#immortalelfshow

[mysticdragon3md3]

I heard this joke so much, before watching Frieren, that when I finally started watching it, I was surprised how little of the story was about romance. 😂

[mysticdragon3md3]

Seeing these numbers made me realize, I don't need Nendoroid Frieren and Nendoroid Coco as much as I thought I did.

They're not worth $104.57 to me. They're worth closer to $60 together (after shipping/taxes), to me. Which is why I want more Nendoroid Basic versions available at GSC US. I want these tariffs gone. And I want my shipping discounts again. Or at least shipping under $10.

Thought I already post this last night, but apparently not:

11:51 PM 5/26/2026:

I have decided. The shipping and tariffs have priced me out of Nendoroid Frieren's rerelease preorder and Nendoroid Coco's preorder. Knowing that after $25.59 in shipping, tariffs, and taxes, each of their $40 preorders would essentially be $52…which becomes OVER $104 for both of them…for series/characters that I LIKE but am not in LOVE with, it's easier for me to accept that I can't buy them. They are out of my price range.

I guess seeing those numbers made me realize that I don't need Frieren's and Coco's Nendoroids that badly. Because honestly, $52 after shipping and taxes isn't bad. But I guess I didn't even want them that much. And that was something that apparently took me until 9 minutes before Nendoroid Frieren's preorder window closing time, for me to finally decipher about myself. I didn't want Frieren and Coco intensely enough to be worth $52. ...Maybe $25. They would be worth $25 to me, if I could get Nendoroid Basic versions of them in the US. But with tariffs and shipping the way it is now...If even Nendoroid Basics don't stay under $40 after shipping and taxes, then even Nendoroid Basics may not be worthwhile for me.

Also, Anime Expo 2026 is in a little more than a month, and my brother always goes, and he is always willing pick up merch for me. Whether at the Good Smile Company booth, artist alley, the Copic booth, or the exhibit hall. If he can find Nendoroid Frieren there for $40, that would be without the extra $10-$25 in shipping and tariffs.

But honestly, even $40 is pushing it for me, concerning a character that I only LIKE, but don't LOVE. It would be an even safer bet, for me to just wait and see if GSC US ever offers the Nendoroid Basic Frieren someday. I could pick that up for $25 without guilt. Even with $10 shipping, $7+ tariffs, and $4(?) in taxes, that would still be within a comfortable price range for me. ...No, wait. That would be $46. Not sure I'm comfortable with that, for a figure without accessories or the faceplate I want. Under $40 would be my limit. A $25 figure turning into $40 (after shipping and taxes) already hurts.

I used to preorder figures from GSC US with only $4 or so in taxes, no tariffs, and less than $10 in shipping. They kept giving me a 50%-off shipping discount, with every order. Likely because I live in the same city as GSC US, so they don't actually have to ship far. THAT made figure collecting affordable for me. It made it within my reach.

But if these tariffs don't disappear... If I can't get shipping and taxes to no more than $10 again... I think I'm priced out of this hobby. Time to shift from figure COLLECTING, to figure PHOTOGRAPHY.

I'm just glad that Frieren and Coco are both characters I'm not so fixated on, that it would hurt to not have them. I'm not aching to get them in my favorite figure line. I would like to pick them up someday. But closer to $25, not $50.

Still, this has been good practice for me to save money. I needed to stop spending so much on figures, and I actually managed to get myself, mentally, into a place where I'm okay with not buying them---even though it's been difficult for the past several days to achieve that. Frieren and Coco are both good practice for me, because they are just on the cusp of me really REALLY liking them as characters. So it was a good test, or rather, practice, to get me to convince myself, that I wasn't THAT obsessed with them, it wouldn't hurt so much to skip them, and to save money instead.

Honestly, in a few months, I might forget that Frieren and Coco were even missing from my collection. I have figures that have been in boxes for months, and I didn't even notice (until I had a photoshoot idea). I haven't missed them on my display shelves. So I really should be cutting down on figure collecting, if it didn't hurt me too much to not have them on my shelves, as soon as possible and every day.

There are figures I regret missing out on, and those do hurt me, almost every day, that they're not in my collection, among my preorders, or not on my shelves right now. Like Nendoroid Basic Madoka Kaname. But that wasn't because she was out of my price range. That was because of my dumb procrastination and anxiety, making me waste time during her preorder window, before I found her sold-out, the day before that preorder window was scheduled to close. (My anxiety gets really activated when I need to anything important, or money transactions online, like buying anything online.)

