Episode 29
Parent and Child
| Index | <== Episode 28 | [Episode 30] ==> |
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!
by Theleux
15 Comments
**Re:Watcher**
The mysterious Trials occurring at the Sanctuary have finally revealed the truth behind Subaru’s past. What sort of life could have caused him to so earnestly embrace his status as an isekai protagonist? It turns out… a largely happy one. Who could have guessed that Subaru, with all of the emotional baggage he carries with him, had such a loving family? That his constant desire to achieve more originates from the overwhelmingly high opinion he has of his father? Or that he got his mean-looking eyes from the kindest mother in the world? All this time, his perception of himself has warped his view of his past life into one of constant failure, but now that we can see it for ourselves, it really wasn’t bad at all. So why does he seem so pained by it?
It turns out that Subaru’s previous existence was not one of painful torment but one of painful relatability. Feeling lazy and unmotivated, counting down the ticks of the clock to the minute when punctuality became an impossibility, is how I spent many of my days in college. The anxiety of having to go out and face the world when I couldn’t even get off of my own bed was often overpowering. And beyond that, the confidence of youth fading away to feelings of inadequacy, the urge to get people to laugh if only to get a reaction out of them, the growing sense of dread as the responsibilities of one’s life snowball out of reach… I have felt all of these countless times. It’s an expression that has been overused, but Subaru is literally me. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a little Subaru in all of us.
In all likelihood, Subaru would not have passed his Trial had he taken it before now. Had he still thought that his life in a different world would grant him immunity from his actions in the world he left behind, he wouldn’t have been able to confront himself in such a direct manner without breaking; his shame at being brought face-to-face with his old habits would have been too much for him to bear. But a voice like a silver bell calls out to remind him of what he has learned since he last left home. He never had to be anyone other than himself. He may have been afraid of failure growing up, but it was failure that shaped him into the person he is today: Emilia’s knight, and Rem’s hero. Both of which are titles that he now wears with pride.
Nevertheless, Subaru still has regrets. He may be able to come to terms with his past now, but when he looks back on how much trouble he put his parents through, he wonders how he could have ever responded to their kindness in such a callous manner. What kind of son could treat his parents in such a way? But even a trial such as this one cannot stop his oldest and strongest supporters from expressing their unconditional love for him. Kenichi earnestly rejects the idea that he could ever hate Subaru for struggling to overcome himself. At the end of the day, school isn’t the end-all-be-all that so many people make it out to be, and becoming a NEET need not make someone feel like a failure. Subaru’s dad believes in his ability to do great things no matter what he thinks about himself. Meanwhile, Naoko accepts everything that makes Subaru who he is. She wants Subaru to be kinder to himself and to offer himself the freedom to determine what type of person he wants to become. And in a pure expression of motherly love, she allows the half of herself that is within him to become whatever it wants: to be Subaru, not anyone else.
It isn’t easy to see how much of your personality is informed by your environment until you find yourself in a new one, and Subaru’s parents explain so much about the person he is. Kenichi’s positivity and understanding. Naoko’s sincerity and compassion. Subaru was able to absorb the best of his parents into himself, and they are literally living on in him.
He loves his parents so much that it hurts him to see them both for what may be the final time. His grief is enormous, especially because he’ll likely never be able to repay them for all of the happiness they have given him over the years. It’s only thanks to his mother’s generous parting words that he is able to regain his footing:
> “We didn’t have you because we wanted you to do something for us. We had you because we wanted to do something for *you*.”
And with that statement, Naoko is able to do one more thing for her son before he sees himself off. She waves him off as she did when he left the house for the final time. But this time, Subaru’s able to find it within himself to wave back. [Arc 6] >!I absolutely love the director’s decision to shift perspective to the stained mug in the kitchen sink when Naoko calls after her son for the last time. What a brilliantly subtle way to reference what Subaru is thinking in that moment.!<
I said it before, didn’t I? Everyone in this world has been fighting a personal battle of some kind since they came here. And try as we might to get a read on how other people are navigating their struggles, all of us have learned to conceal our own pasts to some extent. We cloak our insecurities in a facade of strength, mask our fears with a brave face, and keep our vulnerabilities hidden away within ourselves. Some have even been able to fool themselves into thinking that they can leave their pasts behind altogether, as Subaru did last season. But the past will always be tied to the present, and inevitably, each of us will face a trial that forces us to confront it. So the question remains: would you pass yours?
—
[**Re:ZERO After-Talk #29**](https://youtu.be/6_t9etp667c)
**VAs:** Yuusuke Kobayashi (Subaru) and Kousuke Toriumi (Kenichi)
I find it really nice how Yuusuke Kobayashi spends this After-Talk explaining to Kousuke Toriumi, who is unfamiliar with the overall narrative of Re:ZERO, what kind of character Subaru is like and what this episode implies about his growth. It almost sounds like they’re an actual father-son duo with how he explains his character’s arc! Yuusuke also describes how he lived with his parents and found little work early on in his voice acting career, saying that his parents’ kindness was scarier than if they had told him to follow a different career path. Voicing Subaru’s lines in this episode apparently hit him incredibly close to home.
**Highlight:** Kousuke Toriumi talking about how he’s almost 46 years old but still receives regular calls from his parents and starts wanting to see them again whenever he hears their voices
—
**Fan Art of the Episode:** [*Parent and Child*](https://files.catbox.moe/kz0zg9.jpg) by kumuo (July 30th, 2020)
**Source:** [Twitter](https://twitter.com/roikumama/status/1288527637199982592) (artist’s timeline contains spoilers)
I don’t think I’ve ever seen an isekai show address the separation between the MC and their parents. But when you see it here, you really start to wonder “Why don’t other isekais do it? This is genius.”
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 pjoyous 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.
Sometimes I wonder if the rest of the world is crazy and I’m the only sane one.
Subaru being armbarred by his dad
And Subaru is finally getting the upper hand.
Or maybe not lol
Oh God. Subaru’s mom has the dead mom hair.
[](#lwahorror)
Subaru definitely got his looks from his father.
PEAS
No doubt it’s full of country goodness and green pea-ness.
Dad saying that every moment of every day is a precious, once-in-a-lifetime moment.
Miso soup with wakame seaweed plus toast with strawberry jam.
Somebody call Binging With Babish
Nobody wants to eat the peas
I like peas :c
And now it’s turned into a pea pilaf
It looks like something from Attack on Titan, it’s so intimidating.
At least they finally finished it
Subaru’s head. It suddenly hurts.
He heads to his room, his heart pumping out his chest.
The clock ticking intently
Lol, the dad moonwalking into the room.
Subaru’s dad gives me slight Randy Marsh vibes.
Is… Is he implying that his son was masturbating?
Dad asks Subaru if there is a girl he likes.
After not answering him, now he’s talking about having a nice father-son talk.
