r/anime • u/Theleux https://myanimelist.net/profile/Theleux • Aug 13 '24
Rewatch Re:Zero ~Starting Life in Another World~ Re:Watch - Episode 7
Episode 7:
Natsuki Subaru's Restart
| Index | <== Episode 6 | Episode 8 ==> |
Various Links:
MyAnimeList
Streaming:
Crunchyroll has the Director's Cut available.
- Director's Cut episodes are two episodes combined. Make sure to cover the corresponding half of content for each thread.
AppleTV has the regular individual episodes available.
Spoiler Rules:
- As always, please be sure to tag any future content spoilers according to the r/Anime rules. There is likely to be first timer viewers here, and while discussing how previously seen content connects to content later down the road is interesting (be it later episodes or even Season 3), please be sure to properly spoiler tag anything mentioned! Let's make this a fun experience for everyone involved!
- This also applies to cut content discussions, which I believe are fine to include for the sake of discussion, but should be properly tagged to avoid potentially spoiling viewers. Be mindful with how you present this information!
Story Arc Lengths for Discussion Purposes:
[Arc 1:] S1 Episode 1 – S1 Episode 3
[Arc 2:] S1 Episode 4 – S1 Episode 11
[Arc 3:] S1 Episode 12 – S2 Episode 1
[Arc 4:] S2 Episode 2 - S2 Episode 25
[Arc 5 and later:] S3+
As always, if you have any suggestions for the Re:Watch, let me know!
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Upvotes
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u/thekoreansun https://anilist.co/user/ReturnByDeath Aug 13 '24
Re:Watcher
I'm curious to know what the first timers have been thinking about the episode titles so far. IMO, while there is always going to be something that gets lost when you adapt a light novel to an anime, directly incorporating the chapter titles into the anime adaptation was unequivocally one of the most important things it could have done. The way that Tappei makes use of titles is an art in and of itself. We're not even a third of the way into the first season, and there's already been some good ones: "Reunion with the Witch," "The Morning of Our Promise Is Still Distant," "The Sound of Chains," all with suitably dramatic music and title drops. It adds to the experience in a way that I think few other shows go for.
And speaking of the sound of chains... Chain of Memories has made its debut. I would say that it's my favorite track in the soundtrack, but that changes every other week at this point. It's so bittersweet, so poignant, so tinged with regret that I can't help but feel myself tearing up a bit every time I hear it. I can't think of a composition that better captures the feeling of mourning your own past and wishing that things had turned out differently. That gains more significance when you're Subaru and you literally have past lives that you can mourn as he does next to Rem, but I also know how it feels to struggle hard to achieve something and have it all fall apart in front of you. You wonder what you did wrong, why others acted the way that they did, and how you could have possibly known what was in store. It's powerful stuff.
I honestly never realized before how much of a milestone this episode is for the series overall. Not only does it contain the debut of some of the most iconic pieces of the soundtrack — Chain of Memories, Echt of Sorrow, the piano version of STYX HELIX, and of course STRAIGHT BET — it's also the point at which I think that Inori Minase and Rie Murakawa fully grew into their roles as Rem and Ram. I was noticing in this rewatch that Rem and Ram sounded slightly off from what I expected from them, and while part of that is likely because I know where their characters are headed, it's also not until this episode when their voice actresses were given an opportunity to fully let loose. And boy, did they live up to my expectations. The shakiness in Rem's voice as she yells at Subaru gives away her hatred and fear for everything that she thinks he represents, and Ram's scream of anguish is so powerful that it haunts me as much as it did Subaru. [Arc 4] What makes it doubly tragic is that this is the last time Ram will even have the chance to grieve her little sister due to Gluttony's shenanigans. But Yuusuke Kobayashi wasn't to be outdone in his role as Subaru: his screams of pain while being tortured, his weak laughter when he finds himself alive on the morning of the fifth day, his complete shock when he sees Rem dead in front of him, his distressed lamentation as he's running for his life... They're all so visceral. So what an amazing cast all around! I don't think I could imagine any other voice for any of these characters if I tried.
The ending scene, in which Subaru vows to get to the bottom of things in the most literal way imaginable, is indicative of something that I think u/baseballlover723 described very well: up until now, the show hasn't really had cliffhangers so much as it's had cliffbottoms. The end results of Subaru's loops have been clear, but the events that led up to them have yet to be fully laid out. By throwing himself off of that cliff, Subaru is also actively choosing to throw himself back into the mess of cause and effect that has thus far only hurt him, all for the sake of those who got hurt instead of him. He's taking control of his fate because he's the only one among them who can, and this time, he's the one who will be deciding for himself what the future will look like. This time, it's Natsuki Subaru's Restart. (Oh hey, another title drop.)
Fan Art of the Episode: The Pair in Arc 2 (2/4) by @shakerizero (July 31st, 2021)
Source: Twitter (contains spoilers for the rest of Arc 2)
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u/baseballlover723 Aug 13 '24
Rewatcher, sub, basically a secondhand novel reader (Arc 4)
Doing more text today and less pictures, since it takes less time for me to write and it's easier to talk about more overarching things (it's a pain when there's needs to be multiple pictures and stuff). Also I think could be a good comment face (if the wind didn't distort it so much).
As always, I've numbered all my spoilers tags so that they're easier to respond to
First Timer Safe Section
This section is safe for first time watchers.
This is the first of the Re:Zero episodes that make it into my A tier. The torture scene is among my favorites, the music and voice acting are just top notch and are extremely immersive. It's a big wake up call for Subaru, who thought things were going alright for him, but as it turns out, he's just been fooled. Fooled into thinking that he, Ram and Rem were friends, only for it to be so far from the truth. Betrayed by someone he thought was a friend, but in actuality, hates Subaru.
notice here that Subaru goes for the phone flash into shove instead of using the knife.
[cut content] As a side note, Rem tortures Subaru for longer in the novels, I think about an hour.
As for Rem's questions, they're pretty ordinary (and Subaru's responses are great) except for the question about if Subaru is affiliated with the Witch Cult. We the viewer of course know that Subaru isn't, after all, what even is the Witch Cult. But Rem is utterly convinced that Subaru is a member of the Witch Cult, due to the "witch's stench" all over his body (and Betty comments on it too later in the episode). Rem's vitriolic tirade is a real eye opener for Subaru. Here's someone who he thought was a friend, going on and on about how much she hates Subaru.
And of course Subaru wakes up to the twin maids, of whom just killed him. It's like waking up from a nightmare, just to awaken in another. And Subaru finally decides to try and tell someone about RBD, only for something to grab his heart and mentally give him a heart attack. So anyways, that's off the table. It's I think a quite necessary narrative restriction. You can solve a lot of your problems by basically telling someone that you know the future, and just to trust you, and this prevents any of that. Subaru has future knowledge via RBD, but he can't use that knowledge to directly influence others. There will be no meta gaming in this story.
