How Does The Series Hold Up One Year Later?

Next month will mark a year since Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End concluded its first season, a spellbinding adventure that remains one of the most beloved TV anime from the last year. With awards season underway, it’s time to look back at the fantasy series that went beyond, reassess what captured our imaginations, and ask if it still stands tall among 2024’s best.

Based on the manga series by Kanehito Yamada, and with artwork by Tsukasa Abe, Frieren is a story about loss, regret, connection, and above all, time – adapted to animation by Madhouse. Director Keiichirou Saitou (Bocchi the Rock) helmed the series, which began airing on September 29, 2023, and ran consecutively for 28 episodes, ending on March 22, 2024.

Related

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Is a Masterpiece

After 28 episodes, one of the best fantasy anime in years closes the book on its first season, and we can’t sing its praises enough.

Time to Praise Frieren Again

Whenever recommending the series to new people, what first comes to mind is this story’s obsession with (and articulation of) time. The variable lifespans of fantasy races have been a staple of the genre for as long as it has existed, but few stories have honed in on the concept with such precision and heart as Frieren. Almost every facet of its storytelling is in some way connected to time, its passage, and how people make the most of what little they have.

Frieren, the titular protagonist, is an elf whose relationship with the ever-changing world around her is much different from ours, something the viewer quickly becomes intimately familiar with. The story begins at the end of another, with Frieren and her friends returning from a ten-year quest that – to our elven lead – felt like nothing at all. She departs on good terms, and journeys the world, drinking in its beauty, but when she returns to visit her friends, everything is different.

A Long Trip Down Memory Lane

What felt like the blink of an eye turned out to be decades. Frieren’s friends are old now, and soonafter they’ve reunited, they begin to pass from old age, leaving her to ponder her time with them, and despair that she couldn’t have gotten to know them better. In time, a new quest presents itself: she must retrace the 10-year journey she once faced with her party, in search of a land where the dead walk freely; a place where she might see her friends again.

Joining her are two new companions, both of whom were taught by her old friends: Fern, adopted daughter of the priest Heiter, and Stark, apprentice of the warrior Eisen. This is a story in which the past and present are constantly intertwined through flashbacks that seamlessly connect the life lessons learned decades before with the trials of today. It’s a show flush with montages, effortlessly spanning weeks and months, while never cheapening the passage of time, thanks to an enchanting score by Evan Call, to say nothing of the artwork.

A Grand, Epic, Yet Cozy Tale

The closest comparison to Frieren, thematically speaking, is 2018’s Maquia: When The Promised Flower Blooms, by writer/director Mari Okada. It follows a young woman similarly burdened with a lifespan that makes the lives of those around her feel fleeting, but the difference is how these stories ultimately frame that reality. Maquia is a beautifully tragic meditation on motherhood, with a hard emphasis on that tragedy. But while Frieren can certainly be sad, it is in large part a much cozier fantasy, albeit one that occasionally breaks into spectacular action.

Sure, time passes quickly for Frieren, and the complexity of her personality is a byproduct of her unique existence, but through her eyes, it’s hard to be sad for long. Director Keiichirou Saitou invites the viewer to view the finite existence of everything without fear, savoring every precious moment for what it’s worth. If you have held off on watching this show for fear that it would be too sad, it is the greatest pleasure to tell you that it can be so much happier than expected.

Best Action Show of the Year?

At the same time, however, it can be a simply thrilling action-adventure series, elevated by consistently smooth and viscerally satisfying fight scenes. Whether it’s explosions of colorful magic, the clashing of blades, the rending of the earth, or anything in between, Frieren managed to have some of the best action of the year on top of its triumphs as a drama. The action is also thoughtfully written and well-paced, deepening many of the supporting characters throughout, of which there are many to adore.

The final arc of the season, in particular, is a sight to behold. At the risk of breaking the momentum on which the rest of the season thrives, it takes time for a mage exam arc with loads of new characters and plot elements, which it juggles effectively. It might not be to everyone’s taste, but lovers of tournament/exam arcs will find much to adore in this intelligently conceived storyline that rounds out the season with a bang.

Frieren’s Biggest Suprise

The benefit of time isn’t merely reflected in the themes but in the overall construction of this series and its place in the current anime industry. Frieren’s first four episodes were all released at the same time, and it can’t be understated how well that rapid binge helped the early episodes build the foundations for a strong narrative. It took its time before the real adventure began, and used it to make the viewer truly care about that adventure.

Furthermore, the anime went on to run consecutively for two cours, something that seems to happen less and less these days. Somehow, it hardly took a hit in terms of animation quality either, making Frieren a veritable production miracle in addition to a spectacular fantasy story. Madhouse has been around for a long time, and though its leadership and identity have shifted over the years, this series proves that it can still be one of the best in the industry.

A year and many equally praiseworthy anime later, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End remains a delightful adventure, for which the sequel cannot come quickly enough. Thankfully, a reliable report suggests that Season 2 will be gracing fans in 2026, ensuring enough time to make sure the sequel meets the standard of quality set by the first. No matter when exactly it premieres, it will hopefully be well worth the wait.

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

More

Frieren: 13 Strongest Mages, Ranked

The world of magic in Frieren is dominated by these individuals who in different ways outmatch their opponents.