Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Rewatch Episode 18 Discussion

# Episode 18: [First-Class Mage Exam](https://files.catbox.moe/072oio.jpg)
***
[Previous episode](https://files.catbox.moe/072oio.jpg) | [Index](https://old.reddit.com/r/anime/comments/1p44gd9/frieren_beyond_journeys_end_rewatch_announcement/) | [Next episode](https://files.catbox.moe/oo7245.jpg)
***
## Links, useful info:

[MAL](https://myanimelist.net/anime/52991)

[Anilist](https://anilist.co/anime/154587/Frieren-Beyond-Journeys-End/)

[Anidb](https://anidb.net/anime/17617)

[Kitsu](https://kitsu.app/anime/46474)

[Livechart](https://www.livechart.me/anime/11376)

[ANN](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=26334)

[AP](https://www.anime-planet.com/anime/frieren-beyond-journeys-end)

***
## Streams:

[Crunchyroll](https://www.crunchyroll.com/series/GG5H5XQX4/frieren-beyond-journeys-end)

[bilibili](https://www.bilibili.tv/en/media/2090295)

[Hulu](https://www.hulu.com/series/1d4725f8-06d1-43fb-a077-72143ac5502f)

[Netflix](https://www.netflix.com/title/81726714)

[Prime Video](https://www.primevideo.com/detail/0PHTCTLN7E6QH3XNVJ6K2NBCCT)

***
## Currently disclosed information:

### Seiyuu of the day corner

Content is back on the menu, boys!

1) Suzushiro Sayumi

Our first name is Sayumi Suzushiro who got the role of Lawine. She is really rocking right now, as there are many prominent recent roles to be mentioned here. Of all the well known roles of consists with the likes of Shirogane Kei from Kaguya-sama, Ijichi Nijika in Bocchi the Rock, Takemoto Uruka in Bokuben, Ono Akira in High Score Girl, Kurena Kukumila in 86, Villhaze in Vexations of a Shut-In Vampire Princess, Mochizuki Ayako in The Elusive Samurai, Tama/Matilda in Isekai Shikkaku, Christina Beltrum in Seirei Gensouki, Inuzuka Himari in Danjoru, Belle in Dungeon People, Tsuruga Ami in Goddess Café Terrace, Noa in 2.5D Seduction, Kylie in the Magnificent Kotobuki and many more.

Or from the very recent ones, the titular character of Kamiina Botan, Suzuki, Miyu in You and I are complete opposites, Kirino Iko in Tune In to the Midnight Heart, Kohinata Iroha in Imouza, Scarlett Castiel in The Holy Grail of Eris, Amami Yuu in Kuranika for example and so on. The list in her case is also quite long.

Yours truly should call her the queen of rom-coms rightfully, probably for a good reason.

2) Waki Azumi

Our second name to be mentioned here is Azumi Waki for Kanne. You might know her from things like Special Week in Umamusume, Tachibana Hinata in Tokyo Revengers, Kanade in Beast Tamer, Ono Shiragiku in Goddess Café Terrace, Saiga Rei aka Psyger-0 in Shangri-la Frontier, Kanon Hisui in Ranger Reject, Flatorte in Slime 300, Suzushiro Hatsuka in Call of the Night, Sisbell in Kimisen, Hoshi Nadeshiko in Shuumatsu Train, Minase Nagisa in Girlfriend Girlfriend, Anne Shelley in My Next Life as a Villainess and many more.

3) Tanaka Takako

This is an extra. But I do think this name is worthy to be mentioned because there are a few interesting roles she has. Our third name is Takako Tanaka, for voicing the [CMA receptionist](https://files.catbox.moe/o48k3y.jpg). Hina in Hinamatsuri, Koyanagi Kaho in Watanare, Guiyuan in Apothecary Diaries, Anaguma Sakina in Medalist, Kraft Univer in Umamusume, Tamase Miki in Muv-Luv Alternative, Hirata Himari in Aikatsu Friends, Roana in Interspecies Reviewers, maybe these are the somewhat better roles of hers.

***
## Questions for the day:

1) How big or small town Äußert is?

2) Being a lake-side-isle town, would it be a perfect tourist spot?

3) Are you happy Kraft is back again?

