With a huge Zoltrak, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (2023) burst into the anime scene to a lot of praise. With the first season of the comfy slice-of-adventure spiced with some impressive skirmishing coming to a close, here is our review on the story after the passing of the hero.
What is "Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End?"
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End covers the story of the mage Frieren, who gained her notoriety from the ten year journey she took with Himmel the hero, along with the drunk priest Heiter and buff dwarf Eisen. This journey would go down in the history books. They ended up conquering the largest threat to society: the demon king. Through thick and thin, they stood true, and humbly faced adversity time and time again.
But that’s not where the story takes place. Rather, it takes place 100 years after the passing of Himmel. Heiter grows old, Eisen retires, and Frieren is stuck with the emotional weight of an elf’s excruciatingly long lifespan. As Frieren pursues her hobby of unearthing every grimoire she can, she begins to think about the past; decoding how humans do so much in such a short time, discovering the truth of her quests, and unearthing just how much her time with Himmel and the party meant to her.
The world does not wait. She eventually picks up a few apprentices on her journey, forming her own party along the way. Finding comfort in traveling with Fern, the young mage with impressive potential, and Stark, the dumb but strategically strong front-liner, this new crew sets their sights on exploring the magical world. Unearthing all the world has, this trio has all they could ever imagine available to them. Though, there’s always going to be a few bumps along the way.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End made a huge splash onto the anime scene, even taking the highest rated title on MyAnimeList for a short while. Especially with Yaosobi on the opening, Madhouse’s animation studio, and Keiichiro Saito, known for Bocchi the Rock! (2022) in the director’s seat, Frieren quickly gained notoriety before its release, which only grew with the weekly episodes.
With such a following, how did Frieren stand up to the hype?
The Calm, Nostalgic Atmosphere
The vibe of Frieren feels very comfortable. The colors and general village atmosphere create a peaceful fantasy aesthetic. Though there are tense moments, the majority of this series remains in an in-between of calm and suspenseful. The interpersonal nature of this adventure makes even the toughest of characters seem relaxed for a moment. It’s almost like reading a nice, engaging book.
The music accompanying the series is also some of the best, with simple yet articulate tracks full of classic fantasy instruments. Simple violin and quiet guitar mixed with the subtle piano and flute complimented by almost tribal drums fused into a beautiful soundtrack chock-full of memorable melodies and soothing vocals. The music compliments every single moment, though it may not always be at the forefront of the viewer’s mind. This mix of the audiovisual format is a masterclass in animation. Not to mention that the openings are to die for.
The world is the best part of this series. Although it may seem like a 15th century fantasy novel, the homely and inviting villages make the entire atmosphere relatable yet comfortable. Every person’s struggle is accompanied by a sense of realistic struggle that is rooted in the human condition. Everyone experiencing their own personal struggles, no matter how significant of a character, makes it all the more rewarding when the main cast helps them try to solve their personal problems. Every small break feels well deserved, with a fascinating world to compliment it.
The common wide, establishing shots make the world feel fantastically vast, while the intimate plot helps to center the audience in the calmer, more peaceful parts of fantasy many anime may breeze over. This emphasis on establishing a sense of peace makes the tense moments of combat all the more suspenseful, and the aftermath all the more satisfying.
Comfy, Complex Characters
What better way to experience a calm world than through the best characters to accompany it? The bits and pieces the viewer sees of the past make the hero’s party seem like a close group of friends, although they may have only been together for a short period of time in the protagonist’s eyes. Witnessing Frieren’s interpretation of humans through her memories and nostalgia make each character flourish and compliments their own personal journey.
Each main character is given the spotlight and opportunity to shine. They receive deep and developed backstories that connect the audience to the entire trio; not just Frieren. The one given the most spotlight in season one is the magnificent purple-haired mage Fern, who was rooted in a deep, traumatizing past, but given solace by Heiter. Frieren eventually decides to visit her friend, who in his old age, asks Frieren to take Fern along on her journeys. Fern’s character development throughout the story turns out to be one of the most wholesome as she slowly breaks out of her shell.
Later down the road, these two also meet the cowardly lion that is Stark. He is a battle ax-wielding fighter trained by none other than Eisen, Frieren’s old barbarian friend. Their journey to find this strong yet insecure redhead ends in another recruitment, and finally establishes the amazing trio dynamic this series flourishes in. Stark quickly became one of the best characters in the show, slowly gaining confidence and discovering the truth of his past.
These flawed characters are without a doubt the best part of the show. They’re based on realistic feelings that anyone can connect with. Especially with Frieren’s personal downfalls, sharing the spotlight between these three helps to make everyone’s story more important and hard-hitting. This great character design mixed with the semi-advanced medieval time period makes the entire show a joy to watch.
Surprisingly Impressive Combat Animation
Though completely active fight scenes aren’t as common as they are in a shonen, the encounters were some of the most impressive parts of the series. The sly preparation mixed with the nice stew of description and visualization make the amazing casting hit with extra pizzazz. Especially since the combat is shown methodically, it serves to scratch the itch of mage combat while maintaining the comfortable aesthetic.
The monster design, especially in the first fight with a red dragon, created some of the most finely crafted fight scenes of the adventure genre. The cinematography helped to compliment the mix of emotions in the midst of facing an unpredictable adversary. The impressive animation and great camera angles help to add a sense of uncertainty to each hit, spell, or unknown crackle in someone’s mana.
Perhaps the most notable part of Frieren’s fights are the obvious incantations, which shine with a saturation like no other. The creative use of color in each and every spell makes the mages seem like celestial gods, sprouting fascinating summoning circles and lovely rays of light. Even if it’s only a spell that raises flowers from the ground, there’s no doubting that it’ll prove astonishing.
Closing the Grimoire
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End stands out as a fine work in the midst of other fantasy action dramas of today. In a sea full of magical anime covering medieval times, this bright, calm, and generally pleasing anime proves to twist tropes while remaining close to its characters. Even when it sheds light on smaller mages, the writing makes sure to not hang on to their coattails for too long. Instead of trying to cover a huge cast, its focus on the interpersonal stories of the main characters help to add a nostalgic aesthetic to the already great design.
This anime proves to stand amongst the greats with a beautiful atmosphere that almost no other fantasy has done as expertly as Frieren, deep characters that connect the audience to realistic problems, plus the amazing use of color, cinematography, music, and fantasy both in and out of battle. The mages and frontliners of Frieren mesh into a comfortable slice-of-life action series that is sure to please anyone who gives it a chance. It proved to be a surprisingly welcome mix that stands out in a sea of isekai, shounen, and other dramas dominating the anime landscape.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is by far one of the best anime of the last few years.
Where to Find Frieren
Interested in taking the mage’s exam? The entire first season of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is available now on Crunchyroll. The manga is available on VIZ Media’s apps, platforms, and websites.
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