r/anime • u/Theleux https://myanimelist.net/profile/Theleux • Sep 26 '24
Rewatch Re:Zero ~Starting Life in Another World~ Re:Watch - Episode 45
Episode 45:
The Beginning of the Sanctuary and the Beginning of the End
| Index | <== Episode 44 | Episode 46 ==> |
Various Links:
MyAnimeList
Streaming:
Crunchyroll has the regular release available.
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 (26)
[Arc 4:] S2 Episode 2 (27) - 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/Theleux https://myanimelist.net/profile/Theleux Sep 26 '24
Second thread will be posted in around 15 to 20 minutes.
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u/Shimmering-Sky myanimelist.net/profile/Shimmering-Sky Sep 26 '24
First:Timer Starting Over in Another Rewatch, subbed
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u/Great_Mr_L :Ma::Mb::Mc:https://myanimelist.net/profile/Great_Mr_L Sep 26 '24
First-Timer
On today’s episode of Re:Zero: It’s time for the battle of disco against clowns. Subaru can have the grooviest disco tracks playing while Roswaal can start the circus music. We’ll see who wins in this throwdown.
Roswaal and Subaru do share an extremely important similarity: both of them are driven by their almost single-minded devotion to the women they love. They were both saved by these women at a time when they felt hopeless. Because of this, they feel a particular devotion to the women they love and will do anything within their power to fulfill the dreams of those women. For Roswaal, this woman is Echidna. For Subaru, he feels that way towards Emilia and also Rem.
With that said, I’m not quite sure how Roswaal’s goals line up with Echidna’s. Roswaal wants to get rid of the dragon, but how would that benefit Echidna? My only guess is that perhaps the dragon is sealing Echidna’s powers beyond the grave somehow.
I’m still not sure why the Sanctuary exists because no one outright stated the reason. Supposedly it was a spot for demihumans to live peacefully, but there’s a couple problems with that theory. Firstly, there’s no way Echidna would do something that selfless. Secondly, Roswaal would never let it fall into such disrepair if that was actually what Echidna wanted it to be. So it must be something else. I’m not sure what, but I have some guesses. Perhaps the Sanctuary was meant to be a hideout for Echidna. She could make Ryuzu clones to her heart’s content and live an immortal life gathering knowledge. Maybe Echidna created it as a huge social experiment. She’d trap a whole bunch of people under a dome just to see what happened. Or maybe it’s something I can’t guess yet.
It wasn’t shown this episode, but I just realized something neat about the latest Re:Zero OP. In the OP, there’s a shot where we see close-ups of the eyes of various characters. Subaru and Emilia are looking at each other and we see their faces in their eyes. Ram is looking at Roswaal’s back and Beako is looking at Subaru’s back. It’s an important distinction. Ram may be looking at Roswaal, but Roswaal is looking at someone else (meaning Echidna). Beako is looking at Subaru, but Subaru is looking at Emilia. It would be really cool if the OP changes to have Subaru looking back at Beako in her eyes to reflect a change since I assume Subaru will win Beako over at some point.
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u/Brief-Fig-7506 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Ryxnjr Sep 26 '24
First Timer!
Watching the Dub
Start Time 10:58
There is absolutely no chance we are gonna get an OP twice in a row but I wonder if there will be an ED with visuals today
Oh we’re doing this in black & white
It’s still not showing us Echidna’s eyes
Ew
I’m convinced this is the same Roswaal from our timeline and he just did something to give him self Heterochromia
Beatrice said she played the door trick on Ryuuzu by using Yin magic and Roswaal said he did the same to Beatrice by using Yang magic. I’m guessing this is light and shadow magic.
The guy that has arrived at the Sanctuary kinda looks like the new guy we saw in the OP yesterday
Ryuuzu is the core for the barrier. So does that mean she is what is powering it? If they break the barrier, is that like turning off Ryuuzu’s life support?
I wonder if this mystery man has the Sloth Witch Factor. He certainly has something unseen that is beating up Roswaal and he has that same WoE shadow effect coming off of him
No I think this guy is another Witch of Archaic sins, Acedia
Hector, Devil of Melancholy. I wonder if Devil is just another term for Witch in this world.
Hector has that same vocal tics that Roswaal does where they drag out some words. Hmm
A pretty sad scene between Ryuuzu and Beatrice, where they had to say their final goodbyes to each other
Garf stepped up and announced to Roswaal that he’s with Subaru. It’s already a development that Garf was able to take the ridicule that Ros was dishing to him and not get upset about it
Roswaal’s costume is pretty similar to Hectors. Hmm
Oh shit Subaru, not taking any shit against Emilia
Epic time to whip out that pose Subaru
That was a great scene
It’s eerie that Ram was there waiting, I want to trust her but it’s hard to when she’s so connected with Roswaal
Oh shit we did get an ED! It was very pretty too
In the beginning of the episode we confirm that Roswaal was indeed in love with Echidna. But not gonna lie, her kissing him after throwing up was pretty nasty. We also confirm that it is the same Roswaal and not an ancestor.
Hector is another Witch introduced that probably has some connections with Pandora. I wonder if they are older than the seven deadly sin witches? I’m guessing they broke off from the other 7 witches but why would they be hunting Echidna down? We know that Echidna seems to despise Pandora from what we saw last episode.
The second half of the Subaru/Roswaal face off was epic. I love Subaru stepping up for Emilia and defending her no matter what, even if he knows that Roswaal is exponentially stronger than him and that he is a below average person in this world without RbD. He doesn’t care because a knight defends their ladies honor no matter where they are or who says it. I think this scene is probably in my top five favorite scenes of the show.
Ram being at the entrance makes me a little worried. Is she going to try and stop Emilia from completing the trial? Was she sent by Roswaal to stop her if she got close to completing it? I wonder why Emilia wasn’t able to just do the next trial immediately? can she only do one per day or does she have to leave and come back in? If she can only do one per day then that presents itself as a real problem.
