This has to be one of my favorite episodes so far. The backstory with Stark, his family, and The Hero's Sword was incredible and left me in a puddle on the floor... 😭 This show has the ability to make me cry with one masterfully placed visual and my heart can't take it. It's exploding. With the MUSIC! I absolutely love this treasure of a show!! 🌺💞🥲 I hope you enjoy my discussion before and after the episode x
I wanna say you should react on heavenly delusion ...but may be it's awkward show to react 😅 but also great and excitingand make you thinking for a lot of mysteriously events of the show
Just so you know, season two of Frieren was announced a couple of days ago. It probably comes out next year. 😃🤩One of the best shows I have seen, and I'm not a big fan of anime usual. 😉😊
One more thing that unifies them: They're all orphans. Himmel & Heiter met as kids at an orphanage. Eisen lost his family to demons. So did Frieren. And Stark. Fern's family died in a war. A group of lonely kids, finding their way to a new family.
I wouldn't call Eisen a "coward". A coward is someone who failed to act when fear takes over their body. So maybe "cowardly warrior" is a more apt of a description. (Cowardly has a slightly different nuance) Bravery is not the absence of fear, but the ability to act in spite of it.
@@yungzheit’s not that Eisen is an actual coward, it’s how he views himself. He fled his village when it got attacked. He says himself he’s a coward because he ran.
Stark: I've never been given a gift before. Then finds out that his master made him Hamburg steaks as a gift between warriors. Then remembers his brother would make him Hamburg steaks on his birthday. He got a lot of gifts from the people he cared most about and never even realized. T_T
It’s so beautiful that Fern never heard the story of the sword from Heiter, because Heiter never considered that aspect important to Himmel’s heroism. 😭❤️
True, but I think it's also to preserve his good name and avoid people gossiping about him as a fake hero, as he was sure he was true hero. Kind of like how Aragorn never told anybody that Boromir tried to forcefully take the Ring from Frodo in a moment of weakness. He knew he was a good man that would be slandered if people heard about that.
You know a series and story-writing is MASTERFUL when there is little to no dialogue, and just visuals with expression changes accompanied with very subtle music playing and it makes you cry. Freiren is a masterclass of story-writing.
the best is that is a Zen story, doesn't matter the end of the journey or the goal of it, but the travel and what you learn, quite difficult to accomplish and they nail it as I have not seen before. Best part? there is still lot of material to make more anime.
My favorite part of that scene is the moment when they're leaving and Stark looks at the sword, then leaves without even trying to pull it out of the stone. Because Himmel killed the demon king, it's as if the fact that he couldn't draw the sword discredited the sword rather than him.
Exactly. He did 200% effort to be THE HERO that everyone needs and deserves. Despite not being chosen and destined. It proved that EVERYONE can be a hero.
Stoltz is a great character, and I don't see him talked about all that much. Very little screen time, obviously, but he's such a well-written example of the confluence of strong and kind.
Thanks for standing strong and delivering your thoughts while feeling such strong emotions. The beginning of the episode for me was a call back to Himmel in episode 1 - how the party existed in his beautiful memories and how he got to relive them in the journey to see the meteor shower again - here now is Frieren experiencing the same thing. I bawled. I loved your thoughts on heroes and Stark and trauma, Eisen, Frieren, and Fern are great healing mechanisms for him. Regardless of his cowardice or fear, he is a man of the people who helps anyone who needs his aid when he comes across it, which is maybe what a hero really is more than any attributes of bravery. I can't wait for more reactions. Thank you again.
Personally my favorite episode. This episode was a roller coaster of emotions. I’m laughing, then crying, then laughing and crying all over again. Stark is a true hero despite what he believes
Season 2 is in production! hopefully Madhouse takes their time and makes it as magical as Season 1. theres some excellent content in the Manga for another 28 episode sesaon
The director is very important. If its Saito again I will be more calm about S2. Right now I am worried if S2 will reach the same levels of story telling.
I love the writing on how Stark didnt even touch the sword. Its a small but beautiful thing (like everything in this show). In any other story he wouldve try , fail and try to move on then like fern comes and tell its okay etc. But no. Stark has no self esteem right now. And he doesnt even imagine pulling a sword that Himmel The Hero - HİM Himself couldn't. He is not a hero or warrior on his mind he doesnt need to prove it by failing to pull the sword. God I love this show.
Stark doesn't believe that he's "Hero" material, but what did flash through his mind when he looked at the sword was who he felt was worthy, the older brother who gave his life to let Stark escape.
The steak that Stark has gotten to eat has so much more meaning after this birthday. Because he knows now that the most important people in his life, his brother Stoltz, his father figure/master Eisen believed him to be a proper and hard working warrior from the very beginning. So his quietness while eating that first bite is just him reflecting on these new realizations and gaining a whole new appreciation for the gifts he has been given. They all believe he's a warrior and a hero.
This episode is the perfect example for frieren. Himmel wasnt Made the hero by giving him some magic item. He became the hero by the deeds he did despite not being chosen.
Saw this comment on another channel A "Fake" Hero A "Corrupt" Preast A "Cowardly" Warrior And a "Disgraceful" Mage This is the party that brought peace to the world, without destiny being on their side. This series has masterful writing
The fact that Himmel was unable to draw the sword but still became a hero speaks for itself. The sword symbolizes that there can only be one hero. Even if Himmel was not this one hero, he proves that there is not just one hero. That anyone can become a hero if they believe in themselves and work at it. I love the message because it simply says that you don't have to be extraordinary to do extraordinary things.
The sword doesn't make the hero. The hero makes the hero. I love that lesson. This episode has some fantastic storytelling. In that it hits the sad beats and matches them with some great humor, almost immediately afterwards. Some things are common story tropes, but this whole show, at the same time, just feels...different.
