RE: Zero Kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu – 13
Old Man Rom: the loli defender that needed defending…
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…that needed defending is pretty much in the theme of gender study and power play under the microscope this episode. Other than that it was mostly Subaru digging his own grave, so to speak. But quite a bit more was going on, and I’ll try to concentrate as much as possible on that this time around. |
Addressing the Selection Process
Honestly they should just team up and kick everyone’s ass….
I find the contrast of narratives here very interesting. I don’t know how much has been left of out the LN, and honestly that’s just to busy an activity to keep up with, I’ll take the show on it’s own merits. But it does feel that a bunch of characterization and detail is being sacrificed for the television run-time. So, as a result, the most we get is broad strokes from the selection candidates, and broad strokes as reactions to them. Which isn’t to say that a great deal of it wasn’t entertaining, just not as in depth as this thing feels it needs to be. These characters do have some rich backgrounds, I’ve peeked at least that much. But for now, in terms of series composition, I would rather have seen Subaru’s portion of this episode saved for the next one or one after, and more giving to the selection candidates. But, as I said, the contrast between these plot points is kinda delicious and interesting in it’s own right.
I know what I want, and I want it all…
We’ve already met Priscilla and her attendant, Al, last episode, and we got a good reaction to her. She’s a take no prisoners – straight shooter – free-talker. She feels no qualms at all being herself, and views her position as a natural born ruler and feels destined to assume her ultimate role of Queen/King. She’s also a fantastic racist, and that looks to be the norm in Lugnica against half-elves thanks to the Witch. Either that or she just like to emotionally stab people and twist the proverbial knife… She also looks to have some hidden depths, and Al looks like he’s full of backstory and surprises. If nothing else these two look like a lot of fun for storytelling purposes…
She and her cat…
Crusch Karsten looks to be the military type, and has military plans. I don’t know if it’s a typo on the part of the translation or if the writer is trying to be ironical or what, but declaring that the Dragon Nation of Lugnica can do without a dragon is all kinds of what/huh/head-scratching to me. But she has a goal of riding them of the dragon. That she is willing to toss armies at this problem makes me wonder about military minded people. She strikes me as the type that feels that masses of dead are acceptable so long as the purpose is noble; I’m not wedded to that idea about her quite yet, that’s my gut feeling. Felix/Ferris is an interesting attendant to match up with her, and I can’t wait to see more of this relationship, especially since Ferris has been meant to heal Subaru all along.
Watch what you call her…
We also have a bit to go on with Anastasia. She’s direct about her greed, and doesn’t seem to be malicious about it. She just knows what she wants, and she’s not deterred about the process to go and get it. She’s got that Kanasi-ben going on for her, which could mean a standing (long, short, or a time-frame in between) relationship to modern Japan and this fantasy world; that’s an esoteric tradition going back to El-Hazard, in my mind. Also regarding her character. This is something I addressed today, a week after my episode twelve post, but. Don’t refer to this character as a Jew just because of her apparent personality. That is a racial/religious epithet and won’t be tolerated here. Thank you for your concern with this issue. And then there is Julis, a man that suffer’s no fools and is quick to deal with insult.
Dragon Stone light or not…Felt is sick of your sh*t…
Then we have the reluctant Felt. The surprise that isn’t a surprise? She’s not here entirely of her own will….OK she’s here against her will, and would like to do nothing more than go back to her old way of life and skip out on these idiots. And if not for a very convenient plot hole that is what exactly would have happened. I’ll save her awesome speech for later. Regardless she seems to have Reinhard at her back, and he fully supports her ideas? Like he supports them ahead of time without hearing them first? Her words will be heard across the world? That is just some backwards writing right right there, maybe there’s a missing scene….but I still like the feeling she expresses…Also note that that the camera pan ups for these introductions took pains to “cut the top of Reinhard’s head off, and showed the other attendants full..uh…full-headed…”
The long hard road?
