Sousou no Frieren

Small spoilers for what our friends Frieren and Fern are faced with on their journey. A line of text from the first PV: “Beginning with true tears…” …and ending with shounen shiz. I’m 15 episodes in, thinking “Man, this is some of the greatest seasonal shit I’ve experienced. Overrated? Hell nah.” Because in all honesty, Sousou no Frieren was a near-perfect, strong, and impactful anime that captured my heart straight from the beginning. A captivating theme around the perception of time, thought-provoking moments, and a lingering bittersweet feel to it. I legitimately was thinking nothing could take down such a titan and what it had already built for itself, and for damn good reason. I mean, these 15 episodes had shown me so much perfect in the action, the worldbuilding, the character development, the… EVERYTHING! From exciting battles with demons and even a giant flower, to venturing through a massive, beautiful world, all while our characters learned and grew—it was like nothing could stand in the way of Sousou no Frieren. Upon seeing the inexplicably terrifying praise showered over this anime, I was ready to board yet another hype train that lead to nowhere. Ready to be hit with the fact that, after a great, promising debut, what people were going borderline psycho over would lose control of the joyride and crash down into some run-of-the-mill plot. And I’m glad I threw away all those suspicions and jumped right in, because, for once, I actually agreed with the obsessive fans. For over half the anime, I was on cloud nine, thinking Sousou no Frieren was a perfect gem amongst the piles of dirt, that not even the sharpest blade could scratch its surface. But then, out of nowhere, something went incredibly wrong. That cloud nine I was having the time of my life on? Yeah, well, it shrunk all the way down to cloud five. Somehow, my suspicions were somewhat validated! The bitter conjectures I’d so long ago thrown aside—they came back not only to bite me, but this seemingly impenetrable beast of an anime in the ass, too. In a tragic turn of events, someone flipped the wrong switch on the plane’s control panel and there it all went, diving down, gaining speed by the second and burning up in the atmosphere, until we reached episode 28, where it kissed the ground and crashed. It wasn’t a very satisfying downfall, to be real with you, because I really, really, really, really clung onto hope that this would remain one of the best things to come out in some three years. I didn’t want to give up hope easily—I didn’t want to crash down with the plane, but I had to give in, one way or another. Sousou no Frieren had practically set its own course to perfection from start to finish, but somewhere along the way, it strayed off in a pretty bad direction. I would have asked, “Where did we go wrong, my boy!?!?” Because that would sound cool and emotional and whatnot, but I know exactly where. Exactly what was the culprit. What episode did the mage exam start? I cannot for the love of me recall (and frankly I’m too lazy to recheck), because I was so awestruck by just how powerful Sousou no Frieren could be at times that I was barely paying attention to the change. I was just there, my mind racing with Frieren this, Frieren that. So fixated on so many aspects of this wondrous media that graced us from above, that I didn’t realize that very wondrous media was growing dull. It took me a good three or four episodes to finally squint my starry eyes, shake my head left to right, give my brain a tumult, and realize that this mage exam arc thing that was happening not only dulled the specialness that Frieren had, but flat-out took most of it away. Now, don’t get me wrong—there’s plenty amazing that’s still present in the mage exam bit, namely the more frequent, striking animation that felt like it was dialed up to 11 compared to before, and in general, on its own, this part isn't too bad. But… while that’s all fine and dandy itself, we’re talking about Frieren here. Why such a drastic change from an adventure and slice of life-ish mood to an action-fantasy? Why was something so perfect changed out for something not-so-perfect? Where are the deep undertones? What happened to the impeccable character development? Why is there no sentimentality? Why are they doing this battle game thing? Why are they capturing a tiny ass bird in rivalry of characters we’ve had no time to familiarize ourselves with? Why are they battling against stone replicas of themselves? —The only character development here is learning how to kill themselves! (This really could be put in a less ridiculous way but shut up.) When I think of the anime Sousou no Frieren, the first thing I think of is the adventures of Frieren, Fern, Stark and others, through gorgeous, lively environments—lands vast and wide; forests quiet yet dangerous; small villages housing friendly residents; entire towns teeming with people, with accommodation and shops for all their needs. I think of Frieren’s time long ago, how she and her party of Himmel, Heiter and Eisen, defeated the demon king and became known as the party that slew it. Of her party’s fun memories shared together that she reminisces of every once in a while. I think about the oddly emotional, hard-hitting moments, especially of the first four episodes—they really hit the feels for me, y’know. What I don’t think about as much when I think of the anime Sousou no Frieren is its exciting, adrenaline-pumping action scenes against our characters’ own stone-made adversaries that, while would be able to rival some of the greater shounen out there, don’t reflect Frieren well enough, or its battle games that, while test our beloved characters’ combat skills and bring out their maximum potential, don’t continue proper character development or familiarize us with new characters well enough. I definitely don’t think about Frieren and her teammates’ quest to capture a bird, nor do I even sometimes remember that this mage exam they’re taking is for them to become first-class mages. And if you ask me why they want to become first-class mages… well, don’t. Speaking of the characters, yes, we’ve got Frieren with her impossible-to-break stoic demeanor masking her true emotions. We’ve got Fern and Stark (who, just saying, should REALLY board the ship), and Himmel and the rest of his party. They’re all given a good layer of depth as the anime continues (which sadly stops), and that helps to immerse the viewer, to feel more connected to both the world and characters. Cool. Now guess what I’m going to bring in next? Correct! The mage exam, as well as its characters! “They’re strangers and weren’t introduced at the start, that’s why you don’t understand them!!” No. Well, yes. And no. What I mean is: if they were introduced at the start, and weren’t too stranger, that definitely would’ve worked out better, since they’re given zero time to develop in the hectic mage exam that is almost nonstop challenge, action, battle, and whatever else falls into those categories. We don’t even know what they’re supposed to develop from—we barely know anything about them besides the fact that they’re here to become first-class mages. Having them as strong characters in this part of the anime creates such an imbalance between our Frieren and Fern we know and love, and say, characters like Übel and Denken, that they’re hardly given a chance to be expanded upon, save for Übel being known for her murderous vibe and Denken… I honestly don’t remember if they gave Denken any defining traits anymore, if there was any. One thing I thought that Sousou no Frieren did amazingly was its flashbacks that revealed Frierens past with Himmel and the others. Each flashback felt meaningful, like they had something great to convey and tell the viewer. They weren’t just ordinary flashbacks telling us, “Hey, look, Frieren had great friends and this and that, blah-blah.” These were flashbacks that not only held importance in t…