Well, at least I'm finally FINALLY holding to my self-imposed rule of not buying anymore figures, unless it's a character I know and love. Except now, I can't make anymore exceptions for characters I like. Instead, I have to REALLY REALLY REALLY LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE the character so much, that I would be willing to simply ignore an obscenely high price (from the figure itself, or shipping, or tariffs, or tax).

So unless Nendoroids get announced for Jayce Talis, Viktor Arcane, Claude von Riegan, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, Ryouga Hibiki, Rukia Kuchiki, C.C., Lelouch vi Britannia, or any other long-standing characters on my bingo card...then I really shouldn't buy them.

I need to save money. My budget isn't what it used to be. I am priced out of most of this hobby. I need to shift to figure photography, more than collecting. The regret at skipping preorders doesn't hurt as much as I thought. I'm surprised to find I don't miss figures from my shelves, as much as I thought I would. And the relief to my anxiety, for not having to go thru the buying process feels worthwhile. I need more self-control in my spending. And unless figures of characters I LOVE show up, I need to show some restraint.

[mysticdragon3md3]

🧝☥𓋹➡➡️➡➡️👣♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️👣

9:54 PM 5/25/2026 I say that the solution to my indecision about whether to buy NEndoroid Fireren (and Coco) or not, while Nendo Frieren's preorder closing time approaches, is to binge as many Frieren episodes as I can, while keeping at least 1hr for placing my order at GSC US before the sale ends at midnight. And yet, I mess around, watching Youtube, because the stress of being stressed over this shopping dilemma, has got me so worn out, that I just need the balm of fun, trifling YouTube videos. But now it's time to watch at least a little bit more Frieren.

I'll try to buy at least those Nendoroid faceplates at 11pm.

9:57 PM 5/25/2026 There. I even set an alarm. 9:59 PM 5/25/2026

I even turned off my PS4. No double screening.

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9:59 PM 5/25/2026 Frieren ep7

"Frieren woke up early! … We must be sure to praise her!" lol

I wonder why the animation is more rubbery in this first scene (after the dream).

"That wouldn't help the people who come after us. That's what Fern said, anyway."

"And can't you be friendlier, too? I'm sensitive, okay?"

"Elves may live a long time, but across the board, we lack romantic feelings and reproductive instincts." #aroace lol Though portraying us as emotionless and apathetic to interpersonal relationships is kind of a stereotype we're supposed to be against. But Frieren is supposed to be about immortality themes...and apparently, how that effects emotional connections.

10:09 PM 5/25/2026 I swear, this series keeps throwing things my way that I relate to, so why aren't I more intensely set on buying Frieren's Nendoroid? ...Maybe I shouldn't base my decision to preorder, when I've been suspecting myself of anhedonia lately? Maybe I should just buy her Nendoroid.

10:11 PM 5/25/2026

"Humans love to make a fuss."

10:12 PM 5/25/2026

"But I guess the biggest reason is so you won't be alone in the future." This series can be really heartwarming. I wonder why it didn't effect me as much earlier, when I was binging ep3-6? Maybe I was tired. Maybe binging, to beat this sale deadline made me rushed. I can't enjoy things when I'm rushed. I can see why everyone likes Himmel. He's fun. But I can't afford to regret not getting his Nendoroid now. Also, I don't have the budget for him. I'm only considering Frieren's Nendoroid right now.

10:19 PM 5/25/2026

So the Northern lands are frequently attacked by demons and quarantined, because this Aura The Guillotine regained her power 28 years ago.

It's tough that I already know the spoiler that demons really don't have emotions, after growing up with so many series where demons/yokai are just as much people to be reasoned and sympathized with as humans.

10:25 PM 5/25/2026

Wow. Himmel's got Claymore moves.

10:25 PM 5/25/2026

"Like monsters, demons don't raise their young. They spend most of their time after birth living in solitude. You're solitary creatures by nature. You have no concept of family."

I can't help but feel that the demons in this series are the antagonists because they represent the lack of emotional connection, lack of emotions, and apathy that Fieren is fighting within herself.

But it feels kind of contradictory when the demon said that she was getting a replacement daughter for the woman who wanted to kill her every day. I could reason a completely pragmatic, utilitarian, survival reason for the demon to do that. It's not necessarily something done out of penance, regret, or concern for another's suffering. I guess the pure shock value of the demon misunderstanding such a basic thing and killing people in that misunderstanding, while also proving that human lives mean nothing to her, was the point. But it's iffy when the shock value is supposed to come from social misunderstandings, when I myself have experienced severe social misunderstandings and have seen lots of autistic people also make severe social misunderstandings. But it's just a short flashback. I'm sure this series could clear that up with more time.

