Dude appears, sinking in a pile of mud. Saves Stark's life. Follows the team around for a few months, saves everyone's lives again later, mediates conflict, ships Stark and Fern. Dips to find his childhood buddy. BASED
Let’s not forget Sein’s greatest accomplishment in being a voice for the audience when he said that Fern and Stark should just start dating already. Man was the only socially adjusted person among a group of awkward kids who had no idea how to properly communicate with each other
Sein is undeniably a great character, and his moment when leaving the group to other direction to continue pursuing his friend is shockingly sad yet truly respectable decision.. and him immediately feeling lonely after that while smiling is the cherry on top,, such a great writing 👍
I love how they allude to Sein at the end of the final episode of the season. Where Fern asks Frieren why she doesn't formally say good-bye when parting with the people she's met along her travels, and we learn via flashback that Himmel did the same because he'd feel awkward if they did eventually reunite. It neatly contextualized how lowkey Sein leaving the story was and for us in the audience that a reunion is always possible.
I SAID SEIN! HOLY CRAP! When you asked us about our favourite character in the poll, I said Sein. He wasn't even an option, but he just is my favourite. And now this video comes out. I'm so happy x)
I never really considered Sein as weird. The 'weird' feeling I got was more because I felt that his struggle was even more relatable. When he got the push to do what he always truly wanted to do it didnt change his entire outlook on life. He now went with his dream but because of his past regret continued to be lost in thought and contemplainting if he chose correct this time. And this regret is what defined his character in a way where the viewer understood his point of view. Whatever he did in the group, he did so they would not regret their time. In a show with Frieren, whilst having human problems, is so far from human, or Fern being so cold often times, I think the weird feeling was understanding Sein so well. Everyone has defining past experiences that change someones outlook and we got to expreience his.
Did you notice that the beginning and end of episode 13 can also symbolize Sein's state. Specifically; (1) He's initially physically stuck in a bottomless swamp, which can be a metaphor for how he's also living his life, while being stuck. (2) When Sein says that he'll accompany the party near the end of the episode, Stark (and Fern) manage(s) to catch a fish, which can be a metaphor or how they helped fish Sein out of his situation.
I think the reason frieren was reluctant to recruit sein is not that he was a genius but because he was like her before. He was a painful reminder of her apathetic past, which is why she quickly swung towards recruiting him at any cost, because it was painful to see someone wallow in stagnation, just like she did.
I also think there's the recurring theme of "It's what Himmel would have (and has) done". Frieren's journey is to understand Himmel better, so acting as Himmel might be the most direct way of achieving that goal.
Corrections: (1) Frieren doesn't fall for mimics. She chooses to take the risk when it's safe to do so (ie, outside of battle situations) because she doesn't lose anything of value (and because the mimic-check spell is only 99% accurate). Specifically, she loses a little time while in the mimic and then later when fixing her hair (but she doesn't care about that because she has practically infinite time), and suffers a little reputation damage (but she doesn't care about how others view her all that much). On the other hand, she may gain something (eg, maybe the shaved-ice spell shown in the flashback in S01E06). In summary, she loses nothing and may gain something so why not try them all? (2) Sein's brother didn't actually study under Heiter as far as we know. Heiter just visited their village as part of his bishop? duties to select Sein's brother for a higher position in the Holy Capital of Strahl. (3) Frieren's aversion to Sein is not because Sein is also a genius, but because Frieren sees the state he's in (ie, the sunk cost fallacy and not moving on with what he wants to do in the bottom of his heart) as being eerily similar to how she was before Himmel convinced her to journey with them. It's like looking in the mirror or something.
spoiler warning for s1 of the anime: 1) You're right that Frieren doesn't fall for mimics but would rather take the 1% chance. However that's a pretty big moment and spoiler for the later part of season 1, unless I choose to give a total spoiler warning I didn't want to include that as I'm approaching the series episodically 2) Umm I guess so? Seems like a semantic debate but I think I get what your point is 3) I don't think so. It's explicitly stated that Frieren's aversion to Sein is because of his genius, the reason she chooses to help him is because she sees herself in his situation. Just go back and rewatch the episode where Sein is introduced, it's pretty heavy handed
@@PeyTalksAnime (1) Sure, but I assumed that everyone has seen the entirety of season 1 before watching your videos. Though I can edit my message if you feel that it's necessary. (2) Ok. (3) Where is is explicitly stated? I have just rewatched the episode and checked the manga again. In Ep13 around 9:40 or manga chapter 27 page 14 we have: Frieren: "It's an aversion to my own kind, I guess. / I hate how similar we are." Stark: "What is she talking about? / What are you talking about?" We, just like Stark, don't know exactly what she means by saying that at the time. Then, we have the scenes from 11:27 to 12:47 in Ep13 or manga chapter 27 pages 17-19. They clearly show that Frieren hates how Sein is saying that "it's too late now" similar to how she behaved when she was initially approached by the heroes party. Finally, as a bonus check Ep17 from 9:45 to 10:50 or manga chapter 35 pages 14-16. I don't think I'm mistaken here, but would be happy to hear from you or anyone else. :)
@PeyTalksAnime Re OP's point 2, I don't think it's a matter of semantics. Heiter visiting Sein's village as part of his bishop duties simply indicates Heiter is Sein's bro's boss. Them sitting at a table doesn't mean Sein's bro studied under Heiter. The fact that you work for your boss from your company's HQ doesn't mean you studied under him. To my knowledge, I don't believe it was explicitly stated nor implied in the episode.
