May 7, 2024
Frieren is a perfect anime for the times when it feels like everything great have already been created and everyone is drowning in nostalgia. It's not a new feeling, sure, but the unlimited access to the internet made the younger generations overexposed to so much great art (and specifically anime, in our case) from the past that it feels like all the greatest things exist only there, somewhere years ago. Time filters out everything bad or unimpressive, leaving us with a distorted perception. Those who experienced all the 90s and 00s classics seem to be much less impressed by modern offerings. This is not an
...
uncommon scenario. However, younger generations who didn't manage to experience those eras in real time feel even more left out. They know exactly what and how much they've missed out on, which only further fuels their dissatisfaction with modern times.
I believe the choice to set the story not just after the "grand adventure" but so far in the future that there's no chance for "one final adventure" left is, in some way, a reflection of the real-world situation I described. On the one hand, we see everything from Frieren's perspective. She used to live her life on her own until faced with "the calling", but contrary to the cliche, she went on with her solitary life and didn't feel emotionally affected by the adventure and her new friends afterwards. At least not until Himmel passes away and she sets up for one more adventure. And by revisiting the same places and connecting with her new team, Frieren slowly realizes how much that old adventure and her friends meant to her, especially Himmel. This is such a beautiful way to show how so many things in life and so many experiences are so fleeting that it's sometimes almost impossible to comprehend their impact in the moment, especially if you don't know where to look. And at the same time, it tells us a lot about the power of nostalgia. Maybe it's not just about painting our memories in brighter colors. Maybe it's about actually bringing out all those colors and making us finally see the beautiful artwork that we failed to notice by looking so closely at the canvas.
But aside from Frieren's perspective, there's also ours, the viewers' perspective. We, unlike Frieren, have no knowledge of the events of her first journey, and we're not as familiar with the characters of Himmel, Heiter and Eisen. This, in a way, is similar to the perspective of younger generations, who know about the great adventures only through stories and retellings. In part, this perspective is shared by Fern and Stark, who were raised and trained by Frieren's former companions. And while they, just like us, sometimes feel like being late at the party, their own adventure is something much more important for them and will probably become something they will remember for life. Yes, they might have missed out on the era of great wars and adventures. But they still have their own ahead of them – their whole lives full of excitement, discovery, self-improvement, and friendship. Their own adventure lies ahead of them, and by sharing their excitement with Frieren, they manage to teach her that there's so much more beyond the journey's end. It's beautiful to see how many lives were influenced by Himmel, and how even after death he continues to influence even more – especially Frieren's. The past will always loom over us, but instead of perceiving it as a dark cloud that stops us from moving forward, it should become a guiding light for the new adventures to come. The world doesn't stop, new cities and villages are being built, new books are being written, and new children are being raised in the better world Frieren helped to build. Just like in our world, new great art is and will be created. And new and amazing anime will come out. For example, I've heard "Sousou no Frieren" or something like that is a pretty good one. Go check it out!
Reviewer’s Rating: 10
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