Massive Response to Frieren Drawn by Mitsuru Adachi of "Touch": "The Sensei's Art Style is Definitely There" and "Amazing"! Support Illustration for "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End" Revealed

On the official X account of "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End," a support illustration by Mitsuru Adachi, the author of "MIX" and "Touch," has been released, sparking widespread discussion.

The released illustration depicts Frieren drawn on shikishi (colored paper). While differing from Adachi's usual touch, it achieves an appealing finish that adapts to the original Frieren's art style while still conveying his delicate brushwork. The background is rendered in a vibrant yellow watercolor touch, within which one can spot a playful depiction of the dog character (Punch) familiar from Adachi's works, holding a staff and floating in the air as a black silhouette. The shikishi includes messages reading "To Frieren: Beyond Journey's End" and "Congratulations on Season 2 Anime Adaptation," along with Adachi's signature.

"Frieren: Beyond Journey's End" is an anime work based on the manga of the same name by Kanehito Yamada (original story) and Tsukasa Abe (artwork). It depicts Frieren, an elf mage who defeated the Demon King alongside the hero's party, embarking on a new journey to understand people, triggered by the death of her former companions. Meanwhile, "MIX" is based on the manga of the same name by Mitsuru Adachi and has gained popularity as a youth baseball story set approximately 30 years after the setting of the mega-hit "Touch" at Meisei Academy, centering on the non-blood-related brothers Tachibana Touma and Tachibana Souichirou, along with their sister Otomi, as they aim for Koshien.

In response to this fresh illustration that differs from his usual art style, fans expressed surprise with comments such as "Mitsuru Adachi not drawing in Adachi style...?!" and "This might be the first time I've seen Adachi-sensei adapt his art to match the original work?!", noting how Adachi, famous for maintaining his own distinctive art style, had adapted to the original.

Furthermore, many comments praising the master's solid artistic skill and loving respect for the work were shared, including "As expected of a pro who can change his 'touch' in art," "It's definitely Frieren, yet Adachi-sensei's art style is also clearly present," and "There's an Adachi Mitsuru-sensei feel to it, but it's also Frieren-like!! Amazing."

(C)Kanehito Yamada, Tsukasa Abe/Shogakukan/ "Frieren"Project