What is ‘Frieren’ – the anime that beat ‘Solo Leveling’ in Anime Awards nominations?

12 April, 2025

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End poster

Dan Da Dan and Solo Leveling might be the most popular anime shows today, but another series rivalled both in nominations at the Crunchyroll 2025 Anime Awards.

As announced earlier this month, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End racked up a whopping 20 nominations on this year’s list, just behind Dan Da Dan’s 22 nominations and ahead of Solo Leveling’s 13 nods.

READ MORE: ‘Solo Leveling’ review: believe the hype

Fans can vote on this year’s nominations until April 14, with the ceremony set to take place on May 25 in Tokyo, Japan.

All three of the aforementioned shows are nominated for Anime Of The Year, alongside Delicious In Dungeon, Kaiju No. 8, and The Apothecary Diaries.

What is Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End?

The show follows an elf mage named Frieren who, generations prior, brought peace to the world after defeating the Demon King with a party of heroes. Years later, the death of one of these heroes, Himmel, sparks a new quest as she looks to resolve her past regrets.

An official synopsis reads: “After the party of heroes defeated the Demon King, they restored peace to the land and returned to lives of solitude. Generations pass, and the elven mage Frieren comes face to face with humanity’s mortality.

“She takes on a new apprentice and promises to fulfill old friends’ dying wishes. Can an elven mind make peace with the nature of life and death? Frieren embarks on her quest to find out.”

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is based on the manga of the same name, written by Kanehito Yamada and illustrated by Tsukasa Abe.

The show’s first season debuted in September 2023 and concluded in March 2024 after 28 episodes. A second season is currently in development.