Frieren is a masterpiece, absolutely amazing character designs, amazing character development, amazing world building. It deserves every bit of praise and the ratings it has. The story is complex and interesting while also being relaxing and soothing. The anime is like a good book, perfect for a relaxing day, perfect for a rainy day, if you had a stressful day it will calm you, if you are upset it will cheer you up. I have never watched an anime that has been as close to perfect as Frieren is. Frieren is incredibly unique as a character with so much depth that is explored early on and just get deeper as the episodes go on. The secondary characters like Fern and Stark are lovely and incredibly realistic, which is saying a lot considering it is a fantasy anime. The side characters like Denken and Ubel are incredibly unique and while they fit snugly into certain tropes they still feel different from characters that fill the same trope. The world is generic fantasy, but in a good way, it feels nostalgic but also different at the say time. Which I understand is oxymoronic, but I can't describe it any other way. Even the demons are interesting and complex, but mostly the top tier demons like Aura, and the demons that will likely appear in season 2. There are no words in the English language to describe how good this anime is, I'm excited for season 2.

I love this show dearly. The focus on time passage and the moments in between is really nice. The story of the show is nice to follow along and often flashes back to Frieren's past experiences which then give context to whatever situation she's currently facing/some reflection she does. The art and animation are gorgeous and stay consistent throughout the show. The animation especially stays strong and the fight scenes are just amazing to look at. Something I also like is seeing Frieren start to warm up to others. As the story continue and as she continues to gain friends and partners on her adventure, she enjoys the time and enjoyment that may part away from her, but will remain in her heart. This is in the same realm as Violet Evergarden. Amazing animation, a beautiful story, and enjoyable characters/events with a fair share of flashbacks.

W anime It just is Characters actually have some depth in them, like when watching a scene with one character feels outstandingly different when watching the same scene with a different character. Love the world-building, not too much of the same things but also not all over the place. The plot is not a captivating story that would make your heart race or skip a beat every second, but instead it is just an extremely fun to watch anime. The end of the season also ends up leaving you with a feeling that makes you want to bombard the producers to release another season like NOW (please). I cannot fathom what will happen moving forward but I am hyped to witness it. once again, W anime

There are very few shows I'm as eager to introduce to people as Frieren. From characters, to plot, to soundtrack, to animation, this show is as close to flawless as I've seen. As the title says, it's a story about what the heroes do after the journey has ended, and yet even without a world breaking threat each episode manages to make you care about the characters, to want to see where their journey takes them, and hope for their happiness. The action will be sparse for people used to watching shounen or fighting anime, but when they come they're some of the best fight scenes I've seen. Even for me, who doesn't generally like episodic plots, Sousou no Frieren (more literally translated as "Frieren of the Funeral Rites") has forever taken a spot among not just my favorite anime, but my favorite stories ever told. I cannot recommend this masterpiece enough.