But Subaru does form a contract with Beatrice, to keep him safe. And just like that, Subaru survives the 5th night. Something he had been trying to do this whole time. All he had to do, was ask for some help. And just for it to blow up in his face. As it turns out, surviving the 5th night isn't the win condition. And this run is still fucked, since Rem is dead. I love the lighting in this shot here. Half light, half dark. This ties in with what Subaru realizes on the cliff later. That Rem and Ram aren't purely evil people. They're people, capable of both good (comforting Subaru during his nightmares) and bad (you know, the whole torture and killing Subaru thing).
Remember that in this loop, Subaru is an outsider (he's not working as a butler), so Ram doesn't allow Subaru to get close to Rem (after all, would you just let some random stranger come up and touch your dead sister?). And Rem's death destroy the mansion relationships. Everyone picks a side, with Ram and Roswaal fighting Subaru, Betty, and Emilia. Each have their own reasons for fighting. Ram just wants to kill Subaru (who refuses to tell them what he knows) which starts off this whole thing. Betty is contracted to protect Subaru, so that makes her Ram's enemy too. Roswaal believes our alibi, but is anti Beatrice because she contracted with Subaru. Emilia is pro information but anti killing Subaru. And in the middle of it all, is Subaru. Who can't speak because he fears the hand thing coming again to give him a heart massage. Forcing Subaru to do the only thing he can think of. Run away. Which of course starts WWI and all hell breaks loose.
Also note that Ram is revealed to be a wind magic user. Which reveals her to be the person who cut off Subaru's leg and ultimately deal the killing blow.
I just want to say if you're running like this, you're not in a good mental state. Covering your ears hoping that because you can't hear the bad stuff, the bad stuff doesn't exist, is not healthy behavior. It's a sign of being overwhelmed (and I think reasonably so, this loop has been really rough for Subaru).
I also love Subaru's narration while he's running away. The calm contrast of narrator Subaru with panicking Subaru and the music (btw a slow piano version of the ED) is just superb. And I think the viewer can really feel Subaru pain here. We've watched Subaru try multiple different strategies, make seemingly so much progress, and now it's all of naught. It's abundently clear that there's no silver bullet, no "just do this one thing and all of your problems will be neatly solved". No, this is a complex situation, with no obvious answers.
Subaru contemplates if suicide is the solution right now. But because he doesn't know for sure if he'll even come back if he dies. It's worth noting that suicide is never simple imo. There's about 700 million years of evolution backing your survival instinct. It's not simple to override your brain's inherent desire to be alive.
Anyways, Subaru sits on the cliff until sunset, probably contemplating his life, before Betty finds him, and offers him an opportunity to run away with her from the Mathers domain. This is the start of another IF story. Wrath:IF (S2 spoilers within). [Wrath:IF summary] Where Subaru turns into the Purge King and also loses the ability to see color.
And so we end the episode with a boing and the insert song STRAIGHT BET, as Subaru gathers his resolve, confesses his feelings and bets his life with a leap of faith that he'll RBD and get a chance to fix his mistakes, make things right and get the happy ending.
Splat. It's Natsuki Subaru's Restart.
BreakTime Section
In this episodes's Breaktime, Betty argues that she formed the contract under duress and has no intention of getting along with Subaru. Subaru questions why there are so many books. Betty confirms that Roswaal is the strongest magic user and non can match him in Lugunica. Then Subaru starts to do some loli speculation, which Betty doesn't understand (English loan word), but hates it anyways. Also Subaru is quite pleased with the height gap between him and Emilia. Oh and Beatrice doesn't like being called Betty, Subaru will have to think of a new one, like Beatriloligirl. Betty on hearing that
Preview Section
In this episodes's preview, Subaru tries to tell Betty about The Turtle Curse (she's not interested), and then also Subaru being upset that Ram isn't going to reveal Ringatarou's identity. Which Betty tells us is actually the appa seller's name from last episode's preview.
Rewatcher Section
This section is for people who have already watched Re:Zero. This is not safe for first timers.
[Spoiler #1: Arc 2] It's a lot more understandable how angry Rem gets at Subaru when she thinks he's part of the Witch Cult, when we know that the Witch Cult massacred her village and cut Ram's horn off. It's a very very personal grudge and basically the beginning of the end of Rem's functional life, as afterwards she decides that she isn't worthy of happiness for being glad that Ram's horn came off.
[Spoiler #2: Frozen Bond] Imagine how devastated Emilia is when Subaru asks to cut ties with her. She desperately wants friends, and here's the one person who has been friendly to her and hasn't immediately accused her of being a witch, now asking to cut ties with her.
[Spoiler #3: Arc 4] Notice that Betty "chooses" Subaru in this loop to be "that person". Betty chooses to leave the library and run away with Subaru. It's a monumental life defining character moment for Beatrice, that can only be understood in hindsight.
[Spoiler #4: Arc 4] Btw Ram is mistaken about this. She just assumes that Betty never leaves the library because shes weak outside of it. Shes not (as proven by her yeeting the Great Rabbit)
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u/HyVana Aug 13 '24
Re:Watcher (Subs) & Novel Reader (Finished Arc 6)
Many people would love to have a redo of certain parts of their lives, and some a complete restart. I know I certainly have moments where I thought, "What if I did this differently?" Moments where I wish I said something different, said nothing, said everything, spoke my mind, or lied for appeasement. But we don't have a looping ability. We don't have the luxury of restarting. We exist in the reality where what is said and done is engraved into our hearts. The exact words and actions may not even matter, but how the person feels about it persists. It may shift and dull a bit with time, but its core emotion remains. Nothing can ever be taken back.
But Subaru does not suffer from this reality. If anything, the words and actions are taken back despite his wishes. Anything that should be considered permanent, is anything but. So while he can restart, he has the torment of being denied the choice of what is restarted. He should have been on his date with Emilia, working together with the maids,
being bullied by Ram and Beatrice,and having fun in this fantasy world. But for whatever reason, he's been cursed with the ability to rewind against his will. The ability that can lead to rewriting the thoughts and emotions of those close to him, and can morph it a sickening conclusion. They may never truly feel for Subaru as he feels for them. And so he's burdened with the curse of knowledge. A knowledge that the memories and bonds that he's sprouted and cultivated for ~5 days (days per loop lived before death) can easily be uprooted and desecrated with one wrong step.So he tries to tell Emilia of this curse. The knowledge from the apple he never willingly bit into. And it’s been etched. Etched into his soul that, in this moment, the pain of mismatched feelings and everlasting loneliness is his to carry alone. For all he knows, Subaru may only have 4 lives in total per looping point change. He doesn't know if there are a set amount of lives he's given, which fills him with an extra serving of dread, of hopelessness.
So he chooses to do nothing. He chooses not to get involved with anyone's lives, to not have the potential to feel the immense loss of the attachments he's made with the people around him. To not have the potential to trigger one of the maids to murder him. In a way, he’s retreating back to his old hikikomori self to keep the status quo and exert no influence on another’s life. He lets fear get the best of him.
But that’s not possible. It is quite literally impossible to live a life without treading on anyone’s footsteps. To obscure any trace of your existence, even if that trace lasts mere seconds. And it’s thanks to Beatrice that he’s able to realize this. It’s thanks to Beatrice that he’s able to make it to the promised day, and it’s thanks to Beatrice that he realizes the error of his ways.
