Re:Zero - Episode 18 Discussion / Poll

[BladeMancer]

At this point I can only say one thing; Emilia (she isn't even a bad character, she's actually a pretty good one) is a parasite.

[Randrak42]

Rem is best bae...Subaru doesn't deserve her.

[Irenesharda]

It took him three revivals and some of the worst horrors that a person could ever see, but he finally learned the lessons he had to learn from the school of the hardest knocks ever imagined.

And now that he's learned, and he's got the support at his back, he can know start anew and go at this situation from a whole new angle. Honestly, I wouldn't be that determined. I know that personally I would have skipped town long ago. I would be incredibly homesick and be trying to get home to my family. (I know Subaru doesn't have the same strong family ties that I do, but I would still be homesick for my own world.)

Puck was fiercely scary this episode. His rebuke of Subaru was what finally made him have that breakthrough. And it seems that his contract with Emilia is that if she dies he will destroy the world?! That's some responsibility for Emilia. I think she would taking better care of her life if she know the ENTIRE WORLD would perish for her sake. I think they really should make that known. In the words of Doctor Doom, "there's no point in trying to take over a world if there is no longer a world left to rule".

Also with Betelgeuse being Sloth, we know now that the White Whale is actually Gluttony, leaving us 4 others unknown. (Envy/Jealousy being Satella of course)

As for Rem, she has pushed herself to becoming the best female character of not only the show, but of the season so far. I like Emilia well enough, but honestly I don't think she's done enough to really give her a leg up above the blue-haired oni-girl. I honestly don't even really know why Subaru loves her other than her physical attractiveness, her kindness, their experience in the beginning, and the fact that he can act as her white knight. I feel like Rem has done all that and more, and it really seems that if he were to think about it, he cares for her just a little bit more than Emilia. As Crusch said, he easily let his anger and pride override his love for Emilia, but when Rem was forgotten, she was constantly the first thought in his mind.

However, despite his rejection, Rem proves once again why she deserves best girl status by having an agape type love of him, and a loyalty that will stay even if she knows that his heart belongs to another.

Well now that Subaru has gotten his groove back, what shall he do now?

[Pen3]

Originally Posted by Irenesharda

Well now that Subaru has gotten his groove back, what shall he do now?

Since i am not a novel reader i will just go by the intro video and say that he will find a way to get the candidates to help him. Good thing that his previous revival gave him some clues about their personality.

[blakstealth]

I loved this episode. I'm so happy he has had his moment of catharsis, and Rem can move forward. Damn, her speeches had me tearing up a little bit. She's such a fuckin good character. When she was talking about her hypothetical future with Subaru, I lost it. She really thought it through with such detail. It's kinda sad that she'll never win him over, but it's okay.

"Rem deserves a Ferrari"

--

At any rate, I hope Subaru can negotiate his way to making the candidates help him through this situation. If the OP is any indication, I'd like Crusch to get in mix.

[Dengar]

I would like to point out that I am an anime watcher only, and I never thought of Subaru as a scumbag who is not worth rooting for and impossible to empathize with. I doubt I'm the only one at this either. The assertion that the only way one could think positive things about Subaru is to be part of the spoiler crowd is rather strange.


As for this episode...

So much of nothing happened.

At the same time, so much of everything happened.

I like the look in Subaru's eyes at the end. It's the eyes of a guy looking forward.

[Twi]

Originally Posted by Applehell

I'm gonna have this to break this to you but Re:Zero doesn't end in this arc.

It doesn't need to end this arc, but look at the screen time. I'm guessing its at least two episodes to resolve this and then that leaves like 4 or 6 depending on the cour. Given how each arc minus maybe the first one takes that many episodes, Emilia has only one arc at best to get on Rem's level.

Or season 2. I'm good with that.

Originally Posted by Applehell

And frankly this false even before Subaru came into her life Emilia her own troubles and lived her own life (the royal election, her heratige as a half elf, her obligations as Spirit User etc) dealing woth them as best she could. Subaru himself had merely been the one caught up in her flow. All these incidents uptil now would happen without him, with his only effect whether turned out even worse or not.

And how much of that have we seen on the screen? How many times have we seen her make the first move in a situation compared to Rem? Blame the arc structure, but Rem has had more screen time and development and agency than Emilia.

[Mangonel]

Originally Posted by Dengar

I would like to point out that I am an anime watcher only, and I never thought of Subaru as a scumbag who is not worth rooting for and impossible to empathize with. I doubt I'm the only one at this either. The assertion that the only way one could think positive things about Subaru is to be part of the spoiler crowd is rather strange.


