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Journey’s 10 Best Songs

Sure, "Don't Stop Believin'" -- but there's a whole lot more.

By Gary Graff

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Though it arrives amidst lawsuits , social media sniping and infighting, Journey is turning 50 this year.

During that half century, the group has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, logging 11 platinum-or-better albums (including Diamond certifications for 1981’s Escape and 1988’s Greatest Hits) , earning eight top 10 albums on the Billboard 200 and 25 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. It’s also been a reliable ticket-selling act for most of its career, and in 2017, the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Journey’s is the story of eras. When the group originally formed in San Francisco in 1973, original manager Herbie Herbert helped bring together guitarist Neal Schon and keyboard player/vocalist Gregg Rolie from Santana, bassist Ross Valory and rhythm guitarist George Tickner from Frumious Bandersnatch and drummer Prairie Prince from The Tubes. Prince would be replaced by David Bowie/Frank Zappa skins man Aynsley Dunbar, while Tickner would leave after Journey’s self-titled first album in 1975. The remaining quartet recorded two more albums before Steve Perry came on board for 1978’s Infinity, which began the band’s run of multi-platinum smashes — also marking the first appearance of Alton Kelley and Stanley Mouse’s iconic scarab logo for the band. Dunbar was replaced by Steve Smith for 1979’s Evolution , and Rolie would leave in 1980 with Jonathan Cain of The Babys joining to help elevate the band to even greater fortunes on Escape and Frontiers .

The palette has been diverse, but there are common elements among Journey’s best songs — sturdy melodies and sing-along choruses, usually leading into one of Schon’s majestic guitar solos. But within that mold there’s also been plenty of invention and clever arrangements that have never been as formulaic as some of the band’s detractors (particularly during their early ‘80s heyday) would have you believe.

Journey has gone through its fair share of lineups, with singer Arnel Pineda on board since 2007 — the longest continuous tenure of any Journey frontman. The group released Freedom , it’s first new studio album in 11 years, in 2022, and despite the current legal fractures (which you can read about in detail here ), still they ride, as the Escape track says — and may they keep on runnin’ for a long time.

With all that in mind, here are our picks for Journey’s 10 best songs — not all of which come from the biggest hits.

"Someday Soon" ( Departure , 1980)

This album track from Rolie’s finally studio effort with the band is a hypnotic tone poem, with a ringing, cushy ambience and a hippie kind of optimism – not to mention the best give-and-take Perry and Rolie achieved during their time together in the band. It’s of course been eclipsed by Journey’s myriad hits (“Any Way You Want It” is the enduring top 40 Hot 100 hit from Departure ), but it’s a gem worthy of discovery.  Listen here.

"Escape" ( Escape , 1981)

The title track from Journey’s Billboard 200-topping studio album straddled the hard rock/pomp attack of the group’s mid-‘70s output with the melodic sensibility of the Perry-Cain axis. Its five-minute length provides room for the arrangement to stretch out and flow from one song part to the next, with a crunch that was part of Journey’s palette at the time. Listen here.

"Of a Lifetime" ( Journey , 1975)

The Journey of 1973-77 was certainly a different creature than the hitmaking colossus so many know and love. The group’s initial lineups flexed instrumental muscles, smoothly knitting together a number of styles more interested in the journey (ba- dum ) than any commercial destination. The first track from its first album is a prototype, leaning into blues, psychedelic rock and a touch of Latin, with the first of what would become many standout Schon solos, and a tuneful sturdiness delivered by Rolie’s soulful vocal. Listen here.

"Faithfully" (Frontiers , 1983)

The melody of this top 20 Hot 100 hit came to Cain in a dream on a tour bus, and his paean to the struggle between home and the road was written in a half-hour. The result was a swoon-inducing ballad tailor-made for a sea of lighters (back then) and cellphone flashlights (now), capturing one of Perry’s best recorded performances and one of Schon’s most inspired solos. One of its great side stories is that Prince contacted Cain after he wrote “Purple Rain,” concerned that it might be too similar to “Faithfully.” Cain determined it wasn’t, but joked to Billboard that, “After seeing what it became, I should have asked for a couple of points….”

"Ask the Lonely" (single, 1983)

Recorded for Frontiers , this one wound up in the romcom Two of a Kind (starring the Grease duo of John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John) and rocked its way to No. 3 on the Mainstream Rock Airplay chart. Like “Only the Young,” which wound up in Vision Quest two years later, it showed that Journey was on roll – and well-suited for big soundtrack moments. Listen here.

"Who's Crying Now" ( Escape, 1981)

The best of Journey’s swoon songs — started by Perry while driving into Los Angeles and finished with Cain — has a subtlety and dynamic build that sets it apart from the many others of its ilk they’d create. The verse slips into the chorus with a soulful ease, and Schon’s guitar accents deftly build up to his searing solo at the end. The Escape single reached No. 4 on the Hot 100. Listen here.

"Feeling That Way" ( Infinity , 1978)

If fans at the time wondered how Steve Perry and Gregg Rolie would co-exist, this was the answer — an ebb-and-flow tradeoff that proved they could complement each other as lead singers as well as harmonize smoothly together (first evidenced by Infinity ‘s lead track “Lights”). Its medley-like pairing with the next track, “Anytime,” was gravy that would become a motif on the next few Journey albums. Listen here.

"Just the Same Way" ( Evolution , 1979)

Journey’s fifth album had a punchier sound than Infinity — though they shared producer Roy Thomas Baker — which worked to the benefit of the album’s first single. Led by Rolie’s piano and muscular lead vocal, with Perry responding on the choruses and bridge, it reached No. 58 on the Hot 100 in 1979. In a perfect world this would have been as big as anything from Escape or Frontiers, but it’s still a convincing introduction to the Rolie era of the band. Listen here.

