A few days before
the long-awaited premiere of the second season of Sousou no Frieren (*Frieren:
Beyond Journey's End*) on January 16, an honest and human
revelation has shaken fans of the franchise. Keiichiro Saito, the
acclaimed director responsible for the magical atmosphere of the first
installment, has explained in detail why he will not return as lead director,
citing a severe case of burnout.
In a recent
interview with the Japanese media Mantan-Web, Saito opened up about
the physical and mental cost of maintaining the cinematic quality of the first
episodes. "The moment Season 1 ended, the topic of 'What
should we do for Season 2?' came up. And I had the feeling that I
had used all my strength during the first part," confessed the creative.
This statement
sheds light on the immense pressure on high-profile directors in today's anime
industry, where expectations for visual quality compete with tight schedules.
A new role:
"Management Cooperation"
Despite needing a
break, Saito didn't want to abandon the ship he helped build. He decided to
take a break from intensive production work on site, but maintained his
commitment to the work. "I wanted to cooperate unreservedly in passing on
my knowledge and experience," he explained. For this reason, it now
appears in the credits under the title of "Director Cooperation".
Their current work
is not decorative. Saito acts as a high-level advisor: he supervises scripts,
reviews storyboards, and submits proposals for correction. "At first, I
only intended to be involved in pre-production, but as a result, I'm also
helping out a bit with post-production," he added.
Trust in
Tomoya Kitagawa
The baton has
passed to Tomoya Kitagawa, who directed two episodes in the
previous season. Saito did not skimp on praise for his successor, revealing
that Kitagawa was his "lifeline" in the past: "Even during the
first season, there were things that I should have reviewed, but I couldn't
cover them, and Kitagawa-san helped me."
For Saito, the
choice was obvious: "If I was going to ask anyone, there was no candidate
other than Kitagawa-san." With this transition, based on trust and mutual
respect, the team seeks to maintain the standard of excellence of Kanehito
Yamada and Tsukasa Abe's original work, ensuring that
the journey of the elf magician continues with the same soul, but with renewed
energy.