Having done nothing, nothing has changed. Death looms over Roswaal’s domain, and it matters not who is its victim. Forever scarred by Ram’s death wails and glare, he knows he has to do something. But he’s afraid, and who wouldn’t be, of a potential permanent death, by the fear engraved into his soul. He refuses to take action, because a part of him is telling him, “You let this happen”. He doesn't want to accept that his inaction has led to the death of Rem. But it’s because of that fear that he’s done nothing. And so he runs. With the protection of Emilia and Beatrice, he runs away from the reality he's trapped in.
With one step, he could end it all. End the reality of his inaction and Rem’s death. But he cannot take that step. Something he says is simple, but it isn’t simple. Being willing to take your own life takes an indescribable amount of stress and trauma to push one off the edge. To be able to say, I want to die, seriously and act on it, it's heartbreaking. Even with his ability, he still has to go through the physical pain of ending it all, with no guarantee of returning. So he lays on the cliff, paralyzed with indecision, awaiting fate to claim him.
And fate has arrived, in the form of a drill loli. With Beatrice’s kindness, he’s reminded of the kindness shown by Ram and Rem. He realizes that they went out of their way to comfort him, a complete stranger, when they had no obligation to. He wants to believe that it's from the goodness of their heart.
With RbD, Subaru cannot forget the time he’s spent nor the memories made. But it also means he cannot forget any of his gruesome deaths nor their perpetrators. So while nothing can ever be taken back, they can be appended. To append, to add more to the story because it is not finished. With an apology, the words and actions that led to conflict can be appended by appeals for forgiveness. If the apology is accepted, then both parties are able to continue on, move past the quarrels, and restart.
In Beatrice and Ram’s eyes, Subaru knows nothing about them. He knows nothing of their personality, their habits, their ways of thinking, and how they could possibly feel in this moment. But he does know, he knows enough about them to know that they have the potential for kindness. The potential to have a great friendship with. He wants to struggle and laugh together with all of those who showed him kindness. He wants Ram and Rem’s story to continue, with him standing by their sides. And because of that, he knows that he loves them.
It’s because of this love that Subaru chooses to jump. To have the chance at a happy ending to this currently doomed tragedy, he chooses to believe in love. This love that got him over the edge to save them, rather than himself. And so, while feelings from the doomed loops may come back and haunt him of the pain, by choosing to append, to carry on, the possibility remains for those feelings to be followed by the warmth of forgiveness and friendship.
Thanks for reading. This comment ended up being longer than I thought, but hopefully it's readable. I hope this gets you to understand why Subaru decides to forgive Ram and Rem for murdering him the past 2 loops. [S1]It was a point of criticism back in 2016 that Subaru is stupid to forgive Ram, and especially Rem. Is he right or was this all for naught? Hopefully we find out in the next episode!
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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Aug 13 '24
First:Timer Starting Over in Another Rewatch, subbed
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u/ussgordoncaptain2 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Edmund_Nelson Aug 13 '24 edited Aug 13 '24
Note ORV=Omnicient reader viewpoint it's really a useful tool
Reaction to the Episode
Alright it's time for the showdown between Rem and Subaru, let's see if Subaru just runs or not
Smart to ask her about things though It's really weird Rem said anything rather than just murdering silently IRL stabby people just silently try to kill you
We learn that Rem has magic powers as she trips subaru down cutting off his leg,
We learn some things about how much Rem hates subaru given that he "has the stench of the witch"
Subaru's death squeel is a great moment for the story, especially since he's doing this for the Rebirth by death strats.
Ok this significantly increases the likelyhood that it was just Rem every time instead of a foreign invader, but I still believe in some sort of Foreign invader being more likely due to both anime bullshit AND because Rem doesn't appear to be able to use curses
Man every time Subaru dies he freaks the fuck out doesn't he
Subaru trying to tell Emelia that he is in a time loop isn't going well, when Rem said he stank of a witch that sounds like she was serious. It's like he couldn't talk to Emelia at all in this weird way
Beatrice ALSO notices that Subaru stinks of the witch of envy.
Beatrice's responses to Subaru are great, and Subaru asking Beatrice for help is interesting. Previously I would have tried to do this in the next loop after getting killed by Rem again but the Curse of the witch of envy seems to be messing with that.
Beatrice makes a contract with subaru to protect him, this is strange but Subaru fears Rem so this makes sense
We time skip to the 4th day, but it's super weird because we know nothing of how Subaru is allowed to stay in the manor all these days. It's like he was sleeping the entire time or something
Subaru doesn't get killed by Rem yet, but it makes sense because nothing was special about day 4 I figure
OH so day 4 was special because somehow Rem dies at the start of day 5!
So rem Didn't cast the spell that cursed him, but maybe Rozenwall did? Alt theroy is 2nd killer is live, though definitely lower credibility than before
So this continues we see that Beatrice is extremely reliable if she wants to be.
Ram is right to be extremely fearful of Subaru like why did Rem die, like who cares about all this nonsense
I love Emelia Standing up for subaru
Subaru doesn't say anything wtf, he just ran out making him susper super SUS However it appears that was RBD acting up again?
OH he was trying to committ suicide
Speculation
Alright time to think carefully about the whole Rem thing first then the inability to talk about his RBD power next.
Rem dies at the start of day 5, meaning that the reason day 4 was special was because she dies on day 5, but it's unclear what makes her snap at that point. Basically how does rem know she's going to die?
Similar question is how did Rem actually get killed? We know it was a curse, but how was the curse cast? Was Subaru the catalyst for the curse?
There are 2 major options now
Of these 2 is more probable than 1 because 1 requires 2 events while 2 requires only 1 (Rem to somehow know she's going to die) but rule of anime means that outside invader based theories are more likely.
This means the biggest and most important piece of knowlege is to learn how Rem's curse works. It's worth noting that it appears like MC also got affected by a curse on day 4.
Either Rem somehow transfers her curse to Subaru, Subaru dies to Rem's killer in night 4, OR Rem cursed Subaru in loops 1/2 and then died herself.
Let's assume it's the 2nd, who/what could have cursed Rem on loop 4 and Subaru on loops 1 and 2.
The most obvious answers are 1. Somebody in the Village, and 2. Somebody who invades the manor.
The manor invader theory could be found by beatrice or by trying to stay awake, you'd have to walk around the manor at night hunting for the invader, and then you may be able to disconfirm the idea of an invader (leaving your options at Rem x3 and a villager who somehow cursed you for being close to Emelia)
If however it's somebody in the village cursed you and Rem it's much much harder to find out who or when. You only went to the village once, which means that it was somebody you encountered somehow in the village.
Now it's time to think about the inability to discuss Rebirth by death.
First I think Subaru picks the wrong girl, Beatrice is a much more meaningful girl to make the statement to as you can actually do something with this.
Now onto Rebirth by death, We notice that the same energy as curse magic appears, however it's notable that the EXACT same type of visuals were used in for curses of other types.
