Frieren manga reports enormous sales boom after anime success

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is one of the most popular anime of 2023. But, it’s now also one of the most popular manga series.

The Fall 2023 anime adaptation of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End took everyone by surprise when it dethroned Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood to take the top ranking on MyAnimeList.

But its popularity doesn’t just stop with the anime. Frieren-mania is sweeping Otaku culture around the world, and that includes its source material manga.

The manga was already a success when it launched on Shonen Sunday in April 2020. But the term success has now taken a whole new meaning. So, how has the anime impacted the manga? Let’s take a look.

Frieren anime’s popularity increases its manga sales

On December 1, 2023, the news broke that Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End manga has hit a new milestone. It has 17 million copies now in circulation.

The official Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Twitter account announced that the manga series now has more than 17 million copies in circulation. But that’s not all. The post also revealed that seven million of those copies were released in the months following the anime’s September 29 debut.

What’s Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End about?

Of course based on Kanehito Yamada’s fantasy manga of the same name, the anime follows a mage called Frieren who defeated the Demon King alongside the hero Himmel after a 10-year quest. If you haven’t seen it yet, definitely check it out on Crunchyroll, as it’s one you shouldn’t miss.

Frieren restores peace to the kingdom and embarks on her own journey. However, due to her elven nature, she possesses an exceptionally long life span that humans cannot attain. Upon her return to the kingdom 50 years later, she is alarmed to witness how Himmel and his party have aged, while she remains unchanged.

After Himmel dies, Frieren sets out on another journey to ease her heartache and meet as many people as she can.

Praised for the way it deals with life, death, and aging in a fantasy setting, it’s no surprise that fans of the anime are now picking up the manga to experience more of the story.

The 12th volume of the manga is set to release on December 18, 2023, in Japan. While the English release date is yet to be confirmed, it is anticipated that the sales will further increase, solidifying Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End as one of the most successful manga of all time.

How to watch Crunchyroll from outside your location in 2023

Crunchyroll is the world’s best hub for streaming anime, whether it’s One Piece, Attack on Titan, or Jujutsu Kaisen – and thanks to ExpressVPN, you can access the platform’s full library even if you’re outside the US.

If you’re abroad, here’s what you need to do to access Crunchyroll’s full selection – and it really is this simple:

1. Sign up for ExpressVPN, which has ultra-fast servers and offers a secure, private connection wherever you are in the world
2.  Connect to a location anywhere in the US; Express VPN allows you to choose from 24 different spots, from New Jersey to Santa Monica
3.  Visit Crunchyroll online and start streaming all of your favorite animes – and perhaps some you’ve never watched

Accessing Crunchyroll’s US roster makes a difference; for example, Hong Kong users only have access to less than 100 titles, while the US has nearly 1,000 movies and TV shows.

You can also stream anime on Crunchyroll for free with an ad-supported plan, or you can pay for a subscription – there’s even a 14-day free trial if you can’t quite make up your mind.

You can check out our other anime coverage here.

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