Frieren: Beyond Journey's End has never had a reason to rush. The award-winning manga series that inspired the ongoing anime adaptation is packed with memorable villains and ample action to boot, but new fans are beginning to realize that Frieren does things a little differently in the world of anime. The first half of Season 2 has, so far, leaned into what defines the series best: its slow and meaningful pacing. As viewers eagerly await the introduction of the next major bad guy and the setup for the quickly-approaching season finale, the series has sidestepped these major beats and instead focused on its beloved party of three. Frieren, Fern, and Stark continue their journey, and what a true journey it is, down to the smallest details that most adventure series wouldn't take the time (or animation budget) to show.
Compared to its first season, Frieren Season 2 only has 10 episodes, something that has been stressing fans out since its start in January. Less than a dozen episodes doesn't give the studio time to cover much, and given the series' slow pace, the question has remained: what will Season 2 accomplish? The first half has largely answered that question, and while a select few may feel frustrated by the adaptation's refusal to rush toward the next big fight or antagonist, the majority of fans online have been vocal in their appreciation.
Frieren Season 2 Episode 5 may not move the needle forward much, but what it lacks in action, it makes up for in heart. After all, real life is hectic enough. Why not settle for a bit of whimsy?
10 Things Frieren Does Better Than Other Anime
Frieren does so much to stand out from every other anime.
The Elven Mage Frieren Isn't Someone Easily Forgotten, For Better or Worse
The second season of Frieren has already reached the halfway point, and its three protagonists continue to traverse the dangerous Northern Plateau. Happening upon a village known for its breweries and dedication to drinking culture, Frieren is somewhat eager to leave, something rare for the elf, who typically doesn't mind spending years, or even decades, in one location. As expected, someone from her past arrives to give her an errand—Old Man Hass, a dwarf on the hunt for a legendary liquor. The first half of Episode 5 focuses on Hass' desperation for Boshaft, a spirit said to be the most delicious ever produced. As it turns out, Frieren had previously refused to help the Hero Party's priest, Heiter, track down the alcohol, and her reasoning was simple: it wasn't delicious. It was disgusting. Unwilling to break Hass' heart, she withholds this information, only later sharing it with Fern.
His travels over 200 years had led Hass to an ancient ruin, but unfortunately, the door to his precious Boshaft had been magically sealed by an elf named Milliarde. Frieren shares the unfortunate news that it would take three months to crack it, something that Fern and Stark would be unlikely to agree to undertake. However, at the promise of money, the pair of humans all but force the elven mage to get to work, and indeed, she is able to open the vault to hundreds of bottles of booze. The moment arrives to take a swig, and in typical Frieren fashion, there is a lesson to be learned from this sweet side quest.
My search ended in disappointment, but I've never had such a fun night. - Hass
Neither Heiter nor Hass faced the sad reality of the nasty liquor with frustration, instead deciding 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 the point of Frieren as a whole, with viewers asked not to simply bide their time until the next impressive battle sequence, but instead to enjoy the here and now. The series has remained true to itself, highlighting the journey before the destination. In any other series, I might be eager for the studio to pick up the pace and to avoid what could be construed as 'filler.' But in Frieren? I never want the side quests to end.
Everything, Even Hard Labor and Bad Liquor, Is Better With Friends
It's not all about the booze. The second half of the episode sees the trio arrive in Norm Company Territory, with Frieren explaining that the fortified corporation has long been the lifeblood of the region, operating an armed distribution network to ensure that nearby settlements get important goods. Unfortunately, things have changed since the Hero Party passed through, and the company has been weakened considerably. Despite the elf warning Stark and Fern not to cause trouble, it's Frieren herself who is caught up in another predicament caused by her past. President Norm immediately demands that the mage repay her debt from 80 years prior, and when unable to cough up the funds, she is sent to work in the mines for a measly 300 years. Needless to say, Fern and Stark are a tad frustrated by the situation.
Click or tap on the games that match the category
Of course, there's more to the circumstances than meets the eye. The president was quick to visit Frieren in the mines, explaining that simple manual labor wasn't the main goal. Rather, he hoped to see the elf help rebuild the company's fractured distribution network, and given all that Frieren learned from Himmel the Hero about kindness and reciprocity, she is quick to agree. In the end, the mage was eager to help the people of the Northern Plateau in any way possible, while also wanting to repay the current president's grandfather, who had agreed to fund the Hero Party. Finding valuable silver ore in the mines is child's play for a mage, and her promise is kept, as she returns to Stark and Fern to continue their journey.
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End has a way of keeping me engaged that doesn't make sense in 2026, an age of overstimulation and chaos—and maybe that's the point. Episode 5 maintains the same pace as the previous four, though this week's entry didn't bother to include any action or demon battles. It didn't need to, because not every chapter needs such an obvious hook. Frieren takes viewers by the hand, gently, and asks them to consider their lives, their goals, their regrets, and everything in between. Elves may live incredibly long lives, but humans don't, and that's a painful reality worth facing. In the end, this episode was a reminder that we're all searching for something, and sometimes, that thing isn't as obvious as Frieren's search for spellbooks.
For now, though, I'm more than happy enough to simply see the trio's journey through to the very end.
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End
- Release Date
- September 29, 2023
- Network
- 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, KRY
Cast
-
Atsumi TanezakiFrieren (voice) -
Kana IchinoseFern (voice)
WHERE TO WATCH
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End is an animated adventure-drama series based on the manga series created by Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe. Following her parties' victory against an all-powerful demon king that threatened to destroy their world, Frieren, an elf, attempts to find her place in a new world with an undetermined future fifty years later.
- Directors
- Kento Matsui, Kota Mori, Takahiro Natori, Morio Asaka, Lim Ka-hee, Taku Kimura, Ken Ando, Hirotaka Mori, Ayaka Tsuji
- Writers
- Tomohiro Suzuki
- Creator(s)
- Tsukasa Abe, Kanehito Yamada
- Seasons
- 1
- Studio
- Madhouse
- Number of Episodes
- 28
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll
- MyAnimeList Score
- 9.31
