Review of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
Got A, Strange Magic. The anime fantasy genre has taken a beating by shovelware chancers and wish-fulfilment peddlers who would often turn their half-baked video game mechanic-plagued (slavery white-washing) fantasy sandboxes into the same uninspired swill the industry has been pumping out since Sword Art Online came along and ruined everything. There are always exceptions, but it takes something like Frieren: Beyond Journey's End to remind us what incredible fantasy anime can be. Of course, Frieren had a head start with its story being an adaptation of the incredible manga. The Hero's Party triumphantly returns after their victory over the Demon King. The story picks upfifty years after the Hero Himmel dies and the millennium-old Elven Mage Frieren he travelled with realises too late how short the life of a human is, wishing she got to know him better after ten years. So she sets out on her journey of self-discovery and people-watching whilst she indulges in her hobby of collecting niche, seemingly useless magic by doing whatever chores passing people need from a travelling mage. Along the way, she picks up an apprentice, Fern and a warrior and apprentice of one of her former travelling partners, Stark. Together, they awkwardly make their way north, retracing the Hero's Party's journey to find Heaven in Ende.
If you're craving a non-isekai fantasy story with zero RPG mechanics like stats screens, skills, levels, etc, about very awkward people getting to know each other and the other wonderfully quirky cast of also very awkward people they meet along the way within a world rich with interesting culture and lore along with an imagination-based magic system then fuck, you're eating so well with Frieren. Fantasy anime has been made great again. Of course, there are Dungeons and Dragons/Dragon Quest comparisons to be made with its story tropes. Still, they don't get in the way of the main narrative of Frieren's journey to reconnect with the memories she made on that ten-year journey that changed everything about her despite living over a thousand years.
Frieren herself is not only a beautiful elf but also strangely beautiful as a person. She could almost be described as 'alien' in the way she experiences time and the world differently from humans, but the effort Frieren puts into trying to get to know and treasure the people close to her, like Fern and Stark, thanks to the principles ingrained into her by Himmel which she subconsciously recalls through flashbacks of the Hero's Party journey makes her so endearing. She's also hilarious. Her inhuman perspectives can land her in a lot of awkward situations with others, and the pride she takes in her weird spells or magic items, one of which can melt a person's clothes off, are entertaining, as well as the central joke of her always falling for mimics despite being so old and wise. Her apprentice, Fern, has to grow up constantly worrying that Frieren's perception of time will mean they'll stay in one place for years instead of weeks. Yet she and the cowardly warrior Stark, who must be protected at all costs (despite being overwhelmingly powerful), grow from kids to adolescents to young, capable adults thanks to her help and guidance.
Contrast with the demons of this world, who are selfish, magical humanoid monsters who have learnt human language for the sole purpose of deceiving and killing humans. Demons are a massive threat in this world and genuinely evil.
Coupled with the incredible storytelling is the fantastic animation. People have forgotten that Studio Madhouse is one of the best animation studios. Still, Freiren proves that with good scheduling and a talented team, movie-quality anime doesn't need to be made by grinding artists into dust *cough* Mappa *cough*. Everything from the art, the animation, the backgrounds, and the lighting is stunning. It's been a while since I've gotten hyped about watching mages shoot magical beams at each other, and the different moments of combat are phenomenal.
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End is one of those anime that comes along once in a generation. It's a beautiful story exploring the human condition and a glorious glimpse at the peak of anime as an artist's medium. There's very little to criticise. If I had to nitpick, I think the "Babies First Book of German Words" approach of naming characters and places pulls you out of the immersion if you're even slightly familiar with the German language.
If you're the kind of person who played Breath of the Wild and the first thing you did after you jumped off the Great Plateau was wonder if you could reach a mountain in the distance just by walking there, then you'll love this anime. If you're not, you're probably going to love it anyway.
10/10 Practically Perfect.