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Frieren and Fern continue their wanderings, slowly making their way to the north. On the way, they’ll meet up with a warrior of dubious courage, a defiant dragon, a town that honours its roots, and a reminder that times may change, but some things simply do not�

This series. After such a strong start, this just� keeps right on moving from strength to strength and it’s great. It is a standout of fantasy manga and an absolute delight. The way it mixes heavier themes with the occasional bit of goofiness and some old-fashioned action makes it look easy.

Frieren is the special sauce that gives the book life, which makes sense since she’s the titular character. She’s removed enough from humanity that she can’t truly process how short life is, happy to wait around for years if necessary, but now that she has a crew with her, it’s up to them to nudge her along lest they grow old before long.

Then again, she’s not so removed that she’s immune to feeling any affection for them, even as it turns out that elves are “rapidly� dying out because they’re essentially all asexual and don’t feel any compulsion to reproduce nor any romantic attachments. It’s a cute reminder that her time with people has not been without changes. Or, indeed, that somebody who lives for so long might just take a bit longer to mature than a species that has time far less on its side.

The blending of past and present was good in the first volume and it continues to be used smartly here. Stark, the warrior, is actually the apprentice of one of Frieren’s old companions and while he appears to be less than impressive, it turns out he takes after his master in many ways.

Stark is a really good addition to the cast - he and Fern play off one another well and have a great dynamic that’s much different to the deference they show Frieren (although Fern is getting a lot cheekier by the end of this volume). The story knows when it can let its hair down and when it should be serious, which is appreciated.

The last section really ramps up the stakes, as our crew head to the northern lands, where pockets of demons left over after the quest of the original heroes have slowly begun to rise in power. Indeed, as they make their way to a town that is magically protected by somebody Frieren knew who has been lost to human memory as an actual person, it appears that peace may be at hand�

There were two ways this all could have gone, with Frieren’s suspicions being nothing more than the last gasps of an old warrior who refuses to embrace change or the chance things might get better. She has it all wrong and must learn that her previous experiences have made her jaded and that she too must learn to change with the times.

Would that have made for a better story? Maybe, but the die is cast and what we get here instead is a hero showing why they’re a hero and a reinforcing that some leopards refuse to change their spots while quoting scripture for their own ends, or something. It’s got some shonen elements, but there’s a lot of clever plotting going on that elevates it more than you might expect.

It’s great either way - Frieren doesn’t often need to act directly because she has faith in her charges and in people to pick up on the clues she’s left them. It’s nice to have a smart, resourceful heroine who can stand on her own feet that isn’t being undercut for comedy or fan service.

Even the wilder stuff like the shaved ice spell (no syrup spell, unfortunately, which seems like a big miss) are in service to Frieren keeping things light and the mood high rather than focusing on the heavy nature of their duty. The way they mine her perception of time for jokes and pathos is great - she’s entirely content to stay in jail for two years to think about what she’s done, provided Fern and Stark get her some grimoires.

Yes, it all turns to high action at the end and the next volume promises a real throw down, so that may not be quite as compelling as the philosophical musings of near-immortality, but I think this is good enough to have it both ways and will remain optimistic.

5 stars - starts quiet and keeps getting better and better. This is rapidly climbing my list of all-time favourite manga and long may it stay that way. I certainly can’t think of another fantasy story this good in this medium.