RE: Zero Kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu – 25 [END]
You did well you two, now you can relax….
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So, OK, I was wrong about Betelgeuse folding like a cheap suit last time around…Julis’ featured sword stroke was just the first blow in an extended battle…and that is just one more way for me to say, we pick up where we left off… |
But first, let’s start with where I left off. When I last blogged about Re: Zero, I remarked that the previous episode was the rug, and that this one would be the pull. Well…let’s just say that I wish that was still true, I came in expecting some big surprises. I would have loved some indulgences when it came to my particular story wants, so I’m no different than any other fan – more on that in my final thoughts. So, having said that, I’ll take this finale as it comes.
The Story That Had to Be Told
This is six times anyone’s worry…
First off, I thought it was a neat underscore to keep Emilia with the kids. There’s a stupid assumption going around that seems to think it’s easy to corral some kids. But…if you can handle some scared kids, you got some solid mental fortitude, and she had those little ones well in hand. But that, I’m afraid, is about the only real and solid positive point this episode gives to her; and I’ve been saying nearly the entire two cour that more about Emilia has been very much needed. Like many characters, she disappears for long stretches and has motivations and ideas that are mostly talked about instead of shown. She’s been a cipher for sure, and that buys into the mysterious and maligned, half-elf nature, but that just barely covered a full characterization. But more on that later…
How many times do we have to tell you, this ride ain’t going to Hoboken!
So I thought that, thematically, they closed the door on Betel very well and proper the final moment last episode. There is a part of me loves the fact that Julis’ had a steady hand in seeing it done. Betel was a pile of anger, aggression, vanity, and viciousness, and massive amounts of useless psychokinetic tentacles going amok. So it is apropos that someone like Julis’ take him down, a knight composed of discipline, and a well balanced use of his manifold powers, keen and accurate. Also, seeing as how Betel is nothing but histrionics, Julis cutting him down as a one and done, with confident quietude, would have been even more apropos, and would have been a great ending. But, we needed closure for Subaru – and 25 minutes to fill. This was find for our MC who has suffered mightily at the hands of this fool going all the way back to episode 15.
So, I heard you had some plot devices so I came right away…
I only wish the entire detail wasn’t so over-extended and over-done. More brain-tentacles and a series of wild carriage rides? On fire? Really? But, it was nice to see some familiar locations for the ultimate final battle, and the addition of Otto as a useful figure was well broadcast a few shows ago and I’m glad they closed that deal. Plus he did have super kart driving powers! When he looked behind his ride I was kinda expecting blue shell. But it just didn’t feel like a v very satisfying main chase scene, and that was mostly because it lasted to long? Subaru’s mad dash to dispose of the fire rocks was much more satisfying. But going back to the thematic aspect, Subaru dismissing Betel from his mind not just once, but twice, was the clincher and that could take place anywhere; the sad archbishop couldn’t take the full brunt of Return by Death just the one time. Inside of that was a nice little clincher as well, seeing the Witch in a familiar and spooky form. There were some fantastic parts to this outing, but like the last one, they felt perfunctory.
..and to think, it wasn’t even a mutual confession…
Of course everyone is going to have an opinion on this, the last scene of the show. There has been some pretty active shipping wars going back to near the middle of the first cour. Team Rem and Team Emilia seem to be to two at the top of the list. But with Rem out of the equation since the close of the White Whale arc (GRRRRRRRRR!), that leaves us a clear path to the half-elf. I still think they should have done loads more with her character all the while, but in a few brief and very deft exchanges during this episode’s denouement, I think they bring the emotional resonance for her up by factors of lots. A relationship is more than just surface details, a major plot point they slammed Subaru with when the Spring season was turning to Summer. A much stronger relationship force is, well, exactly as they spelled it all out…I’ve learned to walk with you, both of them are finally able to say. All in all, a fantastic and lovely notion, and a great start for the rest of the story…
More Pictures Tell a Story…
So many cast members! So many stories left untold!!!!
