RE: Zero Kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu – 19
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…all you really need is a common cause…In which Subaru learns from his mistakes, picks up on loose plot threads, depends on Rem, like, a LOT, and almost get’s a werewolf’s digits, if they had cellphones in this world, well, more than the one cellphone…. |
I’ll try not to mention too much Melville
There is a clever bit of business going down in this episode’s background. Of course the two main functions, make Subaru into not-an-idiot, and get a posse mounted to fight a monster, take center stage. With that in mind it’s easy, at the outset, to ignore a few of these features. But it’s interesting how much a fight against a large animal nemesis named Gluttony is affecting the people under it’s shadow. It’s primary candidate is the Not-An-Idiot du jour, Subaru, but at few other characters fall under the shadow in some curious ways, so to speak.
Let it go, Rem…
So first we can look into Fellows, the man who screamed “I’ll be important later”, several episodes ago. I’m probably guilty of inferring way to much, but those mining rights he is so anxious to be part of on behalf of the merchant guild screams out it’s own tune. It makes me feel that Rosewaal has cornered the magical stones market and it’s causing some bad blood perhaps? Now, there are huge steps missing in this part of the negotiation, but it works out for the story. However, taken in thematic notes, Subaru is basically arguing that they should all team up and take down Gluttony as a concept, not just a crazy supernatural being. Again, I’m reading a bunch into Fellows’ interests, but I’m hungry for more worldbuilding from this show, so I’ll dig for stuff where I can…
Is this spot sacred?
Most interesting, in the thesis against Gluttony, is Wilhelm. This is personal to him, but it cuts way deeper than revenge, which undercuts and almost tosses out the classic Determined Dude Against a White Whale tropes. Rather than having a direct 1:1 revenge scheme, it feels more like he is looking for redemption. It was his pride as a man that forced his wife away from the sword, and even when he wraps it up in poetry “the sword wouldn’t let her go” it rings as nothing more than personal and avoidable tragedy. Neither one could let go of pride, and both were greedy to prove their worth to each other.
It’s like a John Ford film….
But it’s Subaru that takes the gold medal. He’s been focused on winning Emilia, or courting influence, so far only by stamping his feet and demanding special treatment. So it’s a sea change, and one they’ve paid a great deal of storytime with, to watch him graduate from those earlier notions, to a man that is aware of his limitations and the assets he can gamble with. He’s not doing this to impress her, to gain points in her favor. He’s doing what needs to be done, to secure her position, and more important to save lives. With Rem at his side, he just might succeed. The call to be noble, of being better than your previous actions, ring true here.
Afterschool Zero Time
So which one is Yui? thanks SteamyTomato
There were a few things I wanted to say about Crusch, but I suspect I’ll want to say more about her next episode, not this one. For right now I’ll say her goal is noble, more downright royal, if this hunt bears fruit. She gets a hefty amount of power from this gamble. So let’s see how that plays out later on. She looks like the type that will play a huge part after this much introduction, and her backstory is probably going to feature a great deal when we get to episode 20.
You gotta run there to get there…
As of now, I’ll say that I found this one to be quite perfunctory, which is fine for a bridge episode. You have to have one that takes you from one plot country to the plot country next door, and this one does it with style. I mean, this really changes how some people are going to listen to the Dog of Flanders OP from now on; great shift from diegetic music to soundtrack that scene, as it just adds to the chill. Over and above that I was happy to see all the previous camps come back, after being sidelined by Subaru’s despair story. I really enjoyed seeing the Iron Fang company again, and Anastasia’s presence kept things interesting and complex, seeing as how she choose when to make her entrance.
Anastasia keeps fun company, Ricardo is boss, baby!
I suppose part of her wanted to remind folk she was in control of herself, not them. She’s not a peer with knights at her beck and call, nor is she a mysterious half-elf maid that gets all attention just for being that (mostly negative attention). Her clever nature and confidence rise to the fore. Next, I like the overall banter that Felix loves to provide, keeping things light, yet grounded, when doom is just around the corner. I love Rem’s newfound dragon rivalry, and how much that points to how well she has adjusted to the situation and can keep Subaru grounded. It just feels like a few of these points could have been woven into the larger narrative earlier on, but that’s just me. It’s like we know there are thieves out in the woods and that means something to us cause we know how deep that cut goes, as groundwork was already laid.
