Instead of wrapping things up with the usual end-of-quest celebration, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End changes attention to the events that follow after the Demon King has been defeated. The focus is on Frieren, an immortal elf mage, voiced by Atsumi Tanezaki.
Who chooses to leave the royal capital in search of something more fulfilling after her victory alongside her companions—Himmel the Hero (Nobuhiko Okamoto), the carefree priest Heiter (Hiroki Tōchi), and Eisen the dwarf warrior (Yōji Ueda).
The journey continues long after the victory is won (Photo: Frieren Beyond Journey’s End/Studio Madhouse)She feels the need to reflect on her purpose, looking for new spells and a deeper understanding of life.
Adapted from Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe’s celebrated manga, this slice-of-life anime has attracted audiences worldwide, with its fresh method of storytelling that blends magic and character reflection. Sadly, the first season of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End came to an end on March 22 after running for six months.
Episode 28, titled “It Would Be Embarrassing When We Meet Again”, delivers an emotional farewell as the First Class Mage Exam results are revealed and Frieren’s group leaves the magnificent city of Äuberst to continue their northern journey.
The First-Class Mage Exams Are Both Challenging and Tiresome
The reason Frieren chooses to journey toward the north is based on the advice from her deceased mentor, the renowned mage Flamme (Atsuko Tanaka), who had a feeling that Frieren would one day want to find the soul of someone she lost.
After her experience in ending a period of conflict and witnessing Himmel’s passing, Frieren begins to feel the weight of her missed chances to connect better with her friend. These emotions push her to set her sights on the Demon King’s palace, known as Heaven, which is believed to be where souls find rest.
She sets out on this journey with her students Fern (Kana Ichinose) and Stark (Chiaki Kobayashi), who trained under Eisen. As the years roll by, the three of them keep heading north, regularly helping strangers along the way. They come across tricky demons, strange creatures, an unknown elf, royals, and old friends.
By the time Season 1 nears its end, they arrive at the edge of the northern region—a place constantly under threat from aggressive demons. To enter that area, the rules of the Continental Magic Association insist that all mages must reach First-Class level.
Luckily, these exams are held once every three years, and it turns out the next one is just around the corner. They soon arrive in Äuberst, a city known for its ties to magic. Both Frieren and Fern signed up for the First-Class Mage exam.
Competing with fifty-two other highly skilled mages, they first must work in groups of three to catch a rare meteoric iron bird, the Stille. The second round steps things up by forcing candidates into a dangerous dungeon, the Ruins of the King’s Tomb, where they face magical duplicates of themselves.
Although this section may feel slow to some, it matches a familiar exam-style story arc seen in anime like My Hero Academia and Jujutsu Kaisen. For the final test, the remaining mages are made to sit for an interview with the intense heat of the Continental Magic Association, giving fans another look into Frieren’s strength of character.
Fern Passes, but Frieren Fails the Exams Because of Her Views on Magic
Serie (Mariya Ise), the powerful elf who leads the Continental Magic Association, once mentored Flamme but holds completely different views. Unlike her gentle apprentice, Serie is sharp and emotionless like Frieren.
During the final interview, Serie quickly fails Frieren—an outcome Frieren had anticipated. Serie treats magic only as a weapon, while Frieren believes its greatest worth is in the act of learning and discovery.
Magic takes a backseat to memories and meaning (Photo: Frieren Beyond Journey’s End/Studio Madhouse)Serie puts each candidate under harsh judgment, assessing them through their reactions to her mana and their beliefs about magic. Fern ends up being one of six mages who pass the exam, mainly because she declines Serie’s offer to be her apprentice.
Fern’s strong will and loyalty to Frieren leave a strong impression on Serie, and she is granted the “Privilege” spell for passing the exam. Later, Frieren runs into Wirbel (Kishô Taniyama), one of the successful candidates.
He warmly tells her that he looked up to the stories about Frieren and the Party of Heroes while growing up. However, what deeply moved him were the little kind acts and the way Himmel cared for others. On the day Fern is to receive her Privilege spell, she asks Frieren and Stark to be there.
Serie, however, refuses to allow Frieren inside. Frieren and Stark stay outside, chatting proudly about how far Fern has come. Soon, Lernen (Atsushi Mitauchi), one of Serie’s apprentices and a First-Class Mage, shows up and threatens Frieren.
He believes Serie needs an apprentice who will carry her memory and legacy. Trying to provoke Frieren into a duel, Lernen strikes her across the shoulder, though she quickly dismisses the fight. While the last test was happening, Frieren noticed the entire garden was filled with flowers created by magic—Flamme’s favorite type.
Serie, during that moment, quietly revealed she didn’t mind that none of her students had surpassed her strength. She valued every one of them, regardless of their abilities. Frieren explains all this to Lernen, easing his concerns.
When the group prepares to leave Äuberst, Fern shares that she picked a spell under the Privilege category that cleans clothes perfectly. Frieren is touched by the choice, seeing it as proof of Fern following her example in simple yet thoughtful ways.
How Does ‘Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End’ Follow Life After the Story?
With Fern officially recognized as a First-Class Mage, Episode 28 closes with the three companions heading into the northern territories. As they continue their trip, Frieren remembers how Himmel always made quick goodbyes, telling her that long farewells might feel awkward if you ever bumped into the same person later.
With the way this first season wrapped up, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End shows how strong pacing, heartfelt characters, and a layered structure can deliver something fresh in the fantasy genre.
This anime stands out because it focuses on what happens after the major villain has been defeated—a sharp departure from the usual goal of destroying a great evil, which most fantasy series chase. Frieren already achieved that, and now she’s moving forward with a different kind of goal.
That angle separates this show from titles like Jobless Reincarnation (2021) and Delicious in Dungeon (2024). There’s no official word yet on a second season, but based on the scenes after the credits, there’s more of the story waiting ahead.
