Anime – Sousou no Frieren [TV]

Anime Apr 29, 2024

Overview:

A story about the post Demon King era. Where the lives of the party that took them down have aged and are at the end of their lives. However, our main girl… ehm, best girl, Frieren, however is not at the end of her journey. Due to being an elf, the time perception to her is on a different scale. To her, it was only moments ago that the journey with the countries heroes had come to an end.

With the realization that the time they spent with this group of heroes was short. She starts to come to want to learn more about the humans and emotions in general. Something that is shown throughout to be lacking in expression. Not that she does not have them, moreso that she is not able to express them in the ways a human would. Frieren clearly states she does not understand such thoughts, all while being caring person herself… well in her own strange elf ways that is.

Himmel, the main hero she had partied with has officially passed on which had sparked her own personal journey to learn more about the humans. With emotions of regret of not spending more time and learning about Himmel and the party members. Knowing that the life of a human is short, but not understanding that the life they live is brief to the point of lost time and skips in between meeting when put on the scale of an elf is a flash. Fireren has a lot of mixed and intricate emotions swelling up that further pushes her need to know more. All while being herself, calm and outwardly emotionless.

Another 20 years pass before Frieren meets with the drunka--, ehm, Heiter. Who is now also nearing the end of his times but has taken in a small child. He requests that Frieren teaches her magic and cares for her as his final will request. Linking back to this is what Himmel would have done in terms of him taking in the child.

While Fern and Frieren are traveling together, they meet with Eisen. Eisen, being a dwarf is able to live longer than humans but nowhere near as long as an elf. Shown in how his age is starting to take a toll on him. He does however have a disciple as well which is shown shortly after. Eisen pushes for Frieren to visit Ende and seek a specific place where she could talk with Himmel even though he had passed.

Meeting with Eisens disciple, Stark, he agrees to follow along with the journey they are on. Mainly because of the request that Eisen had made but also with a side of wanting to meet back together and be able to express his journey, his adventures and times he had in between their parting.

With the main gang now together and pushing forward towards a fairly clear goal of what the end will be, the first instance of real demons is had. Showing their personality of how they are by definition evil. Lacking any sense of emotions and are simply wild animals with vocal cords if one was to put it in simple terms. They abuse, do bad and are arrogant in the ways only a demon could be. Manipulating the higher ups in the city for their own good until they are stopped by the trio. This also is a small showing of the strengths and personalities of the party. Especially the tier of power that Frieren is at. Although her level considered to be godly to humans is mearly below average for an elf of her age when put in perspective of her own kind.

With the demon arc out of the way, another member enters the trio… Quadro [?]. Well, he does not last long as their goals compared to his quickly align as fast as they branch away. Likely not an end but with an unlikely reunion on the current journey. It was a farewell as quickly as a welcome was in progress. Inevitably leaving the core trio back at their journey to ende.

However the journey cannot continue until one or both Frieren or Fern become a first class mage. Reason being the demon activity in the northern lands where their journey is taking them, is high activity of danger. Where one of the party members must be qualified under such rank to be permitted passage.

Without the qualifications met, they are forced to break and persue the test to become a first class mage. A test that is only once every 3 years. Lucky as they are, the wait is not too great for the next test. Many new and interesting characters are met in the first phase of the test. The test demanding that all participants are split into groups of 3, each only needing to catch a bird. Easy as it may sound, there is always a catch. Along with the fact that no matter how one acquires the bird is not specified, just that they have to have one by tests end and maintain hold of it for the sundown of the final day. With none of the 3 grouped members passing this stage with or without the bird if one of the members has perished or is resigned from the test.

To no surprise, both Frieren and Fern are able to pass with their group and bird in hand. Capable of proceeding to the second phase of the test. A second phase made exceptionally harder due to the fact that Frieren is involved indirectly due to how powerful she is. With a struggle, many are able to cooperate and pass this test, not without several failing.

With the final phase of the exams finally in session and out of session before some are even able to speak a word let alone words. Luckily the odds were in Ferns favor though as she was one of the lucky few while Frieren got a 1000 year ban from magical facilities across the country. Bit of a stark difference in their end results for the exams. And with the exams officially over and their journey to Ende able to resume, a brief goodbye is given to the cast that was introduced along the arcs happening with a cut to black indicating the journey will continue again.

Visuals/Music:

The visuals while more simplistic offer a clear and enjoyable viewing experience. With the animation matching that of a story telling esque feeling. Where there is not a lot of detail where detail is not needed. It has a older styling that is brought to the present. Comparing the visuals to something like Made in Abyss where they are extensively detailed and movie like, this comes across as more of a story that matches with the story and elements surrounding the themes. It is a perfect fit for the anime and the story. No complaints, but then again, it is Mad House who is known for peak animation and stories.

Although not everything is in a more simplistic storybook type of animation, when the fight scenes come on or magic is used, the detail and visual cartography is brought up to what makes the easiest way to express it as eye candy. Honestly not much to say except it has been done to Mad House standards.

As for the music, most of the time it is not noticed or realized. Which is a very good thing. It melds with the scenes and does not break immersion. Exactly what a person would want. However, that being what a person wants, there are not any standout OSTs that push it to the heights of memorability. It works very well but that’s about it.

As for the opening and endings… I mean, sitting through them each time and enjoying Milet’s ending `Anytime Anywhere` was quite a blissful thing to have from start to finish. The openings debatably *worse* but in a loose sense as either of the opening or endings are very well done. Worse in this instance is not a negative but rather there for comparisons sake.

Final Thoughts:

Not much to say except it’s a highly recommended anime to basically anybody. It touches on a balance of acceptability of a great wide many. For me personally, it does not have that emotional impact to push it into a favorites tier… yet, but this definitely by the end if it keeps up the road will likely reach it. There is a high amount of emotions that is poured into the show and characters that lead a person to get attached to them in a short period of time. They are not the most attractive and are more along the lines of average and personally, I like that better. There is nothing too special about them and they feel more real as characters. Not people that are perfect idealizations of a persons imagination. They feel and come across as people anybody could meet and get to know if that makes sense. It really helps push the connectivity and relative ease of becoming attached to the characters in the story. Be it they are shown for a single episode or tag along the trios journey for a short while. Sub characters are fleshed out and feel as though they could show up at any point in the future, being able to continue where they left off without ever feeling wrong or misplaced. Every character has their end goals and the paths happen to intertwine every now and then. Each intertwining is what we are shown. Really feels like a adult telling a story to a child, basically reflecting the personality of Frieren and her age. It parallels together with the rest of the story.

Great anime that tells a very soothing type of story. The approach of showing the after effects of a kingdom immediately after the demon kings defeat is something else. Quite special in that most other stories are directly how a party defeats the great calamity or are many years after where it’s a distant past that nobody knows of and is more of a legend.

Characters (main) – 5/5

Characters (sub) – 5/5

Enjoyment – 4/5

Visuals – 5/5

Music – 4/5

Story – 5/5