Why ReZero and Mushoku Tensei Work - Subverting and Upholding Tropes

[@Ayvhel]

Thank you to everyone that took their time to comment, I wasn't expecting all the support on this vid! Since I've seen a few people comment that Mushoku didn't expand or uphold tropes, as it was the first isekai and therefore created them (and similar comments). I've adressed how that is a misconsception in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gKnQc5yIqZWjj80

[@YukitoOnline]

I wouldn't call VRChat as Isekai, because that's how SAO's world is. Heck, in Alicization you got players from the outside connecting to the freaking server. So far "Isekai" in Japan is considered as actually leaving your original world & going to a literal different world that isn't related or connected to the original. If SAO is Isekai. .//Hack would've gotten the same treatment along time ago. SAO is the product of the early to late 2000's MMO Trend Bubble era. A shit ton of MMOs here in Asia being created & axed, left & right. Heck, SAO isn't even listed on both Official JP sites & JP Forum boards as "Isekai" (Both novel & anime) The only time it is listed as "ISEKAI" in Japan is when those sites are from Western companies that selling SAO both abroad and in japan like Amazon. So far the ones pushing SAO as "Isekai" are Western sites & fans, whereas JP sites & community only treats SAO simply as an MMO Fantasy. Same as .//Hack, Bofuri, Only Sense Online, Free Life Fantasy, Ossan no VRMMO, VRMMO Summoner, Nonbiri VRMMOki, & etc.

[@Ayvhel]

Yeah great point, I've seen in both be called isekai and not isekai, and that's why I added it there. Feel free to ignore that part but I'd say the argument still stands as I did say "depending on if you consider SAO", but there are other examples in there that would still be valid. Thanks for taking the time to comment it was quite informative.

[@YukitoOnline]

@@Ayvhel I'm just following the Japanese standards of *"ISEKAI"* since it's them who created the term to begin with, not us foreigners. I also gave other titles as examples that has the same premise as SAO. (In a video game)

[@Ayvhel]

@@YukitoOnline Yeah, I'm not disagreeing in any way, just saying there are those that group virtual world type anime like SAO, Bofuri etc with isekai, and that some of those that came before the rise of isekai, had influence in creating what we call modern isekai.

[@YukitoOnline]

@@Ayvhel MMO Fantasy are in a different category from Isekai + Game Mechanics. The titles that has Isekai + Game Mechanics are: Overlord, RE:Monster, Isekai Meikyuu Harem, Tate no Yuusha, Kenja no Deshi, Leadale no Daichi nite, Atelier Tanaka, Live Dungeon, Log Horizon, Kono Sekai ga Game da to, Apocalypse Mynoghra, Kamitachi ni Hirowareta Otoko, OtokoKyuuketsu Hime wa Barairo, Last Boss Arawareta, Gaikotsu Kishi-sama, Manuke FPS, The New Gate, & ect. These are the titles cover the Isekai + Game Mechanics. Most of these titles are from the same era as MT & Re:Zero. (early 2010's) Pretty sure one of these titles were 2 years older than Re;Zero & MT. (Exactly 2010 can't which one)

[@EvanHBogle]

Two of the best isekais ever made. Can't wait for their next seasons.

[@Ayvhel]

Luckily for us, season 2 of mushoku starts today!

[@MrrGervais]

@@Ayvhel s1 part 2*

[@thomaszimmer371]

Mushoku tensei ganna adapt the full story they said without skipping any arcs

[@Ayvhel]

@@thomaszimmer371 you have no idea how glad I am to hear that!

[@ruriva4931]

(Me waiting for NGNL season 2. . . .)

[@l0kk016]

Good thing is that Rudeus is "OP", even "special", but he gets very outclassed as the story reaches it's climax... And btw, a good context for your analysis, Mushoku was one of the first "cliche" isekai novels to boom, it actually never expanded on some of it's tropes, it created them. Is like saying that Lord of The Rings is generic fantasy when it was a part of what shaped the genre to begin with.

[@Ayvhel]

Thank you for your comment. I am not ahead of the anime for mushoko, so I should have specified it as "so far in the anime", I apologize. However, mushoku isn't comparable to lord of the rings when it comes to Pioneering. Before it was first published as a webnovel in 2012, Isekai was already a sizable niche for webnovels in Narō (the website it was posted on). Almost a decade before, in 2004, Familiar of zero, which has in it most of the tropes we associate with Isekai, started publication. It is often called "the first Isekai", but Isekai predates it. It was the one to popularize the tropes we now associate with it, not create them. In that way, it expanded upon former Isekai, and in turn was used as a reference point for those that came after. I know it might sound preachy, but my intention is for it to be informative. And thanks for taking the time to read it if you did.

[@bibbobella]

Honestly, the fact he gets so painfully outclasses is probably what keeps him actually fun to watch/read about. We all know the dude is powerful. Compared to most of the people in the universe he is without a doubt incredibly powerful. He is around one of the 10 strongest in the world...yet, thanks to all the people he happen to meet..he never ONCE believes that himself. Whenever his shoes gets a bit too big for his feet he gets pushed down a notch and is forced into question his own motivation and how special he actually is. It is really fun/interest to read about because we know he is powerful but his arguments towards why he isn't all that special makes sense for him. He doesn't believe voiceless incarntation to be all that special since Sylvia was able to learn it so he believes it is something most powerful mages would be capable of doing even when his own teacher can't quite do it. His magical eyes might make a lot of fights easier but a very capable fighter still kicks his ass easily because they can predict what he is predicting thanks to his own obvious movements. (It is conveluted but it is actually why he got beaten so badly even with his eyes.) Etc. Etc. He keeps being around amazing people and somehow manage to make them all gravitate towards him but that also makes him feel ordinary despite having the biggest mana pool in the whole world, being incredible at all elemental magics, having an exstremely powerful magical eye he can use incredibly well and more too spoilery for me to mention right now. It is a fun dynamic but also great because he stops trying to be the overpowered protagonist he kinda wanna be in the start of the series yet becomes it unknowingly but doesn't end up an arrogant brick thanks to how much everyone around him keep him grounded despite singing his prayers all the time.

[@Rexhunterj]

I've begun to notice how Rudeus classes in the world during the Academy arc. He's powerful but lacks the knowledge and experience to truly utilise that power to his benefit. Meeting that character at the dragon pass really changed the perspective of his strength. To a normal person he has unattainable strength, he's incomparable to 90% of the world, but he's still not strong enough to secure his survival long-term. He's so strong that powerful entities take notice of him and become a threat to him, but not strong enough to even affect the outcome of encountering some of those entities. He's gifted at magic, but average at martial combat. Against a totally normal person he could hold his own in sword-to-sword combat but would lose to anyone specially trained in martial combat let alone people gifted in it. Now that I've caught up on the manga I'll have to read the source-material, it's too good of a story to not read.

