Review of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

Frieren feels caught between two aspirations: to be an episodic journey reflecting on the passage of time, and to deliver flashy battles pitting aura against aura. Unfortunately, the result is a story that does neither with a particularly graceful hand. If you look for shows that take a strong narrative, emotional, or thematic throughline to a satisfying resolution; if you prize focused storytelling that doesn't hinge on the use of ad hoc flashbacks or monologues to deliver information just in time; if you prefer not to sit through long fights where characters wax unlyrical about the assurance of their inevitable victory, then Frieren might notbe for you.

Aesthetically, Frieren is well-equipped: dynamic animation, painterly backdrops, and a gorgeous soundtrack by Evan Call, the presence of which was what first drew me to the show. That said, other aspects of the story tend to make these hard to appreciate. The often-listless pace of the narrative can leave Call's score feeling like background noise, even during action, rather than the storytelling powerhouse you might find in works like Violet Evergarden. For similar reasons, perhaps, the cinematography often feels utilitarian (lifeless, even), despite being fundamentally solid, and it certainly isn't helped by the show's flatly-styled lighting.

The structural issues with this show seem as though they stem from a lack of confidence in the ability of the intended demographic to make inferences and recall details; watching characters and flashbacks spelling everything out in the moment can become an increasingly frustrating experience as the story goes on. Combined with the presence of a main and side cast of largely unemotive and one-note characters, as well as an exploration of its world and themes that often feels shallow, Frieren offers little to latch on to as a viewer. If you're looking for a breath of fresh air, you might have better luck opening a window. But if you're simply after something to fill the time with a roll of the dice between peaceful slice-of-life, ostentatious action, white noise, and the occasional life lesson, Frieren might just be what you're looking for.