Bro you killed with the Buffy still laughing thanks and for your honesty about yourself I do relate. Half way through your examination I paused because it made me realize why this anime struck a cord I've lost some special people recently and saw myself in freeren and Fern both at different times; again I want to thank you for your content wish you success in all your endeavors.
Hey old friend @BonsaiPop! Haven't seen you in years! Remember the Abt days? Hope your doing well and thanks for posting this video. Made me reflect on a lot of things! Funny enough I remember the convos we all had back in those days at the office, and I remember them fondly. Thanks for that sojourn in life, give my regards to your fiance I'm sorry for her loss and both of you take care! - Javi
Frieren reminded me of why I started watching anime. Any minor criticism I, or anyone, could throw at it is irrelevant in the face of its strengths. Not even my favourite seasonal shows of the past few years have made me feel such innocent excitement and happiness whenever a new episode would release.
Its so good. Its got slice of life stuff, life lessons, comedy, and action which with how story and slice of life type show was not expecting the insanly good and well animated fights when they do happen. Stark vs the dragon had me completely hooked
its boring i stopped after 3 episodes, and the main characters are flat and uninteresting, nothing removely spiritual about this show, i would rather watch something like mushoku tensei, better more interesting characters, BOOORING.
@@KAIZORIANEMPIRE Not that you cant drop an anime at 3 episodes but youre making all these criticisms in a comment section in which most have watched the whole show so they have a more accurate picture of it. So what is the point of making these criticisms here after only having watched 3 episodes. If you were not invested in the show why did you take the time to type this? I dont get it. Do you have to completely diminish the strengths of everything you dont like to justify the fact that you dropped it or something? And to who, yourself maybe? This seems like youre just overly hating on it simply because you didnt find it intersting when everyone else did and you just do not like that, so it comes off as a completely bad faith criticism.
And btw i can see how the characters can seem flat after only watching 3 episodes but why do you expect to get to deeply know characters only by 3 episodes. Not that this never happens in shows, but id say its quite rare
Qual is dope. you let that boy loose, in a week he'll hand you two new competing spell types just to keep you busy while he works on something _really_ fancy.
"If you admire somebody you should go ahead and tell 'em People never get the flowers while they could smell 'em" - Kanye West, Big Brother, Graduation.
The funny thing is I don’t think people asked you to watch this show because people thought you needed it. They asked you to watch this show because it’s had an impact on every single person who has watched it. Just having conversations with people for a weekend that you haven’t seen in three years, to calling up family members … we’re on a journey that’s what life is and it’s never too late
😅 I was so late writing this that I had to give the editors the first part on Monday and finish writing and recording the rest by Wednesday, we have a contract with manscaped right now and I knew that the video HAD to be out Saturday. Everyone suffered this week cause I was late 🤦
But thats alright, because you honored the contract, you honored your friends, your editors, and you perservered. Its okay to make a few mistakes along the way, its what makes us human, so thanks. Ive been watching the channel for a pretty long time, and i get excited when new videos drop because i cant wait to see and experience the writing, and the soul you too put into them. Sorry if this is all drawn out, but the baseline is, thank you, you matter, and the content is and has been phenomenal, and ill keep on hoping you all can produce way more of it, like you clearly love doing @BonsaiPop
I, personally, still don't understand how this show could be considered slow, boring or not interesting. It took about 10 minutes of the 1st episode and it completely had me. The moment Frieren suggests watching the meteor shower together 50 years later and Himmel laughing it off, it was clear where this was going. This show unavoidably makes you think about things, about life, about friends and family, about the short amount of time we have and much more. I didn't expect a new show being able to become my favorite of all time, but it did. And I'm happy being able to watch it 🙂
Because it is slow even for a SoL anime. SoL doesn’t need an overreaching goal but it should have some sort of goal. And although the reference to the past is good at times, too much of it detracts from Frieren herself. It’s like going to a Pizza restaurant and all it sells is burgers. And Fern is irritating. She should’ve died.
Some consider this show slow and boring. I consider it chill, not many out there to be honest. Maybe that is why people enjoy is so much. While the show portrays that time is precious, it also does the complete opposite by having a main character which "wastes" hundreds of years collecting insignificant spells. Make the most of it or slack of.
Had to stop for a moment during the dog commentary so I could hug mine. We recently found out he has melanoma and we don’t know how long we have left with him. So when I’m with him, that knowledge that my time with him is limited eats away at me and I often find myself getting choked up and just holding him. But I needed to be reminded that this is part of the meaning of having my dog with me. It is cruel how short our time is with our dogs, but oh, how beautiful and fulfilling that time is.
For me, what makes Freiren so unique is the pacing. I'm in my late 40s. Everything is so fasted pasted it gets old. It's that way because people demand it. I get quietly annoyed every time I hear someone complain that a show or movie is too slow. It's a lot like going from the frenetic pace of Be-bop to the chill yet deliberate pace of the cool jazz that came later. Slow it down, and mean what you say.
I have the opposite feeling about getting a pet, I'm approaching the end of my life, I had a scare at age 65, had to get a quadruple cardiac bypass, so if I adopted a very young pet, I might not live long enough and I'd be leaving the poor thing behind. I can't do that to something that would depend on me and love me, and not understand why I'd left them. I discovered Frieren shortly after my brother passed away at age 85, so the passage of time, loss and life hit me harder in the manga and later the anime.
Sending you positive energy amigo! After about 14 years of not wanting to live I have finally take ownership of my life and am eating better, exercising daily, and even have tried to pickup skateboarding! One day at a time!
I can only do an Ollie and shove it and havent even really skated in 5 years or so but man the feeling it gives you just riding or barely being able to ollie of a beer can and roll away is pretty fuckin awesome. This comment made me actually want to go get my enjoi board out the garage. keep on keeping on man.
Bro, came for the review, stayed for the existential angst, I felt that. Thanks for your videos. They really help when I’m feeling lonely. Stay up, you’re appreciated.
One of the best things about Frieren, for me, has been seeing how other people react to it. How it causes introspection, and what emotions it engenders. Thank you for sharing yourself with us. You've given me something to think about, as well.
This is gonna be one of those videos I have to watch several times to digest everything. I love it when you give me Too Many Questions about being human first thing in the morning
I have to wonder to what extent Frieren hates demons. She went through the process of suppressing her mana for 1000 years, and desacrating her love for magic, but on the other end she almost always seems to give a chance to her opponents. She offered Qual a pailness death. She warned Draht that she would vaporize him. She even offered Aura to retreat when she could. She let Himmel entertain the idea that demons and humans could coexist, and even asked him again before killing the demon girl. The only automatic response was against Lügner, and even then she stopped when she got arrested. This is quite the mystery. Maybe she still hopes for a "good demon"? Maybe that was Himmel's influence? Maybe because she comes from a time of peace?
Demons annihilated her whole village leaving only her alive plus Flammel's indoctrination to kill demons, but I think the chances she gave was influenced by Himmel
The cool thing about Frieren is that it reminds me of more contemplative shows I watched when I first got into anime like Mushishi, Kino's Journey, Natsume's Book of Friends, Aria ect.
yes, because of Frieren, I decide to rewatch Natsume and Mushishi. It makes me realize how I have changed since the day I started watching anime. All of the flashy shounen and isekai have turned me into a negative and easily aggressive person.
And all those great well-written side characters, like Kanne (love her!) and the BEST one; Stoltz - Stark's older brother. That episode (#12) with their relationship still give me the big feels whenever I rewatch it.
Commenting again to say fuck yeah rollerblading! It's the only thing that gets me outside willingly. Glad you're finding things that you enjoy outside too. I love how much you put yourself into these bc it helps tie what you're talking about to relatable real life experience. You also make me feel feelings but more importantly, thinking about them. This is prob my fav channel to recommend bc of all it provides. We laugh. We cry. We share trauma over strange watch parties. ❤️
Man, I don't even know exactly what to say, but I FELT this video. Frieren absolutely blew me away and reminded me a lot of Lord of the Rings in terms of writing and a fully immersive fantasy world. Stunning. This video, to me, is the ultimate companion piece to the anime. Been watching for a few years, but never commented. I don't agree with you all the time, but I always appreciate your honesty and it's good to see another side to my personal beliefs. Gotta get outside that echo chamber. Be well dude and keep up the great videos.