While all this is true, the prophesy does seem to imply that there is some bad calamity or something they has yet to happen that has nothing to do with the Demon King. I'm anime only so that just a theory
@@tulk3747 Or it could be that the great calamity has already passed and the sword is left there as a test for future heroes. The story is similar to Tolkien's mythos. In Tolkien's mythos and all ancient mythologies the world regresses and declines, meaning the future is less brilliant than the past. One such example is the five races of humans according to Hesiod, Gold, Silver, Bronze, Heroes and Iron always with the next stage being lesser than the previous. So, a world ending calamity of the mythical era is far more powerful than anything we might face today. In Tolkien, Morgoth was an actual God level enemy that the Elves faced and defeated after much hardship and tragedies and only after the Valar came to their aid. No mortal race, not even the Elves, had the strength to defeat that foe alone. Divine intervention was necessary to even the odds. Sauron in the Lord of the Rings, while seemingly unsurmountable, was nothing compared to Morgoth. The same seems to be implied here. There was a Morgoth level enemy in the mythical Era and the Goddess decided to help the heroes of that age by providing them with a weapon capable of harming that foe. The Hero of that Age defeated the enemy and returned the sword on the stone, where it remains since then. And it hasn't been drawn since then because no threat of the modern world is anywhere near the level of the threat of that ancient enemy and the strength of the weapon is not needed to defeat any modern day enemy. It is now more of a test for the modern heroes, if you need to rely on a weapon to face your enemies, then you never had the determination to face your foes and you never had the heart of a hero. There is actual evidence to support the above theory which will appear in the anime later on, but, I won't go into detail here because of spoilers. And of course, all this is still a theory since even in the source material this hasn't been confirmed.
@@kpetalis I prefer this theory because its got a lot more to add to the story. Having it be a long forgotten history that people now misrepresent(A common and reoccurring theme in Frieren mind you), makes both Himmel and the Sword more interesting. Himmel for not being chosen, but choosing to be a Hero anyways. And the sword has a mysterious past, rather than yet another prophesized future. A trope so overdone, its long since become a cliche.
The best thing for me in this chapter is that everybody says he run from his village, he is a coward, but then you see him standing (yes, being afraid) but holding up his wooden sword, before his brother tells him to run. Love it.
Stark's father talking about the pride of White clothes, and then when the brother is with Stark on the ground teaching him all his clothes are dirty because he doesn't care about that when he's with his little brother... That melt my heart ❤
Yeah, this episode was my favorite that got me the most. I felt very sad for Stark, thinking about the shame he's probably been carrying all this time about his family/village and I hope that him piecing together Eisen's explanation of the meaning behind the birthday steaks with his brother cooking him one will help relieve some of that shame and have more confidence in himself. All that going through his head as he simply responded "yes" to Frieren asking if the food was good had me sobbing. Love the way this show does its flashbacks. First with the short, vague, and cryptic 1-2 second flashbacks and then a full reveal by the end. So good! New to your channel, loving your reactions.
This is one of my favorite episodes of the 1st season!!! Always makes me cry!... I think it hits harder because we can relate to it. Pretty sure at some point we have all felt unappreciated, and later on in life when we are wiser, we find out what other people have done for us and how much they have given us without us knowing.
The music in this show is so good I don't even have words for it. It's like Evan Call has a key to emotional reactions and knows exactly when and how to turn it. The soundtrack elevates every scene.
@@ntan315151 When these vids drop on YT, she should be a few episodes ahead already on Patreon, from what she's said. I was worried about spoilers too.
Not only the tone, but the lip quivering too. As if he's saying "yeah" and holding back tears from the realization he just had. Probably one of my favorite episodes of this whole season for sure.
Himmel is the personification of "Fake it till you make it.". I remember back in June a dude helped stop a knife attack on a Taiwan metro and when asked about it he said "Himmel would do the same".
The elder brother walks towards STARK who is practicing. He couldn't escape the splash of mud.I think he was the only one in the village who saw his potential
I love your end of video discussions. I can feel your love for Frieren and the way you break down the content of the episodes is expressive and easy to listen to.
I really love how this episode did away with the whole "chosen one" trope. Himmell wasn't a hero because it was his destiny; he was a hero because he chose to be.
I can see your soft hearted person, i watched this ep like almost 100 times and everytime i watch it, i sobbed. Maybe starks childhood life was just like mine. Blamed for the passing of my youger brother when i was 10 or 11 yrs old. Well, until this time, i still blamed myself though...
Every one has a show that hits different and remains with you. I think is safe to say now that Frieren is that show to you. This love is what makes your reaction so priceless
Himmel was not chosen for greatness, he carved his own path through the world by his own strenght, Will and Charisma despite that. That is truly Heroic!
22:08 I think that is the real accomplishment of this show. Sure the animation is beautiful and worthy of paise, the music is extremely well done, and those are definitely not to be overlooked. However I think what truly makes this show special is, that it takes these very common and relatable stories we've seen, heard of and is some ways even experienced ourselves in life, and just makes them so visceral and relatable. The choices in wording, the timing of shots, quick 2-3 frame snippets of scenes setting up a payoff later in the show, the placement of the music, the way the VAs speak, all masterfully placed to achieve maximum impact on those key moments where all the emotions it was building up come crashing down on you. And does it all so elegantly and gently
Stark immediately thought of his older brother when he saw the hero’s sword still embedded on the stone. It’s because he thinks his brother is a hero, his hero. It’s little details like this that make this show so meaningful.
As someone from a German speaking country (Austria) I just can't get over the sentence "Stolz you are the pride of our village" = "Pride you are the pride of our village" xD but yes, very touching episode.
This anime has a wonderful charm and beauty about it. I noticed immediately that you also have a charm and beauty that is so heart felt that you could easily be a character in this anime. Watching you makes me feel like you are really a part of the whole story.
must be such a trauma, his brother is the best warrior, probably also his father, in comparation he is nothing, but he is just a child, then he runs, but only because his brother tell him, he how knows they will lose the fight. Stark thing he should have stayed, even if he was a level 0 warrior with a wooden sword. Its brother show real love.
