The New Fantasy Anime On Streaming Starts After The Evil Overlord Is Defeated
The anime television adaptation of the popular Japanese Manga, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, is streaming on Crunchyroll. The series was announced in September 2022 through the cover of the ninth manga volume. The project is produced by Madhouse and directed by Keiichiro Saito, with Tomohiro Suzuki overseeing the scripts, Reiko Nagasawa handling character designs, and Evan Call composing the music.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End follows elf mage Frieren, who, after defeating the Demon Lord, with her companions Himmel, Heiter, and the dwarf warrior Eisen, return to the royal capital. While her friends are ready to settle down after their ten-year adventure, Frieren, whose lifespan lasts thousands of years, plans to travel and learn new spells.
The show has been described as a standout among fantasy offerings and other anime series.
Fifty years later, Frieren returns and finds Himmel and Heiter are elderly, while Eisen is middle-aged. After retrieving a dragon horn from Himmel, they go on one last adventure to watch the meteors again. Himmel dies of old age shortly after the trip. At Himmel’s funeral, Frieren tearfully realizes she never really got to know him and decides to learn as much about humans as possible.
Twenty years later, she returns and finds the now extremely elderly Heiter has adopted a war orphan, nine-year-old Fern. Fern has potential as a mage, and Heiter, who has come to fear death in his old age, asks Frieren to research life-extending magic and tutor Fern in her spare time. Frieren agrees after finding Fern is already remarkably skilled despite her youth.
As Frieren continues her journey, she learns valuable lessons about the importance of friendship and the enduring bonds that connect them across time. The series also contrasts Frieren’s long-lived perspective and the short lives of those around her. Her interactions with mortal beings lead to emotional and philosophical reflections about the inevitability of change and loss.
The show premiered on September 29, with a two-hour special episode on Nippon TV’s Kin’yo Road Show programming block. This slot is usually reserved for feature films, making Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End the first-ever anime series to debut in this block. Subsequent episodes aired as part of Nippon TV’s new Friday Anime Night programming block.
What makes Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End unique is its focus on the aftermath of adventures and battles against the Demon Lord.
The opening theme song, titled “Yusha,” is performed by Yoasobi, while Milet provides both the ending theme song “Anytime Anywhere” and the first episode’s ending theme, “Bliss.” Crunchyroll holds the license for streaming Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End outside of Asia, while Muse Communication has secured the rights to broadcast the series in Southeast Asia.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End has received a positive reception since its release, with critics and viewers praising it for its unique tone, thoughtfulness, and heartfelt story. The show has been described as a standout among fantasy offerings and other anime series.
The cast of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End has been praised for their performances, with Atsumi Tanezaki voicing Frieren, Kana Ichinose voicing Fern, Nobuhiko Okamoto as Himmel, Hiroki Touchi as Heiter, Yoji Ueda in the role of Eisen, Chiaki Kobayashi as Stark, Atsuko Tanaka as Flamme, and Hiroki Yasumoto voicing Qual.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End began as a manga series written and illustrated by Ryo Hanada. The manga was first serialized in Shogakukan’s Weekly Big Comic Spirits magazine in December 2020 and has gained popularity for its unique take on the isekai genre. The story follows Frieren, an elf mage adventurer who has seen many friends and companions come and go due to their mortality.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End has received a positive reception since its release, with critics and viewers praising it for its unique tone, thoughtfulness, and heartfelt story.
Frieren’s survivor’s guilt is a central theme in the manga since she does not age, cannot die from natural causes, and inevitably outlives everyone she cares about. Frieren experiences a profound emotional burden and sorrow over the loss of those she has journeyed with and grown close to. Frieren often grapples with whether immortality is a blessing or a curse.
What makes Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End unique is its focus on the aftermath of adventures and battles against the Demon Lord. While many fantasy stories tend to concentrate on the epic battles themselves or the heroic quests, this manga explores the consequences and emotional toll of such adventures.
It delves into the characters’ lives after they’ve faced the challenges, showcasing how they cope with the scars of battle, the loss of friends, and the passage of time. As such, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End offers a fresh take on the fantasy genre and is worth checking out on Crunchyroll.