It’s crazy how similar my experience with this show is. Living with a lot of regret over how the last 5-10 years of my life have gone, two of my closest friends, the ones who have stuck around through my malaise, really wanted me to watch this show. And after a couple of episodes I said to each of them, “wow, I see this in myself and I thank you for seeing why I would need a story like this” to which they both replied, “this wasn’t personally about you; it’s just a fantastic show we wanted you to see as well.” Frieren + a few other events this year have given me the push to start to actively try and live my life, and I can’t express how much I appreciate and needed that push. I’m happy to see that I’m not alone in that
I started reading Frieren manga last year and besides the very beginning with a teary eyed goodbye after that the moments in between the present with Fern with Stark going back to the old party I love these moments so much also the characters we meet along the way especially Denken and others are so good man I love this series so much just good ole fantasy with a lot of heart.
I wanted to get back into anime after years of not watching and my friend INSISTED that I start with Frieren. Absolutely banger recommendation. However, now I feel like whatever I watch next won't satisfy me emotionally as much as this show did.
We're a lot more like fireren then we notice. A lot of us are trying to patiently push our way past the most exciting stuff in life so we can have a few moments to relax. A lot of the sentiment around the things that are wrong with the work right now is how we don't have time for the exciting things, money, shelter, medical care, it all comes back to giving us time. So many of the people I know have this tendency to behave like they could be here forever. That's their safe space, this nebulous, infinite void they could have as many experiences as they want. Frieren's escape from that thought cycle comes at one more loss, one she wasn't ready for. Unfortunately, many people wind up in that position precisely because they lost something they could prepare for.
I'm not good at or able to articulate my flaws and insecurities the way you have in this video. Not only that but i relate so hard to that kind of behavior. It really helps to hear someone else talking about their isolation and depression and anxiety as someone who also suffers from those things. So in the spirit of this video, thanks for helping me feel better in knowing in a tangible way I'm not alone. I appreciate you :)
This has to be one of your best videos man. Dammit Mike this made me tear up.As if I didn't wrestle with the existential dread of mortality enough lol. Time is not on our side but we must make the most of it and continue to live on for all the people who have passed on, the ones we have grown apart from and also for our future selves to be the best they can be. Also thank you for speaking on your family and grand parents, happy to hear you still have them with you.
I normally don’t comment but in the off chance you/your fiancé see this bonsai, I just wanted to thank you for putting this video and your thoughts/feelings out into the world; and as the only child/daughter of a narcissistic mother, I can empathize/sympathize with how hard that type of complicated relationship is and often wonder how I will feel when she’s no longer here and the mixed bag of emotions that will come with it. I wish you both the best in your healing and can testify at how much 5 years of therapy can make a difference lol.
I’ve never watched you before but this video meant a lot to me. As a very introspective person I like to pretend I have it all figured out but after probably a year of stagnation I think this video and Frieren have reminded me that I have more to learn and more to improve.
When you're dealing with a good writer, and the writer of Frieren obviously is a good writer, it's pointless to worry about who is the self-insert character. They are ALL self-insert characters. The surface level sh*t, race, magic ability, tragic backstory, comes from the author's imagination, but everything that makes the characters seem human come from the different aspects of the author his/her/their self. All the major characters of Frieren seem so relatable because they are all expressing emotions that the author personally relates to. The demons mostly aren't self-insert, but the arrogance at their core comes from the self-reflection of the author on his/her/their own arrogance.
which is also why i think a lot of the characters in frieren are bland. there is no depth besides that 1 emotion the character is based off on. (also, the main squad of frieren is probably one of the worst. but it could be intentional that the characters dont have much chemistry with eachother)
I disagree. The characters are multi-faceted and aren’t tied down to tropes they are associated with. They all have their good, bad, and even goofy sides, therefore the writing for them is balanced.
I feel the feelings you have about not wanting friends. I don't have many too and the only ones I have left most of them just aren't "my people" anymore. I'm a realist and a workaholic. I work long hours and endure alot of pain. I'm not one to complain and always come to the rescue when I'm needed despite the toll on my body. And I don't emphasize with people's struggles when they barely seem to even try. I don't respect those type of people. So I get not wanting to interact with people. It's not worth the effort sometimes.
Really enjoyed this! This is really what Frieren does, it makes you reminisce, reflect on mortality, lost loved ones, and plans for the future. I lost my grandma shortly before the first episode release and it just hit me like a truck, and I endeavour to spend more quality time with family when I can.
I have to admit, I'm having a tough time getting through this video. 😢 I'm pushing 45, and while I never seeved in the military, I've never traveled outside North America, and I spend most days just trying to make it through to the next - I've been through some 💩. My own childhood was... rough. I was dragged out to the countryside when I was ten, and only really made it back to the big city at 35. I graduated high school by the skin of my teeth and the grace of God. Some of my best friends are already dead. I've been married for almost seven years, and while I love my wife, I'm starting to doubt we'll be together much longer. I've watched kids I carried on my back after church grow up, graduate college, get married, and have kids of their own. My big brother just became a grandfather. I have seen so much of both the best and worst time has to offer, and if I'm (un)lucky enough to have a relatively average life, I'm only (already?) about half done. And there's so much I still feel like I need to do. I've got hard drives full of half-completed manuscripts that are screaming to be finished and published. My stepdaughter is about to graduate high school, and I still haven't had a kid of my own. Like I said earlier, I've never been off the continent, but I feel called to go plant churches in Japan, or maybe follow up on the mission work my own mentor did before he died. All this, and I still have bills and rent to pay, debts to dispatch, family that I haven't seen in years that I need to visit... It's kind of overwhelming. And I suppose I've always been the aloof one, the shy and quiet one, the one who has a hard time articulating his feelings, like really being honest. I've thrown up this facade of civility, in part to win friends and influence people, but also in part to protect myself from what they might think of me if they really knew me, if I let them in and showed them my inner world. And I say this because that inner world can be a dark and scary place, a place that at times I really don't want to be in myself, a place of horror and perversion, of rage and bitterness, of a fire that never dies and a monster that is never consumed, yet always burns. And it chases me, and I run away, and it gets a little closer every day. And maybe that monster really is time itself. A few months ago, I met a girl on the bus to work, and we started talking about things. About everything. And I fell in love with this girl, and I wondered if she felt the same. But it was never brought up, and by the time I felt I had the courage to say anything, she moved away, and I haven't seen her since. And I know that saying anything would have been the ultimate taboo, the thing I would have regretted doing for the rest of my life. But I suppose not saying anything is now the thing I will regret. Choose your sacrifice. But choose wisely. Because once it's on the altar, and the flames go up, it's too damned late. #LiveWithoutFear
This was captivating and fascinating. I like how you wove together a review of this Anime with how it mirrors your own life. You might be a genius at this TH-cam thing. Sounds like you're evolving in a very positive way. I think you're gonna be OK. Superb video, I'm glad I got to hear you.
Damn... the 30 minute mark really hit me emotionally. I may joke around a lot in person... but I do struggle with my mental health that even got worse with the pandemic. I have a lot of acquaintances mostly from high school and post-secondary. Maybe four friends I can rely on. Two of them are two or more hours away from me. One at least a 12 hour drive but in the same province. I can sort of relate to this anime and Mike's perspective. I always appreciate Mike's writing and understand that it is different from his social interactions. Hell... I am still socially awkward and introvert even though I can't shut up sometimes. This deep insight is what I enjoy about the channel and everyone that contributes in many different ways.
