Summary
Sousou no Frieren,also known asFrieren: Beyond Journey’s Endis one of the most critically acclaimed fantasy manga series of the past decade. And though this series has only recently resumed publishing after a long hiatus, fans are already brimming with excitement for what is to come. So, what better moment than now to recap all they have seen and learned throughout the manyArcsof Frieren’s journey?
This ranked list showcases thebest Arcs in Frieren Manga, taking into consideration the impact of its storytelling, developments, the emotions they instill in the readers, and how good their worldbuilding is.
Warning! There are tons of spoilers for Frieren Beyond Journey’s End from here on. Readers should proceed at their own discretion.
1Golden Land Arc
Brutal, Emotionally Gripping, Tear-jerking
The Golden Land Arc is the Seventh Arc in chronological order since the start ofSousou no Frieren,and a story where Frieren, Stark, and Fern play a sidelined role, since the true protagonist of this story is Denken, the First Class mage that many fans have monicked ‘Grandpa Wizard’ (due to his age and attitude towards Laufen). Denken’s story is one of heartbreaking misery, of love, loss, and regret, and the whole Arc is about him finding his way home and his reasons for taking the First Class Mage exam.
Though Frieren (more precisely Fern) is called to action by the Continental Mage’s Association, and to aid none other than Denken to go back to Weise, his homeland, to break the Grand Barrier and defeat the evil that lies trapped inside: Macht of El Dorado, the only surviving Great Sage of the Demon Lord’s army. Denken’s tragic past is intrinsically bound to Macht’s, and the reason for the City of Weise and its inhabitants being turned into eternal Gold Statues is the central conflict of this story that will grab readers' hearts hostage, and never let go until its too late and they are melting in tears. Truly magnificent, and the best Arc of all the series, and anupcoming debut in Season 2 of the anime series.
2Aura The Guillotine Arc
The First Fans Witness How Powerful Frieren Is
Throughout the first chapters of Frieren, readers will be presented with 3 main stories: The one that led Frieren to complete her journey alongside the Hero Himmel, the one that leads Frieren to meet Stark and Fern, and begin a new journey, and the one that talks about Frieren’s past alongside her master, Flamme. This incredibly well-constructed back and forth between three timelines depicts perfectly how a timeless Elf perceives the passing of time. But that’s not the best thing about this Arc.
Once Stark, Frieren, and Fern set foot in Graf Granat’s Domain (near the Northern Land borders), the true action begins. Granat is being coerced to accept a ‘peace treaty’ with demons, whose true intentions are spotted right away by Frieren. She knows all too well that demons are not people, and that they cannot be left alone. So, she does what she does best: attempt to slay them. Unfortunately, she is imprisoned, and Stark and Fern are left to figure out the mess alone, which also grants them some space for personal growth (and boy, what an impressive fight that was). On the other hand, Frieren vaults from prison, after a Demon assassin tries to take her off, only to be hit back by instant and deadly retribution. The elven mage goes out of town to face Aura, The Guillotine, one of the surviving Demon Generals causing all these troubles in the region, and proves once and for all why Demons call her ‘The Slayer.’
3Travel Back In Time (Goddess Monument) Arc
One Of The Saddest Arcs
Slightly after concluding the Golden Land Arc, Frieren and company start moving again towards their objective: The Extreme North, where the Demon Lord’s Castle and the region of Aureole, where she is supposed to meet Himmel’s soul. But a new bump in the journey in the form of an ancient Monument to the Goddess changes her plans. An old secret best left unearthed, and the intervention of a mysterious Demon Sage named Solitär is about to shake Frieren’s fate.
This arc handles time travel splendidly, with Frieren going back to where Himmel, Heiter, and Eisen were still in their prime, to the exact same spot. The plot takes a darker turn when it all ends up being a trap cooked by Solitär the Nameless and Grausam the Miraculous, to kill the Hero Himmel and his companions. Like a dagger seeping into the very hearts of the fans, Grausam traps Himmel and Frieren into a beautiful illusion, where both of them are getting married. Meanwhile, Eisen barely resists while battling Rivale, the Bloody God of War. This arc is extremely heavy on emotional tunes, and the resolution is like seeing Frieren and Himmel lose their chance to be happy once more. Truly heartbreaking.
4First-Class Mage Exam Arc
One of The Most Action-Packed Arcs
In terms of good plot twists, balance between action, drama, and lighthearted humor, the First-Class Mage Exam Arc is one of the best. There are many great things about this storyline in the Frieren series, but the appearance of new characters thatdivert the attention from Fern and Starkis one of the strongest points. Some have pointed out that Übel plays a fundamental role in this Arc, as Fern’s Mirror and polar opposite, showing what could happen with Fern if she ended up following a much darker path. Though there are a lot of colorful and quirky characters that also make their debut, and add tons of incredible side stories to the plot.