[@Rexhunterj]

​ @bibbobella I think the thing I like most about him as a character is that despite him being a selfish lecher, deep down he doesn't want to see people feel as low as he felt before he died. The scene with the dwarf girl really hit deep. The manga did a good job of showing it, the dead hollow stare he had as he looked at the girl and asked her if she wanted him to end her suffering then and there. The author is incredibly gifted at pushing those topics of depression and self harm and Rudeus is a fantastic character to represent them. Damn I can't wait to see the reunion in Season 2, I want to see it animated so badly.

[@l0kk016]

@@Rexhunterj i can't even say he is a selfish leather anymore, every since the demon continent he's always been in the provider side, after he married sylph he lives a good normal life until Gisu's message arrived. And yeah, he has some problems with the lust side for now, but he was never someone who didn't care about others at all, there's multiple occasions of him trying to help people, specially after he married sylph. Like Norn, Aisha, Zanoba, Cliff, and heck even Pax.

[@GoldenRo]

You fucking nailed it here, I like the fact you mentioned how- inherently a trope won't be good or bad, it's about upholding it and the execution of it. I'm sure I've said this a million times in my own Re:Zero videos, I DON'T LIKE ISEKAIS, but Re:Zero took the genre deconstructed it, and provided me with such a take on it that even the occasional tropes used didn't make it seem contrived, rather, on the contrary, it used them well and elevated the series. Brilliant video Ayvhel -

[@Ayvhel]

📠

[@ЯБезымянный-о5ф]

Nice assay. I wanted to add how both titles appealed to me by the one thing they do much better than the others - the flawed main characters. They say "Tragedy is comedy plus consequences." The consequences of Mushoku and ReZero are mostly the result of MC's doing. Unlike many isekai protagonists Subaru and Rudy can't guess right from the first try: they wing it, they screw up, pay the price and try to fix things they broke. Rudy has the mind of the grown up that lets him do introspection and see his shortcomings, Subaru has the ability to alter the course of history and develops a heroic responsibility complex to the extent he constantly feels at fault for something. People try to bring Shield Hero into the list, but it's author likes the MC too much to actually let him be the reason of his misfortune.

[@Ayvhel]

This is a great point. And what I would emphasize most isn't that they are they flawed, but how they are forced to live the consequences of those flaws. A lot of stories avoid permanent consequences for the MC even more than avoiding making them flawed. Thanks for the comment!

[@LocTran-sc7mm]

Well i feel like naofumi is too careful to screw up big time, and he actually get alot of help after saving the village, so yeah, he doesn't really fit in with these two

[@Rexhunterj]

@@LocTran-sc7mm His story is more like hitting rock bottom and clawing your way back up. By the time Myne and the King are punished, he's exhonorated of all wrong doing he was accused of and is considered a hero by the people and they treat him as such, so he's not really a flawed character beyond having anger management issues. He's a good guy that wants to do good things, that's about all he's good for as a character. Shield Hero is a story that satisfies other things, like people's desire to see justice for being wronged, it's always satisfying to see a manipulative individual who caused suffering to get their just desserts but the story isn't much more than that so far. Mushoku and Re:Zero are much more than just 'isekai', they're discussions on some heavy topics, like self-worth/esteem, depression, suicide, dealing with the consequences of your actions, etc. This makes them satisfying in a different way to wish fulfilment.

[@LocTran-sc7mm]

@@Rexhunterj yeah I agree, mushoku tensei and re:zero are just way more deep that any others isekai

[@Thalanox]

@@Rexhunterj _"By the time Myne and the King are punished, he's exhonorated of all wrong doing he was accused of and is considered a hero by the people and they treat him as such"_ Pay attention to later scenes. Many people who weren't literally there think that he's so evil that he corrupted the highest courts in the land and was able to get the Queen to take action against her own family out of some sort of horrible blackmail that the Shield Hero has on her. Maybe out of randsoming the only one of the queen's daughters who would make for a decent queen when it comes time for succession.

[@fatrown3]

I think the biggest way to become a great isekai author is to begin the same year both of these authors did. Worked for them Zing

[@eidolon9767]

Something else I think that makes these two shows so strong is the side characters. A lot of isekai don't just have flat main characters, but also incredibly boring side characters with one personality trait and who are also rediculously strong, but not as much as the main character. In both Re zero and Mushoku tensei, the side characters have just as much, if not more depth than the main characters. The side characters in both mushoku tensei and re zero are often also equal to or stronger than the main character. Having the focus be on the people around the main character, and not just the main character themselves is what makes a world feel alive and I think the most important thing to Re zero and Mushoku Tenseis' quality.

[@Ayvhel]

Completely agree, a lot of isekai stick to archetypes instead of developing inetresting characters. I really love the cast of both shows, MT has I'd say more realistic character writing, while ReZero is more playing with the archetypes to add depth to them. But both are great, just in different ways. I'd say the most important thing in both is they don't half ass things. Everything that is put into the story is fleshed out, there aren't throw away parts. I love both conceptually, but execution is their main strength.

[@ShreN_]

The thing is isekai isn't a genre, it's just a setting/setup. So as far as I'm concerned, it's up to each author what they choose to do with that premise. It just so happens that this premise is easy to setup, so it's usually used as an excuse to hand-wave the aspects of the fantasy world and background of the MC and then move onto the bulk of the plot/story. This hand-waving really takes away from the greatest strengths of the story being a fantasy story (which actually is a genre), and is usually used to put in a bland self-insert MC so the audience can shut their brain off and enjoy some generic power fantasy.

[@Ayvhel]

Great points, and you are right, "Isekai" isn't a genre per say, however at this point it's hard for me to group it with fantasy/sci-fantasy, especially due to the commonality of game-like mechanics and such that make them work a lot different from "traditional" fantasy stories. My reason for delimiting it that way was to try make it easier to discuss them as a whole. Thank you for your comment!

[@ShreN_]

@@Ayvhel I understood why you did it, I guess my comment was meant more as a general statement. Otherwise, you have no idea how much I agree with your opinions in this video, I love both MT and R:Z a lot!

[@Ayvhel]

@@ShreN_ Oh got it, honestly I'm glad to get to interact in comments like this, really makes the effort worth it, and of course glad you enjoyed it!

[@daniellin1726]

Isekai is 100% a setting/setup and overtime the industry and community eventually treated isekai like a genre did it not? Correct me if I am wrong but isn’t genre just a set of conventions defined for the convenience of managing the commodity?

[@ShreN_]

@@daniellin1726 no as far as I know genre is used to indicate what emotions it's trying to evoke from the audience (romance, drama, etc.), and it probably ties back to actual threatre productions, which predate any sort of video production

[@Dio____Brando]

i have the power to not mistake sugar and salt too, Reinhard's got nothing on me xD

[@Ayvhel]

If only I'd have that innate blessing... ^^

[@nzkieee]

Mushokou is an isekai Anime that uses the most generic isekai plot but delivers it the best way possible. Re: Zero on the other hand shows you a different take to isekai genre, a power that is more of a curse for the user, a pitiful MC and powerful side characters.

[@Ayvhel]

Perfectly said.

[@kallistikaleid]

Great video. I love both animes, with Mushoku Tensei being one if my absolute favorites. Wonderful points and breakdowns, nice editing and displaying your passion for the subject matter.

[@Ayvhel]

Thank you very much!

