Fans Thrilled as They Gush "She's Too Cute Desperately Choosing," Massive Response to Tsukasa Abe's Illustration of Fern "Before the Date" in 'Frieren: Beyond Journey's End'

The official account for the original manga of 'Frieren: Beyond Journey's End' has posted an original illustration by artist Tsukasa Abe on X, sparking widespread discussion.

The published image depicts Fern (CV: Kana Ichinose), a character from the series. While anime episode 31 portrayed a scene where Stark invites her on a date, this illustration shows her holding clothes on hangers up against her body. It's a delicately rendered piece that evokes the "interlude" of her preparations for the date and her wavering maiden's heart.

'Frieren: Beyond Journey's End' is a manga by Kanehito Yamada (original story) and Tsukasa Abe (artwork). It was adapted into an anime in 2023, and the second season began airing in January 2026. Set in a world "after" the Demon King was defeated by a party of heroes, the story follows Frieren (CV: Atsumi Tanezaki), an elf mage who has lived for over a thousand years, as she embarks on a journey to understand people. It's a fantasy that depicts reminiscences of past heroes and adventures with new companions Fern and Stark (CV: Chiaki Kobayashi).

In response to this post, fans flooded in with excited comments such as "It's too luxurious how they're throwing in even the afterglow," "Isn't this a reward distribution episode?," "This old man is about to shed tears of joy," "She's too cute desperately choosing," and "My heart is fluttering."

(c)山田鐘人・アベツカサ／小学館