Review of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

If I've learned anything in my 20+ years of viewing anime (from the glittery Sailor Moon and scuffed knuckles of Dragonball Z), it's that there is a hidden depth and charm to a narrative which requires either multiple viewings or an attentive mind. Also, if an Asian dude with an anime channel says a manga is good and then spends about 20 minutes explaining why, it's probably really good. Probably. I also learned awards shows are so full of the most mainstream, low-effort content and most people won't bother engaging with something if it doesn't jingle keys in front of their face every fives seconds.Sousou no Frieren isn't about battles. Like Vinland Saga, the animation for fight scenes is beautiful, every frame simply OOZING quality. But, fights are also often quick and decisive. Also, unlike Vinland Saga, there isn't a shred of dirt, no bruises to heal, and bodies aren't being battered. These are mage fights. Spells vaporize their targets and every near-miss likely results in a body being maimed indefinitely. No "your arm is now restored." In the world of Sousou no Frieren, if you lose an arm and live to tell the tale, consider yourself lucky.

The sound design is fantastic. I wasn't a fan of the first opening, since it felt way too melancholic and rather last-minute to really hit the right tempo. The second opening, however, is fantastic and fits the themes of the show. That isn't even talking about the in-show OST's which compliment their scenes. Oh, and can we talk about the ambience? Whoever was doing sound design wasn't sleeping. Everything sounds crisp.

Oh, the story?

Sousou no Frieren is the follow-up to a hero's story untold. We are starting at the end of one story, after the world is saved and the hero's party is on their victory lap. The title character, Frieren, is an elf who has lived 1,000 years and will likely live another 1,000, at the very least. At the start, she is impassive, almost emotionless. She promises to see a meteor shower with her friends in another 50 years before parting ways with them. Eventually, they all meet up again, and soon after, the hero passes away. Time is not kind to anyone. We all eventually die and what remains is our legacy.

Frieren cries at the funeral, lamenting the time that passed and the opportunities lost to get to know Himmel the Hero better during their journey. What might have been will never be, and Frieren realizes too late this painful lesson that we, as Human's, have as much difficulty learning throughout our lives. Eventually, she resolves to travel to Northern Continent and Ende, where it is said the living can speak to the dead. Along the way, she acquires two traveling companions being her apprentice Fern, and a warrior named Stark. What follows is a slice of life story of journeying to a distant land for what one might consider an impulsive desire. The truth is, it becomes so much more. Faces old and new brighten the journey, and all too often our trio comes upon some insignificant request that leaves a lasting impact.

Many of the side characters are actual people with distinct designs and personalities to match. One of my favorites from the final arc of the season is Denken, an Imperial Mage who has lived a long life in service of his nation, but has clearly forgotten that magic is not simply a tool. Oh, and without giving away spoilers, Fern's decision at the end of the final episode of the season will give the viewer a chuckle.

And that's where this show shines the most. The writing. Every character, every interaction, every word of dialogue has value. Even something as silly as Frieren's clothes dissolving potion eventually results in a series of events that culminates into a heart-warming book-end to that particular chapter. The author of the manga clearly understood that a story is about more than going from set-piece to set-piece. Sometimes, the slowest stories have the most development, and the least amount of action has the most impact.

Sousou no Frieren is a beautiful story that never disappoints. It is the answer to "what happens after the world is saved and the hero's party retires?" In this particular case, we find a reason to start a new journey.