Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is easily one of the most emotionally impactful new-gen anime. The story of Frieren, the titular elven mage’s mission to retrace her past quest with Himmel the Hero, and to carry on the legacy of her now deceased friends, is filled with gut-punch after gut-punch. While the overall story is an emotional rollercoaster, Frieren constantly brings audiences to tears or inspires them through its incredible dialogue. Some lines may have gained a life of their own on the internet, like Frieren telling the demon Aura to kill herself, but that’s not what you’ll find below.
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Like Frieren rediscovering her past adventure and finding new ways to appreciate her party members, these quotes will throw you back into the world of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. From rousing speeches about strength, harsh life lessons, and lines that will stay with you for years to come, these are 10 quotes from Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End that we instantly fell in love with, and we’ll likely never forget.
10) Himmel’s Legacy Lives On
While Frieren lives in the present, much of her attention and focus is directed towards her past adventure with Himmel the Hero and his party. Frieren may start the series as an apathetic, nigh-immortal elf who holds no sentimentality towards those around her and the passing of time, but Himmel’s legacy affected everyone he touched.
“It’s what Himmel the Hero would have done.”
–Heiter
That’s what Heiter proved at the start of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End when he took in a young apprentice, Fern. When Frieren meets Fern, Heiter is on his deathbed, and he asks her to teach Fern the ways of magic. Seeing the young apprentice as nothing more than a burden, Fern asks why he took her in, and his response kickstarts Frieren’s emotional journey.
9) Frieren’s Hard Lesson About Time
Time is a precious commodity that we can never get back. But to Frieren, a decade is akin to a single day for humans. It isn’t exactly clear how long elves live for, but given her nonchalant attitude towards the passing of time, we expect she’s got several more centuries to go. This idea is encapsulated in one of Frieren’s most apathetic quotes.
“We only traveled together for a mere ten years.”
–Frieren
At Himmel’s funeral, Frieren learns a hard lesson about her own emotions and the shield of apathy that she uses to protect herself. As Himmel’s casket is being covered with dirt, she breaks down in tears, questioning why she’s so emotional when she’s only known him for a decade.
8) Heroes Fade Into Legend
At its core, Frieren is a series about time and memory. During his youth, Himmel the Hero had aspirations of being a great hero and would often show great signs of vanity, including having statues made of himself and his party. But the series reminds its characters that time waits for no one, and even the great Himmel the Hero will one day be nothing more than a legend.
“Even the greatest heroes are forgotten someday.”
–Heiter
That’s exactly what Heiter says when remembering his adventures as he’s approaching old age. The wording leaves the line open for interpretation. Does he mean they will literally be forgotten? Or will the reality of the heroes be forgotten once those who knew them have died, with only the legend remaining?
7) Fern’s Words of Encouragement
As much as Frieren loves to explore the past, it also provides plenty of depth in the present. Stark faces down many struggles during his time with Frieren, but none are more challenging than accepting his own past. When Stark was young, his village was attacked, and he fled, leaving everyone else to die. It’s part of what motivated him to become a warrior, but he never truly forgave himself.
“The past doesn’t matter. The warrior Stark I’ve seen has never once run away.”
–Fern
When Stark opens up to the group about his past, he expects a negative reaction from Frieren and Fern. But the latter offers some incredibly reaffirming words that run counter to the overall theme of the series. Yes, he should accept and remember the past, but that’s not instead of living in the present.
6) Eisen Embraces His Fear
Eisen is the other surviving member of Himmel the Hero’s party. As a dwarf, he lives far longer than humans, although he knows that Frieren will greatly outlive him. Eisen was the warrior of Himmel’s party, using brute strength to get through fights. But Frieren constantly subverts the tropes of the fantasy genre, and Eisen is one of the best examples.
“Being afraid isn’t a bad thing. It’s my fear that’s brought me this far.”
–Eisen
Eisen wasn’t a fearless warrior. He was frequently scared before battle, and his hands would shake. But Eisen revealed to Frieren and Stark that he used the fear to fuel himself. His message reminds the pair that it’s okay to be afraid; it’s what you do with that fear that matters, something that lives on through Stark.
5) Flamme’s Most Important Lesson
To the world, Flamme the Mage is a legend who exists only in her grimoires. But to Frieren, she’s one of her oldest friends. Frieren studied under Flamme when she was younger, becoming one of the first mages in the world. While Flamme taught her lots about magic, she also tried teaching the long-lived elf another important lesson about time.
“Someday, you’ll make a terrible mistake and wish you’d gotten to know people better. When that happens, return to this place. Then I, Flamme the legendary mage, will help you.”
–Flamme
Frieren didn’t understand what Flamme meant when she first uttered the above words. But, during her journey with Fern and Stark, Flamme’s most important lesson finally clicks, inspiring a great emotional change in Frieren.
4) Journey Before Destination
As Frieren, Fern, and Stark go about their journey North, the former will often take months at a time to search for grimoires and niche spells. This often leads her to fall victim to a mimic’s tricks or come face to face with a Solar Dragon. But, like many of the quotes from the series, it also inspires a great lesson.
“The greatest joy of magic lies in searching for it.”
–Frieren
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End isn’t about Fern, Stark, and Frieren’s journey to the North; it’s about the people and obstacles they encounter along the way. Frieren’s passion for magic doesn’t come from an egotistical desire to be the strongest; it’s from the joy of discovery and embracing the journey.
3) The Many Faces of Grief
Grief is one of the biggest themes in Frieren, but it comes in various forms. Frieren is grieving her lost time with Himmel and Heiter, and Stark is grieving his family. But the First Class Mage Exam arc introduces a whole new host of mages, and ends with an important lesson for Frieren about remembering and treasuring each moment.
“Death isn’t the only goodbye in this life.”
–Wirbel
Wirbel is one of the mages attempting to achieve a First Class ranking. After the tests have been completed, he reveals that he became a mage because of a childhood crush. However, years later, he can’t even remember what she looks like. While Frieren’s old party members have passed on, she still vividly remembers their time together. Wirbel reminds her to hold on to those memories, as saying goodbye to them would be even more painful.
2) What It Means to Be Strong
Most of the time, Frieren teaches you to slow down, take a moment, and take in your surroundings. But, during its intense action scenes, the series can be more inspiring than a Rocky training montage. Eisen wasn’t always the greatest tutor to Stark, but he taught the young warrior a valuable lesson about strength.
“I’ll tell you the secret to fighting strong enemies. It’s easy, keep getting up and attack them with your moves continuously.”
–Eisen
Although he is immensely strong, Stark is still the weakest member of the party due to his lack of magic. But he doesn’t let that stop him when facing down tough demons and foes. His time under Eisen may have ended on fractured terms, but the dwarf taught him a valuable lesson about inner strength and perseverance that fans will never forget.
1) Himmel’s Mission for Frieren
It’s only fitting for one of Himmel’s quotes to hold the top spot. The deceased hero is the catalyst for the entire story, and his memory and legacy hold the most emotional weight over Frieren during her new journey.
“Then it will be Frieren’s job. She will carry our memories into the future.”
–Himmel
As the party is getting a statue made after their quest, Himmel notes that statues cannot hold the same emotional meaning as memories. Passersby who never met Himmel and the party will only know the legends, not the true people behind them. In that moment, he reminds Frieren that it is her job to keep their legacy alive. As well as maintaining their public legacy, it is also one of Frieren’s earliest reminders about the importance of remembering and embracing the people around her.
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TMS Entertainment -
20th Television Animation