"Don't Stop Believin'" ( Escape , 1981)

More than a billion Spotify streams, a Library of Congress National Recording Registry placement and plays at virtually every sporting event around the world don’t lie — this one is Journey’s pinnacle of success. Created during a rehearsal at the group’s warehouse HQ in Oakland, Calif., it gave us the “streetlight people” of Hollywood’s Sunset Strip and put the non-existent South Detroit on the map. And it saves the chorus for the song’s end, after the guitar solo. A cross-generational hit? Believe it, gleefully.

"Stone in Love" ( Escape , 1981)

Schon reportedly called this “Stoned in Love” when he wrote the riff, and it’s certainly an addictive track that’s the best roll-down-the-windows-and-crank-it-up Journey fix you could ask for — not to mention a frequent show opener. A No. 13 Mainstream Rock Airplay hit in 1981, the song is practically a deep cut today. But its anthemic chorus is a spirit-lifter and the dynamic breakdown that segues into the song-closing guitar solo harks back to the ambitious musicality of the first few albums. “Stone” is a gem that still shines bright. Listen here.

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Greatest Hits (2024 Remaster)

In the ’80s, Journey was high on the list of bands loved by fans and reviled by critics. But today, they’re still heard and embraced – sometimes by the kind of people who sneered the first time around. (Witness the in-concert cover of “Lights” by fellow Bay Area stalwarts Green Day.) With frontman Steve Perry applying lessons learned from Sam Cooke, Journey’s Greatest Hits often sounds like a primer in pop idealism. “Lights” is a mellow smile about the joys of city life, “Any Way You Want It” a tip of the hat to Everygirl. And though “Don’t Stop Believin’” places itself on a scale with the songs that open Olympic games, it’s really all about that one small-town escapee on “the midnight train to anywhere”.

November 29, 1988 16 Songs, 1 hour, 5 minutes ℗ This compilation (P) 1988 Sony Music Entertainment

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Don't Stop Believin': The Best of Journey

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Top 10 Journey Songs

The top Journey songs demonstrate quite clearly how the band, one of the early progenitors of what rock critics like to dismiss as "arena rock," achieved such popularity in the '70s and '80s.

Journey were undoubtedly ahead of their time in terms of PR, and especially in terms of professionalizing their live shows, pioneering elements of live production that are standard procedure today. But while the group took a great deal of flack for the skill with which they were marketed, it is the music they created – an interesting blend of guitar-driven hard rock and vocal-oriented pop – that has endured across the decades, connecting with several subsequent generations.

The group's earliest musical origins featured an elaborate mix of rock and progressive fusion, but it wasn't until they later shifted in a more commercial direction that they began their long, slow climb to superstardom. Though they were often critically derided, Journey's best work boasted a level of instrumental and vocal ability far beyond that of most of their peers and covered a wide array of styles – as you'll see in our list of the Top 10 Journey Songs.

"Lovin,' Touchin,' Squeezin'"

Steve Perry reportedly drew inspiration from one of his biggest influences, Sam Cooke, for this track from Journey's fifth album. The singer borrowed from " Nothing Can Change This Love " for the song, which struck a perfect balance between his soulful pop vocals and Neal Schon 's heavy rock guitars to become the group's first Top 20 hit, reaching No. 16 and helping Evolution to become a triple-platinum hit.

"Stone In Love"

This hard rock track from Journey's seventh studio album helped introduce the writing talents of newcomer keyboardist Jonathan Cain , who wrote the song with Perry and Schon. The song's infectious marriage of heavy riffing, blazing guitar solos and an alluring melody – all topped off by an undeniable Steve Perry vocal performance – helped it became a rock radio staple, easily earning its spot in our Top 10 Journey Songs.

Perry wasted no time making himself at home as a writer after he joined for Journey's fourth album. This soulful rock track pairs a Schon riff with a lyric Perry had originally written about Los Angeles, which he changed to fit after joining the San Francisco-based Journey. "Lights" originally charted at just No. 68, but went on to become a rock radio staple and an important part of Journey's live shows.

"Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)"

Another in a long string of Journey classics penned by the duo of Cain and Perry, this song came together in a backstage writing session in which the singer was playing bass and the keyboardist was playing guitar. It marries Perry's Motown influence with hard rock for a track that hit No. 8 in the Mainstream Rock chart and has become an all-time classic rock track. The single release was accompanied by a much-lampooned video in which the band members mime to the track without their actual instruments.

"Feeling That Way"

"Feeling That Way" was initially an instrumental titled "Velvet Curtain," written by keyboardist Gregg Rolie with drummer Aynsley Dunbar before he added words and re-titled it "Please Let Me Stay." It wasn't until Perry joined Journey and wrote some additional material that the band recorded the track. He and Rolie shared the lead vocal duties on this song, which is almost always paired with " Anytime " both on the radio and in concert.

"Wheel in the Sky"

One of the earliest Journey songs to find traction at rock radio, "Wheel in the Sky" began as a poem titled "Wheels in My Mind" by Diane Valory, the wife of Journey bassist Ross Valory. When singer Robert Fleischman heard it, he appropriated it for a lyric that was juxtaposed against a hard rock riff from Schon. When Journey brought in Steve Perry to replace Fleischman, he put his signature vocal stamp on the track, undeniably making it one of the Top 10 Journey Songs

"Open Arms"

Cain had originally pitched the melody idea for "Open Arms" when he was a member of the Babys , but singer John Waite reportedly shot it down as too sentimental. Once he and Perry completed the song, their Journey bandmates didn't feel too differently – particularly Schon, who felt the song too light for the group. Despite the opposition, the group recorded and released the track, which held the No. 2 spot in the Billboard chart for six consecutive weeks and has become a cultural touchstone.

"Any Way You Want It"

Co-written by Perry and Schon, this track was heavily influenced by Thin Lizzy front man Phil Lynott , who was sharing in a rhyme scheme exercise with the two backstage while the bands were touring together. Recorded closer to a "live in the studio" environment, Departure featured an edgier sound than previous Journey records, and the track is a perfect example of that, propelled by Schon's fleet-fingered solos and Perry's high-octane vocal performance.