4) Monk class being punch deliverers, is this DnD coded?

5) How could that old man recognize Frieren's pendant?

6) The number of mages dwindling since the defeat of the Demon King. Any reasons behind it?

7) Being a first-class mage, is this a true honor?

8) We have a bunch of new faces in this arc. Any expectations?

***
## Highlights from yesterday:

1) It is a consensus that Haru is the better OP:

> Definitely enjoyed OP 2 by Yorushika a lot more than OP 1. Just like with the first opening, I listened to it multiple times, read through the lyrics, and tried to understand them, and I did the same with this one. I know it might just be me, but based on the time I’ve spent with the lyrics, it really feels like Frieren is singing this to Himmel. The lyrics constantly address a distant “you,” someone absent but still deeply present, which fits how Himmel exists in her life now. Lines like “You're there like a wind, closing your eyes at sunset” and “We go like the sunny wind. Go on and fly over that cloud, further and further away,” painting Himmel as a guiding presence, steadying Frieren even in his absence. Some people also point out that Himmel literally means “sky” or “heaven” in German, which fits the story’s themes. His name connects him symbolically to the idea of a guiding light or destination, reinforcing that his influence continues to shape Frieren’s journey.

> New OP (and new-ish ED). I think the first is slightly better in terms of overall enjoyment, but the second is a better match for the tone of the show musically. I don't think either of those are very controversial takes.

2) Maybe time is fast, but Sein's presence in Frieren's party was kinda short:

> ...But in exchange for this gift, Sein is leaving. And that's... um... one of the strangest decisions in this story? I mean, yes, Sein only temporarily joined them and always intended to go on his own journey later, but... THREE episodes. He was part of the main cast for THREE episodes. And that's after we spent quite a bit of time recruiting him. We just got an episode dedicated to him about how you should trust your teammates. That's too fast.

3) u/BaytaCosmico expected the foreshadowing what is come:

> Seems like a calm before the storm type of episode. Sounds like we're heading for a magic exam arc. The one I've heard not so good things about. Shall prepare myself so I'm not too disappointed.

***
## Disclaimer notice:

Dear rewatchers, please be nice to the first-time watchers or the manga readers to the anime-onlies by simply not spoilering anything. But if you want to discuss spoiler-territory things, use spoiler tags instead. Thank you for your understanding.

For example [this is] >!a spoiler!<
***
[Until then...stay tuned!](https://v.animethemes.moe/SousouNoFrieren-ED1v2.webm)

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Commentaires

Friends5132025-12-25 22:54

Rewatcher, first time dub watcher

Ah yes, beginning of the magic exam arc. Was great to watch during the original airing, curious to see how it holds up now

I don’t actually remember how the barrier is used to catch the bird things, so I’m excited to see tomorrow

Merry Christmas everyone! Best way to spend Christmas is watching anime, apparently. Who knew!

JustAnswerAQuestion2025-12-25 23:02

**First Timer**

* Northern Plateau sounds like the grinding zone of a JRPG
* FRIEREN CAN TWITCH HER EARS
* NOT a flashback...
* ONCE EVERY THREE YEARS and it just happens to be ~~today.~~ in two months.
* These two must be sisters. Twins.

Hmm. Kraft was a warrior but now he wears priest pendant. That of his nameless partner.

> 5) How could that old man recognize Frieren's pendant?

I guess, when you are a capital of magic use, these things are remembered.

Efficient_Phase13132025-12-25 23:31

Wait till they get to the northern plateau in season 2! It does not disappoint

dontoff2025-12-25 23:26

**Rewatcher (Dub)**

The start of the much-debated exam arc. Personally, before starting this rewatch, this was the part of the show I was most interested in revisiting, and not because I enjoyed it the most. In fact, it’s because I thought it was much weaker than the first 17 episodes we got.

One of my main issues with this arc is how tonally different it feels from everything that came before it. It leans very heavily into the kinds of shounen clichés that many people dislike. On top of that, the number of uninteresting characters introduced here is just too high. In the first cour of the show, almost every new character worked for me, whereas here the balance between quantity and quality just isn’t there.