I cannot believe i watched the whole thing, i don't know how i can describe my feelings after watching your video. Let's just say i loved every second of it, every words and experience you said! 👍
Choosing to remain distant with people because of what you've witnessed or experienced is ridiculously relatable to me. It's been my default for so long that I can hardly recall when it wasn't. As a result, I have had a lot of difficulty with the way my marriage dynamics changed after my wifes' very debilitating stroke. Your videos, especially the introspective ones, have helped in so many ways. For what it's worth, I thank you.
INCOMING PRAISE!! Your tone of voice and the way you speak is one of the best things on TH-cam. Could you read the dictionary for me? I think I would sleep REALLY well if you did.
Having been in customer service for the most of the last 10 years I've found that adding the words "I appreciate you" at the end of my interactions has a pretty profound effect on people. Sometimes just knowing someone has taken notice of you and actually acknowledged you is the thing that will give you the drive push through to do what needs done.
Watching Frieren reminded me of the good ol days when I watched Record of Lodoss War when I first got into anime...in the 90s. The show knocked me back to my childhood.
Another touching and introspective video. I relate a lot with your world perspective and have loved the content you’ve made the past few years. I look forward for every video and I’m never disappointed 💕✨
Y'all should try wall rock climbing 😩 I’m not fit in any way shape or form but going out there with amazing people all around you feels great. It’s pushing to actually exercising and it’s really fun even failing some climbs doesn’t feel bad😭
Man.. i just wanna say that your channel really has been a huge guide for anime for me. I watched the typical Toonami and Adult swim stuff way back in the day DBZ , Gundam, Yuyu, cowboy bebop, Kenshin, inuyasha, Trigun , etc. but it wasn't until i watched Arcane while being an adult, that i became more open to the actual storytelling in anime rather than just the cool mechs and fights i liked when i was younger. SInce finding your channel a little over a year or so ago, i have went out of my way to watch almost all the Gundam UC timeline, Hellsing Ultimate, Castlevania, Claymore(what was available), Attack on Titan, and Vampire hunter D since then; pretty much solely because of your videos. You guys have helped introduce me to a whole new avenue of sci-fi and horror stories. At this point, i literally watch your videos just to see if it's an anime i might be interested in, even if it doesnt follow themes i think i will like lol.
Man these videos are so deep. The segment in the middle reminds me of my own Grandfather, still lucky to have him around...time is a precious and scary thing bro! Wonderful to still be in "our era" despite feeling im slowly approaching the "kids these days" status...Only a few years younger than you but def feeling it lately haha. Love the content great ideas as always my guy 🔥
Honestly, tell people in your life how you truly feel. When I die my people knew how I felt. I'm not the best at my emotions. I tried to to teach, learn or give love. Life is also about relationships and how you communicate.😢
Frieren hits in all the unexpected ways ... makes you cry and think about things you've always took for granted. ... The show somehow applies to everyone in some way.
After a few years, you are my favorite content creator. I love your articulation, introspection, and fervent truth. The way you weave narrative is a talent I only hope I appreciate enough before it’s gone. Thank you.
....so , You are a singular Person just like We all are .I Myself am a loner who does not like the disappointment that other People bring so I spend a lot of time with Myself and thinking about what I'm missing out on is a waste of time. ❤😊
Your introversion really resonates with me. I'm a pretty solitary person by nature, I can and do enjoy being around people, but it's work. It's work to meet new people, to find common ground and get a feel for who they are, which I need to do so I know how to behave around them. Until I get a good grasp on them, I'm in customer service mode. Because of this, people assume I'm outgoing and are very surprised when I tell them I'm not. It is very much outside my comfort zone. I've had experiences growing up that made me want to isolate and when I was young I just didn't understand that my mood and behavior really had an impact on people for good or bad. When I figured that out is when I decided I needed to be better and try to be the reason a person had a better day, or at the very least not to make it worse. I have very few close friends, mainly because of trust issues, but also because there aren't very many people I feel comfortable enough to be myself around. And while giving compliments comes easier now, it's still awkward to receive them. And I find that my close friends also feel that way, I've had to literally scold them and tell them to take the compliment, that I'm not just saying something nice to get on their good side or butter them up, I genuinely think this about them and want to tell them, to encourage them and let them know that whatever it is, is not going unnoticed. I never want to hear empty words or flattery and I don't want to say them to others, but I do want them to know when I say something kind, I mean it. Anyway, I enjoyed this series because it's given me a chance to reflect on life and the choices I've made, my old friends, and how it's not too late to try to be better for the people I love and get to know them. We are all an amalgamation of the people we meet, the books we read, songs we listen to and the experiences we have and that's something we pass on, sometimes without know it or what kind of effect it has on others.
One thing I noted after watching the first season is I just watched a show about the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion. Not to take anything away from the show as the realization actually made it hit harder in my mind.
Thank you for your vulnerability and I am glad you are seeking out professional mental health services. That being said as an adult it is hard to make friends any way and with a history of people in your life being toxic and abusive it becomes a thing to avoid, but I can't emphasize enough how important it is that we try when we are ready. These relationships tend to sustain us as we grow older and give us a reason to get out of bed. Love your content. Please continue making vids.
fuck that was a good video, really hit home I think alot of what you were describing was dissociation, being in the moment is quite hard and its so easy to loose ourselves.
it has been a pleasure and honor to watch every video that mike has made and honestly my favorite thing to see in anime is character growth and mike has given that to me in spades but in real life, I am proud of him and only hope I get to see more, I am glad that I am a patreon of this fine channel and will continue to support him and tyler for as long as I can
Mike idk if you will see this, but I relate to you so much and I very much appreciate you and your content thank you so much for being open with your viewers and letting us see this side of you
This show just feels so relatable. The last 10 years have moved very quickly and I've made some great accomplishments, but it feels very distant. It's like I wasn't really living in the moment for any of it. I have a niece and a nephew that are starting to talk and develop personalities, and it's fun talking to them. Their perspective on everything is so radically different. 1 week to them is a very long time. Frieren trying to understand humans is exactly the same as adults trying to understand children.
I really appreciate the videos in which you incorporate life lessons along with the analysis. It's one of the reasons Bonsai Pop is special for me. You are not afraid to talk about the difficult stuff.
Hey there, just one of those people that support from a distance and don't normally say much. Thanks for the recommendation on "The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic" it was a good watch. I may not say this often but I look forward to seeing the videos that you and your team put so much work into. Keep being the best you can be. I will keep being a patrion that doesn't join the group and only sends you thumbs up.
Been watching your videos for a long time. I don’t comment often but I’m grateful for your videos and getting to know you. I’ve known since that Cross Game video you’ve been through A LOT but hope you keep at it.
I really appreciate the personal tone of your videos. It has been a blessing to watch these videos as you make them and to see how this medium changes you for the better
Wrong way to use healing magic reminded me of older anime, right down to the opening song. Plus the main girl is a thirsty anime geek which is just awesome.
I'm glad so many people enjoy it! A friend in a groupchat recommended the manga a couple years ago, i read a couple chapters, but was into other manga at the time, so just put it away till a later time. Genuinely think if not for this anime i would've never touched it again. The anime really brought it to life for me with every decision the animators made, the music, the voice acting. ❤
Just to play devil's advocate and to add some objectivity here, Frieren in episode 15 with the Wirt storyline through Mut and the relationship with the father that praise and affirmation can go the opposite way as well. Most tasks don't require more than a simple thank you and then merely moving on beyond that. Only extreme successes achieved through extreme challenges should be meet with high praise.
16:20 A few years ago I ran into a classmate, who I don't even remember yet she remembers me. She said that I still looked the same since middle school. I felt kind of sad that I don't remember her.
i don't comment on videos often but i feel like i need to here. i can definitely relate to your experience with lonelynes, loss and the feeling of missing out. also this video needs to have more views, so here's some engagement.
