Sousou no Frieren

Objectively a 8 (On a 1-8 scale, anything higher has to include a degree of personal enjoyment for me), personally for me it's a 4. It's a mixture of my not understanding, my not resonating with, and some genuine detractors. Praise: Animation, Art, Ost are executed perfectly, no flaws in what it's trying to present. It just doesn't it adds too much to the presentation either. An apt comparison would be drawing photorealistic pictures of things, definitely requires skill, but doesn't add much of a personal flair. No major issues with the story, the dialogue was realistic, I'm sure if a fantasy world like Frieren actually did exist it would be basically identical (except for that one thing I mention in the detractor section). It's very life-like and real. I also adore the first two episodes, the themes are also extremely well executed. Understanding: I don't get the praise for the setting, characters, or worldbuilding, the power system isn't full of holes like many other shows but it's boring, it has an existent fantasy setting but it's boring, it has realistic characters interactions but it's boring. Like, it doesn't do anything really that sets itself apart from any other show. They're all fine but just very inoffensive, realism is good to an extent, but too much and it's just not a story anymore. A second gripe is that this show is not about a stoic emotionless girl learning to feel things like Violet Evergarden, that theme was only present in the first couple of episodes before the journey with Fern started, and then Frieren's personal character never progressed again as she became a more mentor-like figure. After the jouney starts it becomes a very basic slice of life / shounen with episodic plots except for the second theme it presents, the passage of time. Resonate: I do not resonate at all with the passage of time theme. I'm not very old, I don't think very many people who watch this anime are very old. I don't know what it's like to be immortal and have zero personal situations that are analogous or frankly any interest in it. Unfortunately with the flashbacks and a lot of the interactions after the journey starts, I think this is where I was supposed to get most of my deeper connection to the show had I actually cared about it; this probably took the biggest chunk of my enjoyment out of the show, with nothing else to really carry it since the comedy, dialogue, or character development weren't emphasized enough to replace it (These elements are fine to me by the way, a lot of typical story elements are completely fine). Some minor themes like Stark's insecurity or the implications of taking a life were interesting enough to keep me going. Detractors: Every character acts like Frieren. I mean I get it, stoicism is cool, but my god I'm pretty sure if every single character in the show had their arm sliced off, they would look at the stump on their arm for a couple seconds then look back with a marginally more serious expression. This is genuinely takes away from the realism it masterfully presents otherwise. Final thoughts: I actually originally intended this review to be a Violet Evergarden shilling session since I think they're very similar shows, but I actually had more thoughts on Frieren than I thought. That being said, if you just finished Frieren and you love it, more power to you, sorry I don't share your opinion, but you should definitely watch Violet Evergarden if you haven't already 👍.

=====TL;DR===== STORY (Review adjusted based on show length) Complexity: 3 World-Building: 6 Pace: 2 Direction: 4 CHARACTERS (Review adjusted based on show length) Quantity vs Quality Ratio: 6 Development: 5 Depth: 4 Art, Animation & Music (Review adjusted based on air date) Art Style: 9 Art Quality: 8 Animation Quality: 8 Soundtrack & SFX Quality: 8 ENJOYMENT LEVEL 6/10 =====Introduction===== I'm aware that sometimes MAL scores can be overrated, but man that was underwhelming. I don't get what makes it so popular or rated that high. We're talking about No.1 of all time! Surely there should be some redeeming qualities, right? RIGHT? NO! There are so many issues with this series that I had to force myself to finish it and not drop it, in case I missed some incredible story arc. And there was NONE! I thought that many recent mediocre anime releases were subject to unnecessary hype, and it's nice to see that I'm vindicated in my belief. Sousou no Frieren is the culmination of everything wrong with modern anime. =====Story===== 4/10 The story is easily this anime's weakest point. Though, the core idea is not bad at all. Having a plot revolving around the aftermath of a hero's journey, looking back at those moments in a new light as Frieren travels with her new companions. It's not a style done too often. But it's not because no one's thought of that or because it's incredibly complex, but because it makes the core story boring. And it shows its weakness here. There are no noteworthy intense high-stakes action scenes. Especially scenes that generate a sense of thrill since it's established that Frieren is unbelievably OP. There is no drama present, which would've been nice since it's a slower slice-of-life-ish-styled show. But the worst of all is, there are no mind games or any form of 'clever outplay'. Every encounter in the show is as straightforward as it gets. There are no 'big brain' moments or anything that makes you go, 'Woah....that's so smart!'. There is nothing noteworthy at stake since the era is peaceful, and at most, it's a random town. Why would the viewer give two fucks about a random town anyway? So tell me, what on earth does it have? Nothing! Just pure sentimentality as they go from one place to another. Everywhere they go it's always, 'Oh, we visited this place when I came with Himmel.' Nice, did you guys fight some big monster? Did you guys have a hard time? 'No, we did some chores and ate some food.' There are barely any fighting scenes of the previous journey, which makes it more like they went on a long vacation together instead. And every single episode is filled with backstories and events of the past, way too much of it. It doesn't even have world-building significance, and events are built up as they go on the journey without any foreboding. For example, a town referenced in ep 15 won't be referenced again or referenced earlier. The foundation for the whole journey is weak as well, I forgot their purpose for it midway through the series. One of the most criminal things is the fact that this show has 28 episodes. All the runtime is ABSOLUTELY WASTED on some random chores and meaningless sentimental drivel. The pacing is the worst I've seen in a long time. =====Characters===== 5/10 A lot of people had issues with Frieren herself, for being bland and calling her a waifu bait. I don't mind having a plain & straightforward protagonist so long as the story compensates for it. A good example would be Mushishi. But having plain characters and a weak story is just a horrible combination. Another issue is how sort of similar Fern & Frieren are. Both are characters that don't talk much & while Fern is more meticulous, the difference is only seen in times of 'comedic relief' (which is a literal joke on its own, since I guess acting like children constitutes that). Stark is decent, but many times he's put to the side, especially near the end of the season where he barely has anything to contribute and any screentime. I found Himmel & the previous members the most annoying, particularly because they don't seem to want to let go of their dumb archetypes. Himmel acting like Jesus wherever he goes, gets old and annoying really quickly. And they don't have any qualms about shoving his gracefulness down your throat either. Why not make it realistic and make it seem like he had a dark secret or a weakness, no he is Jesus and you have to accept it. The characters are not only shallow, but they don't change over time either. They work hard to keep up with the archetypes they are given. =====Art, animation & sound===== 8/10 The art style, art quality, and animation are genuinely good. The little action scenes that it had were brilliantly animated. The colors are very vivid. The soundtrack matched the fantasy vibe that the show was going for. But guess what? Putting fresh paint over a Kia and a change of wheels doesn't make it a Rolls Royce. All this is garnish for what is, a weak Entree. But credit goes where it's due, this section was really good. Especially the spells, the sound, and the colors were so good, I wish it had more action sequences solely due to that. Sometimes I wish older shows were this good, combined with their amazing stories. Man, they'd be unforgettable. But sadly, that isn't the case. =====Reasons NOT to watch===== Anybody who watches this and genuinely likes it is just weak in my opinion. As I said previously, this show has no drama, not many action scenes, definitely no high stakes or thrill, and no mind games. Hence, I can only conclude that anybody who likes this just wants to watch some OP protagonist oneshot everything and everyone and dominate everything while occasionally being quirky for the camera. Oh, I don't want a complex plot since I don't have the brains to understand it. Oh, I don't want drama, since I don't have the heart to bear it. Oh, I don't want mind games, since I can't think too much. Great! Soon I can't wait to witness car driving tutorials & airplane instructions anime to be the top anime in the next four years. =====Overall===== 6/10 BOREDOM. Exemplified. I hope we don't see more of these generic af mindless anime. Seems like both the creators & the audience don't want to use their brains these days. Sad to see the disrespect to all the cult classics by rating this mediocre garbage above them all.

