Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World 2 Anime Review – 85/100

When I finished the first season of Re:Zero, I ended my review on a certain assumption that a second season was on the way. What I didn’t know was that the second season would take four years to get here but was the wait worth it? Now that the final episode has aired I would say yes and I very much look forward to a third season I pray is sooner than the second was. This was the season to change a lot of people’s minds on Re:Zero and have them thinking better of it which I of course called in the first season which people considered more polarizing. When it comes to second seasons in anime you often have cases where a second season spends too much time laying down setup for a third season which may not come to pass. Or simply running though the same beats of the first season and expecting it to have the same impact. In comparison Re:Zero season 2 doesn’t just continue the story but manages to make it’s previous season even better in retrospect as it brings new things to the table.

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Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World 2 – 25 [Offbeat Steps Under the Moonlight]

We are at the end of an era or in layman’s terms we have reached the end of Re:Zero season 2 and it’s certainly been a journey. Unfortunately we have no word whatsoever on whether a third season is coming and I really hope they don’t leave us waiting another four years before anything comes. The popularity of Re:Zero makes it quite likely that another season is coming but nothing is set in stone until an announcement is made. If this is the final episode of this series then it makes for a rather underwhelming conclusion as it is definitely more of an end to a story arc rather than a full conclusion. Character arcs are certainly in a good spot and I suppose you could consider it a good stopping point as a lot of things have been resolved. That said the great Rabbit makes for a weak final encounter and there is clearly an air that there is much more to come after this fairy tale like atmosphere and villains yet to be dealt with. Though right now the question for us viewers is going to be what to fill the empty void it left in wednesdays. At least for me I can say it will no longer be eating up my entire evening writing a post on it if that is the only positive.
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Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World 2 -24 [Choose Me]

In the end they only played the new opening and new ending about twice in an entire cour, that’s got to be some new record. My dear readers we are right at the finish line of the second season of Re:Zero and I can finally go back into retirement…at least until the next season rolls around…or LOGHs next episodes…or Heaven’s Feel 3…this site just won’t let go of me will it? Well I wouldn’t be complaining if Re:Zero dragged me out of retirement again as if anything I pray for it. I will consider my year made if they announce a season 3 in next week’s episode because I have decided that I won’t be reading the light novels as I just find the anime far more enjoyable. I have chosen the path of thorns in that regard as god only knows how long it will take for this story to be adapted to anime, provided we even get the full story. That said, Devil is a part timer got a sequel announced recently after eight years of nothing, so there could be hope. Maybe even Spice and Wolf season 3 if we dare to dream.
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Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World 2 -23 [Love Me Down to My Blood and Guts]

My first thought on starting this episode was “That’s a violent sounding episode title” and it truly did live up to that. This episode features some of the most brutal fight scenes in the series to date and damn if it wasn’t exciting. I might as well say this now, this was the best episode of the second cour of season two. I wouldn’t put it as best in the series or even best in the season but damn it’s certainly one of the best and considering how the story has faltered lately, we really needed this. Odd as I previously made the case that action was not Re:Zeros strong suit yet today’s episode is almost pure action and still a magnificent display. My hype is back and we got two more episodes to go. I can only hope those last two episodes can be as good as this one was.
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Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World 2 -22 [Happiness Reflected on the Waters Surface]

My current experience with Re:Zero is akin to a book that I am allowed to read once a week. Once I begin reading I am locked in and ready to charge through the full story. But then the book is yanked away and I am told to wait another week to get reading again. As such when I am reading that book I have less patience for the times the book decides to unload exposition or cut away from the most interesting situation to focus on the far less interesting one. Indeed I am a little annoyed that we have several high stakes fights going on and instead we cut away to Emilia taking a trial that was already confirmed to be easy for her for relatively low stakes. I mean yeah it’s not the worst thing in the world but I really think we didn’t need half a thirty minute episode for that. Made all the more intrusive when we thought we were finally done with these characters only for them to show up again to hog screentime.
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Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World 2 -21 [Reunion of Roars]