I know you probably don't read all your comments but I wanted to say this was a really good video. first I've ever seen of yours and I've subscribed. I started watching Anime in the mid 80's and have seen more then I really want to think about but Frieren got something right in its exploration of the human condition that is very rare. I suffer from many of the same thoughts and struggles that you describe and without my partners I don't know if I would be able to leave my bed. I hope you find joy in this world and spend as much time as you wish with those you care about. Breath Deep - Seek Peace.
It's such a good show. Slow start to be sure, but everything in the show is for a purpose and connects to multiple other things... It's really well written. But the whole thing of wanting to live the life unwasted... There is conviction there. We all have times stuck in the rut, unable to move forward or find motive. Or life becomes too hard and we feel like we are always on the retreat. It's so great to have a show that just says to move forward. The regret, pain, and hardships of life will happen whether or not you do, but if you move forward you get a bit less of the bad along side a whole bunch of good.
When you said you don't know why everyone kept telling you to watch it, but you did know that it made you think of and remember relationships, people, and other really important things? Yeah, that's exactly why people recommend this. Anybody who has ever had close friends who they went on any kind of "adventure" with, however mundane, loves this anime. Anyone with friends, family, companions, etc. from whom they're inseparable is touched by this anime. People who were impacted by Peter Jackson's LOTR movies were impacted by this anime. For me, it certainly scratches that Tolkien itch. You shared some vulnerable stuff, so I will too. I've been struggling lately with my mental health, particularly with depression and other stuff I don't want to go into. I also have a very close friend who's not in great health. She's not on death's door or anything, but she has a compromised immune system and we'll just say that the pandemic was an incredibly terrifying time, but I always keep in mind that if I can't . This reality is something that Frieren underlines: Even in the ideal situation of us all living to old age with all our friends and dying naturally, we all eventually go away. Unfortunately, many of us won't die of old age. There are people in my life who I matter a lot to and I can't comprehend that to a degree that I underestimate how much people care, and even then? Like you, I keep a lot of people at arm's length, while at the same time they're watching me struggle with stuff and they don't know what they can do for me or how they can help me.
My fiancé has a compromised immune system as well, it attacks her kidneys. I TOTALLY get what you went through with the pandemic, we still don’t eat in restaurants and wear masks everywhere etc. we all just gotta get by the best we can. Getting outside has really really helped me, but I had to wait until I was ready and also get the courage to tell people what I could/couldn’t do cause of the masking/social restrictions. appreciate the comment and hope things get better 🫂
@BonsaiPop Man, it's awesome to get a response! It's unexpected but deeply appreciated. I will say that one thing that helps me is just really trying to enjoy little things, which is another one of the things Frieren emphasizes within the story as well. I hope we can both reach a point where we're more comfortable and open with the people we care for.
Hey, this is the first video I've seen of yours and I enjoy your style of writing and putting yourself in your writing. Looking forward to watching your history and learning more of your story. People's stories are important and I hope yours continues to get better after this rough patch.
Dammit man! I knew I was in for a ride with this video but once again I only estimated the surface. Mike, Tyler, I have such a similar journey to one of you and there is sooo much I could say. But all i can say is; Thank you.
Between this. And Bocchi the Rock. I have been hit in the face recently with the feeling of wasting my life. I was on the edge of tears through most of this video. I havent had the loss happen to me you have. But much of what you said hit me hard. I am trying to move forward. Thank you
What do I see connecting your videos and Frieren? It's about memories and human bonds. You're not talking about a 40 yo anime because it just became super relevant to whatever's happening now. It's because of how that show was an important part of your life, and growth. It shapes us. The oldest memory I have is from when I was 4 yo, sitting on a saturday at home, shitting on a potty and watching Tosho Daimos. That show was an essential part to my personality to this day. With the environment I grew up with, I should be an immoral criminal by now, or something like that, but the MC of Daimos showed me the beauty of empathy, kindness, a longing for peace, my hopeless romanticism, and a (admitadly naive) understanding of love. Today, people watch a tiktok for 90s and then scroll on to their next dopamine hit. I'm not saying our generation was perfect. People like you and I are probably still an exception, but there was a stronger emphasis on deeper bonds between people, on creating life altering moments that we'll look back at while on our death beds. Frieren is learning the same lesson I feel you're trying to show people. I don't feel anybody who recommended this show to you, did it because they feel you're stunted like Frieren was at the start. In the analogy, you're actually Himmel, and your viewers are Frieren. The message is to cherish the people around you, take in every memory you can get with them before they fade away.
Oh, man. I just finished the video and your story sounds so familiar to my own. I'm currently in the process of slowly trying to reconnect with the friends I lost in the past few years by just ghosting them time and time again. It was always a problem, but when the pandemic hit, I basically became a hikikomori and I was too afraid to answer any phone of text, because I thought I'd be to weak, and agree to come out when they'd try to persuade me to it. I wonder if the history of past friendships that ended in pain is a factor in it, because that's the second part that maps perfectly on my history. Anyway... thank you for this video, and thank you for sharing your story with us. Hope you're doing well today, and hope you'll be doing even better tomorrow.
Hey, around the 35min mark you started speaking about how excellence was expected, and so praise is hard to give. I feel you. I have been with my wife 12 years, and while I have gotten better, I have to consciously think about giving praise. I am relieved to hear I'm not the only one who recognizes that fault in myself.
Dude your struggles hit hard. Last year, I got laid off from my job that I absolutely loved (writer's strike yay). It was a struggle getting out of bed some days. I got a new job that I hated, but it didn't last. I was in a few plays, but I really felt like I was on auto pilot, and I was pretty depressed. Gaming 12 hours a day, while my bank account slowly drained. But I'm trying to do something about it. Taking my life in a new direction and am kinda excited for the future. So for what it's worth, I believe in you buddy! Thanks for being a real one in a sea of trash content.
This is one of the greatest masterpieces of animation I’ve seen in a very long time the story is good, and the animation goes extremely hard and wholesome fern vibes
![ลองสุ่มไอโฟน 990 โกงมั้ย? [ โกงมั้ยครับ ep.101 ] | DOM](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/bfsWe0j492k/mqdefault.jpg)
Get 20% OFF + Free International Shipping with promo code BONSAIPOP at Manscaped.com! #ManscapedPartner #FathersDay
What's the sauce for the first anime we saw in the video
Code not working?
Bro you killed with the Buffy still laughing thanks and for your honesty about yourself I do relate. Half way through your examination I paused because it made me realize why this anime struck a cord I've lost some special people recently and saw myself in freeren and Fern both at different times; again I want to thank you for your content wish you success in all your endeavors.
Scam
Hey old friend @BonsaiPop! Haven't seen you in years! Remember the Abt days? Hope your doing well and thanks for posting this video. Made me reflect on a lot of things! Funny enough I remember the convos we all had back in those days at the office, and I remember them fondly. Thanks for that sojourn in life, give my regards to your fiance I'm sorry for her loss and both of you take care! - Javi
Frieren reminded me of why I started watching anime. Any minor criticism I, or anyone, could throw at it is irrelevant in the face of its strengths. Not even my favourite seasonal shows of the past few years have made me feel such innocent excitement and happiness whenever a new episode would release.
Its so good. Its got slice of life stuff, life lessons, comedy, and action which with how story and slice of life type show was not expecting the insanly good and well animated fights when they do happen. Stark vs the dragon had me completely hooked
its boring i stopped after 3 episodes, and the main characters are flat and uninteresting, nothing removely spiritual about this show, i would rather watch something like mushoku tensei, better more interesting characters, BOOORING.
@@nakuvamp The *hair*! Consistently the hair! (also background faces/reactions, but hair, love the hair)
@@KAIZORIANEMPIRE Not that you cant drop an anime at 3 episodes but youre making all these criticisms in a comment section in which most have watched the whole show so they have a more accurate picture of it. So what is the point of making these criticisms here after only having watched 3 episodes. If you were not invested in the show why did you take the time to type this? I dont get it. Do you have to completely diminish the strengths of everything you dont like to justify the fact that you dropped it or something? And to who, yourself maybe? This seems like youre just overly hating on it simply because you didnt find it intersting when everyone else did and you just do not like that, so it comes off as a completely bad faith criticism.
