So I wasn’t going to do anything like this, in large part because I don’t want to distract from A Night in the Lonesome October, but I already did most of the writing in conversation with a friend [Footnote 1] so I figured I might as well put it up here anyway. But as some of you may know, there’s an anime adaptation of Frieren: Beyond the Journey’s End coming up. And if you read my previous (not particularly eloquent) Rambling about it, you’ll know I love the series [Footnote 2]. One of things revealed of late — some two weeks ago — was the opening theme entitled Yuusha by YOASOBI, which Philosophy-friend shared with me because she remembered that I’d recommended the series before. And I love the song so much. Not just because it’s a good piece of music — which it is — but because of how well it captures the essence of Frieren; both the series and the character. So thus, I share with you my (not particularly eloquent) analysis of it. Remember: this was original meant as a casual message to a friend.
[As you may know,] I really like Frieren. It might be my favorite currently running manga. [The] video [accompanying Yuusha] is really cool. The song itself does a really good job of presenting a balance between a melancholic, mysterious mood and some of the energy of an adventure. Like, I really love how it starts off so slow, but then about a minute in the music really picks up and brings in a lot more instrumentation for the chorus. Or how toward the end, it still has a lot of the melancholic feel with some of the carried notes and background vocals while focusing on Frieren’s personal experience of recollection. I just wish I could understand the lyrics [Footnote 3]. As for the video itself, I like the kind of story-book aesthetic it has for some pieces and I really appreciate how despite being about the heroes of the world — the song’s even named ‘Yuusha’ [Footnote 4] — it focuses far more on the group traveling and spending together and Himmel himself helping other people. I think it says a lot that there isn’t any fighting or action in the video — we don’t even see a single monster — because that’s not what it’s about. Not what the story’s about. It’s about the memories Frieren holds precious, shown at the end with her holding on to the bundle of flowers with light shining in them. And there’s a lot of really cool tidbits in there. Like, I appreciate how there’s the one shot of jellyfish since they’re famously biologically immortal like an elf would be. And I think the whole series of shots afterward to showcase the passage of time like the mushrooms growing and birds as hatchlings is some neat imagery.
And I like that there’s the on little shot of Frieren blowing a kiss at Himmel, since that’s a reference to a brief gag in the manga that I love. [If there’s anything I dislike about the full-length video, it’s that Sein gets no love].
Footnote 1: Not anyone I’ve mentioned before. Let’s call her… Philosophy-friend, just because. I know I said I was going to keep those nicknames at… five? But I’ve started to realize that might not be feasible.
Footnote 2: Previous Rambling
Footnote 3: I have since looked them up and if the translation I found is correct, the song basically is just an explanation of Frieren’s motivations as if she were singing to Himmel. Which is really good.
Footnote 4: For those of you unfamiliar, Japan has two words for ‘hero’, Yuusha and Eiyuu. The latter is probably closer to the English word while the former might be better translated as something like ‘champion’ since it’s more like a role than something you are. Yuusha is the one almost always used for things like JRPGs and fantasy stories in a similar vein as the ‘Hero’ meant to defeat the ‘Demon King’ or Maou, another one of those oddly quirked words which is more of a role than the literal English translation would imply. Eiyuu on the other hand is something closer to a title given as a result of actions. For instance, historical and mythological heroes would be referred to as ‘Eiyuu’ because it more refers to the fact that they were great enough to leave a legacy that lasts through history. At least as I understand the subject. Take this with a grain of salt.
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