"Faithfully"

Cain wrote the wistful piano-based ballad "Faithfully" about the challenges of being on the road while trying to maintain a life with his wife at home. The song's universal sentiment and melodic structure struck such a chord with fans that it landed at No. 12 in the Billboard chart, and it has since gone on to become one of Journey's most recognizable and enduring songs. Ironically, the song has far outlasted the marriage it was written to commemorate, which ended in divorce in 1987.

"Don't Stop Believin'"

"Don't Stop Believin'" not only tops our list of the Top 10 Journey Songs, it came in at No. 13 in our overall poll of the Top 100 Classic Rock Songs, and it is the best-selling catalog track of the digital music era, having sold more than 5 million digital tracks. Written by Cain, Perry and Schon, the song's multi-generational attraction lies partly in its inspirational message and partly in its arrangement, which appeals equally to fans of hard rock and vocal-oriented pop.

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Journey Nexa review: The best MacBook sleeve I’ve ever used

Expert's Rating

• Two integrated chargers
• High-quality workmanship
• Not just for Apple products
• No space for accessories

Our Verdict

If you work on the go a lot, the Journey Nexa is a fantastic protective laptop sleeve for your MacBook–provided you are willing to pay its price. The workmanship is outstanding, and there are two integrated wireless chargers for the iPhone and AirPods. A matching USB-C cable is included, but the case has no additional storage space for it or any other accessories. To get the maximum charging power out of it, you will also need an additional power supply or one with multiple ports.

Price When Reviewed

Best prices today: journey nexa 4-in-1 laptop sleeve with wireless charging.

Every few years, there’s a gadget that makes me think, “Yes, that’s brilliant, I want that!” Most recently it was the Sony SRS-XB23 , an inconspicuous, cylindrical Bluetooth speaker that won me over with a single product photo. The Bluetooth speaker fits perfectly in the cup holder of an average camping chair–perfect for festivals.

And at the end of 2023, it was the Journey Nexa, a laptop sleeve made of artificial leather and other materials. Relatively inconspicuous at first glance, it has an incredibly clever trick at second glance: two wireless chargers integrated into the protective cover, on which you can charge a smartphone and wireless headphones (or two smartphones very, very slowly).

The Nexa laptop sleeve is a mobile office dream. It is the mobile counterpart to the multifunctional desk pad Journey Alti, which in turn is more suitable for fixed workstations. After being sold out for a while, the Journey Nexa is finally back in stock and I was able to test it extensively. It’s just as good as I’d hoped, although it doesn’t come without its quirks.

Eugen Wegmann

Journey Nexa: Design & workmanship

• Two sizes, two colors

The Journey Nexa looks classy but is still largely inconspicuous. It comes in two versions, for 13/14-inch and 15/16-inch laptops–basically, all Apple laptops. You can choose between two colors, black and light grey. In this review, I took a close look at the small black version made to fit a 13-inch M1 MacBook Pro.

The workmanship is simply great. The seams are clean, there are no creases or other noticeable quirks, and the materials feel very high-quality.

The case consists of two halves sewn together and therefore spreads open like a large envelope when opened. The surface of the lower half is made of a kind of textile, and the upper half of artificial leather. The lower half is significantly longer, because at its end is the flap with the two chargers, which is also covered with imitation leather and holds magnetically to the other half when closed.

The Nexa is generally designed so that it lies on the textile-like side with the leather side facing upwards, as this is the only way the chargers will also face upwards.

The element with the chargers is relatively thick: while the base is slightly thicker than a USB-C port, a few millimeters are added for the two chargers that protrude from the flap.

Journey’s product images show the flap with the chargers lying flat on the table, but in reality, it tilts inwards slightly due to its design. This does not affect the function of the chargers, but Journey could solve this discrepancy between advertising and reality if it were to draw the narrow, thick strip across the entire width of the charger and not just at the edge.

The Nexa is explicitly a sleeve and not a bag. That’s why there is no additional storage space for cables, a charger, a mouse, or an adapter–not even the USB-C cable supplied fits in anywhere. If you are traveling with a lot of accessories, you will have to stow them in a separate bag or invest in a small cable organizer. Journey advertises the Nexa as a 4-in-1 product: charger, protective cover, mouse pad, and desk pad. To my satisfaction, this is all true, but with some limitations.

Journey Nexa: Charger

• No fast-charging for iPhone
• Requires power adapter for maximum performance
• No charger for Apple Watch

The feature that sets the Nexa apart from other protective cases is the two integrated chargers. They are designed for the iPhone and Airpods, but they are also compatible with other smartphones and in-ear headphones that support wireless charging. The round charger for smartphones has the exact dimensions of a MagSafe charger, and the rectangular one is the size of the AirPods charging case.

The smartphone charger is only MagSafe-compatible, not MFi-certified. In practice, this means that the Nexa cannot charge an iPhone relatively quickly with 15 watts, but only with 7.5 watts, which is of course not very suitable for quickly supplying your iPhone with a lot of power when the battery has just run out, but for recharging it a little now and then or for longer sessions.

With the “real” MagSafe, strong magnets are integrated into it, which at least lock the iPhone perfectly onto the puck. Most Android smartphones that support wireless charging still lack the corresponding counterparts, which is why it is always a matter of luck whether you have placed the induction coils neatly on top of each other and can charge as loss-free as possible.

The magnets are so strong that you can easily use your MacBook in your bag as a wireless power bank for your iPhone, provided it is in a MagSafe case; unfortunately, my naked iPhone 15 Pro Max does not hold. Overall, however, this is merely a nice side effect, as you can just as easily connect your iPhone to your MacBook in your bag using a cable. If it is long enough, you can even take it out of your bag and continue using your iPhone.

