I think a lot of discussion around Frieren is coming from people who view everything as a commentary on politics and society, when Frieren and it's creators are really just interested in making a derivative commentary on Fantasy tropes.

The show doesn't call them "animal-like", but "beast-like" - it draws a spectrum from "dumb" monsters to those who practice mimicry to the Demons who have internalized human speech. Many of the other monsters in the show are clearly more intelligent than ordinary animals as well. And I've seen many people who comment on the show fail to mention that ordinary animals, too, can have complex social structures and dynamics.

And all that being said, the manga isn't done being written yet, and I think it's clear (and feel free to I-told-you-so me in five years or w/e if this isn't the case) that they're building up to the reveal that Frieren is wrong, the Demons can be reformed.

[–] Awoo@hexbear.net 7 points 3 days ago

And all that being said, the manga isn't done being written yet, and I think it's clear (and feel free to I-told-you-so me in five years or w/e if this isn't the case) that they're building up to the reveal that Frieren is wrong, the Demons can be reformed.

Yes I do hope so. Too much of the show is too wholesome for a whole lessons of time thing to not be extended to this too.

Most of the show is demonstrating how past ideas can change and improve. It would be a significant blindspot not to include it.

Eventually I suspect it'll be a "Flamme worked this out a thousand years ago but knew nobody was ready for it so she planted the seed to bring about that change when someone would finally be ready"

That or it'll be a "Actually people a thousand years ago had pretty shitty ideas about the future" reveal, but I think Flamme has been built up too much as a prescient genius among geniuses of her time to then go and shit on her later. It's certainly one way it could be taken though.