Sousou no Frieren

With lives so short, why do we even bother? To someone who lives for thousands of years, it is barely worth giving the wistful existence of humans much consideration, let alone getting to know them. That is, at least, until you meet one who is worth getting to know.

From the very outset, this series does not hide that it will focus on some of the tough questions in life: purpose, meaning, our own endings. Yet embedded within these, it unpacks the many guised forms of regret. Upfront it reminds us that our lives are short; our prime is even shorter. It is easy to be ... nonchalant or carefree – or to believe we are working towards “something” – but yet, after the fact has passed, what will we wish we did instead? What should have mattered to us more at the time?

In story, sousou no Frieren is about everything that happens "in the moment”, and the things we didn’t know we had until we find time to reflect; the end is what catches up to us when there is no tomorrow to put things off until. As our lives speed towards that end, we start to learn the meaning in making those small moments count. But did we not always know this? Wisdom is as much about its meaning as it is about how we come to acknowledge it. Our teacher may be there for only one one-hundredth of our lives, yet it only takes that one person to question us on the things we haven’t yet stopped to think about. For even if we don't appreciate wisdom at the time, once that seed has been planted, do we not continue to grow it unknowingly until the season is right for it to fruit?

Visually, while peppered with small parts of almost misplaced silly humour, sousou no Frieren captures the story’s deep sentiments with detailed subtleties: slight shifts in wrinkled expressions, dirt flicking up from a wagon’s wobbly wheel, the agefulness in the differences of characters' hands, or the objects that become absent from Himmel’s cabinet between scenes. The unobtrusiveness of the character banter is paired with genuinely “normal” character flaws that serve only to make the characters more real, as they struggle with their own vices, internal demons… and regrets. The music and sounds can almost go unnoticed: the crackling of lanterns in the otherwise deafening silence of night, the rushing water as they cross a stream, or the dampening fog of the wood. Combined, the story, visuals and sounds sustain a gently forlorn yet serious undertone that ensures you always know where this story’s journey is taking you.

The studios behind this series are well-known for quality and care, and thankfully they were given the time to pore over these details for us: for example, the cut scenes in episode four, of Frieren’s “master” and the finding of her magical tome, are short but powerfully emotive. As always, it's refreshing and reassuring to have series such as these – series that know they can hold their own against the usual roll out of typical tropes, formulaic story recycling, and the essential must-have fanservice; a series that takes the time to tell its story, to unpack its themes, that takes you on a journey and rewards you for your emotional investment.

Sousou no Frieren is a series that has the power to change how you choose to live your life: to reflect now on what you may live to someday regret and choose how you will take action to cherish it in the moment while you still live it.

I feel so catered to.

It feels like an eternity since I've been given such a phenomenal anime with a well thought out plot, great art and animation to accompany it, emotional thought provoking moments... more than that, it feels so mature in that it doesn't baby me with your typical anime tropes. No obnoxiously screaming kid protags, no overly ecchi scenes meant purely for fanservice, no moments where I have to groan and just deal with whatever stupidity is put before me-- Just a fun and emotional journey that is pure story and human feelings.

I'm not going to go into too incredible detail, but if ... you're a fan of fantasy and pure story elements, this is the anime for you. It focuses on the after story of Frieren, who has already well and finished her main quest to defeat the demon lord that plagued their lands. We join her at the end, celebrating the accomplishments of her and the party she traveled with. Time passing ever so swiftly as her party aged while she does not as an elf. She's always known that she will easily outage everyone surrounding her and did not think twice of how she spent her time in those many years till next they met. And then she had to come to face with reality-- The hero she'd traveled with would die. Her compatriots would surely soon follow. Uncaring as she was before, she now realizes just how much she should have bothered to care.

Thus does she go on a journey to find herself and to meet up with the others in their older ages. Thus does she take on an apprentice and decide to try and reunite with the hero waiting where they last felled the demon king.

What anyone may appreciate most will go into just how well these characters are written. Especially the women! Rarely have I seen a well written woman character that I could fall in love with... and I had just about given up hope in such a male protagonist dominated field. You'll come to appreciate that they're their own characters, with their own thoughts and emotions, with varying personalities and things that get to them in a very human way. Sometimes our emotions don't make sense and occasionally you'll see these characters on their bad days, acting out of sorts and it's interesting to see.

Everything from the art, to animation, to music, to details... all of it is wonderful on the eyes and ears. When the going gets tough and the fights begin, the battle choreography is just so gorgeous to watch. So much detail and weight goes into everyone's movement. I think my only possible gripe could be that sometimes the characters can come off as a little stiff, their faces of emotion not as exaggerated when it comes to anime standards. Maybe that's a good thing and we're too accustomed to over the top facial expressions after all this time-- but occasionally, one wonders if it's not just a little too lifeless at times.

Other than that nitpick though, I can't help but recommend this anime to all of my friends and share in all its glory! My group of friends were particularly entranced and just so pleased to have a more adult show that felt appropriate for our older age. Just don't go into this expecting it to be fast and getting into this for that quick hit of awesome epic moments. This is a slow ride and an enjoyable one as it builds its world and relationships at a relaxing pace.

I feel some of the other reviews say it all too well, but what makes this a masterpiece in my opinion is that it absolutely captivates the sense of time of Fireren the titular main character, and how grand her lifespan is. Entire stories and experiences, entire lifetimes of people she's met are spoken of as if they were a brief scene like depicted in these flashbacks. The series does this brilliantly I feel. It wants us to focus on her journey of where she's going now, why, and who she is now rather than dwell too much in the past but to understand that ... we've got to see into her past, her many human lifetimes worth of experiences which again we see in brief glimpses, which could depict years, decades as that's how Frieren perceives time.