I'll be honest wasn't planning on doing a review for this series since everybody online has practically said everything about how great it is, How good the characters are, How great animation is ect, I won't because there's probably nothing unique I can say about it if I'm being honest with myself, But what I will say without giving any spoilers is that I've seen many shows where there's at least one episode I find dull, boring or just bad, There isn't a single bad episode in the 28 here, Frieren (At least this season if they even do a second one) will go down in history as one of the greatest anime ever I rank this a 10/10

The anime is all over the place - the first half is okay, there are some interesting plot pieces, some character building. But the second half drops the ball of the entire anime. It is bad on all aspects - the pacing just drops to a halt, all the characters developed are third grade at best (dang, even Stark, who is supposedly one of main characters, feels second-grade support character), the plot focuses on some completely unimportant bureaucratic thing (compared to how everything is presented unimportant on Frieren's time scale). Can't say there is a goal or a central idea in the entire anime thus far.

Frieren… I wish I had enjoyed this anime as much as other people have, unfortunately I found it extremely boring and dull, especially for an anime that has a rating of 9.3/10. Most of the characters don’t really stand out since they are very uninteresting, besides from Himmel and Heiter (who didn’t get much screen time) and Stark. The first class mage exam arc seemed like a change of air. However, although many new characters were introduced, I found it disappointing that they were written very poorly and had similar personalities; most of them were arrogant and underestimated their opponents, while many others used cunning techniques to reach their objective, which seemed very predictable and unoriginal. (Although some of them did have good character development in the last couple of episodes.) One of the main topics of the anime is the feeling of regret, going as far as embarking on a journey to heaven so she could possibly meet Himmel again. I do agree that the main character has some character development throughout the anime, but the way she portrays her feelings of regret could have been expressed less subtly. I can think of many anime that do a better job at portraying regret and how they dealt with it. I do want to point out that I liked the ending though and I understand the themes they were trying to convey. I just wish they had done it a different way. I can see the reason why this anime has been acclaimed, but I find it difficult to understand how it is the highest rated anime and why so many people consider it a masterpiece. I usually rate most of the anime I’ve watched positively even if it’s not my cup of tea, that’s the reason why I’m rating it a 5/10. I would recommend you guys watch the first couple of episodes and if you find them boring I’ll suggest dropping it, because it doesn’t change much from then on.

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.

Okay if you do not like slice of life & calm category then this anime is not for you. I'll share my insights through pros & cons: PROS: 1. The animation is very good. The world building is good. Scenery & drawing are so good it can make a non anime watcher watch it. 2. Story telling in a way you would understand everything is also good. 3. It can help you relax. 4. Characters are unique & you feel emotions for them. CONS: 1. Mostly the main characters are quiet & they don't speak or express much which can be frustrating. One character can be like that but here you have 2 MC (Frieren & Fern)_ who don't speak 90% of the time; of which one doesn't have emotions because she is an elf & their kind doesn't procreate or anything. 2. Most of the main story is happening in past!! This is the main issue. Whatever story is being narrated is of people who don't have much to do with current story- one of them is dead, another is irrelevant & third one is somewhat relevant. Its all Frieren thinking about past. So it feels all like- why should I be invested in the past? The story is convincing but irrelevant. 3. Frieren is the main hero & she can do anything. There's less challenge.

If you like the snow in the winter, the way the environment sounds deadened and quiet, the way it's cozy inside and freezing outside, and you find a blizzard beautiful, watch this anime in the autumn/winter. I spent a winter in Minnesota, and that was my favorite part of the place. This anime really made me miss it greatly. If you just want to feel sentimental, watch this anime. I'm not saying much about the anime itself because it is excellent and I believe its impact of memes speaks for itself. Everybody should watch this anime at some point. However, if you love the snow, and want to feel sentimental, watch this in the winter, and it is elevated. A magical experience. The characters are great. The pacing is relaxing, the sound design is excellent, and so is the music. It is almost Tolkien-esque in the sense you get of times gone by.

