Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 2 Episode 1 Thrills Fans as “Frieren Fridays” Return
The highly anticipated Season 2 premiere of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End aired on January 16, 2026, and the reaction from fans was immediate. After roughly two years since the last episode, viewers rejoiced at the long-awaited return of Frieren, Fern, and Stark’s adventure. Within hours of airing, the episode — titled “Shall We Go, Then?” — shot to the top of MyAnimeList’s rankings, even briefly dethroning Season 1 as the highest-rated anime on the site. On social media, “Frieren Friday” became a buzzword once again as loyal fans celebrated the series’ comeback and its renewed Friday time slot.
A Long-Awaited Return and Magical Premiere
The Season 2 opener picks up immediately after the events of the first season, seamlessly reuniting viewers with the characters and world. Frieren, an elf mage, and her companions — human apprentice Fern and warrior Stark — depart the magic city of Äußerst to continue their journey north toward the land of Ende. An early sequence sees the trio tumbling unexpectedly into a subterranean cavern filled with mana-nullifying blue crystals — a “spellcaster’s kryptonite” that renders Frieren and Fern temporarily powerless. This perilous detour, complete with a lurking monster in the darkness, still maintains the show’s trademark tranquil pacing and character focus. Amid the danger, the episode finds time for gentle humor (such as Stark’s pride in catching a comically tiny fish) and quiet poignancy, ensuring the premiere remains spoiler-light yet emotionally resonant.
Fan Reception: Enthusiasm and Early Debate
The overwhelming response from the fandom has been positive. Many praised the production quality and storytelling, with one viewer declaring the animation “absolute peak” and exclaiming, “Frieren on top, let’s go.” The show’s atmosphere and music also drew acclaim: “Thank heavens we get Frieren Fridays! Man, the music is still peaceful as hell,” one fan wrote, finding it “genuinely funny” how unfazed Frieren was during the fall into the crystal cave. Some viewers admitted the premiere even moved them to tears — “I was pretty much crying throughout the entire episode, it’s peak,” one commenter confessed, indicating that the episode’s emotional undercurrents struck a chord. Several fans singled out a tender scene where a frightened Fern is carried by Stark, calling it “amazing” and “beautifully done,” and many agreed the episode “felt so short” because it was so engrossing.
However, amid the hype, a few viewers urged caution and offered critiques. Some questioned whether the universal acclaim was premature after just one episode. On Reddit’s anime forums, one user argued the praise was “a bit overhyped at the moment” — that the premiere was good, “but not that good”. Others pointed out that fan ratings can be inflated early on; Frieren’s instant leap to a 9+ score on user-voted sites was deemed “utterly absurd and extremely inflated” by one skeptic. There were also minor storytelling gripes — for instance, a viewer felt the show was “playing up the [Stark—Fern] romance so hard” that it came off “a bit forced.” Such comments highlight a cautious perspective, reminding everyone that it remains to be seen if the season can sustain its initial quality.
Still, the general sentiment is one of excitement and relief that Frieren has returned with its heart and quality intact. Fans are once again looking forward to their end-of-week ritual — affectionately dubbed “Frieren Friday” — to follow the immortal elf’s journey. With stunning visuals, a moving soundtrack, and characters that audiences have grown to love, the Season 2 opener has succeeded in rekindling the magic that made the series a standout. As one fan cheered, “Frieren Fridays are so back… and with the quality as good as ever”, promising a season ahead that both honors the spirit of the original and ventures into new emotional territory.