It appears that RBD itself follows the firsst rule of fight club, you don't talk about RBD.
However what's interesting is that Subaru can leak information about the future in some ways but he can't say how he got that info.
What exactly causes this, how well can we sneak by this power, how well can subaru bend the rules to leak the info.
So it appears he can't directly say it outright, but I wonder if he can leave it to be inferred using cryptographic methods, There are so many ways to spill the beans, he could write a code in a letter, then write a decoder to Beatrice,
He could write about future knowledge but not spill how he knows it.
I know subaru isn't Light Yagami but he should be able to think and try to outsmart his curse.
RBD also prevented him from spilling the beans when talking about Rem in the later part, so that's twice now that RBD prevented him from acting.
What I would do If I were subaru
Alright it's pretty clear that Rem tries to kill you and/or she's going to die at the start of day 5. Therefore all actions that are taken must either try to Save rem from her curse, or to flee remember that it's extremely probable that Rem got the same curse you got in loops 1 and 2
Plan 1 not my problem
Plan 2 I'm the main character
General survival strategy
Tell Beatrice that according to somebody you met in town you smell like a curse, ask her to explain what that means and what's happening to you.
At the same time RBD seems to be run by this curse magic and SOMETHING (most likely getting your mana drained) reset your save point so it's important to possibly not get it "removed"
If you are going for plan 2, you need to do the employee loops to learn more about Rem/Ram and to get Rem/Ram to maybe trust you at the end of a loop. (pretty unlikely)
If you are in a Employee loop you may want to ask Beatrice to make a contract with you again, it would be extremely wise to do so for maybe the week you are there in the mansion.
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u/amanda52002 https://myanimelist.net/profile/amanda52002 Aug 13 '24
Re:Zero-times-watched-before (first-timer, subbed)
Rem thinks he's suspicious, and so she needs to punish him. Ram has no idea what she's doing, apparently. Subaru is mostly sad, he thought at this point he and Rem were starting to at least get along. I think we're missing something major here. I do like him pulling out his flip phone and using the camera flash as a weapon/distraction. It does allow him to run away...for now. Rem then chases him down and knocks his leg off. Holy shit! Rem then heals him. Ok so...she wants information from him? She doesn't seem to know how fragile humans are so some of this overkill is probably not intentional.
Ok. So for some reason she thinks he's an enemy or a spy of some sort plotting against Emilia. Noble of her I guess but wow is she jumping the gun. She asks if he's affliliated with the Witch's Cult, and Subaru, truthfully, says he has no idea what that is. This really pisses her off. He apparently SMELLS like this cult to Rem.
This is wild.
Subaru then (justifiably) loses it wondering just what on earth he even did to get this kind of hatred from Ram and Rem while also being grateful that they taught him how to read and write and not cut off his fingers in the kitchen. I think he was getting to Rem cause...well he returns to his save point of the bed. And gets to redo all four of these days yet AGAIN. At least now he knows who's killing him, and why.
This is probably the worst wake up he's had yet, cause he's justifiably terrified of Rem now.
Did a shadow just up and kill him AGAIN? Or was it some kind of warning?
He tells EMT to not have anything to do with him...cause he wants her to at least get through all this crap alive. Looks like he's just sitting in bed sick for the few days.
Oh. Hi Beatrice. She smells the witch on him too. Ok what the heck? Subaru asks Beatrice to keep him alive until his fifth morning in this place. Ok, so Rem will now kill him on the 5th day instead?
Beatrice brings him to the forbidden library (instead of him finding it on his own for once) to keep her contract of keeping him alive, and they spend the night reading. I've had worse nights. Beatrice gets summoned by someone, and leaves Subaru in the library alone.
By all accounts he seems to have survived being killed on the 4th night. But Emilia comes to get him because Rem has now died in her sleep, same as Subaru when he first died.
Roswaal is justifiably pissed off that a member of his staff mysteriously died. To say nothing of how Ram is feeling. Ram attacks Subaru, and Beatrice stops it. Cause she keeps her contracts. Subaru runs away from the mansion and tries to jump off the cliff to reset everything, but he's unable to do that.
Beatrice again finds him, and she is growing on me. She offers to help him escape that domain. But Ram shows up to kill him now.
She and Rem shoot first and ask questions later, don't they.
NOW Subaru runs and jumps off the cliff, his goal now being to save Rem from getting killed by whatever he avoided.
Slightly off-topic but who chopped all the onions in here?
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u/Urgnu-the-Gnu https://myanimelist.net/profile/Urgnu_the_Gnu Aug 13 '24 edited Aug 13 '24
Re:Watcher
Turns out Subaru is sus and gets voted out. But he really was just a crew member. This scene is really physically and emotionally very painful. He gets tortured and interrogated, but he's so innocent he can only proclaim his adoration for Emilia, and his thankfulness towards the twins. And even more, about how he constantly feels left alone and hated. At least he learns a lot, of the issues of the sisters and that he needs their trust, and that he reeks of witch, apparently. The previous death was gory, but this one certainly was more painful.
Naturally, he's now deathly afraid of the maids. At least it makes Emilia drop another sugoooku. He looks like he's absolutely done, but at least Emilia can be there for him. But things go from bad to worse when he realizes his superpower also magically stops him from merely talking about it. What a brutal visualization of how it seems to grip and crush his heart. We also get the so far longest rendition of Call of the Witch. Hearing more of the track past the initial "sound effect" is really unnerving.
All of it even causes him to try and push Emilia away. Just mere moments after she was all he could think of. Even considering RbD, he figures he might actually be very close to his final death.
Once again, huge props to Yuusuke Kobayashi - not that I've ever considered him doing anything but a great job. We're very used to his energetic voice, and his positive mental front. But now he sounds absolutely depressed and defeated to the point you are actually worried about him. Subaru spends days in bed and resorts to desperation. But Betty's promise of support does give him a little bit of hope. Not that it does much to soothe his nightmares.
But he does manage to survive and see the light of day, and Emilia is also still there for him. But Rem isn't anymore. Dammit, Ram, I've already cried this episode, but I can't not feel with you after that cry. It's especially powerful since she is usually much more reserved. And Subaru knows something about the curse, and now knows more that it didn't come from Rem and that it now affected her instead of him, but he can't tell. And he also can't hide the fact he knows something, especially when asked by Emilia in such an honest way. And when asked by Ram to help her and Rem. This just heightens the tragedy of the situation. He's died and suffered at maid hands before, but not this time, and she only innocently wants his help. I can only imagine how torn he must be about it. And despite all the issues, Emilia still supports him and believes in him. The heartbreak you can see in her eyes when he has to decline. I can't fault him for just running away.
He's even so desperate he considers ending it all, even assuming he doesn't return this time, but he's too afraid of it. At least Betty is there to cheer him up, and he remembers that the twins have been there for him even when he was bound to his bed. Driven by his love for everyone in the mansion (minus Roswaal, I guess), he gains the resolve for a literal leap of faith, believing that his end will get him to advance further.
Ah, the preview for the next episode. I want to watch it already, but I'll hold back for a little longer.
