Second Chances 320http://i.ur.com/FX0MPFu.jpg Intro/First thoughts Theres always that one airing show that has everyone talking. Earlier this year I almost didnt watch Erased until I heard everyone talking about how good it was online. Similarly I didnt pick up Re Zero until I heard about all the drama about a certain character in a certain episode. It was everywhere so I figured that if everyone was talking about it I should probably give it a try. So here are my thoughts on the show now that Ive finished it. Story 450http://1.ak.crunchyroll.com/i/spire3/3d4705739972a8ea1784a0eea16593531464777878full.png I would argue that the story of Re Zero is one of its weaker aspects. The premise is nothing special really: Subaru wakes up in a new world that just happens to be fantasy themed. He meets a white haired girl who we later learn is named Emilia. Subaru also possesses a unique ability to start from a previous save point upon dying. In the first episode Subaru is depicted as a sort of shutin as he is going to buy snacks from a convenience store and then return to playing video games or something. Immediately this reminds me of a show called Konosuba it has a similar premise. I figured that Subaru and his experience with video games would serve as a basis for him to do interesting things in the new world that he is summoned into. Perhaps he will learn to fight and take on quests to gain money much like Konosuba. This really isnt the case which makes things more interesting. My main gripe is that the story felt like it was all over the place. The first few episodes focus on Subaru realizing his power and trying to save some of the people he meets then it shifts to the story of Rem. Later the story shifts to the Royal Selection and the subjugation of a beast called the White Whale. None of these little arcs felt that related. Sure they are things that Subaru experiences in this world but it seemed like the writer felt like there always needed to be something going on. Once Subaru is able to save a few characters he later moves into the Mathers Domain where he runs into problems only a short time after his arrival. There are only more and more problems awaiting him. The White Whale arc is actually related to the Royal Selection arc but the real reason behind the White Whale arc is because of the Final arc its all a bit confusing. Once the show begins a new arc it goes in depth into the events. It draws you in and often times I had a hard time remembering what happened earlier in the show because most of the events currently happening felt almost unrelated to previous occurrences. I will say that the show got interesting towards the end some of the cliffhangers left me impressed. Characters 450https://3.bp.blogspot.com/vRY7qUze5y4/VwLc83o9L4I/AAAAAAAAABM/d4ZVKTuMgn0QGHuCmMDZUKVTQRudiqw/s1600/dnjqHmvoxg.jpg A lot of people have different opinions about Subaru. I personally didnt like him at all but from a reviewers standpoint I can see his appeal. Subaru has some moments where he makes very questionable decisions. He came off to me as a brat especially during a duel he has with a knight named Julius. During the Royal Selection arc I almost had to quit because many moments were very cringe worthy. However Subaru experiences some incredible development throughout the show. He dies many times only to find himself coming back as if nothing had happened. To deal with seeing your friends die many times is obviously very difficult but Subaru manages to do so and is able to work towards a better ending for him and his friends. Once the White Whale arc starts its clear how much he has matured. His initial character of being a shutin is stripped away and almost nonexistent at this point which I found to be a good thing. To understand how hard life can be and to accept its challenges allowed Subaru to get where he is now. Subarus mental strength honestly amazes me. The other cast is very large but there are casts for each arc. I missed seeing Old Man Rom Elsa holy shit Elsa is bae and Mathers during other arcs. I honestly dont know why some of these characters didnt appear in other arcs. It would have given the series some more cohesiveness. I wondered why they decided to introduce a few characters that would pretty much be nonexistent later in the show. Animation and Sound 450http://pa1.narvii.com/6097/14990e767cb8c6ed03c822223887fd0ae491a8fbhq.gif White Fox handled the show well. Nothing too flashy but still a pleasant viewing experience. The animation didnt really stand out but certain character designs mostly Ram Rem Mathers did. The battle scenes were just okay nothing to write home about. The soundtrack didnt feel too memorable except for a few moments. One of them is a certain death scene that I found to be brutal. The orchestral track played during this scene was by far my favorite. You are most likely watching this show for its story rather than its animation and OST anyway. Also shoutouts to Yoshitsugu Matsuoka for voicing Betelgeuse. Some of his scenes were incredible not to mention creepy AF. He definitely nailed the portrayal of Betelgeuse Personal Enjoyment 450https://i.yt.com/vi/wVNl6hMRKw/maxresdefault.jpg tfw she tells you to come to her room later tonight which lowkey means a long ass beating because you didnt take out the trash like a good butler I cant say I fully enjoyed this show. It left me salty Im a whiny weeb. Fight me and cringing most of the time but thats just me. I was never too excited about the next episode coming out until the series was about to end. Unfortunately this just wasnt a show that clicked with me. I would still recommend this show to other people. Wait didnt you basically say it was a cringe fest? While I didnt find it that enjoyable Im sure many others would. Its not that bad of a show. A lot of people are probably going to disagree with my opinions in this review but this show has some redeeming qualities. Even if you dont end up liking it its still an interesting watch. Conclusion 450https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/X4Z5a61AaR3FF0Nd5SDcKaDf4CanBKJB7BT0KYFmXFZvaePEeL89eX5SERBdZYb8HtynY9CRaI8xgWy6Kl3NGt3isSLkoqGEtZJfZEIppXOcgL3k6JHiqiRNnAysFXoCGIsO4PVAHA Re Zero isnt my cup of tea but maybe its yours. As impressive as it is to see how far Subaru matures you cant hide that fact that some of his actions are rather questionable and even crazy. I watched it because I wanted to see what everyone was talking about and oh boy I sure found out. I will recommend this to you if you like to see a lot of character development or you just dont know what to watch next. This show has its fair share of action and can be pretty interesting. If you want to avoid all this Re Zero discussion drama youve been seeing online and hate to see a whiny main character during their development just dont.