The Shonen fantasy anime series Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End has surprisingly dethroned Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood and earned the highest ratings on MyAnimeList.
Frieren‘s anime adaptation was released in September 2023, and since then, it has blessed us with eleven spectacular episodes. Well, even though the series is still in its first season, it has become popular enough to give serious competition to Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (FMAB).
For the unacquainted, FMAB boasts a massive fanbase and has maintained the first MAL spot for several years. That said, it’s not the first time an anime series has forced FMAB to leave MAL’s first rank.
There were several other shows that pushed FMAB to the second spot, but Brotherhood always managed to take back the first position. This time, Frieren challenges the might of Brotherhood, and every fan is eager to see how long the new anime will maintain its position.
Frieren takes the first spot on MyAnimeList
On MAL Top anime’s page, it’s Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, which has taken the first spot with a rating of 9.10, pushing FMAB to the second position.
Before Frieren, it was Oshi No Ko, Attack on Titan, My Happy Marriage, and several other significant shows that dethroned the popular series, but only for a while. Moreover, it is worth mentioning that even though Frieren has taken the first spot on the platform, FMAB is still holding the second spot with the same ratings, i.e., 9.10.
At this point it happens so often its kind of like a right of passage for new anime pic.twitter.com/xFgj5JOqt4
— Chibi Reviews (@ChibiReviews) November 21, 2023
Frieren: Beyond the Journey’s End revolves around an elven mage named Frieren, who was once in the party of the hero. She, along with the members of the group, defeated the demon king. However, after that, she embarked on a new journey and parted ways with the ones who were there with her during the battle.
Years later, when she returns, she finds everyone old and learns that two of her former companions even died. After the unfortunate instances, she realizes that she had made a mistake by taking everyone in the group for granted. So, she decides to try to build new relations with the humans and always be there for them.
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The anime has received mixed reactions from the fandom. While several fans are happy seeing it in the top position, some have shown disappointment. Also, a major part of the fandom is sure that FMAB won’t take much time to regain its first position on MAL.
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:
- Sign up for ExpressVPN, which has ultra-fast servers and offers a secure, private connection wherever you are in the world
- Connect to a location anywhere in the US; Express VPN allows you to choose from 24 different spots, from New Jersey to Santa Monica
- 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.
