For over a decade, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood enjoyed its spot at the top of the anime world, hailed as the ultimate series by fans on MyAnimeList, a leading anime database and social network.
Despite occasional skepticism regarding the authenticity of its votes—accusations of bot activity and artificially inflated ratings—the dedication to keep Hiromu Arakawa’s 2009 Fullmetal Alchemist remake at the pinnacle was undeniable. Yet, this longstanding supremacy has been unexpectedly overturned by a fresh face from the Fall 2023 anime season.
The fantasy drama Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End has ascended to the top, clinching the #1 position on MyAnimeList after its first season finale, outpacing Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood with a remarkable average score of 9.39, pushing Brotherhood to second place with a score of 9.09.
Although Brotherhood has been momentarily unseated before—most notably by the premiere of Oshi no Ko in Spring 2023, which briefly surpassed it before settling at an 8.68 score—its displacement has never been permanent.
The surge of acclaim for Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End could be a fleeting phenomenon, potentially setting the stage for Brotherhood to retake its crown.
We laughed and we cried, but in the end we smiled. What was your favorite Frieren episode? 🥰
Source: https://t.co/rTzDrLjGFU pic.twitter.com/3EfkZvTZCv
— MyAnimeList (@myanimelist) March 26, 2024
However, Frieren’s appeal has been undeniable throughout its two-cour duration, grabbing audiences with the poignant tale of the elven mage Frieren, who shares centuries of wisdom with her human apprentice, Fern. This compelling narrative has catapulted Frieren into the ranks of the year’s most pirated TV shows.
Intriguingly, MyAnimeList is not the sole platform where Frieren has outshone Brotherhood. Anime News Network now lists Frieren as its top anime with a score of 9.247, edging out Brotherhood, which holds a score of 9.071.
Both Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood are available for streaming on Crunchyroll, offering anime fans the opportunity to explore the series that have shaped the modern anime.