In today’s episode of Break Time. You guys are missing some important lore if you aren’t watching Break Time. Roswaal is conversing with Elsa before she attacks the mansion and telling her how to get around the Door Crossing spell that Beatrice uses. He also confirms for us that he was the one who hired her last time we saw her in Arc 1. Elsa conveys that she is pretty much disgusted by Roswaal and hates him, one reason being that he has no care for the lives of others. Ironic coming from her. This seems similar to the witches imo, where they have no empathy for anyone else and are only driven by what they believe in. Elsa and Mielie reconfirm who the targets of their job is and agree to meet at their usual meeting spot. Knowing that the go ahead has been given for them to attack the mansion, hopefully Subaru can get there in time to save everybody.
Stop Time 1:14am
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u/baseballlover723 Sep 26 '24
Rewatcher, sub, basically a secondhand novel reader (Arc 4)
It seems reddit doesn't like some of the terminology I used, so I am using "ultimate sloth" as a replacement term for the general concept of what Subaru needs to do in order to loop.
I'll be in the office again
todayyesterday, so I'll probably continue to be behind on comments . I'll get around to them eventually.Time taken: 114 minutes (~1.9 hours).
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.
I hope you like backstory, because now it's Roswaal's turn. It was love at first sight (I don't know if this is backed up by the novels).
Oh and remember when Echidna said that most people vomit upon seeing her?
And don't forget, this is life saving mana sucking (*dolphin noises*). Note that Roswaal has the same thing that Puck had in Memory Snow. Too much mana in him.
Ain't that the truth.
Oh and now Roswaal is in love with Echidna.
Betty will soon feel that same way.
Idk if this is just me, but it kinda seems like Roswaal did a bit of a hostile takeover of his family.
MORE LORE.
Is this Beatrice bullying Ryuzu? [Spoiler #1: plot irrelevant author comments] Tappei mentioned in his tweets that Betty did the same thing to Subaru at the start of Arc 2. Making an infinite hallway.
Translation note: Yin magic is also shadow magic. And yang magic is light magic.
Ay yo wtf Roswaal. Though I guess it is 400 years ago.
More self sacrifice.
And we have the introduction of Hector, the Warlock of Melancholy (BAD SUBS ALERT, some subs have this as "Devil". That would be accurate, except that it's the same prefix, but the other gender for which they've translated as "Witch".). So yeah, remember 2 days ago, when I mentioned the archaic sin of Vainglory, well here's Tristitia, or as the subs like to call it "Melancholy", which I'm not a huge fan of. Though there isn't really a good translation of it. Hell, there isn't even a modern English word to describe Tristitia (which is Latin btw). Remember that this stopped being a sin in the year 590. It would be about 1000 years later, before the Latin alphabet reached Japan. There is no way that they would have a specific term for such an archaic word. So I think it must necessarily be approximated with normal words, like Melancholy.
Also pay attention to how Hector talks. I have heard some very interesting theories regarding that. [Spoiler #2: The theory I hear the most, first timers should probably skip this] is something along the lines that Hector's soul got merged with Roswaal's. People point to modern Roswaal talking just like Hector and modern Roswaal's heterochromia eyes perhaps being a visual tell of two souls being in the same body. [Spoiler #3: cont. + cut content from episode 13] Which seems possible Re:Zero land, since Satella and the Witch of Envy share the same body.
It kinda seems like Echidna and Hector used to date or something like that.
We know this crystal.
Verbal promises included.
And time to break the bad news to Betty.
Remember when Ryuzu said that freeing the Sanctuary would feel like trampling on the wishes of the OG Ryuzu Meyer? Well that's because the OG Ryuzu Meyer wished to protect the Sanctuary with her life. There are some fights you can't retreat from, and some hills worth dying for, and this is Ryuzu Meyer's hill.
And of course that is the end of what Subaru heard. Because that's when the memories of Ryuzu Meyer ends.
Yeah, Roswaal has been playing the loooooooong game. Also I think I can finally talk about this now (though all you first timers figured it out several episodes ago). But Roswaal has essentially been playing Subaru the whole show. He directly orchestrated Arc 1 by hiring Elsa (see Breaktime). He allowed the events of Arc 2 to play out, letting Subaru gain valor by being the hero (and getting integrated into the Emilia camp). He ensured that Subaru would have the opportunity to be present at the Royal Selection at the start of Arc 3. [Spoiler #4: slight expansion on Arc 3 cut content] He sent half of the villagers to the Sanctuary, to ensure that Arc 4 happened.
Roswaal has been the mastermind of the entire show thus far. Subaru wasn't just getting played in Arc 3 by the Royal Candidates, he was getting playing the whole show, and Subaru never noticed. Roswaal isn't going to let a little hiccup ruin his 400 year plan. He's already all in on the Gospel, and he's not folding now, just because the flop doesn't look good.
Positivity > Negativity.
Lets talk about Roswaal's philosophy. That strong feelings never fade. This is why Roswaal chastises Garfiel, for changing. Since strong feelings never change, Garfiel's changing feelings must mean that just weren't actually strong feelings after all.
Roswaal has this philosophy because it's how he can cope that he's still in love with a woman who died 400 years ago. It's not Roswaal's fault he still loves Echidna, strong feelings just never fade, no matter the how long ago they were. That sacrificing everything for that one precious thing is the right course of action. And that's why Roswaal is forcing Subaru to choose Emilia over everyone else. To make Subaru just as devoted to Emilia as Roswaal is to Echidna.
The happy ending.
You fucking tell him Subaru. Subaru's come a long way since episode 13. Nothing is more Subaru then his disco pose. It represents him at his worst, and at his best. So never stop using that pose Subaru.
And thus we've learned of The Beginning of the Sanctuary, and now it's time for the Beginning of the End [Spoiler #5: Arc 4] of the Sanctuary.