10:31 PM 5/25/2026

"For them, words are a means of deceiving humans. Flamme the Legendary Mage defined monsters capable of speech as demons. They're descended from monsters who cried 'help' from the shadows to lure humans to them."

I guess that would be the thing to give me a sense of horror, since I like stories that solve war with diplomacy so much.

But it's still kind of difficult when I also enjoy stories where Compassion, even towards enemies, solves everything. Ah, well. I guess I'll check out how Frieren Beyond Journey's End does things differently.

10:35 PM 5/25/2026

"They speak not to understand us, but to deceive us."

10:36 PM 5/25/2026

Why bother making threats? If you're going to kill the envoy, kill them. Losing the element of surprise, when it may have been the only advantage, is dangerous.

10:38 PM 5/25/2026

Then just kill them. What is he waiting for? I know that people who have been stewing in their revenge for a long time, tend to have a lot to say. But omg, when the target is dangerous, you can't risk speeches.

10:39 PM 5/25/2026

It's really a shame that I heard spoilers about this series before I watched it. I already know the demon is just lying about being similarly pained that the Graf killed his father. ...It's so weird. I usually don't get that bothered by spoilers. I haven't had spoilers actually spoil the experience for me since the first half of Madoka Magica.

Then again, I guess this episode already explained IN-EPISODE enough about the demons, to make it clear that the envoy is making up lies about sympathizing with a murdered family member. Maybe I'm not frustrated by spoilers. I'm frustrated at the Graf leaving himself so wide open and the "dramatic irony". Everyone in that room besides the demons is going to die. Ugh.

10:42 PM 5/25/2026

Why is the knight escorting them in front? That's not how you guard people. That one episode of The Adventures Of Young Indiana Jones made me too hyper aware of this mistake. aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

10:45 PM 5/25/2026

So is this the point when Frieren bluffs until she can get her staff to fight? It'd be funny, if after all this talk of "demons using words just to lure and trick humans to drop their guard", that Fieren uses words to get the demons to lower their guard.

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10:46 PM 5/25/2026 ep8

10:49 PM 5/25/2026

Well, that's surprising. The demon demonstrated smugness and fear while fighting Frieren. So far, this series has been portraying so many seemingly emotionless characters, I thought they were going for the characterizing all demons as emotionless. But they can be scared for themselves. I guess we're going with the selfish type of emotions for demons.

10:52 PM 5/25/2026

Oh no. My habit of pausing to write reactions has cost me at least 2 more eps I could have watched during this hour. I'll have to stop in a few minutes to decide if I'm preordering NEndoroid Frieren or not.

I guess I like this series and Frieren even more. But I still don't like it enough to spend $40+ on Frieren's Nendoroid. Maybe if I wait, they'll finally bring her $25 Nendoroid Basic over to GSC US, and I won't have to have this dilemma anymore.

I just want to keep watching, vs being indecisive over whether to spend all this money on Nendoroids or not.

10:56 PM 5/25/2026

"That wouldn't stop the party of heroes from going."

There's that Legacy theme again. I need to keep an eye out for it, beyond just Frieren remembering her original party or their memories being kept.

11:01 PM 5/25/2026

"Now that violence has become the only way to resolve this mess, I'm overjoyed."

So demons can feel joy. But only selfishly, I suppose.

11:02 PM 5/25/2026

"Graf Granat, what are words? How do they differ from swords?"

As a fan of Claude von Riegan, I feel validated.

11:03 PM 5/25/2026

It seems Lugner can only make one stream of blood from each wound. That's why he goaded Graf into cutting his finger. That's my guess anyway.

11:06 PM 5/25/2026

"Besides, I don't think you're weaker than them at all."

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww! <3 She has faith in them! ;u;!!!

11:06 PM 5/25/2026

I should break though. I'm hungry. And I"m going to run out of time on that sale.

Technically, the Nendoroid Frieren preorders end sometime tomorrow. I can decide on it some more tomorrow. So I don't actually have to binge as many Frieren episodes as I can tonight before midnight.

11:30 PM 5/25/2026

I want to finish this ep tho.