Subaru and Dadbaru walking as the flower petals fall.
Ken. That’s the dad’s name.
He’s talking to some old guy
Subaru says a lot of people say he takes after his mom, which I don’t know how that’s possible when he and Dadbaru look so much alike.
In a Kyoani show, every character looks related.
Subaru having more migraines
And he ambles off
Dadbaru buying his son a Cola
Lol, he was trying to prank him
Dadbaru is quickly becoming one of my favorites. He is so cringe in an endearing sort of way.
Dad still asking if there is a girl he likes.
But suddenly, Emilia’s voice
Dad just trying to ignore the weirdness and repeat his question.
Subaru, however, wants him to cut right to the chase.
“Just come out and ask me why I didn’t go to school.”
I was pretty good at not skipping school. When it comes to work, though… Well, let’s just say the paid vacation days are quick intoxicating.
Subaru recognizes that he’s being disrespectful to his mom and dad, to which Dadbaru feels he’s being too hard on himself.
Says he’s prepared to brush it off as being beyond their control, which one honestly a mature way of looking at it.
Subaru and Dadbaru sitting on a bench.
I’m probably just going to call him Dadbaru since Ken doesn’t feel right.
Dadbaru doesn’t feel that school is everything.
Subaru, though, is wondering why he decided to tell him all this today.
After all, today is not a special day.
Maybe it’s because he’s just Ken, where anywhere else he’d be a ten. Perhaps his destiny is to live and die a life of dad fragility.
There, there’s your obligatory Barbie reference.
Subaru says today is Peas Day, which has me wondering if it is anything like Curry Day.
Dadbaru says that perhaps it was because the look on Subaru’s face seemed to be a little bit better, which seemingly catches Subaru off guard.
Dang, saying he has the eyes of his wife which looks mean. How cold.
Another migraine
And he hears Emilia’s voice again
Emilia
He sees her [](#awe)
It’s like Subaru and Emilia are floating in a field of jellyfish.
Oh no. Subaru doesn’t know who she is.
[](#smoke)
Move over “Who is Rem,” we have “Who is Emilia” now.
Subaru has memories of Emilia, but he can’t put a name to the face.
And now Subaru is resuming talking to his dad.
“There is a girl I like. I love Rem.”
Sorry, sorry, wrong script 😛
Subaru says he’ll be okay now
It’s tough because I feel sorry his parents rarely get to see their son anymore but I also want to see Subaru end up with Emilia, not to mention Rem and her coming to.
Subaru and Dadbaru still on the bench.
Subaru says he remembers everything now.
Actually, he already knew all of it. He was just pretending he didn’t see it.
That elephant in the room must’ve been awfully big.
Subaru wanted his mom and dad to call out his weakness, since he was the only one in pain.
Yeah, I don’t think Dadbaru is going to call you a self-righteous scumbag.
Now we’re seeing flashbacks of Subaru’s childhood.
Eventually, he was no longer the best at things he used to be the best at.
Even his grades started to fluctuate.
Eventually, he started to think that everything was pointless in this world. He was better off being the class clown, he felt like.
He was obsessed with making sure people didn’t think he was boring.
An anti Starmer, this one is
He made everyone think he could do anything.
“And so the things I did got dumber and dumber.”
I feel like that was the formula behind Jackass.
Subaru hanging out with the wrong crowd feeling obligated to do outrageous stuff I don’t think was anything I could’ve predicted his childhood being.
Also, why is he relaying this information to his father? Surely he already knows all this stuff.
Soon enough, there was no one left but Subaru.
In that moment, it dawned on him that there was nothing special about him at all.
He tried getting through middle school unnoticed, and unfortunately he made a bad first impression during high school.
A weeb making an awkward impression? Say it isn’t so!
He eventually decided that he did not want to go to school.
“It didn’t take even three months before I stopped going at all.”
If I had skipped going to school, my mom would’ve whooped my butt, but that’s neither here nor there.
Even despite not going, Subaru’s mom and dad treated him the same as always.
I assume that includes the peas and the moonwalking.
**Ran out of space. Part two in the replies.**
**First-Timer**
**On today’s episode of Re:Zero:** Eating an entire bowl of nothing but green peas sounds like a disgusting breakfast. Green peas are fine, but not on their own. They need to be part of something else to work.
– Oh no, Subaru’s mom has the “dead anime mom” hairstyle. [](#binoculars)
– A giant bowl of nothing but green peas really doesn’t seem that appetizing.
– Subaru looks like he’s on the verge of a panic attack at just the thought of going to school.
– Subaru takes more after his mother? What are you talking about? He looks almost like he could be his dad’s younger clone. [](#morethanonewaifu)
– I guess I can kind of see Subaru having the same eyes as his mother.
– As expected, Subaru is a shut-in. He refuses to talk about why he doesn’t go to school, but I imagine it’s for some combination of the usual reasons: bullying, ostracization, anxiety, depression.
– Ah, so it’s for a different reason. Subaru was a gifted kid who fell behind and then became a troublemaker to stand out in a different way.
– I see, Subaru felt crushed by the weight of expectations upon him with everyone comparing him to his father all the time.
– So Subaru tried doing the same disco pose to introduce himself at high school. I can certainly see that backfiring at school.
– Subaru needing to stand out and feel special, with the worst feeling for him being that he isn’t anyone special, does explain a lot about his behavior.
– Interestingly, Subaru seems to be quite bad at giving up. It’s like he needs permission from others to give up. He wanted Rem to give him that permission and he also wanted his parents to hate him and make him give up. In a weird way, his parents’ love and support was the opposite of what he wanted.
– This does explain part of why Subaru would be happy to be isekai’d. Nobody there has expectations for him based on who his family is. He isn’t being constantly compared to his dad.
– Subaru apologizing for not being able to make everything up to his parents is so sad. In all likelihood, he’ll never see them again. [](#makicry)
– I notice that Subaru is now proudly declaring he’s his father’s son. That’s quite a change.
– Good for Subaru, being able to head off to school again.
– Interesting comment from Subaru’s mom that he liked mayonnaise because his parents liked it. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, as the saying goes. Subaru would end up similar to his parents, knowingly or not.
– I like that Subaru’s mother can see right through him. Moms are like that.
– This is a sweet conversation. Subaru’s mom is telling him that even though he will have parts of his parents in him, he can take his time figuring out who he himself is.