The same applies to the other charger: in theory, you can at least use it to charge your AirPods Pro in your bag, as the charging case holds onto it well enough. With other headphones, things don’t look so good. For example, the Sennheiser MTW3 and MTW4 have larger and heavier cases. In addition, the magnetic forces between the charger and the case are not as strong as with the AirPods, which is why they do not adhere very well to it unless the Nexa is lying flat on the table.

The two chargers are not explicitly designed for headphones and smartphones. You can charge your iPhone just as well on the rectangular charger and the AirPods on the round one or two pairs of headphones, even two smartphones at the same time (at least if you arrange them in a T-shape).

The round one is the more powerful of the two and reaches the aforementioned 7.5 watts, while the rectangular one only reaches 5 watts. Android users have an advantage, however: compatible smartphones charge on the puck at up to 15 watts, which is twice as fast as an iPhone.

Of course, all of this assumes that you connect the Nexa to an external charger and not to the USB-C port on your MacBook, which supplies less power. If you want to minimize the number of accessories you have to carry with you, we recommend a powerful power supply with at least two USB-C ports and at least 100 watts–one for the MacBook, one for the Nexa, which doesn’t include an adapter. Incidentally, the maximum power consumption of the Nexa is 30 watts, more than enough for two devices. What the Nexa completely lacks is a charger for the Apple Watch.

Journey Nexa: Protective cover

Inside, the two halves are not symmetrical and consist of different layers. The faux leather half is slightly more rigid than the other half – presumably hiding a thin layer of plastic inside – and is coated with a kind of microfibre on the inside. The textile side on the other side is much better padded and therefore softer and more flexible. The different textures of the two halves are intended to make it recognizable how a laptop should be placed inside: With the display half on the soft side and the keyboard half on the hard side.

This creates a strange problem: If the Nexa is lying on the table and you want to store your MacBook in it, you have to push it in “upside down”, i.e. with the display side facing down and the feet facing up. The same applies to unpacking: you always take your MacBook out with the underside facing upwards and then have to turn it. Sure, it’s just a simple operation, but it’s not very intuitive overall.

How you insert the MacBook in the Nexa has an effect on the protective function of the case in borderline cases. I can well imagine that there is a load limit somewhere where the display is damaged in the event of a fall if the MacBook is inserted in the case improperly, whereas it would have remained intact if it had been inserted the proper way.

The envelope design does work to provide the MacBook with some protection. If the case with the MacBook inside lands on the floor, it spreads out (minimally!) in a wedge shape on impact and absorbs the force completely via the flexibility of the two halves. The Macbook would probably not be damaged even from greater heights.

Incidentally, there’s no need to talk about water and dust resistance with the Nexa: the cover doesn’t close completely, but leaves a thumb-sized gap open on both sides of the flap. So if you are often out and about in the rain, you should make sure that your bag provides protection.

Journey Nexa: Mousepad and underlay

To use the Nexa as a desk pad, you simply place your MacBook on the leather side. Using it as a mouse pad is pretty clever, if not flawless. Simply place your MacBook on the table and place the Nexa next to it and you have a huge mouse pad. Although the cover is more than three times larger than a conventional mouse pad, the height is hardly noticeable. I have owned much thinner textile and plastic mouse pads that were much more uncomfortable. The reason for this is the rounded edges over which the wrist and forearm can slide gently without getting stuck.

As with everything else, the leather side is intended as a mouse pad. My Logitech Lift has a little more resistance on it than on a textile or hard plastic gaming mouse pad, but this is still perfectly acceptable.

The fact that the leather side serves as a mouse pad also explains why there is a stiffer layer and why the MacBook has to be pushed in upside down: so that the mouse pad remains as flat as possible and does not curl. Unfortunately, this only works to a limited extent in practice. If your MacBook has been in the case overnight (or even longer) this layer bends inside and takes a while to flatten out enough so that you don’t feel like you’re pushing the mouse over a mountain.

For me, this means that I use the Nexa as a base for my MacBook for the first half hour in the office so that it is flattened again by the weight before I push it to the side and use it as a mouse pad. I don’t know whether Journey can solve the problem, but it would be desirable.

Journey Nexa: Price and deliverables

• Cable, but no power supply included

Journey, as a premium or lifestyle brand of Alogic, is not exactly known for bargains. In this respect, it is hardly surprising that the Nexa costs a whopping $130, regardless of the size. $130 for a laptop sleeve is a pretty penny when you consider that there are other more affordable sleeves. However, these are largely simple protective sleeves or bags; according to my research, there are no other sleeves with integrated wireless chargers on the market apart from the Journey Nexa.

The scope of delivery is also quite straightforward: in addition to the laptop sleeve itself, it only comes with a USB-C cable in a matching color (black for the black and white for the grey version), a few stickers, and the usual paperwork.

Should you buy the Journey Nexa?

With the Journey Nexa, you pay for good design, high-quality workmanship, and its unique selling point. Though I can’t currently say anything about its longevity (I have a good feeling so far), I would buy it again if it were to break. However, if it started to fall apart in three months, I would almost certainly change my mind. I can only give an unreserved purchase recommendation to those who can afford it. If you’re on a tight budget, you’re probably better off with a cheaper case. After all, the Nexa is a luxury product that not everyone can, wants, or needs to afford.

For more MacBook travel options, check out our roundup of the best cases, sleeves, and bags .

This article originally appeared on Macwelt and was translated by Roman Loyola .

This article originally appeared on our sister publication Macwelt and was translated and localized from German.

Author: Eugen Wegmann , Redakteur

Eugen Wegmann schreibt seit 2022 für Macwelt.de. Er ist kein Apple-Fan der ersten Stunde und betrachtet die Dinge deshalb immer noch als interessierter Außenstehender, mit einer gesunden Portion Skepsis, aber auch viel Neugier und Optimismus. Privat setzt er nach wie vor auf Windows, weil Apple sich mit dem Ausbau der Gaming-Plattform viel Zeit lässt.

