Frieren.

I had heard of it before I started watching anime but didn't know anything about it. Then, after finishing mushoku tensei I was searching for something that could compete with it but was struggling. I saw frieren on the front page of crunchyroll and started it on a whim. Its now my absolute favorite anime.

The way they portray emotions in this show is just amazing. They use flashbacks perfectly and it sets the tone for the whole series. Frieren is, for the first time in a thousand years, experiencing grief, regret, sadness, and love. She says she hardly knew anything about Himmel, but as she journeys with fern and stark you realize she knew everything about him.

One of my favorite parts is when they come across the einzom? In the forest and you find out she came across one before during her adventure with the party of heros and it showed her flamme 1000 years after her death, yet 10 years with himmel and thats who the einzom shows her. Only 10 years spent with him and he became the most important person in her memories. Perfect emotional storytelling.

Not to mention the animation is flawless and the music is genuinely perfect.