– Ah, that’s painful in hindsight. The last words Subaru heard from his mom were her telling him to take care and he never answered. [](#sadholo)
– Why are you in the classroom, Echidna? [](#suddenshock)
– The ED song is really nice. [](#listen)
This episode does explain quite a few things about Subaru. For starters, Subaru’s hero complex makes a lot more sense in this context. When Subaru lashed out in Arc 3, he ranted about how Emilia should be thankful to him because he was the one who’d been saving her and that she wouldn’t be where she was without him. Subaru proclaimed himself to be a knight, declaring that he would be just as capable of fighting for Emilia as the other knights were. In other words, Subaru wanted to be special. That’s the same problem that Subaru had back in his old world. He wanted to stand out and be special. When he couldn’t stand out as an athlete or a smart student, he tried to stand out as a troublemaker. Accepting that he just wasn’t that special was part of the hurdle that Subaru had to overcome in Arc 3. He had to get over his stubbornness and pride to accept that he just couldn’t do everything he thought he could do. That mentality seems to be something he carried over from his old life.
I can see a lot of Subaru’s personality in his parents. Subaru has a tendency to try and talk his way out of awkward situations, for example. His father seems to be very similar, being quite talkative in those situations as well. I like that I can pick up on similarities like that beyond just visual similarities. Those similarities are another important part of explaining Subaru’s character. We can see where he gets it from.
I think that also explains why Subaru was happy to be reborn in another world. Subaru felt crushed by the weight of expectations upon him. In Arc 3, Subaru cried about how worthless he felt. We now know that part of that is because Subaru was comparing himself to his parents. When everyone around him talked about how similar he was to his father, Subaru must have felt like a failure for not measuring up to his father. And then, when Subaru began to withdraw from the outside world, that feeling of being a failure just got even worse. Part of Subaru’s excitement about being in a new world was that nobody would have great expectations for him. Nobody would be comparing him to his father. He could just be himself.
This actually creates an interesting parallel between Subaru and Emilia: both of them feel crushed by the expectations of others, though for opposite reasons. Subaru felt he could never live up to the people who expected him to be like his father. He could never be good enough to meet their expectations. Emilia is always hurt by others who expect her to be like the Witch of Envy. She could never be good enough to prove their expectations wrong. And they both withdraw from the outside world because they want to escape those feelings.
Something I appreciate about this episode is that it gets into some of the consequences about being reborn into another world. Unlike a lot of modern isekai, Subaru didn’t die and get sent to another world afterwards. He just ended up there, almost out of nowhere. So there isn’t a sense of finality towards his original world. As far as Subaru knows, he may have just gone missing one day as life in his original world continued on. So, there’s a lot of lingering feelings Subaru has. He’s sad that he won’t get to see his parents again and he feels guilty that he can’t repay them for all they’ve done for him. Seeing him cry and apologize to his parents for that was a great scene.
**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**
[and it’s an armbar](https://imgur.com/uRuta1k) time for MMA fighter brain to activate. first his armbar should be grabbing the hand and wrist not arm and wrist, what are you gonna do armbar across your crotch?
Second His legs aren’t squeezing properly the move is known as “cross pin” in japansese (Juiji gatame) yet we see little in the way of pinning with tle leg control. his feet aren’t on the ground so subaru can escape easily
Finally subaru’s arm is on the wrong side Subaru can turn his wrist and go for the [hitchhikers escape](https://youtu.be/NOfCfsg76eY?t=457) that’s what a real armbar looks like, notice how Craig kept focusing on pinning ryans head with his legs and Ryan kept pushing that away.
[What kind of fucking reversal is that](https://imgur.com/80jmqlE) you’re on a fucking bed and you have 2 arms on his arm and you expect me to believe subaru just bicep curled his way out? Also you were on his head before, late stage armbar escapes lead to your head being in their legs, not you entering a leg lcok
[also what kind of godawful leg entanglement is that](https://imgur.com/eIl4UZF) Subaru has no control of the attacked leg, all good leg entanglements (aremi ashi, Cross ashi, Honeyhole, butterfly ashi) use the principle of one leg under the attacked and one leg over. You need to control the knee of the attacked leg to get a break.
like seriously use a [real leg entanglement](https://youtu.be/xWrEk9MbvUc)
[No control over the knee in the kneebar no leverage no breaking force, no control over subaru’s limbs](https://imgur.com/eIl4UZF)
this has been your “MMA fighter rants about bad grappling in anime”
[oh my god so much like father like son](https://imgur.com/ilZq9bA) now if only Subaru also lifted
[damnit subaru Peas have lots of good protein](https://imgur.com/IChaRzf) (ok just barely decent levels but still peas have good protein and don’t have saturated fat or cholesterol great bulking food)
[oh fuck Subaru is really a total shut in loser](https://imgur.com/KlccBEm) freaking subaru why are you like this.
[OH the witch of greed is going “no fuck you you’re going to have to face reality”](https://imgur.com/2prsbBo)
I hate Subaru but I’ve been a shut in a few times before mostly after my first MMA loss led me down a path of realzing that the career is a terrible idea.
[Subaru with his father outside this is going to be good](https://imgur.com/KIOoyLo)
Subaru’s dad reminds me of my dad. I was once a complete shut in after losing my MMA contract, for the past 5 months I’ve had a broken leg and no real ability to work, I JUST got out of that situation, but I felt like a shut in while my datd and mom have been taking care of me.
calling your bum of a son your pride and joy? Subaru is a son so dissappointing he’s more dissappoiting than [star wars the phantom menance](https://youtu.be/iCR2PN2_lA4)
Subaru getting his [PAIN AND SUFFERING OF SATELLA](https://imgur.com/JqIx4e2) early I see. I think this heart pain is actually caused by Echidna and isn’t just Subaru in this part.
And somebody calls for him, it sounds like Emilia
Subaru’s dad is a cool guy who actually seems to respect his son. What is it with Parents of Shut in Isekai protags and actually being decent human beings compared to our Piece of shit MCs (Mushoku Tensei, Re:Zero)
Subaru is just depressed, Subaru’s dad is trying to help him. God What a good dad.
Subaru’s face looked different eh? I think it’s more that the witch of greed is controlling this and Subaru is stuck mentally.
So Every time Subaru rejects growing up The witch’s curse seems to activate, however I somehow think this is the curse of the witch of greed and not the curse of the witch of envy.
[AND BEST GIRL EMILIA SHOWS UP TO SAVE SUBARU](https://imgur.com/hHrdgX5) I like the idea that Emilia in arc 4 has been taking the role of arc 3 Rem.
The fact that subaru can’t remember Emilia is actually an interesting touch, it’s like subaru was dreaming this whole time (To be fair that’s what ID think too!) I swear this is a lot like Jobless reincarnation where [Jobless reincarnation] >!Rudeus is basically a total POS but then Roxy comes in and makes him orders of magnitude braver and nicer!<
[We get the Subaru natsuki backstory arc! let’s go](https://imgur.com/eLlGGCJ)
Ahh Subaru is being a dumb kid and just plays the peter pan “I never wanna grow up” game.
Subaru facing depression from not being special ahh yes what a guy.
[oh god this is the depression face I think i’ve seen before in this show but I don’t know where](https://imgur.com/pRc8P5W)
You know Subaru realizing just how pathetic he was is so nice.