As much as the current story and current journey we see in the series is fantastic storytelling as is, it leaves us wondering how many other journeys and what other kind of things she may have seen. It gets us asking and wanting to know more about her, about Frieren but also it allows us the luxury of seeing this current chapter of her life. This "one one hundreth".

The series doesn't overtell, it allows you to feel immersed into the world, which is greatly helped by the sublime soundtrack.
This is a true gem of a series that I personally feel, will be remembered as a classic in years to come and I'm absolutely grateful to be able to watch it. I hope this review helps, I don't want to share too much or spoil after all. I recommend this, watch for yourself and see how you feel. Violet Evergarden and Vivy: Fluorite Eyes Song vibes for days.

It's been 3 years since I last wrote up a review.

Frieren is a slow burner. But hits so, so, good. After watching episode 10 it concludes it. Anime of the Year. I have no doubts. This is the only anime this season that I feel is worth reviewing or taking the time to write up a review about it. Being available on YouTube as well is a big plus. I look forward to every Friday/Saturday for new episodes.

When I'm watching it's like a breath of fresh air, I can smell it and it just feels so refreshing. The music ESPECIALLY the Ending Song ... is a vibe. The animation is quality, and it's just overall a goddamn banger what else can I say? I might be slightly biased.

The environment around Frieren: Beyond Journey's End is beautiful. The beauty of nature, and the character designs. The voice acting is top-notch. It's a colorful show that showcases the beauty of the medieval times.

In terms of blood, and gore, it checks out as well. A bit of a trigger warning, the way the blood drips, how thick it is, and how it's spread out, OK that sounds wrong when I re-read it. Anyways, the level of detail with the blood, the animation, and the character designs is superb.

I've been keeping up with most of the anime this season. But once again, this is the only show that I felt writing up about how good it is. Taking me off from my 3-year hiatus from reviewing anime. A lot has happened these past years but this is not about me. WATCH FRIEREN.

First time I felt compelled to write a review on this website, even though I’ve been using it for years. That’s how incredible this anime is.

Ive been watching anime for 15 years and I don’t think I’ve ever been more impressed by a show than I am with Frieren. It’s absolutely a masterpiece and possibly the best anime I’ve ever seen.

Beautiful atmosphere, likeable characters, amazing music, and a good, unique take on the typical “hero saves the world” story.

If things continue like they they are now until the end of the season, it will definitely become my favorite anime of all time.

A point outside the curve.

In times where the anime industry seems to be stagnant in a sameness of isekais and battle shounens, Sousou no Frieren comes to bring renewal at a completely different pace than what we are used to seeing, I'm writing this review after the fifth chapter and I can already dig in which is the anime of the season.

Sousou no Frieren brings an incredible story full of sensitivity, following the protagonist's learning process in understanding something that is simple about our concepts, the anime very subtly brings to each episode the changes in the way she sees life and her regret at ... not having valued the little moments with her group of friends more, all of this is accompanied by fluid animation, great art direction and enviable soundtracks reminding us of studio ghibli films.

So far Sousou at Frieren has perfectly managed to mix the right tone of melancholy with a spark of hope that things will be better, I am extremely excited to see how this will conclude at the end of the season.

To be frank, I struggle to understand how this show became so popular. Every season there is always that one anime that the masses over-hype and put on a pedestal, insisting that it be given a top 5 spot on MAL. Now typically, shows like Chainsaw Man, Spy x Family, and Oshi no Ko make sense, since they just "feel" like something normies would soak up (not judging per say, just an observation). Frieren doesn't feel like those other titles at all: the writing actually feels vivid and well thought-out, as opposed to a cheap cash grab that many seasonals have become. Frieren better fits ... the "underrated sleeper of the season" cliche that only a few weebs know of, but instead it holds the spotlight.


A seinen disguised as a shonen, Frieren can be described as a "post game" to your favorite isekai or fantasy world, where our heroes have already "won" by beating the final boss. Consequently, much of the story is given to us retroactively via Frieren's memories or in conversations with her former teammates as they pass on. This format doesn't always work in anime/manga, however in this case it is a very reflective and intimate form of character development for Frieren as she tries to understand her feelings and why humans value time so much. Overall there is a very mature air that slowly cultivates, which makes me further question the "shonen" labeling since younger audiences often do not have the patience for such narratives.

That tangent aside, not only is the story and plot refreshing, the characters are extremely likeable in their own ways. It's rare for me to like every single member of a main cast, however the dynamic between Frieren, Fern and Stark has grown on me with each episode. Maybe it is because I have never seen two earnest teenagers "looking after" a troublesome grandma figure and her selfish hobbies before. Honestly, it's just an endearing quirk in their adventure together. As for the side characters, every one has their clear purpose (no wasted screen time!), and better yet they do not overstay their welcome. The world building as a whole feels profound as these interesting characters come and go, giving the impression that there was, in fact, a past full of intriguing events. As the curtain continues to unfold, it will only add to the significance of these earlier episodes.

In summary, I can't say for sure if you'll like this show, but it is definitely worth trying out at least, since nothing like it exists out there. As others have stated, it doesn't try to be more than it actually is, and more accurately it doesn't try to stand out. I think the humble nature of this story/show is partially what has drawn so many fans to it.

