REVIEW: ‘Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End’ Season 2 Episode 1 – “Shall We Go, Then?”

Frieren Season 2 Episode 1, “Shall We Go, Then?,” sees Frieren (Atsumi Tanezaki, Spy x Family), Fern (Kana Ichinose, Honey Lemon Soda), and Stark (Chiaki Kobayashi, Arknights: Rise From Embers) proceed on their journey north, as they encounter new dangers, familiar faces, and a fair bit of nostalgia along the way. 

As Frieren Season 2 Episode 1 opens, we find our trio of protagonists riding in a cart as they gauge their next steps. Running low on funds, Fern announces that they will have to look for work when they reach the nearest town, prompting surprise from Stark that she is already considering their future employment possibilities. This sequence harks back to the series’ first introduction to Frieren, when she was returning home from her quest with the Hero’s Party. 

This isn’t the only callback to past events found in Frieren Season 2 Episode 1. The narrative is littered with nods back to moments in the first season. While each moment is nice in its own way, they pull away from the present too much, making the episode feel indecisive about its actual direction. It never ruins what the episode tries to impart through these glimpes into the past, it just doesn’t always fully land them either. 

Frieren Season 2 Episode 1 spends ample time referring to the past.

When not looking backwards, the narrative creates several strong encounters for the party to navigate. New dangers that leave Fern and Frieren out of commission force the party to overcome some harsh challenges without the magic they tend to lean so heavily on. This scenario creates fun moments of adventure as the party navigates dangerous new terrain. The lack of access to magic pushes Stark into the forefront of the episode, where he’ll remain for the entire back half of the story. 

Acting in tandem with the present-day party’s wilderness adventure is a timely return to the Hero’s Party. As usual, the current predicament reflects a different adventure from Frieren’s past, one that helps deepen the similarities between Stark and his master, Eisen (Yôji Ueda, Train to the End of the World), as well as showcasing how Frieren’s handling of her young ally is yet another element of her character drawn from Himmel.

The choice to center on Stark for much of Frieren Season 2 Episode 1 remains as the party moves on. It is a great decision. As the least explored of the primary characters, we have the most to learn about him. How this episode explores his motivations and feelings for his fellow adventurers sheds more light on the gentle soul’s inner workings while also hinting at what’s to come.

Stark is the central focus in this opening episode of Season 2, which is actually great.

Both the adventure and character moments in Frieren Season 2 Episode 1 come alive thanks to the return of Madhouse‘s gorgeous visual presentation. From eye-catching backdrops to smooth animation, this episode retains the top-notch presentation that season one was so widely acclaimed for. 

Also returning to breathe extra life into this episode’s events is the pitch-perfect musical score. While some familiar tunes play here, new pieces from composer Evan Call bring a splash of new audible life into the entry. These pieces instantly stand out as different, even as they slide seamlessly into the well-established musical language the series crafted during its inaugural run. 

Despite sometimes beating the nostalgia drum a little too hard, Frieren Season 2 Episode 1 delivers on key moments as it guides its heroes onto the next leg of their journey. Adventure, heart, great visuals, and a beautiful musical score all work together to remind us why the series is beloved and, hopefully, herald more of the same to come. 

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 2 Episodes 1-2 are streaming now on Crunchyroll, with new episodes every Friday at 7:00 AM PT.

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