Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is captivating in so many ways, and most of the time, it doesn’t even have to do with its animation. Yes, Madhouse Studios did a great deal for the series, but there’s more to it. This is especially true for the elven mage and her progress as a character after Himmel’s death.
From being an aloof and detached mage, Frieren exhibited commendable character development. And since it was after the hero’s death, it all sums up nicely with one arc that most people thought of as rather monotonous. But is it boring, or did fans exaggerate in the end? Read more to find out.
Frieren’s commendable development after Himmel’s death
Frieren is a perfect character in the manner of being flawed. She’s an elven mage whose perception of time is completely different from that of humans. Her introduction pretty much says it all, especially with her attitude towards enjoying the little things in life.
The meteor showers and sunrise that were once insignificant shaped her life for the better. This happens after Himmel passes away due to old age, and she is seen crying during the funeral. Grief is something so beautiful yet profound that we all process it in different way,s but it changed the mage drastically.
Elves are known to be cold, aloof, and detached from emotions, as seen with the Elven Mage and Serie. But, some unspoken bonds and words seep into the storyline. This is evident with Serie’s relationship with Flamme, but in the end the Elven Mage takes the cake with her growth, as most fans pointed out.
In r/Frieren a screencap shows an interaction between her and Himmel where she looks surprised. She is both clueless and surprised as she experiences a wave of emotions. That is to say that she was a lone traveller who had no idea about relationships and dynamics.
This moment does serve as a reminder of his care and concern for her. The First Class Mage Exam arc, however, outshined others in terms of the characters and the heroine’s feats. And though it is painfully long, is it boring as most readers suggest?
Is the First-Class Mage Exam Arc boring?
Some arcs can be painfully slow and the First-Class Mage Exam arc is one of them. It spans over 10 episodes in the anime, but in the manga, it is unpacked within 24 chapters or so. It can be monotonous for readers in the beginning, but is it boring? Let’s find out.
The First Class Mage Exam arc featured some of the best fights in the series. Frieren and Fern’s battle with the clone as well as Denken was done brilliantly by the animation studio. But other than that, the series introduced an array of characters.
Wirbel’s complexity for example, lies in his experience of war and violence. He is introduced as a blunt and rude character. On the other hand, the arc also introduced Kraft. The elf’s kindness stands in contrast with the stereotype of Elves being inherently aloof and cold.
As an elf, Kraft is kind and compassionate as he helps out Frieren’s party during the arc. So, is the arc monotonous? Maybe. Is it boring? Not especially with how it features characters, their personas, their progress, and power-packed battles.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The manga is available for reading on Viz Media.
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