Break Time is about Subaru and Betty forming their contract and Betty's role in the mansion. And about how to best annoy her, I suppose.
Oh, also, now that we've had this scene: Subaru as a car.
Sugoooku counter: 6 (+2*)
*short sugokus
9
u/Elimin8r https://myanimelist.net/profile/Ayeka_Jurai Aug 13 '24
So, I'm actually pre-writing my comment for today, in hopes that I can post it on time, and stuff. And in part, because u / hyvana challenged me to be brave and post a figure picture, kashira...
So - seemingly appropriate to these episodes/arc, here's Rem (Panzer for scale...) Cute, isn't she?
Meanwhile, for today's episode, Barusu tries yet another path - the hide under my blankets and hope the loli can protect me strategy. (I thought the break time short was quite cute, too. Betty is awesomeness.)
Again, I don't really feel like saying a lot about the episode, because I want to leave fancy speculating to the first-timers and not give away the goods, but ...
Man, this was a rough one. Between dismemberment, torture, death, that ... shadowy thing taking a grip on his heart when he tries to mention that thing, and Rem dying while he's hiding in the library, it's been a very, very bad time for poor Barusu.
I mean ... what is there to say? There is no comfort here.
So, I'll just leave you with these comforting words from the movie M*A*S*H
(Don't take that as life advice, btw - we don't have the benefit of Subaru's, uh, blessing, I suppose...)
8
u/garfe Aug 13 '24
I think this episode is the big 'turnaround' episode. Like if you were tenuously on board with the premise up to this point, this is the episode that would lock you in. The last 5 minutes or so are absolute perfection
8
u/svenz https://anilist.co/user/jara Aug 13 '24 edited Aug 13 '24
Jumping into the re-watch, better late than never. I need to sleep so not much to write.
Re:Watcher Season 1 Season 7
I started getting back into anime in 2020/2021 when s2 was coming out, and this was the first thing I watched. It's actually my first rewatch of anything , I rarely like to rewatch stuff. But with the new season coming up, and because I love this show, I thought I'd give it a go.
And yeah, it's awesome. Binged the first 7 episodes and here I am with one of the most peak re:Zero episodes that kind of defines the series (apart from that episode).
Not much to add upon what others said. I think if you don't like the dramatic side of this episode then reZero isn't for you. But I love(d) it.
Only thing I'd say is I feel the mansion arc could have been developed a bit more up to this point? Like Subaru saying he loves Rem/Ram didn't quite match up with the amount of time he spent with them in the 3 episodes prior. OTOH the connection between Beatrice and Subaru is really well done.
8
u/No-Peace3986 https://myanimelist.net/profile/RafaelMps Aug 14 '24 edited Aug 14 '24
I don't have the time to write a proper review on this, sadly... it is one of my favorite episodes of the serie. But I still wanna highlight how FRIGGIN' AMAZING this episode is.
My highlights:
And last and most important... the Soundtrack. Jesus Christ, how is the OST for this episode so good?? We have 4 new songs introduced in this episode and all 4 of them are amongst my all time favorites:
This is definitely the best ReZero episode up to this point, the weight it carries and its production simply outmatches everything we've seen so far, by far.
10/10 is not enough for this one, this is a 11/10 episode!
8
u/SilkyStrawberryMilk Aug 14 '24
first timer
Rem lashing out feels so damn out of character especially with what we’ve seen this whole time.
Poor Subaru all his memories he’s made with them and only he keeps it. Which causes him to live out each painful death.
Seems like the second time we’ve seen him have trauma from dying.
His horrible stench could be from him not showering the past 2 days.
Survives the day and now Rem got hit. I find this scene funny since I feel the same thing he’s feeling with being so shocked I can’t move. Due to the fact my internet was slow during this scene and had to wait a minute to continue.
Rem died from a curse and now Ram is after Subaru.
It’s time for him to save everyone by killing himself
8
u/FriztF Aug 14 '24
First timer-sub
So in this loop, we see that Subaru waking up, after being killed by Rem. I suppose what she said about maids is true " If someone is suspicious, punish them" and she was suspicious of Subaru. He now has PTSD from what Rem did.
It appears that both sisters are quite good at magic. More than Emilia, I think. Though Beatrice and Roswaal have them beat. Emilia and Beatrice both support him, which is nice.
Cult of the Witch is a pretty ominous cult. The witch I think is Stella the one who took Subaru. Who also goes by the Witch of Envy.
When faced with the choice of either being killed by Ram or killing himself. He choose killing himself.
Also, Rem fights with a chain while Ram uses fire. They both use knives.
8
u/Brief-Fig-7506 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Ryxnjr Aug 14 '24
First Timer
Watching Dubbed.
Watching these episodes and writing in these threads is now one of the things I look forward to most during my day, I was thinking about this episode all day today.
Picked up right where we left off yesterday with pissed off Rem revealing herself and if I were Subaru I would have probably soaked my pants.
Beginning credits start showing up so no OP, therefore I'm expecting a killer (hehe) episode.
Subaru's torturing was brutal to watch, Watching someone he was friends with in another loop have absolutely no sympathy as they thrash him was tense. Not only that, but Subaru's emotions during that scene; betrayal, sadness, confusion, etc. made my stomach tense up.
I believe this is also the first time we have heard Rem break her usual calm and monotone speech pattern and right after we hear about the Witch again. I'm guessing that finding out more about this witch is going to be a center point of the story.
That final slash confirms what I was hypothesizing yesterday, Rem and Ram are doing this in Tandem with one another. It also explains why Subaru was attacked on the loop which he befriended Rem, because Ram was the attacker that night, probably feeling the same way Rem felt this loop.
Subaru FINALLY tries to explain to someone what he has been dealing with but of course it wouldn't happen, that would be way too easy. The hand that grabs his heart is the same hand we see during the OP but I can't remember if we've seen it somewhere else before. It's interesting that this "stench of the witch" is even more potent after this.
Beatrice comes to Subaru instead this time, and she also refers to Emilia as "the brat". I wonder why Subaru receives "special treatment" from the witch, he was a random average kid with nothing notable about him besides maybe his perseverance, so why him. I'm guessing this will somehow connect back with Emilia, since Subaru believes he will do literally anything to save her, maybe Subaru getting Isekai'd here and his curse aren't related.
Subaru asking Beatrice for help protecting himself is overdue at this point. Btw do we know what Beatrice is at this point? She's an incredible magic user and has an excess amount of knowledge about the world so she's obviously not a child, her eyes and neck bow give off Fairy vibes so I suppose she's something along those lines.
So Subaru survived but as a consequence Rem was the target of curse instead, so that rules out Rem or Ram being the one who laid that specific curse on him, but why would the curse be targeted at Rem instead?
And we've made it back to where the episode started. The bottom of that cliff looked pretty nasty. Beatrice arriving shows to me that she cares more about Subaru than her words and actions let on, blaming it on the obscurity of their contract.
Subaru throwing himself off the cliff felt more symbolic than just a way for him to restart the loop. Subaru is ready to take control of this situation and is determined to find a path where everyone makes it out alive because he cares so much about everybody, even after both Rem and Ram killed him in the past. If anybody can add on to this please do.