12:14 AM 5/26/2026

I'm not buying from that sale anymore, with $20 shipping. I've never seen shipping that expensive for me, from GSC US. I live in the same city as them! Why is shipping so expensive now?!

Anyway now I can just watch Frieren without any time pressure. I can just enjoy it.

12:16 AM 5/26/2026

"I hate fighting powerful opponents, too."

Then she smiles. More than a smirk. A smile. Odd. I mean, we should know by now to not that Frieren exactly at her word. She's not exactly honest with herself. So I guess this means she actually kind of has fun fighting strong opponents?

There was a common idea in the martial arts genre of anime/movies, that fighting was a means of emotional connection, for those who didn't know anything but battle. (That's where the trope of "rivals who are dear to each other" come from.) Usually it gets expressed as mutual respect, as well as appreciation/gratefulness for the Growth that a challenging opponent can prompt within one's self. But it basically boils down to the fundamental idea that "idiots who only know how to fight" can only really connect with others that they fight with. Because they don't know anything else. There's nothing else in their lives.

In terms of the ongoing story theme that I'm seeing in Frieren---she gives an apathetic facade, she is now seeking emotional connection to Grow out of her past regrets of neglecting emotional connection beforehand, she doesn't have much in her life other than her hobby of collecting spells, she grasped onto tiny praises from Himmel towards her spells enough to spend the rest of her life continuing to do what he praised her for, etc.---I can see a similarity. She doesn't really have much in her life, in terms of emotional connections. Sure, that's the fault of her deeming relationships as moot because everyone will die too soon (as she explained during the first meteor shower, I think). But it has resulted in her having so little emotional connection, that she has grasped onto the few times Himmel praised her magic and is now spending her immortal life searching for more odd spells, every day. It means a lot to her, because she doesn't have much else...because she denies herself more, by calling it moot, before even starting more relationships.

But if Demons in this series are sociopaths(?) who can't feel anything, except maybe selfishly, then it would be tough to form a connection with an opponent lacking in the potential for more emotions, let alone, emotional connection. Given that this series/writing seems to be using the Demons as a symbol for its story themes, it doesn't seem likely that some Demon opponents will later be revealed to have grown an attachment to Frieren. The "rivalry to attachment" that usually happens across opponents, so often in other series, isn't likely to happen here. Or if it does, it will be one-sided, from Frieren. She clearly has emotions, but is in so much denial about it.

12:34 AM 5/26/2026

"Sometimes a spell cast by a genius a thousand years ago outmatches spells of the present."

Saying that after explaining how Demons hone their magic everyday, improving them everyday, over hundreds of years... This HAS to be important to the story theme.

Also, I've wondered about the significance of Flamme, Frieren's mentor, being human. That HAS to be symbolic of something too. Maybe about emotional connections, if humans are going to be used as a symbol for that in this series. But what we know from Flamme so far: protecting a tiny sprout from a snowstorm in the flashback just now, setting up a spell for Frieren to talk to the dead because Flamme predicts that Frieren will regret having not gotten to know people better, etc. Flamme and humans just may be used by this story to represent a willingness for emotional connections.

12:38 AM 5/26/2026

"I hate geniuses. They lack the beauty of accumulated effort."

Odd line for the villains to say. Usually in other series, especially Shonen battle anime/manga, it's the heroes who spend all their time proving that.

12:40 AM 5/26/2026

"You're trembling. ... No, it's valiant."

Interesting how this series made such a big deal about having a "coward" character and keeps bringing attention to it. I wondered before if it was related to the overall story theme of "emotional connections", in that such an endeavor is scary. But Frieren is so stoic (most of the time) that she can't really be the one to express fear. So maybe that's Stark's function?

12:43 AM 5/26/2026

Now's hardly the time to worry about informal speech to a "superior" being a crime. lol

12:44 AM 5/26/2026

Oh? Can the Demon not further control his blood after it's been cut off from him and moved once already?

12:46 AM 5/26/2026

Oh? Is Lugner still alive after that blast?

12:49 AM 5/26/2026

Ok. This series is getting much better. Makes me want to get Frieren's NEndoroid. But $40??? PLUS $20 SHIPPING???????????? And likely tax on top of that??????????? What the heck.... I can't get Frieren's Nendoroid. I need to give up on that, until things change. I'll find another opportunity. Maybe she'll be available at GSC's AX booth. I can ask my brother to pick her up for me. That's a lot of "if"s though. But the definite thing is that I'm not sure I can spend $60+ on Nendoroid Frieren. And if I preorder her later today, that's what I'll have to pay.