I have started every recent Re:Zero post commenting on the thirty minute runtime but at this point I think I will just accept it as granted for the rest of the cour. Still I do admit that for such a long runtime it doesn’t feel like much happened in this episode as we have quite a lot of talking. The vast majority being dedicated to the verbal tossup between Emilia,Ram and Roswaal which I can say that I may be beginning to agree with Lenlo on this, at least in regards to this episode. Arc 4 in general does have rather weak pacing with Teppei even cutting it down for the light novel but it’s still the longest arc out of the story so far. I do still say though that this episode did engage me and those thirty minutes felt more like five which is often a sign of a good time. But it is one of those things that makes the week-long wait for each episode a rather detrimental aspect as with the story moving forward so slowly, having to wait a week for essentially a small step forward is frustrating. I am sure to those of the future who have all the episodes ready to binge though this is a weak complaint but it is indeed the case that Re:Zero may be taking its sweet time too much.
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Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World 2 -20 [The Beginning of the Sanctuary and the Beginning of the End]

Is White Fox trying to make thirty minute episodes the new standard? For if they are I am most definitely not opposed as I like having a meaty episode to dig into each week. We also have the appearance of the new ending for the cour which admitly is far better than the new opening. Looks to be representing the more hopeful outlook of the second cour and the song has a nice beat that reminds me of the first ending but more uplifting. Otherwise today we have yet another flashback which I previously stated White Fox would be better avoiding as things have been slow with numerous flashback episodes. That said today’s episode was good and perhaps the change of scenery mitigated the stagnation of another flashback episode. Regardless this looks to be the end of all the flashbacks and we can finally move forward with resolving the problems of the Sanctuary.
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Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World 2 – 19 [The Permafrost of Elior Forest]

It’s another thirty minute episode this week but at last we finally get to see the new opening at the halfway point of the second cour. An opening which all I can say is that it’s fine. Look I am not going to give White Fox grief for a lackluster opening which they barely even use and I honestly would say it’s good that they didn’t put too much effort into it. Though my fellow writer informs me that according to the credits they had around 2 unit directors and 14 key animators who worked on it so I guess they did work hard on it? I have doubts on that, not to dismiss the song as the song is good but the visuals are more or less recycled footage with a bit of special effects. There are bits of original content but I spotted quite a number of familiar shots. However I must repeat that I am in no way upset about this as really what is the point of putting effort into an opening that’s barely seen? The content of the show is what’s important and White Fox has not disappointed on that yet.
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Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World 2 – 18 [The Day Betelgeuse Laughed]

They still aren’t using the opening, this is honestly quite amazing and we have another 30 minute episode that flies by like wind. Perhaps it’s due to the literal length of the Arc 4 that White Fox was pushed to allot more time to be able to get through it though in that case I wish they allot more to Arc 3 as that needed a bit more time to sort out some plot issues. So today we got a continuation of Emilia’s backstory while splicing in a bit of Beatrix’s and Ryuzu’s which is a bit of awkward placement as we now have two backstories to finish but I guess they thought we might need a small break from Emilia’s. I admit that this episode makes for a difficult thing to talk about as we mainly have a fight between Geuse and the two new arrivals. Regulus is a villain I can’t say much about as his general deal seems to be to act like a triggered social media user to each and every conversation. As a character there just doesn’t seem to be much to him but then again I could have said the same, and likely did say, about Geuse in Arc 3 and now that boy has layers. We even see him obtain an unseen hand from a box containing what I believe was a witch factor and can we just bask in the beautiful irony of a villain named Pandora forcing someone to open a box? Well ok if we are to be pedantic about it, Pandora’s box wasn’t actually a box but was a pithos but whatever.
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Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World 2 – 17 [A Journey Through Memories]

I am sorry miss Mayu Maeshima but I don’t think this anime is going to do a good job of promoting your new single. In a way I wonder if they are using Realise as a insert song so much to make up for it barely being present in the first cour. This is the fourth episode and we still haven’t seen the opening and truth be told I kinda want to see them only play it on the last episode out of pure amusement. The scary thing being that they just might do that but well today we have another thirty minute episode, all hail White Fox. A deep dive into Emilia’s backstory which has started off on a surprisingly fluffy note full of heartwarming cuteness. Which in Re:Zero is that alarm ringing to let you know that the nuclear bomb is about to drop and you should dive under the desk to prepare for inevitable pain and suffering.
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