Imagine how many “heroes” ,who could be a lot better and stronger than Himmel, reached the Village of the Sword and then gave up when they failed to pull the sword from the stone. That didn’t stop Himmel. That is what made Himmel different. That is what made Himmel a hero.
this is my favorite episode. i love the fact that himmel isnt the chosen one. he failed to pull hero sword out of stone and this was clearly a big blow to him but he still managed to pull himself together in seconds and he defeated the demon king. also his motivation being to prove heiter wrong is hilarious. so himmel defeated demon king with his fake sword and buried with his shiny/good looking hero sword while the real hero sword is now rotting in that cave.
Cry and be free! The smirk face that Frieren makes with the potion is an easter egg to the voice actress's other role of Anya in Spy X Family. Great episode and wonderful reaction. Thanks!
4:20 No one kept it a secret . Nobody even knows about it , they just ASSUMED that he must have pulled it off since he has the sword ( duplicate) and since he defeated the demon king . People romanticised that notion , not Himmel's friends.
Himmel is so real that he slayed the Demon King with a fake sword (replica). He turned the real Hero Sword into a fake one - a display artefact that will never be used
I love that this episode recontextualizes Stark. He's not a coward. He runs because he is loved by someone and they said he needs to live. And then it makes the times he *doesn't* run that much more important because it shows he's trying to protect people and putting them before his own brother's wishes and love.
Thank you for another great reaction! I have four things to mention in this comment and I tend to be "wordy" so it will be a bit long, my apologies ahead of time. First, this episode, Starks back story, always gets to me so, when I see it hit others, I get it. I have to say though, there is something about seeing someone with "big doe eyes" full of tears that makes it hit much harder. It must be incredibly difficult for your husband, family or friends to not be influenced by them. I truly appreciate how "real" your reactions feel compared to some of the soulless ones out there. So please don't try to hold your tears back or shy away from expressing how you are feeling, it is one of the big reasons your reactions are worth watching. Especially for those of us who care about the content. Second, your comments about Heiter noticing Frieren's mana from the last episode are spot on. Heiter was a monster as far as mana goes. Not only that, you mention piecing together breadcrumbs this writer leaves for the reader / viewer throughout such as, the fact that Heiter notices Frieren has been suppressing her mana and he likely knows why. He makes a comment to her that one day he may have a child who may become a mage...Fast forward, he saves and raises Fern. In the first episode Fern says to Frieren "Was find me difficult even for you? Heiter often tells me I'm practically invisible. It's a very good thing, isn't it?" Frieren thinks to herself "It's true, her control over her mana is exceptional. How much has she studied at such a young age?" It's then you realize he was the first one to teach Fern to conceal her mana.it's Almost as if he was raising her to be Frieren's apprentice/companion from the very beginning. Especially when you learn about the journey he and Eisen were preparing to send Freiren on. Third, we learn that Himmel accomplished all he did without the legendary weapon supposedly required for victory. Teaching the lesson that one can overcome huge obstacles through their own strength and willpower. That you become a hero through actions and deeds because they are what matter most not a shiny sword. My fourth and last thoughts are on Starks back story. I agree with you, he would never attempt to pull the heroes sword because of how he sees himself. The flash of his thoughts to his brother, a person he sees as being worthy of that sword rather than himself. His past, his self doubt and shame is painful to learn about. It's heartbreaking to see how deeply the wrong people can scar us and how we can carry those scars throughout our lives. This episode shows this but it also shows how important it is to reflect back objectively. If you do you may learn that you also had people who believed in and supported you along the way. Those you may not have noticed as you were stuck in darkness but they existed. Focusing on them can change your outlook on life. I'll spare you more rambling. 😂 Thank you again for your reaction.
I love the naming conventions in Frieren, Because its German, and they always give you an insight to a character, but with some of them there is more to it Stoltz means Proud, but he wasnt only proud in his achievements he was proud of his brothers too, he should have been called Art
It took me a while but I remember Frieren telling Flamme in the Aura episode, that it's tiring to suppress your mana. It took me till this episode to realize that's why Frieren sleeps so much.
This anime will always be 20 out of 10 for story telling and character development for me, forever. This is what makes this anime so beautiful. They fucking nailed it with how to impact the audience with sad story then make it meaningful. This anime is oozing with wholesomeness.
3:26 The strength of his arm, and the battles he fought weren't what made Himmel a Hero. If was the care, with which he treated everyone around him. Gentle in spirit, strong of will, steadfast in friendship, and utterly selfless in love. He is HIM.
Many people say "reaction content is the worst content" but i beg to differ. Thank´s to your reaction i can reignite the feelings what i had watching it the first time. Enoy your reactions.
18:37 I think this is the second most heartbreaking episode after episode 14 (for me personally, but could be convinced it deserves first spot just for the sheer amount of tear jerking moments). Frieren dreaming about her long gone friends, Frierens sadness mentioning how people making up stories about heroes is slowly eroding away the true character and bravery of Himmel, Stark thinking about his brother when he sees that sword thinking he would have been a real hero as well, Stoltz kneeling down into the mud messing up his pure white cape just to help his little brother and give him words of encouragement and affirmation, Fern buying Stark what he believed to be his very first birthday present, just to then realize both Eisen and Stoltz where giving him birthday present this whole time, and finally the biggest tier jerker being baby Stark crying as his beloved brother, with no condemnation in his eyes, gives him permission to give into his fear and run, staying behind with a smile on his face, knowing that at the very least, his brother would be saved by his sacrifice and to him that wasn't in vain at all. Just jam packed with soul crushing emotions. One of the greatest episodes to exist in all of anime.