[@mjalyt2874]

Great take on these 2 show. Good job.

[@Ayvhel]

Thank you!

[@anesidora4551]

Great video! I completely agree with everything. (A video focusing on criticizing a certain anime on how it failed aka "mid or bad shows" will be interesting imo as there's almost none of those *that I watched* that actually analyze them and have a lot of valid points. or even a great anime that would have been a masterpiece if it didn't go the wrong route)

[@Ayvhel]

Oh that could be very intresting, I am gonna note that down, there are quite a few that come to mind.

[@dimitrimcintosh8858]

Great take these two series are the greatest isekai of the time

[@Little3Pigs]

I would add that Mushoku does a good job of stablishing the fact that Rudeos even if gifted and powerful born in a privileged family is still just another human within the vast world he inhabits, who has to learn how to fight for himself, how to survive and is still very vulnerable (and needs the help of many people around him). And the other aspect that the series does well is demonstrating that the world of Mushoku Tensei is not perfect, and not an ideal escenario for the protagonist, he is given a second chance in this world, but he must face situations that will challenge the ideas he had in his previous life, so we follow his journey of becoming a better person but also, he's journey into adapting into this new world. He didn't just land and become the god or the hero of the world, he's slowly making his way to be part of this new world, by learning the languages, working, helping people, etc. and slowly making a place for himself in this new world, he doesn't completly understands, but wants to be a part of, because he didn't had a chance in his past life.

[@Ayvhel]

Yes, as always when comparing two things, what I say about them ends up being relative. When I say he is very powerfull, I don't mean he is Saitama, and when I say "the ideal situation", it's not as if there would be no obstacles ever in his way. These statements are with the context of comparing it to something like ReZero. I think one of the strong aspects of Mushoku that makes me like it so much, is how it manages to stay grounded, even while "following the formula" so to speak. Nothing is handed to rudeus, and he has to earn his wins. Thank you for the comment!

[@Little3Pigs]

@@Ayvhel No problem, I really enjoyed the video.

[@greenmix6586]

These two are my favourite anime! Also, I liked your idea about the shows. The comparison also makes the room for thinking. Honestly, I’ve had a discussion talking about Reinhard and who he is, why he is/isn’t just a tool for the writer to make Subaru go through the worst situations, but I’ve never thought of him as a comparison to Subaru, which makes a lot of sense and adds a lot to the idea why he is there. I believe, two of the videos I saw (Grimgar as well) are enough for me to subscribe. I’d love to know what I will be able to see after this.

[@Ayvhel]

Thank you! I've always thought of reinhard as the one who is in the role of the typical isekai protagonist. I'm going to keep trying to improve my work one video at a time, and I'm glad to have you for the ride!

[@kllrnooooova]

Having never watched re0 before but knowing about rbd, I'm honestly scared to even have that "power." I can't imagine the mental and physical toll subaru endures.

[@Ayvhel]

Yeah, powers like rbd or immortality are things that I'd consider more of a curse that can often be beneficial in ways, more than something naturally positive.

[@lg2m480]

@Dan the Axolotl not really a spoiler, but... Which we can then see culminating in the Greed If story... Just to add how a misstep along the way or abusing it could have dire consequences.

[@danielwoods3896]

In the IF stories, it shows the many ways Subaru could go absolutely batshit insane because of the power.

[@invictiz5639]

Great Video!! It's nice to see someone take a real genuine look at the genre, rather just bashing or blindly praising. Thank you.

[@Ayvhel]

👐

[@xzorn2981]

Both of them are masterpieces

[@Ayvhel]

Yes

[@DarkNorthEmperor]

You articulated perfectly why I love the journey of Rudy. Subbed 👍

[@Ayvhel]

Thank you!

[@jimothyworldbuilding3664]

Isekai has 2 key things: - A character who has been placed into a new world - A new world full of new people Make both of them interesting in a way where each complements the other - that includes interesting characters other than MC - and you'll get a good story.

[@Ayvhel]

Makes sense

[@jimothyworldbuilding3664]

@@Ayvhel Goood, gooooood, excelleeeent even. I'm writing an isekai where the main character, an 18yo ginger girl named Sarah, gets shot in the head in a graveyard on Halloween night, exactly a year after her brother, who was 7, died splitting his head open during a failed attempt at backflipping off a tombstone while she was meant to be keeping an eye on him. War, succession complications, slavery, genocide, human sacrifice, eugenics, wildlife that is on meth steroids and nightmare fuel, cultures that are on meth steroids and nightmare fuel, Eldian-style oppression of a group with certain genetically inherited abilities they can only use under certain conditions (having freckles, which has led to ginger genocide), magic, a guitar taken from the hands of a skeleton, time bending, a tournament arc where the main character doesn't even partake in the tournament, one of the world's strongest people is scared of alcohol, one twin hunts the other, an instance of a crocodile appearing out of thin air at the worst possible moment and Sarah finding someone else seemingly from our world only for them to say something in German and respond to Sarah's blank face with "you look like a nice Aryan girl" in Lamaran (a common language of the world... Lamara has done a little trolling) with no hint of irony whatsoever. All the fun things.

[@laszlofreecss3288]

@@jimothyworldbuilding3664 THIS IS SOMETHING I WANT TO READ 🔥🔥🔥

[@jimothyworldbuilding3664]

@@laszlofreecss3288 subscribble to me YT then ya chump! Currently working on the first lore video that won't be described by anyone as "ear r*pe"... yeah first one was TTS and the other was voiced by a friend trying to sound like a lizard they could've done a whole lot better if they'd been voiced by a person trying to sound like a person.

[@birdup2141]

The thing that makes me think of these isekai’s in the same tier are the characters, i think giving characters time to grow and flush out using tropes as a foundation but not relying on them is one thing these two have in common whether one subverts or not Great vid btw

[@Ayvhel]

Very well put, and thank you!

[@DarkTug]

I agree with you. The problem with isekai trope lie mainly on how sarurated it is. But another main factor is how recent it is. The entire 2010s is a period of isekai saturation. So much so that it might be the only saturation a younger viewer has ever witness. If any of you've live long enough to watch anime in 2010s. You will witness a similar harem saturation or magic school saturation too. Shounen is also very saturated since time immemorial (Actually, I would say a shounen as we know might start at Dragonball) Mecha is also a trope with a long history that just died down in this last 2010s decade too.

[@Ayvhel]

Yes, precisely. When I started watching anime it was before the isekai boom, which came to replace the Ecchi-fantasy-harem like freezing, Zero no tsukaima, Infinite stratos, world god only knows, and the list goes on and on... Trends come and go, but I think a big reason for it, is that Isekai was the current trend as anime itself blasted into the mainstream in the west. Thanks for your comment, love to see it!

[@ozbezarius922]

Its almost heartbreaking that people put this... tv series near such masterpiece as Re Zero. World gone crazy.

[@Ayvhel]

Agree to disagree man, there is a lot of good to it, even with all the negative attached.

[@oversol5469]

Apparently in the novel there is some special aspect of Rudy that makes him naturally gifted but that gift is neither influential enough nor without drawbacks. In season two we will learn that Rudy has an impossible mana reserve but is completely incapable of sword techniques.

