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「命の価値」 (Inochi no Kachi)
“The Value of Life”
Few answers, more questions, and a whole heaping of suffering: yupp, it was another episode of Re:Zero alright. I think by now we’re used to the excruciating drip feed of information this show enjoys the hell out of using whenever a new arc kicks into high gear, but from this point on the annoyance is certainly going to be felt. There’s a whopper of a reveal hiding in plain sight, and Subaru is going to have to do his utmost to bring it to light.
Probably the biggest (non)shocker this week is that Roswaal indeed knows far more than he’s letting on. From having Ram provide timely assistance to playing 20 Questions with Subaru, the guy clearly has a secret and is very blatant about making it a game. The obvious reason of course is that it’s personal: Roswaal hired Beatrice for a reason, and the terms of that contract may not allow for Roswaal to go about revealing personal Beako details. Another option though is that Roswaal knows more about Subaru than initially apparent. Roswaal’s line of questioning (particularly his remarks regarding Subaru’s wording and emotions) hints towards some understanding of just what our man of the moment is capable of. I wouldn’t expect him to exactly know about Subaru’s Return by Death or its origins, but given everything so far, I also wouldn’t put it past Roswaal to suspect the Subaru he’s dealing with isn’t the same one he’s dealt with before.
And as for Return by Death, well, I think this scene speaks for itself. No matter the thoughts on yet another Subaru breakdown occurring (everyone has their opinion on it by now), it’s quite intriguing to know that Subaru’s “protective” mechanism doesn’t kick in around Echidna. Is it due to the differences of Echidna’s world? The bodily fluids? Piercing love arrows through a cutie pie’s lonely heart? Your guess is as good as mine, although all the talk of Witch factors arguably provides a timely hint as to the nature of Subaru’s condition. One way or another Echidna is the answer to most—if not all—which is Subaru butting heads with right now (heh) and what he must do to actually fight back. Getting such answers won’t obviously be easy (too many varied and unintentionally comedic deaths to give up that easy), but without a doubt Echidna, and by extension Sanctuary’s remaining trials, are what will help piece this elaborate puzzle together.
The big unknown is just what (or who) Subaru will have to sacrifice next to reach that next major step.
You can’t get hungry if you get eaten first – Daphne the Witch of Gluttony – Probably XD.
Even the holy hand grenade can’t help against this atrocity toward cuteness
Ok confuse what up with giant tiger rampage and the argument of the group.
Also this getting tiresome of the Return By Death thing, can be like Jojo The World or King Crimson! At less he can tell about and can save his life. If only Emilya learn about Return By Death, unless the novelist tried to make it cruel, as if the novelist want to Emily’s to break in despair just in right moment.
In short Garfiel distrusts Subaru and wants to keep him where he can continually watch him. Subaru naturally cannot afford that if he’s to save Rem, Frederica, and Beatrice so makes to get away. Garfiel’s solution? Stop him through force. And thus the transformation.
This episode raised SO many questions.
I wonder what exactly has happened to Frederica’s crystal. It seemed to have teleported Subaru to the future because there was evidence that the people of Arlam lived there, but it was clearly deserted for some reason. Maybe Emilia passed all three trials and liberated the Sanctuary residents after Subaru got teleported, possibly being lost in time for a long time after he disappeared. Given that Frederica does not know of this function, it begs the question, “Just what kinds of things can this crystal do?”
Could Roswaal have tampered with the crystal since Frederica was not wearing the crystal when she greeted Emilia and Subaru in episode 2 of this season? Maybe that is why it teleported Subaru to someplace within the barrier but not quite at the testing site the first time. Is it a sense of distress or another emotion that causes it to activate the teleportation? Subaru thought the crystal was dangerous the first time, so he did feel some distress or an impending sense of doom about the crystal. The second time, he was about to be mauled by an enormous tiger, so he was feeling distress or an impending sense of doom. Given that the crystal’s normal function is to react to the barrier, glowing in the process, I don’t think there’s anything inherently suspicious about the crystal glowing when someone reaches the barrier, but teleporting should not be a normal function of the crystal if Frederica is to be believed. I see two possibilities here. Either the crystal was tampered with or the crystal actually has a mind of its own, and I believe the first possibility to be more likely. An inanimate object having a mind of its own is improbable although I grant that it’s still possible given that Re:zero has yet to show us all this fantasy world has to offer.
