This opening episode of Frieren‘s second season was excellent. The storytelling, visuals, music, and character writing were all solid. I also loved the new opening and ending songs – especially the ending, “The Story of Us” by Milet. It’s beautiful and catchy and I’m having a relatively easy time learning the lyrics.
This episode was divided into two mini-arcs, both of which centered primarily around Stark (though there were important moments for everyone in the trio). In the first one, the group finds a magic nullifying crystal and Stark learns that it’s alright to run away as a party sometimes. In the second mini-arc, Frieren wonders if Stark is truly happy staying in the party. The group also reunites briefly with Wirbel, the warrior from the North. Let’s go over some more details.
Episode 1: Shall We Go, Then?
Episode Rating: 10/10
One morning, while Stark and Fern were preparing breakfast, Frieren woke up unusually early. She had found a pretty blue crystal that nullifies magic within a certain radius. Fern advocated for throwing it away despite the fact that it was worth a lot of money. It was too dangerous for the mages to have around, so they left the stone behind, but not before Frieren showed them something cool. When a mage pours their mana into the stone, it suddenly comes alive with blinding light and stays brightened for minutes to hours afterward. Frieren proudly demonstrated the trick.
Though we weren’t given a name for this interesting crystal, we soon learned more about it from encountering more. Frieren, Fern, and Stark fell into a hole that opened beneath their feet in the marshy, unstable ground. They tumbled down a long way and found themselves in a cavern system full of blue magic nullifier crystals. Some were huge. If this cavern were harvested, it would make someone an unimaginable fortune. Someone with this cave could become a billionaire – that is, if there was a way to process or cut these gems. No human strength was able to do that, and magic obviously couldn’t, either. To prove the point, Stark tried to chop one of the glassy rocks with his huge ax. His powerful strike didn’t even leave a mark on the gem’s perfect surface.
The magic nullifying crystals served as an interesting piece of fantasy world-building as well as setting up a situation in which Fern and Frieren were basically helpless. Without being able to use magic, they relied on Stark’s warrior skills to defend them from danger. Frieren never once doubted that Stark would be able to save her, and he did protect her and Fern at several points. But Fern was less confident. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe in Stark, but that she was terrified of being without her power.
She confessed to Stark that she could no longer detect or read mana, which to her was like losing a sense. I liked that this was demonstrated visually by animating Fern crouching in complete darkness with her companions. I appreciated Fern’s emotional vulnerability here.
It didn’t take long to figure out that this massive cave system was the lair of a large and dangerous monster. It attacked the group while they were camping. Stark was nervous and scared, especially after Frieren said it was a venemous monster that could kill him with poison. When Stark told Frieren he was the kind of man who runs away, the elf girl said, “Ok, then let’s run away together.” As she said that, she was thinking of a time in the past on her ten-year journey with Himmel and company. Eisen had said he was the kind of man who would run away, too. Himmel said that they could all run together in that case. Sure enough, soon after, they ended up fleeing as a party from a fearsome dragon.
Back in the present, Frieren had the perfect trick to distract the monster so everyone could run away. She poured her mana into a shard of magic nullifying crystal and the light essentially flash-banged the monster. When Frieren was being carried away by Himmel from the dragon all those years ago, she made no expression. But this time, being carried by Stark, the elf smiled. Someone online pointed out that Frieren is smiling a lot more in this season so far, and I agree. It’s good to see.
The next mini-episode started with Fern and Frieren bathing and washing their things in the river one morning. While they talked, Frieren observed that Fern was always happy when taking care of her objects, such as the hairpiece from Frieren and the bracelet from Stark. Fern said that since everything was taken from her due to war, she treasured her few belongings. The sweet moment was interrupted when Stark accidentally walked onto the stage, not knowing the girls were bathing. Fern called him a pervert but wasn’t actually mad. Stark felt terrible about his mistake regardless.
This situation made Frieren realize that things might be very awkward for Stark in their party. She also knew she basically forced Stark to join. So, Frieren told Stark he didn’t have to stay if he didn’t want to. Before the young man could formulate an answer, the group found themselves at an inn. Inside, they met Wirbel and his party. It was good to see the charismatic warrior again. He asked Stark to join his party and didn’t give up when the younger man refused outright. Wirbel said he’d do anything to convince Stark, and they shared some beer and company that evening.
Fern was worried Stark might actually leave the party, so she talked with him on the inn balcony that night. It was a great conversation and Stark was genuine and honest. He told Fern he wasn’t leaving the party and also that it wasn’t just Frieren who motivated him to be better. It was also Fern herself. From the moment she took his hand in season one, he started to believe in himself a little more. When he told Fern, “I’m not going anywhere,” it was very sweet. Though it was played for laughs, Stark also asked Fern to be nicer to him. She offered him head-pats, but he was too scared of her sudden kindness to partake. Some things never change.
The next morning, the group said farewell to Wirbel and his companions. The episode ended on a hopeful note. I think this season’s pilot was basically perfect. It’s great to have this thought-provoking adventure/fantasy anime back.
~Thanks for Reading~
Written by 7Mononoke at Anime Rants
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