10 Best Anime Series Every Fan of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Needs to Watch

• There are plenty of anime that are great for fans of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End .
• Some anime are great for offering similar takes on adventuring through fantasy worlds as Frieren does.
• Others are great for the overlap they have with Frieren 's writing style and overall themes.

Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is easily one of the biggest anime of the past few years. Not only does it have gorgeous art, animation, and overall direction, but its straightforward take on the fantasy genre, combined with intelligent and emotionally resonant writing, made it a major hit among fans and critics alike to a degree that very few anime have ever managed to achieve.

The first season of Frieren received unanimous praise from fans and critics alike. It’s currently unknown when Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End will return for a second season, if at all, but fortunately, there are plenty of anime that fans of the series can watch.

As unique a series as it may be, there are plenty of great anime that overlap with Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End in terms of themes, characters, and overall quality ; a few anime, in particular, are especially worth highlighting, and any fan of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is sure to get a lot out of them, even if it’s not the same experience.

10 Best Fantasy Anime Every Lord of the Rings Fan Needs to Watch

Wandering witch captures the same pure essence of traveling as frieren, anime series by c2c; based on the light novel by jogi shiraishi.

C2C’s Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina stars Elaina the Ashen Witch, a young witch who travels the world in the hopes of living a life of adventure like her idol, the great witch Niké. Elaina takes it upon herself to not interfere in anything she witnesses on her travels, no matter how terrible something may be, but there are occasions where, at the very least, Elaina’s passivity does deeply affect her and force her to question her resolve.

Wandering Witch isn’t that well-known of an anime, but it’s still a great recommendation for fans of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End . Wandering Witch: The Journey of Elaina is, like Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End , a thoughtful story of a magical being traveling across the world , but Elaina is a far more selfish person than Frieren, so it creates a different sort of traveling story, especially when her selfishness ends up hurting herself and others. Overall, Wandering Witch has the same sort of aesthetic as Frieren , but adds a unique-enough flavor to create a different experience, so it’s plenty worth checking out.

Kinos Journey Highlights The Beauty & Danger Of The World, Just Like Frieren

Anime series by acgt; based on the light novel by keiichi sigsawa.

ACGT’s Kino’s Journey—the Beautiful World— is about Kino, a young girl traveling the world with no one by her side except her talking motorcycle, Hermes. Kino makes it a rule not to stay in one place longer than three days in two nights to keep herself from getting too attached, and with how dangerous some of the places she visits can be, she always makes sure to keep a variety of weapons with her, most notably her .44 single-action revolver the “Cannon” and her .22 automatic pistol the “Woodsman”.

Similar to Wander Witch: The Journey of Elaina , Kino’s Journey—the Beautiful World— is great for anyone who was a fan of the adventuring aspect of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End . Not only do both stories have characters going on episodic adventures around the world, but the dark and fantastical nature of the places in Kino’s Journey—the Beautiful World— always adds something new to each story , whether it’s purely in aesthetic or in the themes the audience is expected to contemplate. Adventure is always used for thought-provoking storytelling, so that makes it perfect for fans of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End .

Mushishi Is Another Great Anime About Supernatural Good Samaritans

Anime series by artland; based on the manga by yuki urushibara.

Artland’s Mushishi is an episodic anime set vaguely in 19th-century Japan where people are constantly plagued by ethereal beings called Mushi. As one of the few people who can see Mushi, series protagonist Ginko has taken it upon himself to research Mushi and aid those who suffer because of them whenever he comes across them in his travels.

From start to finish, Mushishi is an anime that does a great job of playing into the same core aesthetic of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End . The element of traveling through a supernatural setting is one thing, but Mushishi being an episodic story of a supernatural good samaritan has a clear overlap with Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End , although Mushishi is the far more episodic story of the two. Nevertheless, both anime excellently play into the idea of good people just trying to help others, so any fan of one is sure to get a lot out of the other.

To Your Eternity Is Another Great Story About The Struggles Of Immortality

Anime series by drive; based on the manga by yoshitoki oima.

Drive’s To Your Eternity opens with a mysterious being called the Beholder releasing an orb into the world that takes on the form of anything that dies around it. The orb eventually becomes an immortal being named Fushi, and through his travels, he constantly befriends new people he’s always fated to outlive and must slowly come to understand why living that sort of life is so tragic.

Unlike some other anime, To Your Eternity ’s overlap with Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is through one of the more tragic elements of its story. Both To Your Eternity and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End revolve around nigh-immortal beings dealing with the reality of outliving the people closest to them , and sure enough, both anime use it to tell tragic and bittersweet stories from start to finish. The emotional beats of Frieren ’s writing have always been one of its biggest draws, and anyone who’s a fan of that is sure to be a fan of To Your Eternity .

Bocchi The Rock! Is Another Gorgeous Anime From Frierens Director

Anime series by cloverworks; based on the manga by aki hamazi.

CloverWorks’ Bocchi the Rock! stars Hitori Gotoh, a girl with crippling social anxiety who learned to play guitar in the hopes of using it to make friends, although her efforts never once managed to bear fruit. One day, however, Hitori is recruited to be the new guitarist in the band Kessoku Band, and as Hitori - now with the nickname Bocchi - commits herself to the band, she’ll find herself slowly but surely gaining the exact life she hoped for when she first started learning the guitar.

Bocchi the Rock! is a completely different story from Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End , but that doesn’t mean fans of the latter shouldn’t watch it. Both anime were directed by anime director Keiichiro Saito, and sure enough, both Bocchi the Rock! and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End feature some of the best animation and overall direction of any anime that’s come out within the past few years. Keiichiro Saito is one of the best directors to come out of anime in the past few years, and if anyone wants to see what else he’s capable of, there’s no better anime to watch than Bocchi the Rock!