So do we have the AOTS (technically speaking for Summer) or the AOTY (not taking anything coming this Fall into account are we?)? For all intents, I think the discussion about such things are more important and much more interesting than the conclusions – so it’s good to have a comments section. For me there are several things that elevate this one above many other shows I enjoyed. But by the same token, flipped round, there are plenty of other reasons to take it down a notch.
I love how much it took risks. Subaru was not an easy character to like. Starting off he was trapped under the “protag from another world” trope and so dismissed as such – along with the show, well before the dumb three episode rule took effect. Then he was a colossal dink, and then a colossal dick….Those of us that persevered were rewarded with more rounded character than lead to believe- but still, with faults in his writing here and there. And we even got to see him pushed to the extremes which came to define the series as a whole. But even that almost became oversold and flanderized (YMMV). Subaru suffering and his Return by Death were a very effective meter to show us the power of our choices, and how the world around us shapes those choices. It also shows that things are stacked against us, and are unfair, and we just have to accept that. But most important there is that, for the most part, we are defined fare more by our failures and how/that we get back up. Also, seeing the world beyond the space in front of our nose helps a great deal!
Did it do this perfectly? Heck no, this show was clumsy as all get out most of the time. Did it stick to it’s themes and deliver entertainment? The first is very iffy, but the second is a big yes. Thematically the show is no more than “don’t die dude” and “drive to goal”. They stretched that a great deal. I could probably make some ink about how the “harem” could have been facets of Subaru’s personality that he had dominate, or win over, or what have you. But I just don’t think there will be any meat on that bone. Having said that, do I wish it could have done it better? You’ve read my final thoughts for the past six months, so yeah! The Selection process didn’t feel like it needed to be on stage after all, and important characters at the beginning and in the middle were just forgotten in time or just plain underused. I wanted more Felt and Reinhard, if only to justify them being there in the first place. But as you read, I liked Felt’s angle. I wanted sooooo much more story on the magical background of the world (I miss Betty soooo much), other than the footnotes. Also, more on the half-elves, other than the lopsided hate party they tossed into scenes like too much salt on a dish. And speaking of Emilia, this past arc was one more example of erasing a female character’s power and accomplishments, quite literally with Return by Death, and supplanting it with a dude’s…So there’s that crap… I see most of these points as treating a great deal of the show like a series of boxes to check for source material enthusiasts, rather than a more diligent, outside the manual, type of storytelling, and I hate that! Be more a TV show and less an ad! In short, the show had many many glaring faults. But it did the good things that it did so well that we couldn’t avoid talking and enthusing about it, I loved watching it and blogging for it, which means it was a job well done, and all’s well that ends well. So…I’ll say at last…
One show down, two more to go…
Thanks for Watching!!!
Special thanks to the Re: Zero twitter! We are drawing this to a close…
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: Lovely-pyon~ with 261 comments
I’am going to post this for once (Just like any other irritating LN anime Shows), Since this is the last Episode, i guess i’am to point it out this show all of it!
Yes, i know anyone i mean anyone is all for this show cuz it’s really impressive
…but i truly don’t
So Where do i begin, I can’t believe that this show gains much more attention and more attraction than any show of this year, it feels to me that my head is…kinda spinning when i hear this or perhaps some other light novel anime that gains much fiasco as this (IE: Haruhi, SAO, Highschool DXD, etc), but for me i say this, This is nothing more but a mindless dribble from a light novel people there, Every time i see or hear or to know these kind of show like this, i sometime can’t stomach it or i feel angry with it, and i can’t just can’t…UGH!, But then again i don’t underestimate them, but i don’t endorse it or impresses it! really, cuz you know, Light Novels, But, probably from typical company, Like Kadokawa, MediaFactory, ASCII/Dengeki, Overlap i think that the name of few, Thankfully not all of LN are just like that, and Thankfully the next season will be from a different LN company.
