Review of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

What is Frieren really about? The premise, which is revealed from the first episode is original and captivating: A thousand-year old elf, who has a hard time empathizing with human emotions due to her immortality, is forced to take on a young human apprentice as a dying wish of her former party member. This, paired with a vast fantasy world filled with surprisingly well written cast of side characters sets us up on a beautiful journey of discovering how mortality makes us human. Does Frieren follow through on the premise? Sometimes. You see, Frieren, like many other Anime, suffers from an identity crisis. It wantsto tell a deep, touching story about the human condition, but it doesn't want to miss out on being an action adventure power fantasy. What results is a weird mix where one story arc is about picking out birthday presents for each other, and the next is about defeating a top 5 demon overlord. Overall, the world views of Frieren and her companions rarely get challenged and thus little change is evident in their relationships.
This show doesn't go without praise however. Some of the characters, especially those introduced in the second half of the season are exceptionally relatable and human. Frieren's flashbacks to interactions with her previous party members are a tearjerk, feeling bittersweet to us just like they are to her. The pacing and direction are spot-on, the animation is never lacking, and the typical Anime tropes and hand-holding are at a very bearable limit.
As of my mixed feelings, if all you're looking for is a wholesome fantasy adventure- you'll get what you desire.
However, if you were searching for something a little more profound, unfortunately Frieren is not quite there yet.