Now we do know a great deal about Emilia already, and by the end of the episode we get to know a great deal more about her. Her intention’s are altruistic, and she’s basically demanding that people treat people equally. But for now, she has suffered the first outrageous sling bullet this episode. She’s had to take it from Priscilla, and now she has to bear it from the Council of Useless Old WiseCauseWeSayWeAre Dudes. And while both Mathers and Subaru are quick to her defense, they can’t exactly diffuse what has to be centuries of racism and fear. Even the mention that she has Puck’s backing (he actually appeared in the manga and gave a verbal smack-down to the Election Council, and I think I know why he’s missing here, and I’ll talk about that in final thoughts) only buys her so much respect and so much time to make her case.
…the me you have in your mind…
Unlimited Fool Smacking Works…
Of course the bulk of this episode was taken over by a development that they’ve probably been building up since episode one. I remember my tag team members and I were very interested in how Subaru disabused himself of the notion that he was a character in a game. But it seems that with all he has been through, and still has to labor under, he has to grab what familiarity and comfort that he can. To be in charge of his own destiny and of his pain. He’s extended that way past it’s limits, and he is trying very hard, in the most painfully foolish way possible. to become the main character in someone else’s story. If there is anyone that needs to wake up and smell the coffee, this boy is the one.
Anastasia: I’d like to make a point that your guy is an idiot…
Now for all intents, I don’t feel like condemning the guy. He’s been through the ringer as far as Death and Rebirth goes. He’s in a crazy situation and hasn’t gone off the deep end…yet. He’s not a villain. But that doesn’t mean that any of that won’t change over night. After Emila dresses him down and talks to him straight, this could become anyone’s start of darkness. He has that geas going against him, but that still doesn’t excuse his expectations. That is a story worth paying attention to, and that’s going to be a good one to tell in future. He took getting beat with a practice sword like a champ. But taking that from Emila is a wound too deep perhaps? And she looked more disgusted with herself the more he broke down. That sense of self-entitlement he has is pretty darn gross…So let’s call the escapist self-insert character dead and gone in this fantasy?
You aren’t the Nice Guy….
The Ascent of Felt
I will destroy you all. Cause seriously, do I have any real reason not to?
We have some crazy narrative contrasting going on here, if I’m any guess. I mean honestly, any one of these candidates could probably take care of the problem, right? That’s what the selection process is for. But really, all five could probably do it even better if given a chance. So why divide them? What’s the power play going on now, for real? Well, I think Felt puts it best. She calls out a power structure that hasn’t done her or her world anything or any bit of good, no matter their nobility. I wonder how much Reinhard knows about that? Also, there are plenty of dudes that fear the power these five ladies possess as much as Subaru fears a life without Emilia’s validation. But, while we’re at it, let’s give some mad props to Felt’s father figure for trying to get her out of it, and more props to Felt for handling the situation for him and without him. Now if they could just cover that weird plot hole.
We need the hole story…
OK, I’ve gone way over the line on the word count. But there was quite a bit to put in order. I really ended up liking this one the second time around, heck I liked it even more. I found it so apropos that it came out the same day of the Game of Throne season finale, which Show ▼
So why didn’t Puck make a full appearance in the anime? I think it’s about how visuals play an importance in anime you don’t quite get in manga; also it was Emila’s fight, she had to suffer that barb for the sake of her arc. Putting Puck in there would have diminished her appearance, taking points away from her struggle to her own greatness. But I have little doubt in her power, nor in Puck’s. After all, the fuzziest might be able to shake Subaru out of being a big a-hole. See you next time.
She is gonna have soooooo much fun….
About skylion
All around nerd that enjoys just about any anime genre. I love history, politics, public policy, the sciences, literature, arts...pretty much anything can make me geeky...except sports. Follow me @theskylion
POWUH: 400-499 with 445 comments
aaaaaaaannnnd this is why emilia didnt want subaru at this meeting; she knew what kind of treatment she would be exposed to and she knew it would make subaru step his boundaries. Subaru just became a pretentious main character, thinking that this fantasy world he lives in should bend to the tropes he thinks they should. Now he must learn from his mistakes. I assume the end of this ep is his checkpoint (which i also assume is going to add a lot to subaru’s psychological breakdown every time he fails knowing that he’ll have to start over at a point where the woman he admired lost all faith in him).