I've never taken part in the incel wars that have plagued the "top anime" section of MAL these past years, but I've always felt that no new-gen anime would ever top FMAB. Frieren, however, might become the one exception that I am okay with taking the mantle, assuming the rest of the story plays out as nicely as it has started.

Thank you for reading, and apologies if this review comes across as too contrarian :)

Frieren is an anime that I’ve been meaning to review for months, but I wanted to wait just a little bit for the emotions and hype to settle down. There’s a LOT to discuss when it comes to Frieren, but not all of it directly has to do with the anime itself. Firstly, I’m reviewing this on MAL and that means by necessity that I must address the elephant in the room. Frieren accomplished the unthinkable in unseating Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood from its highly controversial 15-year reign. Why was it controversial? Vote brigading my friends. It was artificially kept at number 1 by a ... highly obsessive faction of MAL users and…it’s a long story.

The first thing you need to know about MAL is that this site and its user base have always been incredibly image conscious to an obsessive and often downright comical degree. While MAL is Japanese owned, the early MAL userbase was overwhelmingly Americans and a lot of MAL’s culture was shaped by the perception of anime and anime fans in the United States in the 2000s. MAL users existed largely in isolation from the “offline anime community”. The people you meet at your local comic book shop buying battle shonen manga and monster girl ecchi or cosplaying at your local anime convention. In contrast, MAL has always aligned itself with the “Elitist” faction of the anime fandom who define themselves as the antithesis of the “weaboos” who formed the image of the Western anime fandom back in the 2000s. The weaboos were constantly getting dunked on back then and were widely perceived as pervy, horny, stupid, immature, manchildren. MAL users followed the lead of the European anime community on 4chan /a/ and desperately wished to be seen as well-cultured, sophisticated intellectuals who only appreciate a select few anime that have artistic value. With this kind of attitude and site culture being enforced, it was no surprise that Galactic Heroes rose to the top of early MAL. However, there was a problem. For there was another anime that began with a G. While the Americans and Europeans on early MAL would have been happy with Galactic Heroes staying on top, Japan and for some reason a huge chunk of the developing world happen to really, REALLY like a certain series called Gintama, which is famous for its irreverent, highly referential humor. The image obsessed elitists would be God Damned if they allowed “Japanese Family Guy” to become the highest rated anime on the site, so the first massive rating bombing and Great Fandom War began. This war threatened to tear MAL apart, but a new faction was forged in the fires of war: The Order of Brotherhood. A loosely organized group of MAL users decided in the forums that a 3rd anime should be deliberately upvoted to number 1 to keep both Galactic Heroes and Gintama from that spot. This anime should be a largely neutral, inoffensive work that presents a respectable face for the anime community but is still accessible and isn’t snobby enough to chase people away. The popular shonen Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood was chosen for this role. It would be like The Shawshank Redemption on old ass IMDB. It’s a peacekeeper title everyone basically at least likes. However, the Order of Brotherhood began to abuse their powers. Every single time a new anime briefly gained the number 1 spot, it was absolutely bombarded by 1 and 2 ratings until it was no longer a threat for the top spot. For 15 long years this happened. It got to be such a well-known meme that a youtuber asked his followers to get Interspecies Reviewers to number 1 just to mess with these guys and MAL had to completely change how it calculates ratings and how many anime you must watch before your opinion even counts. I think it’s at least 50 now. Throughout all this time, The Brotherhood firmly believed that they were keeping the peace and instilling order. Despite all their efforts, the downfall of the Brotherhood was inevitable simply because time doesn’t stop. While anime popularity in the US was in sharp decline in 2009, this is no longer the case in 2024. For most of the world, anime has never been more mainstream. Anime certainly still has a bit of a stigma in more rural parts of the US, but the image of the typical anime fan is no longer homogenous. A person’s first mental image of “anime fan” is just as likely to conjure up a famous athlete, rapper, or social media personality as it is the images in Filthy Frank’s “Weaboo Song”. If the anime fandom doesn’t have a huge image problem, there is no need for self-loathing, hyper self-conscious anime fans to gatekeep everything and bully others to try preventing the entire community from being bullied. Another factor is that the percentage of active MAL users who are American has dropped substantially over the last 15 years. The Brotherhood was and still is overwhelmingly composed of American users obsessed with image and “elitist vs weaboo” bullshit from a million years ago that doesn’t even apply to the anime experience and history of countries like India, Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, China, Indonesia, etc. Random anime like Oshi no Ko were sneaking to number 1 more and more often and the effort it took to ratings nuke these newcomers back out of the top 50 kept increasing. Frieren just happened to be the straw that broke the camel’s back.