Himmel: "who cares if I'm not the real hero?" Meanwhile, in Taiwan: a random guy started staving people for some reason, and was stopped by a civilian. When the reporters asked him why he did it, risking his life (probably expecting something like "he attacked my gf or friends", or something like that), he replied "that's what Himmel the Hero would've done", and walked away from the cameras...
You're the first reactor I've seen in around two dozen who saw the parallel between Himmel and Stark in overcoming Imposter Syndrome. I love your analysis, and I'm going to have to go back to episode 1 to see what you thought of the first half of the series!
I absolutely love your reaction to 12, and it is completely appropriate to the story. Flexie immediately sees that the way a father looks upon his son and calls him a failure, is how the child is going to think about themselves. We now see why Stark has such self doubt. It's core to his soul. Stoltz knew that this was a battle to death, and that Stark and his little wooden sword could not possibly help in any way. Far better that one member of the family survives to carry on for all the rest, which Stark does. Ancient mythology always declares that a true hero is selected by the gods, or the fates, "It is his Fate to become the hero!". This ancient trope is contrasted to a more modern one of Destiny. One's destiny in life is chosen by the person themselves, and is not bestowed. When you set your destination in life, that is your destiny. And that is what Himmel does! He chooses to be the hero. Great Reaction video!
We need Flexie to survive the entire 28 episodes in which there is some doubt. As long as she has the encouragement of her fans, and plenty of tissue at her right hand, she can make it. Perhaps with a few more dents in her heart, but Flexie is a hero trooper, She will survive!
I understand why reactors want stark to try and pull the hero's sword, but I'm glad he doesn't. It defeats the whole purpose of the episode if he does. What is a hero? Someone who keeps his word and saves everyone in front of him and the world, someone who sacrifices himself to save his brother, or maybe somebody fights to save others despite his fear? Divine providence isn't what makes a hero. It's your actions in this world that makes you a hero. Really great episode and fantastic writing.
Heiter's mana is comparable to Aura's who has lived for 500 years. I think the consensus is Frieren suppresses her output to one-tenth, while Heiter saw it as one-fifth of his. So he's got about half as much as Frieren does after training for 1000 years. Basically showing how much of an insane outlier he is from normal.
I like the detail of including Stark's brother when he's thinking about the sword in the stone. It almost frames it as Stark wants to try and pull it, but he's actually thinking of "What if my brother was the hero who could pull the sword?" because he looked up to his heroic actions
This has to be one of my favorite episodes so far. The backstory with Stark, his family, and The Hero's Sword was incredible and left me in a puddle on the floor... 😭 This show has the ability to make me cry with one masterfully placed visual and my heart can't take it. It's exploding. With the MUSIC!
I absolutely love this treasure of a show!! 🌺💞🥲 I hope you enjoy my discussion before and after the episode x
I wanna say you should react on heavenly delusion ...but may be it's awkward show to react 😅 but also great and excitingand make you thinking for a lot of mysteriously events of the show
The moment that Stark realizes that he's never truly been alone and unloved as he feared always gets me 😭
Just so you know, season two of Frieren was announced a couple of days ago. It probably comes out next year. 😃🤩One of the best shows I have seen, and I'm not a big fan of anime usual. 😉😊
just wait a little bit more 😭😭
@@FlexiejayAnime your discussions before and after the episodes are greatly appreciated. 😊
Himmel was not the chosen hero. He chose to be a hero!
HE BECAME THE HERO WE NEEDED, NOT THE ONE WE DESERVED!
preach my folks!
Infinite yes
The "Everyone who works hard is a warrior" line always gets me
Same.. that really hit
Now we have the complete party of people who defeated the demon king-
Corrupt Priest
Coward Warrior
Disgraceful Mage
and a Fake Hero
One more thing that unifies them: They're all orphans. Himmel & Heiter met as kids at an orphanage. Eisen lost his family to demons. So did Frieren. And Stark. Fern's family died in a war. A group of lonely kids, finding their way to a new family.
I wouldn't call Eisen a "coward".
A coward is someone who failed to act when fear takes over their body. So maybe "cowardly warrior" is a more apt of a description. (Cowardly has a slightly different nuance)
Bravery is not the absence of fear, but the ability to act in spite of it.
Immoral Thief
Pervert Knight
Idiot Priest
Insane Mage
@@yungzheit’s not that Eisen is an actual coward, it’s how he views himself. He fled his village when it got attacked. He says himself he’s a coward because he ran.
@@kvvtts
Yeah, that's my point?
Stark: I've never been given a gift before.
Then finds out that his master made him Hamburg steaks as a gift between warriors. Then remembers his brother would make him Hamburg steaks on his birthday.
He got a lot of gifts from the people he cared most about and never even realized. T_T
☠️😖
Baby Stark was there, weapon in hand, facing down a monster; trembling in fear yes, but he was still there. Just like ep 5 Stark did.
It’s so beautiful that Fern never heard the story of the sword from Heiter, because Heiter never considered that aspect important to Himmel’s heroism. 😭❤️
I think its because Himmel failed to draw it, so ofcourse there is no reason to tell Fern about it.
not my dumbass read that as herogasm lol
@@dreamon5409 🤣🫶
@dreamon5409 freaky ahh 😂
True, but I think it's also to preserve his good name and avoid people gossiping about him as a fake hero, as he was sure he was true hero. Kind of like how Aragorn never told anybody that Boromir tried to forcefully take the Ring from Frodo in a moment of weakness. He knew he was a good man that would be slandered if people heard about that.
You know a series and story-writing is MASTERFUL when there is little to no dialogue, and just visuals with expression changes accompanied with very subtle music playing and it makes you cry. Freiren is a masterclass of story-writing.
the best is that is a Zen story, doesn't matter the end of the journey or the goal of it, but the travel and what you learn, quite difficult to accomplish and they nail it as I have not seen before. Best part? there is still lot of material to make more anime.