But in this case (Since)
1.) The Outsider/Test Subject…Just Another Male LN Protag Scum…Period, if death won’t stop him i say this: GO HOME, GO BACK TO HOME WORLD AND NEVER TO REMEMBER ANYTHING, He better stay away from that Gray Purple girl soon and to that “illusion” world or else…
2.) The Clueless Witch
…she had no idea why she summon that civilian, just for some romantic affection or something…i seen those before, but then again you know better!
3.) This…uh Maid…Seriously, I mean Just seriously! So no offense anyone,
4.) i got question for this little girl, Who is going to defend her or support her then, she can’t just rely on only two of her people…really! or perhaps she is just playing childish! for some reason! then again i was kinda surprise that no one angrily retorts it! Well…
Bottom lime, Yeah no doubt there will be a 2nd season there (i would take long really), but it won’t be that same as this one now! But then again you know better that this! but i don’t give a damn thing no matter what about this show really!
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
From what I read, they ran out of LN material on episode 24, so this ending is totally original and not by the author.
Anyway, for me, the worse things were the loose ends:
– Who and what is Beatricce?
– How about Elsa Granhiert? She seemed very powerful and more than just a plot device to trigger Barusu’s Return by Death
– Who and what is Puck and why are Emilia, Ramu and Remu his daughters? He’s powerful enough to destroy the world, so I’m guessing there’s a lot more to him than what has been shown so far
– What’s Emilia’s relation to the Jealous Witch?
– Who the hell is the Jealous Witch and why did she summon Barusu to her world? Or was it her?
And one final thought: for me, after that declaration on Episode 18 and all her character development, Barusu remains an idiot: 10 Emilias are not worth half a Remu.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Hey, thanks for the comments Alexandre!
-I really loved Beako, so yeah, I would have loved at least a better hint as to her true nature. She could be a magic fairy, or she could be just like she sounded without the benefit of suspension of disbelief…a loudmouth with a magic door.
-I miss Elsa as well. She is a mercenary, so she could pop up on the “right” side soon?
-Yeah, with Puck, it’s the same thing with Beako. Big, intriguing ideas, just this side of evocative, and a bit too much missing.
–I think the Jealous Witch did summon Subaru to this particular world. As to why? I tend to think of mad/crazy gods in stories like this to beings playing so many games on so many worlds that moves only make sense if you pull back and look at a larger picture…only when you do that, you become nearly as mad as they are. Such is the life of a Sin Archbishop?
So far, you are winning the comments section, lad…
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
– Who the hell is the Jealous Witch and why did she summon Barusu to her world? Or was it her?
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POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
They have not run out of source material. The LNs are published behind the web novels. 2 more LNs are being released in the next 2 months.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
That does make me wonder about the quality of the LN compared to the WN. Is the latter a “first draft” and the former the “final”. How much does the actual content change…I wonder?
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
As far as dude from another world anime series go this one was good, but i’ve always wondered if Subaru ever planned on going back to his world or is he set on staying in the magic world? I know that isn’t the plot of the series much like Konosuba the MC just adapts to it I guess? I still wonder about that…
Now for the whole Emilia x Subaru thing I still fail to see why people like her and no I’m not butt hurt that Subaru and Rem didn’t hookup at this point I kinda don’t care anymore…personally I don’t find Emilia all that interesting and with her lack of screentime she never did anything that left me like WOW SUCH A COOL CHARACTER! Maybe her character type just isn’t for me? Sorta like how I hate Asuna of SAO lol…
9/10 maybe season two can win me over to liking Emila a bit more?
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Well, when it comes to lack of screen time for Emilia, I was less concerned about the romance angle (they shove those things out like cheap knockoff goods, or at least they act like it), as I was just plain having her as a character. In fact, the less I knew about her, the more my brain worked to make the romance work, and that might have been what the show was trying to do. Keep her mysterious, but give her a story angle people could relate to…which is romance.
But…she looked wobbly out there if that’s the case? Not enough balance?
