When Osamu Manga read "Funeral of Freiren," he felt the deep gap between loneliness and empathy. Freiren, who has the characteristics of her elven race, is an entity that lives much longer than other humans. In her journey through time spanning hundreds of years, she meets and parts with many people. However, her longevity brings her more loneliness than joy. For her, time with her companions passes in an instant, and all that remains is silence and memories. Through this work, Osamu Manga considered the loneliness felt by those with long lives and the value of empathy found within them.
"Funeral of Freiren" is not just a fantasy, but a story about the loneliness that comes with the length of time, and the journey of understanding and empathy to overcome it. In this article, we will delve deeper into this theme.
Those who are lonely: the weight of time and the misunderstanding of emotions
Frieren, the protagonist of "Furieren's Parlor," is an elf who has lived for hundreds of years, and lives in a different "time" from other people. To her, a few years or decades are like a blink of an eye. However, humans build deep bonds and cherish memories in that short time. This difference in our sense of time is a major factor in the loneliness Frieren feels.
What I found particularly impressive about Osamu's manga was the parting scene with her companions after defeating the Demon King. To Frieren, the journey with her companions may have been just one "event," but for them it was an important time that took up a large part of their lives. The misunderstanding of their feelings is one of the reasons why Frieren cannot deeply understand them, and it symbolizes her "loneliness."
This difference in our sense of time also relates to the sense of distance we feel from others in our daily lives. No matter how close we are to others, even though we are sharing the same time, there are times when we feel lonely because our perceptions and ways of thinking are different. Osamu Manga felt that this was a major reason why we could empathize with Frieren's loneliness.
Meeting new friends: a step towards empathy
Although Freiren feels lonely, the relationships she makes with the new companions she meets as she continues her journey are also part of the appeal of this story. The young magician Fern and the warrior Stark who join her on her journey live in a different time than Freiren. They too may only exist for a moment to Freiren, but in that moment they certainly deepen their bonds.
What I found interesting about Osamu's manga is how Freiren gradually tries to "understand others" through her experiences with her past companions. Her relationship with Fern and Stark brings about an emotional change for Freiren, unlike her journey with the former hero Himmel and his companions. She once thought that time would heal everything and make her forget everything. However, as she spends more time with her new companions, she comes to realize that those short moments have great meaning.
This can also be said about our daily lives. Meeting and parting is an unavoidable reality, but "Furieren" teaches us how important each and every moment is, and that trying to understand others is the key to deepening empathy and bonds.
The pain of longevity and the beauty of short life
The theme that can be felt throughout Frieren's journey is that a near-eternal life is not necessarily a happy one. She can live for hundreds of years, which may seem like an ideal existence to the average human. However, in reality, her longevity causes her to experience many separations and to feel lonely many times.
On the other hand, humans have short life spans, but in that short time they build strong bonds and live with strong emotions. This theme of "beauty precisely because we are short-lived" was particularly memorable for Osamu's manga. As her companions grow older and eventually pass away, the scene in which Frieren mourns their deaths symbolizes the weight of having a long life.
Is living a long life a happy thing? Or is it precisely because we have a limited time that we can truly live? This contrast is skillfully depicted in "Furieren: The Funeral Parlor," and the viewer is made to strongly feel that both longevity and short lifespans have their own pain and beauty.
A journey of empathy and understanding: overcoming loneliness
"Furieren's Parade" is not just a story about repeatedly parting ways with friends, but also a journey in search of "empathy" and "understanding." Frieren strives to understand others, even as she struggles with the differences between herself and others, especially the difference in their sense of time. Though she is lonely, she gradually learns the "weight of a moment" and tries to truly connect with her old and new friends.
What Osamu Manga felt strongly through this work is that we too can feel lonely, but also find empathy, as we meet and interact with others who have different values and sense of time than we do. Trying to understand others is the key to alleviating loneliness and building richer relationships.
summary
"Funeral of Frieren" is a story about Frieren, who lives in a time that is almost eternal, and while she is burdened with the loneliness that comes from the difference in time, she gradually finds "empathy" and "understanding" through the bonds she forms with her new companions. The contrast between the suffering that comes with a long life and the beauty that comes with a short life further deepens the appeal of this work.
While reading this story, Osamu Manga made me think about the sense of distance and loneliness we feel in our daily lives, and the power of empathy to overcome it. Frieren's journey is a journey of endless solitude, but at the same time, it is also a journey of seeking connections between people. Why not join her on her journey of growth and empathy?
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