Another highly overrated Anime. While it is not bad anime it is very far from being good, let alone something more. It's biggest strength is that it doesn't have any of the usual mayor faults many anime have, and.... Well for most part that is it. Ok, the art during first ED deserves a lot of credit for mixing some kind of classical art, psychedelic art and anime art to create something genially new and unique yet still quote pretty, and an OP song is nice and sounds kinda like made by vocaloids, has that robotic note witch makes it unique and nice, And there are a few scenes that give off nice melancholy feelings, and I guess piecing isn't bad at all, but now that is really all positive I can say about this anime. For negative, where to even start. Characters, they are very blend, have practically no motivations, goals, desires, ambitions, and for most part are emotionally numb. Relationship between characters are barely existing, for most part, especially from Frieren's side, she threats everyone who is with her mostly the same. Anime as a whole also has no goals or directions, neither on story or characters relationships parts. Character development is pretty much non existent. Setting, I would call it generic, but honestly it is even more blend than a generic fantasy setting, the only original ideas to separate it from any other fantasy setting is elves being nearly extinct in this world, they mostly being aromatic and the way humanoid demons are described, and none of those are very good ideas if you ask me. Story, it's mostly like watching bunch of boring side quests. Emotions/Drama, well except for often melancholy feelings there is nothing else. I am not even sure what else to say because this anime has pretty much nothing else to offer. It also gets quite boring to watch pretty early on. I honestly have no idea why this anime is so popular or what do people even see in it. 5.1/10

A trully masterpiece and to you understand how significant it is for me, I'm not a huge fan of dramas. Frieren is a unique show. I don't think i've ever seen something of such quality before and I saw many medias in this life. When I first watched this show, I dropped it at episode 3. Why? Well, I'm not a huge fan of dramas, as I said before, because of the feelings involved (I'm weak against it). But I gave it a second try and discovered a huge diamond shinning after the start. Frieren has a message and the pace of the anime uses it in every episode (and arcs) but never the same way, making it dynamic and beautiful. Nothing here is perfect, everyone has flaws, differences, problems and charisma, even Frieren herself, and again, it's beautiful! Because of these problems you can see everyone as meaningful characters and you can also see yourself in part of their personalities. Before you notice, you want to see how they're going to overtake the troubles of the journey and now you are totally immersed in the story. Also, I'd like to say that even the lines in this show are so well done that the silence is as big as a fight scene. Also, a huge thanks and congratulations to the animation team, it's a masterpiece not only to watch but also to "see". Even the battles they made with such a care that only a few animes had when aired. So if you don't like slow pacing stories, you should give a try here. No wonder it got so many fans around the world.

