The award-winning manga by Yamada Kanehito (story) and Tsukasa Abe (art), Freezing: Beyond Journey’s Endreleased its anime adaptation by Madhouse in September 2023. The first season ran for two cours with 28 episodes, finally concluding in March 2024 with a genre-defining run, eventually becoming one of the most highly rated anime of all time. Following the first season’s massive success, the second season was announced right after the first season’s finale and is scheduled to be released on January 16, 2026. The upcoming season will continue with Frieren’s journey with Fern and Stark as the trio heads toward Aureole, the land where the souls of the dead rest.
Frieren’s biggest regret in life was not getting to know her party members better, especially Himmel. However, she realized it only after Himmel’s death, and it was too late by then. As Frieren begins her new journey, decades after the defeat of the Demon King, she travels the same roads she once did with Himmel’s party. She also meets new and old foes who stand in her way, even after the Demon King’s death resulted in a peaceful era. One of the villains she faced was the legendary demon, Aura the Guillotine, who left a deep impression on viewers despite having a minor role in the show.
Aura’s Voice Actor Discusses Her Unexpected Fame in Freezing: Beyond Journey’s End
Ayana Taketatsu, the voice behind the ancient demon, made an appearance during the stage greeting of the anime’s special screening on October 11, 2025. The screening was held at TOHO Cinemas Shinjuku in Tokyo, where Taketatsu was the only cast member on stage. The interview was shared by Ex as she opened up about appearing on stage alone: “I’m nervous because I never thought I’d be performing alone. To be able to stand as Aura… I’m surprised!”
Taketatsu is a renowned voice actor, having worked in several anime and video games, including Classroom of the Elite, Genshin Impactand many more. She also discussed the character’s popularity: “I never expected it. Without me even realizing it, the character has become so big, merchandise has been released, it’s become a buzz, and it’s loved, so I’m happy and filled with gratitude. It’s become so popular that I can’t keep up with my feelings.”
Despite appearing for only three episodes, Aura the Guillotine became one of the most memorable villains of the show. She went into hiding after being defeated by Himmel and only appeared once again after his death. Aura began her terror once again, only to end up crossing paths with Frieren again. Despite her unique magic abilities that rendered any foe powerless against her, Aura was no match for the elven mage who had been training for over a thousand years. Her defeat was one of the most memorable moments in the show, when Frieren coldly ordered Aura to kill herself, and she couldn’t help but obey since her own magic backfired on her.
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