Interesting. As soon as their paths diverged, Sein leaving the party was the only viable solution I could see. The scale of the map is never clearly indicated, but I could tell just from how they were talking about it that it would have been a substantial detour for either side to stick with the other. By that time, Sein had already emphasized in several episodes that finding Gorilla Warrior was his primary goal. And it didn't feel like a fake out to me, because of how his backstory has been presented in flashbacks. It wouldn't have made sense for him to be like "eh, I'll find him eventually" and follow Frieren. So like I said, the only possibility in my mind was them going their separate ways. That said, it is indeed really interesting that the story was willing to have a temporary party member like that. I'm having trouble coming up with another similar example from a work of fiction. The closest analogue I can think of is when a guest player joins a D&D show for a few seasons, has a short character arc, and then they and their character leave the party again.
@@lenamasou8066 I never felt like Vivi was a real contender for the crew. Everyone up to her had something unique that set them apart. Vivi was a mostly ordinary person who was just really well liked.
But why it's a detour at all? Isn't Friren's party heading like straighr north, like where Sein also needs? To me it shoud've been the other way around (Friren goes north to tur and Sein to aurbest)
@@volkem7985 Auberst was a mandatory stop to get the first-class mage certification to actually go into the deep north. I'm pretty sure that was already established by that point, unless my memory fails me.
I was so sad when Sein left the party, but the confidence and commitment to the choice is incredible. Most stories wouldn’t be that brave, but it was an incredibly impactful choice that they didn’t renege on. This is part of what makes Frieren a true modern masterpiece.
It wasn’t the genius aspect that made her averse to him joining, it was the same as what drew her to helping him. The feeling of being too late for your dreams.
The character that comes to mind when I think of Sein is Boromir, just without a Dark Lord/Demon King threatening his home and without the One Ring. They're both the most normal members of their respective groups, neither wanted to leave their home to go somewhere far off, and when they eventually _are_ convinced to go on a journey and join a group (not necessarily in the same order), they make it very clear that it's only for a time and they _will_ part ways if the larger group doesn't follow their specific path. It's actually a wonderful bit of storytelling from both authors to show that this character, while a part of the Main Character's group, was not born for the role, is not obligated to be part of it, and has a life outside of it that they want to get back to, even at the expense of the group.
Hey Pey, I don’t have disposable income but these videos are a genuine joy to watch and so intriguing to ponder and listen to what you talk about, the format and using one of my favorite anime’s as a source and outlet for narrative and other topics is really cool!! Btw, watched frieren with my mom and she loves it! We often rewatch it 😂
Heck yeah! Also you watching the videos is more than enough support. I'm glad you enjoy them and even watched the show with your mom! Don't worry at all about throwing money my way. things are starting to be more stable on my end
And he left the party in the episode that had a new opening in which Frieren stands up after reading a book, smiles and walks toward him and Stark and Fern behind him....
So glad to get a video on possibly my favorite character in the show! My man Sein needs some love, hope we get to see a reunion and some future adventures with Gorilla Warrior :)
Wait a minute I just found out after watching these videos over the last few days that you’re pey, as in the singer I’ve been listening to all year! It’s crazy to me that not only do you write incredible songs, but you also create great short form content like this. If you ever play in Nashville I’ll be one of the first to get tickets!
I've heard two conflicting theories on the 'tropes' of Frieren. One is that it subverts tropes, and one that it fulfills them. I think Frieren's writing lay in the fact it fulfills its tropes perfectly. The show does not rely on the "This person is X....but really they're Y!" Frieren in a multi-millenial old elf...but really........! No, she acts and behaves that way outside of the comedic moments. She fulfills her trope more than pretty much most elves in modern fiction.
I feel like the biggest "subversion" is that the characters are not just empty tropes, but are coherent and have substance beyond the tropes. Frieren is a multi-millenial old elf, acts and behaves that way and has to deal with the natural consequences of that. Himmel acts and behaves like a hero and embodies the trope of a true hero even more because he does everything out of his own will instead of just being chosen by destiny. The characters fit in their tropes, but also manage to be their own characters besides that, which many generic fantasies don't accomplish.
@@nikx i feel one issue is we make it seem like playing an arçhetype strait is somehow bad. We have to be insincere about it. "Yeah they're a hero...buuuuuuut..." Sincerity seems to be a good word.
@@Pangora2 I think this comes from the oversaturation of shallow characters in those archetypes. With so many fantasy works existing, it is hard to come up with new unique ones. Imo it can be great to put a twist on the classic concepts and I think of it more as further exploration of the archetypes rather than denying the straight version of them, since the straight concepts just don’t fit in every story.
Another awesome Essay! I think you danced around an aspect of storytelling I feel really strongly about, which is that tropes are not bad! Frieren as a show is a great example of the way tropes can be used as storytelling shorthand. We’re primed as an audience to expect frieren and fern as mages to be intellectual and analytical because that’s the trope. So, the show says “yeah!” trope makes sense, no reason to overcomplicate-they are analytical. And because the show plays into the trope we don’t need to be told explicitly “frieren is very smart and intellectual” and instead they have the time to explore interesting Nuances. I think it’s interesting you described it as subverting tropes because in a lot of ways I don’t think frieren fully subverts tropes (like Himmel being Vain isn’t really subversive, he’s still an archetypical hero) BUT the show does explore nuance within the tropes and makes interesting characters within those archetypes.
when you breathe so much depth into your characters that they feel truly alive you can't trap them into a simple plotline. Sein subverting that trope is a great example of life not being a story. It comes at a perfect time in the plot to be a validation that this isn't just a color by numbers good story^tm but a genuinely great work of art.
I am so happy to see so many people appreciating Sein. He’s my favorite and I’m starved for more writing/art for him. He balanced the party so well! I loved that Stark and Fern AND Frieren at different points went to him for help. Having a “proper adult” in the group was such a nice way to naturally encourage additional interesting group dynamics. I MISS HIM SO MUCH.
