100%-Rated Title That Replaced Fullmetal Alchemist as the Best Anime Ever Is Coming to Netflix This Week
Haven't seen this one yet? You should fix this mistake even if you have never watched anime.
The winter season of 2024 saw the rise of the brightest star in anime history, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End. The series caught the attention of fans and received excellent reviews from the press, taking first place in two of the largest user ratings of best anime on MyAnimeList and AnimeNewsNetwork.
Frieren has held the title of best anime for almost a year, displacing Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, a perennial favorite on both lists. And now Frieren: Beyond Journey's End is on its way to Netflix.
What Is Frieren: Beyond Journey's End About?
The hero Himmel and his party defeated the Demon King and returned home with honor. Their adventure lasted ten years and left a lasting impression on everyone except the elf sorceress Frieren, for whom the time spent on the road seemed very short.
Years later, the elf witnessed the aging and death of her former friends, which led to a revelation: in fact, ten years of wandering had left a much greater mark than it seemed.
With the death of Himmel, Frieren realized that human life is much more valuable and interesting, and the sorceress decides to embark on a new journey, one aimed at understanding humans and finally reflecting on the years she spent with Himmel.
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Is a Subtle and Brilliant Exploration of Human Nature
Imagine if The Lord of the Rings began with Frodo's journey back to the Shire, Star Wars focused on Luke coming to terms with the loss of his father, and Harry Potter focused on Harry raising his children.
Frieren is first and foremost a reflection on life after all the great achievements. After defeating evil, the heroes go their separate ways, only to meet again fifty years later to admire the meteor shower one last time.
The story of Frieren is an attempt to understand human nature. By giving us a thousand-year-old elf as our companion, and sending us into a world of magic and dungeons, the creators make simple human life, with its joys and the courage to go on living despite the inevitability of death, the main mystery and miracle of the entire series.
Despite the Leisurely Pace, the Action Scenes Are Impressive and Well-Crafted
The slow pace of the story helps us feel the world view of a thousand-year-old elf. However, in those moments when the action finally bursts onto the screen, it is absolutely impossible to tear yourself away from it.
Firstly, because it is perfectly staged – the creators experiment with animation and show a variety of fighting styles and strategies, often rhyming with the features of the characters.
Secondly, because the colorful fights do not steal the show, but are rather perceived as a small attraction that deepens and complements the development of the characters.
When Will Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Come to Netflix?
Frieren: Beyond Journey's End is coming to Netflix on March 1.