Frieren fan gets award after stopping train attack thanks to Himmel

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With the second season of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End arriving in a little over a month, it’s a perfect moment to recognize the hero who was motivated by Himmel to prevent a dangerous train incident.

The anime version of the Frieren manga, created by Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe, premiered in September 2023 and quickly gained popularity. It received very positive reviews, with a 100% rating from critics and a 95% rating from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.

This story takes place in a fantastical world filled with magic and demons. It centers on Frieren, an elf who lives forever, and her journey to rediscover her connection to the world. She does this by building relationships with those inspired by a hero named Himmel, as a way to honor his memory.

Fans love to create emotional theories about Frieren, but last year showed the anime’s influence goes beyond just entertainment. A real-life fan actually acted like the character Himmel during a scary situation, demonstrating how deeply the show resonated with people.

Frieren fan honored after saving lives during train attack

In May 2024, Hsu Rui-hsian, a fan of the anime Frieren, was hailed as a hero in Taiwan after he bravely intervened during a knife attack on a train near Taichung City Hall Station. Local media quickly gave him the nickname ‘Long Haired Bro.’ He was one of seventeen civilians honored for their courage.

Fitness coach and powerlifter Hsu shared that he was motivated by Himmel when attempting the challenge. He stated he wouldn’t change his decision, even if he had to do it over (according to The Straits Times).

“It’s what the hero Himmel would have done,” quoting the anime series. 

The incident on May 21st left three passengers and the attacker with injuries, but fortunately, no one was killed. Despite being hurt in the face, Hsu continued to restrain the attacker with the help of other courageous passengers who stepped in.

Two weeks after the event, Taichung Mayor Lu Shiow-yen praised the civilians who helped, calling them heroes. She awarded each of them up to NT$20,000 (about $640) and gave them lifetime free access to Taiwan’s subway system.

At the time, Shiow-yen posted on Facebook, expressing her sincere gratitude to ‘Long Haired Bro,’ Hsu Rui-hsian, and the 16 courageous individuals who intervened on the Taichung Metro. She praised their quick action and bravery in facing danger, working together to overpower the attacker and keep everyone safe.

I invited our city’s heroes to attend a very important government meeting, which was broadcast live. As a thank you for their bravery, we’re giving each of them free metro passes for life. I want to express the gratitude of all our citizens for their courage.

Keeping our city safe depends on everyone working together – the police and all of us who live here. We appreciate your continued support – you’re our most valuable allies. The city is also committed to improving security and taking steps to make our community even safer.

Hsu showed up to the event wearing a Monster Hunter haori and the shoes he had on during the incident. He explained he wanted to show his pride in otaku culture, which he feels is often not understood by others.

He shared that his injuries forced him to temporarily stop training for an upcoming powerlifting competition, but he wasn’t upset about it.

That quote from Frieren, and the guy’s courage, still really resonates with anime fans – I actually just saw a post about it on Daily Dose of Anime last month. It’s cool to see that kind of stuff still getting shared and inspiring people.

One fan reacted to the news by saying they’re always struck by fiction’s power to motivate people to improve. They believe that stories in any form—books, movies, traditional tales, myths, or even anime—can make a difference if the message resonates with someone.

Someone commented that this was exactly what the character ‘Himmel the Hero’ would do, and another pointed out that while people often criticize anime, this person actually saved a life thanks to it.

The second season of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End will start streaming on Crunchyroll on January 16, 2026. In the meantime, you can enjoy other great anime like Solo Leveling, discover some hidden gems, and see what new series are available this month.

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2025-12-10 15:20