The word Sein means being in German. (Please look up the meanings of all the names of Frieren in German, they all fit extremely well) Sein embodies this. He is. He exists and his arc also explores what existing means. It's to touch the lives of people until it's time to leave and then touch the lives of different people. Some people stick and some people don't. Some you fit with but have to leave and some you find again but you never know. This is exactly how they treat him as well. It's also an extra layer to Frieren's exploration of longevity since, for her, the lifetime of people is just like this meeting. You meet, spend a few months together, and then everyone goes their separate ways.
I was so surprised when he left the group, he fit in well and he filled a part of the teams weakness. I think it's one of the rare times where I've been caught offguard.
Absolutely love seeing your videos pop up on my notifs, like I just know I'm about to have the best Frieren anaylasis to add to the rest of my collection
I think he's an allegory to the friends we meet along the journey, and then go our separate ways to different ends. I've had many. He was my favourite side character. I wanted him to stay. Every party needs a cleric, right? :)
I've often looked at Frieren's storytelling from the lense of a roleplay focused D&D group. To me, Stein leaving the group felt like when a new player joins you table and meshes super well, but real life forces them to stop coming. Leading to a brother sweet fair well
This might be my favorite video of this series. Sein is literally so real of a character it gives me goosebumps. At this point Anime becomes something closer to literature imitating life so well it really pulls you in.
i also like the line where they're like "wow, he's not even turning back to wave or anything" or something along the lines of him not looking back or seeming reluctant to leave, and frieren's just like "he's an adult. he knows how to give a proper goodbye." something about that line stuck with me
What striking to me, all the characters are German words: Aura = aura Blei = lead Böse = evil Denken = to think Draht = wire Dünste = mist/haze Edel = precious/noble Ehre = honour Eisen = iron Falsch = false Fern = distant/far Flamme = flame Fräse = mill Frieren = to be freezing Gazelle = gazelle Genau = exact Glück = luck Gorilla = gorilla Graf Granat = count garnet (could also be a few other types of stone) Grausam = cruel Heiter = cheerful Himmel = sky/heaven Iris = iris Kanne = pot Kanone = cannon Klematis = clematis Kraft = strength Land = land/ground/country Länge = length Laufen = to run Lawine = landslide/avalanche Lernen = to learn Linie = line Lore = lorry/trolley Löwe = lion Lügner = liar Macht = power/force Methode = method Minus = minus Neu = new Qual = torment/agony Revolte = revolt Richter = judge Rivale = rival Routine = routine Scharf = sharp Schlacht = battle Schritt = step Sei = to be Sense = scythe Serie = series/serial Solitär = solitaire Stark = strong Ton = sound/tone Tot = dead Übel = sick/evil/ill Wehrlos = defenceless Wirbel = swirl Wolf = wolf
I agree with you, this decision was amazing. I think it adds a new depth that you don't expect from the tropes. For me, I thought he was going to stay in the party for the foreseeable future. That is trope and generally what you expect from a fantasy party like this. When he left it showed he wasn't in the party because of plot but he had his own goals and aspirations. I think it really helps with the world building and the depth of character of Sein. Idk this is just what I though when I was watching the vid. Could be obvious but... this anime is just so good.
45.5k subscribers, 45k views on this video. I like to believe you had 0 subscribers and aquired them all after they watched this amazing video. One of my favorite analyst of the show, one of the only analyst I have seen of sien
When Sein said for Fern and Stark to start dating already, Sein is just like us frfr 😭😭🤣 Hope we'll see him again, fulfilling his childhood dream one day
man i love your vids, many times you describe things in the show exactly how i feel about them, now you made vid about sein, and god damn this is so well made, he is amazing character in such weird "normal" way and i love it. might as well support this channel with more than a sub and like ngl.
the thing about frieren and their characters is, that every character feels human. they all have their own goals, ambitions and hopes. 'Sein' is german and means 'be'. Great video keep it up!
That opening was hilarious and convinced me that Frieren loves trolling other's. Then Sein's older, passive-aggressive brother pushing him out of the nest with absurd, inconveniently "humble" conveniences and contrivances. Tub too small, too bad. Go adventure. Loved it. Like a lady's dress my not a pockets are empty but my thumb is real. I smash like before I've even seen it.
On the topic of why Frieren hesitated to consider Sein for the party, I reasoned that if she was reluctant based on his talent, then she’d act similarly about Fern too. Instead, I thought it was because she already understood that he was like her: resistant to making decisions after so many years. He’d already exposited to her his story at that point, and I think Frieren was already comparing herself to him and getting upset since they were so similar. On top of that, I don’t personally take Frieren as the type to care about how talented her party members are (as long as they can hold their own)
You know, I don’t think the anime skips a single chapter from the manga in it’s adaptation. One might assume the short time with Sein came from them skipping a chapter or two that might’ve showed him off more before leaving, but no, it caught me off guard there too. And yet I still love him. Also, it’s funny to me that Sein is put in the OP at the same time that he leaves the party
He's one of my favorite characters from this show, so I was sad to see him leave so soon TT_TT I like his dynamic with Frieren, especially since they could make it profound without making it romantic somehow
I recommend you to read the manga you will not be disappointed and thank you for your beautiful opinions about frieren you really made me love the series even more you really deserve more respect may god bless you❤
I loved Sein. I was so hyped to have him added to the group. Then he made a very human choice and I understood him. I hope he comes back at some point.
I still thought he would return until they went the mage city. And I do still think he will return next season, not near the start, but eventually, or at least they will hear rumours of two new adventures inspiring hope, a powerful cleric and an exegetical barbarian.
I always thought being around 30-40 is too old to pursue sports..But my mom proved me wrong. She is nearly 40 now and got invited to Malaysia for a throwball competition..She is also part of the state team.
Great content, sein might be my favorite character from FIeren, would love to see more of his adventure. Quick audio feedback, your S sounds are very harsh in this video, i think you either need to get a pop filter or set up some short of threshold or dampener that cuts down those sharp sounds or just lowering the sounds of those sharp sounds.