I understand that this arc is meant to set up characters who will likely return in later seasons, but even with that in mind, it didn’t do a great job of introducing many I was actually interested in. There are simply too many new characters at once, and the arc itself feels far too long for what it’s trying to accomplish.

A very important point for me is that exam arcs like the one we see here are, fundamentally, a lazy but efficient way of introducing a large number of characters at once. Most people come out of these arcs remembering only a handful of them, while the majority simply do not stick with you. Even the ones we do remember are mostly just faces, with very little actual information about who they are or what they bring to the story when they were introduced. That’s a big reason why so many viewers dislike this type of arc in the first place. Frieren’s exam arc is better executed than most, but it still cannot escape the fundamental weaknesses of the structure itself.

On my first watch, I honestly came away feeling like the show could have done without this arc entirely. They could have written a way around it, or at the very least made it much shorter. As I continue this rewatch, I’ll be commenting on the problems I have with the arc as we go, and I’m open to changing my opinion, for better or worse. That said, I’m pretty confident I’ll never end up liking it more than what we got in the first cour. It leans too heavily on action, which is easily Frieren’s weakest aspect, and for about six episodes it ends up feeling like just another shounen, albeit one with better animation than most.

* Lawine and Kanne are really boring and uninteresting characters, the kind you would expect to see in an average, mid seasonal isekai or adventure fantasy. Man, I hate every time they’re on screen. They actively drag down the episodes they’re heavily featured in.
* The second half of this episode is probably the worst in the entire season so far.
* I remember the first couple of episodes of this arc especially being massive letdowns, and so far it seems like my memory was accurate.

BaytaCosmico2025-12-26 00:03

>They actively drag down the episodes they’re heavily featured in.

Oh no, they're in several episodes, are they? They very much dragged this one down. Was hoping they wouldn't appear in any others (except maybe the next one). Bummer.

dontoff2025-12-26 00:31

No comment on the number of episodes they’re in, but yeah, they’re used as comic relief, and it just doesn’t work. They’re extremely unlikable. It does get a little better from what I remember, though that might not be true, because they’re just that forgettable to me. They’re the most useless, pointless characters and exist purely as yuri bait for shippers. Frankly, their addition makes me worry about season 2, given how things played out in this arc, because a lot of my problems with the show during this arc seem to stem from lazy, uninspired characters and writing.

BaytaCosmico2025-12-26 01:47

Yeah, no, these two are definitely not funny or interesting in any way so far. I was just like yawn for most of their screentime. Frieren's reaction to them fighting was cute like most of her reactions, but there are surely better ways to introduce comic relief than this. Felt like very lazy writing indeed.

y-c-c2025-12-26 02:37

I remember when I first started this part I was not feeling it, as it felt very much "Dragon Ball'ing" Frieren into a shounen battle show, whereas the reason why the first cour was good was its introspective nature and that the characters were going on a journey.

I do think this arc was mostly handled well enough that I still liked it. Yes there will be some shounen tropes but I did enjoy the tropes lol, and the arc is not just all combat and fights either. It probably could have been a little shorter but I still mostly enjoyed it for what it was, as long as future Frieren seasons aren't all like this.

dontoff2025-12-26 03:15

Yeah, I think the reason I’m particularly hard on this arc is that I love the show and the main characters so much. To be fair, the arc still has some really solid episodes, especially toward the end. I just really hope Season 2 calms down on the action and shounen clichés and tropes.

donuteater1112025-12-25 23:50

**Rewatcher (Sub)**

First of all, Merry Christmas to those who celebrate.

Now we get to the start of the Mage Exam Arc. To me, this is a very interesting one for a number of reasons. For one, we get to see a pretty unique use of magic skills here. Already with this Stille test, even if we haven't seen too much strategy yet, we get a we get a nice bit of teamwork between Kanne and Lawine as they try to capture it on the water (just to find out why you'll need to think outside the box).

And another thing I appreciate here is the added characters that bring their own flavor to the show. We get a glimpse of several of them while they're waiting for the announcements, but I'll just focus on the ones that stand out so far.

