Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is an anime series that shouldn’t have gotten as big as it did. And I say that because it’s an anime that has so many life lessons, inspiration, wisdom, and these types of anime often go unnoticed.
There’s a graveyard full of anime like this that never goes mainstream like Frieren and instead remains underground.
With all that said, let’s focus on:
- The characters.
- The story.
- The messages.
And things that can be taken from the anime.
This is from the perspective of someone who hasn’t finished the entire series yet.
1. Some of us have more time than others
From the perspective of Frieren, an elf who seems to have unlimited amounts of time, this statement is 100% accurate and obvious. But it also stretches to humans in a more relatable kind of way.
Some humans have far more time than other humans either because some of us are born more unfortunate than others, or because things happen to us along the way that cuts life short (disease, car accidents, etc).
Some people have bone diseases from childhood that guarantee they won’t live long because their bodies are getting weaker and weaker, too fast, and too soon.
In the context of Frieren, the anime, it’s simply that elves like Frieren have so much more time on their hands because decades can seem like months to an Elf who can live 1000s of years and still remain youthful.
2. Learn as much as you can while you can
Frieren doesn’t waste any time as we see when watching the anime series. She wants to learn as much as she can while she can, not because she feels like it could all disappear soon, but because she values her time and the life she has.
Also, more importantly, she understands that life can end abruptly as she’s seen with some of her best human friends who she made memories with that she cherishes despite meeting so many other humans in her lifetime.
So that spurs her on and gives her the motivation she never had to learn as many spells as she can, as much magic as she can, and as many “tricks” as she can to make life more fun, convenient, entertaining, and meaningful.
This becomes a comedic aspect of Frieren, but it’s also on the spectrum of the deeper things and life lessons that Frieren has to offer (both the character and the anime series).
3. Hesitation leads to regret
Frieren is an emotional, brutal reminder that those who hesitate to do what they want in life end up regretting it very soon. They then are forced to live with that regret which only brings down their soul and their spirit.
That guy who likes a certain girl but never confesses. That person who wants to start their own business but never gets around to it.
That woman who never becomes a housewife because of what the world thinks of it.
Or that person who never apologizes for the wrong they’ve done, and finds out it’s too late to apologise after years have passed.
Frieren’s many stories paint this emotional and brutal narrative and makes it very clear how regret can form, and how hesitation leads to unhappiness even for elves like Frieren.
4. Empathy is the missing ingredient
I couldn’t believe how empathetic the main character was when I first started watching Frieren recently. In the first and 2nd episodes, I was shocked by the level of empathy Frieren had for the long-time friend she had who is now elderly.
“Corrupt priest” as she calls him.
I mean how many people in the real world will visit someone in their last days to show their gratitude towards that person, and to show how much they appreciate them?
It’s sad to say, but people aren’t even that optimistic or caring about their own family members or friends but are somehow caring when it comes to celebrities who don’t give a shit about them.
Frieren clearly teaches us that empathy is the missing ingredient and how powerful empathy can be to understand, relate, and make people feel welcome and appreciated despite their differences.
Empathy is the thread that ties this anime together and makes it more appealing than many anime can even compare to since it’s a running theme and one that shouldn’t be missed as far as life lessons.
5. Death is the ultimate fear
As we saw with the “corrupt priest” in the anime Frieren, he told Frieren some years prior that he doesn’t fear dying. But in his last days it turns out he was so afraid that he had to admit what he told Frieren was a lie.
He always feared it, and that fear seemed to have increased with time as he paraphrased, explaining that the fear only became stronger.
This never went away.
I’m sure it’s not the same for everyone when it comes to their fears of death in general, but it’s an overwhelming fear for an overwhelming amount of people. More so when shit gets real.
Or when disease strikes or something happens out of the blue that threatens your life, etc.
Related: 16 Anime Quotes About Death That Will Make You Think A Little Deeper
6. People want to be remembered and acknowledged
Frieren’s friend with the mop head is clearly one of those people who want to be acknowledged. They made a statue out of him and Frieren was nice enough to gather a rare flour from his hometown to decorate his statue.
She deeply cares about this man and the many friends she’d had to leave behind simply because she’s an elf, and they’re human.
That guy liked Frieren, and in his case, he never hesitated to share his feelings and chose to live fully. Maybe that’s why he had such an impact on Frieren in the first place.
That’s also the case in real life. People who choose to NOT hesitate and do the things they want to do will always be memorable on some level, and respected to some degree.
You just can’t forget those who are like that, and they’re acknowledged for it which fulfills the desire to be both acknowledged and remembered for something relevant.
Related: 42 Anime Quotes About Success To Give You An Extra Push
7. Everyone gets their fair share of bullshit
No one is immune to pain in this world. Everyone gets their fair share of bullshit, problems, disease, challenges, setbacks, struggles, and the list goes on.
There isn’t anyone, even those who may seem to be the most privileged have pain, struggles, challenges, and walls they feel like they can’t break through.
Frieren might be a good example of this in the context of being an elf in the anime. She’s privileged with a long life that’s so long you can barely see the end of it even if you tried.
She’s powerful so most people can’t challenge or defeat her (as far as we know), so she has no fear of dying as far as being obliterated or murdered.
She’s smart, intelligent, and laid back so she takes things as they come without worry or anxiety. And yet, there is a lot of pain and struggles behind all of this.
Some of which she hides or doesn’t show so often (even to Fern who she raised for a long time).
It just points to the fact that BS can’t be avoided no matter how successful, privileged, or blessed you are in the present moment.
In the end, Frieren is loaded with life lessons and important things we can take from it. Many can come from characters like Fern, the purple haired introvert who like Frieren is grateful, appreciative, empathetic, and caring towards others.
Or the fact she takes things reasonably well which is a trait people can learn from as far as being calm and composed.
But these 7 life lessons from Frieren stand out the most.
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