On the other hand, Serie is Frieren’s opposite as well, and her despise for Flamme’s pupil chosen path is felt throughout the whole exam. Be it as it may, in the end, everything serves its purpose, and Fern becomes heir apparent of Flamme, impressing the Great Mage Serie, but staying true to her chosen path despite being offered unlimited power and private tutelage. Truly heartwarming. The appearance of Denken, a character that seems to be secondary at first but gains strength the more the plot advances, is a foreboding of the best Arc in the series.
5Divine Revolte Arc
A Cruel Battle To The Death Against A Tough Opponent
Without a second to doubt, Fern is called to action in the Northern Plateau, asthe Continental Mage’s Associationsends voice of a Demon Attack in a nearby village. Finding Genau and Methode tending to the victims of the attack, Frieren, Fern, and Stark prepare to battle against the Divine Revolte, one of the strongest Demons who has dedicated his life to the art of the sword.
While Methode, Fern, and Frieren battle Revolte’s minions in a battle of attrition, Stark and Genau join forces to face the Demon Kaiser in a cruel melee that showcases Stark’s true grit and courage, despite barely surviving death, he rises time and time again. Stark proves himself before Genau, earning the respect of his enemy, Revolte, at the same time. At the end, after a magnificent struggle, Stark overpowers Revolte, only to be badly wounded, but Genau manages to finish the demon off. A short but action-packed Arc that showcases Stark’s growth.
6Foundation Festival Arc
A Re-Encounter With An Old Friend, A Storm Brewing
The tenth and currently ongoing Arc ofFrieren: Beyond Journey’s Endis perhaps, the most controversial one. For starters, there’s a long introduction to new characters, and a new faction: The Shadow Warriors, who seem to be old special forces from the Empire that led a life of seclusion and whose objective was to clear out the mages before they gained too much power. The same group is now conspiring to kill Serie and start a revolt in the Empire, of which various Mages of the Continental Association are aware, Serie among them.
The trouble starts when Frieren and her group get caught up in the middle, and are expressly invited by Serie to participate in the Foundation Festival (which commemorates the rise of the Empire led by Flamme). This Arc is great in terms of worldbuilding for two reasons: The first, we see how the construction of the myth of Flamme is diametrically opposed to that ofwhat is told in Frieren stories; she is not even considered a woman, but a man. This speaks volumes about how the world Frieren knew changed through the ages. On the other hand, the existence of an anti-mage group with their own agenda (besides Demons) adds a little flavor to a story that was lacking antagonists from the get-go. Now, there’s also the imminent encounter with Warrior Gorilla, which was already teased with the appearance of the latter during some of the chapters, and the fact that Sein has re-joined Frieren’s group (and about time he did) pushes the reader to a vertiginous, yet surely memorable, conclusion. Since this is the ongoing Arc, readers will need to wait and see to make themselves a solid idea of how good or bad it turns out.
7Travel To Äußerst Arc
Frieren’s Story Is All About Bittersweet Moments, This Arc Is Full Of Them
In this Arc, Frieren’s group reached an Impasse, and needed to backtrack a little before continuing their journey. The need for a First-Class Mage forces Frieren and crew to set course to Äußerst, to get a certification that allows them to travel to the far north. This is where one of the best characters in the series appears: Sein, the Priest. As Heiter’s mirror, Sein does a great work, though he is more level-headed than the corrupt Priest. Then, he naturally fits into the group, convinced by Frieren to join them in their journey. Sein’s intentions are to find a missing friend, named Warrior Gorilla (yes, that name is ridiculous), and warn them about their paths diverging if he finds the whereabouts of his missing friend. In only a dozen of chapters, Sein integrates seamlessly with Frieren’s party, becoming a sort of mediator between Fern and Stark, which is extremely hilarious and definitely pushes their relationship into solid development (Just start going out already!).
Sein is a laid-back, yet serious when needed, type of character who adds a lot of flavor to the story. Unfortunately, he decides to part ways abruptly. Even though he was reluctant to do so, he chases after Warrior Gorilla, though it has been 10 years since they broke apart. This was one of the worst possible developments in the series, and a reason why this Arc ranks so low among the Best Arcs inFrieren Beyond Journey’s EndManga. Why present such an important and group-solidifying character such as Sein, if it’s going to disappear for nearly 110 chapters after that?
