"Everything is Even!" Atsumi Tanezaki, Kana Ichinose, and Chiaki Kobayashi Look Back on the First Half of the TV Anime Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Season 2 [Interview]

—How about you, Ms. Ichinose? I assume it’s the episode with Fern and Stark's date (Episode 32, "The Families They Once Had")?

Ichinose: Yes, I had been looking forward to that for so long and was so happy it finally aired. Fern puts so much effort into it—fixing her hair and picking out clothes—which showed a very girly side of her. But I think the slight awkwardness and the pause when they finally met up for the date was just perfect (lol).

—It really came across that Stark isn't used to dealing with girls at all (lol).

Ichinose: You really saw that side of Stark—just a normal teenage boy who doesn't know how to handle girls. It made me feel a bit impatient for them, but also made me want their relationship to stay just like this forever. We also saw an unexpected side of Stark when he went to Frieren for advice, didn't we?

Tanezaki: Well, she's the only one there he can talk to (lol).

Everyone: (lol)

—Even Frieren asked him, "Are you sane?" (lol).

Ichinose: That interaction between those two was great!

Tanezaki: The date started out like that, but at the end, he noted, "You haven't laughed once today," and told her, "I really wanted to make you happy." With that one line, everything is even!

Kobayashi: All's well that ends well, I guess (lol).

Tanezaki: It made me feel like, "He's such a good guy! I love him!"

—Ms. Tanezaki, which episode left an impression on you?

Tanezaki: The scene where they have a fun time drinking terrible-tasting liquor. When I watched that episode on air, I found myself sobbing even though it wasn't a sad scene at all (Episode 33, "Logistics in the Northern Highlands"). Part of it is that I'm just a huge fan of Yuji Ueda's acting. Even during the recording, hearing his performance made me think, "Wow! Fass is alive!" I felt such a strong sense of vitality and was so moved. Both the character Fass and the episode itself were truly wonderful.

Kobayashi: The beginning of this season might have been full of moments where you feel that kind of "everyday happiness."

Ichinose: True. Fass had been longing for that "Emperor's Liquor" (Boshauft) for so long, wondering how delicious it must be. It turned out to be different from what he expected, but the idea that it becomes a memory just by drinking it together felt very Frieren.

Tanezaki: The series depicts Frieren’s journey to learn about humans. In that scene, she remembers Heiter saying, "We should laugh off bad wine and enjoy it together," and by actually doing it, experiencing it, and feeling it herself, I felt she was coming to understand humans even more.

Currently, the story has just entered the new "Divine Skill Revolte Arc." Please be sure to check out the broadcast to see where the trio's journey leads.

[Official Website] https://frieren-anime.jp/
[Official X (formerly Twitter)] https://x.com/Anime_Frieren

Interview, Photography, and Text by kato
(C)Kanehito Yamada, Tsukasa Abe/Shogakukan/ "Frieren"Project

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