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
The anime covered all 8 published LNs, and the 1st half of content from the upcoming LN vol 9 to close off the season. Re Zero fans have been encouraged to buy Vol 9 to find out what happens next in the 2nd half.
https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/interest/2016-09-19/re-zero-novel-ad-tv-anime-sequel-is-in-the-novels/.106628
The source webnovel is ahead of the LN + anime by 3 story arcs, but likely the related parties will hold off on making S2 of the anime until those arcs have been published as LNs. After all, the anime is an ad for selling the LNs.
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
You did well you two, now you can relax….
In the novels it was supposed to end on a massive cliffhanger where Subaru finds out Rem’s ultimate fate…
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The anime director and author decided to remove the cliffhanger to give the anime a more conclusive ending, rather than a plot tease with no confirmed S2 to answer said tease.
I wanted sooooo much more story on the magical background of the world…speaking of Emilia, this past arc was one more example of erasing a female character’s power and accomplishments.
You’ll get that in the next arcs. Emilia is fleshed out further in future arcs, with some reveals on Satella and how she relates to Subaru and the world.
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POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
All things being “equal” I’d much rather have a conclusion than a not-conclusion. I know people fuss, but I tend to think of it in terms of: a prose writer doesn’t just write until they run out of paper..they work with an editor and publisher to make sure they have enough paper to tell a full story. In anime, paper=time contrainsts, which I’m sure have a healthy amount of both real and imagined problems combined.
As for more? I still totally dig White Fox going all anime original School Life from Zero show. I have money…
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POWUH: 400-499 with 445 comments
I like how fair your review of this series was: you gave praise where praise was deserved, but like a stern father, you criticized the parts that needed work. Hmmmm so i take it that you too are not a fan of the three episode rule….interesting
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I guess I could say that “I call them like I see them”, but YMMV as to what is fair.
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
Likely we’ll have to wait for more webnovel material to be published in LN format before we see a S2 of Re Zero. After all, anime is mostly an ad to sell source media.
If you’re impatient, someone’s starting to translate the webnovel where the anime left off.
https://translationchicken.com/
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 139 comments
Rather than the confession that feed into the most important thing about the reconciliation was renew and reestablishment of Subaru and Emilia relationship on more honest terms. As you noted Emilia accepted his feeling, but was unable to give him answer and that’s important part: because answer from her is necessary fro now. The point was for Subaru let her know how he felt rather than trying to make excuses those feeling due to pride. This honestly was one thing Rem taught him. Now that she knows who truly sees her beyond her heritage or status interesting things in future because has undoubtedly move to different playing fields where she start seeing him different as she ruminates her feelings and his now that he’s becoming someone really open up to.
Those are some fair points, but all of this can pretty much be chalked up to be adaptation of a large story ongoing. None of the Arcs are written in an vacuum and are continuously build each other or setting up foundations for things further down the line. So characters coming and going when for them to do so isn’t usual to me. You can’t have a composed narrative by forcing characters to appear when it’s not necessary no matter how much you maybe interested in them. It also unnaturally pushes to stick around the MC where they have things their own to do. Every single you speak up is addressed in the future, but there also need to be dealt and established first that ties to them. An ebb and flow if you will and like most stories of this type Tappei is playing the long game. Because I’m used to that style of writing I don’t have problem with it I guess.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Once upon a time I was accustomed to the sort of thing your talking about, but I found that it has dropped the ball more often than not. Which isn’t to say that it can’t happen and be pulled off without a hitch, but I’m skeptical – look up any information on 90s era X-Men comics and you see a litany of failed promises, a litany that practically killed my interest in superhero comics more than the faux darkness the comics found themselves mired in.
But YMMV as always…
POWUH: Beginner (20-35) with 35 comments
I Don’t like that they didn’t the rumored part b of episode 25 and gleefully laughing drinking
tears of salt.
but it make for a good prologue episode for the next season
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Good Review.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Thank you for the kind words.
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POWUH: Beginner (20-35) with 35 comments
its not possible due to the story requires
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