Mimei Amoume's artistry in Frieren season 2 ending could never be replaced by AI

In a world of artificial shortcuts, one animator's dedication stands out

In an era of artificial intelligence run amok by it adherents looking to use it to replace musicians, writers, and artists, more people (especially fans of anime) are gaining more appreciation for art drawn by actual humans. As the hype for the season 2 premiere of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End reached a groundswell, fans have been praising its debut episode, as well as the season's new ending visuals, which were all hand-drawn by a single person.

Directed by Mimei Amoume and scored to the song "The Story of Us" by Milet, the visuals and music help tell the story of its titular character, as written by her past journeymate and admirer Himmel long ago when he was still alive. The footage depicts Frieren on her first journey, visiting many towns, exploring the wilderness, hitchhiking in the back of a moving vehicle, and cooking a meal over a campfire. The animation moves like a flip book with each frame sketched by hand.

Amoume even went as far as to demonstrate how the flip book animation works via social media, highlighting the countless pages of her own original drawings from the ending. It gives the animation a fairy tail-like aesthetic, bolstered by the sketch art and focus on our elven protagonist. Himmel is seen writing about Frieren and her journey seemingly in the time between their quest to kill the Demon King together and his eventual death, conveying the underlying relationship of Friren's and Himmel and why she is on a new quest to find him in the afterlife.

Frieren follows an immortal elven mage who once saved the world with her party but failed to understand her human companions —especially Himmel, with whom she shared an unspoken bond. Decades later, as her friends age and Himmel dies, Frieren sets out with new companions to revisit places from their original journey, learn what it means to be human, and one day reunite with Himmel at the resting place of souls in the far north.

Art with a human touch and emotion, one guided by a story of unrequited love and romance, can never be replaced by AI. Although TV show credits in recent years, namely Marvel's Secret Invasion, have utilized AI in the past, anime creators have shunned the technology and have gone on to praise artistry and the history of art itself, like in the new opening credits for Jujutsu Kaisen season 3. The painstaking detail and imagination on display stand as a testament to artistic dedication, especially in an era when taking the easy route for the sake of exploitation has never been more tempting.