Frieren gotta be one of the top best anime/manga, im not a native english speaker so i cant really put what and the many things that is so great with frieren like how they portrait demons definitely one of the highlights in my book, still waiting for season 2 and _that_ fight if you've read the manga
I really liked this character and when Sein left I so wanted to see if he was able to find his friend but so far they have never shown if they meet again
Fun fact, as all characters in Frieren, 'Sein' is a german word... in english it would translate to "to be"... which thinking about his story arc (regrets vs 'beeing'/living in the moment') fits actually really well.
since nobody else said it, i think it's really neat that Sein, in german, is "meaning" or something along those lines worth noting, since pretty much every other person is named after a defining character trait in german
A couple of other people mentioned it, but the thing that REALLY threw me was Sein joining the new OP _in the episode he leaves._ It had me convinced that he either wouldn't leave or would rejoin later in the season. It's an interesting way to play with expectations, on top of everything else they do with the guy.
The weirdest character is Lernen. He was set up as a major villain only to not do much in the end. Also, is this channel going to only post Frieren videos from now on? I'd recommend you watch some other animes that have come out like Alya, and Shy.
Frieren will be the predominant focus for awhile but I have multiple videos in the works unrelated to Frieren. There should be a chainsaw man video coming out in the next two weeks
I wouldn't say he was set up to be a villain at all. Just a very old man who wanted to be praised and remembered by his immortal teacher. Serie, always the tsundere, only gave backhanded compliments instead of just telling him that he was a great student and powerful mage. He only wanted to beat Frieren in a fight in the hopes of impressing Serie. Just so that she would never forget him. But as we learn, Serie remembers every chosen pupil vividly. She's just not able to express her emotions openly. Teaching humans excites her but their short lives break her heart in the end. She's afraid to admit how much she actually cares about her mortal pupils. Especially to herself.
Lernen wasn't set up as a major villain at all, if youre perceived him as a villain, in what episode or what scene you based your opinion from ? even in the manga it's clear that he's not a set up villain character at all
Lernen is a short-term antagonist, not really a villain. He's a man desperate to feel like he lived up to his master's expectations. He stands as a contrasting figure between Serie and Frieren as a human mage learning from an elf to demonstrate their perspectives in taking on apprentices. Both him and Fern are always shown as being behind their respective masters in terms of skill and aptitude as mages, but Fern gets that recognition of skill in the end as a fulfillment of all of her hard work up until then. Frieren always had that respect for Fern, but it paid off tangibly here. Lernen, now getting old in age, wants to feel like all his effort over the years has amounted to something worthy of Serie's respect. He just decides to prove this by taking on Frieren - something he is both not ready for, nor something that Frieren or even Serie wants. He's no villain, just a man going through a period of doubt who happens to conflict with our main characters, if even briefly.
I think I somehow missed your prompt, however you left a comment that was totally in line with the theme of this video. You called it and I didn't even know lmao
![PURPEECH - นี่ฉันเองคนที่... (It's me) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/NuhHd0hOOg8/mqdefault.jpg)
"He won't leave the party! He's too well developed to actually let him leave the party!"
*leaves the party*
"Sasuga Frieren..."
This is like 3 memes combined into one and I'm not sure how to feel about it
I was genuinely bummed he didn't stay in the group. He had great chemistry with everyone, and was like the ultimate mediator
Clerics max wisdom. :)
He could return later.
When parting, you don't say a formal goodbye because it'd be awkward if you ever reunited again later.
Don't mourn the chemistry you had, look forward to the chemistry still to come.
But then their funny rapport would cease. Can't have that
he might come back, spoiler warning but it’s kind of implied sein might (emphasis on might) return to the party later on
Dude appears, sinking in a pile of mud.
Saves Stark's life.
Follows the team around for a few months, saves everyone's lives again later, mediates conflict, ships Stark and Fern.
Dips to find his childhood buddy.
BASED
Leave too early to meet Mommythode
prolly ends back up in a pile of mud
Refuses to explain, leaves.
he's also anti loli
@@claytoncallaway6412 Well, duh. He’s a normal person, after all. Of course he’d be against that kind of thing.
Let’s not forget Sein’s greatest accomplishment in being a voice for the audience when he said that Fern and Stark should just start dating already. Man was the only socially adjusted person among a group of awkward kids who had no idea how to properly communicate with each other
Sein is undeniably a great character, and his moment when leaving the group to other direction to continue pursuing his friend is shockingly sad yet truly respectable decision..
and him immediately feeling lonely after that while smiling is the cherry on top,, such a great writing 👍
I love how they allude to Sein at the end of the final episode of the season. Where Fern asks Frieren why she doesn't formally say good-bye when parting with the people she's met along her travels, and we learn via flashback that Himmel did the same because he'd feel awkward if they did eventually reunite. It neatly contextualized how lowkey Sein leaving the story was and for us in the audience that a reunion is always possible.
I SAID SEIN! HOLY CRAP! When you asked us about our favourite character in the poll, I said Sein. He wasn't even an option, but he just is my favourite. And now this video comes out. I'm so happy x)
haha I saw that, I had been working on the video already for awhile and thought it was fun
It's mine too😭 except I didn't write it
I agree. Sein is also my favourite character in Frieren!
I never really considered Sein as weird. The 'weird' feeling I got was more because I felt that his struggle was even more relatable. When he got the push to do what he always truly wanted to do it didnt change his entire outlook on life. He now went with his dream but because of his past regret continued to be lost in thought and contemplainting if he chose correct this time. And this regret is what defined his character in a way where the viewer understood his point of view. Whatever he did in the group, he did so they would not regret their time. In a show with Frieren, whilst having human problems, is so far from human, or Fern being so cold often times, I think the weird feeling was understanding Sein so well. Everyone has defining past experiences that change someones outlook and we got to expreience his.