This review contains very mild spoilers. What do you expect from an anime? What makes it great and valuable for you? Is it the well-thought-out and developed characters? Is it a well-narrated story? Or maybe it’s just the atmosphere? Perhaps it’s none of those things, and you just want to watch an anime that lacks them. But hey, at least she tries to get a magic license to make up for it! I can say that there are a lot of overrated shows on this site, but this might be the most overrated one as I write this review. The main structure of this show is basically a shounen. When I first heard about this anime, I wasn’t very hyped, but I thought it might bring something different to the genre. To some extent, you could say that it does. Unlike some others, this one has a different approach, at least at the beginning, to the whole premise. Although Frieren is a hero, she isn’t introduced as your stereotypical “I swung this sword so much that now I’m an edgelord” character. Which she eventually turns out to be, but it was fun while it lasted. Anyway, the main idea of the anime is to tell a story about Frieren’s emotional growth while pumping out as many unnecessary characters as possible to lengthen the story, with no real narrative for that growth. Do we really need a whole arc about the mage license for Frieren and Fern? Do we need a backstory for a random rich mage wannabe? Are we really that low on ideas? If you can’t create an interesting plot point, why are you stretching the story with ideas that lead nowhere or lack depth? You already have a compelling plot point with Frieren and her entire arc. This is a common problem in shounen anime, and unfortunately, Frieren is no exception. Another common issue in shounen anime is tonal dissonance in the narrative. Often, even in pivotal moments, writers don’t hesitate to insert jokes, which can create a tonal shuffle that undermines emotional impact. This still holds true for Frieren. If you’re trying to create a calming, methodical atmosphere but keep cracking jokes about Stark being a pervert, sure, you might get some laughs, but you’re also undermining the show’s potential. If you constantly rely on this kind of writing, it can become irritating, as viewers want a cohesive emotional experience throughout the show. As for the characters, most of them are… well, shounen. However, we can discuss Fern and Frieren. Frieren is an unorthodox character for the genre, and I like her concept. She is a calm knowledge seeker who loves her books and plants. However, having her act like a child for laughs can be tiresome, and when you consider her age, it sometimes feels like I’m watching a child grow up through the story, which she kind of is. But starting her arc from such a low point and only revealing backstories when necessary, like with every Himmel flashback, why is she understanding all this just now sometimes I wonder? Did she really need to adopt an apprentice to figure it out? As for Fern, she’s the best character in the show so far. While the show isn’t finished, I appreciate her journey and growth. The rest of the characters mostly serve as plot points, and it’s unnecessary to go through each one. Regarding the art and music, I like the aesthetic of the show: wands, clothes, swords... I enjoy it. It isn’t a cinematographic masterpiece, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s good as it is. I don’t have a strong memory of the music, and of course, we’re not listening to Bach, but it fits the scenes well. When the show is serious, it’s serious; when it’s goofy, it’s goofy. As I write this, the show’s MAL score is 9.33, and it has held the number 1 spot for some time now. So, is it the greatest show of all time? No, it is not. From the same genre, there’s Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, which is a stellar show. Even though it wouldn’t be my number 1, I could totally understand if it held that spot forever since it would rightly deserve it. But I just can’t wrap my head around this one. It’s not a bad show; I’ve mostly written a negative review, but it is a passable show. It has its fun moments and doesn’t require much from the viewer. However, that alone doesn’t make it a masterpiece, at least not for me.

This is a very good anime, and there is a reason that a lot of people have enjoyed it. However, I've found that the more hyped-up an anime is, the more likely it can be for people to be disappointed when it doesn't meet the hyped-up expectations. So I'm going to try and review it without hype. This is a story in a fantasy setting. There is less action in this anime than you would expect from a fantasy story. Although it is there, I would describe this anime as more slow-paced, almost slice-of-life. It has a strong focus on the characters. It has a strong focus on the relationships between the characters. It has a strong focus on why relationships are important, on why you should cherish the people in your life. The fantasy is just the setting, not the actual focus of the story. If you are a person who really enjoys action, for the most part I think you will be disappointed with this anime. The art is beautiful. For that alone, this anime is worth a watch, in my opinion. The music is pretty good, and it fits nicely with the feel of the art and the anime as a whole. Ultimately, I think this anime has an interesting take on life and finding meaning in life, and I think it's worth it to give it a watch. I loved it, but it had to grow on me a bit at first. If you like fantasy, I think you should go for it. At the very least, it isn't another generic isekai.

Violet Evergarden meets Spice and Wolf meets Sword Art Online Disclaimer: This is my first review, even though I've been watching anime since I was a little kid (more than 25 years now). If you quickly peek at my list, you will find that I tend to prefer serious themes, more substance than action—things many people might find boring and/or old school. With that being said, off to the review. First, the good stuff. The animation and music are both great—mature, relaxed, and flowing. It's a colorful world, living and breathing, full of people, creatures, plants, and so on. Some people say that the lore is irrelevant to the plot, and to some extent, it is, but it serves the main goal of retracing Frieren's journey and reflecting on her memories and feelings in a new way. I didn't find the plot boring or slow-paced; my favorite anime is Monster, after all. Character interactions are well-depicted and serve the purpose of the main story. Last but not least, there are some really cool battle scenes and a few funny moments here and there as well. Now, about the things I don't like. To me, this anime exploits the same concepts as the critically acclaimed Violet Evergarden but falls short in many places. Violet brought me to tears with almost every episode, while Frieren managed to only touch the surface on many issues, such as the true meaning of life, friendship, love, and the fleeting passage of time from the perspective of a creature who lives thousands of years. Frieren's quest to understand humans is analogous to Violet's quest to understand her feelings and emotions. The trouble is that all the plot devices in Frieren are very naive and shallow. They are repeated almost every episode and tend to be emotionally manipulative, but after a couple of episodes, they (unsurprisingly) don't work anymore. Frieren is a good anime; it's a feel-good story that's quite enjoyable to consume. It's just not very original and sometimes too obvious with the plot and too emotionally manipulative in a way that lacks subtlety. There are much better series out there exploring the same subjects and ideas. I'm giving this one a solid 7, but I cannot fathom how and why this anime sits at the top of the MAL chart.