And btw i can see how the characters can seem flat after only watching 3 episodes but why do you expect to get to deeply know characters only by 3 episodes. Not that this never happens in shows, but id say its quite rare
"If you admire someone you should go ahead tell em, cause people never get the flowers while they can still smell em"
Qual is dope. you let that boy loose, in a week he'll hand you two new competing spell types just to keep you busy while he works on something _really_ fancy.
"If you admire somebody you should go ahead and tell 'em
People never get the flowers while they could smell 'em" - Kanye West, Big Brother, Graduation.
The funny thing is I don’t think people asked you to watch this show because people thought you needed it. They asked you to watch this show because it’s had an impact on every single person who has watched it. Just having conversations with people for a weekend that you haven’t seen in three years, to calling up family members … we’re on a journey that’s what life is and it’s never too late
I like that the guy who has trouble with consistency writes some of the most consistently thoughtful pieces on this medium
😅 I was so late writing this that I had to give the editors the first part on Monday and finish writing and recording the rest by Wednesday, we have a contract with manscaped right now and I knew that the video HAD to be out Saturday. Everyone suffered this week cause I was late 🤦
But thats alright, because you honored the contract, you honored your friends, your editors, and you perservered. Its okay to make a few mistakes along the way, its what makes us human, so thanks. Ive been watching the channel for a pretty long time, and i get excited when new videos drop because i cant wait to see and experience the writing, and the soul you too put into them.
Sorry if this is all drawn out, but the baseline is, thank you, you matter, and the content is and has been phenomenal, and ill keep on hoping you all can produce way more of it, like you clearly love doing
@BonsaiPop
I, personally, still don't understand how this show could be considered slow, boring or not interesting. It took about 10 minutes of the 1st episode and it completely had me. The moment Frieren suggests watching the meteor shower together 50 years later and Himmel laughing it off, it was clear where this was going.
This show unavoidably makes you think about things, about life, about friends and family, about the short amount of time we have and much more.
I didn't expect a new show being able to become my favorite of all time, but it did. And I'm happy being able to watch it 🙂
Because it is slow even for a SoL anime. SoL doesn’t need an overreaching goal but it should have some sort of goal. And although the reference to the past is good at times, too much of it detracts from Frieren herself. It’s like going to a Pizza restaurant and all it sells is burgers. And Fern is irritating. She should’ve died.
@@gambitacio what a huge pile of nonsense 🤦🏻♂️
@@UltraHD.7 Sure, Sure. The Frieren mob is out to get me just because I don't worship it.
@@UltraHD.7not nonsense. you just disagree.
Some consider this show slow and boring. I consider it chill, not many out there to be honest. Maybe that is why people enjoy is so much.
While the show portrays that time is precious, it also does the complete opposite by having a main character which "wastes" hundreds of years collecting insignificant spells. Make the most of it or slack of.
I've been watching you and the channel for years as a silent number and just wanted to say thank you.
"...because I am unreliable, and inconsistent."
And this is where we are brothers, sir.
Had to stop for a moment during the dog commentary so I could hug mine. We recently found out he has melanoma and we don’t know how long we have left with him. So when I’m with him, that knowledge that my time with him is limited eats away at me and I often find myself getting choked up and just holding him. But I needed to be reminded that this is part of the meaning of having my dog with me. It is cruel how short our time is with our dogs, but oh, how beautiful and fulfilling that time is.
So sorry to hear that. Grateful you have time left to create / nurture good memories x
For me, what makes Freiren so unique is the pacing. I'm in my late 40s. Everything is so fasted pasted it gets old. It's that way because people demand it. I get quietly annoyed every time I hear someone complain that a show or movie is too slow. It's a lot like going from the frenetic pace of Be-bop to the chill yet deliberate pace of the cool jazz that came later. Slow it down, and mean what you say.
I'm in my early 40's and I don't necessarily feel the same. I miss the pacing of old anime but I blame the money and economy.
I have the opposite feeling about getting a pet, I'm approaching the end of my life, I had a scare at age 65, had to get a quadruple cardiac bypass, so if I adopted a very young pet, I might not live long enough and I'd be leaving the poor thing behind. I can't do that to something that would depend on me and love me, and not understand why I'd left them. I discovered Frieren shortly after my brother passed away at age 85, so the passage of time, loss and life hit me harder in the manga and later the anime.
Damn, it's cool to see people over the age of 30 enjoying anime.
@@dianauwu1312 Thanks, I have to mildly correct you, *still* watching anime, been watching since the original Astro Boy back in 1966! 🙂
Sending you positive energy amigo! After about 14 years of not wanting to live I have finally take ownership of my life and am eating better, exercising daily, and even have tried to pickup skateboarding! One day at a time!
Hell yeah dude! 🔥🔥🔥
I can only do an Ollie and shove it and havent even really skated in 5 years or so but man the feeling it gives you just riding or barely being able to ollie of a beer can and roll away is pretty fuckin awesome. This comment made me actually want to go get my enjoi board out the garage. keep on keeping on man.
Bro, came for the review, stayed for the existential angst, I felt that. Thanks for your videos. They really help when I’m feeling lonely. Stay up, you’re appreciated.
One of the best things about Frieren, for me, has been seeing how other people react to it. How it causes introspection, and what emotions it engenders.
Thank you for sharing yourself with us. You've given me something to think about, as well.
This is gonna be one of those videos I have to watch several times to digest everything. I love it when you give me Too Many Questions about being human first thing in the morning
I have to wonder to what extent Frieren hates demons. She went through the process of suppressing her mana for 1000 years, and desacrating her love for magic, but on the other end she almost always seems to give a chance to her opponents. She offered Qual a pailness death. She warned Draht that she would vaporize him. She even offered Aura to retreat when she could. She let Himmel entertain the idea that demons and humans could coexist, and even asked him again before killing the demon girl. The only automatic response was against Lügner, and even then she stopped when she got arrested.
This is quite the mystery. Maybe she still hopes for a "good demon"? Maybe that was Himmel's influence? Maybe because she comes from a time of peace?
Demons annihilated her whole village leaving only her alive plus Flammel's indoctrination to kill demons, but I think the chances she gave was influenced by Himmel
Frieren is one of the most emotionally provocative pieces of media I've ever seen. Loved nearly every aspect of it.
The cool thing about Frieren is that it reminds me of more contemplative shows I watched when I first got into anime like Mushishi, Kino's Journey, Natsume's Book of Friends, Aria ect.
Damn someone else who knows about kinos journey
yes, because of Frieren, I decide to rewatch Natsume and Mushishi. It makes me realize how I have changed since the day I started watching anime. All of the flashy shounen and isekai have turned me into a negative and easily aggressive person.
If you haven't seen it, Haibane Renmei is a similar slow burn contemplative anime from around the same time as Kino's journey
Girls Last Tour
Hey, I don't reach out often. Your music was great and I loved your take on Frieren. Thanks for making this video, it really made my day.
And all those great well-written side characters, like Kanne (love her!) and the BEST one; Stoltz - Stark's older brother. That episode (#12) with their relationship still give me the big feels whenever I rewatch it.
You want positive male role-models?
Here, let me present: Stoltz!
I can't look at hamburg steak the same anymore.
@@captainpanda8060 and Himmel .
FUCK, you hit all of the emotional beats that got me. I love this show, and you explained, logically, WHY I LOVE IT
You're not alone in being alone. Great video, thanks a lot 🙏
Damn, amen - that was deep
You can feel alone surrounded by people. Even people who care.
The key to life, I've found, is finding people to be alone with, together.
Commenting again to say fuck yeah rollerblading! It's the only thing that gets me outside willingly. Glad you're finding things that you enjoy outside too. I love how much you put yourself into these bc it helps tie what you're talking about to relatable real life experience. You also make me feel feelings but more importantly, thinking about them. This is prob my fav channel to recommend bc of all it provides. We laugh. We cry. We share trauma over strange watch parties. ❤️
Frieren is one of my new favorite anime series and one of my favorite characters.