Meanwhile Subaru’s parents just keep on kicking like total great people, it really reminds me of my parents who have stuck with me even as I continue to be more dissappointing than Star wars the Phantom menace.
[oh boy It’s Ram with a blue hair dye](https://imgur.com/dFDMy0s) In all seriousness it’s good to see that Rem and emilia are really buffing up subaru in [Jobless Reincarnation] >!it takes Rudeus 15 fucking years to finally realize his stupidity!<
oh man the [[Subaru’s dad going ham on Subaru is so cute](https://imgur.com/VXAgUr1). It’s like he’s really the most loving father for a piece of shit son.
Oh man this entire segment has been weird, see my grandfather was one of the best computer scientists to ever live, and my father works for NASA as a computer scientist. Me? I’m a failed BA economist turned MMA fighter turned Bum. (Who will soon be working retail)
I really felt the whole “living in my parents shadow” thing, though like Subaru my parents love me to pieces in spite of being more dissapointing than the phantom menace.
Subaru realizing he’s still got loving parents but that he’s unable to be with them forever makes him so sad.
[Now it’s time for the new part SuBARU THE NOT A SHUT IN](https://imgur.com/6uenwLQ) this combines with the other great moment Subaru’s mom!
[Subaru’s mom talking about how she was always watching him is great,](https://imgur.com/f5ucnI6) though this has me confused, this entire thing is Echidna taking subaru’s memories isn’t it? How is Echidna able to get So much out of subaru’s parents?
So it took the power of Emilia and the maid with the blue hair to change subaru and Subaru’s mom noticed greatly.
“be the best in your own way” this message is pretty powerful for Subaru who can’t live up to his parents. As a person with extremely high achiving parents who is well a total dissappointment I feel that.
[Tear’s of joy subaru uses the same facial expressions as tears of agony subaru](https://imgur.com/f5ucnI6)
[and now we see the iskeaied state of subaru comapred to the pre-isekaied state](https://imgur.com/tXRbgA3)
[A wild Echidna appeared!](https://imgur.com/6GC9ZjI)
**Speculation**
Alright so given what we’ve seen
Emilia is Also confronting her past, maybe the movie memory snow is her past that she’s confronting. Maybe something else about being the witch of frost. But Echidna is most likely having emilia confront the fact that she is the witch of frost.
This is the start of the trials it isn’t the only part of the trials of the Sanctuary.
The real question is what is Echidna’s trial of the sanctuary about, why does she have it at all? She obviously stopped lord Roswaal from trying it so there’s something special about the trial and the barrier. I unfortunately have no speculation that makes any sense about this.
Other speculation about Subaru’s chest pain
The witch of greed now has physical control over subaru in a similar way to Satella.
This leads me to believe that right in the early isekaied stage subaru somehow met the witch satella didn’t realize it and then got moved to the apa guy. Or Satella touched him as he was being isekaied somehow but it’s unclear how. (extremely weak spec I place low confidence in this and am only posting because I started to post spec that I believe is sub 10% of being true)
I think Echidna was able to discern a lot about Subaru’s parents based on how they acted around him and then since she has a much more keen eye than many she created accurate personalities of them.
**What I would do if I were Subaru**
Alright it’s time to ask questions about the trials and Emilia.
1. What is the trial of the sanctuary?
2. Why can’t Demi-humans leave the sanctuary? (instant follow up, why does the barrier block them inside?)
3. What purpose does this trial have?
4. Is emilia currently facing her past?
5. Why does the Roswaal family seem so close to you?
6. If you’re “dead’ how are you able to contact me?
7. Why is there a barrier around the sanctuary in the first place? Or rather what is this barrier?
8. How is the barrier semi-permeable and what is the barrier actually constructed using?
**First Timer!**
Watching Dubbed
Start time 10:38, What fresh hell awaits Subaru tonight?
[1 Subadad likes horse play](https://imgur.com/a/cI5pEVA)
[2 His mom has a face very reminiscent of Emilia’s](https://imgur.com/a/MszxvM5)
[3 Something special](https://imgur.com/a/fSvJiKV)
If Subaru was just thrown into this, he sure is just going with the flow. I feel like this is more likely a memory or something
[4 I’d eat that](https://imgur.com/a/cDbzBa7)
Subaru isn’t going to school for some reason
Apparently Subadad is a bit of a prankster
It would have been hilarious if his cola also exploded just incase Subaru asked to trade
[5 Almost half way through the episode before we got to this shot](https://imgur.com/a/Gfy7bB6)
Getting some Subalore
Seems like Subaru was always compared to his dad, I know how that feels and it’s rough.
Honestly though props to his dad for just sitting there and listening to it all without saying anything
Sad that Subaru has some regrets about how he acted before getting Isekai’d
[6 Oh?](https://imgur.com/a/Tyuhlky)
And we get the ED with visuals
This episode had nothing going on while also giving us a lot, I really enjoyed it. We get a whole episode pretty much dedicated to Subaru’s background. It clarifies a bit of why he acts the way he acts and some of his actions in season 1.
So it seems like whatever we’re in right now is an alternate reality of what could have happened if Subaru was still in his world, though he certainly wouldn’t have come to the conclusion that he did if not for his experiences he’s had in his new world. Subaru has to face his past before he can move forward.
Subaru’s past is very relatable. He is the son of a man who is just overflowing with charisma, was a successful athlete, and who is a hard worker I assume because people are surprised to see him when he’s not working. So much was expected of Subaru by the time he was born. He started as a natural athlete, he’s naturally strong, and likely got good grades without trying. The problem was, to anybody that wasn’t his parents he wasn’t Subaru, he was Kenichi’s son, and constantly being compared to someone else is rough as a kid. Once being naturally good at things wasn’t good enough he gave up on them. The only thing in his mind that he was still good at was being the funny kid, and since his dad was always popular in town, Subaru tried to replicate that too in his own way which led to a lot of trouble for himself. Then since all he did was surround himself with people who would just give him attention he never made any actual friends so he was lacking pretty heavily on social skills once he got to Highschool.
It’s pretty obvious that Subaru has some great parents, so it conveys the message that even with a healthy household and two loving parents, children can still go through tough times. Even though you would do anything for your kids, sometimes there’s just nothing you can do, when that’s the case just stay ready to be there for them and don’t force anything. Be like Kenichi, ~~axe chop your kid~~ when they’re ready to talk just sit and listen, nothing good comes from interrupting or correcting someone who is finally ready to open up to you. My heart breaks when I think about how devastated they must be to have lost Subaru, and how much Subaru regrets not saying something to them before he left that day. He’ll never get the chance to repay his parents for all the good they’ve done for him and he has to accept that just like he has to accept that he wasn’t able to save Rem. Once he accepts that he can start moving forward again. Who put this tear on my keyboard?
I can’t wait to hear Subaru’s response to Echidna in the next episode.
