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Anime NYC 2024just concluded on June 30, 2025, with an excellent showing of fans for an impressive slate of franchises and talent beloved by millions, but perhaps what’s most striking is the cosplay scene that emerges. One particularly creativeFrieren: Beyond Journey’s Endcosplay stole the show at Anime NYC 2024, and by merely posting about it, I contributed to a viral event.
In a city of 8 million people, it’s unsurprising that a centralized convention with major companies like VIZ Media, Yen Press, Crunchyroll, and Netflix showing a big presence attracts many passionate, creative fans. My post went viral on X (formerly known as Twitter) featuring an anonymous fan’s cosplay, a contraption featuring a mimic chest that’s eaten Frieren, a running joke in the eponymous series.
It’s a ubiquitous gag with manga and anime readers and a clear manifestation of the meme, including a clever puppet mechanism maneuvering the legs.It looks exactly like the recurring moment from the series. While this isn’t the first time thiscosplay has been made in such a fashion, the reception of the moment reminded me whyFrierenis increasingly recognized as the anime of the decade.
Incredible New Frieren Cosplay Shows How the Fantasy Heroine’s Spells Could Work in Live Action
Magic spells are the center of the hit anime Frieren, and a new cosplay shows how to make the elaborate artwork appear in the flesh.
Immediate Positive Reception to Viral Cosplay Showcases Love for Frieren
Wholesome Reactions on Twitter Aren’t a Given with Anime Fans
My intention was never for my account to go viral due to posting about thisFrierencosplay but rather to ensure people knew it was entirely about the featured cosplayer. To my delight, the reactions were immediately about how brilliant the work of this fan was, the laughter at the joke being perfectly brought to life, the dance-like motion of him moving what was essentially costumed mannequin legs flailing outside a monster chest on his head.The wholesome reaction and adoration for this fan’s workto bring theFrierencosplay to life drove it to be viral.
Another fascinating element of theFrierencosplay idea is that it showcasedhow many others worldwide have already done so and merely wished to share their contributions. After all, an earlier cosplay variant is featured onknowyourmeme.com’sFrieren Stuck in Mimic Chest page. I was delighted to share other additions from Indonesian conventions, citing Japanese predecessors, all eager to join the conversation and contribute to theFrierenadoration.
Over the weekend of Anime NYC 2024, the post received 1.1 million views, 5,600 reposts and quotes, 57,000 likes, and over 100 direct replies organically despite originating from a small, private user. As this is my account, where I typically get a minuscule fraction of that engagement, I can’t expect this to turn me into a social media star because I neither expect nor deserve it. But it grows increasingly clear that this post’s immediate recognizability and dominance over many others from the event showshow the fans upholdFrierenas the anime of the era.
Frieren Is Increasingly Considered the Best Anime of this Era
The Series' Success Is Shown Through Cosplay, Memes, and Aggregate Sites
Frierenedged outFullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, the most consistently top-performing anime on the all-time list, months ago and has a commanding 0.24-point lead, with 857,918 fans backing it as of July 05, 2025.
In addition to responses on the post saying the same, aggregate sites likeMyAnimeListand prevailing public sentiment say thatFrieren: Beyond Journey’s Endis among or at the very top of the anime of the 2020s generation.Frierenedged outFullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, the most consistently top-performing anime on the all-time list, months ago and has a commanding 0.24-point lead, with 857,918 fans backing it as of June 27, 2025. It’s consistently rated high by the fans and colleagues in the industry with animmensely well-receivedFrierenseason 1.
Frierenhas become immensely popular, and it’s sustained a loyal following due to its adoring fans. It boasts strong animation and a film color grading that conveys the same occasionally melancholy nostalgia, with its titular character at the heart of the series wonderfully voiced by Atsumi Tanezaki, the voice of breakout anime characters likeSpy x Family’sAnya Forger. For me, the wholesome lessons of a series whereits characters learn not to take the people they meet for grantedis a persuasive case for its greatness, alongside hilarious viral cosplays for why fans adoreFrieren.
The Viral Frieren Cosplayer Is the Anonymous Hero of Anime NYC 2024
An Important Reminder of How Different Fans Express Themselves
Soon after my post began taking off, getting close to half a million impressions less than a full day later,I wanted to meet theFrierencosplayer so I could tag them to promote their work. At Anime NYC, much like other big conventions, I knew where the cosplayers congregated, and I soon saw the telltale chest with dangling legs. I found the cosplayer and showed them the post. While they have an Instagram, they politely declined to share socials on Twitter, wishing instead to remain anonymous while grateful that theFrierencostume went viral.
This is perfectly fine and a reminder that even though fans may be expressing their love forFrierenas an increasingly dominant anime in 2024’s public discourse, they might not do it for social media impressions or fame. This wasthe most lifelike rendition of the mimic gag I’ve seen, and people rightly adored the work put into it. People would even share photos or talk about appearances at events such as Connecticon or possibly at Anime Boston or Otakon, making thisFrierencosplayer a hit in the surrounding states.
Cosplay Is Often Done for the Love of the Craft
Fame or Exposure Isn’t the Sole Motivation
I’ve traveled surprising distances to meet with other cosplayers who have left a similarly positive impression on me. I met and had lunch with Daniel Høgh in Denmark, who went viral for hisWarhammer 40,000Imperial Fists Terminator cosplay. I am friends with Joanna Lye, another40kcosplayerwhose Wonder Woman cosplays have alsobeen recognized, and many other cosplayers I’ve met pursue it either out of passion for their fandoms or to make money. The viralFrierenmimic chest cosplays likely feature a similar spectrum, and if they desire privacy, they deserve it like anybody else.
Much like many conventions, Anime NYC has a cosplay contest, with theirs being named the Cosplay Masquerade, judged by professionals and known personalities in the anime fandom, for which some cosplayers might showcase their work. However, others range from professionals to social media influencers, people from all walks of life, and the occasional disguised celebrity. Some desire fame and some desire a career. Still, some, like theFrierencosplayer, love to showcase their ideas and adoration for a hit franchise to have fun and contribute to the cultural moment for nothing in return.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Cast
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End follows the elven mage Frieren after the defeat of the Demon King. As generations pass, she confronts humanity’s mortality, taking on a new apprentice and striving to fulfill her late friends' final wishes, embarking on a journey to reconcile with life and death.