So…is Frieren actually the best anime of all time? Personally, I would say no. Not even close. However, there is some substance behind the hype. There is a reason the Frieren was able to unite the terminally online with offline casuals, liberals with conservatives, male viewers and female viewers, and Japanese otaku with the rest of the world. Frieren has many aspects that it does remarkably well. Before we even talk about the characters and plot and all that stuff, let’s look at some of the technical aspects. Frieren is a GORGEOUS anime that represents a triumphant return for Studio Madhouse as the king of quality anime. A title which had been slipping from them over the last few years. Frieren is also the 2nd mega hit in a row for young director Keiichirou Saitoh following up on his incredibly well received debut: Bocchi the Rock. He is only 31 years old and is now one of the most in-demand directors in the entire anime industry! Every scene in Frieren is not only visually appealing and directed in a way that squeezes every bit of emotion it can get from the source material, but it also has the confidence to pace itself as if it’s going to run for 6 seasons. Even though that’s far from guaranteed in the anime industry. Fortunately for Frieren, its Japanese merchandise and figurine sales are quite strong and further seasons seem like a safe bet. It is always tragic when you get a Promised Neverland situation where the director poured their heart out and they either get cut off completely or given WAY too few episodes to wrap up the story all because Japanese consumers didn’t buy enough dakimakura and didn’t care as much as the gaijin so the studio fucks it over! Frieren’s soundtrack was outsourced to an American composer named Evan Call and it sounds much closer to a Hollywood mega film than a shonen anime. Have you ever actually bought an anime soundtrack? There’s the main theme, the battle theme, and a few main character themes that you can instantly recognize and are REALLY good compositions. Then you get to the comic relief scenes and it’s like listening to a cat walking on a synthesizer and farting up a storm. Kaoru Wada is especially guilty of this. The Inuyasha soundtrack for example has some BEAUTIFUL tracks and then some of the worst auditory vomit you’ve ever heard in your fucking life. The vast majority of anime soundtracks have always been like this. There are one in a million exceptions like Cowboy Bebop, but music was a major theme of that anime. You’re not going to get a seasonal fantasy anime where the OST sounds like the LOTR movies and every single track in every single scene is good. However, Frieren is actually able to accomplish just that!

So Frieren is gorgeous, has an amazing OST, and is super well directed. So what? How is the world building? This is a shonen that deals with magic, so how is the magic system? This is once again an area where Frieren triumphs. Frieren is very happy to take a pause and explain minor aspects of its world and history but never in a way that bores the viewer. It gives enough details to keep us engaged but there is still a LOT that we want to learn. As for the battle system, some characters in Frieren have a higher base level of mana and can cast bigger and flashier spells, but it avoids the vertical power scaling pitfalls of previous shonen titles. Frieren is very strong, but she’s not invincible. Someone with a lower level of overall mana but the right spell at the right time could easily kill Frieren. This isn’t a series where strategy just goes out the window and it’s all about who has a bigger number. Frieren also manages to avoid one of the huge traps of bad fantasy writing where one spell is SO much better than anything else, that it ruins the magic system and makes everything else essentially irrelevant, so all battles end up looking the exact same. Stuff like fireball in the original D&D, Balefire in Wheel of Time or the Avada Kedavra in Harry Potter. Frieren actually pokes fun at this while adding to its own recurring theme about the passage of time. You have this super arrogant demon who has been frozen in stone for 50 years. He developed this killing curse that’s similar in essence to the Avada and he absolutely decimated the wizard population of 50 years ago so temporarily sealing him was the best they could do. He gets utterly humbled by an apprentice mage because his world beating spell became the new standard by which all offensive magic is judged and all defensive magic was developed against, so after 50 years it’s very average instead of remarkable. This tends to be how real-life weapon advances work and describes the relationship between armor and weapons development.

In terms of characters, Frieren once again does a good job. The anime hops back and forth through time between the current day, Frieren’s adventure party from over 50 years ago, and Frieren’s time with her teacher around 1000 years ago. In each time period, we see little ways in which Frieren has developed as a character and been impacted by those around her that she grows to care about. While Frieren gets the most development and character investment, Fern, Stark, and others are also allowed plenty of room to grow. Having said this, Frieren is still a shonen and once you reach the first tournament arc…yes course there’s a fucking tournament arc…you do get some characters that are less impressive. For example, we get this grumpy, middle aged bastard named Richter who not only is willing to kill 2 teenage girls to pass his wizard exam, but he goes out of his way against the orders of his superior to try do so and seems to revel in it. Then this sadistic and murderous aspect of his personality is just kind of dropped and is never mentioned again. Another wizard is a murderous psychopath, but this is largely played off as a joke and her personality never really evolves much beyond “lol, what a psycho bitch!” The demons are also kind of boring and shitty antagonists, but they’ll get their paragraph later. Don’t you worry!

Frieren is a shonen in terms of its core demographic and it uses several of the familiar trappings of popular shonen manga, but also a deliberately slower pacing in order to place just as much focus on its themes as it places on kickass fights. Frieren at the end of the day is a series about mortality and the bonds we form with other people. Even if we’re not immortal like Frieren, we all know a grandparent, a friend, or someone else who passed away and we would do anything to have spent more time with that person. We care deeply about the people that we love and recognize on an intellectual level that we only have a very finite, precious time to spend with those people, yet it’s still so easy to take our time on Earth for granted and neglect our personal relationships. Frieren captures a fundamental human struggle that’s both universal and powerful. When it’s at its best, Frieren is an emotionally moving series that inspires us to live our lives better and not shut ourselves in.

