Continuing from interview (1). The second season of the TV anime " Frieren: Beyond Journey's End ," based on the manga by Kanehito Yamada and illustrated by Tsukasa Abe , currently serialized in "Weekly Shonen Sunday" (Shogakukan), will air on Nippon Television's anime slot "FRIDAY ANIME NIGHT" (Fura-Ani) every Friday at 11:00 PM starting January 16, 2026. The manga has sold over 32 million copies, making it a popular series. The first season of the TV anime aired on "Fura-Ani" from September 2023 to March 2024, garnering significant attention for its meticulous direction and beautiful visuals. Kitagawa Tomoya, who served as chief director for episodes 2 and 8 of the first season and the second cour of the series, will serve as director for the second season, with Keiichiro Saito, the first season's director, providing support as a directorial assistant. What will the second season bring with a new director? We spoke to Kitagawa, Saito, and series composition/scriptwriter Suzuki Chihiro to find out.
◇It's basically an extension of the first season, but...
-What kind of things were discussed during meetings when writing the script for the second season?
Suzuki-san and (animation producer) Fukushi-san first mentioned that they wanted to have a core theme for the series. Just like the first season, they wanted to build up a series that would make viewers want to look back on the whole thing after they'd finished watching it. Kitagawa-san also mentioned that they wanted to show the gradual increase in cooperation and maturity of the three party members, and that Himmel's flashback scene was a little different from the first season, with Frieren actively reminiscing, so they wanted to keep that in mind.
Kitagawa: In the first season, Frieren had many scenes where she recalled Himmel's words and got to know people, but in the second season, she will often pass on what she learned from Himmel and the others to Fern and Stark . This will be a part of the story as the party matures, and I want to bring it to a story where Fern and Stark grow along with Frieren . This will be the core of the second season, and even in the way the party fights, Fern will watch Frieren's fighting style and evolve little by little. I tried to incorporate that.
--Are there any changes in the second season?
Kitagawa: Basically, it's an extension of the first season, and I'm conscious of keeping the good parts as they are as much as possible. I think there are a lot of people who like the unique tempo and atmosphere, so I'm valuing that by focusing on the journey of the three characters.
Personally, I thought it would be fine to give it a new look with Saito-san and Kitagawa-san's own style, but since the second season is modeled after the first season, I have mixed feelings about it (laughs). Of course, I'm also honestly happy that they're using the first season as a guideline.
-Among them, which one do you feel shows your own personality?
Saito: I feel that there are some small details, but there were many directors involved in the first season, and I think that a work is completed by having many different people involved. In the second season, the composition, detailed timing, and acting are a little different from my own, so I think that's Kitagawa's style, or perhaps a habit. At the beginning of the first episode of the second season, Kitagawa added parts that weren't originally in the script, and I think that conveys what Kitagawa is trying to do with the second season.
Kitagawa: It wasn't a particularly grand idea, but as a new season begins after about two years, Frieren and the others are back! I was thinking about how to heighten the sense of anticipation that the journey is about to begin again, so I added a few things, including how the title is presented.
--Kitagawa-san, you also participated in the first season, but did you study the first season when making the second season?
Kitagawa: I'm trying to make use of the atmosphere of the first season in the second season so as not to destroy it. I'm keeping the first season in mind when creating it, including the scenery, tempo, and how to lead up to important lines. I've also devised ways to divide the scenes so that important lines don't get lost.
--The battle scenes in the first season were also a hot topic. Will the second season be enjoyable?
Kitagawa: As with the first season, there are some parts that have been expanded. The unique rhythm of the original is very interesting, but we have to think about how to present it when we turn it into a movie. In the second season, the battles between the three characters become the main focus, so we are depicting the battles while expanding on the sense of cooperation between them.
Saito: During the first season, I did everything I could in terms of editing and directing, but Iwasawa Toru joined as action director, and there were many parts where Iwasawa's skills were fully utilized.
Kitagawa: For the second season, we are relying on the skills of the staff in charge of the episodes and action scenes.
Saito: There are many animators who have been drawing the original drawings since the first season, so I hope you will look forward to it.
◇Changes and growth of the three people
--Are there any difficulties unique to "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End"?
Saito-san, when you speak your lines, they need to be persuasive and natural. We tried to carefully construct that in terms of direction as well.
There are some original parts by Kitagawa-san , so I was thinking about how to make it interesting for fans of the original work while I was writing the storyboard. There are also some parts where the way of expression has been slightly changed from the original. For example, the way young Flamme appears in episode 25 of the first season was shown a little differently, and I was worried about whether it would be accepted. I was conscious of how to better convey Serie's emotions when it was made into a movie.
Suzuki: The original author said, "I want you to pay attention to every single line." However, he was happy to push me to expand on it, which I was very grateful for. The same goes for the second season.
Saito-san, I think there are more expansions in the second season than in the first.
How did you inflate it?
At the initial stage, Mr. Saito discusses the core of the idea, and then Mr. Suzuki expands on that, and we continue to discuss and deepen the idea.
Suzuki: I present my ideas because it's easier to understand if I put them out there once.
When you look at it through Saito-san's perspective, while depicting the changes in the characters, you also talk about the things that remain the same.
-Finally, please give us a message for the second season.
Kitagawa-san: In the second half of the first season, Stark stayed home alone, but he will play a major role in the second season. Please look forward to seeing the teamwork and bond between the three members of the party.
Mr. Saito is assisting the director this time, but with the help of a wonderful team including Mr. Kitagawa, the film is turning out to be a wonderful piece, so please look forward to it.
Suzuki: Since there's been a long gap until the second season airs, both Kitagawa and Saito are making sure that it continues from the first season. The journey took a break in the second half of the first season, but from there the three of them embark on a new adventure. With a central theme of "change and growth," I hope it will be a work that leaves you with a warm feeling of satisfaction when you finish watching it. I hope you'll look forward to it.
Anima Mitsuru/MANTANWEB
