An orchestra concert for the TV anime "Frieren: The Final Chapter," based on the manga currently being serialized in "Weekly Shonen Sunday" (Shogakukan), was held on August 21 at the Pacifico Yokohama National Hall (Nishi-ku, Yokohama). The concert was conducted by Masataka Tajiri and performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. Special guests included Evan Call, who writes the music for the show, and singer-songwriter milet, and the venue was packed with about 4,000 people.
The soundtrack for "Frieren: The Final Chapter" was released in April and has been extremely popular, selling about 14,000 copies, an unprecedented feat for a TV anime soundtrack. At the concert, the orchestra performed in tandem with the anime footage projected on the screen.
The concert began with the magnificent "Journey of a Lifetime ~ Frieren Main Theme," and the screen showed the scenery along the journey of Frieren and her friends, as well as the hero's party and the six main characters from the new party. Familiar songs were performed, such as "One Last Adventure" and "Farewell, My Friend," which accompany Frieren and Himmel's "final adventure" and Himmel's death, "Time Flows Ever Onward," which matches the scene where Frieren and her apprentice Fern meet, and "Zoltraak," which adds excitement to the fierce battle with the demons.
Milet appeared in the middle of the show. She performed "bliss," the ending theme of the first special and an insert song from episode 11, and "Anytime Anywhere," accompanied by a full orchestra. In the second half, she played "Waltz for Stark and Fern," which features Fern and Stark's impressive dance scene, and "The Magic Within" and "New and Dangerous Magic," which add excitement to the second season's "First Class Wizard Exam Arc," which depicts the fierce battle between wizards. Finally, she performed the quiet yet magnificent "Beyond the Journey's End," which erupted in loud applause from the audience. For the encore, Evan reappeared and performed a special medley that he conducted.
After the show, milet commented, "Evan Call originally arranged "Anytime Anywhere" and "bliss" with an orchestra in mind. I felt like I was able to sing them this time exactly how they were meant to be. These are two songs that I've been singing for a long time, but once again, I was moved that I was glad that I wrote and sang these songs with love. It was so happy that I was able to sing 'Funeral Parlor of Frieren' in front of all the people who love them, along with video of Frieren and the others, that my heart trembled with happiness. I felt like Frieren and the others cast a spell that made me happy with their music. I am grateful for this rare and honorable opportunity. I have loved 'Funeral Parlor of Frieren' for a long time, and I will continue to love it."
Evan said, "The concert was so much fun. I'm honored that so many people love Frieren and that so many people came to listen to the music. There was a lot of preparation for the concert, but thanks to the performers and conductor Tajiri-san, it was a magical night. Furthermore, milet's wonderful singing hit me with a healing magic! I want to know the magic in the re-performance!" "Funeral of Frieren" is a manga written by Yamada Kanehito and illustrated by Abe Tsukasa, which began serialization in April 2020 in "Weekly Shonen Sunday". Frieren, a magician in the hero's party who defeated the Demon King, and an elf who lives a long life, experiences the death of her companions and goes on a journey to "get to know people". The anime is directed by Saito Keiichiro, who has worked on "Bocchi the Rock!" and other works, and produced by Madhouse. It aired from September 2023 to March 2024.
