The anime industry has seen massive growth in the past decade. Not only is it a global entertainment medium, but it has become more varied with increased genres, unique tropes, and elements to satisfy the needs of the fans.
So, with a massive collection of vastly different series how do we settle on the better anime? Is it through the quality, the action scenes, or the impact of the narrative? Would you say the anime that is flashy and makes your blood pumping is better than an anime that makes you introspect and truly think about life?
You might say you will take the one with the deeper narrative, but that is not what happens when things get translated into real life. We can see that this is the case when we acquaint ourselves with Solo Leveling and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End.
Frieren weaves a magical tale that captivates its viewers
An anime that lets you experience emotions that are raw and real while at the same time being a beautiful example of a fantasy is a masterpiece that a viewer will always remember. This is because instead of giving momentary flashy hype, the series touches the viewer in a deeper, emotional way.
But it is the hype that viewers seem to turn to. Solo Leveling is reigning over major streaming sites like Crunchyroll, showcasing the massive amount of pull that it has. There is no doubt that the power-leveling fantasy is a compelling watch, but without a sense of depth attached to it, it is bound to get forgotten and replaced by the next best thing.
This has happened many times: anime like these pop-up and are extremely popular for a year or two, then they are forgotten, confined to a few recommendation lists. There is a reason why some anime are popular even after decades of their release.
It is because they have a certain charm, a unique quality that separates them from the crowd. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is one of these works, it is meaningful and impactful.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is an example of substance over style
Anime fans often associate quality with high-budget animation, pouring a lot of money means better visual effects, and action sequences and it attracts the audience much more than the older anime does.
But Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End proves that visual spectacle alone doesn’t make an anime great, you need to add a certain sense of depth and meaning, or it will just be ‘another mainstream anime.’
When it comes to ‘Anime of the Year’, many hyped action anime, many titles like Solo Leveling, may look stunning and impressive, but only veteran anime fans know that their narratives lack depth.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End won “Anime of the Year” at the Tokyo Anime Award Festival (TAAF), proving its dominance over the flashier contenders.
Flashy animation may grab the attention of the fans and gain viewers for a while, but Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End proves that true greatness comes from depth and storytelling. While action-packed anime like Solo Leveling is definitely appealing and makes for an interesting watch, works like Frieren are masterpieces that will be treasured forever.
Watch Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End on Crunchyroll.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