Sadly, we must now talk about the other controversy surrounding Frieren besides its unusually high MAL score. This controversy surrounds the demon race, who are the primary antagonists of the series. Frieren needed some kind of external conflict to add danger and keep things from getting too boring. So, the writer of the Frieren manga took the easy route and created a generically evil fantasy race that wants to wipe out or enslave all the other sentient species and must be stopped at all costs. However, this evil species isn’t like the goblins from Goblin Slayer. Those little bastards are a semi-sentient walking virus who can’t even naturally reproduce on their own without raping the females of other species and murdering the male population. They are simply a fantasy disease. Frieren’s demon race are a civilized, intelligent, fully sentient race who are simply evil and must we wiped out. Who cares? They’re literally demons, right? Well…sort of. They’re not demons in a Christian sense. They’re a naturally occurring, sentient species of humanoids with a slightly higher base level of magic who all just happen to be jerks and normal humans refer to them as demons. Unlike Warhammer demons and other Christian inspired demons, they don’t literally come from Hell. If you kill a Frieren demon, they die permanently with no afterlife. If you kill a Warhammer demon or any Christian inspired demon, they just kind of go back to Hell. The demons in Frieren have no interest in corrupting Humanity or deceiving humans into doing horrible things. They trick other species like Elves, humans, and dwarves into feeling sorry for them or giving them a chance before immediately betraying and kill them. Then the demons cry crocodile tears when they finally get what they deserve. The concept of an innately evil species that needs to be wiped out is one that fantasy has largely been trying to leave behind for about 40 years now. Tolkien is sometimes credited as the architect of this trope, but with him it comes from a very different place. Tolkien’s writing is always heavily influenced by his devout Catholicism. The orcs, trolls, and Easterlings aren’t evil because God made them that way. The God of Tolkien’s universe known as Eru Iluvatar didn’t create any being specifically to be evil, let alone an entire species. Tolkien’s equivalent of the Devil was jealous of God’s creations, so he took stuff that Iluvatar created and made his own warped mockeries of those things. However, even the Orcs in Tolkien’s belief are not entirely beyond redemption since they still retain the gift of language, which shows that part of their original souls are intact. Frieren is entirely secular in its morality and advocates a genocidal solution purely based on what seems to be rational.

“There are no women and children. Get it through your head. These are mere animals who imitate human forms. They convince the whole world to feel sorry for them and each and every time it’s just a trick so they can attack us again the moment our guard is down. The solution is obvious. We should just kill them all!”

While this quote is very close to one spoken by our favorite Elf Waifu, a quote that the series does EVERYTHING to perfectly validate her on, this isn’t actually a Frieren quote. This is a quote from some random old lady that got interviewed by CNN last month. The language that Frieren uses casually and without much thought by the mangaka is used almost word for word to advocate genocide in real life. It’s not just bad timing and bad luck that Frieren was released when it was. There is no time period where this aspect of the series’ writing would have been praiseworthy. Frieren in regards to this sub-plot engages in writing so lazy and so regressive that it stumbles into uncomfortable territory. Imagine for a second if you would that some political party in some country was actively planning a campaign of genocide or ethnic cleansing. However, they know that such actions are no longer seen as acceptable in any circumstances by an overwhelming margin of society. So…they decided to finance an addictive and popular show that (while not being the focus of course) subtly promotes genocide in a rational light and tries to shift the thinking of young audiences. This isn’t what happened of course, I already said that Frieren’s case is one of criminal laziness. However, that show would look EXACTLY like Frieren and that’s not a good thing.

Overall, I’m giving this series an 8 for now…but it would be more accurate that I’m giving it an I for Incomplete. I think Frieren promises to be a strong franchise and has all the potential in the world if it can avoid shooting itself in the foot. However, I wouldn’t have written that lengthy previous paragraph if Frieren was safe from monumental errors of judgment. The series could very well turn out to be a disaster that I will be embarrassed that I ever enjoyed. Or it could be absolutely amazing, and we will all just kind of forget some of the less ideal aspects of S1. The future of Frieren has not yet been written. Most of my offline buddies haven’t seen Frieren and don’t want to watch Frieren. To be honest, I’ll probably hold off shoving it down their throats until I get a better grasp on which way this franchise is headed.

I've never felt the urge to write a review before, and I've been on MAL for over 12 years. That alone should tell you how incredible this anime is. Usually, when I find a masterpiece, I just suggest it to friends. However, Sousou no Frieren has led me to break that pattern. This isn't your run-of-the-mill shōnen filled with random hack n' slash and fan service, so I can see the average anime watcher just getting bored because flashy things only happen once every few episodes.

Sousou no Frieren is more than just an anime; it's a narrative masterpiece delving into symbolism, time, and, most ... importantly, emotions. To tell this story, we are introduced to Frieren, and through her, the world is presented to us. With multiple flashbacks from "a long time ago", everything that happens makes an awful lot of sense.

Frieren distinguishes itself as a storytelling powerhouse that engages the viewer emotionally, not the type that makes you cry over and over, but rather provokes thought; maintaining a consistent impact in every episode. The animation quality is high, not like every frame is painted by da Vinci, but to the extent that you notice the art style is most definitely unique and elevates simplicity. The attention to detail in the sound design definitely deserves mention: be it voice acting, footsteps, or the rustling of birds, the immersive quality of the audio consistently leaves me amazed.

There are a good number of organically funny moments that feel wholesome and contribute to the development of the characters and their relationships. While it may have its slower moments, when you bring together every element, it is one experience not to miss. From my perspective, this show stands as a stellar example of what a top-tier anime should be. If any of this - even remotely - sounds interesting, just go and watch the show.

This is a story for people who have been grieving, people who had to see their loved ones grow old and die, people who feel the passage of time around them and who noticed too late that they maybe didn't know all there was to know about their loved ones.

If any of this applies to you, you will rarely see an anime that understands those feelings as well as Sousou no Frieren.

While the main plot seems heavy in theory, it is rather lighthearted in execution. We get to see the main character make new friends and connections just as much as we see ... her thinking about the past. There is even the occasional, well-timed, comic-relief.

Whiile the series is slow, it did not get boring. The deeper themes keep it interesting so far.

