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"Sousou no Frieren". The great new anime, ranking very high in the MAL top. I was eager to start the series, but I found myself a bit disappointed, and I'll try to explain why.

You might expect to see some epic fantasy, complex world building with strong character development. Maybe also some dark, intricate plot, that makes you feel the danger, the helplessness in the face of evil. Or maybe just experiencing the life in a medieval setting, with the struggles that come along in such a world.

"Sousou no frieren" is not like that. Yes, it has some of these elements, but the main focus ... seems to be on the "feelings" side, and it tries really hard. It shows themes such as the "passing of time", "regret", or even "power of friendship" to some extent. But the way it's done, it's like they are constantly trying to remind you, "hey, feel this way, take this flashback", and then, the characters start overexplaining the flashback, to again remind the viewers why something happened. You don't need to try hard to understand things in this anime, it is very straightforward, and explained to you in detail along the way. Nothing complex or quick-witted takes place, just some adventurers doing some "quest" in a soft medieval fantasy world.

The battles are frequently disrupted by lengthy dialogues, a common trope in anime. These dialogues often serve to explain obvious details, such as why a character took a certain action, or simply to provide an opportunity for the enemy to recuperate while posing random questions in the middle of the fight. Additionally, the characters' predictable reactions and behaviours make them seem somewhat lacking in depth. The story itself is also kind of predictable, and from the first episodes you will know where it is going. The demons are on the soft side, don't expect to see berserk-like demons, they are "evil" but not in a dramatic way, they aren't capable of doing terrible things (or they don't show or mention it).

With that being said, is this anime bad? Of course not, but it's not for everyone. This might appeal to you depending on your mood or preference, especially if you're seeking a relaxing anime that tries to be emotional. This is more like a slice of life, so keep this in mind if you consider watching it. For me, series of this nature tend to lose their impact when they lean too heavily on flashbacks and excessively explanatory dialogue to evoke emotions. I prefer a storytelling style that feels more organic and unfolds naturally.