Frieren Fan Figure License Denied for Wonder Festival 2025

A talented figure maker was hoping to showcase his gorgeous custom Frieren figure at Wonder Festival 2025 Summer, set to take place on July 27, but unfortunately, his license request was rejected — meaning his figure won’t appear at the event.

For those unfamiliar, Wonder Festival (or WonFes) is one of the biggest figure-focused conventions in Japan. Major companies use it to announce and display upcoming official figures, but it’s also a haven for indie and amateur creators, especially in the world of garage kits — fan-made figures crafted in small quantities, often entirely by hand.

No License for Fan-Made Frieren Figure

Japanese artist Shanyuya (@shanyuya) shared the sad news on Twitter, expressing frustration that his figure of Frieren — the titular character of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End — will not be allowed at the event due to licensing issues:

“My application for a Frieren figure license was rejected~! 😭 So she won’t be at WF2025S this time… It’s really disappointing… Will I ever get to share her with everyone…? (crying)”

Despite the rejection, fans were blown away by the figure’s quality. It portrays Frieren with a soft, warm expression and incredibly detailed sculpting — easily on par with commercial releases. Shanyuya is known for high-quality figures like his take on Chi from Chobits, and this Frieren was no exception.

Just look at this beauty:

Many fans were left speculating as to why the license was refused. Here are some translated reactions:

• “I wonder what the reason was… maybe the costume was too different? Or perhaps Frieren is under strict licensing rules. I’ve heard Sunday and Jump titles can be really tough with approvals.”

• “Since the series is still fresh and selling well, the company might be pushing official figures and denying fan licenses to avoid competition.”

• “It’s such a waste, it looks absolutely adorable…”

• “Maybe they should’ve waited to start sculpting until the license was approved.”

• “This was supposed to be my very first garage kit…”

• “I didn’t even know individuals could apply for licenses like this. I’m shocked.”

• “It’s cute! Can’t they find a way to release it officially with Good Smile or something?”

• “Maybe it’s because the outfit design isn’t recognizably Frieren from the waist down? Still, it’s so well done.”

• “Given that the Frieren creator has banned erotic fan art, maybe they thought the tights and the skirt made it too revealing…”

• “Is it because the costume doesn’t match her official look? But I thought we’d seen a maid version before?”

• “If this were official merch, I’d buy it in a heartbeat. It’s ridiculously cute.”

Fan-made figures like this one are known as garage kits, and they’re a long-standing tradition at Wonder Festival. Creators must apply for one-day event licenses to sell copyrighted characters, and while approvals are often granted, some IPs are more restricted than others.

With Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End currently exploding in popularity, several official figures are already flooding the market — featuring Frieren, Fern, and other main characters. That may explain why publishers are tightening control over third-party creations.