Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End: Part 1 Blu-ray Movie Review

Frieren Beyond Journey’s End Part 1 is an animated fantasy-drama with romantic elements. Created by Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe, Frieren Beyond Journey’s End Part 1 features theme performances by ikura (opening), YOASOBI (opening), yorushika (opening), and milet (ending). An impressive animated series, Frieren Beyond Journey’s End Part 1 features animation production by Madhouse (Trigun, Black Lagoon). Executive produced by Kazutaka Yamanaka (Jujutsu Kaisen, My Hero Academia) and Mikito Bizenjima (Yashahime: Princess Half-Demon, Mysterious Disappearances), Frieren Beyond Journey’s End Part 1 is worth discovery.

Produced by Ayuri Taguchi (One Punch Man, Magical Warfare), Haruka Aoki, Naoki Iwasa (Hunter × Hunter, Napping Princess), Ruriko Kikuchi (The Gymnastics Samurai, Joran: The Princess of Snow and Blood), Shoichiro Taguchi (The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten, Haikyu!! To The Top), Taisuke Shikama (After School Dice Club, Helck), and Yūkō Itō (The Duke of Death and His Maid, Puniru is a Kawaii Slime), Frieren Beyond Journey’s End Part 1 features episodes 1-16 of the series. Frieren Beyond Journey’s End Part 1 features voice-performances by Atsumi Tanezaki, Chiaki Kobayashi, and Kana Ichinose.

Frieren (Atsumi Tanezaki) is an elven mage with abilities humans cannot seem to fully understand. Frieren traveled across the land with her close friends Eisen (a dwarf), Heiter (a priest), and Himmel (a hero). The traveling companions worked together to put an end to the evil demon king and to bring new peace and tranquility to the land and all of its people. Yet Frieren’s companions were mortal and now all of these companions have passed away.

Frieren must now learn to live with the difficulty of grasping her own elven difference to her mortal friends and allies. As a result, Frieren sets forth on a new journey of discovery and adventure – with more missions to accomplish along the way. Despite having new acquaintances, Frieren has a lot on her mind as she embarks on a brand-new odyssey across the beautiful landscapes.

Frieren is a compelling lead protagonist. The central character of the series, Frieren is an elven hero and someone who is tested. Frieren is put in a difficult spot by being different from others – being unable to live a normal life with mortality. These elements of the character development and arc make it hard for Frieren to live a normal life. The journey is all the more unique for Frieren as a result. The solemnity and challenges ahead are unlike those many others face in their lives – but it doesn’t have to be that way for Frieren even if the goodbyes are harder to say.

The character designs by Reiko Nagasawa (takt op. Destiny, Overlord III) are well-done and add a lot to the visual finesse of the production. Nagasawa is a talented character designer and there is a lot that audiences will appreciate about the designs. The end result is fantastic – designs that work wonders – enhancing the character journeys.

The animation is spectacular and the best thing about the production. Frieren Beyond Journey’s End Part 1 is a beautifully animated series. There is so much to appreciate about the production. Frieren Beyond Journey’s End Part 1 looks great with solid art direction by Sawako Takagi (Hikaru no Go, Silver Spoon). Animation is bold, colorful, and vibrancy in the art style helps showcase the background animation in spades. The line art and detailed artistry is one of the strengths of the production. The series art adds style and charm.

The cinematography by Akane Fushihara (Alderamin on the Sky, Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card) is a nice highlight of the production. The cinematography by Fushihara is something to behold. The lush visuals certainly enhance the aesthetic. The bright and colorful style brings a peaceful tone to the series key artwork. The animation is enhanced even further by the cinematography.

The score by Evan Call (Violet Evergarden, Midnight Occult Civil Servants) is beautiful and lush. The score is charming and enjoyable. Call is a solid composer and the music helps to showcase the animation and present a more robust landscape for the animation. The music is well-suited for the fantasy elements, providing something that suits the laidback style of the series charming tone. The composer provides music as a solid showcase for the character journeys.

Written by Tomohiro Suzuki (One Punch Man, Boogiepop and Others), Frieren Beyond Journey’s End Part 1 is a solid script. The storyline could be a bit more involving at times but it still is engaging and fun. The storyline has a good concept and the writer has fun expanding on it. Fans of fantasy series that are also character-driven in part will be impressed by the effort by Suzuki.

Directed by Keiichirō Saitō (Monster Hunter Stories RIDE ON, Bocchi the Rock!), Frieren Beyond Journey’s End Part 1 is worth checking out. The filmmaker has a keen visual style and the animation is a splendid part of the production. The director has a lot of fun highlighting the visuals and the animation. The production is ambitious and the director provides a light and fun style to the series aesthetic. Anime fans looking for a visually impressive anime will be impressed by Frieren Beyond Journey’s End Part 1.

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End: Part 1 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Crunchyroll, Frieren Beyond Journey's End Part 1 is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high- definition in the original television broadcast aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. An impressive high-definition presentation. The animation is gorgeous and adds so much splendor to the production. The artistry is well-showcased and the background animation and line art are superbly presented. The lush visuals are enhanced by crisp details with the native high-definition visuals an impressive part of the presentation – no upscaled from standard-definition materials for audiences to wade through.

One of the strengths of the physical media format is the superior encoding provided by Blu-ray disc. Blu-ray can provide higher video bit-rates compared to streaming video services. Enthusiasts wanting to eek every detail out of the video and get the best possible high-definition presentation will be pleased with the end results. The differences help to provide the most discerning viewers with a more satisfying and rewarding experience.

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End: Part 1 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0 (with English subtitles). The sound direction by Shōji Hata (The Ancient Magus' Bride, DARLING in the FRANXX) is well-done. The soundstaging on the release is excellent. Dialogue is enormously crisp, clear, and engaging. The score is well-highlighted by the release.

The Blu-ray release provides a more-immersive 5.1 mix on the surround sound English audio. The Japanese 2.0 audio is not quite as immersive without a full channel surround sound option but the track is crystal clear and well defined. The English subtitles are well-done and free from egregious spelling or grammatical errors.

Physical media provides an advantage for home theater enthusiasts and audiophiles alike. The lossless audio encoding provides a crisper and even more satisfying audio experience for enthusiasts. Detail is even more robust and pleasing. The encoding is better than on streaming services – something of particular note. The presentation is something that caters to enthusiasts with high-end sound systems. Enthusiasts with good A/V gear and equipment will appreciate the improvements physical media offers.

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End: Part 1 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release comes with a beautiful o-card slipcover. The slipcover features a shimmery effect and it shines in a certain light depending on how the slipcover is positioned. The slipcover design is well thought-out. The slipcover art is unique and different from the key artwork underneath the slip. Enthusiasts with an appreciation for slipcovers and the tangible – physical – quality will be enormously pleased with the package design.

On disc supplements include:

Disc 1:

Next Episode Previews (HD, 5:05)

Textless Opening Song (HD, 1:32)

Textless Ending Song (HD, 1:32)

Textless Ending Song – Special Broadcast Ending (HD, 1:32)

Disc 2:

Next Episode Previews (HD, 5:02)

Promo Videos (HD, 4:37)

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End: Part 1 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Frieren Beyond Journey's End Part 1 is a solid introduction to the fantasy anime. The series has lush animation and high production values. Fans of fantasy anime with vibrant animation will find the production offers a lot for audiences. The Blu-ray release provides a solid high-definition video presentation and lossless audio. The release also comes with a gorgeous o-card slipcover on the first print-run and a small selection of on-disc supplements, too. Fans of the series wanting to own a physical copy won't be disappointed in the slightest. Recommended.