Frieren: Beyond Journey's End he never had a reason to rush. The award-winning manga series that inspired the ongoing anime adaptation is full of memorable villains and action-packed action, but new fans are beginning to realize that Frieren does things a little differently in the anime world. So far, the first half of Season 2 has relied on what defines the series best: its slow, meaningful pace. As viewers eagerly await the introduction of the next big villain and setup for the fast-approaching season finale, the series has avoided those big beats and instead focused on its beloved trio. Frieren, Fern and Stark continue their journey, and how it's a real journey, down to the smallest details that most adventure series don't take the time (or budget for animation).
Compared to the first season Frieren Season 2 only has 10 episodes, something that has been stressing fans since it started in January. Less than a dozen episodes doesn't give the studio much time to cover, and given the series' slow pace, the question remained: what will Season 2 accomplish? The first half largely answered that question, and while a select few may feel frustrated by the adaptation's refusal to rush the next big fight or antagonist, most fans online expressed their appreciation.
Frieren Season 2 Episode 5 she may not move the needle forward, but what she lacks in action, she makes up for in heart. Real life is quite hectic. Why not settle for a little whimsy?
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The elven mage Frieren is not someone easily forgotten, for better or for worse
Second season Frieren has already reached the halfway point, and its three protagonists continue to traverse the dangerous Northern Plateau. Set in a village known for its breweries and devotion to drinking culture, Frieren is eager to leave, something rare for an elf who usually doesn't mind spending years or even decades in one place. As expected, someone from her past arrives to give her an errand – old man Hass, a dwarf on the hunt for the legendary liquor. The first half of episode 5 focuses on Hass's desperation for Boshaft, a spirit said to be the tastiest ever made. As it turns out, Frieren had previously refused to help Hero Party priest Heiter track down the alcohol, and her reasoning was simple: it wasn't delicious. It was disgusting. Not wanting to break Hass's heart, she withholds this information and later tells Fern.
His travels, which spanned over 200 years, took Hass to an ancient ruin, but unfortunately, the door to his precious Boshaft was magically sealed by an elf named Milliarde. Frieren shares the unfortunate news that it would take three months to crack it, something Fern and Stark would likely disagree on. However, with the promise of money, the pair of humans almost force the elven mage to go to work, and she is indeed able to open the vault containing hundreds of bottles of booze. There comes a time to take a sip, and that's typical Frieren fashion, there are lessons to be learned from this sweet side quest.
My search ended in disappointment, but I have never had such a fun night. – Hass
Neither Heiter nor Hass faced the sad reality of the ugly liquor with frustration, choosing instead to laugh and focus on the goodness of camaraderie and the joy that can only come with a long and arduous quest coming to an end. In some ways, the first part of this episode feels like a punch line Frieren as a whole, asking viewers not to simply wait for another impressive battle sequence, but instead to enjoy the here and now. The series has stayed true to itself and emphasizes the journey over the destination. In any other series, I might be eager for the studio to pick up the pace and avoid what could be construed as “filler.” But in Frieren? I never want the side quests to end.
Everything, even hard work and bad alcohol, is better with friends
It's not all about the booze. In the second half of the episode, the trio arrive in Norm Company territory, with Frieren explaining that the fortified corporation had long been the lifeblood of the region, operating an armed distribution network to ensure nearby settlements received important goods. Unfortunately, things have changed since the Hero Party passed and the company has been greatly weakened. Despite warnings from the elves Stark and Fern not to cause trouble, it is Frieren herself who is caught up in yet another predicament caused by her past. President Norm immediately demands that the mage pay off his debt from 80 years ago, and when she can't cough up the money, she's sent to work in the mines for a measly 300 years. Needless to say, Fern and Stark are a bit frustrated with the situation.
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Of course, there is more to the circumstances than meets the eye. The President quickly visited Frieren in the mines and explained that simple manual labor was not the main objective. Rather, he's hoping to see the elf help rebuild the company's broken distribution network, and given everything Frieren has learned about kindness and reciprocity from hero Himmel, she quickly agrees. In the end, the mage was eager to help the people of the Northern Plateau in any way he could, while also wanting to pay back the current president's grandfather, who had agreed to fund the Party of Heroes. Finding valuable silver ore in the mines is child's play for the mage, and her promise is kept as she returns to Stark and Fern to continue their journey.
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End it has a way of keeping me busy in a way that doesn't make sense in 2026, the age of overstimulation and chaos—and maybe that's the point. Episode 5 keeps the same pace as the previous four, although it didn't bother to include any action or demon battles this week. There was no need, because not every chapter needs such an obvious hook. Frieren gently takes viewers by the hand and asks them to consider their lives, their goals, their regrets and everything in between. Elves can live incredibly long lives, but humans can't, and that's a painful reality worth facing. In the end, this episode was a reminder that we're all looking for something, and sometimes it's not as obvious as Frieren's search for spell books.
At this point, though, I'm more than happy to simply see the trio's journey to the very end.
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
- Release date
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September 29, 2023
- Network
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Nippon TV, YTV, FBS, Chukyo TV, RNB, FCT, STV, KNB, HTV, YBS, RAB, TVI, YBC, UMK TV Miyazaki, TSB, MMT, TeNY, RNC, NIB, KKT, KTK, NKT, ABS, JRT, Daiichi-TV, FBC, RKC, KYT
- directors
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Kento Matsui, Kota Mori, Takahiro Natori, Morio Asaka, Lim Ka-hee, Taku Kimura, Ken Ando, Hirotaka Mori, Ayaka Tsuji
- Writers
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Tomohiro Suzuki
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Atsumi Tanezaki
Frieren (voice)
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Kana Ichinose
Fern (voice)
