Sousou no Frieren Marks Third Anime Anniversary
In September 2026, the TV anime Sousou no Frieren reached the third anniversary of its broadcast start. To celebrate, production studio Madhouse has unveiled a new third-anniversary visual. The image shows the present-day and past Frieren parties celebrating with the fan-favorite ‘stupidly huge hamburger steak.’ A countdown illustration project has also begun ahead of the third season’s October 2027 premiere.
Third Season Teaser and a One-Year Countdown
Sousou no Frieren is based on the manga by Yamada Kanehito and Abe Tsukasa, serialized in Shogakukan’s Shuukan Shounen Sunday. Set in the world after the Demon King is defeated by the hero and his party, the story follows Frieren, a mage who has lived more than a thousand years and fought alongside the hero, as she meets new people and journeys onward.
The series has drawn many readers with its touching drama and lines, battles involving magic and swords, and humor that makes people laugh, all unfolding in the unconventional post-Demon King timeline. The manga’s worldwide cumulative circulation has surpassed 35 million copies.
The TV anime adaptation has also been a major topic in Japan and abroad. After the first season aired from September 2023 to March 2024, the second season aired in the January 2026 broadcast season and won a wide audience. During each week’s broadcast, multiple related words ranked high in X (formerly Twitter) trending rankings, and the series also topped each video streaming platform weekly, generating huge discussion and response every episode.
Immediately after the second season finale, it was announced that the third season, ‘Ougonkyou Hen,’ would air on Nippon TV and affiliated stations from October 2027. Fans in Japan and overseas rejoiced, and Sousou no Frieren continues to build momentum.
The new third-anniversary visual from Madhouse depicts Frieren, Fern, and Stark—the three members of the traveling party—celebrating. In Frieren’s hands is the ‘stupidly huge hamburger steak,’ an item familiar to fans of Sousou no Frieren that appeared for Stark’s birthday in anime season 1 episode 12, ‘The Real Hero.’ Reflected in the window are the hero Himmel, the priest Heiter, the warrior Eisen, and Frieren, who once traveled together. The visual is a special piece in which the present and past traveling parties seem to overlap in time for just this moment.
In addition, as the anime marks its third anniversary and the third season ‘Ougonkyou Hen’ enters the one-year countdown to its October 2027 broadcast start, the ‘Third Season [Ougonkyou Hen] Broadcast Countdown Illustration’ project has launched. The project will release multiple illustrations created by animators and staff involved in the TV anime Sousou no Frieren, each unique to the work, until the third season begins.
The first illustration, ‘One Year Until Broadcast,’ features the traveling party of Frieren, Fern, and Stark drawn by Kojima Keisuke, one of the character designers for the series. Frieren is holding a grimoire for ‘the magic that makes the third season air in one year,’ a cute illustration that makes fans feel they cannot wait. More illustrations will be released sequentially as the broadcast approaches, so fans can look forward to following them.
The future developments of the TV anime Sousou no Frieren are not to be missed.
TV Anime Information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Title | Sousou no Frieren Third Season [Ougonkyou Hen] |
| Broadcast | October 2027 on Nippon TV and affiliated stations |
| Streaming | Season 1 and Season 2 currently streaming on various video distribution platforms |
| Original Work | Yamada Kanehito and Abe Tsukasa (serialized in Shogakukan’s Shuukan Shounen Sunday) |
| Director | Kitagawa Tomoya |
| Deputy Director | Harada Daiki |
| Director Cooperation | Saitou Keiichirou |
| Series Composition | Suzuki Tomohiro |
| Character Design | Takase Maru, Kojima Keisuke |
| Music | Evan Call |
| Animation Production | Madhouse |
| Copyright | ©Yamada Kanehito, Abe Tsukasa / Shogakukan / "Sousou no Frieren" Production Committee |
