"It's Really Kazuhiko Shimamoto…" "What Are You Doing? (lol)" Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Official X Account's Surprise "Collab Shot" Stuns Fans

On the official X account for Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, a photo titled "Frieren, Embraced" has been posted, showing a man in a black beret gently cradling a Frieren plush toy, and it has manga fans buzzing. The man is in fact manga artist Kazuhiko Shimamoto, known for works such as Honō no Tenkōsei, Gyakkyō Nine, Moeyo Pen, and Aoi Honō, and the impressive crossover shot has drawn a big response from fans.

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End is a fantasy manga written by Kanehito Yamada and illustrated by Tsukasa Abe. Set in a world "after" the Demon King has been defeated by the hero's party, it follows Frieren, an elf mage who has lived for over a thousand years, as she sets out on a journey "to understand people" following the death of a former companion. The manga has been a massive hit and has expanded widely across media, including a TV anime adaptation. Seasons 1 and 2 of the TV anime have aired so far, and it has been announced that Season 3, the "Golden Land" arc, will begin airing in October 2027.

The published image shows Shimamoto, wearing his trademark black beret and glasses, holding the Frieren plush carefully in both hands. He looks at the camera with a charming expression, and the unexpected two-shot of the plush, with its utterly laid-back face, and a renowned artist famous for his hot-blooded style makes for an eye-catching visual.

The post has drawn a flood of surprised and humorous comments from fans, such as "Wait, wait, it's really Kazuhiko Shimamoto…", "It's Shimamoto!", "Shimamoto, what are you doing? (lol)", "If it's Kazuhiko Shimamoto, it might be 'Honō no Frieren'", "That's 'Gyakkyō no Frieren', isn't it?", "Maybe 'Nekketsu no Frieren'?", and "Fern must be jealous".

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