There were some neat ideas in this ep but i think the presentation was a bit dull and the anime tends to oversell some of the emotions, particularly subaru’s breakdown and his convo with emilia; it was structured awkwardly and didnt elegantly present the dissonance between emilia and sibaru. However, some seeds for some interesting developments have been sowed so here’s hoping the show manages to cash those seeds in a meaningful and strongly executed fashion. I remember someone making a comment that emilia got upset at subaru for something small (to which i was skeptical of the matter being “small) and boy was this not small. Subaru made an ass of himself and in conjunction, sort of made an ass of emilia and damaged her hopes in him
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Indeed he was a fish out of water, and she just didn’t have the time or ability to constantly bail water on him. Or even bail him out really. I do think this is going to be a good Checkpoint for the poor barstool. It’s very dramatically appropriate, just like his last checkpoint.
Well, I have to disagree with you. The tension of “will he or won’t he stop digging himself in deeper was very captivating. So I really don’t see how you could qualify it as awkward; ugly crying maybe, but not at all without it’s own sense of elegance. I cannot seem to recall who made the comment, so we’ll have to wait and see who claims it. So heads up, folks, cause my memory is like an broken clock at times….
POWUH: 400-499 with 445 comments
it wasnt about the whole digging himself deeper aspect that bothered me; i thought that was a good direction. It more had to do with how the structure of the dialogue in emilia and subaru’s confrontation (and some overacting on subaru’s VA). There are times when the writing reeeaaally shows its rough edges; sorta feels like a novice writer’s first foray into storytelling
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
I can see where the over-acting might be a bother; but that’s VA work in the anime industry, ham is spontaneously generated…it happens…
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
I don’t really comment much about this series, but I’ve become ADDICTED and damn the use of Subaru’s “rebirth” curse is used really well and much like Hououin Kyouma from good old Steins;Gate Subaru retains all the memories too? That has to be heavy nightmare fuel for those guys…
Now that we’ve reached the midway point I’m curious to see where things are going and I pray Subaru doesn’t off himself just to reset things before he was disowned by Emilia because that would be lame! Then again I don’t really care for her as much as Felt who imo is far more entertaining to watch.
Now what is Subaru’s next move besides taking much deserved beating? I assume he would take up some sword training to become a knight? Then again id guess since he isn’t even from their world that is probably an impossible dream due to the lack of being born from a royal family or is that not the case? Could he become a squire to say maybe Reinhard and pick up some pointers from him on sword fighting? He is the only knight character that is considered a “friend” to Subaru.
I know this sounds sick, but damn it was nice see Subaru get shut down! Unlike other characters in the past who are in similar situations they tend to be the OMFG OP ASS bros; however Subaru has no super secret power or unique abilities and that makes him way more realistic versus those other guys. Yeah like I said I know he has died a whole bunch of times and that should be “payment” enough for him being a dumbass which of course I know isn’t 100% his fault.
Also crying in anime err OVER ACTING crying in anime can be very very cringey to watch especially when you add bits of yelling! I just can’t ever take it serious, but sometimes it works depending on the series…AnoHana does it soso I will always hate the final episode because omg wtf it’s awful…anyway! RE:Zero did it fairly well even though it wasn’t perfect and since this series tends to deal a lot with emotional moments were probably going to get a lot more in the second half.
POWUH: 500-599 with 540 comments
Yo Fosh, I thought you weren’t watching this series since you were so quiet. And yes, I agree that Felt is a breath of fresh air 🙂
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Haha yeah usually fantasy isn’t my favorite genre usually I stay in my scifi/mecha/space bubble, but every so often ill jump ship and see what the fantasy world offers! Id rather see more KonoSuba’s though;however RE:Zero is just as entertaining for other reasons.
