Alternative title(s): Sousou no Frieren, Frieren of the Funeral, Frieren
Manga Adaptation by Madhouse
Streaming on Crunchyroll

Premise

The eponymous Frieren is an elven mage who once journeyed with the Hero and his party to defeat the Demon Lord. As the decades pass after the adventure, she contends with the consequences of her longevity and the transience of her mortal companions.

Iro’s verdict: Finally A Fantasy Anime What Isn’t Isekai

The Frieren manga enjoyed a meteoric rise, and while I have my issues with how it’s currently panning out, it’s nice to be back in these early days of the story with the anime’s premiere. In some ways it’s quite generic, pulling from all the same Dragon Quest tropes that any number of miserable isekai stories do, but the show manages some real pathos by focusing on the emotional core of how Frieren is slowly processing her grief. Add that it takes the (somehow) brave step of simply not indulging in the kind of isekai trash that’s so common in fantasy anime these days, and we have what looks to be a standout for the season.

Zigg’s verdict: Beginning of the End

Honestly after an entire season of middling-to-bad trash, settling in to watch this first chunk of Frieren felt like slipping into a warm bath. There’s nothing blindingly original here, including the basic idea of ‘immortal being has to learn how to acknowledge death’, but the execution is simply fantastic. The script is expertly balanced between wry jokes and moving (but not overwhelming) pathos, the worldbuilding is largely subtle and interesting, and there’s a fine range of voice performances from the very able cast. Madhouse’s production is definitely upper tier and convincingly sells the richness and wonder of the fantasy world, with good character work and breathtaking landscapes. Special shout-out too to the stunning ED sequence. The OP is a little out of character but hey, if you can get YOASOBI you roll with it I’m guessing. Overall Freiren looks to be shaping up as an outstanding slice of classic fantasy anime, something that’s all too rare these days, and I’ll happily spend more time with this one.

Gee’s verdict: Strong Start

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End seems to be shaping up to be one of the season’s heavy hitters, if the four-part debut and YOASOBI OP are any indication. It’s an interesting choice to me because while I’m very aware of the manga’s meteoric rise, it’s not really the kind of story that’s going to shatter anyone’s expectations. In many ways, the anime’s greatest strength is how well it adapts the intentionally meandering and introspective pace of the source material. Frieren is slowly working through her feelings and regrets about the adventuring party she journeyed with half a century ago. It’s a coping process that will take years if not decades for her to fully internalize, and her new journey serves as the catalyst for it. The first four episodes do a great job of communicating what to expect of this story. Frieren and her companions will visit various fantasy towns on their journey north, spend some length of time solving their problems, occasionally fighting a monster, rinse and repeat. This slower pace allows Madhouse to cut loose in some really impressive ways during the brief periods where the extra fidelity can enhance the scene. This doesn’t just apply to the more action packed moments, but the sentimental ones too. The times when the anime really lingers on the melancholy that might come with eternal life, it’s genuinely compelling on an emotional level. These moments were already quite strong in the manga, the addition of animation and music make some of these really shine.

If I’m being honest, as a reader of the ongoing manga, I have more complicated feelings about Frieren as a whole. I don’t believe it’d be fair to bring them up considering most of those issues wouldn’t arise until a hypothetical season 2, which isn’t even a guarantee for the Frieren anime. For now, I think if you like what the first four episodes are selling, you’ll probably find a lot to like here.