Frieren anime episode 16: The Elven mage meets her old friend, Sein faces a tough choice

Frieren anime episode 16 (Image via Madhouse)

Frieren anime episode 16, titled Long-Lived Friends, was released on December 22, 2023, at 11 pm JST, marking the end of the anime's first cour. The episode explored the complex dynamics of friendship, with Frieren reuniting with his long-lived dwarf friend, Voll, and Sein searching for his best friend, the Gorilla Warrior.

Unlike the action-heavy episodes, Frieren anime episode 16 delved into the anime's philosophical aspect, highlighting the importance of friendship. Once again, Madhouse Studios didn't fail to enthrall the audience with spectacular animation and art quality.

Frieren anime episode 16 highlights: The Elven Mage arrives at a village to meet her friend

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Frieren anime episode 16 began with the Elven Mage arriving at a village near the Klar region with her party to meet her friend, Voll. It was revealed that he was a Dwarf who protected the village for almost 400 years.

As such, the white-haired mage wanted to have a nice chat with him before he died. Although Voll feigned being senile at first, he recognized Frieren and welcomed her party.

When Stark called him too "old" to be a warrior, Voll demonstrated his strength by having the young warrior taste dust. As such, Frieren advised Stark to get the veteran dwarf to train him during their stay.

A still from the Frieren anime episode 16 (Image via Madhouse)

Following that, Frieren anime episode 16 saw Fern, Stark, and Sein helping out the villagers, since they had nothing better to do. One of the village folk noticed Voll and Frieren talking to each other and mentioned that he didn't know the old dwarf had any friends.

According to him, it was nearly impossible for the villagers to hold a conversation with him. However, Voll had been a Guardian Deity to them, protecting their village from monsters and demons for reasons they didn't know. As such, Fern realized that the veteran dwarf had always been lonely.

A still from the episode (Image via Madhouse)

Following that, Frieren anime episode 16 time-skipped to the night before the Mage and her party's departure from the village. The Elven mage reminisced about her past with Voll, sharing moments only he could remember.

It was revealed that Voll had been protecting his village to keep a promise to his late human wife. Himmel the hero knew Voll, and he thought the promise was a "ridiculous" one. However, he also believed that his wife would have been happy to know that he was keeping the promise.

Frieren's conversation with Voll reinvigorated her original resolve—to get to know humans. Just like the Elven mage, the Dwarf chose to continue his promise, even though he no longer remembered his wife's voice or appearance.

The next day, the group bade their goodbyes, and Voll told Frieren that he had dreamt of his wife the previous night.

Sein begins his search for his best friend and finds conclusive evidence of his actual location

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Following a heartwarming reunion with Voll, Frieren and her party continued with their journey and arrived at Rohr Road. Sein, whose purpose of the journey was slightly different from that of the Elven Mage, asked people around for his best friend's whereabouts.

When being asked about his friend, Sein showed Fern and others a locket with his friend's picture on it. He revealed that his best friend was known as the Gorilla Warrior, a name he chose just because it was catchy.

According to the intel he gathered, Sein was confident that his friend must be somewhere in the North. While continuing the journey in Frieren anime episode 16, Sein noticed a settlement and asked the Mage if they could stop by there.

Following that, he asked the townsfolk around and found the location of an elderly woman who knew the Gorilla Warrior. However, she was a "stubborn" lady who wouldn't want to reveal anything before they fulfilled her requests.

Frieren anime episode 16 then saw the group run errands for the lady. She even took them to an old statue, which reminded Sein about his past with his best friend. It was revealed how he came to be known as the "Goatee Priest" and his friend the "Gorilla Warrior."

Finally, Sein learned that his best friend went to Tur, a trading city located in the middle of the Northern Island. However, it was far to the east of Auberst, the location where Frieren and her others were going. The episode ended with Sein facing a tough decision.

Keep up with more anime news and manga updates as 2023 progresses.