[@Ayvhel]

Yeah, they managed to keep him "special" without giving him special treatment.

[@WMHikaru1001]

I can’t be the only one that thought 'glad you came' would start playing at the beginning of this video! Lmao

[@roserogessoriano1752]

They got an a collab in mqnga

[@Ayvhel]

So I've been told, I need to hop on the manga then.

[@maggot848]

Also, did anyone else read the pages where Rudy meats Subaru? Ofc it isn't canon but the creator of jobless reincarnation made them, so I wanted to mention it

[@Ayvhel]

wait... what?

[@hybridnotions]

@@Ayvhel In volume 9 and volume 10 of the Mushoku Tensei manga, Rifujin (Mushoku Tensei author) and Tappei (Re:ZERO author) made a 2 part short story collaboration that has Subaru transported to the Mushoku Tensei world and team up with Rudeus in order to survive a certain 'encounter' that I don't wanna spoil. Subaru and Rudeus basically become instant best buddies, it was really fun seeing the 2 of them interact and play off each other. It's a very fun read, but I recommend to only check it out when you've finished volume 6 of the Mushoku Tensei light novel, or finish the 2nd cour of the Mushoku Tensei anime. The first chapter is written by Tappei, whilst the 2nd is written by Rifujin. They're best friends who both adore each other's work (Tappei even made a comment in an interview saying that 'Mushoku Tensei is Life'), as well as inspire each other, so it was really cool seeing them do a collab with the 2 series.

[@Ayvhel]

@@hybridnotions Thanks man! I really adore both works, and I'd heard of their friendship before, but knowing they colaborated on something makes me want to check it out ASAP, I'm still early on in the novels, and the second cour isn't finished, so I'll wait a bit before I do.

[@hybridnotions]

@@Ayvhel No problem man! I think the short story is very enjoyable, especially if you're a fan of both series. Btw, not sure if you've heard this already, but keep an eye out for these next 2 Mushoku Tensei episodes. Rifujin, the animators, the voice actors and even Studio Bind have been hyping these 2 episodes for a while now. Rifujin even commented that everything, from the animation, to the voice acting, to the camerawork and background art was outstanding. They're adapting volume 5, and that's the volume when Mushoku Tensei goes from a great isekai to an amazing one. IMO, volume 5 and 6 is when Mushoku Tensei not only became a 10/10 for me, but also became one of my favorite series of all time. It also showcases a lot of Rudeus' growth and evolution as a person. Best thing is, the series only gets better from there. By the time I finished the entire light novels/web novels, Mushoku Tensei became my favorite series of all time, and Rudeus became my favorite MC of all time too. If Studio Bind is able to fully adapt the entire series as outstandingly as they have this 1st season so far, Mushoku Tensei can genuinely become not only the best isekai, but also one of the best anime adaptions of all time. This anime adaption has the potential to become a genuine classic.

[@Ayvhel]

@@hybridnotions Oh damn, I can't wait for these new episodes then, honestly since season one it always felt to me like Mushoku was going to be something special. It wasn't rushing to get somewhere, it was just such an enjoyable ride. But each time I set my expectations it has surpassed it, its one of those anime where it really feels like a passion project. And the ligth novel is something I really wanna get caught up with. It keeps climbing and climbing my personal lists. Right now I have it about tied with ReZero, but I'm a lot, lot deeper into ReZero than Mushoku. Honestly I wouldn't be surprised if eventually it makes my top 5, or even becomes my all time favorite. It's been such a great ride in every way.

[@AbyssDark]

Yesss talk more about mushoku Let people know how good the series is YESSSSSSS

[@acid4413]

After reading all of Mushoku tensei I think its more of a slice of life anime in a fantasy setting with the isekai power fantasy flavor

[@Ayvhel]

I do need to hop on the light novels.

[@kllrnooooova]

@@Ayvhel mushoku tensei is less of a story than an actual person's second life. Sometimes a mind boggling fantastical event happens, and sometimes we're in school.

[@Ayvhel]

@@kllrnooooova Ah yes. The duality of man. hahahhaha

[@kllrnooooova]

@@Ayvhel no lile we're seriously seeing rudy in a school for like 5 volumes because that's life

[@baezerk_403]

Great video!

[@Ayvhel]

Thanks!

[@thomaszimmer371]

Best thing is Re:zero studio helps sometimes with the adapting of mushoku tensei

[@Ayvhel]

It does? I had no idea white fox was involved

[@thomaszimmer371]

@@Ayvhel Yeah the whole scene of the intro of the demon girl both studio's had a fight over who going to animate it . It took over a week but white fox lost the battle XD

[@thomaszimmer371]

Also white fox helped pay for the posters of mushoku tensei all over japan,Airports,Everywhere rn

[@Ayvhel]

@@thomaszimmer371 Wow, I always love to know theese kinds of things. I think it really shows how much appreciation the people behind the productions for both of these works have for each other.

[@lifehacks344]

@@thomaszimmer371 demon girl?

[@sathariel3231]

If I do remember wasn't the writer for the ln of Rezero inspired by the person who wrote Mushoku tensei?

[@Ayvhel]

No, I've clarified those things in the comment I pinned if you are interested, but ReZero even came out before mushoku tensei.

[@thomas8189]

I totally love your videos ! keep up the great work

[@Ayvhel]

Thank you! I'll keep striving to improve!

[@rajvirmalhans2073]

And when you forcefully avoid using tropes to be original, it can seem strange or weird

[@Ayvhel]

Yet another great point.

[@pr0duct1v1ty7]

Mushoku tensei grandfathered all the Isekai tropes. And it shows why so many followed the recipe, it is good

[@arizona_anime_fan]

I think you're mostly right about re:zero; however re:zero starts playing the isekai trope straight at the end of episode 18... it's still grimdark, but it's no longer a subversion.

[@Ayvhel]

Although I do agree it does start to trend that way for the end of season one, I'd have to disagree as there are still subversive aspects even onto season 2 and beyond. I'd say even the fact his life on his former world is elaborated to the degree it is, by itself is going against the expectation we have for a blank slate protagonist to self insert into.

[@kaizu8326]

I disagree with this. Season 2 did what most Isekais don't do: establish the personal and emotional struggles of the main character on their previous world. They could've stayed with the "oh Subaru is just a classic neet" but no, they went really deep with it. Another thing that was subverted in season 2 was the trope of having every single girl in Isekai fall in love with its main character. Up until now, Emilia hasn't even confessed yet, and the love that Subaru receives from the girls are the same kind of platonic love that he receives and gives to the boys. It's rare to see a story tackle realistic and healthy platonic relationships, especially between 2 boys, and I respect rezero for pulling off something like that

[@userk2comment]

Great essay! Good enough to be used in the circle of literary arts.

