It’s been a wonderful year for fantasy anime fans as we’ve been treated to not one, but two fantastic shows: Delicious in Dungeon and Frieren: At Journey’s End. The show is a breath of fresh air because it plays with many aspects of fantasy storytelling.
The Premise
Over 50 years after the hero’s party slays the Demon King, Himmel the Hero dies of old age. His passing sparks a reunion of the hero’s party, all of who are much older in appearance except for the elven mage, Frieren.
On her initial journey, Frieren dismissed the possibility that her adventure with Himmel’s party would have a ripple effect. A decade is nothing to Frieren, yet that decade ripples out into the rest of her life. Unfortunately for her, most of her old traveling party members are now dead. She becomes aware of the ramifications of her aloof nature. Upon hearing of the resting place of souls, she makes it her mission to reunite with Himmel.
Now joined by Fern and Stark, the students of her former companions, Frieren takes on a mentor role to the duo. On this journey, she strives to learn from her past mistakes and begins to connect with the world around her.
Subverting the Hero’s Journey
The series juxtaposes how the world remembers her adventuring party versus the less-than-grandiose reality.
As Frieren travels with her new companions, they see monuments to Himmel and are told grand stories of his battles. People think of him as this perfect mythical figure: courageous, noble, and mature. However, Frieren’s recollection of events presents Himmel’s party as a party that just happened to slay the Demon King. Himmel is calculative, vain, and chivalrous when we look back at her memories with him.
The depiction of Himmel the Hero versus Himmel the Adventurer shows how a person can be lost when they achieve a heroic feat. Even in real life, society puts people on pedestals, ignoring that they are human to keep a narrative going. The show could’ve easily kept Himmel as this legendary figure. Portraying him as a regular adventurer makes learning about him and the party much more interesting. Since we’re no longer expecting a perfect hero, we get a character that inspires heroism.
Combat
Combat is an important element in most fantasy anime. Most fantasy combat sequences focus on showcasing power with hyperbeams, sword effects, and other supernatural abilities. However, in Frieren it’s precise and efficient. The sequences reflect the skill level of the characters engaged in battle without any of the over-the-top battle troupes normalized in anime.
It is not farfetched to expect Frieren to make quick work of her enemies with a super flashy, super-powerful spell. However, that is not efficient and more importantly, not her style. Mana is a limited resource and treated as such, unlike most shows where characters burst blood vessels to obtain more power.
With other characters that do not use mana, it’s much more realistic as the fighters use the environment around them to maneuver around. While it’d be easy to rely on a more action-based fight scene, the animation team focuses on the weight of these attacks. Characters maneuver around the enemy with the weight of their weapons and bodies. It’s a pleasing viewing experience, and I hope more shows follow this format.
Overall, the show is a different take on the typical fantasy anime and plays with the hero’s journey. The animation focuses on movement and the weight of a character’s actions, enhancing the viewing experience.
Frieren: At Journey’s End is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