A profound journey. This was the only sentence I have been staring at for a long while while writing this review. I couldn't think of anything else to write, because it encapsulates the essence of Sousou no Frieren perfectly without the need for any additional information. It is hard to write about something that has so much depth. However you may look at it, the high fantasy that Sousou no Frieren offers is by no means an action show that aims to entertain you with its flashy fighting scenes or overarching plot with twists that will make your eyes go wide with surprise. It is a deep look into human nature from an alien perspective whom we refer to as Frieren the mage. The show itself is an adaptation of a manga series written by Kanehito Yamada and drawn by Tsukasa Abe. It follows the story of Frieren, a (young?) elf mage, who - after defeating the demon king with a party of four some 80 years ago - sets out on another journey to understand human nature and revisit the memories she made with her previous comrades. I will admit, I went into this show without ever reading the source material first, and in retrospect, I am grateful for that since I was able to witness the anime without any prior biases that would influence my view of the show as a whole. It was recommended to me by a friend; the premise of the show seemed odd at first (given there is no reason to follow a story after the happy ending when everything is set and done), but I gave it a go anyway. And I can fairly say that I was pleasantly surprised by the show; it was something that I expected it to be and much more. Story The story of Sousou no Frieren is probably its strongest suit. As I have said before, the show's main aim is to explore human nature from an outsider's perspective. Frieren is a female elf who is ancient by human standards but still childish and naive from the viewpoint of her own people. Her view on everyday human life is vastly different from the other protagonists of the story since elves are nearly immortal compared to humans. But she is still inexperienced in the ways of life, as pointed out by other elves whom we meet throughout the series. The story is set around her regret of losing her fellow party members with whom she defeated the demon lord. She spent a 'mere' 10 years with them and reunited with them after 50 years only to see them die one by one. She suddenly realized how short and fragile a human's life is, and she sets out to Ende to face one of her biggest regrets and to get to know humans better. This is where the real story of the show begins. Frieren teams up with new companions and starts the journey to Ende, which took her a good 10 years before with her first party. Along the way, they face many adventures as well as mundane, everyday tasks. The beauty of the show is that it shows the passage of time, the mark her original party left on the world. What makes Sousou no Frieren unique is that the show is able to explore loss, regret, passage of time, growing up, growing old, having responsibilities, having insecurities, self-improvement, dealing with great burdens, birth of legends, and fading of fame without the human element. These themes and motifs are what make the show and characters brutally familiar to the viewer. The story was able to blend these elements into the story and struggles of its characters seamlessly. While the show's tone of the story is generally serious and mostly melancholic, it always utilizes humor and warm moments to emphasize that life isn't always gloom and doom and we should take time to appreciate the beauty and truly precious moments we get to experience. While the humor is nothing to write home about, it usually gives the characters and the viewer some relief and makes the characters feel more realistic and relatable. The show hosts a myriad of characters, each given unique personalities. Some complex, some pretty easy to understand. With this many characters, there is no surprise that we meet some that feel a bit clichéd and very "anime". However, their actions and interactions fit into the story well, so they don't stand out much. Another difference from other shows worth mentioning is how Sousou no Frieren handles the demons as a race. While most anime and manga make just another race of people out of demons, devils, and the like, Sousou no Frieren takes a completely different approach by portraying them as beings of pure desire, their motivations being utterly alien to people. They are cunning, deceiving, proud, ruthless, and highly intelligent. I personally like this approach far more than the other approach where demons are just normal people with horns, wings, and tails. One of the biggest beauties of the show that I admire is the air of mystery around it. You don't need to explain every nuance of a story to make it compelling and enjoyable. This is especially true for a high fantasy show that has its fair share of legends, fantastical beings, and magic. What is magic? Where do humans come from? Where did the elves go? Who was the demon king? Are there multiple gods? What countries are there? Who are the dwarves and where did they come from? None of these questions are answered because they do not add anything significant to the story, and I can respect that. Questions are only answered when there is a need to answer them. We are too used to stories which explain every facet of their world in great detail and then lose the meaning of their story in the sea of exposition. The only purpose they serve is to gratify our morbid curiosity. Thankfully, Sousou no Frieren is not guilty of that. There is a certain beauty in mystery that the show is capable of upholding until the very end. Characters Let's start with Frieren. The titular character of the show is probably the most complex and most explored character of the story. While on the outside she seems like a quirky young girl who is aloof, lazy, and has a weird fascination with magical tomes and has a "pretty close" relationship with mimics. She experienced great trauma at a young age which defined her character and actions later in life. We never got to know what the original was like since it never mattered to the story. This trauma has caused great resentment and a burning hatred inside Frieren which she harbors even to this present day. A burning hatred that burns slowly and patiently but intensely at times. But that's not what defines her character; it is merely a part of it. She can still be considered a child from an adult human's point of view. She spent a thousand years honing her skills without ever interacting with humans until she met Himmel, who ultimately freed her from the shell she had made around herself, closing off every outside influence. It was this meeting that set events into motion and changed her life forever. But given her past and long life, Frieren was not able to perceive the weight of this encounter and the people whom she met along the journey. She realized this only at the funeral of one of her companions, and this was the only point in the series where she was driven to the point of crying. She was not mourning her fellow companion, but she was mourning her own ineptitude to understand the value of her encounter after realizing how important it was and how big of an impact it had on her own life. From this point on, we can see a slow coming of age for Frieren, who - as the story progresses - starts to learn more about humans and their nature. Her childish, aloof nature is the source of many comical moments and reminds us that she is - in the end - not a human, but an elf, who is so vastly different from us that it is no surprise that she perceives things normal to us as weird and utterly incomprehensible. Frieren herself is a very kind person who cares very much about her companions, and as time passes, she learns how to express her feelings of compassion towards them. She sometimes acts as mentor, a mother figure,…