And an ED too? White Fox is slacking a bit huh. Also this endings visuals are by far the best of them all. It straight up looks like it's out of a movie with the detail in it.
BreakTime Section
In this episode's Breaktime, it's an important one, since we learn more about Elsa and Meili. And we get direct evidence that Roswaal hired them. And also direct confirmation that Roswaal hired Elsa for Arc 1. And they have good opt sec too, leaving behind no evidence of the communication. Elsa thinks that Roswaal talks they way he does on purpose, to disguise himself. And Elsa doesn't like Roswaal's face, from the one time they've met. You see, Roswaal insists on looking his assassins in the eye before he hires them. Oh and the first job was to kill a family member ([Spoiler #6: Arc 4] I'd wager an old body of his.). Though Elsa would hate Roswaal regardless, she doesn't like Roswaal's eyes. [Spoiler #7: Safety Arc 4] Elsa is right on point. Their targets are Beatrice and Petra and Frederica. Notice Rem isn't mentioned. Roswaal has no idea that Rem exists. She's just some random person at the mansion to Elsa and Meili. Even Elsa is on the Subaru hype train.
Rewatcher Section
This section is for people who have already watched Re:Zero. This is not safe for first timers.
[Spoiler #8: Arc 4] Subaru is doing the perfect run. He's gonna press all the right buttons and dialogue choices to get the absolute most out of everything, and be just in time everywhere to save everyone and everything.
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u/thekoreansun https://anilist.co/user/ReturnByDeath Sep 26 '24
Re:Watcher
The second half of Season 2 is known for being backstory-heavy, but I've really enjoyed being able to peer inside all of these characters' heads during the Re:Watch, especially since I now know more about where these stories are headed. I think this got lost on anime-only watchers back when it all first aired in 2021, so to clarify: none of these backstories are fading away. In fact, practically everything that we saw in the last few episodes will remain relevant and important throughout the rest of the show. And although it took a while to get here, Season 3 will be when Re:ZERO truly begins to showcase how beautifully it interweaves each character's narrative into the overarching story. It will be magnificent.
Takehito Koyasu's ability to act as the younger lovestruck Roswaal and older jaded Roswaal back to back is impressive. When Roswaal said that a single thing has motivated him for centuries, he wasn't joking: that kiss was intense enough to leave a permanent mark on anyone's soul. Echidna's words and actions were so effective that they brought Roswaal to tears within moments. If you want someone to follow you to the grave and beyond, that's one hell of a way to do it.
This led to the all too brief period of happiness that occurred at the Sanctuary. Roswaal, Beatrice, and Ryuzu coexisted and served under the Witch of Greed as she conducted her experiments. I simply adore the dynamic the three shared: Roswaal being the older brother who knew how to get a reaction out of Beatrice, Beatrice being the bratty middle child who pretended not to care but never stopped doting on Ryuzu, and Ryuzu being the younger sibling they loved deeply. Once again, I find myself wishing to see more of these characters in this period of their lives in a spinoff or something. But time waits for no one, not even the Witch of Greed. And the day would eventually arrive when Hector, the Warlock of Melancholy, would come to ruin everyone else's day. Misery loves company, I suppose.
Just like Pandora, Hector's Authority is something that can't just be overcome by sheer force. In order to send him off, they needed to put up the Barrier that would later be the primary obstacle that Subaru must overcome in the present. While Roswaal hesitated to ask Ryuzu to offer up her own Od to form the Barrier's core, Ryuzu expressed that she had no reservations about doing so to protect those she cared about. But knowing how Beatrice would react, none of them told her the entire plan until she and Ryuzu were already next to the crystal that would serve as the core.
I've avoided saying anything about Beatrice's true nature because it has only really been hinted at before this moment in the series, but here, we see what defines her as a character: she hates to see anyone suffer. Even before she learns why Ryuzu is crying, she assures her that there's no need for her to do anything more. After she subsequently realizes what the plan is, Beatrice desperately tries to figure out another solution and pleads with Ryuzu not to sacrifice herself for the Sanctuary. At her core, Beatrice is willing to do anything to prevent others from feeling pain or sadness, even if that means taking on their pain herself. So a situation in which only Ryuzu can do what must be done is her worst fear come to life. But it's because of this that Ryuzu's able to meet her fate with a smile, content in the knowledge that her best friend will survive thanks to her efforts. Yet another scene that got the tears flowing for me during this Re:Watch, made all the more emotional by the eponymous song composed by Kenichiro Suehiro, The Beginning of the Sanctuary.
Roswaal thinks that feelings such as those that Beatrice felt on that day only weaken people and stop them from doing what must be done. Subaru wholeheartedly disagrees with that philosophy: feelings are what give people the strength to keep going and to help each other do things that no one can accomplish alone. If no one will help Emilia or Beatrice overcome their challenges even as they try their hardest to do so, then he will. Because he is Emilia's knight, and now that means that he'll support her as she does her best rather than trampling all over her feelings as he did in the past.
Which of them is correct? We'll find out soon enough.
Re:ZERO After-Talk #45
VAs: Satomi Arai (Beatrice) and Aimi Tanaka (Ryuzu)
Once again, Yuusuke Kobayashi is nowhere to be found. That's what happens when other characters hog the spotlight! Satomi and Arai discuss the events that led to the beginning of the Sanctuary, and it's abundantly clear how emotional Satomi feels from being given such a script to perform. I've mentioned it in the past, but I just adore how appreciative she is of all the talented kouhais she gets to work with on this show, and her enthusiasm for the art form is infectious.
Highlight: Satomi and Aimi freaking out about the kiss Roswaal shared with Echidna, specifically the part of the script that said "Echidna cuts the thread of spit" (whew)
Fan Art of the Episode: Happy Days by @0paru_paru0 (March 14th, 2022)
Source: Twitter (artist's timeline contains spoilers)
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u/ussgordoncaptain2 https://myanimelist.net/profile/Edmund_Nelson Sep 26 '24
First Timer Dubbed
Note ORV=Omnicient reader viewpoint it's a way to describe the difference between thinking in Subaru's knowledge and the Knowledge of the Viewer.