Ubel is promising as a kind of rogue type character. Just from her introduction, we see how powerful and cunning she is. And I like her little exchange with Kraft there. The idea that she killed someone during her first exam attempt makes her seem all that much more dangerous. One of the reasons I've been looking forward to seeing her again is that during my first viewing, I don't think I realized that she was played by Kita's voice actor from Bocchi the Rock. Of course anyone who knows her might know she's a prolific anime actor in general. In fact she also has fairly prominent roles in a couple shows I'm watching that are airing right now: Setsu in Gnosia, and Yuzuki in Chitose is in the Ramune Bottle (coming off of a prominent arc with her character now).

Then of course there's Kanne and Lawine. These two are definitely characters that stand out immediately. The humor with the fighting may not appeal to everyone, but it serves for some nice comedy relief here, and I like Frieren's reactions to it. But it's also nice to see the relationship behind the fighting. Kanne talking to Frieren on the cliff, along with the flashback with Kanne and Lawine, did a good job of showing them as more of an understanding partnership, albeit a tense one. And of course this is also reflected in the previously mentioned Stille test.

BaytaCosmico2025-12-25 23:58

**First-timer, subbed**

And so begins our tournament arc - that old Shonen staple. Was a nice treat to see Kraft though. Wonder if he'll keep popping up randomly like this at other times too. That was such a cool reversal of the damsel rescue scenario. Too think he was rescuing the bandits from this psychopath mage (I'm guessing?). Was hoping he would join this Ubel character and go meet Frieren & co.

Forget Kraft, we barely get to see Stark in this one. Seems like the focus is going to be on Frieren, Fern and these new characters we're getting introduced to. The OP and ED both feature them so prominently, you'd almost think this was yuri (the two staffs at the end of the OP, hello!)

But the first test has them teamed up with other people. Fern gets Ubel (oooh) and this other character from the OP. But we are following Frieren and her troublesome twosome first. We spent an awful lot of time on their backstory and I'm still not really feeling invested in them.

Frieren's funny moments were much more enjoyable. We got another mimic pose and a cake with not enough candles (unless they were doing one candle for every 20 years or something).

Curious to see Fern+Ubel team. The killer mage seems interesting.

Hartzilla20072025-12-26 02:34

Rewatcher

Well they finally made it to Äußert so they can get the mage exam underway. Frieren finds someone who is familiar with her emblem which is surprising since it clearly predates Himmel's era. Kraft shows up again to let you know Ubel is a murder gremlin, who Fern is now teamed up with, while Frieren gets the bickering ship tease pair.

y-c-c2025-12-26 02:47

**Rewatcher (Sub)**

I remember when I first watched this, I was quite bothered how no one recognizes Frieren on the spot. Thinking more about it I'm a little mixed on this.

Provided that Frieren is not an uncommon name (and with her being a hero maybe parents would be more inclined to name their child Himmel/Frieren/etc), it may not immediately ring any bell. She may look similar to the statues as well, but statues are kind of a loose approximation anyway and most of them are rusting away. And 80 years is a long enough time that it could feel ancient and detached from current life to an average aged person. Frieren has also been mostly chilling and not engaging herself with society as much as other folks like Heiter.

The thing that makes me feel like more mages should immediately recognize her is that she's an elf, which as we have seen so far is an extremely rare occurrence. How many elves are there who is called Frieren, is a powerful mage, and wields a staff that looks like that? Seems like well informed mages (which this group of mages should be) should at least be curious just based on that. And Frieren's party just defeated Aura not long ago which I would have imagined is a pretty big news, so there should be news of her traveling north.

So yeah I think it's *possible* that barely anyone noticed her but it feels a little forced.

tripleaamin2025-12-26 03:12

Rewatch: **Blu-Ray Version**

Our group finally ends up in Äußerst, where the Mage Exam is being taken. We see again Fern is underselling herself by saying to Frieren she needs to take the exam for them to proceed. As Frieren mentions, she doesn't need the one to be certified. Well, in good measure, both of them take the exam.

We also see a mage by the name of Übel who runs into Kraft. At first glance it looks like Kraft defends her against those thugs. Though, as Kraft points out, in reality he was saving the lives of those men, and it might be clear that Übel has the eyes of a killer, which could mean trouble. We also learn that she killed a first-class mage in the exam she failed. Makes you wonder how she can still take this exam.

