[Spoiler Review] Anime 'Frieren: Beyond Journey's End' Season 2 Episode 29 (S2E1) "Let's Go Then"

On January 16, 2026, those quiet, warm Friday nights returned. Having concluded the first-class mage exam—a major milestone—Frieren and her companions resume their journey northward. Rather than a grand prologue, the episode begins with the sound of a swaying carriage and the words "Well then, let's go," filling me with a quiet surge of excitement at reuniting with these characters once more.

Overall Impression: A Quiet Restart Guided by Accumulated Time and Sound

As the first episode of Season 2, this was a deeply moving installment that made us reflect on what it means to be a party—"What is a party?" and "If you want to run, let's all run together." I was overflowing with anticipation at being able to watch Frieren again. The music throughout was outstanding; the new OP and ED songs perfectly complement the story's introduction and lingering emotions, truly elevating the work's value. Every time I hear the score accompanying "Since the death of the hero Himmel...," I'm reminded of Greensleeves—a melody I loved as a child—and a wave of nostalgia washes over me. Am I the only one who feels this way?

This season's new OP, "lulu." by Mrs. GREEN APPLE, differs from Season 1's "Yuusha" with its sharp determination, instead carrying an exhilarating openness as if heading toward somewhere vast and free. In the chorus, the visual of past hero party members flickering behind Frieren as she walks is stunning. Director Keiichiro Saito's dedication to "the accumulation of time" synchronizes with the upbeat rhythm, instantly drawing you into the world of the story.

On the other hand, milet's ED "The Story of Us" is filled with an embracing warmth that cherishes the time already shared. The sound of the carriage rolling, and the gentle "whoosh" of a candle being blown out at the end. These subtle everyday sounds accentuate the silence when the score stops, gently framing the vulnerability of these characters who have lost their magic. Compared to Season 1's music, brimming with the anticipation of departure, this season's songs carry a settled feeling born from the journey's accumulation, with the layering of sound and visuals deepening the work's richness even further.

Episode 29: "Let's Go Then"

The journey resumes with a perfectly ordinary conversation between three companions riding in a carriage. When Stark grumbles, "Our wallets are getting pretty thin," Fern immediately chides him: "We need to think ahead, always planning for the future." There's a reassuring, almost family-like distance between them. Each time the Mirror Lotus Bracelet on Fern's arm briefly catches the light, it conveys—without a single word—that she treasures the feelings she received, warming my heart from the very opening.

Along the way, the exchange over the "Sealed Magic Ore" Frieren discovers wonderfully illustrates the gap between the three's values. When Frieren proudly declares, "A piece this size could buy a mansion," Fern coolly responds, "Please throw it away immediately. We'll be wiped out." The cherry on top is Frieren's boastful, "If you pour a ton of mana into it, it glows super bright." Combined with Stark's bewildered "That's blinding," this delightful disconnect between them is irresistible. Who would have thought this "super bright" property would prove crucial in their later crisis?

When the marshland collapses and they plummet into an underground cave, the tone shifts to instant tension. The entire cave is made of Sealed Magic Ore that nullifies magic, leaving the two mages literally powerless. Frieren quips, "Without magic, we're just ordinary girls here," but immediately follows up by reminding Stark, "I haven't forgotten that you called me an old hag"—her vindictiveness drawing a laugh. Against Stark's murmured "Girls?" the detail that she remembers being called "old hag" forever is so characteristically her and utterly endearing.

The moment the "Poison Dragon" crawled out of the darkness was genuinely pulse-pounding. In this extreme state where magic won't work, their only weapon is Stark's axe. Suppressing his trembling legs, he braces himself and raises his weapon. As the sounds of roars and flesh colliding echo through the cave, Frieren's words resonate: "A party can only function when you entrust your lives to each other." Stark, acknowledging his fear yet continuing to hold the front line, radiates a quiet but unmistakable warrior's presence.

What saved them from their predicament were Himmel's words from the past: "If you want to run, let's all run together. We're a party, after all." Rather than forcing a fight, the three flee together at full speed, holding up that "super bright stone." After their successful escape, the scene where Stark weakly admits, "My legs gave out, I can't walk," reveals the true extent of his effort, bringing an involuntary smile to my face.

The final scene at the inn town beautifully conveyed the depth of their bond. Stark turns down Wirbel's recruitment offer, declaring, "I'm the vanguard of this party." And the revelation that Frieren—who thought she had dragged him along—was wrong; it was actually Fern who encouraged Stark to join, meaning he chose this journey himself. This portrayal of mutual care among the members was deeply moving. At night, when Stark lets slip to Fern, "Be a little nicer to me," and Fern offers, "Then come here, I'll pat your head lots," only for Stark to recoil with "That's scary!"—their exchange is priceless. The way they ultimately settle back into their usual dynamic captures their awkward trust perfectly, bringing the episode to a close with a cozy afterglow.

Next Episode Preview

The next episode is titled "The Hero of the South." At last, we should learn about the footsteps of the hero hailed as humanity's strongest. Before Himmel and his companions even set out, this was a man who tried to carve out the future single-handedly against the Demon King's army's Seven Sages of Destruction.

The landscape he witnessed at the end of his battle with "Schlacht the Omniscient." The words he entrusted to Frieren. How will the overwhelming "willpower" depicted in the original manga be expressed through animation? More than just a tale of the strongest, I'm brimming with anticipation for how it will cast light upon Frieren and her companions' current journey. Following in the footsteps of former comrades while a new hero's story unfolds—I won't be able to look away for even a second.