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12:59 AM 5/26/2026 ep9

1:02 AM 5/26/2026

Wait. A grandfather's generation ago, and Aura is still trying to attack the same city? If Demons are going to symbolize Stagnancy, the writing is doing a good job.

1:03 AM 5/26/2026

Aura assumed she has an overwhelming advantage. Well, she's dead. Soon, I suspect.

1:04 AM 5/26/2026

Isn't that the Graf's crest on that armor? Is that his son?

1:10 AM 5/26/2026

I love that more series are using visual shorthands from other genres for their jokes. lol That reminds me, I still need to watch Bang Bang Bravern. The one clip, I saw them use the same type of joke, was just too good.

1:13 AM 5/26/2026

He sure is talking a lot. Frieren taught Fern well.

1:15 AM 5/26/2026

Oh, I've HEARD about this Fern fight! Looking forward to it starting.

1:16 AM 5/26/2026

"Proud and arrogant." These seem to be the only emotions Demons show, until they're about to die and Draht(?) showed fear. Or maybe that fear was a facade too?

1:19 AM 5/26/2026

They've set up a "quick-draw" type of skill vs skill duel. And then they cut to the moon before close ups on the eyes of the duelists. This is like a cowboy Western "quick-draw" gun fight. lol

1:21 AM 5/26/2026

I like how both Frieren and Lugner both say they've had the time to become more skilled in technique, accumulating mana, and control, but the thing they're losing to vs Fern is her speed. It's like an allegory for how age and experience gains you skill, knowledge, and more control, but as you age, your body slows down. So of course, the younger mage, though lacking in equal skill, knowledge, and control, is beating the on speed. lol

1:25 AM 5/26/2026

He's refusing to fight defensively? Is it because of his pride and arrogance? Is this going to be a reoccurring theme with Demons, or is just this Lugner guy especially prideful?

Also, reading someone's techniques is one thing. Being able to execute them as you've seen them, is another. I wouldn't be surprised if Linie lost because of a flawed execution of tactice. Kind of like the reverse of Fern's fight with Lugner.

Also, Eisen said that Stark already surpassed him. If this girl is only reading the mana within Stark, is she reading how Eisen used to fight, or how Stark fights? Anyway, being limited to what your opponent is capable of, becomes trouble when you're up against someone who can fight without thinking. LIke that Tiger & Bunny fight.

1:32 AM 5/26/2026

"Stark I'll teach you the secret to defeating powerful opponents." Persistence? This may not be a Shonen Jump series. But it's still a Shonen Sunday series.

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1:37 AM 5/26/2026 ep10

"They don't play fair, so we must be even more unfair. If it allows me to exterminate demonkind, then I will gladly embrace this dishonor."

1:46 AM 5/26/2026

"But every last one of the as a ridiculous sense of pride when it comes to magic."

So Pride is going to be used as the Demons' defining trait. "Pride cometh before the fall" and all that?

1:48 AM 5/26/2026

"In other words they're stupidly proud and overconfident."

What was that martial arts series that I learned "the moment you assume you're powerful, you're already making yourself Weak"?

1:49 AM 5/26/2026

"Deceive and kill your enemies by allowing them to miscalculate your strength. It's a cowardly and unfair way to fight that makes a mockery of magic."

That's not mockery. That's basic tactics! Are we sure this isn't a martial arts genre series? lol

1:53 AM 5/26/2026

"Five hundred years, huh? That's fairly long-lived for a demon. I doubt she's been challenged before."

WHAT?????????? I don't care how old, if someone isn't ACCUSTOMED to being challenged, then they're already Stagnant. That wasn't 500 years of accumulating mana. That was 500 years of becoming Weaker. Again, basic tactics.

1:55 AM 5/26/2026

Demon's can't conceal their mana AT ALL??????????? omg. What a disadvantage.

1:57 AM 5/26/2026

"Demons are individualists, but they form the barest connections needed to fight against humankind."

1:58 AM 5/26/2026

"They haven't changed a bit since they were monsters."

Like I said: Stagnancy.