[@Ayvhel]

Oh damn, that's high praise haha

[@pickle1861]

Underated channel

[@rajvirmalhans2073]

Also return of death is actually a subversion of the time travel trope in a way. Also mushoku tensei properly uses tropes and other series that may use the same tropes seem lacklustre or not as well executed. Mushoku tensei should help with showing how tropes are subverted in re zero and you can see similar arcs and plot points too between the series especially even later arcs

[@Ayvhel]

All great points, and while I didn't go over story structure, it could defenitely make for an intresting discussion.

[@rajvirmalhans2073]

@@Ayvhel something definitely shown in anime is the meal scene seen in slime and mushoku tensei. But many other isekai use tropes in unbelievable ways

[@James-ep2bx]

To be fair Mushoku Tensei isn't so much up holding the Isekai tropes, as it is demonstrating how they got codified as Isekai tropes. As it's light/web novel was one of the modern Isekai foundation pieces.

[@Ayvhel]

Yes you are correct, I've corrected myself on that somewhere in the comments. While Isekai predates mushoku, it was the one that codified it into a "genre". However since it still carried on tropes from works like Familiar of Zero, and other "Isekai" of those times, I described it as "upholding", when maybe another word such as "reintegrating" could have been more appropriate. Thanks for commenting!

[@James-ep2bx]

@@Ayvhel true enough, too me it's like The Matrix, and Blade Runner, in that while they draw upon preexisting norms, and tropes, they by virtue of doing so in a mass marketable manner served to solidify an understanding of a certain kind of story

[@wrusst]

These are both so good

[@Ayvhel]

🔥

[@lancesvensson1703]

I think to makes good isekai you just need to know what the tropes are good for in storytelling as well pacing.

[@Ayvhel]

I think that's a great way to put it

[@aarondubourg3706]

Idk if I would say Re:Zero subverts the Isekai Tropes. If we look at when Re:Zero was written, I'd say it upholds the tropes more than ppl think. when discussing Isekai as a genre and it's history, I think its important to remember titles like Escaflowne, Fushigi Yuugi, .hack//Sign and others before 2012. Alot of Isekai titles from 2012-13 ish are pioneers in what would be the current Isekai Trend, but many of them still hold DNA from older Isekai/Portal titles.

[@Ayvhel]

Yeah, I'm not gonna lie, looking back, a few things I've said in this video are a bit off. After researching for a follow up vid I've done on this, I'd now say that since both were made in the transitional period between classic and modern Isekai it's a lot harder to pin down aspects that were upholding or subverting. Especially since rezero predates things like Mushoku and many others that helped popularize those tropes in the first place (even if they already existed beforehand). I think that it's still accurate as it pertains to what I say about their protagonists, and a few other elements, but some others haven't aged well, my bad

[@alekseyraikou]

Wow, only 264 subs (265 now). I saw the video in recommendations, watched and thought you had like 50k+.

[@Ayvhel]

That is high praise, thank you!

[@krakenskull2557]

What do you think about Youjo senki as an Isekai I believe it doesn't follow the same tropes as any other Isekai

[@Ayvhel]

It's definitely not a conventional isekai. It plays out a lot like military fantasy, (ex: Alderamin on the Sky). Outside of being powerful, Tanya isn't the typical kind of protagonist either. And the setting in itself makes it so it won't follow the patterns of isekai 1 to 1. Although there are still tropes that are common in isekai, like "Being X" reincarnating Tanya. And tropes, like having a passive protagonist being pulled into situations outside their control. Like most cases, I'd say there is a blend, but it leans more to going against conventions. Thanks for your comment!

[@thelyonking5812]

Mushoku Tensei isn't just upholding tropes, in many cases it is the originator of said tropes.

[@Ayvhel]

Well, I've made a video regarding that, it didn't really originate any tropes, it did however popularize a lot of them

[@fordzfinland6862]

I like ur voice heheh so sleepy 💕 i love it

[@Ayvhel]

😳

[@fordzfinland6862]

@@Ayvhel ebeehhe

[@p1ker1]

What saddens me a bit is how so many isekais just shrug off the actual isekai and "parallel universe" concept. Funnily enough, Digimon (Adventure) was one of my favorite shows as a kid and they used isekai to its fullest as a plot element, and that was a kids' show haha! The different worlds conflicting has so much more potential but naturally it also is a great risk that requires a ton of attention from the writer if they wanna really pull it off! Naturally the isekai world gives the writer a lot more freedom but with careful writing/set up you could start the "real world" arc slowly without immediately involving the politics and stuff the way GATE did from the scratch. You don't see that a ton in the modern isekais do it but maybe some latter arcs will concentrate on it. I sure do hope so (well, I do know there are some that will but I don't know and don't want to know the final extent of it :D )!

[@Ayvhel]

I think that is a great point, I was also a very big fan of digimon, and I honestly don't like when the Isekai element is used when it would change nothing to just make it a regular fantasy story. Now I don't think it has to have great interconnectivity between the world's, but I want it to at least address their former lives, much like ReZero and Mushoku do, where in one his relationships in his former world play a huge part on his development, and the other is all about contrasting his wasting of his life in the former world with how he is trying to do better now. I think that if your story wouldn't change by removing the "reincarnated into another world" factor, then you should remove it. No need to add an element you won't explore.

[@hello-gx6oi]

What's funny is that mushoku tensie was the father of the tropes in isekai It was the blueprint that is now overused It's the og

[@Ayvhel]

Well, yes and no. Quite a few modern Isekai predate it. Isekai Meikyuu de Harem o, Knights and Magic, etc... Hell, even Re:Zero started 7 months before. It more so popularized tropes that were already being used in what was before Mushoku blew up, a very niche sub-genre of web novel.

[@jcflores8386]

Rezero for me is very dramatic. Moshoku tensei is a class and superb its like a demon slayer

[@Ayvhel]

It is indeed dramatic, and I like the comparison to demon slayer, both have a focus on execution above all else.

[@testaccrun4830]

Bro dont compare it with demon slayer Demon slayer for sure is a great series a love the series but its overhyped. Tanjirou is a flawless character and it is very different with rudy and subaru, what i mean is the story are good but there isnt any single character development because tanjiro is a flawless conpared to rudy and subaru

[@darkblade51224]

To be honest the reason the argument the manga or the light novel was better is entirely because the light novel and the manga tend to have more internal monologue which allows more characterization of the characters whereas a lot of time anime cuts out the internal monologue, either entirely or mostly

[@darkblade51224]

Of course there are a lot of isekai who are just bad through and through but there are a lot who are only really bad as anime and they work really well as manga or light novel due to proper characterization.

[@Ayvhel]

Yes, I completely agree, and it's not limited to Isekai, in general light novels tend to be told either from first person, or 3rd but closely following the mc, and tend to have a lot of internal monologue. As an example, I think that the oregairu anime is very good, but the light novel was a level above it thanks to the bigger focus on hikigayas internal monologue.

[@btcodm5035]

Meanwhile In another world with my smartphone*

[@Ayvhel]

The one true GOAT innit?

[@GilbertVonArphostein]

Daniel and the cooler Daniel

[@bakyura156]

*hears Grimgar* *subs*

[@Ayvhel]

I plan on making a Grimgar dedicated video soon 👀

[@ruriva4931]

Interesting video but just a bit wrong sequentially. Mushiko Tensi is a pretty old story, it’s kinda like the grandfathered of isekai stories.

