‘Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End’ Season 2 Episode 1 review: “Shall We Go, Then?”

Frieren Beyond Journey’s End Season 2 Episode 1 unveils itself with the quiet grace viewers have grown accustomed to with the series. Directed and storyboarded by Tomoya Kitagawa, “Shall We Go, Then?” serves as both a return to the series, reminding us of Frieren’s party and their dynamics, and a more robust demonstration of what makes the series sublime. For all of Frieren’s adventures and run-ins with mysterious figures, treacherous demons, and explosive violence, there’s a deep-rooted tranquility in the series that underscores its thesis: life and the time you have are what you make of them. So make it an adventure, enjoy the friendships and connections you have, laze about in bed when you need to, and honor the memories of those you’ve known by embracing the lessons they taught you and putting them into practice as you progress.

Embracing visual contemplation and gentle, continued worldbuilding, the Season 2 premiere finds our trio just about where they left off in Season 1. Frieren (Atsumi Tanezaki), Fern (Kana Ichinose), and Stark (Chiaki Kobayashi) are making their way to Ende and quickly realize that they’re low on funds. It’s not an unfamiliar tight spot for them, but it doesn’t make their misadventures as they look to fill their pockets any less engaging or, in this case, hilarious.

One of the most delightful aspects of the series is that, for all of Frieren’s wisdom and sharpened intelligence, her aloof nature and persistent silliness often win out. There’s a reason why, in Season 1, we learned that her former party member, Eisen, called his ten-year adventure with her the most ridiculous he’s ever experienced. So it makes sense, then, in an effort to show Fern and Stark something she finds neat, they end up stumbling into their first major hiccup of the season.

The lessons learned from Himmel’s Party continue to resonate.

While it was only first introduced as a party trick, the magic-nullifying crystal that Frieren finds and proudly shows off comes back in a big way. Falling through the ground into a cave full of them, it renders Frieren and Fern incapable of fighting when they run into a venomous dragon. And it’s here where we get one of the first overwhelming bouts of tearful, chill-inducing emotional resonance that the series loves to dole out. Stark realizes that he’s no match for the dragon despite his strength and resolve, so Frieren creates an opening to let the three of them run away and escape. The writing highlights both the significance of trusting your party members to handle difficult situations and putting your faith in the skills of others. But there’s also plenty of worth in knowing when, as a team, it’s time to hightail it out of there.

The echoes of Himmel’s Party course through the decades since his death, constant reminders of just how much those ten years meant to Frieren. She might’ve seen it initially as a mere, insignificant blip in her very long life, but it becomes increasingly clear just how much she took from it. Be it in larger-scale interactions or, like here, in a moment of adventurous levity. Why fight when you can make a swift escape instead?

This moment in Frieren Beyond Journey’s End Season 2 Episode 1 has a ripple effect throughout. After an awkward interaction between Fern and Stark, Frieren wonders about the latter’s place in the party. She questions whether or not traveling with two women is uncomfortable for him, until they’re led to a literal crossroads. It’s there where they find Wirbel, off to defend the Northern Plateau and looking to enlist Stark’s help.

Stark and Fern add tremendous heart to a series already overflowing with it.

But Stark doesn’t waiver, and it never seems as if he might. Sure, it’s flattering, but he’s committed to Frieren and Fern, more than either seems to know.

It’s funny, too, that Frieren seems to have misunderstood the root of the issue once again. It’s not that Stark is put off by the awkwardness of traveling with two women. Instead, it’s the continued, developing bond between him and Fern that makes things tough to navigate. But it’s also ridiculously sweet, demonstrating how much heart the two characters and their dynamic bring to the series. Whenever we get snippets of Frieren’s time in Himmel’s party, there’s this desire to see more. Especially with how enigmatic Himmel remains, while the other party members have all had more time to be fleshed out in their own stories. Himmel, in comparison, remains a figment of others’ memories. A hero and a friend from another lifetime.

What makes the story worthwhile in the present is just how lovable Fern and Stark are and how Frieren navigates her dynamics with both of them and the two with each other. The scene between Stark and Fern, where he confesses that he believes the two of them have made him a better person, is touching, with just enough of their youthfulness at play.

That sincerity and character development are just part of what makes the entire journey so worth investing in. It’s never been about the end goal. It’s about the tireless ways in which we change and mold ourselves into the image of who we want to be, in the company of those lucky enough to bear witness to such personal growth.

Enriching animation helps craft the expansive world and the detailed characters at its center.

And it all comes back to that cave. Because as the night ends, we get a flashback to their escape, as Fern, in a rare instance of fear, clutched at the bracelet Stark gave her in Season 1. He provides comfort and a sense of safety. The moment on its own would resonate, but it is amplified by gorgeous character animation as her hands grab it once more in the present.

The visuals have always been noteworthy in Frieren, and the Season 2 premiere continues its ability to evoke a sense of place and the passage of time. From the expansive backdrops as the group wanders in the wilderness, the endless skies framed behind them, itself a suggestion of Frieren’s longevity, to the physicality of the characters, and the details of lighting – such as when Fern holds her bracelet up to the sun – the animation is spellbinding. There’s a classical style to the rendering, aided by Evan Call’s impeccable score, that gives the story a sense of timelessness while grounding us in the narrative.

Frieren Beyond Journey’s End Season 2 Episode 1 reminds us of why this series, based on the work written by Kanehito Yamada and illustrated by Tsukasa Abe, is such a tremendous feat of storytelling. With its ever-evolving world-building and stunning use of softer aesthetics and richly detailed backgrounds, the series finds magic in every frame, no matter how small. Laying the groundwork for the next story in Frieren’s chapter to come, “Shall We Go, Then?” grabs hold of us, insistent that we join.

Frieren Beyond Journey’s End Season 2 Episode 1 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.

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Images courtesy of Crunchyroll and Madhouse.