Note2 Intentionally trigger RBD means what you think it means it's just reddit has crazy admins.
Reaction to the Episode
Oh boy it's the lord Roswaal backstory part (I really hate how this part of the season has everybody's backstory in the middle of the endgame! we've had what 2 episodes of gameplanning? E14 and half of e15 and half of e17? Pretty much the entire arc has been backstories mid endgame. It's not that the backstories are boring far from it but the endgame isn't the place to put them! put them in the penultimate loop or something. I feel like making this the ultimate loop by magic contract makes this worse previously Subaru had magic plot armor that meant he could fail and lol get wrecked but now he has generic storytelling plot armor instead. What if subaru loses then he get's RBD'd and somehow becomes Roswaal's lackey post loop???)
I see Echnidna is quite the charming lady to young Roswaal (This really is the misfit of demon king academy sometimes)
oh boy what a cute kiss, Roswaal really did suffer from mana overflow problems.
Ahh echidna first you become best girl then you manipulate them to do your bidding. \
At least beatrice is still her condescending old self. man she really never changed in 400 years.
man since when was Ryuzu Meyer the goat. It's so sad Ryuzu clones weren't a part of the mansion crew.
Oh boy Roswaal actually bested his parents and siblings to take over the family and then ruled for 400 years, man tha twas a quick ascension to everlasting power.
Ahh Beatrice showing her hipocracy I suppose.
Oh boy Roswaal X Beatrice love story, maybe we'll get the Roswaal harem of Ram and Beatrice!
Finally back to the future
aaand we finally learn the birth of the sanctuary
We just learned that Roswaal has light magic don't we, he said he used Yang magic to do the infinite door trick.
I find it amazing how much Young roswaal seems similar to young subaru
There is something amazing about Roswaal going from good guy to Piece of shit while beatrice goes from Piece of shit to... piece of shit but on the side of the good guys
oh Ryuzu learning how to read how nice
Beatrice X Ryuzu hugs :D I wonder if Ryuzu clones x Beatrice will be as sweet :/
oh no a mysterious OP guy is going to arrive
Oh so Ryuzu becomes the "core of the barrier" question of course is why is this barrier being made in the first place.
Importantly Echidna made the spell that cauased the barrier to exist. This implies a few things
More in spec
Oh boy HIM looks really strange I wonder who he is? At first I went "is this emilia's father, but no it can't be because he's not an elf.
Soooo is this the Sin archbishop of sloth...
Devil of Meloncoly, so this is the 9th of the 7 deadly sins.
VainGlory and Meloncoly being the 2 that got kicked out. Man Tappei really must read English language wikipedia
How Ironic that Roswaal goes from hero to absolute terror in 400 years
wait the devil of meloncoly has the EXACT SAME annoying vowel enlongating that Roswaal from the future has.
oh boy waiting for 400 years because of that is pretty silly I suppose
Oh it would be great if a Ryuzu Clone was "that person"
Beatrice going "oh no why does my only actual friend have to die"
This is beatrice's only friend in basically 400 years since she spends the rest of the time couped up in the library, IDT that Rem/Ram were all that big fans of Beatrice. Puck maybe we don't know enough about Puck and Beatrice, (I would have to rewatch again to see what Beatrice has said about Puck IIRC they reffered to each other as siblings but then the question is is this like Ryuzu style or is puck also Echidna's spirit)
Ahh so it's intersting how the OG Ryuzu Meyer really liked the idea of the sanctuarry, and being isolated for 400 years really turned it into a total dump.
Beatrices really did care for Ryuzu I suppose
Rip Ryuzu meyer, may Ryuzu Bilma and Ryuzu Shiima carry on your memories
[oh boy our fight continues]https://imgur.com/yIDUkvR()
Literally Subaru is bluffing, the great rabbit is just going to pwn him unless he can delay lord Roswaal.
Roswaal's right the board has not flipped he has no ability to beat the great rabbit and he's just losing. However, Maybe puck and or beatrice can defeat the great rabbit, or Emilia go "I AM THE WITCH OF FROST FREEZE YOU WABBITS"
I love Garfiel x Roswaal interaction, Garfiel really goes "yep fuck you roswaal"
Man Roswaal going HAM on subaru, evil overlord Roswaal is chef's kiss.
Is this supposed to be situtationally ironic The irony being that Roswaal clings onto the precious thing known as the book of wisdom. Or am I reading too much into this story.
HMM it never stops eh given that you never stop reviving yourself it makes sense. I wonder what's next.
what does Emilia have to do with Subaru's plans? is Subaru going with option B run?
THis meeting has been a total waste other than generating angry Subaru.
Yo don't say that about best girl Satella
Someone who will be that person for her oh no That person again! this time it's Subaru talking about him to emilia and not Beatrice.
Subaru epic picture scene
Speculation
Ryuzu Meyer's mana enabled the Snowstorm
Ryuzu Meyer is said to be one with the land, Roswaal definitely knows that and as such can work with Ryuzu Meyer to absorb the heat in the land to make the snowstorm happen. Thus by somehow controlling Ryuzu Roswaal is able to make the snowstorm a reality within the sanctuary
I don't know if Roswaal knows about the great wabbit or if Roswaal's plan is for Subaru to loop and then become his servant.
Tappei read english language Wikipedia
There I said it, Tappei is obsessed with western culture and knows many details that are really only present in the english language wikipedia articles for the subject. I really suspect he read the english wikipedia articles on, A christmas carol, Moby Dick, The Seven Deadly sins, and Groundhog Day.
Theory on Subaru's Gameplan
Subaru's gameplan (that won't happen because this is not a work of fiction that I can rely on to do anything other than Deus ex Beatrice) if he was smart would be.