@Alatoic01 it's well done and never seen this kinda anime before. So interesting story telling
My favorite part of that scene is the moment when they're leaving and Stark looks at the sword, then leaves without even trying to pull it out of the stone. Because Himmel killed the demon king, it's as if the fact that he couldn't draw the sword discredited the sword rather than him.
🔥🔥🔥
Exactly. He did 200% effort to be THE HERO that everyone needs and deserves. Despite not being chosen and destined. It proved that EVERYONE can be a hero.
I just love how Stoltz kneeled and get more mud in his cape just to give stark a headpat
Stoltz is a great character, and I don't see him talked about all that much. Very little screen time, obviously, but he's such a well-written example of the confluence of strong and kind.
Thanks for standing strong and delivering your thoughts while feeling such strong emotions. The beginning of the episode for me was a call back to Himmel in episode 1 - how the party existed in his beautiful memories and how he got to relive them in the journey to see the meteor shower again - here now is Frieren experiencing the same thing. I bawled. I loved your thoughts on heroes and Stark and trauma, Eisen, Frieren, and Fern are great healing mechanisms for him. Regardless of his cowardice or fear, he is a man of the people who helps anyone who needs his aid when he comes across it, which is maybe what a hero really is more than any attributes of bravery. I can't wait for more reactions. Thank you again.
that dream scene is so beautiful, gives me chills and makes me tear up every time
6:29 "Stop dreaming it hurts!" THIS! Stop hurting me!
Personally my favorite episode. This episode was a roller coaster of emotions. I’m laughing, then crying, then laughing and crying all over again. Stark is a true hero despite what he believes
ok, but one of the upcoming episodes is Stark pretending to be a dead noble. and personally, id say that ones is better.
the best heroes are the ones that doesn't believe to be heroes, but act like one.
Season 2 is in production! hopefully Madhouse takes their time and makes it as magical as Season 1. theres some excellent content in the Manga for another 28 episode sesaon
The director is very important. If its Saito again I will be more calm about S2. Right now I am worried if S2 will reach the same levels of story telling.
@@bobislav85 but Saito returns, what made you doubt that?
@@jonathanperes What? REALLY?
@@jonathanperescuz he Work on bochi the rock too
@@bobislav85 Idk why saito is so smart person hahahaha. He give his heart to make a beautiful anime❤
I love the writing on how Stark didnt even touch the sword. Its a small but beautiful thing (like everything in this show). In any other story he wouldve try , fail and try to move on then like fern comes and tell its okay etc. But no. Stark has no self esteem right now. And he doesnt even imagine pulling a sword that Himmel The Hero - HİM Himself couldn't. He is not a hero or warrior on his mind he doesnt need to prove it by failing to pull the sword. God I love this show.
Yeah, I bet it didn't even occur to him at this point
Stark doesn't believe that he's "Hero" material, but what did flash through his mind when he looked at the sword was who he felt was worthy, the older brother who gave his life to let Stark escape.
@@dhamon45 Yeah. He believe his brother couldve pulled the sword.
The steak that Stark has gotten to eat has so much more meaning after this birthday. Because he knows now that the most important people in his life, his brother Stoltz, his father figure/master Eisen believed him to be a proper and hard working warrior from the very beginning. So his quietness while eating that first bite is just him reflecting on these new realizations and gaining a whole new appreciation for the gifts he has been given. They all believe he's a warrior and a hero.
This episode is the perfect example for frieren. Himmel wasnt Made the hero by giving him some magic item. He became the hero by the deeds he did despite not being chosen.
A self made hero
@@pierluigidipietro8097 A real hero
Saw this comment on another channel
A "Fake" Hero
A "Corrupt" Preast
A "Cowardly" Warrior
And a "Disgraceful" Mage
This is the party that brought peace to the world, without destiny being on their side.
This series has masterful writing
It doesn't matter how many times I've watched this anime it gets me every episode.
The fact that Himmel was unable to draw the sword but still became a hero speaks for itself. The sword symbolizes that there can only be one hero. Even if Himmel was not this one hero, he proves that there is not just one hero. That anyone can become a hero if they believe in themselves and work at it.
I love the message because it simply says that you don't have to be extraordinary to do extraordinary things.
The sword doesn't make the hero. The hero makes the hero. I love that lesson.
This episode has some fantastic storytelling. In that it hits the sad beats and matches them with some great humor, almost immediately afterwards.
Some things are common story tropes, but this whole show, at the same time, just feels...different.
While all this is true, the prophesy does seem to imply that there is some bad calamity or something they has yet to happen that has nothing to do with the Demon King. I'm anime only so that just a theory
@@tulk3747 Or it could be that the great calamity has already passed and the sword is left there as a test for future heroes.
The story is similar to Tolkien's mythos. In Tolkien's mythos and all ancient mythologies the world regresses and declines, meaning the future is less brilliant than the past. One such example is the five races of humans according to Hesiod, Gold, Silver, Bronze, Heroes and Iron always with the next stage being lesser than the previous. So, a world ending calamity of the mythical era is far more powerful than anything we might face today. In Tolkien, Morgoth was an actual God level enemy that the Elves faced and defeated after much hardship and tragedies and only after the Valar came to their aid. No mortal race, not even the Elves, had the strength to defeat that foe alone. Divine intervention was necessary to even the odds. Sauron in the Lord of the Rings, while seemingly unsurmountable, was nothing compared to Morgoth.
The same seems to be implied here. There was a Morgoth level enemy in the mythical Era and the Goddess decided to help the heroes of that age by providing them with a weapon capable of harming that foe. The Hero of that Age defeated the enemy and returned the sword on the stone, where it remains since then. And it hasn't been drawn since then because no threat of the modern world is anywhere near the level of the threat of that ancient enemy and the strength of the weapon is not needed to defeat any modern day enemy. It is now more of a test for the modern heroes, if you need to rely on a weapon to face your enemies, then you never had the determination to face your foes and you never had the heart of a hero.