FELT IS BEST!
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Viva La DESTRUCTOLOLI!!!!
POWUH: 500-599 with 540 comments
Hahaha, I like sci-fi but mecha tends to be a warning sign to me that I should stay away (maybe tengen topppa gurren lagaan has scarred me for life) Konosuba is amazing but I kinda wish they were more faithful to the LN art which looks really nice. Anyhow that Series deserves better quality graphics cuz its great.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
For me the mecha has to be like the 30 percent of the 70/30 proposition. Like Macross Delta has more idols and weird protoculture powers than it does mech. Rinne Le Grange had more girl’s drama and comedy and oddball Show ▼
space opera. Equarion EVOL had weird sex and awesome weird characters along with the near perfect combo of Mari Okada and Shoji Kawamori…the crazy couple that gave me the “We need a Third Series” AKB0048!
So yeah, straight up mecha/giant robots…boring as a second coat of paint. Big Stuff with Mecha added! SOLID!
POWUH: 500-599 with 540 comments
Yup, there’s nothing stopping a show with mechas from being good as long as its got the essentials that any good show should have down.
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
See? I told you guys last week that Felt was the best choice for queen. 😀
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Viva La DESTRUCTO LOLI!
POWUH: 500-599 with 540 comments
Well, Most of the other Candidates are standing on shaky ground. Kansai-ben (can’t for the life of me remember her name) is just in it for greed, Emilia is prosecuted as a silver haired half elf, Priscilla might be popular with nobles but she will probably piss them off just as easily. Crush is a Militaristic Leader and seems to have her head on straight but I don’t think we know her enough to give her a pass yet, so that leaves us with Felt the thief from the slums sure to be popular with the common peoples and pledging allegiance to your destruction (Well to social status groups like knights and nobles). Maybe Emilia should try to beat Felt with a “I have a dream…” speech :3 Otherwise Felt is promising to be a very fun Queen/Priestess/King/Ruler 😀
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
Actually, their names are weirdly easy to remember and represent their design or nature.
Ms. Kansai-ben is easy. She’s wearing that Russian style fur cap. Who is the most famous Russian girl that people all over are familiar with? Anastasia of course!
Military girl? Her name is Crusch.
Priscilla? Well the prissy girl gets a prissy name.
Emilia is Emilia, but her name is also the one that I find the most fantasy like.
And Felt? The one with the most humble beginnings, is rough and simple, and yet extremely versatile. Like the cloth she is named after.
POWUH: 500-599 with 540 comments
The only name I forget is Anastasia (I assume you mean Idol Master for the famous girl and I haven’t watched it but I’ll try to remember) I remember Pricilla becuz she made a great intro and I remember Crush and Felt becuz, come on tell me those aren’t great names? They also left great impressions on me similar to Pricilla Show ▼
I liked the name Satella too but she hasn’t really been introduced. 😛
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
Idol Master? (To be honest, I don’t even know what that is. 😛 )
When I refer to famous girl, I’m talking about one Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanov, probably the most famous Russian female in modern popular culture, simply because of the legends around her, and the books, plays, and movies, and especially the musical animated film that are about her.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
That would be this character….
POWUH: 500-599 with 540 comments
XD I’m sorry for being a pleb and not knowing this famous Russian person, I don’t know that much about Russia anyhow.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Everyone has different area’s of knowledge. Irene didn’t know Idolmaster after all. Also, for instance: When lots of demon or monster beings show up in some fantasy style shows I often hear that the name’s used for them are “from Persona” the game…or Final Fantasy or something like that. I go…wait, they’re actually from Biblical Apocrypha. But the names are from both. Some people don’t know from Biblical Apocrypha, and I don’t know from most 21st Century games…
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Hey-yo Fosh! Good to see you. Yeah, about half-way into the first cour they really turned the dial up on Subaru being forced to abuse nightmare fuel delivered via Restart. I think it’s been a huge impact on him, but right now his mind is in a pretty rocked state. So whatever next step he takes, it should be cautious. But, my guess on some larger issues is that Rosewaal sees him as useful, so he may convince Emilia not to be so harsh?
