Director of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Explains His Decision to Step Down from the Fantasy Anime

Anime director Keiichiro Saito has opened up about why he won’t be directing season 2 of *Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End*, and his explanation is quite touching.

This fantasy series, adapted from Kanehito Yamada’s ongoing manga and boasting a perfect 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, is set to return with new episodes on January 16. Tomoya Kitagawa will take the reins from Saito, having previously directed episodes 2, 8, and 25 in the first season.

Reflecting on their collaboration, Saito mentioned in an interview, “When we worked together on the first season, I felt that Kitagawa-san had solid ideas and techniques. Even during that time, I struggled to manage everything I needed to, so I reached out to Kitagawa-san for help. I couldn’t think of anyone better to ask.” It’s been confirmed that Saito will still be involved as an assistant director.

Kitagawa also shared insights about the team, stating, “We have many core staff members, including the art director, color designer, cinematographer, and editor, along with directing and animation staff who are all very reliable. We also have some new members joining us.”

After a successful six-month run, season 1 wrapped up with elf Frieren and her purple-haired companion Fern continuing their journey north to Aurole. Fern has achieved First Class Mage status through her exams, while Frieren faces a 1000-year ban from the Magic Association.

In season 2, “Frieren will explore new lands with her new party. We’ll delve into fresh dynamics, new combat scenarios, and the evolving mindsets of the characters. It’ll be thrilling to see how their roles change and how Frieren develops through these experiences,” director Yuichiro Fukushi revealed.

*Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End* is currently available for streaming on Hulu and Netflix in the US. The upcoming season, consisting of 10 episodes, will premiere on Crunchyroll on January 16.