[Petra was just too cute writing in her diary on todays Break Time](https://imgur.com/a/pFcKf9R)
Stop Time 1:13am
Another all-timer episode for the series here!
What truly makes this one particularly strong (beyond the general direction) is that it re-contextualizes aspects of Subaru’s character we either made assumptions about or had different ideas of, and expands on it in really compelling ways. It is one aspect that makes going back through the series again so exciting, as many moments make a lot more sense – either with how Subaru reacts to a situation, or just their general justifications for doing things.
While I already adored the series before this point, this is what really reaffirmed for me that the work had something it wanted to say, and also that it knew how to deliver that as well. Lovely stuff, well worthy of some tears.
Re:Watcher Season 2 Episode 4: Parent and Child
This is one of the episodes that I think about when someone mentions Re:Zero. It is straight up my favorite anime episode focusing on an MC and their parents. Earlier this year when Girls Band Cry, my favorite anime of 2024 so far, had a similar type of episode I immediately thought of Re:Zero.
Subaru is really a perfect mix of his mother Naoko and father Kenichi. Him and his mom share their “evil eyes” which I always found as the best and most distinctive one of Subaru’s features. He really does look like a younger male version of his mom. You see too how he gets a lot of his upbeat personality and his dedication to exercise from his dad. I’m sure he did a lot of embarrassing things in his youth to get Naoko’s affection like Subaru does with Emilia. For characters who will likely only show up once, it’s crazy how care is still put into them. As always Re:Zero shines in its character work.
I feel like there could be a lot said of the small breakfast scene of everyone passing around the bowl of peas that Naoko served. It’s funny that she wanted Subaru to become less picky, but she admits to hating peas too. It kind of reminds me of how Subaru, rightfully, hates when people discriminate against Emilia for being a half-elf, but he made initial assumptions about Felix for how he dresses and Frederica for her teeth. Maybe that’s a stretch but it would be a neat connection.
The Subaru we see who eagerly waits for the clock to turn to 8:00am making it too late for him to get to school seems so different from the Subaru who jumped off a cliff to save Rem, fought the White Whale, and beat a Sin Archbishop. He’s the Subaru who ran away. He’s the Subaru he would’ve become again if not for Rem’s belief in her hero. In From Zero, he probably felt like the Subaru waiting for it be become 8:00am was the real Subaru and not the one who saved Rem.
Subaru’s conversation with his dad gives us a lot of insight into why he felt so insecure in his lowest moments of Season 1. His outburst with Julius in Self-Proclaimed Knight makes a lot more sense now that we know being compared to his father made him feel small when he couldn’t live up to those expectations. It makes Subaru telling Rem she doesn’t need to be Ram but to instead be herself hit even harder. I wonder if in that moment he was subconsciously speaking to himself too.
Feeling like he could never live up to everyone’s expectations a switch turned on for Subaru one day in high school that he just didn’t feel like going. He started with just missing one day a week but soon it turned into simply not going at all. As an aside when I was watching Re:Zero S2 I was going through a lot in my personal life. It wasn’t long since my long term relationship had ended along with starting work for the first time and of course the pandemic. I slowly stopped cooking, going to the gym, and even doing my hobbies. Anime itself was something I barely was even watching anymore. I thought that was the point. Why do I keep trying if I always fail. Like Subaru with his parents I secretly wanted the people close to me to give up on me too. Then at least I wouldn’t be letting anyone else down.
His dad kicking Subaru in the head is exactly what he and I needed at the time. I wasn’t actually ready to give up yet. I want to keep trying, as long as I’m alive.
I was put in absolute tears when his dad asks Subaru to take care of him and his mom when they’re old. In most stories about characters escaping to another world they never dwell too long on what they left behind, probably because it would ruin the wish fulfillment. It’s easy to think you don’t have anything worth living for so you just wanna restart, I know I’ve been there. But despite everything Subaru didn’t have nothing. Far from it. He had something a lot of people dream of, two loving parents. It’s easy to not be thankful of the air when you’re used to breathing it. I know I would have loved to have a dad as cool as Kenichi too.
They part ways and Subaru feels ready to confront his past and return to school the next morning. Before heading off his mom asks him a peculiar question of if Subaru would prefer mayonnaise or the world. Subaru obviously says the world, and she pivots to ask if Subaru is really ready for school. With both the peas at breakfast and mayo now I wonder if his mom acts this way to put people at ease. It reminds me of how Subaru effortlessly makes friends and is great with kids, he’s not afraid to make himself look like a fool.
His mom walks Subaru half way asking him how his conversation with his dad went and if it made him feel ready for school. After a funny comment about Subaru’s butthole his mom mentions how she’s really glad somebody made a difference to break Subaru out of his depression even if it wasn’t her or his dad. It’s already so touching how much his mom cares for him. She lets him know he doesn’t have to worry about being as cool as his dad. Just being Subaru is enough. Just loving yourself is enough.
Now I was crying enough earlier with Subaru and his dad, but when his mom tells Subaru, “We didn’t have you because we wanted you to do something for us. We had you because we wanted to do something for you,” I lost it. Naoko and Kenichi are such selfless parents that every child deserves. So many kids would want to hear their parents say something so kind to them. It’s sad how so many never get to.
His mom tells him to take care, and Subaru smiles as he remembers those were the last words she told him before he transported to another world. Subaru finally enters the class room as we’re treated to Echidna in a school uniform to end off this masterpiece of an episode.
Thank you Re:Zero, when I watched this episode I really needed it.
**Rewatcher**
What’s your relationship with your parents? If you’re on this earth that means someone has given you the gift of life. That someone is your parent. Even if a person who didn’t give you life cares for you, then they are your parent. They are the person solely responsible for your existence. Their nurture is part of the major building blocks of who you are today. In psychotherapy one of the first avenues of inquiry is a person’s childhood. It stands to reason that what happens in adolescence shapes you. It dictates what style of attachments you’re prone to. We see that in Natsuki Subaru. A kid shaped by expectations. Raised in a loving family with two wonderful parents, what more could you ask for? No really, what more can you ask for? Ask Subaru before he got whisked away and the answer is a whole lot. A better son, someone who can make his parents proud, someone deserving of their love and affection. Someone Subaru isn’t. After experiencing a lively Monday morning ending in him looking at the time waiting for it to pass eight o clock, so that he can say for sure that he wouldn’t make it to school in time. Clutching his chest when it doesn’t calm down. Subaru’s dad Natsuki Kenichi takes him outside for a father and son talk. Trying to broach the subject of his playing hooky by asking if there’s a girl he likes. But the current Subaru has no answer to that question. It is only after he hears the voice that made him fall in love when he was at his most overwhelmed does he remember all the steps he’s taken on his way here. The Subaru that emerges is the one we know. And he has an answer to Kenichi’s question.
