REVIEW: ‘Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End’ Season 1 Is Nearly Flawless

For over a thousand years, Frieren (Atsumi Tanezaki) has walked through the world, barely taking note of what transpires around her. But when her friend and adventuring companion Himmel the Hero (Nobuhiko Okamoto, My Hero Academia) passes away, she begins to question her choices. Regretting not getting to know him, she sets off on a new journey. She seeks to learn about him, the world, and how important the people in it can be in Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 1 from Madhouse.

If you were to sum up this series in a single word it would be beautiful. From its opening moments seeing Frieren and the rest of the Hero’s Party returning from their ten-year quest to slay the Demon King to its closing moments of reflection, everything is breathtaking. Even the moments of combat leave viewers in awe. It is a storytelling experience like none I’ve ever experienced. And should I live as long as its fabulous protagonist, I doubt I would again.

The first thing that will strike viewers as they experience the opening chapters of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 1 is the pacing. The show covers a lot, especially in the opening episodes, while never rushing the story. Every shot, line of dialogue, and flashback informs and builds up the characters, world, and narrative. But while the story is constantly refining itself, it never feels forced. Long information dumps don’t occur simply for the viewer’s sake. Explanations come when it feels natural for them to. Other times, the show trusts the viewer to simply understand the missing details from everything else that’s said. This trust allows the series to flow with a smoothness fantasy rarely manages.

Another stand-out element of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End‘s storytelling is its use of time. When the narrative begins, Frieren is a thousand years old. Over 50 years pass during the first episode. While time’s passage slows a bit after that, we still frequently see montages that show the characters traveling or otherwise occupying time at one of the towns they stay at. All this time makes the series feel lived-in. We see everyone around Frieren change while she remains the same. We see her new companion Fern (Kana Ichinose, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury) grow from a child to a young woman in the span of a few episodes. In a small way, it gives the viewer a glimpse of what time must feel like for its near-immortal protagonist.

It’s hard to sum up Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End‘s narrative. On the surface of it, it’s simple. Frieren, out of a desire to see her friend Himmel again, takes on a quest to the distant land of Ende. There, legends have it, there is a place where one can commune with the souls of the dead. As one may guess, her journey becomes much more than that. As she travels with Fern, the duo finds themselves drawn into all manner of local problems. Through these tests, Frieren grows and appreciates Fern and the other companions they meet along the way.

Further enhancing the events of the present-day story are their numerous ties to the past. Frieren’s quest leading to Ende is poetic. Ende is also where the old Demon King she helped to slay lived. As she makes the same trek she did before, she sees the marks left by her previous journey. These mementos of the past call up some of the most perfectly executed flashbacks I’ve ever seen. As she draws upon her previous experiences to enrich her present day, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End captures how interconnected life can be.

While the vast majority of this pulling from the past is done wonderfully, there are a couple of minor missteps. While many of the callbacks to her former compatriots flow naturally, things do occasionally come across as forced. Random characters Frieren meets turn out to have a deep history with people it seems implausible for them to. The show feels afraid to look back into the past without involving a certain set of characters. This never gets to the point where it ruins anything, but it definitely oversteps slightly a time or two.

While the bulk of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End‘s story is focused on introspective, self-discovery, and the desire to get to know those around Frieren, it wouldn’t be a fantasy quest without combat. While it doesn’t happen frequently, when the staves come out and spells fly, Madhouse delivers some of the most gorgeous combat sequences around.

The frantic energy we find in many action sequences these days is set aside here. The combat seeks to awe the viewer, rather than overwhelm. Beams of light leap across battlefields, stunning viewers into silence. The power of both spells and their casters alike dazzle and fill the viewer with a sense of wonder.

The attitude of those in battle will also feel strikingly different from many other anime. While most action sequences in anime are dotted with ample amounts of trash-talking, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End firmly believes that silence speaks volumes. Rather than pummeling their opponents with taunts, the cold, disregarding stares tell an enemy they are out of their league. This choice not only creates a sense of presence for the characters, but it also gives ample opportunity for the series’ music to shine. And it is an opportunity that doesn’t go to waste.

Composed by Evan Call (Violet Evergarden), the series’ score manages to enhance every element of the narrative. The quiet montages of travel are accompanied by lovely, sweeping pieces that emphasize the beauty of the moment. The scenes of loss, are elevated in their sorrow by the subtle tones that the soundtrack breathes into them. And battle? The fight music understands what the show’s goals are for the battles, and doubles down on them. Energy flows from the music, building on the majesty of magic and the wonder the visuals deliver through it. Even when lives are on the line.

The wonder the series delivers in its use of magic isn’t limited to the battlefield though. The veritable magicians at Madhouse manage to make every magic-infused moment breathtaking. Simply seeing Frieren hovering over the ground as she summons a field of flowers brings wonder and delight. The way the light shines, and how fabric and hair alike whip in the wind during flight, it all bring a sense of majesty to the world’s magic. Magic isn’t just a toll here. It’s vibrant and glorious. Almost a character unto itself.

With 28 fantastic episodes in its first season, I could gush for another 3K words about this series. But some experiences are so transcendent, that no words, lest of all mine, can do them justice. So, if you love epic fantasy, watch this show. If you love gorgeous visuals and breathtaking music, watch this show. When you find yourself tiring of the 8ooth isekai release and you just want a fantasy that doesn’t involve falling into another world, watch this show. If you love fantasy that can use the experiences of a 1,000-year-old elf and make them it relatable that it can make us question our own life choices, watch this show. If you simply love great storytelling, watch Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. You won’t be sorry.

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 1 is streaming on streaming on Crunchyroll