Art and Animation, Soundtrack and Characters are all very good.

I think it is time to step away from the adventure and take a moment to think about what is beyond it .. Frieren seems to forget to learn and to know about her companions because she doesn't consider the time as she thinks: there is still a time ..until there is no more .. it is a lesson to learn: that the road is more beautiful than the goal, also to cherish the time that we are spending with our beloved ones before it is too late to do that. A lesson to learn to love every moment we are living now , ... because sooner or later it will be a memory.
This anime from the first episode holds a lot of emotions, and then Evan call -the music composer- has come to make these emotions doubled..
Frieren is now trying to re-live the adventure again .. and to meet an old friend to know him more ..hopefully she will not do the same mistake and she will learn about her friends this time

I feel strongly that this is one of the coziest anime's that I've had the pleasure in watching. The story follows Frieren in her journey to understand life and its meaning in a very 'Tolkien of the east' type of way. The only difference here is that there is no end-of-the-world plot device at play, no mythical item to be found or boss to be defeated. How this anime will be remembered largely hinges on if they can find a landing that resonates with the viewers. I feel the one central question this anime tries to examine is, "What is life all about?"

The show begins ... following Frieren and her adventuring party after they've defeated the Demon King, making clear that the world is now entering an age of relative peace. As a nearly ageless elf, she watches her original companions age over time and laments that she didn't actively value the 10 years adventuring they had spent together and saving the world. After some time has past and some of her party members have passed away, she sets out to form a new party and relive the path north to relive her epic journey in an attempt to commune with those who are no longer living. Upon departing, she takes a young mage apprentice named Fern who, to me, is a fantastically written character that reminds Frieren to stay on task and questions her at every turn to think about her actions. We watch Fern grow up with Frieren as a mentor and almost sister like figure which is unique when considering their sizable age gap. Eventually, the duo begin to fill the party out with a typical fantasy lineup with a tank and healer who you can watch for yourself as the anime progresses.

While the shows premise sounds like many other anime that have come before it, it really separates itself from the pack by having an intense focus on the human experience and our connections to one another. More time is spent in this show around conversing with party members and notable characters, figuring out what characters want, and even eating/sleeping more than this show will ever focus on battle or combat. Suffice to say, the show still contains some great fights and the battles tends to carry a much heavier weight with the audience proportional to how much you've connected with the characters. While the lack of combat might be a deal breaker for some, those who stick around will surely be rewarded by the shows emotional highs of solving problems, uncovering memories, and appreciating time spent with each character.

The show often brings up Fririen's original party's journey and while it is a similar route traveled, this plot device allows her to discover many of the things in her life that she has taken for granted. Whether it be a festival or celebration with her party she missed due to sleeping in, or not telling someone how she felt in a powerful moment, we are able to emotionally relate to her as a viewer. Who hasn't chosen sleep over an important life moment at some point in their life?

The question to me still remains to be see about what Frieren's answer to her life will be. It has all of the makings of an anime masterpiece, from its art, to its music, and emotional writing. Once she has her answer from those she loves and she can put her life into perspective, we will know if this show will remain a masterpiece for years to come. I will be happy to update this review when that day comes but for now, I highly suggest you watch the show and find out why so many people like myself have fallen in love it.

If you're a new anime fan or just wondering why this anime is rated so high, Then this review is for you. It quite simply is one of the most beautiful things created in terms of anime. Imagine if you were an elf, everyone around you lived and died and left you all alone. This is the story of Frieren and her journey of self discovery about emotions she didn't know she was capable of feeling and expressing.

Story : This already makes it stand apart from the plethora of anime out there. Usually you see anime with the main character setting out to defeat the ... demon king but in this one it's quite literally the opposite. The author chose the plot brilliantly because this exact story setup results in some amazingly crafted scenarios simply because the threat of the demon king is over. From the get go the main point of this anime is Frieren trying to find out what was the purpose of her journey back then and what it is now.

Frieren herself as a character is Genius, She often doesn't even express herself properly but that's what's so charming about her. She doesn't wear her emotions on her sleeves and we as the viewers are constantly left pondering about her feelings. The characters are all so charming, they each have their own motivations and goals and some even achieved them but Frieren herself is on a never ending journey.

Sound, Animation, Production : Madhouse really have surpassed their own standards with this one because this anime looks and feel so fresh and chock full of detail.
Every single scene has a certain vibe to it that can't be explained in words. This is the type of work which certainly deserves this level of production value.

Basically it's a journey for Frieren to figure out her life entangled with others and it's such a heartwarming and wholesome experience. The characters are witty and act their age actually.
Overall this is a fresh breath of air in the anime community and I believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that this deserves no less than a 10/10 score.

You should be pretty convinced by now to watch this, Thanks for reading!

Amazing show, massive praise to the Writer who shows a mature understanding of human emotions with its subtle references to religion, desires and purpose all done masterfully. The fantasy elements are not unique, but the low stakes adventure gives perfect space to create three dimensional characters who have realistic wants, which also helps make the comedic aspects of the show funny! (I now love mimics!)

Whilst the story alone would give this a high rating, wonderful art style and stellar animation solidifies the show as a masterpiece, very enjoyable, anyone who doesn't need constant action will like this series (though there are also good action scenes!) ... would definitely recommend!

Frieren is a breath of fresh air at a time when anime seems to struggle with staying fresh while adhering to specific conventions. Frieren reinvents these conventions and presents them in its own unique way.