tL;dR This felt about as underwhelming as when the hype train told me Dr. Stone was a good anime. Obviously less so, but I expected so much more seeing how high the score was. It's pretty slow at first, but tbh the relative passage of time is the plot so its necessary. I look forward to future seasons building on what's here tho. The demons are handled really well, and if you play dnd think of a charismatic wizard whose whole subclass revolves around one lvl 3-6 spell. Epic. **the bad ...I was so bored at the beginning I actually switched to the dub for once so I could multitask** I don't really write reviews, but it must be said. Where is all the hype for this anime coming from? I'm not saying its bad, but its nowhere near a 9. I'm not a Full Metal Alchemist-stan, but I have no idea how this of all the recent anime I've watched knocked it off it's #1 pedestal. It's vibe doesn't have gravitas like a samurai champloo. From zero to Ghibli, the animation is decent, but nothing to write home about. I may have been spoiled on fight scenes having just watched Hell's Paradise before it, but there was much to be desired as the mage on mage fighting isn't until the final few episodes, the most difficult foe (the rank 1 mage) is basically skipped, and the melee combat is as brief as a flash in the pan, otherwise it was pretty one note spell wise. I was coming into this expecting massive character growth to rival Vegeta's entire arc (from planet conqueror to stay at home dad), and while this anime is still young, all I really got here was regrets from an elf's perspective while trying to improve, a much less obnoxious Zenitsu with an Axe, and a modest purple haired girl (guess they're different in Japan than USA). Like yeah, the story reveals more about their backstories overtime, but that's not 'growth'. And before you say it, a character telling you "I use to use flashy spells" the first time they're seen fighting seriously isn't growth either. Look I get it, she's trying to relate to human's within their lifespans better, growth? yes. On the level of a power hungry Vegeta becomes a pink shirt wearing dad? not even close. **the good ...these were pretty freaking great tho, gotta be honest** And I want to be clear... see I even spaced this out, I did like it. My favorite parts of this anime, were how well they captured the passage of time from a 15k yr elf's pov compared to humans, and the time skips/age ups really drive home how one could refer to a 10 yr adventure as "mere". The other best part about this anime is, from a DnD perspective, how interesting the demons are portrayed. I don't want to spoil anything, but probably the best i've ever seen in any media, and well worth the watch by themselves. The way they differ in magic from mages is genius, and their manor of speaking stays true to form. If you play DnD I highly suggest adopting them into your GM style. That said, there was zero build up for either the blond guy or the pink haired girl. Their meaningfulness would have benefited tremendously from an extra episode beforehand. Instead, its just like straight to the battle of gohan vs cell, and I mean right to perfect cell, no creepy time traveling blood sucking menacing bug buildup or "omg we don't have goku for this" -kind of rushed. Voice acting (dub) was also great. If this series really takes off and I rewatch it I could see me giving it an 8.

Frieren is an extremely beautifully crafted anime that is made of love, passion, heart and soul poured into every frame. I would like to go on a little tangent before I delve into my full thoughts on Frieren. From the epic narratives of Vinland Saga S2 and Jujutsu Kaisen S2 to the enchanting worlds & mysteries of The Apothecary Diaries and Heavenly Delusion, this year has been a testament to the diverse and evolving landscape of anime. Every anime resonates differently to different demographic of audience or audiences with different life experiences and background. Therefore, there's no such thing as an objectively best anime of all time - even if technically it is flawless. It won't matter if it doesn't connect with an individual on an emotional level. What is important is that we all celebrate the beauty & joy that anime has brought to the community regardless of what anime you think is the best. MAL rankings should not be a compass for what anime connects best for every individual, and that we continue to explore hidden gems in hopes of finding our own personal best anime. That being said, Frieren is possibly one my favorite anime of all time, and definitely in my top 5. This anime weaves a narrative that is as visually stunning as it is emotionally resonant, encapsulating a nearly flawless execution of plot, dialogue, character design, art, cinematography, voice acting and music. The thematic depth of the series, with its contemplation on time, regret, loss, and the human condition, mirrors the innermost reflections of an audience that has navigated the complexities of life. Its uncanny ability to forge profound connections with characters, sometimes in mere moments of screen time, and to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. The search for a flower, the act of gift-giving, the remembrance of a favorite meal, or the shared experience of a sunset – all are rendered with a depth of emotion that is both beautiful and poignant. The series achieves a rare balance, making each character, whether protagonist or antagonist, memorable and empathetic. The transformative power of this anime has been acknowledged even by those who initially underestimated its impact. Prominent voices within the anime community, such as the notable OG anime YouTuber Gigguk, have evolved from skepticism to acclaim, recognizing Frieren not just as a top contender but as a life-altering experience. This shift underscores the anime's capacity to touch deeply upon universal themes, offering lessons on the preciousness of time and the value of relationships For fans of deep fantasy that skillfully intertwines action, drama, and comedy - this anime presents a narrative richness akin to the epic sagas of literature. Its well-crafted plot, engaging characters, and soul-stirring soundtrack are likely to resonate with a wide audience, bringing a sense of joy and reflection. It has a poignant reminder of the fleeting nature of existence and the enduring power of connection. I highly recommend this anime and I hope that for those that decides to watch it, this anime brings as much joy and contemplation to you as it has to me, serving as a cherished journey into the realm of beautiful storytelling.

