Mar 28, 2024
A work's success is often dictated before its debut. Such is the case for "Sousou no Frieren" (which roughly translates to "Frieren [at] the Funeral"). Every element of the series is done by highly talented individuals, and it shows. From the up-and-coming director Keiichirô Saitô (known best for "Bocchi the Rock!") to the well-known composer Evan Call, there is no shortage of quality to be seen in Sousou no Frieren. This show's uncontested success can be divided into several factors: Storytelling, characters, audio, and graphics.
The 'make/break' for this show (as well as the main criticism of negative/mixed reviews) is the pacing.
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With the concept of being "Beyond Jouney's End", it makes sense that the day-to-day would not quite be the grand adventure that Himmel's party of four embarked upon. That being said, very little (if not none) of the show is filler. Every scene has its place in the larger story, with almost all developing a character in a specific way. Furthermore, the anime does not always directly tell or show its audience the purpose behind a scene, encouraging them to actively engage with the story (I included a minor spoiler example at the end of this review). It is this sort of delivery that makes Sousou no Frieren appealing to many.
Expanding on the story's character-driven plotlines, there are no one-dimensional characters. The protagonists are all given ample time and attention to see the depth of their design. Supporting characters are not far behind in this regard; each one is given their time to shine (or matt). Even characters with barely a minute of screen-time have so much life put into them that it seems like they have been developed for half a season. As for delivery, I cannot speak for the English VAs, but the Japanese VAs absolutely bring it home. Adults act like adults, teenagers like teenagers, and demons like demons.
The initial reason I came to discover Sousou no Frieren was due to Evan Call's musical contribution to the show. The OST is the best since (and perhaps even surpasses) Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, and it is easy to see the influence that LotR's soundtrack had in the composition. The OPs and ED are not to be taken lightly either; Milet's "Anytime Anywhere" fits seamlessly with the greater themes of the show. My only critique here is that YAOSOBI's "Yuusha" and Yorushika's "Haru" should switch cours, due to the differences in pacing between the two.
Last but certainly not least is the show's animation and graphics. If I were to pick a random frame from an episode, it would look pretty, but not necessarily wallpaper material. If I were to instead choose any thirty seconds of an episode, there would be no shortage of intricate details and seamless flow to be found. Madhouse took its over fifty years of experience in animation and poured it all into Sousou no Frieren. It's hard to really capture the beauty of the animation through words, so take a look at one of the PVs to understand.
Sousou no Frieren is a mature story with a seasoned staffing to back it up. While the show may not appeal to everyone, it has quickly become a large gathering's all-time favorite anime. I am completely confident that this show would appeal to the vast majority of people in some way, and will also become the favorite of many like myself. If you were to only watch one anime every season, this should be the one.
MINOR EXAMPLE SPOILER BELOW
In one episode, Fern criticizes Frieren for 'wasting' money on a spell that turns grapes sour. Later on, it is revealed that Eisen - a member of Himmel's party and comrade of Frieren - loved sour grapes. Not only does this show Frieren struggling to understand the people around her, but it also highlights Fern's lack of understanding of Frieren's mentality.
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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