Spice And Wolf Excellently Makes The Mundane Entertaining

Anime series by brain's base & passione; based on the light novel by isuna hasekura, spice and wolf: merchant meets the wise wolf (2024).

Cast Jun Fukuyama, Ami Koshimizu

Release Date April 2, 2024

Genres Drama, Adventure, Anime

Main Genre Anime

Rating TV-14

Spice and Wolf is a low-fantasy anime about a traveling merchant named Kraft Lawrence who, one day, comes across a woman with wolf ears and a tail sleeping in his cart. The woman introduces herself as a harvest goddess named Holo, and after Lawrence helps Holo leave the confines of the village where they met, the two embark on a journey to bring Holo back to her birthplace while doing merchant work whenever and wherever it might come up.

Spice and Wolf is a very different sort of fantasy series from Frieren , but their similarities become readily apparent in their writing. In addition to characters having dry wit and largely unexaggerated dialogue, Spice and Wolf , much like Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End , is much more focused on the minute details of worldbuilding than it is on the action , specifically the inner workings of economics and trading, and the execution always keeps it from being boring. It's a perfect anime for fans of Frieren , and with the Spice and Wolf reboot , now's the perfect time for someone to start watching.

Magis Worldbuilding & Magic Are Perfect For Frieren Fans

Anime series by a-1 pictures; based on the manga by shinobu ohtaka, magi: the labyrinth of magic (2012).

Cast Erica Mendez, Lucien Dodge, Cristina Valenzuela, Erik Scott Kimerer, Darrel Guilbeau, Matthew Mercer, Stephanie Sheh

Release Date October 7, 2012

Genres Animation, Action, Fantasy

Streaming Service(s) Crunchyroll

Franchise(s) Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic

Writers Hiroyuki Yoshino

Directors Naotaka Hayashi, Koji Masunari

Main Genre Fantasy

Creator(s) Shinobu Ohtaka

A-1 Pictures’ Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic depicts an Arabian Nights -style fantasy world where people can challenge mysterious dungeons for untold wealth and power that can change the world. Among the people who have a go at this are the young pair of Aladdin and Alibaba, and while the two of them originally just wanted to go on an adventure, they soon find themselves wrapped up in one major conspiracy after another that are all poised to upend everything they know about their world.

Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic ’s flavor of fantasy is very different from Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End , but fans of Frieren can still get a lot out of it. Much like Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End , Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic has incredibly intricate worldbuilding through its political elements and its highly-developed magic system , two things that are essential parts of Frieren ’s writing. It’s more lighthearted than some of its contemporaries, but with that sort of writing, it’s a perfect recommendation for fans of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End .

Violet Evergarden Is A Beautiful Exploration Into Humanity

Anime series by kyoto animation; based on the light novel by kana akatsuki, violet evergarden.

Cast Ben Pronsky, Christine Marie Cabanos, Tony Azzolino, Kyle McCarley, Reba Buhr, Erika Harlacher

Release Date January 11, 2018

Genres Drama

Streaming Service(s) Netflix

Franchise(s) Violet Evergarden

Writers Taaki Suzuki, Tatsuhiko Urahata, Reiko Yoshida

Directors Taichi Ishidate, Haruka Fujita

Main Genre Animation

Creator(s) Kana Akatsuki

The titular hero of Kyoto Animation’s Violet Evergarden is a former orphan turned soldier who spent her entire life fighting in a war that’s only now come to an end. Now needing a new purpose in life, Violet takes up a job as a special type of ghostwriter called an Auto Memory Doll in the hopes that writing for others will help better understand people, and she especially hopes it will help her understand why her commanding officer told her he loved her before he died.

Kyoto Animation is famous for its emotionally driven anime, and Violet Evergarden is easily one of its best. From start to finish, Violet Evergarden does an excellent job of depicting its hero’s struggles with learning what it means to be human in an emotionally poignant fashion , something that, of course, is at the core of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End ’s overarching narrative. Add in the consistently gorgeous visuals and overall direction, and Violet Evergarden hits nearly all the same aesthetics that made Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End such a hit.

Delicious In Dungeon Is The Perfect Fantasy To Complement Frieren

Anime series by studio trigger; based on the manga by ryoko kui, delicious in dungeon.

Cast Asuna Tomari, Hiroshi Naka, Kentarou Kumagai, Sayaka Senbongi

Release Date January 1, 2024

Genres Cooking, Comedy, Fantasy

Franchise(s) Delicious in Dungeon

Writers Kimiko Ueno, Ryoko Kui

Directors Yoshihiro Miyajima

In Studio Trigger’s hit fantasy anime Delicious in Dungeon , the adventure party of series protagonist Laios is wiped out by a dragon, with Laios’ sister, Falin, even being eaten alive. Laios and what remains of his party need to hurry back through the dungeon to revive Falin, but they lack the funds for the journey and have no time to gather them up. To deal with the situation, Laios convinces everyone, much to their disgust, to eat the monsters they encounter in the dungeon, something Laios is all but stated to have just been looking for an excuse to do.

Delicious in Dungeon is great for fans of Frieren thanks to largely being its opposite. While they’re both largely straightforward fantasy anime, Delicious in Dungeon , while not wholly unserious, has a far more comedic approach to fantasy than Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End , so the two can be seen as two sides of the same coin and of equal value to anime fans looking for something different from isekai and power fantasy anime. Add in its own uniquely great writing and animation, and Delicious in Dungeon makes for as great a watch as Frieren for a lot of the same reasons.

Fullmetal Alchemist & Frieren Are Both Excellent Gateways Into Anime

Anime series by studio bones; based on the manga by hiromu arakawa, fullmetal alchemist.