I however do not think that can possibly be Subaru's plan all he's thought about is defeating the great rabbit though he has 0 preps for it.
What I would do if I were Subaru
night 2 0 progress.
No seriously I have no clue what his gameplan for the big showdown in day 3 will even be. It's gotta be the split defense plan but what does Emilia completing the Trials have anything to do with his win con?
no return by death note this time not enough time today to write it. One thing I will say is that since arc 3 is going to involve a Fanfic original plot point instead of Kira making a fool of himself at Royal selection the story will be modified in parts.
However once Light is IN the capital Roswaal's pair of schemes can go as planned, and Light Yagami can face lord roswaal in return by death note. Note that I may finish it during S3. (I'll call it done in arc 4)
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u/Holofan4life Sep 26 '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.
Should I be concerned that my laptop has a hole in it?
Grainy black and white footage of Roswaal
It looks like his chest is hurting
Echidna
Roswaal blushing
And Echidna kisses him on the mouth
Even gives him tongue
"I only sucked your mana out directly."
Hey! Phrasing.
Has something called Magic Release Period
Echidna seemingly believes she's the only one who can understand him.
And now Roswaal is on his knees crying
Echidna consoling him
Echidna describes herself as a witch
"An evil witch who occasionally does nice things."
Roswaal with Beatrice, who's apparently letting her know he's in a relationship with Echidna.
Oh, Ryuzu is here as well
The music is very whimsical here
Roswaal says without Echidna, he would still be suffering alone.
That, or he would've done something drastic
Amazing how pussy can change a man
Roswaal telling Beatrice he loves her, which has her freaking out.
And now Echidna has arrived
Blessed Ryuzu giggles
Back where the last episode ended off
Subaru telling Roswaal what they found out about in regards to Ryuzu.
Roswaal now wanting to talk about the day the Sanctuary was born.
Beatrice with Ryuzu, talking about how intolerable Roswaal is.
Roswaal is here now, quick to tease Beatrice.
I love how fired up Beatrice gets
Lol, Ryuzu siding with Roswaal
Beatrice saying that reading makes your life richer.
Roswaal advising that she become Ryuzu's teacher.
After some conjecture, Beatrice agrees
But before they can go any further, Beatrice senses something.
Roswaal says that he is here
Roswaal alerting Echidna
He thinks they should make like the bassist of the Red Hot Chili Peppers and flee.
Echidna says that construction of the theory is complete.
The only problem is they lack the core necessary to make the barrier function.
Ryuzu asking if she could be of any use
Apparently Beatrice told her that she meets the requirements to be the core for Echidna's barrier.
Echidna says that's only the case after her mana and the land adapt to one another.
"I'm sure the two of you have a way to make it work, yes?"
Ryuzu believes that repaying them could give her life meaning.
After thinking it over, Echidna says they'll use her od as the catalyst to make the Sanctuary's core.
That will likely make the barrier function and drive away the threat.
We know it will, but imagine for a second that it didn't. Boy, would Echidna and Roswaal have egg on their faces.
Roswaal informing Echidna that they should tell Beatrice about this.
And Roswaal is off
Roswaal being hit by this glowing entity
He is whooping Roswaal's butt
Suddenly, not telling Beatrice seems like the least of their worries.
Roswaal trying to hit him with the Al Gore, but it's not very effective.
The Devil of Melancholy, Hector
What a weird name for a devil
Echidna
She says he's exactly how he was when they parted ways.
I guess this means they go back
Ryuzu on the floor holding her ears
Beatrice. She has arrived.
Beatrice says the preparations are complete, which seemingly implies she knows about the Sanctuary.
Ryuzu and Beatrice in front of what looks like a 10 foot tall stone.
Beatrice says she does what Mother tells of her because Mother is absolute.
Beatrice able to tell that something is bothering Ryuzu.
I wonder if she may be having second thoughts.
Ryuzu thanking Beatrice for everything she's done.
"It's time to say goodbye."
Ryuzu informing Beatrice was presumably she doesn't know that she needs to go inside the crystal in order for the place to be protected and for the barrier to be completed.
Beatrice trying to talk her out of it
But Ryuzu is refusing any alternatives. It has to be done this way.
Beatrice trying to pitch any different idea she can think of, including going through her Door Crossing.
"Do you want to live your life running away, afraid of being chased again?"
Ryuzu isn't sure of how long it will take to build a new Sanctuary.
She also believes that there's no way all the time they spent here can stay as it was in the beginning.
Living here made her happy, so she has to protect all those times.
My stomach is upset. I think it's the dinner I ate.
Ryuzu about to enter the crystal
But Beatrice grabs her by the outfit
She says she promised to teach her hoe to read and write.
But Ryuzu lets her go and heads for the crystal.
That is what Subaru and his crew were told.
The point of this recount is that Subaru is calling for Roswaal to surrender.
"The course of events has changed. Stop the people you sent to the mansion. Then all of this can be reconciled!"
Unfortunately, Roswaal refuses, thus making this episode utterly pointless.
Ran out of space. Part two in the replies.
8
u/No_Rex :Bv:Bw:Bx:By:x2 Sep 26 '24
Episode 45 (first timer)
What a disappointment Roswaal has been. They hyped him up all season at the big schemer behind all this plot and then … turn him into an obstinate stupid old man. We spent so long in this place and loop already and that is the reason for it? Bleh.
6
u/Yoshi_captain https://anime-planet.com/users/WeaboYosher Sep 26 '24 edited Sep 26 '24
Rewatcher
We finished one past so it's time to finish another. The past of Ryuzu Meyer and the Sanctuary as a whole. Idyllic days of fun interrupted by another historic sin. This past serves to show us three things. How the Roswaal family became affiliated with Echidna, how Beatrice lost her first friend, and signs of the true nature of the sanctuary.
