‘Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World’ Review — Death Is Just The Beginning
Manga is such a singular and innovative media. Besides the basic knowledge of series like Dragon Ball or Naruto, I never considered myself as a manga fan. However, I realized that manga and by extension anime, manage to mingle all those different genres with disconcerting ease, from very lighthearted stories to darker territories.
A few months ago, I decided to dive a little further into this genre I had heard so much about. Starting with the likes of Code Geass, Erased or Hunter x Hunter, I found myself awed by the acting performances and the storytelling, sometimes surprisingly on par with the best TV shows currently on air.
In April 2016 started an anime named Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu or Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World, as it’s been dubbed in English. The anime tells the story of Natsuki Subaru, a young man who finds himself summoned to another world. He soon discovers that he acquired a power named ‘Return by Death,’ an ability enabling him to reverse time each time he dies.
Re:Zero is unlike many anime, based on a Web Novel, written by Tappei Nagatsuki, which is available in Japanese for free online. The anime begins as a basic story of try and repeat, with Subaru trying to learn from his mistakes each time he dies. While this storytelling technique can often become tiresome over time, Re:Zero quickly grows beyond this concept to offer a thrilling story, that sets up an engaging universe and interesting lore.
Often, main characters in manga are depicted as almost flawless, smart, powerful with a strong sense of values. Subaru is none of that at the beginning of the story, and this is what makes Re:Zero so unique and apart from what we have been used to see on screen. Subaru is a good-for-nothing who finds himself overwhelmed by a power beyond his understanding. Subaru cannot tell anyone about his power for reasons we discover early on, and it is going to weigh on him quickly.
You are certainly going to hate him because of his questionable decisions, and God knows he deserves to be punched in the face sometimes. Subaru is going to get beaten up a lot and hit rock-bottom several times, but this is what this story is all about: seeing how this young man is going to grow into a real adult and mature into the leader he is supposed to be with his power.
The beginning of the story might not make much sense right away as the anime takes its time to establish its universe. However, once getting past the middle of the season, we start to realize that there is a real mystery surrounding Subaru’s power and the reason why he got here. The universe of Re:Zero is surprisingly alive, in the way that it deals with politics, religion, and beliefs of this world, making it a character on its own. You will quickly realize that Subaru is somehow connected with the history of this world and the end of the season raises even more questions regarding the significance of his “Return by death,” but I will let you judge for yourself.
Obviously, the story does not only rely on Subaru and establishes several key characters: allies, foes or love interests that will challenge him but also be crucial in his evolution throughout the story. Re:Zero goes to many places; hence, you will rarely see Subaru interact with the same characters for too long. The anime does not let you settle into a comfort zone, and that is a good thing.
If you get through the end, the last episode might seem a little abrupt, but the journey is from start to finish, an incredibly well-written story worthy of your time and one of the best anime of 2016.
Update: During the festivities of Anime Japan 2019, the Re:Zero official Japanese website updated with a key visual and trailer announcing a second season of the beloved anime. No word yet on a release date but now might be the perfect time to catch up on its thrilling story.
You can check the English translation of the Web Novel starting from the last episode here.