1:59 AM 5/26/2026

So they can hide their mana for stealth. But it means too much to their pride for them to ever hide it more than that. Wow. Now that's a "Pride before a fall". lol

2:06 AM 5/26/2026

Aura is going in close to the enemy, to finish them herself? As the commander? .......jfc no wonder Pride and Arrogance are the Demons' weakness. They're making ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL the tactical mistakes. People who are strong and never had to depend on guile or cleverness...People who think they're untouchable... They really do leave themselves wide open. I thought it was basic knowledge that an enemy is always the most dangerous when you think they're about to die? Wow. This Aura deserves to lose big and quickly, with all these mistakes. Why is she risking herself, when she's the commander? Oh, right. Arrogance. lol

2:10 AM 5/26/2026

Is 500 years really something to be so prideful about? Even Myethos was 5,000 years old.

2:13 AM 5/26/2026

Well, that was satisfying.

2:19 AM 5/26/2026

But I think it's hilarious that this series is like "the heroes are so much better than the villains, because the villains have this character flaw compels them to commit every single tactical flaw that could possibly exist." LOL

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2:20 AM 5/26/2026 ep11

Wow. All the armor on the ground looks like watercolors.

2:25 AM 5/26/2026

Was passing down the city's defensive barrier spell oral tradition, Flamme's idea? Were all the fake grimoires attributed to her, her idea too? lol Genius.

2:28 AM 5/26/2026

Y'know for a main cast with a character defined by cowardice, his jokes aren't as annoying as Zenitsu. Even this whole joker of Stark passing out from fear, lead into another joke of him floating thru town while passed out... It wasn't loud and annoying or anything, at all.

2:38 AM 5/26/2026

Jumbo Berry Special is becoming a funny running gag. Also, I just like ice cream a lot.

2:38 AM 5/26/2026

Yup. That's the type of joke that common. Body warmth/contact to help a sick person.

Kraft the Monk, right?

Don't scream too loud now.

Kraft's seiyuu sounds really familiar.

2:43 AM 5/26/2026

"I need her to exist. ... It's too cruel for the path you life took to not be remembered by anyone."

2:45 AM 5/26/2026

"You don't seem to believe in the Goddess, so if you tell me about yourself, I'll praise you instead."

"I haven't done much with my life. I haven't done anything praiseworthy."

2:48 AM 5/26/2026

Well, Kraft was in the opening theme of every episode. So he must be very important to the overall themes of the story.

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2:50 AM 5/26/2026 ep12

It's funny how I can keep watching, now that I have no time pressure. But back when I was supposed to be watching as much Frieren as I could in a short amount of time, I could barely watch 6 episodes. And I couldn't figure out if I loved this series or just liked it. Being rushed really does mess me up. Watching this without stress now, I suddenly have the energy to binge and I'm really enjoying the series even more now.

2:54 AM 5/26/2026

I like how enemies kept saying Frieren changed somehow, and earlier, someone else was saying that the journey with the Heroes effected Frieren, even if it was only 10 years. I liked that little dream flashback.

So Heiter and Himmel were childhood friends. And Himmel was motivated to become a "real" hero because of a fake sword. But if the merchant gave him a "fake" sword because Himmel saved him from a monster, then isn't he already a hero? Also, I'll never truly understand this "fake" sword thing, from Touken Ranbu too. I understand if each sword is a "masterpiece artwork" and each one is supposed to be unique, then a copy of any previous sword would be called "fake". But as long as it can cut, hold up, and handle well, then it's still a functional sword. That's a real sword. (Also swords, especially in Europe were more mass produced, weren't they?)

3:04 AM 5/26/2026

"...then it won't matter if I'm a fake or not."

"Even without that sword, he saved the world. He was a real hero."

3:09 AM 5/26/2026

I like how this scene with the clothing-dissolving potion totally passed up the chance for fanservice.

3:11 AM 5/26/2026

I'm totally enjoying the slow pacing in some scenes more. See? I just had to not be rushed while I was watching. I knew I enjoyed iyashikei vibes for the past decade.

3:22 AM 5/26/2026

"The past doesn't matter. The warrior Stark I've known has never run."

3:23 AM 5/26/2026

I think Fern should have just treated him to lunch. Or found something similar to those berry ice creams he likes.

3:23 AM 5/26/2026

"This is how you celebrate a birthday. My master never gave me any gifts, but he did make me birthday hamburg steaks."

3:25 AM 5/26/2026

"You're right. I understand because I'm awkward, too. It's foolish, isn't it? People won't know how you feel unless you tell them."

3:26 AM 5/26/2026

"Everyone who works hard is a warrior."

3:29 AM 5/26/2026

The reveal at the end of Stoltz telling Stark to run, and Stark skipping that part, every time he flashes back to that moment, was good.