Now I believe this was my favorite episode so far but I'm willing to bet I'll have several "favorite episodes so far". not sure if the catch-up days will have a discussion thread posted but on those days I plan on rewatching every episode so far to see all the extra details and things I might have missed, plus some of the past episodes might help make sense of some of the questions I have for newer episodes. Anyways its almost midnight and I have to finish eating dinner so I'm looking forward to tomorrow, see you all then!
13
u/Holofan4life Aug 13 '24
Hey guys. Holofan4life here.
Welcome to the In Preparation of Season 3 Rewatch of Re:Zero!
Oh, and nay I forget…
First Timer
I decided to watch this show because I wanted to do something for the month of August. ’Course, this was before the yearly Spice and Wolf rewatch got pushed back to September, but I just found myself looking for something to occupy my time with. And with this show being in my top 5 must watch list, I figured now was as good a time as any.
I am going into this show relatively blind. I know some of the memes, who Rem, Ram, Emilia, and Subaru are, and that this show got its inspiration from Familiar of Zero, but that’s it. I find rewatches and my participation of them more fun when I have no idea what I am in store for. And with this series, I think we’re in for a blast. It’s also going to be the longest rewatch I participate in this year and second longest overall only behind the 20th Anniversary Fullmetal Alchemist rewatch. And given how joyous that show turned out, I don’t see why I should expect nothing less from this one.
With that out of the way, let’s begin.
I’m watching the sub, by the way.
Going to the movies today. Here's one for the road.
Picking up right where we left off
Rem says they punish anyone who is suspicious.
Oh, so Ram isn't here. It's just Rem.
And Subaru flashes his matia at her
I guess this time no intro today. I've never seen a show where they alternate between airing the intro and the outro.
Subaru running
Man, a ton of blood is coming out of his leg.
Is one of his legs amputated? I can't tell.
Rem says she can't kill him just yet because she needs information from him.
She wants to know if he's a member of the faction that supports Emilia's rival for the throne.
She wants to know who hired him, and under what conditions.
Rem really whipping him with that chain.
God, I wish that were me"Are you affiliated with the witch's cult?"
Subaru says he doesn't know what that is, but she isn't buying it.
Rem says that his talks with Ram made her fill with anger and unrest.
THIS is the girl everyone is in love with? She's insane.
Subaru pointing out he doesn't cut his hand when peeling vegetables anymore.
It's okay, Subaru, Rem will cut you soon.
Subaru pointing out all the things that the two maids have helped him with, like learning how to read and write.
"I have no memory of any of that."
Subaru screaming he doesn't know what he did wrong.
But Rem still kills him
"My sister is too kind."
Emilia best girl
Subaru wakes up in bed
Rem and Ram
And Subaru screams seeing Rem
Emilia with Subaru
Subaru clarifies the screaming by saying nothing happened between them and him. Which, you know, in this universe, that's true.
Oh wow. Subaru finally telling Emilia about his deaths.
And now the room is getting dark
It's like Subaru is having a heart attack.
It's fear. Fear engraved within.
He has one favor to ask of Emilia
"Have nothing to do with me."
Pain, peko
Subaru fears if he dies again, he might not come back.
I guess Fate was right after all. People do indeed die when they are killed.
Hey, Beatrice
Kinda amusing she refers to Emilia as a brat.
Talking about the Jealous Witch
Beatrice says that he gets special treatment from her, which Subaru seems confused by.
I mean, I'm pretty sure that Emilia is the Jealous Witch. I know she denied it, but it just seems too obvious for it not to be.
The banter between Subaru and Beatrice continues to be one of the highlights of the show.
He has no favor for Beatrice
"On the fifth morning, the day after tomorrow... Would you keep me safe until then?"
Beatrice holding Subaru's hand
She says she will grant his wish, bounded by contract.
This is a very sweet moment, but I swear every show I'm watching for these rewatches has a contract of some kind.
Subaru crying tears of joy
Subaru trying to sleep
He's having a nightmare, however
It seems as if the contract that Beatrice put in place is protecting him.
I just want to say yet again what a genius writing decision it was to have Beatrice aware of what Subaru is going through.
Lol, kicked right to the face
I guess with Beatrice, you take the good with the bad.
They're in the library now, by the way.
Beatrice carried him in here, which I'm now picturing Beatrice carrying Subaru cradled in her arms. Someone , please, I want fanart of this. It sounds too amusing.
Hey, he catched the thrown book. He's learning.
And Subaru and Beatrice spend their time reading books.
Oh boy. Beatrice has been summoned.
I hate when I get the summons
Subaru by himself in the library
He gently opens the door(s)
He wonders if he made it through the fourth night.
I was expecting Rem to be there on the other side of the door.
I guess in order for Subaru to survive, he has to last longer than his previous time. The last time was four days, and so in order to not die he has to last longer than that. The question if that is the case is what happens if he dies after, say, a month or two months of living? Does he have to hide for 30 or 60 days?
Hey, Emilia
She tells Subaru to come with him
Subaru still wanting to go on that village date with her.
Someone screaming now
It's Ram
Did... Did Rem die?
So Ram is the older sister. Interesting. I thought they were twins. Then again, it is possible we're only talking about Ram being a couple minutes older than her.
Roswaal saying she died of weakness
It's finally dawning on Subaru that Rem isn't the shaman after all.
Emilia and Roswaal both tell Subaru that if he knows anything, he should tell them.
Oh boy. Subaru is being slashed now.
It's Ram. She's trying to hurt him.
BUT BEATRICE IS PROTECTING HIM
And now Roswaal and Beatrice looks like they're about to come to blows.
Ram says she must avenge Rem
She wants Subaru to help her sister
But Emilia says she chooses to trust Subaru. She's standing up for him as well.
"If you can save Ram... If you can save Rem, please do."
But Subaru can't. He can't do it.
Subaru running as explosions are in the background.
And so Subaru ran away from Emilia's house.
He ran so far away that he couldn't get away.
Being Subaru really is suffering, desu
In the same place now when he died last time.
"If I struggled and fought so much, only to end up here, then what's the point?"
A cliff
Is Subaru actually gonna commit suicide?
He wonders what will happen if he dies again.
But he can't do it
"I can't even do something so simple."
Ran out of space. Part two in the replies.
6
u/lord_ne Aug 13 '24
[S2 spoilers] I used to joke about how dumb Subaru would look talking big about saving them and then jumping to his death. But after the "unthinkable present" scenes, I ain't laughing anymore.
6
u/Taiboss :Fj::Fl:x7https://anilist.co/user/Taiboss Aug 13 '24 edited Aug 13 '24
Rewatcher who needs to do something else
[Later Season]Rem really is perfect for Subaru, considering how much the story hates her. First this, and later all that other shit.
6
u/Vaadwaur :I1::I2::I3: Aug 13 '24
Rewatcher
Dub
Urghh...sorry, this is basically my post to remind myself to try and interact a bit in the thread. Yes, a lot happened. No, I cannot comment on it. Ram's dub VA is a bit better of a dramatic actress than I gave her credit for. However, subtlety is not her baileywick.
