Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (Sōsō no Frieren), a beloved fantasy manga, will resume its run after a break that started in May. This hiatus is the second one in recent months; the series was also on pause from March to April earlier this year. The manga will continue in the combined Weekly Shonen Sunday #37 and #38, scheduled for release on August 7.
The story, created by Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe, revolves around the elvish wizard Frieren, who embarks on a journey for magical knowledge following a decade of battle against the Demon King. Since its debut in Weekly Shonen Sunday in 2020, the series has gained considerable traction. Viz Media has published ten English-translated volumes, with the eleventh set to release in September.
The anime adaptation of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, which premiered in September 2023, has significantly boosted the manga’s popularity, pushing its circulation to 17 million copies worldwide. The success of the anime has contributed to the heightened anticipation for the manga’s continuation.
Scheduled breaks have become more common among leading manga creators, including Eiichiro Oda, whose One Piece is also taking planned pauses as it nears its conclusion. These breaks reflect the challenging workload of manga artists and the necessity of incorporating rest into their schedules.
The recent death of the iconic mangaka Akira Toriyama, creator of Dragon Ball Z, at 68 has brought additional attention to the intense demands faced by manga creators. The prevalence of these scheduled breaks underscores the importance of managing the rigorous demands of the industry to support creators’ well-being and creative output.
