It Didn’t Have to Be Magic—Yet You Chose It: On the Purpose of Magic in Frieren

In Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, magic isn’t just a tool or a talent—it’s a reflection of character, circumstance, and culture history. From obsession and duty to chance and inheritance, the reasons characters become mages are as varied as the spells they wield. This piece collects dialogue excerpts from the anime’s first season to show how magic, for each mage, holds a different meaning—and…