Man, I don't even know exactly what to say, but I FELT this video.
Frieren absolutely blew me away and reminded me a lot of Lord of the Rings in terms of writing and a fully immersive fantasy world. Stunning.
This video, to me, is the ultimate companion piece to the anime.
Been watching for a few years, but never commented. I don't agree with you all the time, but I always appreciate your honesty and it's good to see another side to my personal beliefs. Gotta get outside that echo chamber.
Be well dude and keep up the great videos.
It’s crazy how similar my experience with this show is. Living with a lot of regret over how the last 5-10 years of my life have gone, two of my closest friends, the ones who have stuck around through my malaise, really wanted me to watch this show. And after a couple of episodes I said to each of them, “wow, I see this in myself and I thank you for seeing why I would need a story like this” to which they both replied, “this wasn’t personally about you; it’s just a fantastic show we wanted you to see as well.” Frieren + a few other events this year have given me the push to start to actively try and live my life, and I can’t express how much I appreciate and needed that push. I’m happy to see that I’m not alone in that
I started reading Frieren manga last year and besides the very beginning with a teary eyed goodbye after that the moments in between the present with Fern with Stark going back to the old party I love these moments so much also the characters we meet along the way especially Denken and others are so good man I love this series so much just good ole fantasy with a lot of heart.
You should watch a happy anime called girls last tour.
I wanted to get back into anime after years of not watching and my friend INSISTED that I start with Frieren. Absolutely banger recommendation. However, now I feel like whatever I watch next won't satisfy me emotionally as much as this show did.
We're a lot more like fireren then we notice.
A lot of us are trying to patiently push our way past the most exciting stuff in life so we can have a few moments to relax. A lot of the sentiment around the things that are wrong with the work right now is how we don't have time for the exciting things, money, shelter, medical care, it all comes back to giving us time.
So many of the people I know have this tendency to behave like they could be here forever. That's their safe space, this nebulous, infinite void they could have as many experiences as they want.
Frieren's escape from that thought cycle comes at one more loss, one she wasn't ready for. Unfortunately, many people wind up in that position precisely because they lost something they could prepare for.
I'm not good at or able to articulate my flaws and insecurities the way you have in this video. Not only that but i relate so hard to that kind of behavior. It really helps to hear someone else talking about their isolation and depression and anxiety as someone who also suffers from those things. So in the spirit of this video, thanks for helping me feel better in knowing in a tangible way I'm not alone. I appreciate you :)
This has to be one of your best videos man. Dammit Mike this made me tear up.As if I didn't wrestle with the existential dread of mortality enough lol. Time is not on our side but we must make the most of it and continue to live on for all the people who have passed on, the ones we have grown apart from and also for our future selves to be the best they can be. Also thank you for speaking on your family and grand parents, happy to hear you still have them with you.
I normally don’t comment but in the off chance you/your fiancé see this bonsai, I just wanted to thank you for putting this video and your thoughts/feelings out into the world; and as the only child/daughter of a narcissistic mother, I can empathize/sympathize with how hard that type of complicated relationship is and often wonder how I will feel when she’s no longer here and the mixed bag of emotions that will come with it. I wish you both the best in your healing and can testify at how much 5 years of therapy can make a difference lol.
I’ve never watched you before but this video meant a lot to me. As a very introspective person I like to pretend I have it all figured out but after probably a year of stagnation I think this video and Frieren have reminded me that I have more to learn and more to improve.
The sponsor read was a direct attack against the fatherless amongst us /j
When you're dealing with a good writer, and the writer of Frieren obviously is a good writer, it's pointless to worry about who is the self-insert character. They are ALL self-insert characters. The surface level sh*t, race, magic ability, tragic backstory, comes from the author's imagination, but everything that makes the characters seem human come from the different aspects of the author his/her/their self. All the major characters of Frieren seem so relatable because they are all expressing emotions that the author personally relates to.
The demons mostly aren't self-insert, but the arrogance at their core comes from the self-reflection of the author on his/her/their own arrogance.
which is also why i think a lot of the characters in frieren are bland.
there is no depth besides that 1 emotion the character is based off on.
(also, the main squad of frieren is probably one of the worst. but it could be intentional that the characters dont have much chemistry with eachother)
I disagree. The characters are multi-faceted and aren’t tied down to tropes they are associated with. They all have their good, bad, and even goofy sides, therefore the writing for them is balanced.
I feel the feelings you have about not wanting friends. I don't have many too and the only ones I have left most of them just aren't "my people" anymore. I'm a realist and a workaholic. I work long hours and endure alot of pain. I'm not one to complain and always come to the rescue when I'm needed despite the toll on my body. And I don't emphasize with people's struggles when they barely seem to even try. I don't respect those type of people. So I get not wanting to interact with people. It's not worth the effort sometimes.
Really enjoyed this! This is really what Frieren does, it makes you reminisce, reflect on mortality, lost loved ones, and plans for the future. I lost my grandma shortly before the first episode release and it just hit me like a truck, and I endeavour to spend more quality time with family when I can.
Great video. This is the stuff i love about bonsai pop and made me love the channel
I have to admit, I'm having a tough time getting through this video. 😢
I'm pushing 45, and while I never seeved in the military, I've never traveled outside North America, and I spend most days just trying to make it through to the next - I've been through some 💩. My own childhood was... rough. I was dragged out to the countryside when I was ten, and only really made it back to the big city at 35. I graduated high school by the skin of my teeth and the grace of God. Some of my best friends are already dead. I've been married for almost seven years, and while I love my wife, I'm starting to doubt we'll be together much longer. I've watched kids I carried on my back after church grow up, graduate college, get married, and have kids of their own. My big brother just became a grandfather. I have seen so much of both the best and worst time has to offer, and if I'm (un)lucky enough to have a relatively average life, I'm only (already?) about half done.
And there's so much I still feel like I need to do. I've got hard drives full of half-completed manuscripts that are screaming to be finished and published. My stepdaughter is about to graduate high school, and I still haven't had a kid of my own. Like I said earlier, I've never been off the continent, but I feel called to go plant churches in Japan, or maybe follow up on the mission work my own mentor did before he died. All this, and I still have bills and rent to pay, debts to dispatch, family that I haven't seen in years that I need to visit... It's kind of overwhelming.
And I suppose I've always been the aloof one, the shy and quiet one, the one who has a hard time articulating his feelings, like really being honest. I've thrown up this facade of civility, in part to win friends and influence people, but also in part to protect myself from what they might think of me if they really knew me, if I let them in and showed them my inner world. And I say this because that inner world can be a dark and scary place, a place that at times I really don't want to be in myself, a place of horror and perversion, of rage and bitterness, of a fire that never dies and a monster that is never consumed, yet always burns. And it chases me, and I run away, and it gets a little closer every day. And maybe that monster really is time itself.
A few months ago, I met a girl on the bus to work, and we started talking about things. About everything. And I fell in love with this girl, and I wondered if she felt the same. But it was never brought up, and by the time I felt I had the courage to say anything, she moved away, and I haven't seen her since. And I know that saying anything would have been the ultimate taboo, the thing I would have regretted doing for the rest of my life. But I suppose not saying anything is now the thing I will regret.
Choose your sacrifice. But choose wisely. Because once it's on the altar, and the flames go up, it's too damned late. #LiveWithoutFear
This was captivating and fascinating. I like how you wove together a review of this Anime with how it mirrors your own life. You might be a genius at this TH-cam thing. Sounds like you're evolving in a very positive way. I think you're gonna be OK. Superb video, I'm glad I got to hear you.