This is such an eloquent and well thought out comment. :)
Did you notice that the beginning and end of episode 13 can also symbolize Sein's state. Specifically;
(1) He's initially physically stuck in a bottomless swamp, which can be a metaphor for how he's also living his life, while being stuck.
(2) When Sein says that he'll accompany the party near the end of the episode, Stark (and Fern) manage(s) to catch a fish, which can be a metaphor or how they helped fish Sein out of his situation.
I'm certain this was the author's intent.
@@TheLastVegan I agree.
i love reading coments of videos about this show because i always find something new i didnt notice like this, thank you for pointing this out!
[Laughs awkwardly in DM, having seen this happen in campaigns when a player joins, fits well, and then has to stop coming.]
Bruh 😢, I feel you.
I think the reason frieren was reluctant to recruit sein is not that he was a genius but because he was like her before. He was a painful reminder of her apathetic past, which is why she quickly swung towards recruiting him at any cost, because it was painful to see someone wallow in stagnation, just like she did.
I also think there's the recurring theme of "It's what Himmel would have (and has) done". Frieren's journey is to understand Himmel better, so acting as Himmel might be the most direct way of achieving that goal.
Corrections:
(1) Frieren doesn't fall for mimics. She chooses to take the risk when it's safe to do so (ie, outside of battle situations) because she doesn't lose anything of value (and because the mimic-check spell is only 99% accurate).
Specifically, she loses a little time while in the mimic and then later when fixing her hair (but she doesn't care about that because she has practically infinite time), and suffers a little reputation damage (but she doesn't care about how others view her all that much). On the other hand, she may gain something (eg, maybe the shaved-ice spell shown in the flashback in S01E06).
In summary, she loses nothing and may gain something so why not try them all?
(2) Sein's brother didn't actually study under Heiter as far as we know. Heiter just visited their village as part of his bishop? duties to select Sein's brother for a higher position in the Holy Capital of Strahl.
(3) Frieren's aversion to Sein is not because Sein is also a genius, but because Frieren sees the state he's in (ie, the sunk cost fallacy and not moving on with what he wants to do in the bottom of his heart) as being eerily similar to how she was before Himmel convinced her to journey with them. It's like looking in the mirror or something.
spoiler warning for s1 of the anime:
1) You're right that Frieren doesn't fall for mimics but would rather take the 1% chance. However that's a pretty big moment and spoiler for the later part of season 1, unless I choose to give a total spoiler warning I didn't want to include that as I'm approaching the series episodically
2) Umm I guess so? Seems like a semantic debate but I think I get what your point is
3) I don't think so. It's explicitly stated that Frieren's aversion to Sein is because of his genius, the reason she chooses to help him is because she sees herself in his situation. Just go back and rewatch the episode where Sein is introduced, it's pretty heavy handed
@@PeyTalksAnime (1) Sure, but I assumed that everyone has seen the entirety of season 1 before watching your videos. Though I can edit my message if you feel that it's necessary.
(2) Ok.
(3) Where is is explicitly stated? I have just rewatched the episode and checked the manga again.
In Ep13 around 9:40 or manga chapter 27 page 14 we have:
Frieren: "It's an aversion to my own kind, I guess. / I hate how similar we are."
Stark: "What is she talking about? / What are you talking about?"
We, just like Stark, don't know exactly what she means by saying that at the time.
Then, we have the scenes from 11:27 to 12:47 in Ep13 or manga chapter 27 pages 17-19. They clearly show that Frieren hates how Sein is saying that "it's too late now" similar to how she behaved when she was initially approached by the heroes party.
Finally, as a bonus check Ep17 from 9:45 to 10:50 or manga chapter 35 pages 14-16.
I don't think I'm mistaken here, but would be happy to hear from you or anyone else. :)
@PeyTalksAnime Re OP's point 2, I don't think it's a matter of semantics. Heiter visiting Sein's village as part of his bishop duties simply indicates Heiter is Sein's bro's boss. Them sitting at a table doesn't mean Sein's bro studied under Heiter. The fact that you work for your boss from your company's HQ doesn't mean you studied under him. To my knowledge, I don't believe it was explicitly stated nor implied in the episode.
@@anosvoldigoat2044Agree with u bro esp on point 3. N so do 79 other ppl who agreed with nicksantos8035 who raised the same objection.
Interesting. As soon as their paths diverged, Sein leaving the party was the only viable solution I could see. The scale of the map is never clearly indicated, but I could tell just from how they were talking about it that it would have been a substantial detour for either side to stick with the other. By that time, Sein had already emphasized in several episodes that finding Gorilla Warrior was his primary goal. And it didn't feel like a fake out to me, because of how his backstory has been presented in flashbacks. It wouldn't have made sense for him to be like "eh, I'll find him eventually" and follow Frieren. So like I said, the only possibility in my mind was them going their separate ways.
That said, it is indeed really interesting that the story was willing to have a temporary party member like that. I'm having trouble coming up with another similar example from a work of fiction. The closest analogue I can think of is when a guest player joins a D&D show for a few seasons, has a short character arc, and then they and their character leave the party again.
Vivi from one piece maybe? She traveled around with the strawhats but then stayed when there was something more important to do for her
@@lenamasou8066 I never felt like Vivi was a real contender for the crew. Everyone up to her had something unique that set them apart. Vivi was a mostly ordinary person who was just really well liked.
But why it's a detour at all? Isn't Friren's party heading like straighr north, like where Sein also needs? To me it shoud've been the other way around (Friren goes north to tur and Sein to aurbest)
@@volkem7985 Auberst was a mandatory stop to get the first-class mage certification to actually go into the deep north. I'm pretty sure that was already established by that point, unless my memory fails me.
I was so sad when Sein left the party, but the confidence and commitment to the choice is incredible. Most stories wouldn’t be that brave, but it was an incredibly impactful choice that they didn’t renege on. This is part of what makes Frieren a true modern masterpiece.