At first glance, Frieren may seem like a simple work, much like many others: mages, dwarves, knights, demons, an adventure... but the depth of the work is entirely different. Frieren offers a different perspective on things and poses challenging questions such as: What is the purpose of our existence? This work is not just an adventure aimed at defeating some boss, demon, god, or anything else; it goes deeper than that. ... The "enemy," so to speak, is the answer to these questions.

Frieren is not a work for everyone; the pace is rather slow, but it's suited to its world, and it's necessary to appreciate and understand the message this work conveys. I'm sure that many might have given up or considered giving up after the first 3-4 episodes, but hang on, you won't regret it! After watching the subsequent episodes, I'm confident that many of you will have a better grasp of this universe and what it has to offer. However, in my opinion, this work may not be enjoyed by everyone due to its somewhat "philosophical" nature. Many people prefer a clear objective like defeating the villain.

A bad review:

I don't really want to focus on the series, why the artwork was nice, why the characters were good and why the story was good. I'd rather focus on what the series was trying to convey to the viewer (in my opinion).

"Thank you Frieren, for having a adventure with me one last time in the end of my life..."

it's when you watch the series and see the relationship that develops between the two of them that this sentence really has weight. That Himmel only wanted Frieren to never be alone and to live forever in her heart...

-for showed her the sunrise.
-for helping Frieren ... through her illness.
-that he asked the chef to keep the restaurant open for a long time, so that Frieren would always eat well when she came here.
-that Himmel knew what ring he bought her...
-that when she saw their statue she would never feel alone.

(These are the memories Frieren had when she lost Himmel.)

"The greatest enemy is not in front of you, it is the time that has passed that you can never get back..."

I think that's the message of the series. To live, because we have little time and not to remember 50 or 60 years from now that we were in the room watching TV shows.

There are several series that deal with this and how is this better than those? I don't know, but it made me realise that I need to change my life...

The title "Beyond Journey's End" does sound appealing, doesn't it? While I typically oppose altering the literal meaning of Japanese titles during translation, in this case, I make an exception. "Beyond Journey's End" more effectively conveys the essence of "Sousou no Frieren" manga/anime than "Frieren at the Funeral" does.

The title indeed suggests that the anime serves as an ‘After Story’ for a particular journey of Frieren, the story’s protagonist. It’s important to note that Frieren is an elf who does not age physically and possesses a unique perspective on time, relationships, and interactions, differing from humans. These two pivotal aspects form the foundation of the ... narrative, as we witness Frieren come to appreciate the value of the relationships forged during her travels and anticipate the journeys yet to come.


Plot(9/10):

As Frieren is several thousand years old, a significant portion of the story consists of flashbacks across various timelines. One timeline depicts her youth as a disciple of Flamme, while another showcases her time with the hero party. The narrative primarily unfolds in the present timeline. Throughout the anime, we witness Frieren reflecting on the past while assimilating her current experiences. It presents a form of redemption from a certain perspective. The central theme of this story is about ‘Living in the moment and not having regrets later.’ Each past encounter and memory with the hero party influences Frieren to cherish her present companions more deeply, as she harbors many regrets for not understanding the hero party members’ sense of time. Frieren, vastly older than the rest of the cast (excluding other elves), continues to learn—learning how to interact and empathize with humans whose lifespans are merely a fraction of her own. Setting aside all those travels, the final third of this anime focuses on the 'First Class Mage Exam' arc, which brims with action and introduces a substantial number of additional side characters. Each fight scene offers viewers insight to grasp the characters' depth and their underlying philosophies. Overall, ‘Frieren: Beyond the Journey’s End’ skillfully blends the central theme of the series with various elements such as the magic system, and the Demon-Human conflict.

Characters(9/10):

This anime features a large cast of characters. Not all of them play a significant role in advancing the plot, but that’s not a complaint though. It’s unreasonable to expect an anime to delve deeply into the background of every character introduced. However, the characters of Frieren and Fern had to be likable and well-written at the same time as they received more screen time and narrative focus. The author did more than a decent job in that regard. Watching the evolution of their relationship, enriched by mutual care, is particularly heartwarming. Additionally, there are numerous scenes that provide comic relief, each one is humorous and relaxing. Stark and Sein also have significant portions of their backstories explored. Their moments on screen never felt dull; Stark, in particular, had some 'Wow' factor in the scenes we see him facing opponents . The “First Class Mage Exam” arc introduces a bunch of new characters. Among them, Ubel and Serie stand out, capturing attention with their unique character traits. (Serie is actually a very important character of this arc)

Frieren’s former companions: Eisen, Heiter, and Himmel. They epitomize the ideal hero party members. Each one is portrayed as a ‘Good Guy,’ and rightfully so. Let’s focus on Himmel for the time being, as he is likely the primary reason we follow Frieren’s journey with Fern.

Hero Himmel is depicted as cheerful, brave, and humorous—a quintessential hero. He was a person who inspired others. His passing led Frieren to realize her errors in gauging time and in valuing relationships from her perspective rather than from the humans’ viewpoint, with whom she had spent a considerable amount of time (from their perspective). As mentioned earlier, it was Himmel’s influence that prompted Heiter to adopt Fern and care for her, as he believed Himmel would have done the same. This, in turn, led to Frieren assuming the responsibility of looking after Fern.