We hear of his childhood directly from him. One that people who’ve been regarded as gifted children can find themselves in. Trying your best until it doesn’t suffice. Being unaccustomed to failure and stagnating or compensating. And finally, when it comes time to mature you end up isolated.
I was lucky to have watched this season of Re:Zero as it was airing. Catching every episode the day it came out. Being on the edge of my seat, ready to see where this story would take me. It was no different for this one. Is what I’d like to say. But in this story of parallel worlds, fantastical beasts and mythical witches, the most impactful moments are ordinary, what we experience here in our world. A heartfelt conversation between two people who care about each other. A confession of feelings. A talk between parent and child. As I watched the scenes of this episode unfold in front of my screen, Kenichi hugging his son, Naoko imparting her wisdom, a dam burst open in me, and I bawled. I’m lucky to have parents that care for me. Some would say that’s all you need. I am aware that not everyone is as fortunate. But with that fortune come expectations. Self-imposed ones. And those are the ones that spawn in the deepest reaches of your soul affecting your perception of every action and reaction. Chipping away at the shape of your identity until you find a broken effigy. You stare at that burned up shape for so long you forget how things were and wallow in your misery. If Subaru’s expressed plight in From Zero evoked a feeling of being seen then the exchanges present in this chapter of the story feels like having someone gaze into your existence, see through the matter that makes you up, and acknowledge the struggle that’s burned into the very core of your being. Our parents shape us and by confronting our relationships with them we can see where we’re from and where we’re going. What Subaru has to do in this trial.
Re:Zero is a peculiar story. An Isekai fantasy. Birthed among a myriad of stories sharing that moniker. But unlike them it does some strange things. Our protagonist is seemingly transported to his fantasy world out of the blue. No reincarnation, no grand goal for his summoning. He has no questions about his circumstances and immediately accepts his new environment. No thinking back on his life on Earth. Not even a passing mention. He latches on to the first girl that shows him kindness. And he keeps doing embarrassing things, making mistakes, being overwhelmed, succumbing to inner demons, lashing out, breaking down, standing up, repeating. We’ve followed Subaru’s life in this new world. Trying to start over from zero. And when that didn’t work, trying again and again and again. Starting from zero every single time. Today we see that original zero, his life back on Earth. 29 episodes in. 10 books in. 181 chapters in. Why is that? It’s all a matter of perception. We are those classmates Subaru didn’t get to forge bonds with in high school. We see him for who he is, judge him for who he is, without any preconceived notions. And what we saw was a boy still pushed down by expectations trying to establish himself everywhere he goes.
A new world means a new start, right? Free of all the things that burdened you in the old one. That is not what happens. Subaru repeats the same mistakes ending up downtrodden, metaphorically back in that bedroom of his looking at a reflection in the mirror with eyes devoid of light. Telling himself in his mind that he hasn’t changed and that’s just the way he wants it. But that’s not true. Subaru thought he had no character, but that character has slipped through the cracks. He’s saved people who have saved him in turn. None of that had anything to do with him being the son of Natsuki Kenichi. On that fateful day on that rooftop touched by the sunlight piercing the clouds blessed by the doves themselves all of his zeroes finally added up. He became Natsuki Subaru. That was the day he completed this trial. Now after all this time we understand the reason for every step he’s taken on his way here. Why he didn’t dwell on his past life or his parents. Why he latched on to Emilia and the Roswaal mansion family so quickly. Why he can give his life for so many people. Why he hates himself. He’s an anxiously attached kid desperately looking for connection and understanding while loathing his existence all the while. Much like the first time that you really gain consciousness as a person in childhood, there comes a time when you realize your place in the world. And for many of us that place is nothing special. Subaru was one of those people. His expectations eating away at his self-worth until he could no longer bear to face his problems. There’s no tragic backstory here. One filled with the kind of abuse that would break a person. Just a story of a teen being overwhelmed and giving up. Some might be harsh on Subaru. How dare he shut himself into his shell when he has a home, can go to school and has parents that care for him. Some might even disregard his situation because of these external circumstances. But it’s when you know yourself to be fortunate that those kinds of feelings hurt even more. Subaru was more scared to see his parents be supportive of him than try to abandon him. Not to say his parents were perfect in their handling of the situation. They could have gotten professional help, but they tried their best the way they knew how. To love their son and support him when he needs them.
Subaru has picked himself up thanks to people other than his parents. And now that he’s ready to thank them, he can’t. His energetic and charismatic father Kenichi who loves to play a prank on his son as much as he loves him. His airheaded yet deeply perceptive mother Naoko, who would do anything in her power for him. He might not be able to see them again, but in this ordinary time that is created by something fantastical perhaps he can find some closure. Admit to himself that he’ll always want to be their kid and try not to do things that will make him hate himself. As much as Naoko may seem airheaded, she is a perceptive mother filled with wisdom. The words “We didn’t have you because we wanted you to do something for us. We had you because we wanted to do something for you”. Words that any parent or person who wants to be one needs to hear. Every word Subaru tries to say she understands. She’s his mom after all. Imparting some more motherly wisdom. The words “What matters isn’t how it starts or what happens in the middle. It’s how it ends”. Words we should keep in mind as we progress through this story. A homework assignment from Naoko. And as Subaru is going to school Naoko remembers what she needs to say at a time like this: “Take care”. Subaru’s memories before the fantasy spring up into his conscious and he recalls hearing those same words. In the real world he might have left without a trace, but in this one he can say the words. Those words that he couldn’t say the last time he saw them.
Entering his classroom, he is greeted by a witch marking the completion of his trial. The end of talks between Parent and Child.
—
Closing thoughts:
The word for this episode is “Expectations” without them you feel weightless, but as soon as you receive them, they bring you down to the ground. Whether that landing ends in disappointment and betrayal or joy and accomplishment is up to you. Subaru has learned to live with the expectations of being Natsuki Kenichi’s son. The talks with not just his father, but also his mother both helping him deal with the childhood he left unaddressed giving him room to prosper in his late adolescence.
This episode serves as a continuation or more accurately an affirmation of the development we got in From Zero. Leaving aside his self-perception and learning to start over. I believe that without that development he wouldn’t be able to pass this trial.
What’s your relationship with your parents? If you have parents you’re on good terms with or just people you’re close to who helped raise you tell them you love them and what they mean to you. It’s the least we can do.
**Re:Watcher** – anime only
This is yet another standout episode. It’s one of the best episode I’ve ever seen in anime. Only made better by the fact that it’s half an hour only to do it justice. Absolute peak.
We finally learn about Subaru’s past. Who he was before being isekaied has always been important, but now we learn just how important it was, all the relatable details.
SubaDad is ripped! No wonder Subaru keeps fit as well. And his mother is kind and peculiar. And both of them are beautiful people. And Subaru looks so much like them. And they get along great.