[@Ayvhel]

Well no, that is a myth. You can see more in the comment I left pinned if you are intrested, but even Re:Zero came out as a webnovel before Mushoku Tensei did. Thanks for your comment tho!

[@ruriva4931]

@@Ayvhel I didn’t mean to imply that Rezero was after Mushuko Tensei. I meant more generally, cause it’s still a relatively old series that really best summarized the common tropes of modern isekai and has become a hallmark title.

[@Ayvhel]

@@ruriva4931 Sorry for my misunderstandig of that. Yes, it was one of the first few of the Isekai boom of the early 2010's, but the part about it being the grandfather of isekai, comes from it being marketed as such. The tropes in mushoku were already being used before. Mushoku did however compile a bunch of tropes that were more scattered, and popularized them. And it has been used as the reference point since. That was what I meant by "expansion", both Mushoku and ReZero came at the same time, as a response to the growing intrest in isekai, but with different awnsers. ReZero went against the grain, while mushoku took those ideas and built upon them. Once again, sorry If I didn't explain this properly in the vid! ^^ I have been working on a follow up to clear things up, but it isn't ready yet.

[@ironrussell1]

I feel both work because of rooting for an underdog effect. I used to love ReZero until your Start describing the series and the disposition of Rem (They expect the viewers to become invested and then rub poo in their faces say the never existed, thanks Criss Roberts wing commander). While Rudesus is powerful he is learning and it shows. I love Mushoku Tensei Good luck on this video.

[@Ayvhel]

Thank you!

[@JaimeValladares00]

What do you mean "used to love Re Zero"? tf

[@ironrussell1]

@@JaimeValladares00 I don't follow ReZero any more it is a wast of time.

[@JaimeValladares00]

@@ironrussell1 Elaborate how

[@kaizu8326]

I do agree that removing rem from the story can be pretty awful, but it was the building block that was needed for season 3 and 4. Season 3 was a build up for the more tangible events on season 4, while rem getting removed was important for the painful yet beautiful ending of season 4 to work. Rem going to a coma state was one of the driving force that Subaru used to fight the Witch Cult, which is important for the overall story. Without this, Tappei would probably just do the "oh the villain jsut so happened to be here, guess the MC has to do something about it because they are the baddies", but instead he made to "oh, the villain is here, guess the MC has to somehow keep them alive and interrogate them while also dealing with the fact that they're too strong for the MC". It sets up the inane fights for season 3, and the emotional impact of season 4. I won't spoil you about the details, since it can really ruin the fun

[@edi9892]

Akame ga kill wasn't bad, but it doesn't compare to either of these two shows. BTW: why do most seem to look down on Subaru's intelligence? I consider him more socially awkward than anything else.

[@Ayvhel]

I used Akame ga kill because it's a show I enjoyed, I think it makes the criticism of its flaws more honest than if I hammered something I dislike. I wouldn't say he is unintelligent, just average or a bit below. It takes him awhile to notice patterns. Such as when he was first figuring out what return by death is.

[@anesidora4551]

@@Ayvhel tbh I actually consider Subaru to be above average by far. That point is valid however. What I try to convey is that analyzing "the best route" without having the stress nor the time constraint is easy, we have no pressure at all other than objectively trying to analyze something in our comfortable situation. Also some stuff makes more sense if we think of it as 'this is an anime so this is possible" plus we as viewers still experience more of every interaction than Subaru or any character. Subaru doesn't get those privileges. Therefore it's easy for us to think of and make sense of stuff that takes more time than usual to Subaru even though Subaru is smart. Even with all that said. Subaru have performed with intelligence a lot of times.

[@anesidora4551]

and anyone that have read the WN correct me if I'm wrong. But I have heard that the fact that Subaru took a lot of time to figure out he had return by death will actually be touched upon on the web novel further down the story, I don't know how legitimate this is however as I didn't dig deeper.

[@Ayvhel]

that is a fair point, you are right, everyone has their lapses.

[@edi9892]

@@Ayvhel especially under high pressure. I've heard that you forget pretty much 90% of your training when your life is at stake, thus simplicity and constant repetitions are essential.

[@_-_-_L_-_-_]

Jobless pretty much invented the tropes

[@Ayvhel]

Well... That's a bit of a misconception, it more so popularized them, I've got a vid on that if you are interested, I have it in the pinned comment, thanks for watching!

[@_-_-_L_-_-_]

@@Ayvhel i disagree, it Invented them since its pretty much the oldest popular isekai light novel

[@Ayvhel]

@@_-_-_L_-_-_ Well, the webnovel for Mushoku came out after the wn of Re:Zero, Knigths & Magic and Isekai Meikyuu de Harem o, the latter even being stated by the author as an inspiration for MT.

[@yashgreninja9637]

For people saying rudues is pedo, emilia os 115 years old, so isn't it abnormal for subaru to love a 115 years granny??

[@vernaltear]

The thing is, Mushoku pretty much invented most of the isekai tropes. The big difference is that it did them good.

[@Ayvhel]

It didn't invent them, it popularized them. Isekai predates mushoku, and so do it's tropes, mushoku however was the one that codified it into a "genre". However since it still carried on tropes from works like Familiar of Zero, and other "Isekai" of those times, I described it as "upholding", when maybe another word such as "reintegrating" could have been more appropriate. Thanks for commenting!

[@heartbreekidreww9584]

Actually re zero’s web novel was even started to be written before mushoku

[@MrTimeattacker]

Re:zero i think you are overlooking a lot of its depths...its jut not a subversion,its also reconstruction at the same time

[@rikumajumder1558]

You forgot Konosuba...

[@BabyFed]

Random thought: Even though I think MT is a better anime overall, I have to concede that, at least as of S1, some of Re:zero’s side characters are slightly better written. Unfortunately for Re:zero, it’s second season had a very obvious drop in quality and unless something drastically changes in the studio I don’t see that problem fixing itself. However, there is still so much of the story left to be told, so I do hope the next season is better. On the exact other hand, I could definitely see MT’s production quality getting even better considering the fact that Studio Bind is 100% all in with this series and it has done fantastically well in increasing the sale of LNs (which is what adaptations should strive for). Furthermore, as a source reader, I can tell you that the story only gets better, though it does like to take its time fleshing out the world and it’s characters. Otherwise, here’s my totally subjective scores for the two anime so far - Re:zero : 8.75-8.90/10 Mushoku Tensei : 8.95-9.15/10

[@Ayvhel]

That's interesting, the most common viewpoint on ReZero tends to be that the second season was a big step up from the first, I myself see them as similar, but as I read the novel prior I might not be able to see it from an anime only POV. Do you mind telling me what it was that disapointed you in it?

[@BabyFed]

@@Ayvhel I would say what disappointed me was the poorer quality of animation, the pacing, and the lack of direction/focus of the narrative. These really hurt my enjoyment of the show and made it almost feel like a chore to watch each new episode that came out. As an example, the timing of the kiss/confession scene with Emilia and Subaru just felt very unannounced and out of nowhere. There was much to like about S2, but I personally found there to be more to dislike than in S1. Honestly, in my rating of Re:zero I didn’t account for S2 in that as it would have dropped the overall score for the show. Unfortunately, I think there were some aspects (especially dialogue-wise) which didn’t translate as well as they could have into the anime format.

