Summary

• Season 1 of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End is a heartwarming tale of a character that learns how to truly cherish the time she has with loved ones
• Frieren's characters make the series special, as her identity as an elf that outlives humans adds an intricate layer of angst to the story's overarching message.
• Frieren's success is due in part to its consistent animation quality throughout the season, as well as its beautiful story writing.

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End is one of the most well-received fantasy anime to be released in years. The series was going viral almost every week as episodes aired, and its reception has far exceeded even longtime fans' expectations. It captured the hearts of many, and showed that fantasy anime can be an absolute spectacle when put in the right hands.

The series follows a millennium-old elf named Frieren. After defeating the Demon King alongside her companions, Himmel, Heiter, and Eisen, an age of peace is ushered into the world, and the four adventurers become renowned as heroes. They each go their separate ways, and reunite 50 years later, with Himmel and Heiter having aged considerably, being human. They go on one final adventure, and Himmel es away peacefully shortly after. Although Frieren was very nonchalant about his ing at first, a wave of emotions hit her, and she realized that she took her time with her friends very lightly, and regretted not getting to learn more about humans.

A few years later, she visits Heiter, who has very little time left. There, she meets his adopted daughter, Fern. Heiter asks Frieren to take her on her journeys as an apprentice, but she refuses, given the high mortality rate of weak mages, but agrees to teach her magic until she embarks on her next adventure. A few years go by, and Fern becomes a capable mage, and Heiter es. Before he dies, he again asks Frieren again to take Fern with her, given she's now a strong mage, and Frieren accepts. From this point forward, the pair embark on an adventure together.

Frieren Is a Heartwarming Tale Of Cherishing the Time One Has

Anime produced by Madhouse; based on the original manga by Kanehito Yamada & Tsukasa Abe

At its core, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End is about the cast grappling with the effects of the age of time and making the most of their fleeting life. In almost every episode, the series bounces between current events and flashbacks without ever feeling repetitive or boring. Quite the opposite, in fact, as these flashback sequences truly make the viewer fall for the characters and appreciate the progress and development they've experienced.

After 10 years of traveling the world with her party, Frieren has been to many places and encountered many people. By incorporating flashbacks, her change from being aloof and awkward to becoming someone who understands the feelings of others makes her all the more lovable. Her close friend and past love interest, Himmel, plays a big part in her growth, and every time she re and understands his teachings many years later, it showcases that she truly has matured and has become the person she wishes to be.

Frieren's Characters Make It Truly Special

Having a large ing cast is a difficult balancing act that Frieren pulls off effortlessly

Even though Frieren has a well-defined goal and a path to follow, the series is jsut as much a character-driven experience as it is story-driven. There is no end to the charming characters introduced throughout Frieren, and the series being generous with its flashbacks makes the bond between characters and viewers even deeper.

One thing many series get wrong about characters is not displaying their humanity and everyday struggle, and fortunately, Frieren does not fall into that trap. A recurring theme throughout is the characters dealing with time and the effects of this unrelenting phenomenon; Sein gives his dream one more shot, Voll protects his wife's hometown years after her ing, Denken takes the First Class Mage exams to visit his wife's grave, and many more. The show focuses a lot on the aspects that exemplify what it means to be human.

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End is the highest-rated anime on MAL, with a rating of 9.4.

Frieren is also an inspirational tale that breaks down many preconceptions that can sometimes be toxic, and it uses its characters to do so. Eisen, a powerful dwarf and the definition of strength and masculinity, never hesitated to it that he, too, is afraid sometimes. Himmel showed that helping people in small ways was much more impactful than it can seem at a glance.

Frieren's Success Is Due To Its Consistency

Madhouse's meticulous attention to detail is nothing but a boon for Frieren's animation

Very few series have gotten the love and care that Frieren: Beyond Journey's End has received. The visuals are always spot-on and perfectly match the scenery and emotions. The character animation is consistently fluid, and simple interactions look like they had boundless resources poured into them, most notably Stark and Fern dancing together in the ballroom. No matter how small or minute a scene might seem, it is never ignored by the ionate animators and staff, and it is not only consistent throughout, it is consistently beautiful.

Like most other shonen series, the animation quality spikes during action scenes, as the magic fights were very flashy and looked magnificent. From the makers of action masterpieces such as Hunter X Hunter and One-Punch Man season 1, Madhouse's expertise in fight sequences truly shined bright in this anime, and the incredible animation made Frieren: Beyond End's Journey one of their best-produced series yet.

When the series isn't focused on action and battles, the tranquility and calmness that it evokes leaves the viewer with a lasting impression. From the moody rainy episodes to the beautiful sunsets, Frieren's use of light colors really heightened the relaxing feel that it emanates, and normal interactions became much more endearing.

Frieren's Journey Is Far From Over

Though season 1 has concluded, there's more of the world for Frieren and Fern to discover

In order to see Himmel again, Frieren will continue journeying in harsh terrains and demon-infested lands, a species that has been the recipient of her wrath for centuries. With many villages and people being impacted by the activity of the demons, the group will undoubtedly be putting their powers to use, and she will meet more people and become more enlightened about humanity. The first season of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End was a masterpiece from start to finish, and its incredible success will hopefully usher in future seasons to continue the animated adaptation of Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe's masterful high fantasy story.

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