I like how Naoko (SubaMom) keeps serving a combination of a Japanese and Western breakfast, because I view Re:Zero very much as a wonderful combination of a Japanese story with Western elements.
The lovely family scene gets a sudden turn when Subaru admits that he won’t go to school. And that has been his usual behaviour for a while, apparently. We knew he’d been a shut-in, but we didn’t know he didn’t even go to school for a long time. This is such a casual and at the same time incredibly important reveal about Subaru.
Next, we see him plagued by anxiousness. The way he looks at the clock only to be relieved once it’s actually too late to go to school is so powerful. How he rationalizes not being able to go to school.
And despite his “failure” at going to school, Kenichi (SubaDad) doesn’t show any disappointment in him, he just wants to spend time with him. He’s an overall great guy and very respected in the community.
This has been a day in the life of Subaru for seven minutes before we even get a hint at the rest of Re:Zero. We understand it’s not just a flashback or that Subaru got sent home. Even now, Emilia’s voice leads him.
Subaru feels guilty for disappointing his parents, but Kenichi doesn’t think he has to. Going to school isn’t that important. They can talk about it because Subaru looks a bit more positive today. Even in this sort of flashback, the experiences he’s made influence him, have improved him. Emilia has.
“Taihen datta ne?” “It’s been rough, hasn’t it?” Emilia’s words break through Subaru’s barrier once again. The pain he’s been feeling since waking up was because he was forced to forget the person most important to him. But in his pain, the iconic words make him remember, the flowing strands of her silver hair brushing away the haziness in his mind. And in a way, Subaru gets to meet her again for the first time, gets all the memories and feeling back. We’ve always thought Emilia saved him by defeating the thugs in the very first loop. The truth is unbelievably more profound as evidenced by her words, her presence in this half-flashback. There’s a girl he likes, so he’s alright. Bonus points for top tier Rie Takahashi ASMR. There’s also a sugoi here, even if it’s a memory of an earlier line I’ll count that.
Finally the truth comes out. How Subaru was an overachiever as a kid but couldn’t keep up to his father’s reputation, his own expectation of himself. How that turned him into a joker and troublemaker because he would get attention that way, he’d be popular, he’d be liked. Until that escalated and he was left alone, and his method of impressing others just didn’t work anymore at all. And he turned to staying at home. In a way, he wanted his parents to be disappointed at him so they’d show him the right way. But they believed in him, believed he would get through this. That’s why Rem’s words, her belief that he won’t give up, resonated so hard with him. She didn’t give up on him, his parents didn’t give up on him, and so he didn’t give up on himself either.
And Kenichi just tells him how it is: There’s no need to interfere because Subaru can get up on his own. It’s not that he has to learn how to get up, because then his parents would have interfered. He doesn’t have to get stronger, he has to *be* strong. He just needs to be Subaru, not Kenichi’s son. It’s heartbreaking how he needed to be separated from his parents to learn that.
And Subaru breaks down crying realizing he’s always had these lovely parents, but he’ll never be able to give them anything back. Twice this episode. But he can give them credit by being their son. Now he can live up to his father’s expectations, or rather his own expectations of being like his father, by being his own self.
Finally Subaru is ready to go to school. Naoko “Can I offer you some mayonnaise in this trying time?” She’s such a lovely airhead, Kenichi chose well. But she is also way more perceptive than it seems. Especially when it comes to her son. She’s always known all of his troubles. She as well thinks she couldn’t have done anything else for Subaru than being the best mother to him. But she also knows he’s found someone else to be there for him. I love Subaru’s line that it doesn’t matter whether you’re good enough to deserve something or someone as long as you get good enough in the future. You have inherent worth, you just need to be able to prove it. And he can do that if he will be half of either of his parents, he’ll be his own full person.
But no matter how things turn out, as long as he can laugh in the end it’ll be great. The end is what matters, after all.
And for a final kicker, we get Subaru saying goodbye to his mother, something he couldn’t do before getting to Lugunica.
Even with it being as long as it was, White Fox decided to put an ED onto the end of this episode. As if they knew it needed a bit of a breather. Nothing special for an ED, good song and we see some of our main characters interact with Echidna’s butterflies. I might be able to say more about this ED in the future, but not right now.
I can’t even begin to put into words how meaningful this episode is. It tells us so much about Subaru. Things that have always been there, affected his decisions. Feeling he had a role to fulfill, he failed to make sincere connections to his peers. He failed to keep up to what he thought others expected of him. And as a result, he secluded himself from the world. He stopped going to school, seeing other people. Until he transitioned into another world, a world where he could be Subaru, he even had to be. That’s how important getting isekaied is to him.
Also, he wants to be liked. Everybody wants to be liked, I guess, but you have no idea how intense the feeling is if you’ve failed to make sincere connections in your past. That’s why the people in his surroundings are so important.
And he now realized that his past hadn’t been that bad. He had amazing parents that kept looking out for them. (Arguably good parents just wouldn’t have let the situation get to this point, but they are doing their style of parenting right. And sometimes, these kinds of events happen without anyone to fault.) They were good people. His dad always had his back and was ready to jump in once he could. His mom always knew exactly how he felt. He never was a disappointment to them, and now he’s got closure on that. And maybe now he’ll miss his old life a little bit, from time to time, knowing it could have worked out well. [“Word of God” on Subaru’s parents] >!His parents don’t get as much closure, though. I’ve heard that Tappei said they keep searching for him, but of course they can’t find him. I sure hope he remembers to write them a happier end when the time comes because that is a heartbreaking thought. And if the thought isn’t enough for you, [here’s also a heartbreaking picture](https://i.pximg.net/img-master/img/2023/04/01/12/22/38/106754935_p1_master1200.jpg).!<
I’m sure others can go into a deeper analysis on Subaru, so let’s talk about what this means for the other people in his life. Specifically I want to talk about how his past is similar to Emilia’s. They’ve both been extremely lonely to the point they were shut-ins. While Emilia was lonely because she was feared, Subaru was lonely because he feared others. Emilia was lonely because of what others assumed of her, Subaru was lonely because of what he assumed about himself. They are drawn towards each other partly because of their deep understanding of each other’s loneliness, of their desire to be liked. They saved each other, but not so much in a physical sense as on an emotional level. Getting isekaied gave Subaru the opportunity to show his own self to Emilia who immediately accepted it, and vice versa. And they know so well how important it is to take their time with getting to where they want to be, so they can support each other on every step along the way.
Finally, lets talk about something completely unrelated to Subaru: Echidna is there in the end. She’s wearing a school uniform. She might have even watched Subaru’s progress. There’s a lot of speculation you could make about this fact, but one thing is pretty certain right now: Echidna knows about this world.
Break Time this time is about Petra’s maid adventures. Remembering that she had to take care about Betty, she remembered about hearing of drills in Memory Snow, when Subaru wanted to add a drill to his transformer. Cue a sequence of Mechatrice. She’s also thinking of Subaru and Emilia and wishing them well. And Ottototo.