You've convinced me, I'm watching it
Do it it’s great
Damn... the 30 minute mark really hit me emotionally. I may joke around a lot in person... but I do struggle with my mental health that even got worse with the pandemic. I have a lot of acquaintances mostly from high school and post-secondary. Maybe four friends I can rely on. Two of them are two or more hours away from me. One at least a 12 hour drive but in the same province. I can sort of relate to this anime and Mike's perspective. I always appreciate Mike's writing and understand that it is different from his social interactions. Hell... I am still socially awkward and introvert even though I can't shut up sometimes. This deep insight is what I enjoy about the channel and everyone that contributes in many different ways.
I cannot believe i watched the whole thing, i don't know how i can describe my feelings after watching your video. Let's just say i loved every second of it, every words and experience you said! 👍
There's never as much time as you think, and boy does that give me anxiety
This sounds like an exploration in the positive and negative aspects of nihilism. Nothing matters unless you choose for it to matter
Just found your channel & thankful for your input. Great video, mate. Kudos.
Choosing to remain distant with people because of what you've witnessed or experienced is ridiculously relatable to me. It's been my default for so long that I can hardly recall when it wasn't. As a result, I have had a lot of difficulty with the way my marriage dynamics changed after my wifes' very debilitating stroke.
Your videos, especially the introspective ones, have helped in so many ways. For what it's worth, I thank you.
INCOMING PRAISE!! Your tone of voice and the way you speak is one of the best things on TH-cam. Could you read the dictionary for me? I think I would sleep REALLY well if you did.
Having been in customer service for the most of the last 10 years I've found that adding the words "I appreciate you" at the end of my interactions has a pretty profound effect on people. Sometimes just knowing someone has taken notice of you and actually acknowledged you is the thing that will give you the drive push through to do what needs done.
As a passive watcher, I appreciate your content Bonsai. This video was deeper than I prepared for but welcomed nontheless, keep doing you❤
Watching Frieren reminded me of the good ol days when I watched Record of Lodoss War when I first got into anime...in the 90s.
The show knocked me back to my childhood.
Wow. Well done on this video. Incredibly personal and heartfelt.
Another touching and introspective video. I relate a lot with your world perspective and have loved the content you’ve made the past few years. I look forward for every video and I’m never disappointed 💕✨
I'm happy Frieren had such a positive effect on you
Y'all should try wall rock climbing 😩 I’m not fit in any way shape or form but going out there with amazing people all around you feels great. It’s pushing to actually exercising and it’s really fun even failing some climbs doesn’t feel bad😭
Man.. i just wanna say that your channel really has been a huge guide for anime for me. I watched the typical Toonami and Adult swim stuff way back in the day DBZ , Gundam, Yuyu, cowboy bebop, Kenshin, inuyasha, Trigun , etc. but it wasn't until i watched Arcane while being an adult, that i became more open to the actual storytelling in anime rather than just the cool mechs and fights i liked when i was younger.
SInce finding your channel a little over a year or so ago, i have went out of my way to watch almost all the Gundam UC timeline, Hellsing Ultimate, Castlevania, Claymore(what was available), Attack on Titan, and Vampire hunter D since then; pretty much solely because of your videos. You guys have helped introduce me to a whole new avenue of sci-fi and horror stories.
At this point, i literally watch your videos just to see if it's an anime i might be interested in, even if it doesnt follow themes i think i will like lol.
Man these videos are so deep. The segment in the middle reminds me of my own Grandfather, still lucky to have him around...time is a precious and scary thing bro! Wonderful to still be in "our era" despite feeling im slowly approaching the "kids these days" status...Only a few years younger than you but def feeling it lately haha. Love the content great ideas as always my guy 🔥
Honestly, tell people in your life how you truly feel. When I die my people knew how I felt. I'm not the best at my emotions. I tried to to teach, learn or give love. Life is also about relationships and how you communicate.😢
Frieren hits in all the unexpected ways ... makes you cry and think about things you've always took for granted. ... The show somehow applies to everyone in some way.
After a few years, you are my favorite content creator. I love your articulation, introspection, and fervent truth. The way you weave narrative is a talent I only hope I appreciate enough before it’s gone. Thank you.
....so , You are a singular Person just like We all are .I Myself am a loner who does not like the disappointment that other People bring so I spend a lot of time with Myself and thinking about what I'm missing out on is a waste of time. ❤😊
Your introversion really resonates with me. I'm a pretty solitary person by nature, I can and do enjoy being around people, but it's work. It's work to meet new people, to find common ground and get a feel for who they are, which I need to do so I know how to behave around them. Until I get a good grasp on them, I'm in customer service mode. Because of this, people assume I'm outgoing and are very surprised when I tell them I'm not. It is very much outside my comfort zone. I've had experiences growing up that made me want to isolate and when I was young I just didn't understand that my mood and behavior really had an impact on people for good or bad. When I figured that out is when I decided I needed to be better and try to be the reason a person had a better day, or at the very least not to make it worse. I have very few close friends, mainly because of trust issues, but also because there aren't very many people I feel comfortable enough to be myself around. And while giving compliments comes easier now, it's still awkward to receive them. And I find that my close friends also feel that way, I've had to literally scold them and tell them to take the compliment, that I'm not just saying something nice to get on their good side or butter them up, I genuinely think this about them and want to tell them, to encourage them and let them know that whatever it is, is not going unnoticed. I never want to hear empty words or flattery and I don't want to say them to others, but I do want them to know when I say something kind, I mean it.
Anyway, I enjoyed this series because it's given me a chance to reflect on life and the choices I've made, my old friends, and how it's not too late to try to be better for the people I love and get to know them. We are all an amalgamation of the people we meet, the books we read, songs we listen to and the experiences we have and that's something we pass on, sometimes without know it or what kind of effect it has on others.
One thing I noted after watching the first season is I just watched a show about the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion. Not to take anything away from the show as the realization actually made it hit harder in my mind.
I love this vid not just bc it's about frieren but bc of how well you put so many difficult subjects into words
Thank you for your vulnerability and I am glad you are seeking out professional mental health services. That being said as an adult it is hard to make friends any way and with a history of people in your life being toxic and abusive it becomes a thing to avoid, but I can't emphasize enough how important it is that we try when we are ready. These relationships tend to sustain us as we grow older and give us a reason to get out of bed. Love your content. Please continue making vids.
My wife and I absolutely loved this anime! I suck at waiting and this tested my abilities. Totally worth it for too many reasons! ❤️
fuck that was a good video, really hit home
I think alot of what you were describing was dissociation, being in the moment is quite hard and its so easy to loose ourselves.
it has been a pleasure and honor to watch every video that mike has made and honestly my favorite thing to see in anime is character growth and mike has given that to me in spades but in real life, I am proud of him and only hope I get to see more, I am glad that I am a patreon of this fine channel and will continue to support him and tyler for as long as I can
I need a video on The Guyver!
It's because this story is so very human.
Mike idk if you will see this, but I relate to you so much and I very much appreciate you and your content thank you so much for being open with your viewers and letting us see this side of you
I am Not the Big O guy in the comments… but I’m also the the Big O guy in the comments.
What's that first anime called
We are many and we all crave BIG O!
I’m on board with this. Big O needs a resurgence.
I too am the Big O guy in the comments.
This show just feels so relatable. The last 10 years have moved very quickly and I've made some great accomplishments, but it feels very distant. It's like I wasn't really living in the moment for any of it. I have a niece and a nephew that are starting to talk and develop personalities, and it's fun talking to them. Their perspective on everything is so radically different. 1 week to them is a very long time. Frieren trying to understand humans is exactly the same as adults trying to understand children.
I really appreciate the videos in which you incorporate life lessons along with the analysis. It's one of the reasons Bonsai Pop is special for me. You are not afraid to talk about the difficult stuff.
Hey there, just one of those people that support from a distance and don't normally say much.
Thanks for the recommendation on "The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic" it was a good watch.
I may not say this often but I look forward to seeing the videos that you and your team put so much work into. Keep being the best you can be. I will keep being a patrion that doesn't join the group and only sends you thumbs up.