[@whateverwhatever4476]

@@BabyFed that’s more on the amount of content that was cut. The LN/WN version of arc 4 was way better handled then how it was in the anime since the content was cut out

[@davidashton3671]

@@BabyFed I think the feeling of a lack of focus in narrative comes down to expectations. S2 opens with Rem getting incapacitated, so audience expects the season to focus on resolving that, not realizing that is suppose to be a long term plot point. People expected the Sanctuary to be the filler plot, not realizing it is basically the main focal point of the season.

[@BabyFed]

@@davidashton3671 no, I can tell you it doesn’t have anything to do with my expectations as a viewer. The narrative just lacks focus, plain and simple

[@2extrachromosomes605]

God I wish I'm subaru.

[@Ayvhel]

😂

[@applel2.043]

Top 10 moment before disaster

[@CastleOfAvalon]

Rudeus and overpowered ? eeehm... not at all

[@Ayvhel]

For a kid he is quite overpowered, since he is seen as a rare talent when it comes to magic. I know its not to the same extent as a lot of others that we tend to call so, but I'd say that the reason it might feel innapropriate to call him so is because of the depth that mushoku has to its world and characters, that is lacking in many other stories. But contextually, for the average kid/adventurer in his world, he is overpowered.

[@mrmb380]

most of the cliché in isekai anime come from mushoku , it is one of the original isekai series

[@Ayvhel]

Thank you for commenting! However, that is a misconception, it did popularize a lot of the tropes, however, both isekai and those same tropes predate it by quite a bit. If you are intrested enough, I've clarified this better in the comment I left pinned in this video.

[@jjcandelabra6164]

right off the bat ur wrong, Re Zero is nowhere near a Deconstruction its just Dark Fantasy with all the same isekai tropes, at best u can argue that Death Looping might be a Deconstruction of the Respawn mechanic in games/isekai but, that curse is more of a narrative story element and not intrinsically tied to the genre so wouldn't count it.

[@Ayvhel]

I never called it a deconstruction of Isekai. I call it a deconstruction of power fantasy in Isekai twice. "Deconstructs the power fantasy of the Isekai protagonist." ; "So when it comes to Isekai as a power fantasy..." For it to be a deconstruction of Isekai it would have to go out of its way to point out why the conventions of Isekai are "wrong". And Rezero only does this for the power fantasy aspect o Isekai. For the other things I say about ReZero, I only say it subverts expectations. Which is a much easier bar to overcome. Since for it to be "subversion" you only need to go outside what's expected, not deconstruct it. As an example, an Isekai having a dark tone, is subverting our expected tone for Isekai. I hope this better explains my use of the word deconstruction when it comes to ReZero.

[@jjcandelabra6164]

@@Ayvhel that's basically the same thing, since isekai power fantasy is the most distinguished type of isekai in the industry right now and the MC is intrinsically tied to it. When it comes to "dark tone" that's not inherently a subversion at all, its just a sub genre of the same medium. The same way Madoka Magika is a Dark Magical Girls story or Solo Leveling is a generic dark fantasy isekai too. Hence why Dark Fantasy is an established sub-genre in the first place. I'd say the most subversive parts of Re Zero are solely from the Witches, since Subaru is the archetypical pathetic, otaku MC, he just explores his trauma in a more interesting way than others.

[@Ayvhel]

@@jjcandelabra6164 Isekai power fantasy isn't a type of Isekai, it's an aspect of Isekai. And is Madoka Magica not a subversion of Magical girl shows? Saying "it's a magical girl show, but darker" is inherently saying it's a subversion. Because it goes against the expectations for a magical girls show. Most Isekai protagonists aren't even pathetic otaku mcs, they tend to be the bland regular guy, and usually there isn't even any trauma as their past life is never touched upon.

[@jjcandelabra6164]

@@Ayvhel i never said Power Fantasy was a genre, its obviously a trope but, no a show being "darker" is not a subversion, its just the tone of the series. Hence why i keep bringing up Dark Fantasy (a subgenre of Fantasy) which none of these isekai are.

[@Ayvhel]

@@jjcandelabra6164 I never said you called it a genre, I used the word "type", the same word you used. Subversion just a word that means it goes against the expected/established norms, and as all words, it's contextual. The context from the start was ReZero in comparison to Isekai, meaning Japanese light novel/anime where a character gets trapped in another world. In the group of "Isekai" ReZero goes against the established tone. So it is subverting the tone you expect from Isekai.

[@twinbrosgamersja4919]

overlord is the best

[@DabDabGoose]

not even close man lmao.

[@Ayvhel]

I would have it 5th or 6th myself, but I wonder how the rest of your top 5 ends up.

[@rajvirmalhans2073]

It’s not even picture perfect and he’s definitely not the strongest

[@Ayvhel]

"picrute perfect" was probably hyperbolic, I'd still say "ideal" for his "rehabilitation" into a better person. And overpowered is always relative to the average, it does not deny there being people more powerfull.

[@SilverDragoon7395]

Re:zero is a subversion, until you read other fantasy series.

[@DanielLopez-ob9jz]

I mean yeah, but it's a subversion to portal stuff as well. The only portal fantasy I can think of that does this is Thomas Covenant and the protagonist is still a piece of shit. Re:Zero is subversion for the culture it's placed in, not to the entire fantasy genre and even then, the fact that our chosen one hero literally has no powers is still a pretty big subversion from the norm.

[@SilverDragoon7395]

@@DanielLopez-ob9jz Okay I get what your saying. Also what is Thomas Covenant? I never heard of that series, and does come from the east or the west?

[@SilverDragoon7395]

@@DanielLopez-ob9jz And to add to Isekia protagonists who start out as little shits, but grow, we can add Edmund and Eustace to the list from the Narnia series. I also want to add that I'm not criticizing either story and both rank about equally on my personal list.

[@DanielLopez-ob9jz]

@@SilverDragoon7395 Thomas Covenant is a western series. The protagonist has some severe mental health issues. He gets them fixed in the world he's isekaid to and he needs to cope and adjust to being healed. He doesn't really grow that much as a person, that's why I say he's a little shit. The world and the characters around him are great, but God I hate the main character. Thematically, what he does to the story is interesting, but I can't stand him.

[@DanielLopez-ob9jz]

@@SilverDragoon7395 I feel like Re:Zero emphasizes just how much of an ass Subaru is at the beginning. Like he gets severely punished and punished for his stupid mistakes throughout. And also, lots of real world info info in the isekai world of Re:Zero offers so much foreshadowing of the mystery of the world in general is one of the most unique things I've seen for isekai.

[@ThatAnimeSnob]

Subaru is not overpowered? He has infinite retries so there is nothing at stake and even the tension lowers every time he dies.