Created by Hiromu Arakawa

TV Show(s) Fullmetal Alchemist, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood

Character(s) Greed (Fullmetal Alchemist), Envy (Fullmetal Alchemist), Lust (Fullmetal Alchemist), King Bradley, May Chang, Lan Fan, Ling Yao, Scar (Fullmetal Alchemist), Riza Hawkeye, Maes Hughes, Winry Rockbell, Roy Mustang, Alphonse Elric, Edward Elric

Studio Bones’ Fullmetal Alchemist is set in a world where alchemy is very much real, and in the nation of Amestris, alchemists can join the military in exchange for near-limitless authority. One of these state alchemists is Edward Elric, the titular Fullmetal Alchemist, and after an accident with alchemy costs Edward his limbs and forces the soul of his brother Alphonse to be bound to a suit of armor, Edward starts looking for the mythical Philosopher’s Stone in the hopes of restoring their bodies, completely unaware of the forces his journey will bring him into contact with.

10 Best Anime So Good They'll Turn Even the Most Skeptical Viewers Into Fans

Notably, Fullmetal Alchemist was replaced by Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End in many anime rankings' top spot, despite being completely different in both genre and story. Thanks to its stellar art and animation and a story that’s both entertaining and not too overly complex, Fullmetal Alchemist , like Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End , is one of the best anime for getting people invested in anime , something that hasn’t changed in the slightest after over a decade. There’s a definite overlap between the two in that regard, and that’s why Fullmetal Alchemist is probably the best anime for fans of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End .

AFK Journey: Legend Trial Guide (& Best Teams)

Legend Trial is one of the longest multilevel missions in AFK Journey that only the most veteran players can complete.

Legend Trial is one of the intimidating battle modes in AFK Journey , inviting players on a long, 360-level mission to defeat all sorts of enemies with limited units. During this mode, players enter unique Towers that each allow one specific Hero type (whether it’s Maulers, Wilders, Lightbearers, or Graveborns). But how can AFK Journey beginners manage their troops strategically to conquer these Tower Floors?

AFK Journey: 10 Tips for Beginners

Legend trial battle mode explained.

In AFK Journey , Legend Trial is a tower climb battle mode. Participants must compete in four different towers—each representing one of the four main Factions. Each Tower comprises 90 levels that become gradually more challenging to defeat, but also more rewarding. This mode unlocks when the player reaches AFK Stage 160+.

The difference between Legend Trial and Arcane Labyrinth is that its progression won’t reset, and there are no ladderboards involved. Players could see this battle mode as a parallel progression system to AFK Stages with more autonomy over when to participate.

For context, AFK Arena introduced a similar mechanic under the title of King’s Tower. It included 1,000 Floors that the players had to ascend one by one. Although shorter in extent, Legend Trial in AFK Journey is a lot like this mode from the company’s previous turn-based RPG.

The following are all aspects and mechanics of this mode:

Legend Trial has four Towers: Light, Will, Nature, and Eternity. Each Tower represents one of the non-Celestial and non-Hypogean Factions, which are, in the same order, Lightbearers, Maulers, Wilders, and Graveborn.

Towers have specific schedules that are explained below:

• Tower of Light is open on Mondays, Fridays, and Sundays.
• Tower of Nature is open on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
• Tower of Eternity is open on Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
• Tower of Will is open on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

Tower titles indicate each zone’s special role: In each Tower, players must deploy only Heroes of the respective Faction. In the Tower of Light, only Lightbearers are allowed. In the Tower of Will, deployment is only exclusive to Maulers. In the Tower of Nature, only Wilders can compete. And in the Tower of Eternity, no one but Graveborns are allowed.

The primary rewards of Legend Trial are Acorns and Hero Essence . Conquerors receive a certain number of Acorns after defeating five enemies and some Hero Essence after beating ten. But in later stages, participants also receive Tidal and Temporal Essences, which are used in Exclusive Weapon upgrades.

The Best Team for Each Tower

Since players are restricted to one Faction per Tower, the logical approach would be employing the META Heroes of each Class in that clique. However, players could be more strategic about their teams in Legend Trials by trying out non-META creative synergies. Here are some examples for each Tower.

• Tower of Light : Lucius, Vala, Rowan, Mirael, and Korin. Or, for more DEF, Lucius, Temesia, Rowan, and Walker (or Marilee).
• Tower of Will : Brutus, Antandra, Smokey, Odie, and Seth. Or, for more agility, Koko, Kruger, Rhys, Antandra, and Seth.
• Tower of Nature : Bryon, Damian, Granny Dahnie, Lyca, and Eironn. Or, for more DPS, Arden, Florabelle, Hewynn, Kafra, and Eironn.
• Tower of Eternity : Cecia, Thoran, Niru, Igor, and Silvina. Or, as an alternative, Cecia, Thoran, Igor, Salazer, Viperian.

Tips for Completing Legend Trial Towers Faster

Before competing in Legend Trial, have these in mind:

• Exploit Spells . In some cases, certain tech units might be missing. For example, in the Tower of Eternity, players have no reliable Healer options. In these scenarios, players must try to negate the effect by utilizing Battle Spells. Starshard Spell, for instance, increases the HP of the team, which might fill in the need for Support Heroes .
• Play around with Comps . Compositions are crucial aspects of winning Legend Trial matches. Since the Arenas are much tighter, moving around troops has an even more significant impact on the RNG. Before giving up on a difficult Floor, try mixing different Comps and tweak positions to trigger better results.
• Prioritize unlocking Heroes . Ascension carries over in Legend Trials. However, the base level of enemies is determined with respect to the participant's Resonance Level. So, instead of upgrading Heroes, it’s better to unlock more of them before going all in on Towers. This way, the participant will have more options for each battle, which helps defeat enemies faster.

AFK Journey

‘Best Of The Best’: Creativity To Shine At Annual Viz-a-GoGo Showcase

A curated selection of paintings, sculptures, animated shorts, game design, graphic design and research by  Visualization  students will be featured in the 31st annual  Viz-a-GoGo , starting Thursday and continuing through Saturday night at the Rudder Theatre Complex.

