Life Lessons from Frieren: Beyond Journey's End - Anime Episode 6 (Part 1)
Manga/Anime“Frieren: Beyond Journey's End” is a work full of suggestions that makes you think, “If I had encountered this sooner, my life would have changed.” It is a work full of insights.
It has laughter, tears, and makes you think about life.
This series shares my thoughts on life while commenting on “Frieren.” It contains complete spoilers, so I recommend reading it after watching the anime.
Bold text in quotes refers to life lessons or important lines, while normal text is for commentary and other remarks.Comments are welcome.
All 28 episodes of the first season of the anime are posted in the magazine below, and the second season is being added as well.
This time, it is the first part of Episode 6, “The Village Hero.”
All you need is resolve
When Fern visits the canyon at night, the sound is due to Stark's training. Fern asks if he will fight if a dragon attacks the village.
Stark: I don't want to die. But to the people in this village, I'm a hero, right? I have to protect them. That's what I said, but in reality, I might just run away.
Stark reveals that the scar on his forehead was caused by a fight with Eisen because he didn't want to fight monsters. Seeing the traces of training on his hands, Fern looks straight at Stark.
Fern: I don't think you will run away, Stark-sama.
Stark: What do you know about me?
Fern: I don't know anything at all, but I remembered being scared.
When Fern first fought a monster, her legs froze and she ran away. Frieren didn't help her, but when Fern made up her mind, her body moved on its own.
Fern: All that was needed was resolve. The things you have built up with great effort will never betray you.
Stark-sama is a hopeless coward, but I believe your resolve to protect the village is genuine.
Stark: Resolve, huh...
I think this line from Fern is one of the best in the series. Entrance exams, various tests, sports matches, important work...For the big challenges in life, you need the resolve to face them. And the effort you have accumulated for that purpose will never betray you.
Returning to the inn, Fern tells Frieren, “Stark will surely be fine.”
A super long three years
The next morning, when the two go to the canyon, Stark is not there. Frieren and Fern look at him with deadpan eyes.
Frieren: Did he run away? I was looking forward to it.
Frieren declares, “It's a game of tag with a dragon,” to a terrified-looking Fern. She tries to pull Fern, who is clinging to a tree, away.
Stark appears there and asks Frieren, “Even if I die halfway, please make sure to kill the dragon.”
Frieren: But why go that far for the villagers?
Stark: I've been in this village for three years, you know.
Frieren: That's short.
Stark: It's super long!
It's not just Frieren, who has lived for over 1,000 years; the way a young person experiences three years is completely different from how a middle-aged or older person does.For someone of Stark's age, three years is almost their entire high school life. It is indeed "super long," and it's only natural he would have such an emotional attachment to it.
What's scary is scary
Although Stark has made up his mind, his hands are shaking, and he admits, "What's scary is scary." Seeing this, Frieren reveals that he is just like Eisen.
Himmel: This is a formidable foe.
Frieren: Eisen, your hands are shaking. Are you scared?
Eisen: Yeah.
Frieren: You admit it so easily.
Eisen: Being scared isn't a bad thing. This fear is what has brought me this far.
Only by overcoming fear can one grow. What is needed is the resolve to face that fear.
Frieren: Even the way you shake is the same.
Stark: I see. So Master was scared too. All that's needed is resolve.
This is the moment of Stark's awakening.
Stark vs. the Red Mirror Dragon
Stark enters the range, but the cautious Red Mirror Dragon does not move.
Stark dodges an attack, runs up a cliff, and raises his axe. Frieren recalls the words of Eisen, who had reflexively punched Stark.
Eisen: I did a terrible thing. He was scared.I was scared, Frieren. This kid is amazing.My apprentice is going to become an incredible warrior.
Stark's latent potential was enough to scare Eisen, a veteran warrior and member of the hero party that defeated the Demon King, and make him lash out instinctively.
Now that he has made his resolve, that power finally blossoms.
He shatters the Red Mirror Dragon's claw and clings to its flying body. The dragon tries to shake him off and unleash its breath, but Stark's strike hits its head first, slamming it into the ground.
Stark: Now's your chance, blast it!
As Fern prepares to attack, Frieren stops her.
Stark: Hey! Why aren't you shooting?! I did exactly what you said. Are you telling me to fight alone?Don't mess with me, you old hag!
Frieren: It's already dead.
Stark: Huh?
Frieren: ...Old hag, huh?
Fern: I'm worried about what happens next.
Frieren, the woman who holds a grudge lol
In fact, the "old hag" comment is brought up much later (it appears in episode 29 of the anime).
A trivial and very enjoyable journey
Stark, unable to believe it, asks, "Did I defeat it all by myself?" Frieren praises him, saying, "Well done. You exceeded my expectations. You did great," and then, with uncharacteristic excitement, she starts rummaging through the nest, saying, "A mountain of treasure! Woo-hoo!"
Fern: You can't take it all. Choose only three items.
Fern, being her usual motherly self lol
Stark is exasperated by Frieren rummaging through junk, saying, "That's really so pointless."
Stark: My master said that because of you, the Hero party's adventure became a pointless one.
Frieren: I see.
Stark: He said it was a pointless, yet very fun journey.
At Stark's words, Frieren remembers the magic to create shaved ice.
Heiter: Amazing! It really produced shaved ice!
Frieren: Worth the exploration, wasn't it?
Heiter: And it's not crunchy, it's the fluffy kind.
Frieren: You're right!
Eisen didn't like it at the time, calling it "pointless," but Himmel didn't mind, saying, "What's wrong with that? The journey has only just begun."
Hearing that the Hero of the South, said to be the strongest human, was defeated by the Seven Sages of Destruction, Eisen is pessimistic, saying, "We don't even know if we'll make it back alive."
Himmel: Do you want to have a painful and difficult journey, Eisen? I want to have a fun journey that we can laugh off as pointless once it's over.
Everyone prefers a fun journey they can laugh off over a painful one. The same goes for life.Indeed, after defeating the Demon King, the four of them talked about how they only had "crappy memories," a journey they could laugh off.
Heiter: By the way, Frieren, what about the syrup?
Frieren: There is no magic to create syrup.
Heiter: There isn't?
Eisen: That really is pointless.
She really dropped the ball there lol
Frieren smiles as she remembers. The three of them depart from the village where Stark spent three years.
A bickering married couple
On the way, Fern tries out a spell that makes clothes appear transparent.
Frieren: How is it? Can you see through them?
Fern: I can see, but it's not a very interesting spell.
Frieren: Sorry I don't have an interesting body.
An "interesting body"... And then Fern looks at Stark.
Stark: Huh? What?
Fern: Tiny.
Stark: I'm not tiny!
Stark retorts almost immediately to Fern's deadpan look lol
This exchange is funny no matter how many times I see it.
Stark: My master told you to take me along, didn't he? Besides, I've started to want to go on a pointless journey myself.
Summary of this episode
Big challenges in life require the resolve to fight.
The effort you've put in will never betray you.
You can only grow by overcoming your fears.
What is needed is the resolve to face that fear.I want to live a fun life that I can laugh off as 'pointless' in the end.
Next time is here ↓
Although not directly related to this series, I am currently touring the areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake. It seems likely to have a major impact on my outlook on life.