Warning: This re:view may contain some light spoilers.
Imagine a isekai show where the main character gets transported to another world but without any OP powers. Thats what Re:Zero essentially is. Adapted from the Light novels of the same name by Tappei Nagatsuki the show is more of a darker fantasy story than most people may be familiar with. Re:Zero isnt exactly like other shows where the main character tries to find a way back home or has to slay the demon king to save the world. Re:Zero is a psychological fantasy thriller that leaves you on the edge of your seat.
Story: 10/10
The story is about a 17 year old shutin called Natsuki Subaru. One day when he goes to the convenience store to get some snacks he gets send to another world after he walks outside and blinks. He immediatly realises this and starts looking around to confirm he actually is in a fantasy world. At first he thought that he was the chosen one and would become the hero of this world oh boy was he wrong. The twist is that he can return to a specific point in time everytime he dies with all his memories still intact after respawning. This ability is called Return by Death Basically Subaru gets a chance to fix mistakes so that the consequences can be avoided. And i said chance because Subaru doesnt always succeed to change the future because he is entirely powerless by himself with his only two weapons being Return by Death and his positive outlook on life. One of the biggest selling points is its constant sense of mystery foreshadowing and you never know what will happen next. Re:Zero shows how Subaru uses his Return by Death ability to make a difference while trying to live his new life in this world.
Art: 10/10
The art was beautifully done. It is very detailled and has a great atmosphere for each situation. It manages to be fairly consistent and there wasnt a single moment where i was dissapointed or dissatisfied. The animators over at White Fox did an amazing job with this one.
Sound: 10/10
Lots of memorable tracks that fit the situation and sets the atmosphere well. The OPs and EDs fit the anime really well with the first opening by Konomi Suzuki second opening and first ending by Myth Roid and second ending by Rie Takahashi. Also great sound direction and used at the perfect moment to capture the scene and atmosphere. If you want to hear a few good ones first i recommend Theather D Takt of Heroes and Straight Bet for some more lighthearted ones try Longing for Sunbeams Fantasy Clap and Fool.
Characters: 10/10
One of the strongest points of the series is its characters. The protagonist Natsuki Subaru is a shutin hikikomori that is until he gets transported to a new world. He has a strong resolve to protect the ones close to him even if that means taking the thorny path. He is generally an optimistic person with a positive outlook on life. He has a lot of character flaws which isnt particularly a bad thing. Subaru is essentially just a teenage boy who is suddenly thrown into conflicts after conflicts. There are moments when i really began to dislike Subaru but he redeems himself later on and becomes more like the character we want him to be. Subaru basically caries the show and is what makes Re:Zero the show it is.
Emilia the main heroin of the story is a silver haired halfelf who saves Subaru from the thugs in the first episode making Subaru fall in love with her. there are a lot more really interesting supporting characters like Rem Ram Beatrice. Every character is really well done and have fully fleshed out personalities and backstories. They all have some amount of importance and you really begin to care for them as you watch through the episodes.
Enjoyment and overall: 10/10
This show isnt perfect. In fact no anime is. But it is definitely one of the best anime i have ever watched and it is undoubtedly one of my favorite anime of all time. In the middle i started to dislike Subaru a bit because of all the stupid shit he did but he redeemed himself later and became more like the character we want him to be. every episode had me wanting more and i enjoyed this show a lot. This is truly a must watch for every anime fan. There are still a lot of things that are still unanswered but those will be revealed in the seasons to come.
This show is an easy 10/10 for me.
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