What will you regret when the journey ends? Photo courtesy of ‘Madhouse’ animation studio.

  Fantasy anime show “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End” is an upcoming fantasy with a unique twist. All San Luis Obispo High School weebs ought to keep their eyes on this one.

  The anime character Frieren is an elf who, with the help of her three companions, defeated the evil Demon King after a grueling journey. It was a typical, yet endearing fantasy tale, but all adventures end at some point.

  Being an elf, Frieren lives much longer than her friends. All she could do was watch as each of them passed away. Frieren sets out on an empty journey with a new companion, Fern, as she reflects on and wrestles with the hurt and regret she carries. It’s a story of making peace with what cannot be undone.

  “I think the concept strays away from what is expected from a generic fantasy storyline,” said senior Esteban Garcia Granados.

  Most fantasy anime focus on how their conflicts affect the characters in the present moment, which is understandable considering anime from that genre tends to be very lore-heavy and complex. There’s a lot of ground to cover.

  “Frieren” is different because it takes a look at the intricate journeys after everything is set and done. Order has come to balance the chaos, and that gives clarity allowing for deeper reflection.

  The show is being produced by Madhouse, the studio behind well received anime films like the World War 2 centric “Barefoot Gen”, and the avant-garde showbiz drama “Perfect Blue.” They also handled the successful anime series “Hunter x Hunter,” which needs no introduction.

  Their overall output hasn’t been amazing though, pretty average all things considered. But “Frieren” has an ambitious foundation, which is what Madhouse seems to excel at, so there’s reason to be hopeful.

  “It’s a breath of fresh air for any fantasy anime fan because of how unique the concept is,” said Granados.

  Episode one of ‘Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End’ releases on September 29 and is looking to be a standout title for this year’s Fall anime scene.

Ominogashinaku!

Sources: Fandom.com, Myanimelist.net