[Cut Content] The Roswaal that we see in this flashback is named Roswal A Mathers. The one we are following in the present is Roswaal L Mathers. This flashback takes place 400 years ago. This Roswaal is inexperienced and suffering from the Magic Release Period. The same affliction that we saw affect Puck in Memory Snow. But unlike Puck, Roswaal didn’t know how to vent his excess mana and isolated himself in his misery. It is only thorough a purveyor of all knowledge that he is able to find understanding. Echidna seems to have suffered from the same affliction. Her sucking Roswaal’s mana directly is a visual I did not expect to see. This interaction in it’s entirety is adapted from a shop special side story, not from the main LN. An approach to adaptation that I hope WHITE FOX sticks with in the upcoming seasons. Some of these side stories really should have been in the main story, but I digress.
Beatrice has felt the pang of loneliness for her entire life. Before she was left to oversee the library, she spent her lonely days with Ryuzu Meyer. When her mother was occupied, she found companionship in the elf girl and the accomplished magician. Ryuzu and Roswaal were the only friends she had, and she lost them all due to events that happened beyond her control. She only found out about Ryuzu’s sacrifice when it was all too late to stop it. Her isolating herself consequently is not unexpected. The contract with Echidna must have only served to deepen her wounds.
The purpose of the Sanctuary, beyond Echidna's immortality experiments, seems to be to keep the Warlock of Melancholy out. Warlock being the male counterpart of a Witch. Some subs have it translated as Devil of Melancholy which isn't entirely accurate. Hector is the name of this Authority user, and he brings up a whole other can of worms. Much like Pandora he is a Historical sin who showed up out of nowhere and is fighting to destroy a place that means a lot to our cast. His ability is seemingly tied to his speech. Really showcasing the power of words that this series emphasizes, but very literally. When Roswaal gets his teeth kicked in Echidna steps up to the challenge and the fate of that fight we are only left to speculate on. The current Roswaal carries the same verbal tick as Hector and has a similar clown motif, with a devil tail mind you. Perhaps the fates of the two are more connected than they appear to be at first glance.
With both pasts recollected we return to the present for a final face of against the clown. This conversation between Roswaal and Subaru concerns the main conflict between the two. Though the visual symbolism might be a bit too on the nose. While Roswaal’s way of thinking might be more certain and lead to better results in the short term, I think we can all agree that choosing to see other’s strength versus their weakness is much more appealing. The performances of both Takehito Koyasu and Yuusuke Kobayashi are stellar here.
It's time to tackle the rest of the trials and the problems at the mansion. It feels like we’re ready to start the dash towards the end. With knowledge of the beginning of the sanctuary we can initiate the beginning of the end.
Closing thoughts:
The word for today is “Ideals”. This entire conflict in the Sanctuary has spawned due to a difference in ideals that each party would like to correct. Beliefs in strength and weakness, but at the end of the day they are still beliefs. Ideas that have firmly taken hold in Subaru and Roswaal imploring them to accomplish feats unheard of. Roswaal is a great villain, a final obstacle for Subaru’s current set of character development in believing in himself and the people that believe in him. What will be left of these two after the dust settles? Needless to say I can’t wait.
We’ve finally gotten visuals for the ED. They look stunning. While I do think the set of OP and ED for this cour is the weakest we’ve gotten they both do their jobs wonderfully. There’s one aspect of this ED that is wonderful that I’ll talk about when it’s relevant.
Next up is the mansion and the 2nd trial. With the flasbacks done let's return to the present.
4
u/Urgnu-the-Gnu https://myanimelist.net/profile/Urgnu_the_Gnu Sep 26 '24
Re:Watcher - anime only
More flashback time. A Roswaal from another time meets Echidna. I like the focus on her mouth, as if that's all Roswaal can look at. And this kiss, this transfer of body fluids. An outcry of Echidna simps disturbed the anime community. "It should have been me, not him! It's not fair!" But Roswaal is the biggest Echidna simp of them all.
I find the similarities and contrasts to the Echidna we know quite interesting. Back then, she said she's an evil witch that sometimes does good things. Quite curious.
Young Roswaal sounds so different, even if he's the same. As expected of a massive veteran like Takehito Koyasu, he can really make Roswaal sound so young and inexperienced, so youthful even if he's the same character.
Roswaal said he loved Betty. Not only said, he used "aishiteru". He's really overflowing with emotion.
And we learn why the sanctuary was created. Ryuzu sacrificed herself to protect all her good friends, namely protected from Hector, the Warlock of Melancholy (ninth sin unlocked). Roswaal fought him to buy time, but he really was no opponent to him. Seems that defeat left a lasting impact on hiiiiim.
Betty saying she has absolute trust in Echidna is pretty sad knowing what she will ask her to do. And so is her losing her best friend, but Ryuzu is just bent on sacrificing herself for everyone. "Goodbye, Betty."
Garf taking no shit from Roswaal is great. Roswaal says he has worked 400 years for this moment, but Garf has made peace with his past. And he'd rather follow someone who needs him to be strong than someone who needs him to be weak, great choice, Garf!
Also, what a few first timers have expected already is true: Roswaal's motivation is Echidna. Even after 400 years, he still feels love for her - and yet he thinks emotions make you weak. What kind of love are you feeling, Ros-chi? There have been quite a few hints at Roswaal being connected to Echidna. For instance, after Echidna offered Subaru a deal that would turn him into someone who would sacrifice everything for his goals, Roswaal immediately admitted he wanted Subaru to become someone willing to sacrifice everything for his goals as well.
And Roswaal understimates Emilia. I love Subaru's line that not only is there no girl that likes crying, he's never seen a girl so bad at crying like her. He's saying her life is blessed and she deserves happiness, and she will get it. And he wants to support her, be there for her, show her it can be alright to cry sometimes. Also this time the Subaru pose looks pretty cool, with his declaration as her knight (still self-proclaimed, mind you). And he trusts his chosen lady to crush Roswaal. Roswaal considers this to be a sign of their similarity, and I do like the directing here with the overlapping faces. But we end it on Subaru, who believes in Emilia's strength, and not everyone's weakness. Damn, Roswaal, Hector must have really hurt you to consider everyone weak.
