Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (Episode 1) – The Journey’s End
Frieren was a member of the party that defeated the Demon King and brought about a time of peace and prosperity. After a short ten-year quest, the party disbands and goes their own ways. Ten years is nothing to elf, after all!
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (Episode 1) – The Journey’s End
What did you watch?
My library has been recommending this series to me for ages, and I’ve considered it several times. Then, I saw that it was getting an anime and I figured that’ll be enough for now. After all, I have got seventy-two manga series on the go at the moment. Anyhow, I had a vague idea what Frieren was about so I came prepared for the emotional turmoil that was sure to follow. I’m also on a bit of a fantasy kick as you may tell from the other shows that I’m covering this season. It’s always been my favourite genre so it’s nice to see so many promising titles. Anyhow, let’s get back to talking about Frieren.
What happened?
The hero party returned to the Capitol having defeated the Demon King. It was a quest that began ten years ago so they’ve grown as a party. There is Frieren, the mage, Himmel, the hero, Heiter, the priest, and Eisen, the warrior. After a long and dangerous adventure, they are keen to relax, however, Himmel is already talking about finding a job and settling down. Frieren was surprised. She had made no such plans. They celebrated their achievement with drinks and food, and as if to herald this new era, the sky lit up with meteors. It was the Era Meteor Shower, a once-in-fifty-year occurrence. Frieren complained that the city lights made it less impressive and offered to take them to a better place the next time. There was some laughter, but they all agreed.
After wandering the central continent for the best part of fifty years, Frieren decided to go back to the Capitol. After all, she had entrusted Himmel with a dragon horn that they had collected in the Demon King’s castle. When she got there, she found Himmel, a frail old man. Heiter hadn’t fared much better, but Eisen was more or less the same. She led them to the location she had planned, a mere ten weeks’ walk away. They made it in time for the Era Meteor Shower and it was just as Frieren had promised. It was beautiful. It was also the last thing Himmel saw before passing away.
What did you think?
I was expecting this episode to be a real tear-jerker and it lived up to that. The most amazing thing about this episode was how quickly it connected us to the hero’s party. Seeing Himmel go from a young and powerful hero to a hunched old man was sad, and the reality is it’s something we are all faced with. Seeing this from the perspective of an immortal elf is fascinating, especially as it started to impact her. How could she feel like this? They were only together for ten short years. She barely knew him really. I get the feeling that this series is really going to play with our emotions. It’s a great start.
What was your favourite moment?
How do you pick a favourite moment? Well, I actually loved the moments when they were reminiscing about their adventure. Most were only brief images or Frieren stuck in a mimic. It showed how they were a real party. They supported each other but also weren’t afraid to say it how it is with one another. They felt real. So, when Frieren started to cry as they buried Himmel, there was this wonderful shot where Heiter patted her head and Eisen rubbed her back. There were no words between them, they just both did it at the exact same time. Damn it, I’m tearing up just thinking about that moment.
Who was the most impactful character?
Here’s the big surprise. For a show called Frieren about a character called Frieren, the most impactful character in the first episode wasn’t Frieren. It was Heiter. He’s the one that set up the story we are about to follow. He introduced Frieren to Fern. He gave her the book about resurrection magic not because he wants to live forever, although he does, but because he knew it would take her a long time to decipher it. During that time, she could prepare Fern as a mage. If Heiter had not given her that quest then Frieren would still be wandering around doing who knows what.
What have you learned?
The small details are so important even if they don’t necessarily advance anything. When they were walking to the lake to watch the Era Meteor Shower, they fought a giant monster. Eisen, the warrior charged and then leapt into the air. He slammed a stick against the monster’s head and then Frieren killed it with magic. The stick was an odd weapon choice even if he is a powerful warrior. Then, after Heiter left for home, Frieren asked Eisen if he would like to travel with her. He revealed that he may not appear to have changed but he doesn’t have the strength to lift an axe any more. Hence, the stick. It’s a small, almost minuscule detail, but just adds so much credibility to the storytelling.
Other posts in the series
- Season One
- Episode 1 – The Journey’s End
- Episode 2 – It Didn’t Have to Be Magic…
- Episode 3 – Killing Magic
- Episode 4 – The Land Where Souls Rest
- Episode 5 – Phantoms of the Dead
- Episode 6 – The Hero of the Village
- Episode 7 – Like a Fairy Tale
- Episode 8 – Frieren the Slayer
- Episode 9 – Aura the Guillotine
- Episode 10 – A Powerful Mage
- Episode 11 – Winter in the Northern Lands
- Episode 12 – A Real Hero
- Episode 13 – Aversion to One’s Own Kind
- Episode 14 – Privilege of the Young
- Episode 15 – Smells Like Trouble
- Episode 16 – Long-Lived Friends
- Episode 17 – Take Care
- Episode 18 – First-Class Mage Exam
- Episode 19 – Well-Laid Plans
- Episode 20 – Necessary Killing
- Episode 21 – The World of Magic
- Episode 22 – Future Enemies
- Episode 23 – Conquering the Labyrinth
- Episode 24 – Perfect Replicas
- Episode 25 – A Fatal Vulnerability
- Episode 26 – The Height of Magic
- Episode 27 – An Era of Humans
- Episode 28 – It Would Be Embarrassing When We Met Again
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I just watched this episode last night. I am looking forward to catching up. I loved that Frieren has a special relationship with the mimics! It also broke my heart that she had to learn such a painful life lesson too late.
It’s been great so far and I see no reason that it won’t continue that way. It must be hard when you have no concept or need of time when everyone around you does. Such a sad moment. I loved how Eisen and Heiter comforted her though.
I started watching Frieren because of all the dank memes people made about her in episode 10. And yep, it definitely sets the bar high. An interesting thing is that thry start the story with the group having pwned the Demon King, which is something I usually complain about in anime (not a fan of timeskips) but the way they progress it through the course of the episodes, and with Frieren/Fern’s commentary, I can excuse it, because it makes it look like Frieren and our journey are synonymous.
I wouldn’t call it a time skip. We are simply joining Frieren after she’s finished the quest. Yes, there is the fifth years in which she wanders around before coming back in time for Himmel’s death, but nothing really happens in that time so we don’t miss anything. I love the way we see the current quest complemented by flashbacks from the first one. I get the feeling this is the one that will really change her.
True, I think maybe “started from the end” is the better word, not time-skip per se. I mean as in ordinarily I’d ask “How come we don’t see them begin from the Demon King arc?” – because that’s not the point, as you say, because Frieren’s journey in this series will shed everything to light – and I think that’s just as valid of a method that I’ve seen other movies use too.
I’m finding the way they use to flashbacks to be incredible. They use them to highlight the present moment and shed light on their motivations. They’re not just stuffed in there.