'Frieren: Beyond Journey's End' Author Overview｜Past Works and SNS Information Compilation

The massively popular manga 'Frieren: Beyond Journey's End' is serialized in 'Weekly Shonen Sunday', and its TV anime adaptation started airing in September 2023. The story is set in a world after the demon king's defeat, chronicling the new journey of the magician Frieren, who once adventured with the hero.

The anime's premiere was a two-hour special broadcasted on Nippon TV's 'Friday Road Show'. The opening theme is 'Yusha' by YOASOBI, a musical duo.

This article covers information about the author(s) of 'Frieren: Beyond Journey's End', including titles of past works, gender, and whether they use SNS like X (formerly Twitter).

What Kind of Work is 'Frieren: Beyond Journey's End'?

Frieren, a magician, and the hero Himmel's party brought peace to the world after a ten-year-long adventure ended with defeating the demon king. Frieren, an elf with a lifespan far longer than humans, reunites with her comrades after 50 years. Himmel, now aged, faces the end of his life, while Frieren remains unchanged. Having never tried to understand humans due to her long lifespan, Frieren embarks on a journey to learn more about them, triggered by her reunion with Himmel.

In 2021, 'Frieren: Beyond Journey's End' won the Grand Prize at the '14th Manga Taisho', a manga award selected by volunteers, mainly bookstore staff. Additionally, it received the Newcomer Award at the '25th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize'. In 2023, it was chosen as the top recommendation in the 'Delivered to the World! Favorite Comic Category' at 'Rakuten Kobo's Electronic Book Award 2023', an event honoring outstanding e-books.

Who Are the Authors of 'Frieren: Beyond Journey's End'? Are There Two?

The manga 'Frieren: Beyond Journey's End' has been serialized in Shogakukan's 'Weekly Shonen Sunday' since April 2020. The authors are Kanehito Yamada (original author) and Tsukasa Abe (illustrator).

The anime adaptation was announced in September 2022. Yamada, the original author, remarked, "Thanks to the readers and Tsukasa Abe's illustrations, the anime was made possible. I am very grateful. I am amazed by the dedication of the production team as I hear their stories and receive design drawings regularly."

Abe, the illustrator, expressed, "It feels like a dream. I am very thankful to all the readers who always support us and to Yamada, the original author, and everyone involved in this project."

What Are The Background and Past Titles of 'Frieren: Beyond Journey's End' Authors?

Kanehito Yamada's Background and Past Works

Yamada's journey began in 2009 when 'Class Shift' won a prize in 'Weekly Shōnen Sunday's Manga College', an award for new manga artists. From 2013 to 2015, he serialized the mystery manga 'Nanashi wa Ittai Dare deshou?' in 'Weekly Shonen Sunday S', with illustrations by Kosuke Okazaki.

'Nanashi wa Ittai Dare deshou?' is a mystery work about an amnesiac protagonist seeking their identity. It garnered a cover comment from Gosho Aoyama, the creator of 'Detective Conan', saying, "I wish I could draw such a cool detective!"

The work "Bocchi Hakase to Robot Shoujo no Zetsuboteki Utopia," which was serialized on Shogakukan's web manga distribution site "Sunday Webry" from 2016 to 2017, is a project where Yamada was responsible for the illustrations as well. Yamada's editor, Katsumasa Ogura, has stated that he considers "Doctor Lonely" a masterpiece, but unfortunately, it did not sell commercially.

As a result of discussions between Yamada and Ogura, it was decided that the next work after "Doctor Lonely" should have a separate illustrator. Thus, Abe was brought in for illustrations and the serialization of "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End" began in 2020 in "Weekly Shonen Sunday."

Tsukasa Abe's Background and Past Works

Abe was born in Ibaraki Prefecture in 1995. In November 2015, he won the Effort Prize for 'Toshokan no Abura to Mizu' in 'New Generation Sunday Award', a monthly award held by the 'Weekly Shonen Sunday' editorial department.

Later, in 2017, Abe made his manga debut with 'Canon' featured in 'Weekly Shonen Sunday S Special Edition'. In 2018, he received an honorable mention in the '82nd Shogakukan Newcomer Comic Awards' with the manga 'MEET UP'.

Editor Ogura, who discovered Abe's art online in 2014, has been in contact with him ever since and has taken charge of Abe's projects. Through his connection as Yamada's editor, Ogura facilitated Abe's illustration role for the serialization of 'Frieren: Beyond Journey's End' beginning in 2020.

What Sparked the Duo of Authors?

When "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End" won the "Manga Awards," editor Ogura took the stage at the award ceremony and talked about how Yamada and Abe came to form a partnership.

After the end of "Bocchi Hakase to Robot Shoujo no Zetsuboteki Utopia," which Yamada had serialized until 2017, he and his editor Ogura discussed attaching a separate illustrator for the next work.

