Fansubs are something that I miss sometimes for silly stuff like this. It's good to see that fansubbing communities are still going in other languages. In English, they are mostly gone. The plus side of that is that we have more timely, official subs. However, the downside is that they can be less silly and fun sometimes.
I also really like translator notes that fansubs would include. It also helped to expand the lexicon of many anime fans through introducing terms like keikaku or nakama. Here's a whole article about it.
Denken gets to channel his inner Chumbawamba and gets knocked down, but he gets up again.
Frieren gets to show off in an extremely showy way, basically announcing to all the entrants, the proctors, and even Serie that she is here and hasn't lost a step from her demon king fighting days.
Kanne finally gets to utilize the rain that has been teased for a couple episodes now to basically spirit bomb Richter.
Stark gets to live his best life with no rules.
The animation this episode was gorgeous. One thing I especially want to point out is that I loved the way they animated Frieren breaking the barrier. It was so colorful and dynamic! In the manga, it is drawn much simpler (ch. 45, pp. 4-5). Also, I loved how Sense has an umbrella at the ready while Genau is done in by his confidence in the barrier and is left standing in the rain.
Looking forward to round 2 of the exam! I haven't been re-reading the manga until after an episode airs, and I frankly don't remember a lot of the details of the next round. So, it's probably as close to going in blind as I can be.
Denken is a true chad. Facial hair that can make a dwarf jealous, doesn't kill when it's not necessary, is a mage but can still win a punch out against two guys despite being a senior, wants to become First-class Mage not for power but to visit a grave of someone he cares about one last time. I'm glad his team managed to get the bird in the end (sucks to be the two guys who lost a teammate and then got bodied by a grandpa, though).
Denken is the absolute best. Lose a fight? Lose your stille? Don't have any mana? You still have your fists, right? Then we're not out of this.
You know from his thinking that Denken has seen some shit in his life and had to fight like hell to get through it. The thought of continuing without mana doesn't even cross the minds of the youngsters around him. Denken hardly thinks twice.
The thought of continuing without mana doesn’t even cross the minds of the youngsters around him.
It feels like part of his experience as a mage, doesn't it? Like he said "I know when use magic. I've used it for decades. And I know what to do when magic fails.", but with actions instead of words.
So many great moments. The fight between Denken and Frieren, Frieren analysing the barrier, Kanne's giant water ball, Richter being dragged by the water near Laufen and Denken, the "three generations of mage" flashback...
But the crown goes to the losers this time: Denken fighting not with his mana, but his fists. And never giving up.
Stark's attitude is so childish, so paradoxical (the barman is right - he got it rough because he got it too easy), but so real.
I love this Denken moment so much. Just pure determination and tenacity. The youngsters around him have already given up, probably thinking about doing the next test in three years time. However, Denken can't wait, he needs this now. So, he falls back to the one thing that humanity has used to fight since prehistoric times, brute force.
I remember reading this chapter (45), back when it came out, expecting Denken to utilize some clever trick or mind games that he picked up over the years after his defeat to Frieren. However, sometimes the simplest answer is the best answer. If all else fails, you can always count on your own body.