[@Ayvhel]

Well, as a general rule protagonists don't die. In Re:Zero what's at stake is the effect the loops have on him mentally, and if he will be able to achieve the ideal loop, or fail to save everyone. I hope that explains my position better.

[@ThatAnimeSnob]

@@Ayvhel he recovers very easily thus even that has no effect

[@Ayvhel]

I wouldn't say very easily, only in the second season did he fully from what happened in episode 13, after his talk with echidna.

[@TheReaIestOne]

Bruh.😒

[@psy_99]

In the 2nd trial he explored the possibility of the iterations he left behind actually continuing without him. The thought of leaving people he cared about behind is the entire reason he declined Echidna's proposal. There's way more psychological damage being dealt and if you argue that if he just didn't care about those realities well, there's multiple what if storylines for that and Subaru goes insane in each one. In the what if storylines we also see that there are certain things he just can't do, like beat Elsa or match against Reinhart. I highly suggest reading them if you're interested in more Re:Zero and if you don't want to read then you could watch Echidnut's video going through the story.

[@GoldenRo]

SECOND

[@Ayvhel]

🥈

[@GoldenRo]

@@Ayvhel Even on rewatch the video kinda hits hard

[@Iruilisan]

FIRST

[@Ayvhel]

🥇

[@oamioxmocliox8082]

;)

[@Ayvhel]

;)

[@John14.6OuO]

God LOVED YOU so MUCH that He sent His only begotten son to die in YOUR PLACE so you won't have to die under Gods judgement but live forever IF you fully trust in Jesus, now that he's risen. Please repent. We all broke God's law, we sinned, but Jesus paid our fine. Romans 3:23, Revelations 21:8, Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-10, Romans 10:8-10. Put ur trust in Jesus now, the only way to heaven. a lot of religions say Jesus is a way, a good teacher, Jesus said he's the only way John 14:6 none of us are good Mark 10:17-27, but when we put our faith in Christ we pass from death to life John 5:24 John 11:25-26. We're clothed in his righteousness Isaiah 61:10-11 2 Corinthians 5:4 it's good to trust in him and not how we perceive things, he'll direct our paths, and it's also good to turn from evil n follow him too. Proverbs 3:5-10 2 Corinthians 5:7 Mark 8:34-38

[@ezequielfernandez476]

i love MT so much but i cant stand re zero and cant understand why everybody prase the hell out of it, I tried like 3 or 4 times but I could never finish the first season, I end up leaving it between chapter 20 or 22 each time, at that point I dislike Subaru so much, I am not interested in the story in the least, no secondary character is Interesting or feel relatable enough to worry about its future but the most annoying thing for me is the fact that death has no effect except for Subaru so I can't be interested in a loop that from the beginning I know it won't go well, i mean once someone died you know for sure that subaru will die and start over from the last checkpoint, it was an interesting concept at the start but it gets old really fast, i can see why everyone simp over rem but man her reaction and actions after subarus proposal are so inhuman that i cant think of her as more than a generic isekai waifu obsesed with the mc, subarus simp over emilia is at the same level of stupidity

[@Ayvhel]

I think its understandable that not everyone will like everything. I hated Subaru as well, to me that was a part of the appeal, he wasn’t bland like a lot of MCs. I don't want to be one of those “you should have waited until ep XYZ", but (sorry hahah) the first episode of season 2 is where I think that aspect of it would turn around, as I’ve seen it do so for many, since its one of the first times where Subaru can’t save the day. And later into the second season is when we see the backstory of Subaru, and I’d say he becomes more and more human. When It comes to Rem simping for Subaru, its not something I like a lot either tbh, but I think its understandable since in the loops he ends up “winning” he is usually on his best behavior, and would send a completely different idea of who he is compared to how we, who get to see his bad sides, see him. His obsession with Emilia looks to me like attachment, since he came to this world expecting these overt special powers, and to be a hero, and he got none of that, except the “Heroine” of the story. So I think he attached himself to her and created these expectations of “perfect waifu” because he had nothing else to grab onto. And we even get to see the consequences of the level of simping he did at the start had on both of them mentally. I think its totally justified why you wouldn’t like it, and ReZero really isn’t for everyone. But If you are ever willing to give it a chance one last time, I think the start of season 2 could be the turning point for you with this story.

[@ezequielfernandez476]

@@Ayvhel yea i hear the "you should wait ultil x episode" a lot but if at episode 20 im still hating the mc and dont care for the plot or the side characters then it isnt for me, and is not just the hate for Subaru because i love MT but i dont like rudeus as a person but is interesting as a character from day one and if i have to wait 20 plus episodes to get to kinda understand Subaru is a no for me, it just shows how the author didnt have a clear idea of how his mc came to be the way he is and just added the backstory to justify the unlikeable mc, it feels sloppy, i like when the story and characters are well presented from the start , when you can see how the author think every step before the publication and re zero for me feels like the events are happening when they need to and not when they meant to be, dont know if i express myself in the right way, not a native english speaker here and my writing can get a little sloppy, ty for the respectfull answer, normally ill get trashed because i dont like re zero lol

[@Ayvhel]

Also not an english speaker here so don't worry, and yeah I get it, I don't like the "wait until X" argument, I think if it hasn't caught my intrest and I'm already deep into it, Its probably not for me, hence the "if you ever give it another shot", I don't think you should be watching anything against your will just because someone else tells you to. I do think that Mushoku has a stronger start, although I think ReZero has a good one still. But yeah I'm sorry you get trashed for not liking it, every show with a big fandom is bound to have people like that.

[@jackerrocker2235]

@@ezequielfernandez476 "The event happen when they need to" The feeling that everything and every problems seem too fit like a script is correct cuz that shit will explain in SS2 as well. I disagree on the author didn't know or have an idea to build up Subaru so he used the back story to fulfill it later, in fact he have a clear goal and purposely hide it from the audience until the time is right.

[@ezequielfernandez476]

@@jackerrocker2235 i get the "you need to watch s2" argument but my point is that in more than 20 episodes the series did nothing to make me care for Subaru or the plot, and correct me if im wrong, but i read that the author himself admited that because of how popular rem got he didnt know what to do with her so he put her in a sleep state or something like that, is that correct? Im applying the same idea and asuming that he didnt know how to portraite Subaru so he left his motivations for the future when he could think on something, thats the feeling the entire first season left me, that he didnt know what to do, maybe the part that s2 adapted was when he came up with good ideas and that make sense but it doesnt make the first season better reciprocally, if i say promised Neverland s1 was ruined by s2 will you agree? Because i think that s1 is still amazing and s2 didnt take that away from it, its the same concept here, s2 can be really good and i wont argue that but that doesnt make s1 good when it isnt

[@the-anime-bro]

I actually thought these shows were mid.

[@Ayvhel]

Well, nothing I can do about that 🤣

[@dimitrimcintosh8858]

I can't imagine what's at top of ur list lol

[@strawberrymilk2532]

no offense but you must have horrible taste if you think these shows are mid they are easily the best isekai

[@the-anime-bro]

@@strawberrymilk2532 well to me the best isekai is rising of the shield hero because it has both great world building and also great character development.

[@strawberrymilk2532]

ok that is also another cool isekai