Pictured: Thieves and Woods
But mining? Magic stones? Negotiating by pulling a last moment, “Oh Rem knows these things/people”. Divine protection/lie detection on Crusch’s part? A whole fleet of retired soldiers with revenge on their minds just come in off stage left with uniform armor? (nice touch to tie them all together) That’s a lot of stuff, but feels a bit sparse. But as long as it gets all the character to the stage it’s all going to come out in the wash I guess. But, isn’t anyone going to bring up the fact that the White Whale eats memories!!!???
..also, who is the more foolish, the fools or the fools that follow?
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: 500-599 with 540 comments
I was going to say this when the new op came out but now that its official I’ll actually say it. Crusch’s armor is WIN 🙂
POWUH: 500-599 with 540 comments
I like her normal outfit too, but that’s a dress uniform. Armour always makes you look more ready for a fight. Show ▼
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
But you have to pull it off with style. With great cape comes great responsibility. Ser pulls his off with that much style….
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
No Capes!
https://youtu.be/M68ndaZSKa8?t=2m9s
POWUH: Beginner (20-35) with 35 comments
This isnt spoiler (i Think) but it is foreshadow that Roswaal know his estate gonna get attack.
Remember Beatrice calling him a cruel man. Not Only that he left the authority of his land property the magic stones(remember those shiny thing in his hands in episode 7) to Rem to specifically give to subaru the rights in case he needs a bargaining chip further implying of his knowledge on the attack.
Anastasia is still the same scheming girl keeping some of her forces. Where the third of the triplets!! i demand refund XD
Some of those old mans took part on Theresia Subjugation Forces. They were the remaining survivors (confirmed by authors)
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Rem was apparently fangasming though because of her meeting with one of the character in one of her favorite love Ballads,
The Love Ballads of the two Sword Demons. Apparently there was an image about this on the last episode blog.
“Sound The Charge, We Take them head on, Charge” famous last word of a certain king charging to a large Mammal XD
P/S the Crusch Faction gonna get their own OVA specifically on Crusch and Wilhelm
POWUH: Beginner (20-35) with 35 comments
could you put spoiler atop of the show was expecting spoiler instead of show
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Nice amount of texture in the LNs, huh?
You sir are too greedy for nekonomimiloli… 🙂
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Did I just hear competition?
All I need is kemonomimi!
POWUH: Beginner (20-35) with 35 comments
I love Cats i cannot lie.. #loveFerris
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 139 comments
As you might have speculated at one point, the LN goes more detail about all that which not all of the adaptation will do. But frankly anime works just as well. The moving parts connect well enough together showcase how the White Whale both ties directly and indirectly to everything around. We do know from ep 17 there was once a punitive force sent to hunt the Whale and these soldiers are likely survivors from that, but whether they should appeared prior to this or how much we should know about every individual not isn’t important. The who and the why are explained sufficiently enough with their introduction. Anything else can be expatiate enough from that with that basic information.
Moreover you have keep in mind that this story is being told from Subaru’s POV. We only know as much as he does and there only so much he can know because this an entire new world fill with it’s own vast history, and people with various ambitions that that don’t necessarily revolve around him. He can only form a common ground with all these elements and learn he can from them and achieve his goals. I personally like this approach since it does give the sense that no matter what Subaru does things will happen with or without him for good or bad because the interests of other players that separate from his own are what is driving these rather than centering sole on him. So he can only become one of those players himself and steer things in the direction he wants.
Oh and on Divine Protection=Blessing. C.R. translated differently for whatever reason. They really bad when comes to terminology.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Yeah, the wash ends up working out, dinnit? I’m more speaking from my personal preferences and anticipation. I would have rather seen a slightly more expansive build up. But, as you say, it’s better to see it from Subaru’s eyes and experiences.
LOL, CR. They can be crazy when it comes to editing and remaining consistent. See a recent comment of mine on Sweetness and Lightning.
