I know there can be a general trepidation to accept the hype of series like Frieren. It’s everywhere, everyone’s talking about it and you’ve probably seen the characters on social media. But I promise it’s warranted in this case. Frieren’s appeal for most people, myself included, will be the themes of loss and regret. As we get older we really begin to feel the impermanence of life. Whether it’s losing family members or friends, or just drifting apart from people we were once close with. Time changes everything and that’s scary. But, that doesn’t mean that we should shut ourselves off from the world. While life and relationships will come to an end, they have meaning. In fact, it’s because they end that they do have meaning. The good days we experience won’t be here forever, so we have to cherish them.
Frieren as a character is a nigh immortal elf, who after millennia of shutting herself off from the world, has begun to open up and embrace the world. All thanks to the journey and experiences she had as part of the hero’s party. The story uses both the past and present to illustrate Frieren’s growth, often bouncing back and forth between her days as a member of the hero’s party, and her current time with her students Fern and Stark. Often something will come up and remind her of the days now long past that she spent with Hero Himmel. Offering a sort of window into her slowly “melting” heart. Speaking of melting, “Frieren” means cold in German, more on that later though. Through these flashbacks, we see Frieren gradually realise that she valued her time with her friends much more than she could have ever imagined. She goes from thinking that a human lifetime is insignificant to her, to realising it’s not the length of time, but the quality of it. Even now, nearly a century on from their meeting, Himmel and her other friends are front and centre on her mind.
For me, that’s what makes this one so special. Pieces of media that I can take lessons from and apply to my own life always resonate the most, and I’m sure I’m not alone. While we may not have the lifespan of Frieren, there’s moments that all of us wish we could get back, people we wish we could talk to and tell how much we love them, etc. Though, perhaps the biggest takeaway is that while we can’t get time back from the past and we can’t undo our mistakes, we can learn from them. We can be better for the future and for those around us now. Frieren embraces this idea by taking on her former party members’ students, Fern and Stark, and going on a traditional grand fantasy adventure with them.
Earlier I referenced the importance of Frieren’s name to the story, that’s a recurring theme for the entire cast as they all have German names corresponding to their character traits. Some, like “Übel” and “stark” are a little too on the money, but others like “Fern” are subtle and reflect the character’s purpose in the story. I found them to be nice nods and really enjoyed seeing how characters evolved with their names.
The other big thing to talk about is the character interactions. Other than the life lessons, I think most people will really enjoy how the characters bounce off one another in the show. The dialogue doesn’t feel cringe or forced, the seiyuus talk in realistic every day voices for the most part, and it truly feels like you’re on a journey with a group of friends. There may be fights and disagreements, *cough cough* Fern and Stark, but at the end of the day everyone realises how important their friends are and make up.
I could go on and on about the story and characters, but I’ll spare you on that. Suffice to say it’s good. It’s simple, well paced and no arc overstays its welcome. Episodes don’t harp on one thing too long either like a lot of modern anime. Characters talk out their issues instead of hiding them and letting them explode. It feels about as real as a high fantasy setting can, and I think that’s some of the highest praise possible. Frieren just manages to do all the simple things really really well and as a result, it’s become one of the biggest anime.
The other massive component of the situation is studio MADHOUSE. After their bankruptcy, they’ve been kind of hit or miss with anime projects, but dare I say it this is the best thing they’ve ever done. It truly feels like they’ve risen from the ashes and not just returned to former glory, but exceeded it. Thanks in no small part to the director, Saito Keiichiro. Saito-Sensei himself proposed the idea of a Frieren anime after reading the first volume of the manga and falling in love with it. It shows. From the art to the character designs to action scenes, this world has been meticulously crafted with so much love and care and stands as a shining example of what a director with a clear vision and a supportive production committee can do. Something we don’t get nearly enough of these days. While Frieren is a slower paced story at times, there is definitely action and when it pops up it’s incredible. The animation during fights is among the best I’ve ever seen, and if we’re counting TV anime only, surely has to be top 3.
If we’re talking production we also can’t forget about the work Evan Call did on the series. Adding so much emotional weight to scenes and heightening the experience. He was amazing in Violet Evergarden and even better here. The show would certainly not be the same without him.
In conclusion, Sousou no Frieren is a riveting and enchanting fantasy story that we can all stand to learn a thing or two from. Even those who are not traditional fantasy or slice of life fans will find something to love here, even if it’s just Frieren getting trapped in a mimic chest. It’s a must watch.
Frieren gets a very easy 10, out of 10
