Frieren Beyond Journey's End season two has finally landed on Crunchyroll, but I'm planning a re-watch before I continue the story around my favourite silver-haired mage. Just like the new season two, I could pop on my PS5 Crunchyroll app and stream the previous episodes, but as someone who's been collecting physical copies of anime films and series since the early 00s, I'd much rather grab the episodes on Blu-ray and DVD while I still can.
Like a lot of modern anime, Frieren Beyond Journey's End Season One is available in two parts, and Part 1 is available for $55.98 at Crunchyroll in a Blu-ray and DVD combo package. It's actually $14 cheaper right now, and fellow physical fans will be glad to know it also comes with a set of art cards, featuring stunning art of Frieren herself, Fern, Stark, and Sein. The pack only contains the first 16 episodes, so I'll need to pick up Season One Part 2 for $55.98 at Crunchyroll for a full re-watch. Yet, as someone who prefers to have physical copies I can hold and proudly display on my shelf, the more the merrier.
I imagine not having the entire first season available in one set is annoying for others, but back in my day, we used to get 2-4 episodes per VHS, if we were lucky, so I can manage. Having two releases for one season is also pretty common with modern anime releases, especially when the first season of Frieren Beyond Journey's End was broken up into two parts while it was airing and dropping on the Crunchyroll app.
At least Part 2 is also discounted right now on the Crunchyroll store, so you're saving an additional $14 off by adding it to your physical collection if you're based in the US. Not to mention, it also comes with its own set of stunning art cards and even one featuring the original Dragon King slaying party. Try and look at Himmel and not get teary, I dare you.
I haven't yet grabbed the UK releases of Frieren (that start at £29.99 at Crunchyroll), but with season two underway, you can bet it's one of the first things I'm doing next payday. I try to ensure that I have all my favorite series represented physically on the shelf, and while I have many a copy of the manga, the Blu-rays aren't yet sitting alongside my recent anime pickups, Samurai Champloo and Nadia: The Secret of Blue Water.
The US versions on Crunchyroll are also currently on backorder, so I suspect that just like me, many other anime fans will have had the thought that they should finally own season one physically and will be after these box sets right now. There have been many occasions where a new season has brought heightened interest in a show, and physical copies have quickly sold out, only to be popped on eBay for annoyingly hiked prices.
To ensure I don't end up at the mercy of resellers online, I'll definitetly grabbing these physical Crunchyroll releases as soon as possible, and I highly recommend you do the same. Sure, you can just watch them with the click of a button if you're subscribed to the app, but streamed shows won't be available on these apps forever.
With a physical collection of the previous episodes, you're free to watch them with or without a sub, and don't have to worry about it one day disappearing from Crunchyroll altogether. Of course, as the first episode of season two of Frieren has dethroned itself as the highest rated anime, it'll be a long time before it's gone from the app, but it's better to be prepared.
If your love of everything Frieren has also awoken and you love collecting, Crunchyroll also has a range of merch, which includes officially licensed figures from SEGA and Good Smile Company. I'm trying desperately to pretend I didn't see the Himmel figma which features a real fabric cape, but I am weak to his blue-haired, adorable ways.
- Frieren Part 2 Limited Edition |
$219.98$175.98 at Crunchyroll - View all Frieren Beyond Journey's End merch at Crunchyroll
If you're an anime fan, why not check out the best anime series you could be watching next and grabbing physical copies of to watch on your PS5.