The problem of this anime is that it's not an anime. The anime fans would expect grandiose battles all the time, slap stick comedy, big eyes, power levelling, exposition dumps, crazy imaginary world. And this show is too grounded for their liking (at least for most animeniacs) which will MP draw them away. The problem of this show is that its not a show. The standard normies would see it and decide at first glance that this is an anime with big eyes, expecting hyperbolic reactions, massive battles and will not even try to watch it. But the fact is Frieren is a tale. Its all-rounded perfect cinematic tale. When I review something I always start from the elements which more or less can be proven from objective point of view. This means that I look for consistency in character writing, development, decision making. I look for the same factors in world building. If a show does not rely on luck, conveniences for event to happen and keeps consistent to its narrative and who the characters are - this show is objectively well written. But Frieren is even more than that. The characters, from the main ones to the one we see for few episodes are meticulously developed. Behing every decision they make, or even a small piece of dialog they stay consistent within who they are and what they have experienced so far. I can go so far to say that the character development is so consistent that it is at the level of Walter White (Breaking Bad), Saul Goodman (Better call Saul), or the heroes from Arcane. Or Rust Cohle (True Detectives s1). It is so consistent that even the gimmick with the mimic has sense in what Frieren as a character is - she is excited from finding little magical things in life as shown in several scenes. Also, she is acting like emotional baby which further boosts the consistency with her character’s willingness to open mimic chests. Even the KYS scene with Aura show how consistent Frieren’s character is - no flashiness just cold ruthlessness towards demons because she said several times how much she hates them. Also, her teacher thought her this way. And this level of writing consistency is displayed in almost every character we are introduced to. Everything from why certain people use certain type of magic, or why they react in certain moment like they do has reasoning behind it. Every bit of characteristic is built and tenderly allowed to grow until it reaches its conclusion. This is also valid for the world building. The main theme of the tale is Time and how it affects us all. In the heart of this frame is a love story like no other. And to fill this story frame the tale writers introduce timeless themes of loss, grief, self-sacrifice, second chance, how intertwined our lives are, how little gestures can change us or start major events, how to enjoy the little moments with your loved ones. The building of the themes stays consistent throughout the whole tale. Using story telling elements like visual comparison, mirroring, foreshadowing, micro expressions the screenwriters build the world and the characters layer by layer. Nothing is spewed into your face. You have to pay attention and concentrate. Few such examples are the micro expression of Himmel when he found out about old man Voll’s reasoning behind staying in the village and the fact he is going senile. Through this story telling element we were shown that he loves Frieren so much that he does not want to entangle her in vows (also Milet sings about this in Everytime everywhere) so she can turn into Voll one day. And this stay coherent with the character of Himmel and with the theme of self-sacrifice. Another example is Serie’s use of the world “whim” twice when discussing Flamme. When people start repeating themselves in an argument, they try to convince themselves and not the opposite side. This together with the fact she is suppressing her mana, and she keeps field of flowers without knowing why (it’s a tribute to her love towards Flamme and the elf is not aware of it) stay coherent with the theme of grief, loss and internal grow that comes with dealing with these feelings. With these small elements we are shown how much she cared about her former student and how much she is still making the journey towards understanding herself. Something mirrored against Frieren who already started this growth. This sequence of subtle story telling elements from one hand displays again how consistent is the character-building keeping Serie grounded to her persona of power-driven mage, but also show us how she slowly grows aware of her feelings. And this is compared to Frieren. Throw into this the fact the story went full-circle - the flower field magic started the internal growing process inside Frieren, while the same spell connected Himmel and the elf which led to destroying the Demon Kind, and it started the internal journey of Serie with which she struggles at the end of this season. Which spell also stayed consistent with the theme of how little things changes course of history, just like Bilbo finding the Ring for example. And I saw these elements only after the 2nd viewing of the series! This is how well written this tale is! Objectively this is high-level writing! Mrs. Kanehito Yamada you are already a legendary writer! I see people complaining that Frieren does not invent anything new. But again, here we have to talk about consistency - The themes of this tale are old as the world. If the writers decided to go berserk with some insane world they will contradict with the main themes and with the idea behind Frieren - the internal journey to understanding humans. And introduction of such crazy world will ruin the consistency of the themes. Nothing flashy. Just showing us what growing as a human being is. So, scene after scene, layer upon layer all components come together to build this perfectly complete beautiful, magnificent story which contemplate life and transcend time. And now for the subjective part. This is how a person feels like when exposed to a certain type of media. I see a lot of reviewers mistaking “opinion” for “review”. Opinion is when you share your personal feelings without giving evidence towards what you are discussing. Review is when you try to provide full picture with examples and evidence why you think something is like what it is. Opinion is something personal. Review is like an analysis of the whole picture. Nothing wrong with both of them. I just want to draw a line between the two. And in this subjective part of a review main role plays your personal feelings. Unfortunately, I could not find demographic split of the viewers for this tale, but I think this will affect the people with more life experience than the younger audience. Or will affect more the people who are more self-aware and who are not afraid of their feelings and are trying to incorporate them within themselves. Because to understand subjectively the themes of this tale you need to lose something in your life. This starts from understanding what you had, why you had it, how this affected you and how you outgrew the pain of losing it, how you incorporated it and become a better man. Now this comes with experience. I am such a person - I left my hometown 20 years ago. I estranged my self from all my childhood friends, from my classmates and some family members. I lost some friends due to OD or car accidences, most of my family members died. But I found new friends to share small and funny moments, who helped me grow as person, helped me shed a light over my shadow (Carl Jung) and become more complete self-aware being. And this is what Frieren is about - no matter how many people we lose during our journey we must try to keep moving forward. We must try to cherish the moments with our loved ones, expose our weaknesses, learn from past mistakes and to accept them within us as part of who we are. To be excited about life’s little moments of searching for magic (again the chest mimic di…

