

I unexpectedly caught myself getting very emotional despite that some of the characters we meet is only briefly. However, that doesn't stop their impact being felt through the entirety of the manga! It was interesting to see this elf mage go on adventures where she could relive memories of the past and how her one regret "haunted" her the whole way. (Makes me thankful for a very special friend who is by her side!)

Though as hard as it was, it was also very beautiful. You really see the concept of time and how different it is for Frieren compared to humans. At times it was much harder for me to see that play out and other times it made me slightly emotional, but in a bittersweet, uplifting kind-of-way.

While this was a much more moving story than I expected, I think I would like to continue reading the series. My library only has volume two available currently, but I found I really enjoyed seeing Frieren's flashbacks and their relation to her actions now. I guess on the flip side, it was a slightly sadder story then I expected and wasn't quite ready to read something that heart-tugging (feeling slightly under the weather today so was looking forward to something more on the "upbeat" LOL).

It's exciting to see Shonen Jump publishing a story that's very different than what I feel they usually are publishing! I'm curious to see where it will go from here!

[Chantaal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I knew this was good and I knew the basic premise, but I didn't expect to be so impressed with the combination of cozy vibes and melancholy. Fantastic start.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've ever been the one who was left behind, if you've ever had regrets about losing contact with someone who is now gone, this manga has a good chance of hitting you like a truck.

The art is quite good, detailed and with a good flow, if rather lacking in individual style (and I hate the design of the dwarf character. are you trying to tell me he literally never takes his helmet and shoulder plates off, even when living by himself in the woods?). The world isn't all that unique--it's ordinary Japanese fantasy stuff, with elves and dwarves and monsters, and villages that parse like Japanese suburbs, offering products and food to the travelers without any evidence of production.

But those grumbles are not that important. The art and the setting's real value is as a vehicle for the story's themes. It's hard to explain what it feels like to read this; the best I have to offer is that it gives the reader a vivid sense of the passage of time, as Frieren loses her heroic traveling companions, and gains a mage apprentice who grows from a young girl to a sixteen-year-old over the course of this volume.

It isn't all elegy and melancholy, though. There's gentle humor, magic, a battle, and Frieren's deeper exploration of a world that she neglected to pay attention to on her previous journey. This is one of the more striking manga that I've read for quite some time. Recommended.

[[Name Redacted] · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quiet, mournful meditation on time, aging, death, memory, loss and renewal. I don't know that this would have hit so hard had I read it as a boy with no context for the feelings experienced by the protagonist; but as a grown man who is now a husband and father and who has buried family, friends, lovers, and countless pets...and who just had to explain to a 23 year-old coworker what the Berlin Wall was and why it existed...this now feels like it may be the single most profound manga I have ever read.

And now, because this also reminded me of "Highlander" if you removed all the action scenes:

"There's no time for us
There's no place for us
What is this thing that builds our dreams, yet slips away from us?
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?

"There's no chance for us
It's all decided for us
This world has only one sweet moment set aside for us
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?
Who dares to love forever
when love must die?

"But touch my tears with your lips
Touch my world with your fingertips
And we can have forever
And we can love forever
Forever is our today
Who wants to live forever?
Who wants to live forever?
Forever is our today
Who waits forever anyway?"

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nearly immortal elf mage slowly changes her aloof ways and starts to actually pay attention to the short and flitting lives of the humans around her. Deliberately paced with small but moving moments, it should appeal to fans of Witch Hat Atelier. I know I'm looking forward to future installments.

[Beka]

I don't know if I'm emotionally capable of handling this...but hey, sometimes you just need a cathartic read. And the anime version comes highly recommended from friends, so we'll see which version I end up encountering first.

[Eressea · Rating 4 out of 5]

20231004 2nd read
動畫讚讚讚!!
--
20211211 賣掉紙本@玫瑰色二手書
--
20211112 購入KOBO版
--
20210528 讀完紙本
最近好像開始流行倒敘法和翻轉傳統母題的作品
這部的編劇挺有意思的
讓我想到，魔戒裡的精靈也是這種心情吧
(看看愛隆養了不知道幾百代侄兒XDD)
只是托爾金只有籠統的寫長壽對精靈是個重擔
沒有仔細展開

出版就賣光，讓我稍微有點信心
東立應該很快就會出下一集
追紙本就不用等不知道到底會不會出的電子書了

[Jan Agaton · Rating 3 out of 5]

super cute art style I just zoned out a lot & got lost lol

[tahaslibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

oh himmel, you were SO LOVED.

frieren is powerful, tiny, lazy, sleepy and is slow to understand people. i love her.

[Violet ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A slice of life manga and a very long journey that can make you teary—this is it! I really wish I could share the panel that made me to read this work of art. 

I want to see more of Frieren's story and her character development! I really like her cute art style and this carefree kind of immortal elf. Off to volume two! 

By the way, it will have an anime adaptation in 2023! 

[Maia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had already watched a few episodes of the anime, so the set up of this story was familiar to me. Frieren is an elf mage who traveled with the adventuring band who killed the demon king decades ago. She has not visibly aged, but her traveling companions are all old men how. 50 years after their big victory, she returns to travel with them again. That's the last time she seems one of them alive. She realizes she had not processed how short human lives are in comparison to her own, and vows to do a better job getting to know the next group of humans whose lives touch her own. This is a contemplative and slow burn story, but with a lot of tenderness. I definitely want to keep reading more of this rambling adventure!

[Olly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Primo volume molto toccante fin dalle prime pagine. Ottimo inizio, pieno di malinconia e tristezza, ma anche tanto amore.
Una perla, consigliato a chiunque.

[Molly™☺ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A touching start to a promising series that looks into the emotional weight of outliving everyone you know and love. Whilst it is charming, it won't satiate those looking for action or a fast-paced narrative due to its more reminiscent form of storytelling. If a walking simulator was a book, this would be it.

[Nicolo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This manga answers the question, "What happens next?"

After defeating the demon king, Frieren and her party return to their normal lives. However, for the long-lived Frieren, she perceives time differently, and as her former party-mates grow old and wither, she lives a carefree life guided by her whims.

From the very first chapter, expect death. Though it may come at the end of fulfilling life, it can be an emotional scene.

By eschewing tired old tropes, the writer subverts expectations of a fantasy story. The artist is excellent as well, capable of portraying such emotional scenes on the page with lush lines.

This reader was surprised by how different this series was from any generic fantasy manga. It has such promise that you can't resist going on your own adventure with Frieren.