It wasn’t the genius aspect that made her averse to him joining, it was the same as what drew her to helping him. The feeling of being too late for your dreams.
The character that comes to mind when I think of Sein is Boromir, just without a Dark Lord/Demon King threatening his home and without the One Ring. They're both the most normal members of their respective groups, neither wanted to leave their home to go somewhere far off, and when they eventually _are_ convinced to go on a journey and join a group (not necessarily in the same order), they make it very clear that it's only for a time and they _will_ part ways if the larger group doesn't follow their specific path. It's actually a wonderful bit of storytelling from both authors to show that this character, while a part of the Main Character's group, was not born for the role, is not obligated to be part of it, and has a life outside of it that they want to get back to, even at the expense of the group.
Hey Pey, I don’t have disposable income but these videos are a genuine joy to watch and so intriguing to ponder and listen to what you talk about, the format and using one of my favorite anime’s as a source and outlet for narrative and other topics is really cool!! Btw, watched frieren with my mom and she loves it! We often rewatch it 😂
Heck yeah! Also you watching the videos is more than enough support. I'm glad you enjoy them and even watched the show with your mom!
Don't worry at all about throwing money my way. things are starting to be more stable on my end
And he left the party in the episode that had a new opening in which Frieren stands up after reading a book, smiles and walks toward him and Stark and Fern behind him....
You are currently my fastest click.
Thank you for this, this series touched me in a way I can't explain. And you are explaining it for me so well.
He left so much impression in so little time 😭 love this guy smm
The author is just so good.
So glad to get a video on possibly my favorite character in the show! My man Sein needs some love, hope we get to see a reunion and some future adventures with Gorilla Warrior :)
Wait a minute I just found out after watching these videos over the last few days that you’re pey, as in the singer I’ve been listening to all year! It’s crazy to me that not only do you write incredible songs, but you also create great short form content like this. If you ever play in Nashville I’ll be one of the first to get tickets!
When "El dorado" arc gets animated, we'll be getting a new bunch of amazing videos like this one, can't wait.
Your writing and narration are both TOP TIER. I just love how tender you are with the complexity of human emotion.
I've heard two conflicting theories on the 'tropes' of Frieren. One is that it subverts tropes, and one that it fulfills them. I think Frieren's writing lay in the fact it fulfills its tropes perfectly. The show does not rely on the "This person is X....but really they're Y!" Frieren in a multi-millenial old elf...but really........! No, she acts and behaves that way outside of the comedic moments. She fulfills her trope more than pretty much most elves in modern fiction.
I feel like the biggest "subversion" is that the characters are not just empty tropes, but are coherent and have substance beyond the tropes. Frieren is a multi-millenial old elf, acts and behaves that way and has to deal with the natural consequences of that. Himmel acts and behaves like a hero and embodies the trope of a true hero even more because he does everything out of his own will instead of just being chosen by destiny. The characters fit in their tropes, but also manage to be their own characters besides that, which many generic fantasies don't accomplish.
@@nikx i feel one issue is we make it seem like playing an arçhetype strait is somehow bad. We have to be insincere about it. "Yeah they're a hero...buuuuuuut..."
Sincerity seems to be a good word.
@@Pangora2 I think this comes from the oversaturation of shallow characters in those archetypes. With so many fantasy works existing, it is hard to come up with new unique ones. Imo it can be great to put a twist on the classic concepts and I think of it more as further exploration of the archetypes rather than denying the straight version of them, since the straight concepts just don’t fit in every story.
Another awesome Essay!
I think you danced around an aspect of storytelling I feel really strongly about, which is that tropes are not bad!
Frieren as a show is a great example of the way tropes can be used as storytelling shorthand. We’re primed as an audience to expect frieren and fern as mages to be intellectual and analytical because that’s the trope.
So, the show says “yeah!” trope makes sense, no reason to overcomplicate-they are analytical. And because the show plays into the trope we don’t need to be told explicitly “frieren is very smart and intellectual” and instead they have the time to explore interesting Nuances.
I think it’s interesting you described it as subverting tropes because in a lot of ways I don’t think frieren fully subverts tropes (like Himmel being Vain isn’t really subversive, he’s still an archetypical hero) BUT the show does explore nuance within the tropes and makes interesting characters within those archetypes.
I always felt that Frieren's reluctance of Sein joining was due to him being a genius like her. Not many others seem to mention this.
when you breathe so much depth into your characters that they feel truly alive you can't trap them into a simple plotline. Sein subverting that trope is a great example of life not being a story. It comes at a perfect time in the plot to be a validation that this isn't just a color by numbers good story^tm but a genuinely great work of art.
Hey, just here to say you're doing a great job on the channel, man! Keep it up!
Broke my heart when he left. The fact we never see him again after he left was rough. I had the same feel you did.
I am so happy to see so many people appreciating Sein. He’s my favorite and I’m starved for more writing/art for him. He balanced the party so well! I loved that Stark and Fern AND Frieren at different points went to him for help. Having a “proper adult” in the group was such a nice way to naturally encourage additional interesting group dynamics. I MISS HIM SO MUCH.
"direction, something to prevent stagnation.." that hits me ..
Hey man I absolutely love your videos please never stop😭
The word Sein means being in German. (Please look up the meanings of all the names of Frieren in German, they all fit extremely well) Sein embodies this. He is. He exists and his arc also explores what existing means. It's to touch the lives of people until it's time to leave and then touch the lives of different people. Some people stick and some people don't. Some you fit with but have to leave and some you find again but you never know. This is exactly how they treat him as well. It's also an extra layer to Frieren's exploration of longevity since, for her, the lifetime of people is just like this meeting. You meet, spend a few months together, and then everyone goes their separate ways.
I was so surprised when he left the group, he fit in well and he filled a part of the teams weakness.