Before starting to watch "Sousou no Frieren", what caught my attention was the high mean ranking of this show and the many praises coming from a lot of people, praising its mature themes, profound message, and melancholic atmosphere. Knowing how the so-called anime community tends to strongly overexaggerate a lot of things, especially when a lot of anime enjoyers overhype or overhate a show, I decided to give it a try anyway, thinking it may actually be a good one this time. Now I can say that once again, it was unwise to believe the general anime audience. At least when the word "masterpiece" was mentioned. This review is free from spoilers. It is long and can be confusing at times, but I advise to read it till the end. By doing so, most of doubts should go away. I hope they will, anyway. ;) Starting by listing the negative aspects of this series, I need to address the aforementioned themes. Basically, mature themes are almost non-existent, which is understandable, because this series' demographic is marked as shounen. But a profound message? Where? I can see the dedicated audience seeing it, as the whole main idea for this story is to make its core centered around the effects of time passing and the world changing over time. But adults? Are a lot of adult people watching this anime and heavily praising its "profound message" really that immature and emotionally oblivious to be shocked that people die, if not by a sickness or unfortunate event, then by old age, and that it's important to cherish the time spent with them? That's just life, basic element of life, in fact. Sure, the story starts with Frieren, a thousand years old elf, finding out that humans can get old and die (!!!), and that she needs to learn more about them... only to dip and leave her old friends behind and just do whatever stuff she has been doing all the time. Wow, truly a melancholic moment of all time, eh? That being said, themes are not the only things offered by this show. What it offers is a generic fantasy adventure with a party consisting of powerful, naturally talented individuals. They travel to reach a distant point sometime that is placed somewhere and marks the end of their adventure. That's all. Nothing more, nothing less. I'm not a fan of this kind of concepts, but I won't call the premise bad per se, because it's not. Does "Sousou no Frieren" succeed in being a show featuring such a main theme? Yes, but nothing more, nothing less. Adventure-heavy story with storytelling fitting the shounen demographics, to which "Sousou no Frieren" belongs. With a lot of generic, repetitive moments meant to be funny, but easily becoming funny after a while (feetservice, certain jokes). Speaking about repetitiveness, what is also repetitive is this show's flow, making most of episodes seem really similar to each other. I didn't like it myself, but I won't consider it as a technical con, because it is a matter of preference and many people may enjoy that kind of anime structure. Some may say it's a character-driven series. It struggles to be one, but for anything that's character-driven, you need to have characters that are actually interesting with decent amount of complexity. Unfortunately, "Sousou no Frieren" lacks that kind of characters. They are just bland, especially the main character, Frieren. She's dull and hollow, being portrayed almost as if she was an elvish version of Mary Sue. Clumsy Mary Sue, who, despite being 1000 years old, has found out that humans actually die faster than elves. What about her friends? They are mediocre. As cliched as they may be, but not to the point of being visibly bad. Their dynamics are something I'd call fine, but not great by any means. Tonal changes, switching way too often, make the first episodes really messy. More serious tone of eps. 1-4, more lighthearted ep. 5, then switch to "moe humor" with certain degree of lewdness intertwining more serious moments in ep. 6. I don't mind having storytelling variety. It's mostly welcome. In Frieren anime's case, however, it resembles more like a messy storytelling trying to fit as much stuff into the story as it is possible, without looking at the overall consistency, or even if cartain themes perhaps wouldn't be better to not be included in the show out of the blue. Direction is good in general, but so what, when so many elements meant to support it fail to be supportive and drag its quality down with them? That's why, please, do not get fooled by various comments praising this show for the aforementioned elements. They are present, they have their role and at times that role is important, but they are not the dominant aspects of this show, or its essential elements. They are there as mere pieces forming the bigger picture, which is this series as a whole. And what's so good about "Sousou no Frieren" that many people fell in love with it? If we exclude overexaggerated things listed above, or structural problems at the beginning of this series, we can actually find a lot of positive things. First of all, it's a very solid shounen. It mixes a lot of themes in a pleasant way, without overwhelming the viewers, and gradually exposing them to what is happening in the story. The pacing is also good, as it finds the balance between slower, more static scenes, and faster, more dynamic ones. Some people might point out that the show is slow. Well, it's not an action-centered shounen, that's for sure. However, it has more flashy, action-packed moments, filled to the brim with sakuga animation. They blend into the rest of the show in a great way, naturally intertwining slower scenes. They also appear at the right moments, in right time, and with the right intensity. This show is heavily carried by its audiovisual side. Beautifully drawn backgrounds, really well animated, both slower and faster-paced scenes, fitting soundtrack... While it's not enough to make up for absolutely all the cons, it can't be denied that Madhouse did a wonderful job and succeeded in making a great looking animated series. Story and characters are only parts of an animated show. Its core, in most cases, always lies in the audiovisuals and their quality. In this aspect, "Sousou no Frieren" is a very good and polished show. One more thing about character designs: arguably, one could say the character designs are a mixed bag. While I agree they are too moe at times, they are alright. Except for Frieren's ears being too big, even going by the elvish beauty standards in the anime, but that's just me. I feel this anime is worth checking out, just to see with your own eyes and judge for yourself whether that kind of entertainment fits your preferences. As for me, I had fun. Most of episodes were really fun to watch in every aspect. Even so, it would be unfair to write a review and not mention things that, in my humble opinion, were not as good as the others. I think that the tonal change in the storytelling, happening after the sixth episode, may be a disappointing turn of events for one type of viewers, or something actually improving the show for the other. There are also anime enjoyers who just won't care about it, since tonal changes are one thing, and pretty much the same storytelling is another. I can't tell how you, dear reviewer, will feel about it. But the fact that something like this can be easily noticed made me start treating it as one of the crucial elements to focus on while writing this show's review. I'd find it awkward to not go with "Mixed Feelings" option when talking about any anime that needs several episodes to finally find its way and continue to be like this till the end of the season. To be clear, it's not the case of a slow-burner anime. If it was, I wouldn't be complaining about it. It's more about seeing an animated series struggling for several episodes to find its own identity. And going back to what I was talking about in this paragraph before, I'd definitely feel bad if I said that "Sousou no…