Frieren in my eyes is literally perfect. I have been a fan of the manga for a long time, I still remember the day the first volume arrived in my local comic shop and from there I have always waited for the following one with great anticipation, and it is incredible how the performance of this anime can be so perfect and magnificent that it surpasses the manga itself and surprises you even when you already know everything that is about to happen. The passion, love and soul that every staff person is putting behind this anime is commendable, I would thank them every day. Speaking about the work, what can i say? The animation is of a high level, there is fluidity and detail in every little scene, even when that little bit more is not needed they still give more "life" to the characters themselves. As much as the animation is magnificent I think that in the audio part and in the OSTs themselves there is the best part of Frieren, every single OST is spot on and they echo from the depths of every single emotion you can feel in that type of scene (final scene Ep 14 for example, it seemed to have come out of LOTR) Like the adaptation, the direction is also perfect, a pace that simply lets you immerse yourself in the story and the events, and then moves on to a perfect build up to get to that single scene that will leave you speechless. Speaking about what the story itself is, without going into detail or spoilers, I can say that there is nothing complicated compared to other stories, but that everything that will be put in front of you will always be of high quality, all the backstories of the characters and events themselves will come to be a parallel of current events and a "full circle", which will simply lead you to say that Frieren has that kind of genuine and flawlessly constructed storytelling. The characters themselves are very different from each other and blend very well, they form a party of excellence (both the old one and the new one), with even the relationships between them and the interactions themselves always built with a logical sense. In this story there is essentially everything, comedy not thrown in at random but impactful, action which is obviously boosted with the anime, obviously the dramatic part and also that pinch of romance at the right moments. In all of this I left out the Fantasy element, which I love when it is managed at its best as in Frieren, in the world building, in the particular beasts that can be found, in the demons and their abilities and in the magic itself which differs so much and It is described very well. It would take a long time to talk about all these aspects to really understand what Frieren manages to give, and above all on the two key words which could be "time" and "emotions". I love this work madly and I never imagined it could have this type of adaptation with this following and love from so many people. In short, simply seeing Frieren is good for the eyes, the hearing, the heart (despite there being so much to cry), the mind and the soul.

If you're looking to start watching Frieren, just know that its soooo good... ...For falling asleep It took me about a month to finish the first season because I watched one episode every night right before going to sleep. It became my bedtime routine, and I don't think I ever made it through many episodes without getting sleepy. So if you have trouble falling asleep, I highly recommend it. As for the story, I can see why people think it's unique. Instead of focusing on defeating the final boss, it starts after the adventure is already over. That's a cool idea, but for me it was just way too slow. I kept waiting for something exciting to happen, and most of the time it felt like nothing did. It wasn't very predictable, but it also wasn't interesting enough to keep me hooked. The art style is beautiful, and I honestly can't complain about the animation. The scenery looks amazing, the magic effects are well done, and everything fits the calm, fantasy atmosphere. The visuals are probably my favorite part of the show. The characters felt realistic enough. They all had their own personalities, strengths, and weaknesses, and they reacted to situations in believable ways. I just didn't find them very entertaining. They were so calm most of the time that I never really got attached to them. Even though I didn't enjoy Frieren, I understand why so many people love it. If you enjoy slow-paced fantasy, emotional stories, and character development, you'll probably have a great time. But if you're like me and prefer faster pacing with more action and excitement, you might find yourself checking the clock every episode—or accidentally taking a nap. Overall, I can appreciate that Frieren is well made, but it just wasn't for me. I'd give it a 5/10 as an anime... and a 10/10 as a sleep aid.