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3:30 AM 5/26/2026

I'll pick up on ep13 later. I'm getting sleepy.

[mysticdragon3md3]

Beginning to think I should just skip these preorders and maybe buy these when they're in-stock or in a sale.

I like these series. But I don't know if I love these series. I don't know if I want to spend $80+ on these series (at $40 per Nendoroid).

Maybe I need to treat these more like the Nendoroids that "if I get them: fine; if not: fine".🤔????????? And if I buy them in-stock, they won't have tariff fees.

But there's always the risk that they'll never be in-stock. Am I really okay with possibly not getting these Nendoroids??????

Man, if Frieren and Coco just had Nendoroid Basics, I wouldn't be so indecisive, and I'd preorder their Nendoroid Basics IMMEDIATELY.

[mysticdragon3md3]

I wish GSC US offered a Nendoroid Basic for Coco, and brought the Nendoroid Basic Frieren to the US, but with her most common facial expression. Then I could have them in my collection without spending $80+ before shipping.

[mysticdragon3md3]

The only contest I want between these 2 is to see who can eat the most cake.😆

Source:

[mysticdragon3md3]

Japan is getting a Nendoroid Basic version of Frieren?!?!? I'm so jealous. I've been hesitating on buying the currently rereleased Nendo Frieren, because I shouldn't be spending a whole $40 on her, even tho that's a relatively cheap Nendoroid price. But a $25 Nendoroid Basic would be easy for me to pick up! ...But that faceplate? I'm not sure. It's special, but I'd want her usual expression. I guess I'll have to consider that regular Nendoroid Frieren after all.

[mysticdragon3md3]

🧙‍♂️🧙‍♀️🧙‍♀️🧙‍♀️🧙‍♀️✒️...♾️♾️🩴👣...🪨🌠⭐️🌟💫

1:53 AM 4/29/2026

After watching Witch Hat Atelier ep5 and Frieren ep1-2 tonight, I feel like I've been sadly, looking for excuses to say these series haven't meant as deeply to me, as they could…to justify saving my money from preordering Coco's and Frieren's Nendoroids. Because if I end up really liking these series and getting really attached to Coco and Frieren…I'm going to want to buy their Nendoroids. And though they are relative cheap Nendoroids, no more than $40 each, that's still $80 together, plus shipping, tax, and these new dumb US tariffs.

But when I think about Wtich Hat Atelier and Frieren, compared to most other series---I keep hearing people say that there's no point in watching the new Harry Potter series, when anime like Witch Hat Atelier and Frieren are available fantasy series to watch instead---THEY'RE GREAT! Unlike Harry Potter, at least I'm interested and the story effectively makes me feel magical wonder. I've dropped so many popular zeitgeist series in the past 10 years or so, that I went from a Shonen and "battle anime" junkie, to not able to stay interested in anything from Shonen Jump for the past decade. Compared to all those series I've dropped, Wtich Hat Atelier and Frieren have managed to keep my interest, so much more. Mostly by simply not having annoying characters. (Agott is mean and I don't like her, but episode 5 proved that her unnecessary unkindness towards Coco can be shoved into the background. And I heard her relationship to Coco actually improves later too.) And I thought that simply not having annoying characters should be treated as a baseline, not something extraordinary. That criteria only counted towards a fine, good series, but not "the best series I've seen in years and will become my next obsessive fixation and I should buy all their Nendoroids and OMG it's so great!" I wasn't there yet. And frankly, I don't have the money to be, not with my penchant for needing Nendoroids of every series that means something to me. (Though I did let those Yu Yu Hakusho Nendoroids pass me by.) What I'm saying is that after so many years of being disappointed with new, extremely popular anime, I don't want to pretend anymore that "just okay" is somehow extraordinary. I want to call a series "extraordinary" when it 1) doesn't annoy me, and 2) has additive elements that truly speak to me and are endearing specifically to me and my values. I'll admit that Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, Dandadan, Demon Slayer Kimetsu no Yaiba, and My Hero Academia are all well made. But they don't speak to me, the way that Wind Breaker does. And I'm tired of pretending that just because something is well made, that it's valuable to my specific values and ideals.