I was told to watch this show by a friend. I kept stalling and delaying I even watched an episode and thought it wasn’t for me. One afternoon I picked up the show once again, thinking it wouldn’t be any good and I was blown away. This has to be one of my favorite shows ever, as a long anime fan who’s been watching anime for over 15 years ever since I’ve been alive. There is literally no words that describe this masterpiece (words incoming) First off the characters are some of the best characters I’ve seen in story writing. The idea that dives into I kept stalling and delaying I even watched an episode and thought it wasn’t for me. One afternoon I picked up Frieren once again, thinking it wouldn’t be any good and I was blown away. This has to be one of my favorite shows ever, as a long anime fan who’s been watching anime for over 15 years ever since I’ve been alive. There is literally no words that describe this masterpiece (words incoming) First off the characters are some of the best characters I’ve seen in story writing. The idea that dives into Frieren's complex of living for 2000 years and seeing everybody that she associates with dying and she having a sort of apathy at the beginning of the show yet this blossoms into a deep relation with many of her teammates before meeting Fern and Stark which she dwells on and the constant lessons she learns from her teammates who have died into the past as she learns to live those lessons when she’s with Fern and Stark. This show easily has some of the best character writing I’ve seen in anime. I mean, even the side characters have extremely deep complexes and stories of their own. As I sat and watched, the lessons or something that you can contemplate while you’re watching are amazingly deep and insightful. The idea of having someone who lives for so long to see everybody that she cared about die really puts into perspective how short life is for people and to enjoy and live the moment. I’ve never had an anime where I’ve sat down and actually deeply thought about the stories and characters in my own life. But this anime does this and even more. If you do not have a short attention, span, and care about meaningful stories did this show is for you. If you care about a show bringing you and to a beautiful story that encapsulates everything about human life and the lessons that we learn. This show is not for people who have short attention spans. This show is not for people who don’t really put any second thought in anything this show is not for people who don’t appreciate great story telling. My words for anybody who’s thinking about picking this up is that do not do what I did and keep waiting on it. Take this show up and watch it all the way through. You will not regret watching this show. My only criticisms of the show is genuinely that there isn’t enough. I do believe that a couple of the characters like Stark, for example, needs to be developed more than he already is. And I think this is just due to how short yet how much it conveys, this show in the best possible way feels like 100 episodes because of how amazing and how in depth, the characters that we see development change and I really think that within 28 episodes and how much it really delve into that this is nothing short than a masterpiece. In the next season, I would love to see the magic system, be more developed and see the extent of it i’m very excited to see what’s more for this show. If you haven’t watched this show, this is your sign. complex of living for 2000 years and seeing everybody that she associates with dying and she having a sort of apathy at the beginning of the show yet this blossoms into a deep relation with many of her teammates before meeting Fern and Stark which she dwells on and the constant lessons she learns from her teammates who have died into the past as she learns to live those lessons when she’s with Fern and Stark. Frieren easily has some of the best character writing I’ve seen in anime. I mean, even the side characters have extremely deep complexes and stories of their own. As I sat and watched, the lessons or something that you can contemplate while you’re watching are amazingly deep and insightful. The idea of having someone who lives for so long to see everybody that she cared about die really puts into perspective how short life is for people and to enjoy and live the moment. I’ve never had an anime where I’ve sat down and actually deeply thought about the stories and characters in my own life. But this anime does this and even more. If you do not have a short attention span, and care about meaningful stories this show is for you. If you care about a show bringing you to a beautiful story that encapsulates everything about human life and the lessons that we learn this show is for you. This show is not for people who have short attention spans. This show is not for people who don’t really put any second thought in anything. this show is not for people who don’t appreciate great story telling. My words for anybody who’s thinking about picking this up is that do not do what I did and keep waiting on it. Take this show up and watch it all the way through. You will not regret watching this show. My only criticisms of the show is genuinely that there isn’t enough. I do believe that a couple of the characters like Stark, for example, needs to be developed more than he already is. And I think this is just due to how short yet how much it conveys, this show in the best possible way feels like 100 episodes because of how amazing and how in depth, the characters that we see development change and I really think that within 28 episodes and how much it really delve into that this is nothing short than a masterpiece. In the next season, I would love to see the magic system be more developed and see the extent of it i’m very excited to see what’s more for this show. If you haven’t watched this show, this is your sign.

The first episode made me think it was really slow and sad so I dropped it... but I'm glad I picked it up later to finish it. Kind of a slice of life, kind of a combat story, but somehow these two are perfectly blended together to create a masterpiece. The animation is top tier, the story is not generic at all and at times surprised me by not being typical and ohh the characters ARE SO BEAUTIFUL. Excited to see more of this animation, it left me feeling good and intrigued and wanting to know more about this world.

"Frieren: Beyond Journey's End" Storyline & Concept: "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End" refreshes the fantasy genre at its best, focusing not on the great adventure itself, but rather on what happens afterward. Instead of a hero's journey plot, it deals with what takes place after the "happy ending," something totally new in a genre of action and high-staked conflict. The idea of immortality, time, and regret is actually intellectually and emotionally luring. The core theme of how an immortal perceives time and relationships, different from mortals, is treated with extreme depth. Frieren learns bit by bit the value of life in humans and their memories-a thing with which everyone in this world identifies. This reflective journey into themes such as grief, memory, and legacies increases on a much grander scale than typical fantasy fare and is, other than for mere entertainment, rated upon reflection on what it is to live and connect with people. Character Development: One of the strong points of Frieren would be the deeply layered and methodical character development. Obviously, Frieren herself is quite an emotionally deep character at the center of it all. Her emotions have been numbed with her immortality, and the series pulls that apart so wonderfully-the things she realizes over time that she has lost. Really well-paced and realistic; nothing of her change feels rushed or unnatural. Other supporting characters, past and present, give an emotional balance and serve as a mirror to the growth of Frieren. The heart-touching flashbacks with old companions, especially Himmel, are really revealing about the initially emotionless Frieren. Characters like Fern, whom Frieren mentors, add a new dimension to her character by helping her to face up to the responsibility of passing on knowledge and memories, things she once handled so lightly. Every single one of them has great depth, and none feel any more similar to a humble archetype. They're fully fleshed-out people whom their relationships with Frieren drive home the core themes of the show well in that character development for him comes from other people as much as introspection does. Direction: Director Keiichirō Saitō deserves enormous credit for the sensitive and measured way he approaches this adaptation. He eschews the usual bombast of fantasy anime by having the story retain subtle emotional beats, intimate moments, and inner worlds. The pace is considered slow but altogether deliberate, echoing Frieren's subjective experience of time. Saitō attends to the narrative in such expert ways that the viewer is never overwhelmed with exposition or action where one might simply be allowed to join their meditation with that of the protagonist. The result is that his direction makes this world of Frieren so lived in and genuine, while every frame gives service to the overall emotional arc of the story. In his hands, melodrama is eschewed for an ever-delicate counterpoint between melancholy and quiet optimism. Visuals & Animation: Objectively speaking, the animation is really high quality, with Madhouse Studios paying almost unparalleled attention to detail. This is an extremely beautiful world visually. The backgrounds are well-drawn to be somewhat somber, giving a feel of desolation and expanse which captures the overall story pretty well. Landscapes add to the tone of emotion within this world, alive and ever-changing, while Frieren herself does not change. In an action scene, though rare, the fluidity of animation is great, really proving that the series can deliver dynamic sequences if called upon. More importantly, those subtler moments-the rustling of wind through trees, the quiet reflection of a character, and the time-of-year changes-are so well-animated that they leave their mark. It's in these tiny details that the world of Frieren acquires its peculiar atmospheric beauty, giving way to a reflective induction into the ineluctable gradual passage of time. Pacing & Tone: The slow pacing is intentional and works for the themes of the narrative. At no point does Frieren rush through any plot point, which indeed takes the feel of the protagonist's perception of time-a very slow process-as an immortal. The pace might be described as leisurely, but it captures the feel of the story, one that's about reflection and growth. The pacing allows viewers to absorb not just the plot, but the emotions and philosophical questions posed by the characters. Besides, the tone is melancholic but at the same time hopeful. Frieren's journey is tinged with silent sorrow; it is only afterward that she realizes just how deep the emotion inside her previous companions was. In building new relationships and learning to cherish the transient beauties of life, the story is full of warmth. The delicate balance in this series, between sorrow and joy, gives it emotional complexity to be anything but a simple fantasy; instead, it's a profound meditation on the human condition. Music & Composition: The music by Composer Evan Call elevates Frieren to a whole different dimension of emotional storytelling. The full soundtrack captures that almost reflective, melancholic beat of the series, with soft orchestral pieces, fragile strings, and piano melodies underlining the emotional underpinning of each scene. Call's compositions are never overwhelming; rather, they guide the audience with sophistication through the storytelling, amplifying the feelings of nostalgia, loss, and quiet hope that permeate the narration. It seems that every moment of music corresponds to something in the scene, subtly evoking the passage of time, the weight of memories. Atsumi Tanezaki’s voice acting as Frieren is particularly noteworthy. Her portrayal perfectly captures the emotional restraint and detachment of Frieren while subtly hinting at the character’s gradual growth. The nuances in her performance—such as the slight shifts in tone when Frieren reflects on her past—are crucial in bringing the character to life. The rest of the cast also delivers strong performances, helping to elevate the emotional stakes of the series. A number of objectively salient elements contribute to this perfection: 1. Innovation in Storytelling: Frieren does, however, veer away from overused tropes in the fantasy genre and delivers an introspective tale told in a mature, emotionally deep way. It also focuses on life after the adventure-something so new and refreshing, really showing how the genre is able to hold a quiet yet meaningful narrative. 2. Great Character Development: All the characters feel really realistic, dynamic, and crucial to the greater narrative. In Frieren, emotional development is done with extreme care; literally, no moment ever feels forced. It's one of those few examples where character development becomes the driving force of the plot. 3. Quality Production: Madhouse's animation was flawless, either technically performative or performative in nature; the art was living, breathing a world that visually threw viewers deep into Frieren's journey. 4. Thematic Depth: Immortality, memory, and emotional growth are involved with themes that are universally relatable. Deep philosophical questions regarding the value of life and time have been addressed in the show, making its appeal much larger than that of mere fantasy fans. 5. Seamless Direction & Scoring: All that was needed from director Keiichirō Saitō was some calculated pacing and emotional subtlety, together with the magnificent score by Evan Call, to really cinch it all together. Together, they make Frieren a masterclass in both narrative and emotional storytelling. Conclusion: Frieren: Beyond Journey's End is that really rare kind of masterpiece which splendidly outclasses its genre. It's not an anime only for fantasy fans but one deep in meditation about life, time, and humanity. From great animation to deep storytelling, great direction, and great scoring, this combines into an u…