This series was a victim of its own hype, unfortunately. With it being the #1 anime here and with so much love showed for it, one can’t but expect it to be absolutely brilliant. And it just isn’t… I appreciate the overall style of the show. It’s a stark contrast to the shonen series that most people associate with anime. That is a bit of a double edged sword, though. While it is nice to be able to take a leisurely stroll in the Autumn sunset, a story still needs to be told. 28 episodes and there just wasn’t much substance. There were very few likable characters. Counterpoint to that is there were very few dislikable characters. Nobody made much of an impact and those that did were only able to do so in a one-off, flavor of the week manner. Honestly, this show just made me want to see more of what happened before journey’s end. No matter what genre of anime or any show in general, the critical factor of liking it or not is how much I want to see more. This took me over a year to finish. I just didn’t care enough to watch the next episode. I’m happy I watched it and I’ve recommended it to friends, but I can’t say I’m looking forward to more. Happy to move on to something else now. I guess, brilliantly, that’s the whole theme of the anime.

The anime starts strong with a unique, almost melancholic vibe that captivates and sets it apart from others. The first few episodes build a promising atmosphere, allowing viewers to overlook the lack of character depth. However, once the exam arc kicks in, it loses its charm. The pacing and tone shift dramatically, relying heavily on overused anime tropes. The exam arc feels unnecessary and stretched out, introducing a slew of generic characters. As the series progresses, it loses the originality that made the first half intriguing. Characters become more one-dimensional, and the show loses direction, leaving predictability in its wake. The ending feels like a chore, with little emotional investment to be had. While the first half may be worth watching for those seeking a fresh vibe, the second half feels like a missed opportunity. It's an okay watch if you're simply looking for something to pass the time, but it doesn't live up to the hype or differentiate itself from other typical shonen anime. Vastly overhyped, doesn't deserve the #1 spot it currently holds.

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End is unique in its focus on the aftermath of a hero's journey rather than the adventure itself. While most fantasy anime center around epic battles and quests, Frieren explores the emotional weight of time passing, loss, and personal growth. Sousou no Frieren is a rare anime that makes you think deeply, not just about the story at hand, but about life itself. Its slow pace and focus on character-driven storytelling make it an incredibly rewarding watch. If you’re looking for a series that is reflective, emotionally resonant, and intellectually stimulating, this is a must-watch. Without a doubt, it earns a 10/10.

after finishing made in abyss and being completely traumatized, this immediately cured me. 11/10. actually just peak throughout, don't think i've ever been completely hooked just from just a first episode before. animation was peak, humour was peak, actually made me tear up at some points AND it has THE GOAT, HIMmel. nothing more i could ask for, really. but on a more serious note, frieren herself often just made me sad with the majority of her flashbacks with himmel and the rest of her party, made me sad with the permeating undertone of just knowing "damn, yeah she's gonna outlive all of these people", but it also just genuinely relaxed me with how fun the characters and world is so again, actually peak. thank you for curing my Made in Depression. 11/10

Everything about this anime is just fantastic. The story is simple, yet, intriguing, as it is a story that starts at the end of the "hero's journey." The pace of this anime is slow but I couldn't be more happy with it. It was is such a breath of fresh air when I watch it for the first time. You don't need constant movement and action in a story for something to be good. Just great character writing and fun interactions. Of course there IS some action (which is also beautifully choreographed btw), but its more sprinkled in and not the main focus of the anime. Another highlight of this anime is the sound track. Evan Call really blew it out of the water with this one. It is very well composed and just straight bangers if you enjoy. I can really tell that there was so much emotion and hard work put into just the music alone. I find myself going back to listen to the soundtrack start to finish all the time. One of the better pieces of media I've experienced in general. I highly recommend a watch.

When I heard Frieren was getting adapted into an anime, I really hoped they would do a good job with it, but what was made was better than anything I could have hoped for. With the anime you can feel the emotional weight to every moment in the show, the music is incredible, and the beautiful animation does not disappoint, and is on par with the beautiful art of the manga. The story about Frieren is truly beautiful, and shows someone trying to understand human connection and relieve the memories she had on the journey with the heroes party that she had taken for granted. Frieren has the capacity to understand human connection, and to a certain extent, she does, but she's lived so long that it's become difficult for her to understand the significance of it while they're happening. It is such a novel concept, to focus on the elf that lives after the heroes pass on, remembering the good old days of their journeys, and retracing the steps. The anime also symbolizes how nothing last forever, and how things can change in a short number of years, so to cherish every moment, large and small, and how what may seem insignificant in the moment can be revealed by time to be something meaningful. Also its cool to me that this is the first anime where I can say I've read the manga before the anime came out. Doesn't affect the review, just was cool to see it adapted.

"Frieren: Journey Beyond the End" is a piece of art. Never have I ever felt so at ease watching a show. Never have I ever felt a piece of fiction so human. This anime, is phenomenal, is ethereal. Frieren is a story about a long-lived elf, who regrets to have not tried to form emotional connections with humans. So, she now tries to. The premise of the show has a slight resemblance to Violet Evergarden's, and something about these stories really just takes you along with their journeys. What makes Frieren such an exceptional experience is how it blends a well-crafted journey with greatly done animation and phenomenal music. The OSTs are so good and natural that they take you into the scene itself. Nothing feels exaggerated. You would mostly find the party members walking around beautiful landscapes and towns, like a normal fantasy journey. Yet it feels very mature, very calming. Even thinking back on it now, after finishing, makes my heart feel warm. Both the openings are good; but the ending... I think it's become one of my all-time favs in anime music. The song captured the emotions conveyed through the anime and the emotions felt by the viewers in beautifully composed lyrics and melody. Listening to it at the end of each episode was a reward in itself. Thanks for keeping the ending for the second half as well, very appreciable decision by the staff. A great story contains great characters and this anime really acts on it. The characters are very well written and are easy to get attached to. The characters feel bare. There is no concept of act in the setting, so you simply get to see who they actually are. They really make you appreciate them. I often found myself wanting to see the characters smile. It's been a few days since I've finished the show but the characters still haven't left my mind. Frieren is truly a piece of art, a masterpiece at that. It felt like a breadth of fresh air, an experience of its kind. The staff at Madhouse and the authors of the manga really deserve their work to be at the No. 1 spot. Their efforts to make this an experience for the viewers, and simply love for their work, is apparent and appreciated. Humans never cease to amaze me with what they end up creating or accomplishing. I think this anime is the type that stays in my heart forever, giving me flashbacks every now and then. This review wasn't enough to convey my feelings and appreciation for the show. I feel the urge to rewatch it already. I hope the reader will give this anime a try if he hasn't yet. Thank you, Frieren!

Great anime which can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of their age or gender. Plot: Even the most simple and generic plot can be a masterpiece if its well executed. Frieren has a simple slice of life-ish plot with some action here and there but its execution is amazing. The fantasy world makes it even better Characters: This is the best part of the show in my opinion. Each and every character in this show is fleshed out, likeable and has their own unique personality. Theres not a single character in this show I hate, even the villains. I have read the manga a bit and macht is an amazing villian Animation: Some of the best visuals I have ever seen in anime. I like how its not a melodramatic like violet evergarden which focuses on each and every movement. The fluidity of fight scenes are great and clothing/hair animation is amazing as well Music: Evan call. Thats all I gotta say Overall: Great show that deserves to be on the top of mal in my opinion, as long as we get new seasons. El Dorado arc with this level of production value will be amazing

Frierens portrayal is just raw dogging life with no edgy story, character insert or overwhelming grand narrative to be hokage of the village. Very well made animation that goes above and beyond the manga material. I would say to enjoy this, you would have to be versed in a few different genres to understand why things are done so well. The issue I see with people's hang ups with Frieren is driven from their own lack of understanding about wha makes the show enjoyable because they are watching it with the mindset of "when does it get good?" Or devoted FMA fans that can't tolerate it's existence. I started watching after seeing some smartarse memes from Frieren and I liked her persona, once I got into the story it was such an interesting take to make an anime that doesn't follow a traditional building up story. Frieren is showing that it's not the goals of life that make it meaningful but those you spend with it. This aspect of viewing life is (hopefully) what's reflected in the high reviews and for those that don't get it, you probably are looking at Frieren and life with a goal orientated mindset. Overall,The story just keeps going and it was nice to see the communities of people enjoy it over a week by week basis and I hope future viewers get something out of it