As for the “payment” you mention. Yeah, it’s not connected to what he did this episode. Yeah, it colors a lot of his choices and actions since he entered this world. But that BS about “getting the girl because he is a good guy” is something that he brought with him.
I don’t really see it as sick of you to enjoy watching a potentially boring MC get re-adjusted, as you spell out, we’ve been wanting it for a long time.
And yes, Felt is the QUEEN! Viva DestructoLOLI!!!!!!
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Yeah it’s just refreshing to see a cocky character get whats coming to him instead of him being a 100% badass after pulling off some epic move out of nowhere and beats someone far more skilled than him LOL
POWUH: 500-599 with 540 comments
Usually when Subaru dies and has to restart I feel regretful that he has lost all the good development he made. This time however Subaru really dug his own grave and while I want him to get a retry because things have gone so south, I don’t feel like he will since all the problems were entirely his fault this time around. Remember what I said about Subaru and Emilia each being half right? Well I think now I understand Emilia’s reasoning for forbidding Subaru from following her… To think I thought Subaru was there in case anything went wrong, not there to make things go wrong… Subaru needs to hold himself back and re-assess himself, time travel as always tends to make people devalue the judgements of those around them, take things for granted and make one arrogant. Subaru needed to be grounded again, but it was sad seeing it happen. In summary a good tag for Subaru’s activities this episode is TIFU (Today I F*cked Up).
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
I think Time-Travel has a tendency to make people think in really dumb “only this event caused that event to happen”, and that has been conditioned in us with really insipid stories that say that all the time.
But the lesson here is history isn’t facts about the past; but a narrative we use to make sense of the facts we want to use. Which isn’t the same as should use or need to use.
But I don’t know if the show is going for this…we’ll have to see. Yep, TIFU is a good acronym…
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 386 comments
yay felt has returned to the show! all is well. As you can tell i missed this little annoying ball of joy, and doesn’t she dress up well? hehe. Anyways this was one serise I liked to hate, when the episode was over I wanted more! and had to wait new week for it! ugh! almost like Game of thrones!(sometimes)
I’m kind of glad Subaru finally got what was coming to him, I mean he does mean well and all, but he just does not fully understand the world he’s in. Digging his own grave yep totally, and Emilia right, he hasn’t done anything that lets her trust him really. For the sake of plot he can’t tell her the reasons really. Like you said sky, he is trying to be the main character of shomeone else story, like trying to make a reason for himself to be an important character.
With that I’m quite happy with this series, the rewind time bit is a fun feature but it can also be a borning and convenient plot device, but I like it nonetheless, like the movie Ground Hogday lol.
Also for funs and silliness based off (sorta) looks only, they sorta match. There are spoilers if you are not up to season 6th of the tv series only, ignore this, let the game matching begin!
Game of thrones characters
Show ▼
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Yay, Thorgrim is back! I got both the Shizzlers!
They’ve really used the Reset idea well. It think if they had bungled it early on, the whole show would have unraveled already. So maybe the really are paying attention, and will get it right.
But…Show ▼
Got 6th finale was awesome!
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 386 comments
Yep, im one of those TL:DR types mostly, or too busy to be bothered with and these post tend to be long and wordy, no offense to the writers! forgive me! but I just need to put a little effort in to read! but my plan this summer is maybe pick one show to follow =D try to pick the best! or a show I like.
and… Show ▼
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Well, you’re commenting, so I suppose I can allow you to TL:DR….
For shows to pick? Primsa Illya 3rei is coming up…that doesn’t seem like a bad choice at all…
…and yeah, I was just knocking your GoT choices for the fun of it, but yeah, Traps are good…
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
Well, this was definitely an episode full of cringe…
While we got a lot on all the royal girls this week, especially Felt and Emilia, a lot of this episode was centered on Subaru.