Just got recommended this series and it’s blowing my mind how good it is!!
Yet another excellent video. I swing by every couple of months to gobble these up. Thanks!
Been watching your videos for a long time. I don’t comment often but I’m grateful for your videos and getting to know you. I’ve known since that Cross Game video you’ve been through A LOT but hope you keep at it.
Thanks for telling such a personal and touching story. Hopefully I can learn a little from it too
This show had me crying in the first episode man it was so goood
I really appreciate the personal tone of your videos. It has been a blessing to watch these videos as you make them and to see how this medium changes you for the better
Wrong way to use healing magic reminded me of older anime, right down to the opening song.
Plus the main girl is a thirsty anime geek which is just awesome.
I'm glad so many people enjoy it! A friend in a groupchat recommended the manga a couple years ago, i read a couple chapters, but was into other manga at the time, so just put it away till a later time. Genuinely think if not for this anime i would've never touched it again. The anime really brought it to life for me with every decision the animators made, the music, the voice acting. ❤
Just to play devil's advocate and to add some objectivity here, Frieren in episode 15 with the Wirt storyline through Mut and the relationship with the father that praise and affirmation can go the opposite way as well. Most tasks don't require more than a simple thank you and then merely moving on beyond that. Only extreme successes achieved through extreme challenges should be meet with high praise.
16:20 A few years ago I ran into a classmate, who I don't even remember yet she remembers me. She said that I still looked the same since middle school. I felt kind of sad that I don't remember her.
i don't comment on videos often but i feel like i need to here. i can definitely relate to your experience with lonelynes, loss and the feeling of missing out.
also this video needs to have more views, so here's some engagement.
It does look like some of your friends saw that you needed this one. It is a masterpiece.
I know you probably don't read all your comments but I wanted to say this was a really good video. first I've ever seen of yours and I've subscribed. I started watching Anime in the mid 80's and have seen more then I really want to think about but Frieren got something right in its exploration of the human condition that is very rare. I suffer from many of the same thoughts and struggles that you describe and without my partners I don't know if I would be able to leave my bed. I hope you find joy in this world and spend as much time as you wish with those you care about. Breath Deep - Seek Peace.
It's such a good show. Slow start to be sure, but everything in the show is for a purpose and connects to multiple other things... It's really well written.
But the whole thing of wanting to live the life unwasted... There is conviction there. We all have times stuck in the rut, unable to move forward or find motive. Or life becomes too hard and we feel like we are always on the retreat. It's so great to have a show that just says to move forward. The regret, pain, and hardships of life will happen whether or not you do, but if you move forward you get a bit less of the bad along side a whole bunch of good.
When you said you don't know why everyone kept telling you to watch it, but you did know that it made you think of and remember relationships, people, and other really important things? Yeah, that's exactly why people recommend this. Anybody who has ever had close friends who they went on any kind of "adventure" with, however mundane, loves this anime. Anyone with friends, family, companions, etc. from whom they're inseparable is touched by this anime. People who were impacted by Peter Jackson's LOTR movies were impacted by this anime. For me, it certainly scratches that Tolkien itch.
You shared some vulnerable stuff, so I will too. I've been struggling lately with my mental health, particularly with depression and other stuff I don't want to go into. I also have a very close friend who's not in great health. She's not on death's door or anything, but she has a compromised immune system and we'll just say that the pandemic was an incredibly terrifying time, but I always keep in mind that if I can't . This reality is something that Frieren underlines: Even in the ideal situation of us all living to old age with all our friends and dying naturally, we all eventually go away. Unfortunately, many of us won't die of old age. There are people in my life who I matter a lot to and I can't comprehend that to a degree that I underestimate how much people care, and even then? Like you, I keep a lot of people at arm's length, while at the same time they're watching me struggle with stuff and they don't know what they can do for me or how they can help me.
My fiancé has a compromised immune system as well, it attacks her kidneys. I TOTALLY get what you went through with the pandemic, we still don’t eat in restaurants and wear masks everywhere etc. we all just gotta get by the best we can. Getting outside has really really helped me, but I had to wait until I was ready and also get the courage to tell people what I could/couldn’t do cause of the masking/social restrictions. appreciate the comment and hope things get better 🫂
@BonsaiPop Man, it's awesome to get a response! It's unexpected but deeply appreciated. I will say that one thing that helps me is just really trying to enjoy little things, which is another one of the things Frieren emphasizes within the story as well. I hope we can both reach a point where we're more comfortable and open with the people we care for.
Hey, this is the first video I've seen of yours and I enjoy your style of writing and putting yourself in your writing. Looking forward to watching your history and learning more of your story. People's stories are important and I hope yours continues to get better after this rough patch.
Wow. Great video. This was really something special.
Dammit man! I knew I was in for a ride with this video but once again I only estimated the surface. Mike, Tyler, I have such a similar journey to one of you and there is sooo much I could say. But all i can say is;
Thank you.
Between this. And Bocchi the Rock. I have been hit in the face recently with the feeling of wasting my life. I was on the edge of tears through most of this video. I havent had the loss happen to me you have. But much of what you said hit me hard. I am trying to move forward. Thank you
you guys really need to watch Bo/Bo-Bo Bo Bo Bo-Bo-Bo-Bo it’s so good !!
Frieren is a perfect show for everyone, specifically.
Not for tik-tok kids who cannot focus on anything for more than 15 seconds.
What do I see connecting your videos and Frieren? It's about memories and human bonds. You're not talking about a 40 yo anime because it just became super relevant to whatever's happening now. It's because of how that show was an important part of your life, and growth. It shapes us. The oldest memory I have is from when I was 4 yo, sitting on a saturday at home, shitting on a potty and watching Tosho Daimos. That show was an essential part to my personality to this day. With the environment I grew up with, I should be an immoral criminal by now, or something like that, but the MC of Daimos showed me the beauty of empathy, kindness, a longing for peace, my hopeless romanticism, and a (admitadly naive) understanding of love.
Today, people watch a tiktok for 90s and then scroll on to their next dopamine hit. I'm not saying our generation was perfect. People like you and I are probably still an exception, but there was a stronger emphasis on deeper bonds between people, on creating life altering moments that we'll look back at while on our death beds.
Frieren is learning the same lesson I feel you're trying to show people. I don't feel anybody who recommended this show to you, did it because they feel you're stunted like Frieren was at the start. In the analogy, you're actually Himmel, and your viewers are Frieren. The message is to cherish the people around you, take in every memory you can get with them before they fade away.
Oh, man. I just finished the video and your story sounds so familiar to my own. I'm currently in the process of slowly trying to reconnect with the friends I lost in the past few years by just ghosting them time and time again. It was always a problem, but when the pandemic hit, I basically became a hikikomori and I was too afraid to answer any phone of text, because I thought I'd be to weak, and agree to come out when they'd try to persuade me to it. I wonder if the history of past friendships that ended in pain is a factor in it, because that's the second part that maps perfectly on my history.
Anyway... thank you for this video, and thank you for sharing your story with us. Hope you're doing well today, and hope you'll be doing even better tomorrow.
Hey, around the 35min mark you started speaking about how excellence was expected, and so praise is hard to give.
I feel you. I have been with my wife 12 years, and while I have gotten better, I have to consciously think about giving praise. I am relieved to hear I'm not the only one who recognizes that fault in myself.
Dude your struggles hit hard. Last year, I got laid off from my job that I absolutely loved (writer's strike yay). It was a struggle getting out of bed some days. I got a new job that I hated, but it didn't last. I was in a few plays, but I really felt like I was on auto pilot, and I was pretty depressed. Gaming 12 hours a day, while my bank account slowly drained. But I'm trying to do something about it. Taking my life in a new direction and am kinda excited for the future. So for what it's worth, I believe in you buddy! Thanks for being a real one in a sea of trash content.
This is one of the greatest masterpieces of animation I’ve seen in a very long time the story is good, and the animation goes extremely hard and wholesome fern vibes