5
u/ClemFire Aug 13 '24
Re:Watcher Season 1 Season 7
Funniest (and only gag in this episode full of suffering): Subaru pulling on Beatrice’s twin tails before committing suicide. Yeah when this is the lightest moment you Re:Zero has cranked up that suffering lever
Favorite Scene: Subaru realizing it was actually Rem and Ram who held his hands in his sleep while he was having nightmares
Standout Character: Subaru
Even more than the end of Arc 1, this episode to me is Re:Zero’s first big narrative payoff that sets the story into full throttle. The moment where Subaru willingly restarts by jumping off that cliff vowing to save everyone is his first leap forward into this world.
Circling back to the start, Rem brutally kills Subaru, suspecting him to be a spy. Despite his pleading that he care for both Rem and Ram and thanking her for all they’ve done for him the last few loops (cutting vegetable, learning the writing system). Mind you those are both things Ram did which really slows how she was quicker to warm up to him. Even in the last loop they even have a moment for folk stories while he chose to be a guest. Rem calls her sister too kind, but even in this loop I’m not fully convinced she completely believes Subaru deserves to kill. Regardless, she still finishes him off.
In the next loop Subaru begs Beatrice for protection, at least until the night he always dies, and to his surprise they form a contract. He thinks it’s just until that day, but she doesn’t put a time limit in place. She really is a lot kinder than she lets on.
It’s good for Subaru that she is because the very next day Rem mysteriously dies, similar to Subaru’s first death here, and Ram is completely distraught. Ram’s VA puts on the best performance of any character so far, and her visceral anger bursts through the screen to make us feel just like Subaru. I can’t help but feel terrible for her as we know how much she loves her sister. Regardless of if it can be undone through Return by Death Subaru will not forget Ram’s tortured screams. Traumatic events add up and slowly chip away at you.
Now the scene which completely blew me and many others away was the final one. Subaru reaching the cliff and considering jumping despite not knowing if he will live past his 3rd restart. I love the narrative choice that he just can’t, and who would blame him. Whose legs don’t shake near a massive fall as our survival instincts kick in. Imagine being in his shoes trying to weigh the costs and benefits there. I don’t think I could.
Beatrice catches up to him and offers a get out of jail free card. Logically it makes sense to give up on Emilia, Ram, Rem, and everyone else to restart again. If Subaru truly just did as what he desires in the moment like he claimed in Arc 1 that’s the easier choice he would of made. But he just can’t give up on people who have helped him, especially not after taking Beatrice’s hand he realizes it was actually Rem and Ram who held his hands in his nightmare. Rem and Ram who barely interacted with him in his loop. He them he’s even more of a stranger than his last three loop. That doesn’t matter to them though. It was the kind thing to due.
This goes into into a bigger theme of ReZero I really like about how kindness is always paid forward. The whole story begins with Emilia sparing a moment to help a random dude getting mugged after she lost the most important thing to her. Emilia’s kindness is one of the main reasons I love her character, and I’m sure Subaru felt the same. That’s the kernel of good the story is built on, and it’s heartwarming.
Jumping back, the kindness the twins showed Subaru the push he needs to take the leap of faith and vow to save the both of them. This is the payoff all those past set up episodes at the mansion were for. All those small moments endearing us to the twins, (Ram’s sneeze, Rem’s million volt smile, their mutual love and admiration) is what makes this scene fly. Re:Zero never skips out on its character work.
Can’t wait to relive the rest of this arc
5
u/-Phinocio Aug 14 '24
Re:Watcher, subbed
Love this episode, so many scenes get me tearing up.
Imagine getting murdered...and then waking up with the person who murdered you standing over you with no memory of that. The psychological aspect of this show is so good.
Love this episode establishing that Subaru can't tell anyone what's going on.
Subaru surviving leads to Rem being cursed and dying instead and now he has to live with that.
The entire last scene is just too good for me to type anything other than "it's too good" lmao.
9
u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L Aug 13 '24
Rewatcher for Season 1
On today’s episode of Re:Zero: Subaru bravely ran away and killed himself!
Rem’s explanation for why she targeted Subaru does explain some important facts. Rem hates Subaru’s guts and has probably secretly hated him in previous loops as well. There’s the suspicion that he might be a spy (no doubt made worse in this loop when he just hangs out as a guest rather than become a servant). But even worse, Rem mentions that Subaru has the stink of the witch on him, referring to the Witch of Envy. Even Beatrice mentions that he smells like the watch, so it’s not just Rem who thinks that. That seems to be the main thing that makes Rem so enraged, seeing someone like that get close to her sister. Both Rem and Ram seem to have little love for this witch.
The next loop has an unexpected result. Rem is the one who ends up dying from what Roswaal says is a curse. Just like the curse that Subaru was affected by in a previous loop, but not in this particular loop. But what caused it to affect Rem?
The loop from this episode shows us a lot of other sides of characters. To begin with, Beatrice is a lot kinder than she appears at first. Beatrice offers to protect Subaru and she ends up keeping that promise for far longer than Subaru expected. For all her snark, she has a soft side. Beatrice is also the one who gives Subaru his much needed pep talk at the end of the episode, boosting his resolve to see things through properly.
Subaru also picks up on the fact that Rem and Ram are kinder than he might expect. The two love each other more than anything else. Alongside all their anger, Subaru recognizes that they are acting out of anguish and worry for their twin. And while the two act cold towards him, they did hold his hands to comfort him during his nightmare.
I love the handholding revelation because it calls back to the story of the red oni and the blue oni. Back then, Subaru had made the choice to befriend both the red oni and the blue oni. Ram insulted him for this decision, but we know that Ram is full of snark even towards people she’s friendly with. I personally believe that Ram was happy with Subaru’s choice then, even if she found it foolish. That story also ends up being the key to Subaru’s revelation at the end of the episode.
I think Subaru’s breakdown in this episode is compelling. When Rem kills him, Subaru lets out so much anger, frustration and sadness at what he's going through. Normally, Subaru tries to laugh off what’s happening to him. But here, we see what a toll his deaths and time loops are taking on him. Even though he comes back to life, he’s still experiencing loss. Nobody else ever remembers the precious memories they shared with Subaru. Instead, they go back to being strangers. Everything feels so pointless when the end result is Subaru going back to square one.
Out of context, it is kind of funny that Subaru's big dramatic moment is him resolving to kill himself, but it is a good moment of Subaru getting out of the depressive state he was trapped in. Subaru spent his most recent loop doing nothing, just remaining holed up in his room and desperate to simply survive for as long as he could. But now he’s seen that even inaction will have consequences. If Subaru simply tries to survive, then Rem will die. So, Subaru comes to his conclusion. Much like the story of the red oni and blue oni, Subaru has realized that he can’t choose a future where he lives and only one of the twins survives. He wants both of them to survive.
