Review of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
What do people want when they watch anime? Some might view it for entertainment, some for escapism, some for good battles, some for philosophy or projection and some for vibrant worlds… In short the reasons are numerous but rarely does a story balances most of these aspects and creates a tale that speaks to the hearts of the viewers. However Frieren beyond journey’s end is such a tale. If there is a media piece that is the materialization of the word balance, it’s Frieren. Frieren is about a journey taking place when the greatest threat of the world is subjugated with Tolkien inspired elf who goes ona mere 10 year journey, a blink of an eye for their race and how those mere 10 years are the ones which inspired, changed and shaped her.
Her present adventure is filled with issues they encounter along the way, whether its demon subjugation or getting lost in a winter blizzard, it’s all presented very intricately.
We as viewers constantly learn about the world and the different mechanics or how our protagonist feels or thinks or how she is a different person from the past. In short there are 2 stories that are taking place simultaneously. The past and the present and the connection between the 2 is made. The anime illustrates all these events with consistent and aesthetically pleasing visuals which rival the best in the industry. However apart from the well-directed action, great visuals and overall pleasant ost, the biggest strength of this story lies in the subtle yet impactful portrayal of human relationships and the theme regarding the passage of time.
Apart from this many multitude of themes such as friendship, parental love, honour, pride, humbleness, the progression of civilizations, learning and overall the importance of peace itself or why being in the rush doesn’t exactly matter in the long run are presented and the story goes way beyond in illustrating how the relationships we form along the way can still stand the passage of time. Either in memories or the legacies. In addition the way this storyline executes different philosophies without being jarring is the first I have personally seen since in most cases, its pretentious or actually pretty basic. Not to mention the world just draws you in.
Some general quotes to ilustrate my point further.
“Nobody who tries desperately to live would want to end up as nothing. This, would it not be better to believe that they would live in extravagance up in Heaven?”
“The purpose of life is to be known and remembered. Only a little. You just need to change someone’s life. That’s all, I’m sure.”
“Nobody sacrifices their life for things that don’t matter”
“People won’t know how you feel unless you tell them”
The anime also lays emphasis on patience and appreciating the mundane nature of life itself. From Fern who in the beginning is constantly in a rush to Sein who delays his decisions for to long, this story teaches its audience a certain balance with which to approach life and doing what you love. It also garners towards how if given proper time every problem is solvable( which is explained by the development of magic itself.)
The action simply put is detailed, colourful, fast, technical and very easy to follow and appreciate, the characters are vibrant and entertaining with each having distinct traits.
In short Frieren beyond journey’s end is a story that has almost everything that a person would want. And hence why it’s an anime that deserves all the praise it has gotten.
Thanks for reading