Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Created a Misconception About Elves That Might Lead To Their Extinction

Apart from being a high-rated anime, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End captures the essence of friendships and adventure through its riveting storyline. No wonder it was awarded Anime of the Year for several reasons.

From its stellar animation to splendid storytelling, it showcases a spectrum of themes through its enthralling plot. But that is not all considering its lore that has most fans scratching their brains out.

Frieren in a still from the anime | Credit: Madhouse

Of late, several Redditors responded to one of the panels from the manga which pointed to the said myth. In his writing of the series, Kanehito Yamada may have left loose ends that are yet to be tied up.

And while the discussion brought out interesting hypotheses from readers, it reflected the underlying theme of romance. Although subtle, the mangaka gave his unique spin to themes of relationships and love through several nuances.

Redditors respond to The Elven Misconception

Before its breakthrough as the Anime of the Year, Kanehito Yamada’s series was supposed to be a gag manga. Through the years, it has garnered a wide fanbase and popularity among readers and viewers.

Above all, this has major to do with its characters and themes. Be it immortality or camaraderie, it tugs at both readers’ and viewers’ heartstrings. Most of all, it is a poignant reminder of the impermanence of life.

Frieren and Himmel in a still from the anime | Credit: Madhouse

The Elven Mage, however, is exempt from the notions and cycle of time. Her immortality is a double-edged sword in many aspects. It is a boon that allows her to expand her knowledge and wisdom. Conversely, it is a bane in terms of her witnessing the transience of human life.

Be it, Himmel or Heiter, she experiences gut-wrenching loss through her witnessing her friend’s death. While this may seem like a curse, the mangaka created a misconception about elves that had fans scratching their brains out.

Yamada’s portrayal of elven people as romantic and asexual garnered an array of responses from Redditors.

In retrospect, her character processes grief, tragedy, and loss differently. This also had most fans deeming her as neurodivergent. While she may be isolated from the concept of romance, she isn’t divorced from emotions.

Moreover, the series uniquely showcases love and romance. Be it Himmel’s confession or Fern and Stark’s relationship, Yamada encapsulated intimacy beautifully in his series.

Love and Romance in Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is a heart-rending tale of friendship, adventures, and fantasy. With an occasional sprinkle of romance, Yamada outlines love and affection beautifully. The subtle and slow-burn relationships set his series apart from other shonen manga. But there’s more to it than meets the eye.

Stark and Fern in a still from the anime | Credit: Madhouse

Contrary to popular and overused tropes, the series isn’t laden with mushy references. As a new-age series, it gives center stage to female protagonists and side characters as pivotal figures. Romance is gradual and ever-present in the intricate details.

From Himmel’s proposal to Stark’s efforts, the series lays out intimacy beautifully. The subtle yet nuanced portrayal of unspoken bonds is what sets it apart as a masterpiece. With well-written characters and splendid animation, the series lives up to its title as an Anime of the Year.

Whether or not elves are aromantic or asexual is uncertain. What we do know is that Yamada went above and beyond in carving Frieren’s character as an outlandish and unconventional shonen protagonist.

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is available for streaming on Crunchyroll. The manga is available for reading on Viz Media.