There is actual evidence to support the above theory which will appear in the anime later on, but, I won't go into detail here because of spoilers.
And of course, all this is still a theory since even in the source material this hasn't been confirmed.
@@kpetalis I prefer this theory because its got a lot more to add to the story. Having it be a long forgotten history that people now misrepresent(A common and reoccurring theme in Frieren mind you), makes both Himmel and the Sword more interesting.
Himmel for not being chosen, but choosing to be a Hero anyways.
And the sword has a mysterious past, rather than yet another prophesized future. A trope so overdone, its long since become a cliche.
The best thing for me in this chapter is that everybody says he run from his village, he is a coward, but then you see him standing (yes, being afraid) but holding up his wooden sword, before his brother tells him to run. Love it.
Stoltz is probably my second favorite character in this series behind Himmel and the dude is on screen for like 30 seconds lol. Exceptionally written
Stark's father talking about the pride of White clothes, and then when the brother is with Stark on the ground teaching him all his clothes are dirty because he doesn't care about that when he's with his little brother... That melt my heart ❤
I love literally everything about Starks character. He is the best interpretation of a real hero I’ve seen in a long time
Freien is so cute when shes all excited about giving stark the potion. Its cool when shes excited
Starks brother proving Himmel isn't the only one that can reach out of a flashback and grab you by the feels
Yeah, this episode was my favorite that got me the most. I felt very sad for Stark, thinking about the shame he's probably been carrying all this time about his family/village and I hope that him piecing together Eisen's explanation of the meaning behind the birthday steaks with his brother cooking him one will help relieve some of that shame and have more confidence in himself. All that going through his head as he simply responded "yes" to Frieren asking if the food was good had me sobbing.
Love the way this show does its flashbacks. First with the short, vague, and cryptic 1-2 second flashbacks and then a full reveal by the end. So good!
New to your channel, loving your reactions.
It's OK to cry with this show.... 😢 I do, every time
I knew what was coming and still cried Flexie, this anime is freaking wholesome and beautiful.🥲
The tune during Frieren's dream when Himmel turns around, and then the same tune when Stark is eating his steak, hoooo god my heart.
This is one of my favorite episodes of the 1st season!!! Always makes me cry!... I think it hits harder because we can relate to it. Pretty sure at some point we have all felt unappreciated, and later on in life when we are wiser, we find out what other people have done for us and how much they have given us without us knowing.
The music in this show is so good I don't even have words for it. It's like Evan Call has a key to emotional reactions and knows exactly when and how to turn it. The soundtrack elevates every scene.
Thankfully Season 2 has officially been announced!
You are coming up to my favorite episode, number 14!
Now I really can't wait for your reaction to episode 14.
In my opinion the emotional highpoint of the Season, along with episode 16
and after ep 14 she need to rewatch ep1 tho 😊
its gonna be so good
Let things happen naturally bro. Don't give her any hints that will make her expect and ruin her experience.
@@ntan315151 When these vids drop on YT, she should be a few episodes ahead already on Patreon, from what she's said. I was worried about spoilers too.
Stark took a bite of the hamburger meat, then responded to Frieren with a faintly choked tone. The level of detail in this animation is amazing.
Not only the tone, but the lip quivering too. As if he's saying "yeah" and holding back tears from the realization he just had. Probably one of my favorite episodes of this whole season for sure.
Himmel is the personification of "Fake it till you make it.". I remember back in June a dude helped stop a knife attack on a Taiwan metro and when asked about it he said "Himmel would do the same".
I’ve cried watching almost every one of your Frieren reactions. I love this show so much and it’s great to see someone else love it too!
Fern be throwing the word pervert around a lot for someone who immediately looked through Stark’s briefs with the clothing spell
Turns out Stark wasn't even a coward. He was ready to fight with his lil wooden sword. He only ran away because his brother told him to 😭
The elder brother walks towards STARK who is practicing.
He couldn't escape the splash of mud.I think he was the only one in the village who saw his potential
This is one of the episodes that almost always makes me cry, no matter how many times I see it.
I love your end of video discussions. I can feel your love for Frieren and the way you break down the content of the episodes is expressive and easy to listen to.
I really love how this episode did away with the whole "chosen one" trope. Himmell wasn't a hero because it was his destiny; he was a hero because he chose to be.
Flexie makes the day better with her frieren uploads.
Stark must be one of my favorite characters recently 🪓
Absolutely love this show. Deals with so many adult themes and lessons to learn. I love it pure and simple
An anime that can make you cry, laugh, feel all kinds of emotions, is a good anime.
I can see your soft hearted person, i watched this ep like almost 100 times and everytime i watch it, i sobbed. Maybe starks childhood life was just like mine. Blamed for the passing of my youger brother when i was 10 or 11 yrs old. Well, until this time, i still blamed myself though...
Every one has a show that hits different and remains with you. I think is safe to say now that Frieren is that show to you. This love is what makes your reaction so priceless
Himmel was not chosen for greatness, he carved his own path through the world by his own strenght, Will and Charisma despite that. That is truly Heroic!
22:08 I think that is the real accomplishment of this show. Sure the animation is beautiful and worthy of paise, the music is extremely well done, and those are definitely not to be overlooked. However I think what truly makes this show special is, that it takes these very common and relatable stories we've seen, heard of and is some ways even experienced ourselves in life, and just makes them so visceral and relatable. The choices in wording, the timing of shots, quick 2-3 frame snippets of scenes setting up a payoff later in the show, the placement of the music, the way the VAs speak, all masterfully placed to achieve maximum impact on those key moments where all the emotions it was building up come crashing down on you. And does it all so elegantly and gently
Between Stark and Fern, we all know who's the real perv, lol.