Sugoooku counter: 38
non-Emilia sugoooku: 3
sugoku-likes: 9
non-canon bonus material sugoooku (Re:Petit): 5
## 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 didn’t write that much, only taking me 121 minutes to write this. I’m sure others will have plenty to say on this episode as well, and I look forward to reading everyone elses comments.
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 another one of my S Tier episodes. Imo, this is the best episode of Re:Zero, because of how much it recontextualizes Subaru’s character and explains so many of Subaru’s odd tendencies.
Why does Subaru act super outgoing? Because that’s how his dad is, and it works for him. Why does that feel so unnatural to the viewer? Because it actually is. Subaru isn’t actually outgoing, that’s just the only way he’s seen people succeed, so he imitates that.
Why does Subaru love Emilia so much? For one, Subaru very clearly has a physical preference for [long](https://i.imgur.com/AZzuBNJ.png) [silver haired women](https://i.imgur.com/whKE5AQ.png). But also, Emilia was the first person that helped Subaru, that had absolutely no relation to his father, and at a great personal determent (parallels here between Subaru and Rem).
We can see Subaru being a hikikomori. [Not going to school](https://i.imgur.com/gzW0AyT.png), and getting [anxiety attacks](https://i.imgur.com/gEIDkSV.png) when the [topic of school comes up](https://i.imgur.com/xwiRWag.png). Subaru even mentions that [it normally gets better](https://i.imgur.com/ENgF7Oy.png) after 8:00 am, since at that point, it’s out of Subaru’s hands at that point, he can’t be on time (something that isn’t the case with RBD, since being able to go back in time means that Subaru can always do something).
Subaru had been living in [his father’s shadow](https://i.imgur.com/YcsIEXH.png) on Earth and struggled to [distinguish himself from his father](https://i.imgur.com/18jFny8.png). Being transported to a fantasy world allowed Subaru to realize that people can [see](https://i.imgur.com/DAdfe43.png), and [love him](https://i.imgur.com/thFTDgG.png) for who [he actually is](https://i.imgur.com/j4HhGen.png), and not because of his relation to his father (big parallels here to Emilia and being viewed as the Witch of Envy).
Subaru being transported to the fantasy world is the best thing that could of happened to him. To get away from all of his baggage, and start life over, [from zero](https://i.imgur.com/IMQfSqs.png). To get an ability that means that nothing is beyond saving. To encounter people that will help Subaru [when he didn’t want to be helped](https://i.imgur.com/GxfpFt4.png) (big parallels to Rem here). Being thrust into the fantasy world is what kickstarted Subaru’s growth, in ways that couldn’t easily be done on Earth.
And so we come to Kenichi’s request, [to take care of them when they’re old](https://i.imgur.com/xKZUaev.png), something [he’ll never be able to do](https://i.imgur.com/jnUrqyT.png). And so leave the [father section](https://i.imgur.com/9fgBn9I.png) of the episode with [Subaru rocking his pose](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Eh-osNwWAAAySbu.jpg). A symbol of how [awesome Subaru can be](https://i.imgur.com/TINJtUX.png).
Subaru’s mom, Naoko is very much [not like Kenichi](https://i.imgur.com/4ufj6H4.png). I don’t have much to say about this part of the episode. Not that there aren’t things to say, they’re just a lot more nebulous and I’m hoping to get to bed at a reasonable hour. And so Subaru [says goodbye](https://i.imgur.com/TeMR0rR.png) to [his mother](https://i.imgur.com/3tCz886.png), something he [didn’t do](https://i.imgur.com/7g6EXIh.png) before he got Isekaied ([Spoiler #1: ultra minor cut content] >!which he didn’t do because [he didn’t want to get roped into doing the dishes](https://i.imgur.com/Gfwf6UC.png)!<).
It’s worth noting that culturally when you leave, you say “Ittekimasu” (I’ll go and come back) and the others will respond with “Itterasshai” (Please go and come back). It’s omission is typically considered mildly rude and could also be viewed as a tacit indication that they don’t intend to return (to commit self inflicted ultimate sloth), a viewpoint greatly backup by the fact that Subaru never returns from the convenience store.
And so Subaru has [confronted his past](https://i.imgur.com/xaOxufz.png) and we’ll find out next time [what it did for him](https://i.imgur.com/fTkBFZk.png).
This is also a good opportunity for you all to call [your parents](https://i.imgur.com/IuI5DhI.png), and tell them you love them. You never know when you might not be able to anymore (be extra vigilant when crossing roads and going to convenience stores, you’re most at risk of being Isekaied there).
###Continued below
**First:Timer Crying Again in Another Rewatch, subbed**
– [Same energy as Isshin and Ichigo from Bleach.](https://i.imgur.com/w6wU1mO.png)
– [lol](https://i.imgur.com/WMg3oGY.png) [](#azusalaugh)
– [My dad would absolutely do this to me.](https://i.imgur.com/MV1ybQb.png)
– [Damn…](https://i.imgur.com/zqjETrM.png)
– [Ah fuck, I figured a part like this was coming…](https://i.imgur.com/cQJ7vdj.png) [](#trynottocry)
– […the same one Subaru isekai’d from in front of?](https://i.imgur.com/AYR60bv.png)
– [Awwwwwwww](https://i.imgur.com/idfgtDg.png) [](#makicry)
Oh, shock here I am again, and I actually watched the last few episodes. It’s like I’m catching up or something.
Now for me to just wish I had something smart to say. Something maybe like:
You know, someone smarter than me could have a field day comparing Re:Zero and Tappei’s storytelling with Evangelion and Anno, and how they dealt with similar issues with their MC’s.
My TLDR, or maybe TLDT *(TooLongDidn’tThink)* synopsis is that while Anno’s treatment of Shinji in Evangelion is a case of *”Rage Against the Machine”*, or something like that, Tappei’s treatment of Subaru is like a love letter to the audience.
And by audience, I think you know who I mean, right?
How do you feel about Episode 13 now?
Anyway, this is kind of a struggle, as I’m finding it difficult to actually watch the episodes, it kind of hurts so good, but it does hurt. Go figure. Hopefully I can keep up now!
**Episode 29 (first timer)**
* Anime parents – exist. *This must be a dream sequence.*
* Headbutt with the foot? Subaru is right to complain!
* “Take care of us when we are old” – well, about that …
A full episode of Subaru introspection framed as conversations with his DreamDad and his DreamMom. Clearly, Subaru has a rather positive opinion of them, showing in how they behave in his dream.
This is easily my favourite episode in the entire anime.
The fact in this high epic fantasy isekai with eldritch creatures with psychological horror got me crying over a guy telling his parents he’s proud to be their son…. AAAAAAARGH