The flashback was a nice callback with Himmel for the simple fact that Frieren doesn't need any certification to prove how capable of a mage she is. Plus, considering she is a mage in Himmel's party, you'd think they wouldn't need to take exams. Well, rules are rules for a reason.

Frieren gets grouped with two troublemakers in Kanne & Lawine. One thing is for certain: they are a different breed compared to Fern. As Fern is more to herself, she prides herself on being independent. While with these two girls, that is not the case. Though it is good to see Frieren take charge, which, with Himmel & Fern, she really never had to do. Though unlike Fern, who is a good listener, those girls aren't, and they learn from their mistakes that Frieren knows what she is doing.

It is interesting to learn more from Kanne about her friendship with Lawine. While they get into constant arguments, it feels clear that they are dear friends. Them being on the same wavelength showcases that. Lawine is a bit of a hardass at times to Kanne, but it comes from wanting to push her friend. Of course Kanne herself wants praise, which seems like an easy motivator.

This episode adapted chapters 37 & most of 38. It is actually interesting they didn't adapt the last few pages of 38. Though the pacing still feels great, it's good they give these chapters time to breathe.

tripleaamin2025-12-26 03:14

How big or small town Äußert is?

* It seems big

Being a lake-side-isle town, would it be a perfect tourist spot?

* Yes

Are you happy Kraft is back again?

* Is he really back though?

Monk class being punch deliverers, is this DnD coded?

* Perhaps

How could that old man recognize Frieren's pendant?

* He is old.

The number of mages dwindling since the defeat of the Demon King. Any reasons behind it?

* They are needed less maybe

Being a first-class mage, is this a true honor?

* I guess so.

We have a bunch of new faces in this arc. Any expectations?

* Übel is the one that leaves the biggest impression.

Brief-Fig-75062025-12-26 03:50

**Rewatcher**

Dubbed

Doing this from my phone so if the formatting gets messed up, oh well

* Missed yesterday so I’ll say it today. This is another good OP and I probably won’t be skipping it either.

* If the Demon King has been defeated then what could be the problem further north?

* So Kraft has made it to Graf Granats domain.

* I love how quickly Frieren turned to leave lol.

* 45 first-class mages seems like a fair amount.

* Frieren had her birthday and they probably couldn’t find enough candles.

* I hated group projects in school.

* I’m a Kana fan Btw.

* Also, Yuri bait.

* The bird is basically a Pokémon.

* The bird that attacked looked the same as the bird that attacked the carriage, just a different color.

* Their team name should be “Frienemies & Frieren”

TheDanubianCommunard2025-12-26 22:31

### Second-time watcher and your host (subs),

Here it is, Äußert reached, which means the exam is really here. Even Kraft is back, as he met one of the examinee candidates.

Frieren shpowing his funnier side, as he never wated to join any kind of mage guildd, as her pendant was enough proof of her status. But one mage, who is a higher-ranking CMA member recognized that. Why and when did Fern taking that third-rank exam? Probably when Heiter was still around and lived.

First-rank comes with huge hardships, but it is a huge reward if one manages to succeed. Looks like a very promising bunch assembled for here.

First part of the exam: Everybody formed into three-member team, in a completely randomized way. The job is simple, is to catch a Stille, a bird who detects magic quite easily. Frieren got Lawine and Kanne in her team, two young girls who are kind rivals. Probably the quarreling is about confidence, power and their abilitites they possess. Catching Stille needs patience.

Fern got the crazy girl as teammate.

> 1) How big or small town Äußert is?

It is a not a big town.

> 2) Being a lake-side-isle town, would it be a perfect tourist spot?

Yes, perfect scenery.

> 3) Are you happy Kraft is back again?

He is an interesting fellow, of course he has many interesting stories to tell.

> 4) Monk class being punch deliverers, is this DnD coded?

I think so.

> 5) How could that old man recognize Frieren's pendant?

He might holds some secret.

> 6) The number of mages dwindling since the defeat of the Demon King. Any reasons behind it?

Technological advancement, magic getting much more organized, the era of peace, the exam system, and many others.

> 7) Being a first-class mage, is this a true honor?

It is a high form of recognition.

> 8) We have a bunch of new faces in this arc. Any expectations?

They are all interesting folks.