Tanezaki and Okamoto Walk Through Frieren's World
Universal Studios Japan's latest anime collaboration brings Frieren: Beyond Journey's End to life across three separate attractions, and the show's lead voice actors got to experience them first. At the opening ceremony reported by Comic Natalie, Atsumi Tanezaki (Anya Forger in Spy x Family) and Nobuhiko Okamoto (Katsuki Bakugo in My Hero Academia) arrived in character — Okamoto greeting the crowd with Himmel's line "I wanted to show you this someday," while Tanezaki responded as Frieren: "Sorry I'm late, Himmel."
The centerpiece attraction is Frieren Story Walk: A Journey of Memories, a walkthrough experience that recreates key locations and scenes from the anime at full scale. Tanezaki was particularly struck by the physical detail: "Beyond the emotion of being in the same space as Frieren and the others, the moment I felt the real distance to the boulder Fern shot through, the moment Frieren showed me the field of flowers magic — there were so many moments I almost cried."
Okamoto echoed the sentiment. "From the moment you step inside, it's the streets and landscapes from the anime," he said. "When I saw Stark standing right there, the same height as us — I felt like they were alive, like we were living alongside Frieren's party." He added that Himmel's statue and the flower-field spell were "too beautiful — I could only gasp, and I nearly teared up."
Themed Dining and a Roller Coaster With YOASOBI
The collaboration extends well beyond the walkthrough. Frieren: The Restaurant of Memories offers a themed dining experience that Okamoto tackled with enthusiasm — he admitted to ordering every item on the menu. "Frieren's three-meat plate was so tender it fell apart," he said. Tanezaki gravitated toward the drinks, highlighting a blue soda inspired by the fictional moonwort flower that came with a miniature replica of Frieren's staff. She also praised the restaurant's interior design, noting details like Fern's hair ornament motifs and pumpkins that reference a spell from the series.
The third attraction takes over USJ's Hollywood Dream: The Ride roller coaster as Frieren × Story Ride: The Bird Monster and the Carriage Journey. The ride overlays the coaster experience with dialogue from the anime's characters and YOASOBI's Season 1 opening theme "Yūsha" (The Brave). Okamoto called it irresistible for fans: "Hearing the characters talk to you while YOASOBI's 'The Brave' kicks in — I wanted to ride it two or three more times." Tanezaki enjoyed the narrative layer, saying she found herself imagining the bird-monster battle playing out around her as the coaster moved.
A Full-Sensory Invitation
At the ceremony's finale, the two actors stood before a replica of Himmel's statue surrounded by blooming moonwort flowers to officially declare the collaboration open. Tanezaki addressed fans directly: "If you love this series, you absolutely have to experience this. And if you haven't encountered it yet, this is a wonderful place to start. I hope you enjoy it with all five senses — eyes, ears, taste, everything."
Okamoto closed with a line that captured the scale of what USJ built: "I couldn't believe there was still a way to experience this series that I hadn't tried yet. Fans will love it, guaranteed. And if you've been curious about Frieren, come here first — you'll understand the appeal."
Khan Arif, USJ's Creative Experience Director, described the Story Walk as a new type of attraction that uses dynamic projection, lighting, and spatial audio to let guests physically walk through the narrative, as though traveling alongside Frieren's party.
Looking Ahead
The Frieren × USJ collaboration is now open as of May 30, 2026, running as part of USJ's Universal Cool Japan programming. No end date has been announced. The anime's second season, produced by Madhouse (Death Note, One-Punch Man), wrapped its 10-episode run in March 2026. Crunchyroll streamed Season 2 internationally. The source manga by Yamada Kanehito and Abe Tsukasa continues serialization in Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday, and Viz Media publishes the English edition in North America.