Fern's projection is real 😂
Stark immediately thought of his older brother when he saw the hero’s sword still embedded on the stone. It’s because he thinks his brother is a hero, his hero. It’s little details like this that make this show so meaningful.
As someone from a German speaking country (Austria) I just can't get over the sentence "Stolz you are the pride of our village" = "Pride you are the pride of our village" xD but yes, very touching episode.
This anime has a wonderful charm and beauty about it. I noticed immediately that you also have a charm and beauty that is so heart felt that you could easily be a character in this anime. Watching you makes me feel like you are really a part of the whole story.
Your analysis/ thoughts add a lot of value to your reactions. Thank you for sharing them with us 😊
Stark did not try to pull out the hero sword because he sees himself as a coward (as suggested from that mysterious flashback).
When hearing about the sword and thinking of a hero, his first thought is his brother. 😢
must be such a trauma, his brother is the best warrior, probably also his father, in comparation he is nothing, but he is just a child, then he runs, but only because his brother tell him, he how knows they will lose the fight. Stark thing he should have stayed, even if he was a level 0 warrior with a wooden sword. Its brother show real love.
Stark looking at the sword and thinking of his brother is an anime only scene. He never does that in the manga.
The thoughts of Stark the Dragonslayer who suffers from low self-worth: "I bet my brother would have been able to pull that sword.."
Imagine how many “heroes” ,who could be a lot better and stronger than Himmel, reached the Village of the Sword and then gave up when they failed to pull the sword from the stone. That didn’t stop Himmel. That is what made Himmel different. That is what made Himmel a hero.
As a dude that lost a kind brother early on my childhood, this made me cried like a baby
this is my favorite episode. i love the fact that himmel isnt the chosen one. he failed to pull hero sword out of stone and this was clearly a big blow to him but he still managed to pull himself together in seconds and he defeated the demon king. also his motivation being to prove heiter wrong is hilarious. so himmel defeated demon king with his fake sword and buried with his shiny/good looking hero sword while the real hero sword is now rotting in that cave.
The village chief girl is, indeed, incredibly adorable.
Cry and be free! The smirk face that Frieren makes with the potion is an easter egg to the voice actress's other role of Anya in Spy X Family. Great episode and wonderful reaction. Thanks!
There's a theory that the Hero's Sword in the cave used to belong to Kraft.
4:20 No one kept it a secret . Nobody even knows about it , they just ASSUMED that he must have pulled it off since he has the sword ( duplicate) and since he defeated the demon king . People romanticised that notion , not Himmel's friends.
It's funny, Himmel was even buried with the replica sword in Episode 1.
@@DarwinAwardWinner Can you really call it a replica? I'd argue a the true heroes sword is the one weilds, not the one rusting in a cave.
Himmel is so real that he slayed the Demon King with a fake sword (replica). He turned the real Hero Sword into a fake one - a display artefact that will never be used
I love that this episode recontextualizes Stark. He's not a coward. He runs because he is loved by someone and they said he needs to live. And then it makes the times he *doesn't* run that much more important because it shows he's trying to protect people and putting them before his own brother's wishes and love.
Thank you for another great reaction! I have four things to mention in this comment and I tend to be "wordy" so it will be a bit long, my apologies ahead of time.
First, this episode, Starks back story, always gets to me so, when I see it hit others, I get it. I have to say though, there is something about seeing someone with "big doe eyes" full of tears that makes it hit much harder. It must be incredibly difficult for your husband, family or friends to not be influenced by them. I truly appreciate how "real" your reactions feel compared to some of the soulless ones out there. So please don't try to hold your tears back or shy away from expressing how you are feeling, it is one of the big reasons your reactions are worth watching. Especially for those of us who care about the content.
Second, your comments about Heiter noticing Frieren's mana from the last episode are spot on. Heiter was a monster as far as mana goes. Not only that, you mention piecing together breadcrumbs this writer leaves for the reader / viewer throughout such as, the fact that Heiter notices Frieren has been suppressing her mana and he likely knows why. He makes a comment to her that one day he may have a child who may become a mage...Fast forward, he saves and raises Fern. In the first episode Fern says to Frieren "Was find me difficult even for you? Heiter often tells me I'm practically invisible. It's a very good thing, isn't it?" Frieren thinks to herself "It's true, her control over her mana is exceptional. How much has she studied at such a young age?" It's then you realize he was the first one to teach Fern to conceal her mana.it's Almost as if he was raising her to be Frieren's apprentice/companion from the very beginning. Especially when you learn about the journey he and Eisen were preparing to send Freiren on.
Third, we learn that Himmel accomplished all he did without the legendary weapon supposedly required for victory. Teaching the lesson that one can overcome huge obstacles through their own strength and willpower. That you become a hero through actions and deeds because they are what matter most not a shiny sword.
My fourth and last thoughts are on Starks back story. I agree with you, he would never attempt to pull the heroes sword because of how he sees himself. The flash of his thoughts to his brother, a person he sees as being worthy of that sword rather than himself. His past, his self doubt and shame is painful to learn about. It's heartbreaking to see how deeply the wrong people can scar us and how we can carry those scars throughout our lives. This episode shows this but it also shows how important it is to reflect back objectively. If you do you may learn that you also had people who believed in and supported you along the way. Those you may not have noticed as you were stuck in darkness but they existed. Focusing on them can change your outlook on life.
I'll spare you more rambling. 😂
Thank you again for your reaction.
Fun fact: 12:41 that smirk was added in anime only by the producers as a homage to Anya of Spyxfamily as she is the VA for both Anya and Frieren.
I love the naming conventions in Frieren, Because its German, and they always give you an insight to a character, but with some of them there is more to it Stoltz means Proud, but he wasnt only proud in his achievements he was proud of his brothers too, he should have been called Art
Art? why? thats so random
It took me a while but I remember Frieren telling Flamme in the Aura episode, that it's tiring to suppress your mana. It took me till this episode to realize that's why Frieren sleeps so much.