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 139 comments
Heh, I got what you mean there. As a bit consolation on that front one of LN readers on reddit did detail Subaru’s pre-negotiation plan and process a bit more:
https://www.reddit.com/r/Re_Zero/comments/4wwosd/ln_the_whole_logical_flow_behind_the_negotiation/?st=iroirwsn&sh=d4891864
It’s nice to see he is no longer just winging 90% of them anymore as this was pretty through.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Thanks for posting this one. I have a tendency to avoid the Discussion section on Reddit for this show, so this is good to see after the fact. The LN are densely packed that is for sure, I don’t think the manga even goes into that much depth most of the time…
POWUH: 400-499 with 445 comments
eh; i think there’s a difference between organically injecting plot details through the eyes of the protagonist and just scattering plot details throughout your narrative without proper care under the guise that you’re seeing it through the protagonist’s viewpoint; re:zero does the latter hence why i think the world building/introducing plot details is terrible handled. I agree with skylion here that the narrative should be more keen on giving its viewers nuggets of information so that can act as proper foundation for the show’s world building and the viewer can connect dots and feel intrigued by the proceedings of the story. The disconnect i feel with some of the world building/plot details is kind of how i feel when a mecha show shouts a bunch of jargon that you just dont understand. Sure they’ll eventually get to explaining those terms but some of the smarter jargon spewing shows, while not explaining outright what the jargon is, give you enough expansion in visually clever ways so that you’re intrigued rather than left disinterested
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
Rem:Zero fanart:
http://www.pixiv.net/member_illust.php?mode=medium&illust_id=58211977
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…sooooooo much fan art for this show. I think that speaks to it’s popularity. It’s already being mentioned in the same tones/sentences as Puella Magi Madoka Magica, Steins;Gate, and ERASED; and that’s just the time travel shows! But yeah, it’s a deconstructionist’s darling!
But then that’s a whole string of discussions right there.
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
True. The most recent anime titles I recall getting tons of fanart were Free! and Kill la Kill.
POWUH: 800-899 and Mad Scientist with 814 comments
I linked that image to some of the Meta crew on Skype last week (during the sinking of the RemxSubaru ship), and Highway had an ingenious response:
“Rem: zero, Emilia: 1”
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…Highway is a monster…
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
Gentlemen! (and ladies) He can be taught!
The difference between the Subaru here and the one we saw before is like night and day. While he’s still got his quirkiness, we can see that he’s lost his pride and arrogance. He’s now okay with admitting that he can’t do something or that he can’t understand anything or even that he has no use in certain situations. He’s okay with saying he can’t fight and with supporting other, and yet it makes him all the stronger for it. Also, he learned how to negotiate and bargain. He knew Anastasia was a business woman and so realized that the Whale was a really big problem to all who used that way for trade and use that to his advantage with her.
We learn a lot about Wilhelm and find out what I had suspected about Otto’s supposed throwaway line about the Master Swordsman being killed by the White Whale, who was actually his wife. However, is Therese actually dead? I mean, we’ve seen that when the White Whale consumes someone, their entire existence gets wiped away and no one even remembers them. So why are there cases like Wil’s where the people can actually remember the death of a love one.
Rem continues to show why she’s best girl (sorry, Felt!). Subaru, you don’t deserve her. All respect to Emilia, no matter how hard you look, you will never find another girl like Rem in a thousand years and a thousand lifetimes. If you pass over her, you are a fool.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I felt that he was Okay with admitting a great many of these things before. But, he laid them out there in the sure hope of scorings some cute points (guys can be dojikko moe) before. Now he acknowledges that that ship will never come back to port, at least not by his piloting…
I officially have no clue about what the White Whale can do in terms of memories. But I’ll entertain the idea that it could under special circumstances provide a different existence for folks it eats. Gluttony not only wants your life, but all the influence you ever had or will. Wonder what this thing poops? THINGS FOLK WERE NOT MEANT TO KNOW!!!!
Well, if there is a
toolfoolcharacter that could live a thousand lifetimes…that would be Subaru…..and hey, Felt comes in a close second! That girls wants to eat the rich. I’m all for her.
POWUH: Beginner (20-35) with 35 comments
Soldier 1: Careful Men the things stomach gurgling. take evasive maneuvers
Subaru narrating * many were not remember that day XD
POWUH: 500-599 with 540 comments
To be fair Felt hasn’t gotten significant screentime for ages :P, same with Emilia. But just for the count yes a girl as wonderful as Rem is truly rare and someone I’m sure even Subaru himself regrets passing over (from how teary he got this episode).
POWUH: 500-599 with 540 comments
Just want to say I miss Elsa. Subaru’s bowels have been much too safe lately…Show ▼
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments