Frieren Beyond Journey’s End

Frieren Took Me By Surprise 8: Villain

Let’s take another look at the quote that opened the entire show: “At the northernmost end of this continent, I arrived at the place that the people of this world call Heaven; Aurele, the land where souls rest. “Many souls gather there, and I spoke with friends who once fought alongside me.” -Flamme, the LegendaryContinue reading “Frieren Took Me By Surprise 8: Villain”

Frieren Took Me By Surprise 7: Demons

Frieren Understands the Nature of Good and Evil Many have written about this particular subject, and for good reason. Frieren‘s handling of demons is perhaps the single most interesting and groundbreaking aspect of this show. Let’s revisit that Tolkien quote one more time: “It is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep theContinue reading “Frieren Took Me By Surprise 7: Demons”

Frieren Took Me By Surprise 6: Rings, Spells, and Headpats

Frieren Understands That Second Chances Are a Blessing The journey Frieren takes across the continent throughout Season 1 largely mirrors the 10-year journey she had taken with Himmel, Heiter, and Eisen to slay the Demon King. Everything she experiences this time around not only further informs us about her original journey, but helps Frieren recontextualizeContinue reading “Frieren Took Me By Surprise 6: Rings, Spells, and Headpats”

Frieren Took Me By Surprise 5: Preservation

[Spoilers for the rest of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End season 1 from here on out] Why Heiter’s Fear of Death Was His Greatest Trait As I alluded to previously, Heiter wasn’t being upfront with Frieren. None-the-wiser to Heiter’s grand plan, Frieren deciphers the grimoire while tutoring Fern as promised. Over the next four years, theContinue reading “Frieren Took Me By Surprise 5: Preservation”

Frieren Took Me By Surprise 4: The Un-Isekai

Sirens. The scene of a terrible accident. The main character recalls that he’d just gotten hit by a truck. They rush him to the hospital, but he dies. That’s right, you just entered an isekai. And in this case, it’s the immensely popular Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation. (Never seen it? No worries.) We neared theContinue reading “Frieren Took Me By Surprise 4: The Un-Isekai”

Frieren Took Me By Surprise 3: An Emotional Journey

Just like with Goblin Slayer, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End begins with a complete emotional journey on a scale rarely seen in the runtime of a single episode. FRIEREN IS A JOURNEY The opening theme is serviceable. But, if you ask me, Frieren deserved … more. Intros and outros aside, the Celtic-inspired score that accompanies this show is about as goodContinue reading “Frieren Took Me By Surprise 3: An Emotional Journey”

Frieren Took Me By Surprise 2: Time

I’m at a crossroad with Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End: I’ve done an intro, so what should I speak about next? Most people start by apologizing for how slow-paced Frieren can be. They’re forewarning so you can adjust your expectations, and rightly so. This show does require an attention span. A real one. But it alsoContinue reading “Frieren Took Me By Surprise 2: Time”

Frieren Took Me By Surprise

I just finished Season 1 of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (Sousou no Frieren). All twenty-eight episodes. What started out as an enjoyable epic about the pain of living a very long life… and the second chances we so rarely get… ended up weaving a breathtaking tapestry I must take several steps back to fully appreciate.Continue reading “Frieren Took Me By Surprise”