There is not many a series that puts such glaring character flaws in a main character who until a couple of episodes ago was being cheered on as a hero by the audience.
I loved the way that the writer unfolded our MC’s character here and how natural it was. How his desire to protect, became a desire to play the hero. How before he even realized it, it had become more about him and less about Emilia. It’s a man deluded by his own lie that he didn’t even know existed.
His desire to save, became an unknown desire to possess. He has to be the one to save the day, he has to be there to protect Emilia. He owes her, but really she owes him.
I don’t hate Subaru, I find this kind of flaw interesting and I want to see where they take it. Subaru and Emilia need to spend some time away from each other right now. He needs to get some things in his head straight.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
It really is hard to hate him. But like you’ve said, not many series would do this to an escapist style male lead. Very risky, but from what I’ve read about the series, poking around here and there it’s very well received and audiences are actually furious with the show because it comes off as “firing one barrel” when the LN looks like it fired both barrels at him.
That’s probably just the impact of reading it the first time,but still. Anime Baursu got off lighter than his LN counterpart?
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
Really? Subaru was worse in the LN? Hmmm, we’re going to have to see where this is going to lead.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
It’s a bit of what I was reading off of reddit and a bit of 4chan (some of the boards opened for rezero are actually well behaved). But I gathered that in the LN she went on longer and was “hitting harder” so to speak, and in some cases maybe brought up some points the anime didn’t adapt. But these points could be the poster’s exaggeration?
POWUH: 500-599 with 540 comments
XD tell me about it! I was cringing every time Subaru did something stupid and uncalled for and that was happening more often than not. Oh Barusu what will we do with you can your (now broken) delusions.
POWUH: 500-599 with 540 comments
… my grammar in that last sentence… feel free to correct it Skylion if it irks you…
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
I can maybe see where you were going:
“Oh Barusu, what will we do with you and your, now broken, delusions?”
…how is that?
POWUH: 500-599 with 540 comments
Perfecto!
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 139 comments
I think in Reinhard’s case he’s just filling the prophecy to save the Kingdom for it’s current crisis. He probably believes that if Felt one of 5 chosen ones to lead the country than regardless of how her actions might come across in the end country will prosper from it someway as it supposedly fated to be.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
This is true. I’m going to have to focus back on the prophecy angle this storyline has…something something something carved in rock, something something something royalty…
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
…so I was re-watching episode 12…
Subaru re-aquatints himself with Old Man Rom, who must have been in that alley desperately searching for Felt. So when he’s informed that Reinhard too her, Rom remarks, “So, it had to be an Astrea, eh?”.
So…that might be a clue to what his family is up to, or what they believe?
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
…and since we’re on things I didn’t see/talk about until after I wrote stuff…
The Council guy states that Emilia is not one to fear, you know for being a Satella/Evil stand in, since she has such a loyal yet powerless attendant in Subaru; after his big hissy fit is well and fully pitched. She says, “…he’s not my attendant…”.
So…is there something thematic going on? Does that mean, by default, she is something to fear?
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 139 comments
And I took what Emilia said there context with what she in what said at the end of episode 13 that she never wanted Subaru to be her servant or knight, but a friend.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
I totally agree, but I was looking a level deeper…
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 139 comments
On other topic, this was really bold episode from storytelling standpoint. But something there was something I realized, despite that Subaru was ultimately in the wrong I can understand where he’s coming from. Even when he took up Julius’ challenge I felt than fighting against him, he was fighting against denial of everything he to went though. That even he wasn’t a Knight or that his power limited, he resolve was no less than theirs because of blood and sweat he’s literally shed to be here today.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
It’s a risky move making Subaru out this way, and yep, pretty darn bold. We can’t leave Julis out of the challenge equation, as the guy really had a justifiable bone to pick. I wonder if, in going into the rest of the show, that this doesn’t get him some fans out there.