Of course, that’s actually not even the biggest question this episode. We see throughout the episode, that Subaru wasn’t even wearing the crystal, but somehow the crystal teleported to him when Patrasche through him to the barrier, and it glowed as suspected since it’s supposed to react to the barrier, but then it teleported him to the future? How did the crystal teleport to him? Once again, the crystal wasn’t on his body after he finally woke up when it was winter, so it appears the crystal can selectively make its way to him in particular. What kind of magic is this?
Subaru really is kind of dumb. Up until this episode, he had seen three different types of mabeasts, the Ulgarm, the White Whale, and the mabeast that attacked the mansion that was in the Frozen Bonds OVA that I can’t remember the name of. All of them had one horn at the top of their heads, so the lone horn on the top of the head should have clued Subaru in to that rabbit-like creature actually being a mabeast, but he stupidly touched it instead of running away.
Also, I saw a mark on the rabbit mabeasts and wonder if the mark means that they have an owner. The mark is located on the right side of the mabeasts close to the rear end. I wonder if this means that these rabbit mabeasts have an owner. I remember the White Whale had a strange halo above it, and I don’t know whether the halo is the same as the mark on the rabbit mabeasts (I’ll have to go back and check out episodes 20 and 21, but maybe a mabeast having a mark means someone owns you. I think Lye Batenkaitos, the Sin Archbishop of Greed, said that the White Whale was his pet in episode 1 of this season, and maybe the halo was a mark that indicates it had an owner, with that owner being Lye.
Roswaal is still highly suspicious. He wants Subaru to ask Beatrice, “Roswaal said you are to ask the question” and said Subaru needs to respond to her question with “I am that person.” How does Roswaal know that Beatrice will help Subaru if that is the case? Did Roswaal and Beatrice roleplay this out before or something? Or does Roswaal know this will work because this is what the not-quite-Tome of Wisdom said would happen? Given that Elsa knew the exact day Subaru was returning to the mansion in the first loop, whoever Elsa hired has something that allows for you to get a glimpse of the future whether it be a defective Witch Cult Gospel or the not-quite-Tome of Wisdom. I think she’s more likely to be acting on the information gleaned from a Witch Cult Gospel since she expected Subaru to return to the mansion at the same time in the second loop even though he didn’t, meaning whoever hired her knows of the future but not in a precise way, which makes that person likely to be a member of the Witch Cult.
I wonder if Subaru will have a new save point after this since he has been invited to yet another witch’s tea party. Subaru appeared to have literally gone insane this episode as he was smashing his head on the ground violently as opposed to that time he faked insanity as Petelgeuse told viewers in season 1, but it seems Echidna has somehow taken a liking to him and stopped him from killing himself. I wonder what is the qualification for being invited to a witch’s tea party given that Subaru met the qualification. Does getting getting teleported by the crystal give you the qualification? Subaru was invited to a witch’s tea party shortly after both times he got teleported by the crystal. Or is it something trivial like you can meet the witch if you’re in the right place, and she wants you to meet with you? That would make witch’s tea parties merely plot conveniences if that was the case, and hinging the qualification on being the whim of the witch would not be a good way to tell the story.
This episode was loaded despite merely having only 4 events, Subaru’s talk with Roswaal, Garfiel’s attack, the teleportation to the future (?), and Subaru’s second tea party with Echidna.
I made a mistake here. I meant Lye is the Sin Archbishop of Gluttony, not Greed.
“Even if you both only amount to half a man, you each take up enough space for a full man.” Tell’em, Ram.
Is Roswaal being clever when he says that he’s Subaru’s ally? He could just as easily have meant that Subaru is helping him with his goals rather than the other way around. As an aside, I’m not a fan of Roswaal’s over the top style of speech. Too often, it’s just annoying and typically, the less he has to say, the more annoying he gets. But here, when he had something to say, it was well said.
Not sure why but Mercenary Tigger made me think of Super Puck.
https://randomc.net/image/Re%20Zero%20Kara%20Hajimeru%20Isekai%20Seikatsu/Re%20Zero%20Season%202%20-%2008%20-%20Large%2012.jpg
This scene should have taken place inside the school. Then Subaru could have slammed the wall Echidna would have undoubtably been backed up against. It would have made the moment even more compelling.
https://randomc.net/image/Re%20Zero%20Kara%20Hajimeru%20Isekai%20Seikatsu/Re%20Zero%20Season%202%20-%2008%20-%20Large%2027.jpg
https://randomc.net/image/Re%20Zero%20Kara%20Hajimeru%20Isekai%20Seikatsu/Re%20Zero%20Season%202%20-%2005%20-%20Large%2001.jpg
Sakamoto Maaya is doing a banner job as the Witch of Greed.