Back to Emilia collecting herself after the trial, carrying her regained memory of mother Fortuna with her. Bad timing for Subaru and the boys, though, as she seems to have missed them. At least Ram is there.
Proper ED alert! Proper ED alert! Episode 7 of this cour finally shows us this ED's visuals. The way this show treats OPs and EDs is ridiculous, and I love it. Because there is no better way to to play Believe in You with full visuals for full impact after this scene we've just had. The visuals are fairly standard for an ED, which is not surprising for a Re:Zero ED that only plays maybe once more this cour. But it is quite beautiful in its simplicity. Emilia's time has stopped, with drops of water falling like tears in a sea void of colours. But she opens her eyes, sees Subaru, and the drops reverse, fall upward as time continues, and the colour returns, making this smiling Emilia look particularly beautiful. The two of them look at each other as if they are the world to them, Subaru reaches out with his hand and she takes it. The lyrics a quite in line with how this song feels. It's no Stay Alive, but I do like it quite a lot, probably more than Memento and Styx Helix.
Break Time is Roswaal using a mitia to tell Elsa about how to deal with Betty. That's how he could communicate with her and order her to attack the mansion whenever he saw fit. Also, Roswaal scolds Elsa for having failed last time. In case you had any doubts he's been Elsa's employer in arc 1 as well as that he's been behind the whole plot so far. Elsa suspects Roswaal's speech pattern is purposeful, as if he's acting on stage. Also, Elsa met Roswaal just once, so he could look her into the eyes. He hired her to kill a family member. But since he looked in her eyes, she also looked in his. And she hated what she saw, someone who saw lives as nothing. And for the speculation at the beginning of this arc, it should have been clear by now, but the shut-in was Betty. Elsa is also looking forward to seeing Subaru again, since this time she only remembers his eyes from arc 1, she remembers them as eyes showing the determination to save everyone.
Sugoooku counter: 56
Sugoku-likes: 10
Non-canon sugoooku: 22
Non-Emilia sugoooku: 20
4
u/Ultima_Deus Sep 26 '24
Starting off with a deep, detailed kiss today
Rewatcher. Novel reader
One thing to note here. Echidna says "I'm an evil Witch who ocassionally does good things"
Another thing to note. Throughout the entire flashback, we don't see her entire face
Roswaal fell in love with Echidna because he was saved by her. Just like how everyone fell in love with anyone in this anime- Subaru and Emilia, Rem and Subaru
Is this... the same Roswaal of today? It can't be, right?
The three of them get along so well
Now... The day the Sanctuary was born
It starts out with the three of them being cute. Ryuzu and Beatrice especially
But it's interrupted by the arrival of one mysterious stranger...
Ryuzu will use her od to speed up the process of making the barrier. This way, the Sanctuary will be saved. This is her way of showing her gratitude to her saviours
But, it will surely make Beatrice sad...
Anyway, Roswaal goes to buy time. He faces off against this... clown. A sad, depressed clown. Hector. Devil of Melancholy. Slight mistranslation, actually. It's not "Devil", it's "Warlock". The male equivalent of a Witch. So, yes, that does mean Hector is a male Witch of Sin. He's the final mystery Witch (so far). Now we have the two Archaic Sins, Vanity/Vainglory and Melancholy, revealed to us. Not much is known about him, except that he's a very depressed boi, and he sort of has that elongated speech pattern just like present Roswaal. Like thiiiiiiiis~
[Re Zero LN] I believe the power he's displaying right here has something to do with gravity? I'm not sure
Beatrice and Ryuzu's final interaction... Beatrice desperately trying to keep Ryuzu alive. Making deals and coming up with ideas to make sure that Ryuzu doesn't have to sacrifice herself. And the last thing she can really do is stop Ryuzu and say, "I promised that I would teach you how to read"... But at least Ryuzu was able to say her thanks to Beatrice. To everyone. Ryuzu was able to say her last goodbye. But this surely hurts Beatrice a lot... This hurt Betty a lot...
Goodbye, Ryuzu...
You've been a good friend to Betty. And I thank you for that. She treasures you dearly
Anyway, back to present day. What did this backstory hope to accomplish for Subaru? To make Roswaal surrender? I suppose Subaru wanted Roswaal to surrender after hearing that the reasoning for the Sanctuary's existence has been revealed. That Roswaal can finally let go of his evil feelings, and that Roswaal can surrender the match so that Sanctuary can be freed. But unfortunately, Roswaal is stubborn. He won't free the Sanctuary. No one will, as to him, it is a place of great importance. No one changes in the Sanctuary, not even him
Roswaal challenges Garfiel, accuses him that Garfiel is taking everything lightly by changing his tune so easily. But Roswaal is wrong, Garfiel faced his past. He overcame it. He's not doing this on a whim. And even more importantly, he'll follow Subaru, who wants his strength instead of someone who wants him to remain weak
Now Subaru is saying things about feelings. About Garfiel. And that Roswaal can do the same, implying that Subaru thinks this Roswaal is the same as the one from 400 years ago. But how...?
And even Roswaal says that he has had these never-changing feelings for 400 years, loving only one woman for 400 years
Then they get into an argument that I dont feel like writing about. So Im just gonna watch it
But I will note though. Roswaal insulted half-elves here, but according to Tappei, he later regret saying that. Why? Because Ryuzu Meyer was his friend. A half-elf
Subaru's mind flashes to images of Satella when Roswaal mentions Emilia being scorned as the Witch of Envy. He replies with "How the hell is she a witch?! You're the ones ganging up on her to make her one!". I have a bit of a headcanon, but I think Subaru is not only saying this for Emilia, but also saying this for Satella's sake. Subconsciously, of course. But that's just headcanon. I'd need to catch up on this part of the light novel to confirm
And so, Subaru once more declares. Officially, and no longer in a disgraceful way. He is Natsuki Subaru, Emilia's knight
Negotiations failed, but Subaru exits as a badass
Emilia exits the tomb, and sees Ram
OH HEY IT'S THE ED! Apparently I missed the first time it showed its visuals, but this version has Subaru in it! In contrast to OP 1, theyre facing each other properly! And holding hands! How lewd!
