Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End - Episodes 1-8 (Review)
In the ever-broadening world of anime, fantasy remains a genre that is incredibly difficult to execute just right. Often there are issues with powerscaling, worldbuilding, likable protagonists or an unfortunate combination of all those and more. So, if you’re curious why there’s so much buzz around a new series called Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End - well…the fantasy lovers are very happy.
Frieren kicks off its narrative in an unorthodox way: at the end. After a grueling 10-year adventure, a party of four heroes: Himmel the Hero, Eisen the Warrior, Heiter the Priest and Frieren the Mage, successfully defeat the Demon King. Having delivered the broader kingdom from the threat of being overrun by demons, upon their return to the capital they are celebrated and have a grand festival thrown in their honor. While admiring a meteor shower later that night, Frieren reflects on the “brevity” of their adventure. A “mere” 10 years, in her mind.
Even if you are tangentially familiar with fantasy archetypes, this one should sound familiar: elves live for a long time. While it takes a few episodes to really dig into Frieren’s true age, we get the indication early on that time means close to nothing for her. Its disproportionate impact on those around her is actually what sparks her broader journey. After she fulfills her promise to return after 50 years to reunite with her troop and observe the same meteor shower they witnessed after saving the kingdom, she recognizes the frailty in the once-proud Himmel. Characteristically distant most of the time, Frieren demonstrates vulnerability as she reflects on not having appreciated the time they spent together when they were younger, which sparks a new motivation for her personal travels across the world.
Along the way, Frieren takes on an apprentice, enlists a promising young warrior, and comes face to face with the shadows of her (extremely long) past.
The aesthetics for Frieren are astounding. The attention to detail when it comes to the traditional animation is superb, and the team elects not to lean into CGI options. Nuance in body language and richness of environments draws you in, and the harmonious, Celtic-inspired soundtrack transports you to another world entirely.
Frieren is a series that invites you to slow down. It offers a simulacrum of the elven mage’s experience: not particularly concerned with investing 3 to 5 years to deciphering a tome on the whim of an old friend. After all, what’s a few years when you’ve got 1,000 under your belt, with plenty more to go?
The narrative, by extension, takes time in providing glimpses into Frieren’s previous adventures. We see small interpersonal scenes that provide an emotional payoff in short order: an offhand comment on learning a specific kind of spell gains additional emotional weight after a flashback sequence…or Frieren’s obsession with a particular task is clarified with a gut-wrenching revelation.
The pacing is reminiscent of another introspective series that I thoroughly enjoyed: Mushishi. The main difference is that Frieren also knows how to pack a punch with its action sequences. It took the better part of the season to build to its first proper encounter, but like with so much of this series, it was well worth the wait.
Overall, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is a phenomenal fantasy series that has me thoroughly invested. If your friends can’t stop gushing about it, it’s for good reason: the show is superb. Do yourself a favor and give it a watch.
After all, you’ve got plenty of time, right?