Where do I even start with a series like this? It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me think about how far I’d come as a person and how much more I had to learn, and it even made me pump my fist into the air with excitement. It’s slow, ponderous and heartwarming until it becomes exhilarating and jaw-dropping in scale. It has some of the most gorgeous fantasy art I’ve seen in my life, some of the most loveable characters I’ve ever spent my time with, and some of the most dynamic action sequences in all of anime. Evan Call knocks it out of the park once again with one of the best soundtracks since Violet Evergarden, but the part of the series that impresses me the most is the use of Himmel and the party of heroes: a lesser story would have structured the main narrative around Himmel’s quest, but instead, Frieren understands that a moment in our lives is the most powerful and the most bittersweet once it has become a memory. That Frieren has the ability to just randomly cut away to some sweet little joke or speech from Himmel, and needs only that to warm my heart or make me bawl, is something that is enough to make this breach my anime top ten for the first time since 2022.

Cute girls + isekai-esque fantasy setting. Heck, Frieren could take place in the same world as Mushoku Tensei, that's how similar they look. As with all anime fantasies these days the main inhabitants of such worlds are same-faced lolis whose only distinguishing features are the body parts they are sexualized by, ie Fern has her big breasts, Übel has her armpits and Frieren has her... feet? I was baffled when I found out how much fans get off the feet animation of Frieren, but maybe this explains why the anime spent so much resources on animating them with such detail. The first thing you learn in animation is to focus on the great picture, so you usually simplify things like hands or feet to be able to work faster and more efficiently on the things people care about. But apparently times have changed and now everybody cares about what the little toe is doing. Anyway, the anime is not bad, it's very well-made with great production values. It's just very uneventful. Characters are just walking around without much aim and nearly every episode has Frieren reminiscence about the past and how things were so cool back then... why couldn't we see those adventures instead? They sound a hell of a lot more eventful than what's going on in the present. The characters seem to be aware of how boring this show is and lack any sort of facial expressiveness. Emotions like surprise or fear are never seen, at best Fern will pout or Frieren will smirk. There is an arc where supposedly emotionless demons are introduced and they showed more emotions than the humans, what's up with that? So even the few moments of tension in this otherwise slice of life type fantasy adventure are underplayed by how little the characters seem to care. This also hurts the characters themselves due to how their personal journeys are undercut by them not really caring. Fern has a little mage exam arc going on but it's not like she does it because she cares, she just does it because why not. With Stark it's even worse, we see him train from time to time but it's more as a way to get rid of him to focus on Fern and Frieren. Stark mainly seems to exist to be shipped with Fern, without her he has barely anything going on that justifies his main character status. There is a priest who joins for a while who has the most personality of them all and even shows emotions from time to time, but then he leaves and we go back to pouting + smirking. Fans say it's okay that the show is uneventful and lacks tension because of the theme, but that seems like a copout given how banal the theme really is. It's about cherishing your time with your friends as long as you have them and bla, aka the safest and most generic theme everyone can agree with and where nobody runs the risk of being challenged or let alone offended by it. It's not even as good as it could've been because the main character is virtually immortal. If she was on her dying bed and looked back regretting her life decisions it would be dramatic, but as it is she will just redo her mistake by spending more time with a new group of people. Lets be honest here, it's not the story or the theme that's the main appeal, it's more so that Frieren is an anime equivalent of ASMR. The pretty colors, the detailed movements, the subtle noises and all that stuff that tickles the senses are the reason why people enjoy this show. It's a show where you can perfectly shut your brain off while watching and have your senses do all the work for you. Which is not the worst I suppose, but kinda weird seeing an ASMR anime at the top of MAL. Like is this really all it takes?

