Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End might very well be the new “fantasy gateway anime”, the first anime that one would recommend to their friend who has only watched the most mainstream action anime, who is looking for something a bit different. A first taste of a more subdued, subtle, slower-paced anime, the first taste of some character introspection, the first taste of some meaningful and thought-provoking character dialogue. It might just become the staple of fantasy anime in the modern age, and its beginner-friendliness really put it on the map. I am very glad that this has been such a critically acclaimed show, because to all the staff working on this, and especially director Keiichirou Saitou, they have done something that seems like a rarity in the current state of anime production - release a virtually fully polished product for two consecutive cours without fail, going above and beyond with their attention to detail. They deserve every ounce of praise from a production standpoint. This anime did a lot of things well, but the aspects I enjoyed the most were definitely the audiovisuals, the themes of the passage of time, and also this anime’s portrayal of demons.
I do believe that this anime would not be half as popular if it were not for the brilliant animation and music. It has scenic shots, and also some incredible and fluid action animation. I can leave links to every beautiful bit of animation, but the thing I find even more impressive is the attention to detail. Little subtleties like hair movement, clothing movement that looks so realistic and fluid, and just the perspective shots stand out even more to me than the flashy action animation.
▶ Video #####I have a soft spot for quietness, ambience, and atmosphere in shows, and if you took a look at my favourites list, you could probably tell. A personal gripe I have with a lot of modern anime, and media in general is that it just does not allow time for the viewer to breathe, always jumping from scene to scene, trying to “get things done” at a high tempo. Slowing down, letting the viewer appreciate the sceneries of the world being portrayed, forcing them, begging them to bask in the atmosphere, that is something I have always appreciated. A lot of the scenes with no dialogue, as we see the characters just walking along a path, resting, exploring, they all implore you to follow this anime’s pace, while at the same time, not dragging its feet either. That is the perfect balance for me, and I believe that especially in the first half, this anime achieved that.
I really enjoyed the first half of the anime, especially with its themes about the passage of time. With Frieren being an elf, with her longevity, a year is nothing for her in the grand scheme of things. A human lifespan comes and goes quickly in her eyes, and thus, before she knows it, her companions are gone. Slowly but surely, regret enters her mind, as she ponders why she did not try to get to know her companions better than she did. As people say, sometimes you don’t appreciate the people around you until they’re gone. Throughout the series, with Frieren’s new companions in Fern and Stark, she understands a bit more about humanity, and living in the moment.
The other thing I really enjoyed was the portrayal of demons, as well as the villains in general. They aren’t overly complex; they’re just purely evil. It doesn’t force a backstory upon the villains to make them a “deeper” or more “well-written” character, they are just… demons… in a fantasy story. They do cruel things, and that makes their eventual defeat all the sweeter. Sometimes, the simpler the better, and I really enjoyed the simplicity this time around.
The second half of the season is a bit of a departure from the slower themes, in favour of a more action-oriented anime that saw the introduction of the massively popular Übel, who was probably my favourite character in the arc. Her character commanded every scene she was in, and was a huge reason that the arc was still enjoyable. As for the arc itself, I felt it was markedly weaker than the first half, but still solid in terms of some the new characters and action scenes. I do think this series functions best when it takes things slower and embraces more of its slice of life elements, and seeing its characters explore every nook and cranny of the world, although there was still some meaningful moments in the second half that developed the characters further, strengthening their chemistry and magic skills, as well as allowing us to see more of how mages work.
The cast had really fun chemistry and comedic moments, and they developed into a very tight-knit group, feeling like family. I know a common complaint for the cast is the lack of emotions, making them feel boring. I cannot deny that, but it fits the world they live in. Frieren has lived for so many years, it’s only natural to be a bit emotionless, given all that she has seen, nothing would really surprise her. Fern has been with Frieren for so long, some of her personality must have rubbed off on her. Stark joins the group later on, so naturally he would have a bit more energy. This anime cannot be loud, as it would not fit its identity, so it’s only fitting the characters would not be screaming all the time, because that is not what this series is about.
From Evan Call’s wondrous music, the gorgeous animation, the themes of the story, and much more, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End has been impressive to say the least, despite some diminished enjoyment in the second half. Does it deserve the top spot on MAL? I’m not sure about that, but one thing is for sure, the staff definitely brought a great fantasy manga a whole new life, and it should be the talk of the town for a substantial time to come, for good reason.
To end off, here were some of my favourite moments (animation or just pure beauty) throughout the series! (Spoilers of important scenes below)
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