Viz-a-GoGo is student-run and features the “best of the best” work from the summer, fall and spring semesters, according to Andersen Wood, screening and research symposium director for Viz-a-GoGo and a junior Visualization student.

“This is everything the Visualization program has to offer,” Wood said. “It is really strong work this year and it’s pretty exciting. Students will get to walk away with scholarships and our really exciting ‘Vizzy’ awards.”

This year’s theme for the screening is titled “Who Killed Glen? (A Visualization Murder Mystery),” an homage to  Glen Vigus , who served as faculty adviser for Viz-a-GoGo and director of operations for the  School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts . Vigus recently retired, but he will return to the school to teach photography in the fall. The theme will be reflected through filmed segments that are interspersed throughout the screening presentation.

Wood is also the lead student technician for the HIVE, which is a student group in the Visualization program that manages program events. Wood said his team wanted to recognize what Vigus has done for the program and the event.

“Viz-a-GoGo has a long history and Glen has been involved in it almost from the very start,” Wood said. “As long as there’s been a HIVE and a planning team, he’s had a hand in the event. He’s a big reason the show exists in this form today.”

The event has four portions: an art exhibition, an interactive/gaming showcase, research symposium and a screening.

The exhibition starts Thursday and continues through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in the Rudder Exhibit Hall. Guests can view traditional flatwork, drawings, paintings, digital flatwork, video games, sculptures, interactive designs and brand booklets.

The interactive/gaming showcase is Friday from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Rudder Exhibit Hall, featuring video games, applications and demos.

The research symposium is Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Rudder Forum, highlighting research by nine undergraduate and graduate students who are competing for scholarships and awards, Wood said.

“For the symposium, we encouraged all students who have been doing research over the last year to submit their work,” Wood said. “We had a team of faculty curate the best research before it is placed in front of the judges.”

Animated shorts, live-action videos, game trailers, graphic design commercials, and time-based media will be featured during the screening Saturday at 7 p.m. in Rudder Theatre. Wood also did the editing for the screening and said the submissions will be fun to watch.

“There is a wide variety of shorts that got in,” he said. “Some have different tones, moods, styles — 2D animation, 3D animation and live action,” he said. “Viz does a lot of different things and this captures all of them in one big net.”

There were more than 1,000 submissions for the screening and the exhibition showcase from undergraduate and graduate students, Wood said. A team of students curated a selection of 350 works for the exhibition and screening.

“Last year we had 600 submissions, so we almost doubled that this year,” Wood said. “Our curation team is led by a group of students from all different disciplines and backgrounds. We spent about a week working our way through deciding what is the best look for the show, what is best for the program, and working our way through that.”

Following the screening, “Vizzy” awards will be announced for each artistic medium and an overall award for best in show. Scholarships from Disney, DreamWorks and Electronic Arts will also be announced.

Wood said he is grateful for the volunteers and students who submitted work. He hopes guests see a wide variety of art they have never seen before.

“You think you have seen every kind of painting, or you think you have seen every kind of short, but there is always something new,” he said. “There are so many people in Visualization that we don’t get to see all their work. But a lot of it we are seeing for the first time as we curate, and that is always a fun surprise. In this show there is a wide variety, and it will be a really fun thing.”

An afterparty for students, faculty and staff will follow the award ceremony at 9:30 p.m. at The Corner and Rooftop Grill on Northgate.

Media contact: Rob Clark, [email protected]

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Reinier Guide AFK Journey: How to unlock, skills, and best teams

Reinier is an S-Level Support hero from the Hypogean Faction in AFK Journey . They deal Magic damage with a range of five tiles and have a minimum Ascension level of Epic.

Full list of Reinier skills in AFK Journey

Reinier’s ability kit consists of great single-target healing that works best with offensive characters, combined with amazing crowd control that targets the healthiest enemy. This enemy is usually a strong backline damage carry.

How to unlock Reinier in AFK Journey

You can unlock Reinier in AFK Journey by:

• Recruiting at the Stargaze Station in the Mystical House, setting Reinier as your Hero Choice for a guaranteed pull after 40 attempts.
• Purchasing their Soul Sigil from the Emporium’s Guild Store for 30,000 Guild Medals .

I highly recommend you join an active guild and focus on the Guild Store path if you’re a free-to-play player. This strategy requires you to complete Guild Quests for Guild Medals, which are capped weekly according to your guild’s level, or to participate in Guild Challenges collectively with your guildmates. Since Guild Medals from challenges are not capped—they’re a one-time bonus—they represent the best way to accelerate your Guild Medals farming. Otherwise, you’ll be restricted to earning just a few thousand Guild Medals every week, and it could take six to eight weeks to unlock Reinier.

Unlocking Reinier at the Stargaze Station is even more challenging. You first need to have completed 400 recruitments across Rate Up, All-Hero, and Epic Recruitment collectively to unlock the Stargaze Station. Then, you must use Stellar Crystals to attempt recruiting them at a 3.25-percent chance. Stellar Crystals are an extremely rare resource to obtain for free. Even in the Limited Bundles at the Trolley for premium currency, they are quite expensive. That’s why I recommend focusing on daily Guild gameplay to unlock Reinier, as otherwise, you’ll have to spend a significant amount of real money to acquire Stellar Crystals for attempts at the Stargaze Station.

Best teams for Reinier in AFK Journey

Reinier, being a Hypogean hero, fits into many team compositions to activate higher Faction bonuses , as Hypogean characters count as a wildcard Faction to trigger this effect. The two teams suggested above consider that Reinier can either teleport a high-damage hero like Vala to destroy the backline or use a beefy tank like Brutus to distract the ranged carries. Despite these strategies, you still need a solid frontline tank like Antandra and Thoran to withstand the damage and consistent healing from a support like Smokey & Meerky to survive the fight.