Animation and Visuals (10/10):

'Madhouse Cooked again!' that was my initial reaction while watching Frieren's first 4 episodes on the same day. The studio behind so many classics is still producing more of them. The manga already had good art and uniqueness in character design. So the production studio just had to do one thing and it was to not 'mess up' the adaptation. And they did that beautifully. Environment and atmosphere of 'Frieren: Beyond the Journey's End' anime turned out to be a lot brighter and colorful than my expectation and I loved it. The direction of the fights were top notch. They improvised in some of those and they never felt out of place. Whether it was Fern casting zoltraak like fireworks or Stark defeating a huge dragon, I enjoyed every fight sequence this anime has to offer. Kudos to the people working behind the scenes, specially the storyboard directors.


Audio and Soundtrack (9.5/10) :

I was actually surprised after seeing that they cast Atsumi Tanezaki to voice Frieren. (I always imagined Frieren having a more childish voice while reading the manga.) She did a fine job, actually. The rest of the cast also delivered commendable performances, leaving me with no complaints about the voice acting.

'Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End’ features three songs in its soundtrack. The first opening theme is ‘Yuusha’ by Yoasobi, followed by the second opening theme ‘Haru’ by Yorushika, and the series is rounded off with the ending theme ‘Anytime Anywhere’ by Milet. Each track is enjoyable in its own right, but ‘Anytime Anywhere’ stands out to me the most. It’s not only as catchy as the other two but also has lyrics that resonate deeply with the show’s themes.


Overall(9.5/10):

I am still quite surprised to see this anime garnering so much attention on the internet. It’s become one of those ‘Everywhere I go, I see her face’ moments for me. I had actually expected ‘Frieren’ to become one of the underappreciated, gatekept animes in the future, but that’s far from what actually happened. In fact, ‘Frieren’ is the most popular non-sequel release of 2023, along with ‘Oshi no Ko’ and 'Zom 100' . It also checks all the boxes to add itself to the list of all-time classics created by Madhouse.

‘Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End’ does almost everything right. It has a meaningful story, a protagonist whose journey feels exciting and emotional at the same time, just enough focus on the side characters, excellent animation and direction. Moreover, it blends all the genres involved extraordinarily well. That’s why you never feel anything is amiss when it shifts from the slice-of-life genre to the action genre in the last few episodes, or when observing some sort of romantic development in Fern and Stark’s relationship.

I will remember ‘Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End’ for a long time. The last time I was this eager to watch the next episode of an ongoing anime was when ‘Summertime Render’ was airing way back in 2022. Frieren indeed made my Fridays better. Therefore, this is an easy recommendation from me to anyone looking for a good, comforting anime. 'Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End’ is certainly one of the very best of its kind.

"A silly and fun adventure to come back with a bunch of interesting stories.

"Friren: beyond journey's end" is a show that demands impossible: to relax.
The story doesn't try specifically make you laugh, surprise, or intrigue you, but that's what makes it perfect. In its simplicity, it allows you to focus on the essential: self-reflection, memories, and feelings. Most of the time, each story and episode leaves behind a bittersweet mood, where you smile during the credits while tears dry on your cheeks.
The characters feel alive and evolving, memories are precious drops of time and emotions are the driving force. The incredible animation combines beautiful and ... expressive scenes, along with delightful music reminiscent of Irish style. All that combined enhances the series beyond expectations.

It's a kind and warm show that even conflicts portrays in a very positive light, making you smile as you observe the process and shed tears of endearment at the resolutions.

Also there are action scenes, but show mainly focuses on everything but, making those scenes momentary distraction with amazing music and animation, allowing you to feel proud for the character or understand them better.

I've watched numerous anime, and many of them are rated 10. However, until now, I never felt the urge to write a review because even those rated 10 had something that bothered me too much.

And it's precisely the absence of that feeling that compelled me to write about Frieren here on MAL. First of all, if you haven't watched it yet, they released 3 episodes on the first day of its premiere, and these were quite important.

Frieren's pace is slow and spaced out, be aware of that. When I started watching, I knew nothing about it—no trailers, manga, reviews, etc. I only knew it was ... about an elf. So, watching the initial episodes, the way they unfold gives the impression that there won't be any actual battles or action.

But that's the author's storytelling style, and it makes sense. She's an elf who has lived for millennia. Why would she hurry? Anyway, I highly recommend you watch it if you enjoy high medieval fantasy.

The only criticism I will make here is the lack of a more striking soundtrack.I'm not saying the soundtrack is bad, but it's not like Naruto and Nanatsu no Taizai, which, for me at least, are the best anime soundtracks I've ever watched.

As of the writing of this review, this anime is rated #1 on MAL, although I doubt the FMA-B fans will let that stand for long :P

Now, is this "the best anime ever"? Probably not for a lot of people.
What this anime is however, is something that stands out far above the crowd. One of those series that you will watch and think back on fondly several years later. One of the series that just stays with you.

It's beautifully presented, and, unlike the dime-a-dozen power-fantasy isekai that get pumped-out more and more each year, this anime side-lines the combat and tropes in favour of pure ... world-building and character development; If anything, to me at least, the closest comparison to another anime I can think of is Mushoku Tensei.

The main plot of the story, without spoilers, is about our MC, the elven mage Frieren, opening up to forming relationships with humans; As an extremely long-lived species, a human life to her is barely even noticeable. After completing the "hero's quest", she travels the ever-changing world, while she herself remains a constant. With the help of some new companions, she finally starts to open up and explore her "humanity".

Some might well find this premise and indeed the plot boring, but the presentation, writing and just general atmosphere of this anime is something everyone should experience.

It really is a masterpiece - 10/10.