Review of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
How can we appreciate life, if we had an eternity to do so? The world of fantasy doesn't usually touch upon what happens beyond the adventure. Think of the most beautiful stories, containing a bombastic tale, with people desperately beating impossible odds, and achieving that well-deserved ending. But, what happens next? What happens after we go back home, and we have to do something to continue our lives? Not only is that the premise of the series, but the protagonist is a 1000+ year old elf, and not from the stupid-ass, typical anime perspective. Imagine truly living over 1000 years, and having thousands more to go.A 10-year adventure for someone normal is the event of a lifetime, one which defines everything that happens next. For Frieren, it's just a blink.
The story goes on to tell us about our purpose in life, about appreciating those we couldn't love, or those we didn't even try to love. The ephemeral experience that is our time on earth. What if our impact on someone's life changed their direction forever, yet, for us, it was just a rite of passage?
What is life, if we can't share it with the bonds we build alongside us? The beauty of a meal, helping those around us, and carrying the name of those who matter to us, to those that will matter in the future. History isn't just the important events, but the names of that one farmer, that one guardian, that dude who was a bit of a coward, and how much that moment meant for us, the ones that lived it.
The themes have been told before. This one isn't entirely new, but it's a breath of fresh air for it to be done in the world of fantasy, magic, and an original story told because it happens in this world. It couldn't happen anywhere else, and everything serves the plot. We don't constantly advance the plot, we don't always have episodes that change everything, but we accompany these people in their quest to make their lives matter.
There's fight scenes, amazing moments of danger, with some stellar, fluid animation, but it all encapsulates a world in a life of peace, and most episodes cover that peace. Comforting, while keeping me more engaged than many recent things.
The soundtrack is beautiful, the visual style, and character designs are perfectly serviceable. Everything works wonderfully, save for some sound effects being a little underwhelming, specially battle ones.
I love the themes, I love the characters, and I'm amazed at the level of this as an adaptation, and an animated series.
9.3/10. Quite slower paced, but I do love how it doesn't drag. Please watch it.