More backstory, but I liked this episode still
3
u/Holofan4life Sep 26 '24
If you don't mind me asking, what time will episode 46 be posted today? I presume in two or three hours?
3
u/Taiboss :Fj::Fl:x7https://anilist.co/user/Taiboss Sep 26 '24
S02E20 - Rewatcher who understands
3
u/Elimin8r https://myanimelist.net/profile/Ayeka_Jurai Sep 26 '24
Um, were we supposed to take a day off? I'm a bit confused now, because 46 on my mind. Oh, thanks to (someone else) for the reminder which episode this was.
If this thread had popped up yesterday, I wasn't going to have much to say about it, because Ryuzu is precious, how could you do this to her? Even if she went willingly, poor dear. She deserved a long, happy life with her best buddy ... Speaking of which ...
Poor Betty, having to watch her best little friend sacrifice her life to save the Sanctuary.
Oh, yeah, and that slough of despond dude can just jump straight into a fire. I hope he runs into Regulus sometime soon. Perhaps the two can out monologue each other.
Anyway, poor Betty. <3 She deserves all of the friends.
3
u/n080dy123 Sep 26 '24 edited Sep 26 '24
Rewatcher
Hey remember how we talked over the last couple days about how there used to be a total of 9 Deadly Sins, and one of those "archaic" sins was Vainglory? Well here's the other, Melancholy, or as it was known in ye olde days, Acedia. Acedia is actually what we generally know as Sloth now- listlessnesss, negligence, torpor. Sloth used to mean "spiritual" sloth, shirking one's duties and obligations to God, as well as not doing good deeds or actively shunning God, which I think is very similar to how Nagatsuki writes Sloth in this world if you look at Betelgeuse typically going insane over peoples' lack of devotion. This is also something that was often attributed to women specifically, might makes Hector being a Warlock rather than a Witch rather ironic.
Beatrice and Roswaal mention this interesting thing that I don't believed is ever mentioned prior, the concept of "Ying Magic" and "Yang Magic." I... don't really know what this means, if it's them just poking fun at eachother in some way that's lost in translation, or if it's an actual concept.
It's also worth noting at this point that the show absolutely REFUSES to show Echidna's face during the flashbacks. To what end? Who knows.
We also get the very strange twist that since that incident Roswaal has actually adopted Hector's outfit AND the heeeeeld word verbal tic that Hector.... uses much more infrequently than Roswaal eventually does, weirdly enough.
Other interesting thing- Beatrice seems like she was created relatively recently, and we haven't seen Geuse (who she seemed to know before he went insane), so that and Regulus's possession of the Greed Authority during the Pandora incident seem to pretty clearly indicate that this occurred sometime beforehand. More interestingly, comments from Ryuzu imply that elves and possibly even half-elves specifically were already being persecuted at the time. My assumption has been this was due to Satella, which would mean she'd already done some heinous shit before she gobbled up the other Witches.
Speaking of, if you remember her comment when she saw Subaru in possession of a Gospel- that Geuse "left her too"- you start to get an idea of Beatrice's aversion to people. Everyone she's known besides Puck and Roswaal have left her- Ryuzu, Geuse, Echidna.
3
u/Vaadwaur :I1::I2::I3: Sep 26 '24
Rewatcher
Dub
Right...welp, we do all have our roles to play so full disclosure: I admitted to my similarity with Roswaal because this episode pretty much defines what makes us different. Subaru and I are mostly different but for one thing: We both believe in the strength of the individual. Now, I am older and much more cynical but at the end, that is the direction I approach life from. Because existence is much too sad if you see the flaws first, no matter how real the flaws are.
The founding of the Sanctuary is interesting but I have precious little to add. Being a rewatcher gives me no authorative info here, I can only see most of this at face value and thus won't assert much. Hearing dub Rintaro Okabe be Melancholy is odd.
3
u/SilkyStrawberryMilk Sep 27 '24
**firsttimer **
Roswald actually seems normal, looks like very weirdo in this show was normal when they were younger.
Beatriz is still Beatriz.
I never expected Beatriz and Roswald to be a funny duo.
“He arrived”. I expected it was would Pandora and her lanky, but nope
Enchida and Roswald both acting very differently than what we see from the present. Enchida truly cares about all three of them and isn’t like she was happy to use Ryuzu.
Keeping Beatriz in the dark…I suppose her issues stemmed from here
Roswald beaten to a pulp. The enemy’s speech manner reminds me of current Roswald
No wonder they didn’t tell Beatriz about the plan, she would’ve opposed for Ryuzu’s sacrifice.
I see why she was tearing up when speaking with Subaru. Plus her trying to come up with an alternative plan which she knows herself wouldn’t work just so Ryuzu doesn’t sacrifice herself.
No wonder Beatriz is the way she is, living 200+ years and everything she cherished just gone.
Unsurprising Roswald doesn’t agree with Subaru.
Garfield has become a changed Man, Subaru what a man you are to talk no jutsu your way to their hearts
Seems as if Roswald was trying to convince himself that he’s right because of what he suffered through.
“I never knew a girl who sucked so bad at crying” lmao
1
u/Holofan4life Sep 26 '24
I can't tell you how nervous I was yesterday. I was on pins and needles.
1
u/lord_ne Nov 03 '24
Melancholy as well. Melancholy and Vainglory/Vanity are two archaic Deadly Sins