I think it's one of the rare times where I've been caught offguard.
Absolutely love seeing your videos pop up on my notifs, like I just know I'm about to have the best Frieren anaylasis to add to the rest of my collection
I knew I recognized the voice and I can't believe this is how i find out pey the musician has an anime channel
lmao glad to have you here
Your videos are so well made. Thank you for sharing your passions with us
I think he's an allegory to the friends we meet along the journey, and then go our separate ways to different ends. I've had many. He was my favourite side character. I wanted him to stay. Every party needs a cleric, right? :)
This is a phenomenal video. Reminds me of why I like frieren so much. I would crash my car into a telephone pole to get you to talk about other shows.
lmao dont do that. Im working on integrating more anime currently haha
I've often looked at Frieren's storytelling from the lense of a roleplay focused D&D group. To me, Stein leaving the group felt like when a new player joins you table and meshes super well, but real life forces them to stop coming. Leading to a brother sweet fair well
I don't know if seeing him in future seasons would be better than never hearing about him again, it's perplexing.
gotta be one of your best frieren videos yet pey, thank u for this
This is the only anime that you can enjoy the flash backs
Ah yes dramatic buildup cut by villain tripping type of humor... always funny
This might be my favorite video of this series. Sein is literally so real of a character it gives me goosebumps. At this point Anime becomes something closer to literature imitating life so well it really pulls you in.
i also like the line where they're like "wow, he's not even turning back to wave or anything" or something along the lines of him not looking back or seeming reluctant to leave, and frieren's just like "he's an adult. he knows how to give a proper goodbye." something about that line stuck with me
I’m always looking forward to these amazing videos.
Another vídeo, another amazing production. Frieren its absolute peak! Thank you for keep the fandom alive❤
this video has motivated me to work, thank you
I wish I could say this as well.
I never thought id meet another pey online
What striking to me, all the characters are German words:
Aura = aura
Blei = lead
Böse = evil
Denken = to think
Draht = wire
Dünste = mist/haze
Edel = precious/noble
Ehre = honour
Eisen = iron
Falsch = false
Fern = distant/far
Flamme = flame
Fräse = mill
Frieren = to be freezing
Gazelle = gazelle
Genau = exact
Glück = luck
Gorilla = gorilla
Graf Granat = count garnet (could also be a few other types of stone)
Grausam = cruel
Heiter = cheerful
Himmel = sky/heaven
Iris = iris
Kanne = pot
Kanone = cannon
Klematis = clematis
Kraft = strength
Land = land/ground/country
Länge = length
Laufen = to run
Lawine = landslide/avalanche
Lernen = to learn
Linie = line
Lore = lorry/trolley
Löwe = lion
Lügner = liar
Macht = power/force
Methode = method
Minus = minus
Neu = new
Qual = torment/agony
Revolte = revolt
Richter = judge
Rivale = rival
Routine = routine
Scharf = sharp
Schlacht = battle
Schritt = step
Sei = to be
Sense = scythe
Serie = series/serial
Solitär = solitaire
Stark = strong
Ton = sound/tone
Tot = dead
Übel = sick/evil/ill
Wehrlos = defenceless
Wirbel = swirl
Wolf = wolf
I would LOVE to see you talk about Bungo Stray Dogs. I think it may be the most underrated anime ever.
5:48 God damn I never realized how incredible this animation looked.
Love the analysis, I'm looking forward to more of your videos relating to frerien💗💗
"Yeah, he'll stay. He *has* to!"
- Griffith, right before 'He' leaves
I agree with you, this decision was amazing. I think it adds a new depth that you don't expect from the tropes. For me, I thought he was going to stay in the party for the foreseeable future. That is trope and generally what you expect from a fantasy party like this. When he left it showed he wasn't in the party because of plot but he had his own goals and aspirations. I think it really helps with the world building and the depth of character of Sein. Idk this is just what I though when I was watching the vid. Could be obvious but... this anime is just so good.
I thought the party was going to delay their goals to go with Sein. But that was before knowing about the time restriction on the test.
45.5k subscribers, 45k views on this video. I like to believe you had 0 subscribers and aquired them all after they watched this amazing video. One of my favorite analyst of the show, one of the only analyst I have seen of sien
When Sein said for Fern and Stark to start dating already, Sein is just like us frfr 😭😭🤣
Hope we'll see him again, fulfilling his childhood dream one day
Reminds of the time I had to go to a different school from my friends. Similarly, I deeply respected their decision and vice versa.
that ad timer was clutch asf thank you
man i love your vids, many times you describe things in the show exactly how i feel about them, now you made vid about sein, and god damn this is so well made, he is amazing character in such weird "normal" way and i love it. might as well support this channel with more than a sub and like ngl.
Fun video, I was surprised that he left too. Yet another example of how Frieren likes to subvert expectations.
2:52 reacurring should either recurring or reoccuring.
Loving this series, always keeping Frieren in the back of my mind
the thing about frieren and their characters is, that every character feels human. they all have their own goals, ambitions and hopes. 'Sein' is german and means 'be'. Great video keep it up!
That opening was hilarious and convinced me that Frieren loves trolling other's. Then Sein's older, passive-aggressive brother pushing him out of the nest with absurd, inconveniently "humble" conveniences and contrivances. Tub too small, too bad. Go adventure. Loved it. Like a lady's dress my not a pockets are empty but my thumb is real. I smash like before I've even seen it.
On the topic of why Frieren hesitated to consider Sein for the party, I reasoned that if she was reluctant based on his talent, then she’d act similarly about Fern too. Instead, I thought it was because she already understood that he was like her: resistant to making decisions after so many years. He’d already exposited to her his story at that point, and I think Frieren was already comparing herself to him and getting upset since they were so similar. On top of that, I don’t personally take Frieren as the type to care about how talented her party members are (as long as they can hold their own)
I believe that this is the correct interpretation.