It's unbelieveable I am crying again for this episode.
This anime will always be 20 out of 10 for story telling and character development for me, forever. This is what makes this anime so beautiful. They fucking nailed it with how to impact the audience with sad story then make it meaningful. This anime is oozing with wholesomeness.
I've been meaning to say this. I love that your intro art for Frieren is literally my mousepad design!
3:26 The strength of his arm, and the battles he fought weren't what made Himmel a Hero. If was the care, with which he treated everyone around him. Gentle in spirit, strong of will, steadfast in friendship, and utterly selfless in love. He is HIM.
Finally ❤️ waiting for episode 14
Himmel and Stark are both great heroes! 😭😭😭😭
That slow zoom in on FlexieJay's face when she recognizes the ring from somewhere... You don't pay your editor enough.
Stark's brother Stoltz is voiced by the same VA that does Loid Forger, Takuya Eguchi.
Many people say "reaction content is the worst content" but i beg to differ. Thank´s to your reaction i can reignite the feelings what i had watching it the first time. Enoy your reactions.
The story of how people choose to remember things vs what really happened. We saw that with both Stark & Himmel.
The dream scene of everyone marching on leaving Frieren hurts so much 😭
18:37 I think this is the second most heartbreaking episode after episode 14 (for me personally, but could be convinced it deserves first spot just for the sheer amount of tear jerking moments). Frieren dreaming about her long gone friends, Frierens sadness mentioning how people making up stories about heroes is slowly eroding away the true character and bravery of Himmel, Stark thinking about his brother when he sees that sword thinking he would have been a real hero as well, Stoltz kneeling down into the mud messing up his pure white cape just to help his little brother and give him words of encouragement and affirmation, Fern buying Stark what he believed to be his very first birthday present, just to then realize both Eisen and Stoltz where giving him birthday present this whole time, and finally the biggest tier jerker being baby Stark crying as his beloved brother, with no condemnation in his eyes, gives him permission to give into his fear and run, staying behind with a smile on his face, knowing that at the very least, his brother would be saved by his sacrifice and to him that wasn't in vain at all. Just jam packed with soul crushing emotions. One of the greatest episodes to exist in all of anime.
Can't wait for see your reaction for later episodes
So basically, Himmel was so badass, he beat the freaking final boss with the tutorial weapon.
☠️ damn well when you put it like that ….
Regarding his weapon...it has an episode later in maga
Himmel: "who cares if I'm not the real hero?"
Meanwhile, in Taiwan: a random guy started staving people for some reason, and was stopped by a civilian. When the reporters asked him why he did it, risking his life (probably expecting something like "he attacked my gf or friends", or something like that), he replied "that's what Himmel the Hero would've done", and walked away from the cameras...
Great reaction as always!
You're the first reactor I've seen in around two dozen who saw the parallel between Himmel and Stark in overcoming Imposter Syndrome. I love your analysis, and I'm going to have to go back to episode 1 to see what you thought of the first half of the series!
I absolutely love your reaction to 12, and it is completely appropriate to the story. Flexie immediately sees that the way a father looks upon his son and calls him a failure, is how the child is going to think about themselves. We now see why Stark has such self doubt. It's core to his soul. Stoltz knew that this was a battle to death, and that Stark and his little wooden sword could not possibly help in any way. Far better that one member of the family survives to carry on for all the rest, which Stark does. Ancient mythology always declares that a true hero is selected by the gods, or the fates, "It is his Fate to become the hero!". This ancient trope is contrasted to a more modern one of Destiny. One's destiny in life is chosen by the person themselves, and is not bestowed. When you set your destination in life, that is your destiny. And that is what Himmel does! He chooses to be the hero. Great Reaction video!
Girl your eyes were glistening towards the end, lmao!!!!!!
Apparently you won't be ready for ep.14
Or 15! She will get full body chills
Or the rest of the series, for that matter.
eps 27 too
@@up299eps 28 too, i think the whole series is hse will not ready 😂😂😂😂
We need Flexie to survive the entire 28 episodes in which there is some doubt. As long as she has the encouragement of her fans, and plenty of tissue at her right hand, she can make it. Perhaps with a few more dents in her heart, but Flexie is a hero trooper, She will survive!
I can not wait for episode 14!😊
I understand why reactors want stark to try and pull the hero's sword, but I'm glad he doesn't. It defeats the whole purpose of the episode if he does. What is a hero? Someone who keeps his word and saves everyone in front of him and the world, someone who sacrifices himself to save his brother, or maybe somebody fights to save others despite his fear? Divine providence isn't what makes a hero. It's your actions in this world that makes you a hero. Really great episode and fantastic writing.
Fern attaining full tsundere status now. Stark? Bridal carry another woman? No, Fern will not let that happen.
Fern dont think all men are pervs, she call stark perv, because she is proyecting. Fern is probably the biggest perv in the show.
I wonder who she learned that from? Frieren? Heiter?
@@unknown_318 probably herself and her solitary life, living with a priest and no other person of her age.
Its always the quiet ones. 😮
Fern is thinking THOUGHTS about Stark
Heiter's mana is comparable to Aura's who has lived for 500 years. I think the consensus is Frieren suppresses her output to one-tenth, while Heiter saw it as one-fifth of his. So he's got about half as much as Frieren does after training for 1000 years. Basically showing how much of an insane outlier he is from normal.
Its not the sword that made the hero but the hero that made the sword.
And man... that second half of the episode 🥲
I like the detail of including Stark's brother when he's thinking about the sword in the stone. It almost frames it as Stark wants to try and pull it, but he's actually thinking of "What if my brother was the hero who could pull the sword?" because he looked up to his heroic actions