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End has concluded and the biggest accolade I've seen attributed it that, not only has Frieren revived the fantasy genre, reinvigorated Madhouse's position, but most notably, that it is an anime free of tropes/clichés — but the last point isn't reflective of reality. What makes Frieren special is how it handles tropes that makes it free from cliché. A common take I dislike is that tropes are inherently bad, they aren't. Many tropes can vibrate with the essence of said character, it is just the lack of characterization associated with the trope that makes many meaningless, and thus, cliché. Frieren can be argued, at least in the beginning, to be a Mary Sue, but the more you learn, she isn't exactly one. Her power doesn't come from just because, but rather, her immense dedication to her passion of collecting magic for the past millennium. Stark has the trope of an overpowered character who doesn't believe in his own strength, classic.. but he suffers from impersonator syndrome, he doesn't even believe in himself. Instead of that notion coming out of nowhere, he has, albeit flawed, a reason nonetheless. The use of a trope is of his character itself, not as a cliche. In fantasy shows, elves are generally very long-lived, and you will not believe who is an elf.. Frieren. To an elf, a lifespan such as ours is very short lasting, as time is essentially distorted. What is 10 ENTIRE YEARS to us may feel as if it was a month for her. What's a reasonable time for an elf to visit a friend is almost an entire generation.. or 3. But this is what establishes the beauty of Frieren. People have called Frieren a “kuudere”, which is an archetype of a character who is outright detached from emotions; in essence, yes, Frieren is reminiscent of such an archetype, yet, she is not. She experiences emotions, and throughout my life, I've evolved too. From crying at an embargo of chocolate pudding and being isolated in my chambers for hours on end (mom said it's bedtime and no snacks); but, if for whatever reason, my mother repeated that, I, in my love for chocolate pudding, wouldn't shed a tear, it’s a bad example, but I've grown up. How I experience and express emotions has matured, and who knows through the experiences of a mage who has lived for over 1,000 years, how she expresses and experiences emotions has evolved? – The biggest issue with kuuderes, to me, is you cannot attach your emotions to most of them, you cannot empathize, you cannot relate to them. They are seemingly emotional androids, but you can and do with Frieren -- unlike a kuudere, she isn't emotionless, she's emotionally distanced. The show and its beauty isn't about experiencing emotions for the first time, she has already shown an abundance, and clearly, it couldn't be her first time, but it is to value why you can and do feel those emotions and the time associated with the memories/present that evoke such emotions. To value the people you have in your life and to be empathetic to those around you too. Frieren is shown many times, even if she has difficulty understanding emotions, to care and worry just as deeply. With this, I took as a message to appreciate time, to live life for what it's worth, even if you feel you have the time to laze around, there is also much more you can do in your life – and the lack of appreciation can snowball into regret, Frieren thought she had all the time in the world, and she was correct, but her beloved did not. It has helped me realize how limited our time is, without the existential crisis, and to appreciate who we have, when we have them. Animes have moved me, instead of idolizing values preached, this anime has spurred me into action to actually.. do. I've spent more time with my family, I've started to apologize a lot more, as the time spent with negativity, with what time we have, are ill-spent. I already knew it, but Frieren pushed me to do it. Shows, in their purest forms, have two things: intention & obstacle. One Piece? Luffy (main character, if you somehow didn't know) wants to be the pirate king -- that is his intent, now the obstacle is the government, who hates pirates; and other pirates. But where is this formula in Frieren? Of course, we have setbacks, but setbacks aren't exactly obstacles, just as going to nana's house and there being a roadblock (very rude roadblock!) doesn't mean it's impossible, it essentially just requires a detour that may delay you. The episodes are so compact with details and an undertone of pure enjoyment, episodes can feel like they flew by, but you’re left satisfied feeling you’ve actually learned about the world, its magic, the characters, all of it. The show, for me, hasn’t dragged out once. People can enjoy shows who do that, hell, I watched all of One Piece. But, there are times when I am anything but fond of it. Frieren allows you to love it, if you, of course, so choose to. But the show is about and focuses heavily on the present and not, “when will this happen?” or “this is the goal we’re going to accomplish btw!! :3” – For example, while I am interested in seeing what this "heaven" thing is all about.. the fact I have rarely put that much thought into seeing the goal and more into the journey.. Its ability to accomplish such a feat of keeping you enthralled is a testimony to its paramount storytelling. One thing many animes preach, with Frieren not being an exception, is that collectivism is better than individualism, yet, their execution makes the messaging fall flat. A character can be so insanely overpowered or always lucky that it ruins the idea of actual group work and learning together. While some animes can execute that part successfully, some further fall flat as the character can still end up remaining self-centered/individualistic. Frieren, however, doesn't make this mistake. In many instances, the characters have to work together, independently, but for an overarching goal and to fight in an accommodating way which accounts for each other's strengths and weaknesses; most notably in episodes 8-10. Even if Frieren can probably win without much difficulty, she is both an ally and a teacher, and whilst those under her care may doubt their strength, Frieren knows they can endure & succeed and encourages the working-together aspect. Which we see even more within the Mage Exam Arc. I love almost everything about Frieren, especially the visual storytelling, there is almost, if not any, unnecessary dialogue just for the sake of it. You can see communication in people's visible expressions, their pause, their hand gestures, etc., which communicate people's emotions and change. Take the ballroom for example, we see Fern initially apprehensive at Stark's hand, then comfortability, then happiness. And while it's nice to learn one's mindset and characterization, internal monologue aren't always necessary, and in my opinion, takes away from the scene and focuses on the character instead of the moment. Frieren balances the dialogue, allowing for truly amazing moments. It develops relationships between people, Fern & Stark are the highlight of that. We see characters get closer and learn to confide in one another, have banter, mess around, it not only feels, it is organic. I've seen arguments such as "who's the better couple? Deku x Explosion-Guy or Deku x Guy-Who-Couldn't-Dodge-The-Kettle" and to me, it feels like a cop-out, just "oh. my. god. he works hard? i am in love" WHAT DO YOU MEAN? THAT'S IT? - I've been in love before, it can feel as sudden as that, but there are building blocks that set the fundamental foundation to allow yourself to properly fall in love; to trust, to love, to feel comfortable, everything. Instead of showing us a random loaf of bread, it gives us crumbs that build the bread itself, you see the dough form and mold into the bread itself, that you can see. Additionally, with the characters, we have huge differences. Characters actually feel like characters, and I l…