So I've been pretty harshly evaluating Witch Hat Atelier and Frieren. Aside from the fact that Witch Hat Atelier is visually stunning in every single scene of every single episode, and aside from the fact that Frieren's writing is so good, can I say it speaks to me, specifically? Is it endearing to my idiosyncratic tastes and values? Does it mean something special to me, and not just to everyone else? I don't know yet, for Witch Hat Atelier. But at least I like all the characters. They are endearing, sweet, and not full of any annoying cynicism (except maybe Agott). As for Frieren, its story discussing story themes like immortality, different perceptions of time, and "mundane miracles" are some themes that specifically speak to me. But it's only been 2 episodes. I know they may not stay on "mundane miracles" for long. So I'm only tentatively finding the series very good. But I could binge-watch Witch Hat Atelier, whereas, the need to write reactions after every episode of Frieren, is already wearing me out.

Do I like Witch Hat Atelier and Frieren? YES. Do I love them? ...Maybe? Do I love them enough to buy both of their Nendoroids for $80+???? That's asking a lot right now.

But I do want to watch more of both. But Witch Hat Atelier is currently airing, so there won't be any new episodes until next Monday, and only one at a time. Meanwhile, Fieren has so many episodes for me to catch up on, I'm already getting overwhelmed, and tempted to procrastinate it already. (sigh...)

Maybe I'm not so much dealing with unconsciously dampening my emotional reactions to these series, so I can convince myself that I don't need to spend money on their Nendoroids. Maybe my issue, is the same one that I've been grappling with, regarding Project Hail Mary, for my past many posts about it: I can't tell whether I have some level of anhedonia, or if I'm just so incredibly unaware of my emotions, or if these stories actually were not able to emotionally effect me as much as everyone's hype has been encouraging me to expect. I don't know. Knowing me, it'd probably be all 3 of the problems, all at once. I am and did enjoy Project Hail Mary, Frieren, and Witch Hat Atelier. Do I enjoy them enough to say they're "REALLY GREAT" to me, specifically? I don't know. Do I enjoy them enough to buy their Nendoroids? ...Maybe??? I do know that I've been happily fixated on browsing Project Hail Mary fanart/posts, every day, since I've watched it. I do know that after binging Witch Hat Atelier ep1-4, I was eager to watch ep5 when it finally aired 2 days ago. And I do know that I want to watch more Frieren. So I definitely enjoyed them. Do I LOVE these stories...????? I know that in contrast to the supposedly-best, newer anime of the past several years (from Shonen Jump), I don't want to drop these series. So they must be speaking to me, for me to want to invest further time into them. Frieren has given me interesting ideas to chew on, which I enjoy. Witch Hat Atelier is beautiful and the characters are sweet, which I enjoy. And Project Hail Mary has been more fun and endearing, the more I think back on it. I don't know why I'm so reluctant to just accept that maybe I love these stories. o_o?????

Mostly because I remember my emotions not being as intense as my capacity for being effected by art/stories, in the past. But maybe I just don't feel intensely anymore. I've already noticed that even with my OTPs, I'm not longer capable of feeling so intensely zealous about them, when that used to be so common for me. I don't know what's going on with me. I'm afraid of pretending, convincing myself of emotions that aren't really/fully there, just because an IP is popular and people are telling me that this should "blow my mind". (I don't want another Yuri On Ice situation.) I don't want to go along with slogging through another popular series, just because everyone else is saying it's so good, but I'm not really having a good time. (Like Demon Slayer.) I don't want to force myself to put up with elements I don't like, just because other parts of a series is good, and I could instead be watching things that I fully enjoy. (Like Jujutsu Kaisen, BNHA, and Dandadan.) I don't want to put up with something, just because it's well-made and the popular consensus is that it's a masterpiece to most people, even when it doesn't really fit my tastes or speak to me personally. (Like Chainsaw Man. And frankly, I wasn't looking forward to Denji being so fixated on boobs.) I want to feel exhilarated, like I used to, when I'd watch a movie or series I loved, and I know that Wind Breaker still makes me feel. But I also don't want to pretend that's happened, when something was just acceptable to me. That should be my baseline standard. That shouldn't be what I call "extraordinary" until it earns it, with me, specifically.

But with how unaware I am of my emotions and how dampened my emotions have been in past several years, would I be able to recognize when a story is really great to me? That's how I feel about Witch Hat Atelier, Frieren, and Project Hail Mary. It's just really unsettling to me, to not have the intensity of emotions anymore, that i used to have, to back up how much I know I enjoy something. It makes me worry that I'm a fake fan. And if not that, then where did my emotions go?

And I can't understate how heavily I could possibly be gaslighting myself into thinking "maybe I don't care that much about these IPs", just so I don't have to spend money on their Nendoroids. I really need to stop worrying about that.