Very nicely worded. :)
I think it'd be cuter to say this video is supported by "my patreon supporters" T_T great video so far
You know, I don’t think the anime skips a single chapter from the manga in it’s adaptation. One might assume the short time with Sein came from them skipping a chapter or two that might’ve showed him off more before leaving, but no, it caught me off guard there too. And yet I still love him.
Also, it’s funny to me that Sein is put in the OP at the same time that he leaves the party
hoping and praying Sein rejoins the team and meets Methode at some point in the future
Never underestimate how much you affect others.
He's one of my favorite characters from this show, so I was sad to see him leave so soon TT_TT
I like his dynamic with Frieren, especially since they could make it profound without making it romantic somehow
I recommend you to read the manga you will not be disappointed and thank you for your beautiful opinions about frieren you really made me love the series even more you really deserve more respect may god bless you❤
It's giving "backdoor pilot to spin series"
I loved Sein. I was so hyped to have him added to the group. Then he made a very human choice and I understood him. I hope he comes back at some point.
Thank you for sharing 😊
I still thought he would return until they went the mage city. And I do still think he will return next season, not near the start, but eventually, or at least they will hear rumours of two new adventures inspiring hope, a powerful cleric and an exegetical barbarian.
I always thought being around 30-40 is too old to pursue sports..But my mom proved me wrong. She is nearly 40 now and got invited to Malaysia for a throwball competition..She is also part of the state team.
one of my fave character introductions in anime fr
Sein: I am done doing a bit part in someone else's story, I want to go on my own adventure
And then he does just that. Perfection
Excellent job on this video.
Great content, sein might be my favorite character from FIeren, would love to see more of his adventure.
Quick audio feedback, your S sounds are very harsh in this video, i think you either need to get a pop filter or set up some short of threshold or dampener that cuts down those sharp sounds or just lowering the sounds of those sharp sounds.
Frieren gotta be one of the top best anime/manga, im not a native english speaker so i cant really put what and the many things that is so great with frieren like how they portrait demons definitely one of the highlights in my book, still waiting for season 2 and _that_ fight if you've read the manga
Sein is a wonderful character! I personally hope he returns, but honestly you could have a sub-manga just featuring him and i think it would do well.
I definitely thought he might leave. I was like "you go get yo man LMAO"
I really liked this character and when Sein left I so wanted to see if he was able to find his friend but so far they have never shown if they meet again
Fun fact, as all characters in Frieren, 'Sein' is a german word... in english it would translate to "to be"... which thinking about his story arc (regrets vs 'beeing'/living in the moment') fits actually really well.
When your friend says his gonna leave and you don't believe him
This is how I feel about 7 deadly sins. Seems like I have another show to add to my list
Eu estou muito feliz de ter encontrado seu canal. Estao maratonando todos seu videos. Merece milhoes de inscritos
since nobody else said it, i think it's really neat that Sein, in german, is "meaning" or something along those lines
worth noting, since pretty much every other person is named after a defining character trait in german
A couple of other people mentioned it, but the thing that REALLY threw me was Sein joining the new OP _in the episode he leaves._ It had me convinced that he either wouldn't leave or would rejoin later in the season. It's an interesting way to play with expectations, on top of everything else they do with the guy.
MY FAVOURITE CHARACTER YEAHHH.
I ASKED HIM ALOT IN YOUR VIDEO
FINALLY SEIN GOT MENTIONED RAHH
I still can't get enough with mini tools joke 😂
The weirdest character is Lernen. He was set up as a major villain only to not do much in the end. Also, is this channel going to only post Frieren videos from now on? I'd recommend you watch some other animes that have come out like Alya, and Shy.
Frieren will be the predominant focus for awhile but I have multiple videos in the works unrelated to Frieren. There should be a chainsaw man video coming out in the next two weeks
I wouldn't say he was set up to be a villain at all. Just a very old man who wanted to be praised and remembered by his immortal teacher. Serie, always the tsundere, only gave backhanded compliments instead of just telling him that he was a great student and powerful mage. He only wanted to beat Frieren in a fight in the hopes of impressing Serie. Just so that she would never forget him. But as we learn, Serie remembers every chosen pupil vividly. She's just not able to express her emotions openly. Teaching humans excites her but their short lives break her heart in the end. She's afraid to admit how much she actually cares about her mortal pupils. Especially to herself.
Lernen wasn't set up as a major villain at all, if youre perceived him as a villain, in what episode or what scene you based your opinion from ?
even in the manga it's clear that he's not a set up villain character at all
@@bernieburton6520 Didn't help that Serie gave him a wink, nod, and practically a push out the door to go fight Frieren either. Just saying.
Lernen is a short-term antagonist, not really a villain. He's a man desperate to feel like he lived up to his master's expectations. He stands as a contrasting figure between Serie and Frieren as a human mage learning from an elf to demonstrate their perspectives in taking on apprentices. Both him and Fern are always shown as being behind their respective masters in terms of skill and aptitude as mages, but Fern gets that recognition of skill in the end as a fulfillment of all of her hard work up until then. Frieren always had that respect for Fern, but it paid off tangibly here. Lernen, now getting old in age, wants to feel like all his effort over the years has amounted to something worthy of Serie's respect. He just decides to prove this by taking on Frieren - something he is both not ready for, nor something that Frieren or even Serie wants. He's no villain, just a man going through a period of doubt who happens to conflict with our main characters, if even briefly.
I definitely feel like this was based off of my prompt, and I'm grateful to hear your thoughts on it.
I think I somehow missed your prompt, however you left a comment that was totally in line with the theme of this video. You called it and I didn't even know lmao
@@PeyTalksAnime It's funny how things work out sometimes
@@soysaucerb yeah haha. great call
I still believe Sein will come back! And he will bring Gorilla warrior with him for the last arc!