Regarding Roswaal I’d say he’s hedging his bets. He doesn’t trust Subaru (else he would be providing more information), but he also doesn’t want to overly impede him in case the kid actually does what he cannot. It’s an interesting balancing act and you can bet his actions (and his personality, somewhat) will make more sense once we learn his backstory.
Well, he’s definitely a wild card here and as you say, he considers Subaru to be the same. He might be the most complicated character (other than the lead) in the show. I’m not really looking forward to learning his backstory, if that is indeed in the cards. If it’s coming, I hope it’s kept brief.
Clearly Subaru doesn’t know a thing about Monty Phyton. When I first saw this season’s OP I though “wow, is the monster of caerbannog making a guest appearance here?”, but I did not expect to be so right on the money. He needs to get Worms 2 and use a hack for Inifinite Holy Hand Grenades. Alleluiah!
Garfiel looks like Rei from Urusei Yatsura when transformed.
As soon as I saw that rabbit, only one thing came to mind:
“RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY! RUN AWAY!”
Also checked out Monty Python and the Holy Grail‘s “Killer Rabbit of Caerbannog” scene on YouTube just to see if new comments referenced this episode. Wasn’t disappointed. And yeah, those mabeast killer rabbits are way more terrifying than those underground flying rabbits from Arifureta. 😛
On a more serious note:
“Roswaal said you are to ask the question.”
“I am that person.”
So would the question be… “Are you the one that can Return By Death?” (Or something along that line?)
Good to see some explanation on Beatrice and the tome she holds, even though more mysteries about her remain. (As do questions about other in-universe stuff.)
And finally, Subaru getting “invited” again to Echidna’s tea party, being able to say to Echidna that he can return by death (without the Witch of Envy making her presence felt), and apparently giving Subaru a shoulder to cry on? In any other anime, it would be a welcome respite for Subaru. But knowing by now what kind of series Re:Zero is, that scene feels like a hope spot setting up for more despair.
Wow. I really liked the atmosphere when he woke up in the future(?). Then to suddenly die like that was really something else. Honestly I’ll never get tired of Subaru’s breakdowns. This one was special because he could finally lay it all out to someone and get that weight off his shoulders. And he’ll actually remember it this time too?
I think the one constant besides Subaru dying is that he usually remembers his deaths 😛
Going from the worst kind of PTSD inducing brutal death to the heartfelt conclusion of this week’s episode. From dread to relieve, probably the best piece of anime that I have seen this year.
Echidna saved him there, even if it’s for her own selfish goals. You gotta wonder whether her constantly being surprised by Subaru’s antics is just an act to look cute. The way she opened her mouth seemingly in disbelief, too cute, it’s certainly working. Well written character either way.
Loved the music that played near the end of the tea party segment.
You would think that by now Subaru would have some kind of explanation for the witch’s smell on him causing ppl to be so distrustful of him with Ram vouching for him. Whether that would have helped against Garfiel, who knows.
As for the murder bunny and his buddies, prime suspect would be Elsa’s blue haired helper as you can see all those demon beasts behind her in the OP, but then why did it appear alone in the OP? So maybe there’s a bit more behind it. Would be cruel albeit not too surprising if this turned out to be an Echidna plot.
I must have forgotten that this 1st cour of season 2 is only HALF of the whole arc. Damn, so still a lot of story to go. Hope it doesn’t end with too much of a cliffhanger. considering that we’ll have to wait a couple months.
https://randomc.net/image/Re%20Zero%20Kara%20Hajimeru%20Isekai%20Seikatsu/Re%20Zero%20Season%202%20-%2008%20-%20Large%2012.jpg
I wont ever look at Garfield the cartoon cat the same way again.
https://randomc.net/image/Re%20Zero%20Kara%20Hajimeru%20Isekai%20Seikatsu/Re%20Zero%20Season%202%20-%2008%20-%20Large%2022.jpg
And you thought Monty Pytjon knights had it hard with ONE killer rabbit…
https://randomc.net/image/Re%20Zero%20Kara%20Hajimeru%20Isekai%20Seikatsu/Re%20Zero%20Season%202%20-%2008%20-%20Large%2034.jpg
Echidna best girl?