Feel like it was a bit slow at first? You’re not alone.
Summary:
Re:Zero is usually praised for its second cour and sequels.
The first cour is much more relaxed — but that’s actually on purpose.
Re:Zero makes sure Subaru grows as a person, and the first arcs are a great setup for that.
When people talk about Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- (Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu), they usually talk about Episode 15 and onwards. These episodes surprised many fans with their brutality and tonal shifts between hope and despair — and established the series as a modern isekai classic.
That said, the first episodes of the anime are rarely remembered. They’re not bad per se, but they might feel a bit slow. It’s also hard to figure out what direction the anime is going in at first. While these decisions might seem baffling at first, they actually were entirely intentional.
To many, the start of Re:Zero is not as good as its later episodes
The first arcs of Re:Zero have noticeably lower stakes than what comes later. While there are still dramatic moments, they are solved relatively easily (especially compared to how hard it is for Subaru to get out of certain predicaments later). The anime has a lot of slice-of-life moments and doesn’t seem overwhelmingly brutal.
Many fans also complained about Subaru’s behavior in the first half of the first season, calling it “cringe.” A lot of the time, he acts extremely entitled, considering himself the main character of the world (which he, ironically, is, but that doesn’t mean he deserves anything just because of that).
The first arcs’ slowness actually serves a purpose
These things are very much intentional. Re:Zero makes sure to portray Subaru’s behavior in a negative way. Just because he was transported to another world doesn’t mean he’s suddenly entitled to special treatment, nor does it mean that everyone is supposed to like him.
This is especially evident after his duel with Julius — which is definitely his cringiest moment, but also the turning point for him as a person. He grew a lot from that event, something that a lot of fans noticed.
The first arcs exist to lull the viewer into a false sense of security — before hitting them with some of the cruelest moments in the anime. In the later seasons, Re:Zero gets even more dramatic, showing that there are some things Subaru can’t fix with his time rewind ability.
Criticism of Subaru’s character doesn’t make much sense
The criticism for Subaru not using his ability every time also makes little sense. Not only does he not know the full limitations of it, but the point to which he returns in time seems to change in a way he doesn’t exactly control.
Moreover, he keeps experiencing physical death over and over — something he wants to actively avoid. Perhaps it’s time to cut him some slack.
Feel like it was a bit slow at first? You’re not alone.
Summary:
Re:Zero is usually praised for its second cour and sequels.
The first cour is much more relaxed — but that’s actually on purpose.
Re:Zero makes sure Subaru grows as a person, and the first arcs are a great setup for that.
When people talk about Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- (Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu), they usually talk about Episode 15 and onwards. These episodes surprised many fans with their brutality and tonal shifts between hope and despair — and established the series as a modern isekai classic.
That said, the first episodes of the anime are rarely remembered. They’re not bad per se, but they might feel a bit slow. It’s also hard to figure out what direction the anime is going in at first. While these decisions might seem baffling at first, they actually were entirely intentional.
To many, the start of Re:Zero is not as good as its later episodes
The first arcs of Re:Zero have noticeably lower stakes than what comes later. While there are still dramatic moments, they are solved relatively easily (especially compared to how hard it is for Subaru to get out of certain predicaments later). The anime has a lot of slice-of-life moments and doesn’t seem overwhelmingly brutal.
Many fans also complained about Subaru’s behavior in the first half of the first season, calling it “cringe.” A lot of the time, he acts extremely entitled, considering himself the main character of the world (which he, ironically, is, but that doesn’t mean he deserves anything just because of that).
The first arcs’ slowness actually serves a purpose
These things are very much intentional. Re:Zero makes sure to portray Subaru’s behavior in a negative way. Just because he was transported to another world doesn’t mean he’s suddenly entitled to special treatment, nor does it mean that everyone is supposed to like him.
This is especially evident after his duel with Julius — which is definitely his cringiest moment, but also the turning point for him as a person. He grew a lot from that event, something that a lot of fans noticed.
The first arcs exist to lull the viewer into a false sense of security — before hitting them with some of the cruelest moments in the anime. In the later seasons, Re:Zero gets even more dramatic, showing that there are some things Subaru can’t fix with his time rewind ability.
Criticism of Subaru’s character doesn’t make much sense
The criticism for Subaru not using his ability every time also makes little sense. Not only does he not know the full limitations of it, but the point to which he returns in time seems to change in a way he doesn’t exactly control.
Moreover, he keeps experiencing physical death over and over — something he wants to actively avoid. Perhaps it’s time to cut him some slack.