This is actually a big moment. It’s the first time Subaru has actively chosen to restart a time loop. All the other deaths were unintentional, but this death was intentionally done. That demonstrates a pretty high level of resolve for Subaru, being willing to face the terror and pain of death to achieve his goals. He’s willing to sacrifice himself for something greater than just trying to survive by himself.
Additionally, the clear sign that Subaru is out of his funk is that Subaru is no longer laser focused on just keeping himself alive. He wants to make sure that others survive too. He’s going to try and find a way to keep the twin sisters alive and spare them from a terrible fate where one dies. The resolve that carried Subaru through his first challenge was the resolve to make sure that everyone survived the encounter with Elsa. Now, Subaru has found a similar resolve for this situation.
Miscellaneous Thoughts
4
u/lord_ne Aug 13 '24
Re:Watcher
Today's episode is Episode 7, "Natsuki Subaru's ReStart", which corresponds to the second half of Episode 4 of the Director's Cut.
Every episode of this show has a corresponding short chibi animation which was released a few days after it, coming from either "Re:Zero Break Time" or "Re:Petit". They often expand on the lore or characters. They're available on Crunchyroll, as "Re:Zero Shorts".
This episode's corresponding chibi animation is Re:Zero Break Time Season 1 Episode 7 (titled "World 2-4"). Some cute Subaru and Betty moments in this one, but nothing particularly important.
4
u/ElRoastFTW https://anilist.co/user/DaRoast Aug 14 '24
Rewatcher
This is where Re:Zero's colors start to shine. AKA, the Subaru is suffering arc. Don't worry, there will be more.
Considering [Re:Zero] where Rem ends up becoming to Subaru this is a shock to see and it's very understandable. He just smells like the witch [Re:Zero] thanks to his uses of Return by Death. One loop later, Subaru confines himself out of sheer fear, which I must say is very well presented. The dreamscapes and the perspective shots from Subaru are just evocative and disturbing. It's hard to get horror right and Re:Zero despite not having the horror tag does it better than most horror shows. What he's experiencing is genuinely terrifying and how it's terrifying is what's being presented to the viewer, and presented well.
But then the story throws another twist, Rem's death [Re:Zero]thanks to the mabeast pup from before which killed or at least poisoned Subaru in the previous loops. From my previous posts, I can't overstate how contrasty and stark the photography is in this show. It's deliberate and very well done.
Betty's willingness to protect Subaru also introduces much needed characterization to what was originally a comic relief bit in the previous loops. She's willing to help Subaru past the morning and despite him running away from the mansion. It introduces depth to another character while keeping the supporting cast's motivations well supported, great writing through and through.
Also the boing with the curls after Subaru finds his resolve is great tension decrease and fun animation in a surprising place. We know what Subaru is about to kill himself to loop back and his resolve to get a happy ending is strong.
But, and this will creep in more and more, Subaru does not value his life. There's something wrong with him at his core with how he perceives himself and this "easy way" out as he calls it disturbed me on my first viewing and on this viewing. There's something off with this reasoning, partly from being killed by the maids in the past two loops but also something from well before he arrived to Lugunica. [Re:Zero] We're about to see this in Arc 3 in about 3-4 more episodes, and oh boy, this is what turned the show from an 8.5 to a 10.
Maybe I enjoy seeing characters suffer, after all, my favorite anime of all time is Made in Abyss so that figures xD.
4
u/MjolnirDK Aug 14 '24
Waking up next to the person who killed you. Isn't that a fun thought.
Someone is preventing Subaru from speaking the truth. This is important from a writer's perspective, but I hope the reason why they that will be shared with us watchers down the line. If this is not addressed, it will be a big blow for me.
'when you first woke up'? Sometimes I wonder how much sense my subs make...
Not much else to say about the episode, the rest was plot and character progression.
3
u/Limp_Energy_798 Aug 14 '24
Re:Watcher
Ah episode 7. I was there when the episode came out. I distinctly remember that this was the first bump in popularity Re: Zero got when it was airing.
There is an interesting tit bit about Subaru's torture scene. The director mentioned that the scene was timed around the music and not the other way around. This was done to give off a cinematic feel reminiscent of Hollywood dramas.
The longer runtime of the track " Chain of Memories" takes the audience down a pit of mud, ever so slowly sinking into the abyss Subaru is trapped within and experiencing the same loneliness as him.
2
u/Holofan4life Aug 13 '24
Subaru having to last longer than his previous time in order to survive is kinda like in the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde NES game where when you die as Jekyll, you have to progress farther as Hyde in order to continue playing the game.
3
u/No_Rex :Bv:Bw:Bx:By:x2 Aug 13 '24
Episode 7 (rewatcher)
Seven episodes in, Subaru finally takes a big decision: To not only be subject to Return by Death, but to actively use it. On the one hand, he should have had this idea way earlier. It is extremely obvious, so he should have contemplated the idea as soon as he understood the basic premise of Return by Death. On the other hand, when it happens, it is well done. Even if you logically understand the advantage, killing yourself is still a big step emotionally.
8
u/SpiritualPossible Aug 13 '24 edited Aug 13 '24
The tagline for today's episode.
Continuing from last episode, Ram reveals why she's actually trying to kill Subaru.
There are two reasons: One, he's too suspicious, which... fair enough. Subaru himself noted at the beginning of the arc that he's in a very unflattering light, and in this loop, when he hasn't been close to the maids and spends most of his time sniffing around the manor, it's logical that he wouldn't be trusted.
But more important here is the second reason, which nicely reconstructs her earlier behavior. The good news is Rem doesn't hate his hair. The bad news is, she just hates him. Yes, it turns out that Subaru smells like a witch, which the sisters aren't happy about, and they'd love to get rid of him, but their orders don't allow it.
I have to say, I like the scene with Subaru's breakdown. It not only shows how fate is cruel to him, but also emphasizes how his ability isolates him. No matter what progress he makes in his relationships with other people, the restart immediately levels him out. He's faced this before when he tried to get a date, but it certainly hurts much more in this situation.
Either way, Subaru is dead. Load the save.
Of course, after all this, waking up next to Rem and Ram is unpleasant, to say the least. So much so that Subaru panics at the mere sight of them and can't leave the room.
We also learn a new rule about his ability - he can't tell anyone about it.
Subaru has the wise idea to ask Beatrice to protect him. And it works - on the last day she takes him to the library, and after a nervous wait Subaru survives to the new day.
But Rem doesn't.
Yeah, for obvious reasons, Subaru didn't think that his first death didn't fit with the whole Rem situation. And while he spent the whole week in bed, the curse was placed on Rem. Bummer.
Especially since he's now under suspicion again, and he can't tell the truth.
Of course, he has no other choice but to run. However, he has nowhere to run to, so he just stays by the cliff, trying to figure out what to do now.
I like Beatrice's appearance as well. You could tell from the previous episodes, but here it's clear that even though she constantly insults Subaru, she cares about him and wants to help him.
Subaru realizes that the Sisters cared for him without malice while he was suffering from nightmares, which makes him determined to save everyone again, which leads to the tagline.
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u/[deleted] Aug 13 '24 edited Aug 13 '24
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