Before showing the storyboards of "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End," drawn by Yamada, to the editorial team, Ogura first approached Abe, whom he had previously been in charge of, about doing the illustrations, and asked him to draw character sheets.

Seeing these character sheets, Yamada remarked, "I think this person is very talented," which led to Abe being asked to draw the first chapter's storyboards, and the project "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End" was presented to the editorial team, marking the beginning of their partnership.

Have the Two Authors of 'Frieren: Beyond Journey's End' Ever Met?

Ogura, the editor of "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End," stated at the 2021 Manga Awards ceremony and in an interview in 2022 that Yamada and Abe have yet to meet in person.

The production process involves Abe doing a rough draft based on Yamada's storyboards, and the data is shared via email. If Abe has questions, he writes them on the draft, Yamada replies, and then they proceed with making the manuscript.

Since all exchanges are completed via email, Yamada and Abe have never met or spoken on the phone. Yamada draws expressions in the storyboards, and Abe captures these nuances to finish the manuscript.

Although Ogura stated in the 2022 interview that the two have not met, there is no information beyond this point. It is possible that with the anime adaptation of "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End," Yamada and Abe may have met or spoken directly by phone.

Do the Authors Use SNS Like X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram?

Abe, the illustrator, is active on X but not on Instagram. Abe occasionally posts illustrations from 'Frieren: Beyond Journey's End' on his X account.

Regarding Yamada, the original author, he appears not to use X or Instagram based on current findings. However, the official X account for 'Frieren: Beyond Journey's End' shares information about Yamada's past works, so if he ever starts an X or Instagram account, notifications might be made through the official account.

Have the Authors Shown Their Faces? What About Their Gender?

Neither Yamada, the original author, nor Abe, the illustrator, appears to have shown their face.

Regarding gender, Yamada-sensei's name "Kanehito Yamada" suggests it's likely male. However, given that there are female manga artists like Daisuke Higuchi, author of "Whistle!," who have masculine pen names, it's difficult to judge based on the name alone.

Abe’s gender also hasn't been publicly disclosed. There's a video on the YouTube channel 'Weekly Shōnen Sunday TV', showing Abe drawing a cover illustration for 'Frieren: Beyond Journey's End'. Though Abe's face isn’t visible, the drawing hand and hair are, leading to social media speculation about Abe’s gender, such as "The pen name sounds male, but the hand seems female," and "Long brown hair and glasses, Abe must be a woman."

▼Cover Illustration by Tsukasa Abe

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Initial Concept a Gag Manga?

'Frieren: Beyond Journey's End' surprisingly originated when editor Ogura requested Yamada to create a one-shot gag manga.

The draft Yamada submitted contains the exact plot of the first episode of the published 'Frieren: Beyond Journey's End'. Reading it, Ogura felt, "This is not a gag at all," but found the content entertaining and proposed it as a short-focused series to the editorial team.

What Manga Featured a Character with the Same Name as Frieren's Editor Katsumasa Ogura?

Ogura, the editor of "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End," was in charge of editing "Detective Conan" by his second year at the Shonen Sunday editorial department.

He started from the story "Dead Delicious Ramen" included in the 73rd volume of "Detective Conan," where a ramen shop owner named Katsumasa Ogura, sharing the same name as Ogura, appears. Although the character shares Ogura's name, Ogura was in his 20s at the time, while the ramen shop owner is depicted as 49 years old. Ogura is slender, but the ramen shop owner looks chubbier, suggesting that the character might have borrowed only his name.

The "Dead Delicious Ramen" story involves heroine Ran Mouri having to stay at her school, leading Conan and Kogoro to a ramen shop called "Ramen Ogura," where they get involved in an incident. It was also animated and corresponds to episodes 644-645 of the "Detective Conan" anime.

The ramen shop owner, Katsumasa Ogura, reappears in the 88th volume of the "Detective Conan" manga, which corresponds to episodes 827-828 of the anime.

Summary of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Authors

The authors of 'Frieren: Beyond Journey's End', serialized in 'Weekly Shonen Sunday', are original author Kanehito Yamada and illustrator Tsukasa Abe.

Past works of Yamada include 'Nanashi wa Ittai Dare deshou?' and 'Bocchi Hakase to Robot Shoujo no Zetsuboteki Utopia'. Notably, Gosho Aoyama, author of 'Detective Conan', commented, "I wish I could draw such a cool detective!" on the cover of 'Nanashi wa Ittai Dare deshou?'.

Abe debuted as a manga artist in 2017 with 'Canon' published in the 'Weekly Shonen Sunday S Special Edition' and won an honorable mention in 2018's '82nd Shogakukan Newcomer Comic Awards' with 'MEET UP'.

As of 2022, it’s revealed by their editor Katsumasa Ogura that Yamada and Abe had never met nor spoken by phone, with all communications being conducted through email.

（C）山田鐘人・アベツカサ／小学館
(C)Kanehito Yamada, Tsukasa Abe/Shogakukan/ "Frieren"Project

List of images for this article