As for this episode...

So much of nothing happened.

At the same time, so much of everything happened.

I like the look in Subaru's eyes at the end. It's the eyes of a guy looking forward.

Saw this image and thought it was rather apt. Good use of "Show don't tell" for a visual medium.

Spoiler for Eyes diff:

[jeroz]

In many ways Subaru is now trying to live up to the mental image of a hero Rem sees in him. Not as a LN protagonist that he's familiar with, but a hero that worked hard, is brave, optimistic, and actually "saved" someone.

It's funny how in both ar2&3 Subaru's words to others in the arcs before came back to bite him, in a positive way.

Originally Posted by Applehell

All these incidents uptil now would happen without him, with his only effect whether turned out even worse or not.

Let's see, since Emilia still bumps into Elsa even after she arrived later than she should (because Subaru is slow), that would mean in normal circumstances she will still die to Elsa

and then aPUCKalypse happens, killing the entire slump areas before the protector comes.

~Fin~

[Obelisk ze Tormentor]

Monogataris series aside, it’s been a while since I enjoyed almost a full episode of two (or more) people just talking to each other. What was the last time that I enjoy? Zetsuen no Tempest? Can’t remember right now. And kudos to the VAs a always.

Oh, and Puck’s evolution to Garurumon is cool (no pun intended) .

[MCAL]

If you squinted hard enough you can juuuuuuuuust see the light at the end of that tunnel that isn't an incoming train.

[Child_of_Sierra]

Originally Posted by blakstealth

"Rem deserves a Ferrari"

The perfect imouto deserves a good Nissan


EP18, did Puck just admit that Satella is at least 2x as powerful as him? I almost felt that the white whale was rushing in to help Subaru against Puck instead of Sloth. It didn't look like it participated in the Ordeal before but was fast approaching when Subaru was slowly dying.

Really amazing how many times this show has forsaken its own opening and ending just to cram more material per episode.

[Applehell]

Originally Posted by jeroz

Let's see, since Emilia still bumps into Elsa even after she arrived later than she should (because Subaru is slow), that would mean in normal circumstances she will still die to Elsa

and then aPUCKalypse happens, killing the entire slump areas before the protector comes.

~Fin~

Okay to rephase this a bit, what trying to say is Subaru is a Wild Card who step into situations hadn't concerned him at first. He altered the outcomes greatly both positively and negatively in those cirmcustances, but were events planned without acknowledgement or underestimation of Subaru's existance but Emilia's chaotic situation entirely because who she is. At least from the surface.

[Obelisk ze Tormentor]

Originally Posted by Child_of_Sierra

I almost felt that the white whale was rushing in to help Subaru against Puck instead of Sloth.

Too bad that we never got to see their encounter. I’d really like to witness that fight between Garurumon and Moby Dick .

[Joachim]

been a loong time since i posted here, but i just have to for this episode, this right here is how you do talking between characters, man 20 minutes but it still feel short that is just how brilliant this episode is.

I really love the way the convo goes, and man.. rem is something else, all of her lines are romantic as fuck, one of the confession in anime that felt really real, rem knew very well she is going to get rejected, she knows subaru dedication to emillia, heck she even rejected subaru's proposal to run away because subaru is not smiling when asking her for her marriage literally (that subaru pose with hand extended and him bowing is infamous proposal/confession pose), as she know subaru is just running away, not exactly choosing her over emillia.

i dont get the hate of on this episode in some of other sites (mal, 4chan), but for me this is definitely better than episode 15, not to say episode 15 is bad, it is one of the best i have seen, but episode 18 from zero is really something else.

[Joachim]

Originally Posted by aohige

About this episode...
The author actually made alternative world chapters of "what if Rem DID agree to run off with Subaru?"
They actually live happily ever after and have two children.

He posted these happy chapters during time of despair in the later arc, making it all the more "hey let's rub salt in the wounds".

They're basically spin-off chapters and have no relation to the canon story, so I doubt it'll come up in the anime.

man.. those rem's IF chapter is hard to read now, natsuki's rigel one especially, all the feelings i have when reading it.. goddammit

[Akito Kinomoto]

Someone nominate Yuusuke Kobayashi for performance of the year. As awesome as Rem is, most actors would overact in Subaru's role to the point of being over the top and not be able to be taken seriously. But this SOB knows exactly how far to push himself and dial it back before it gets too crazy for its own good

"All you know is yourself! How much do you know about the Subaru that I see?!"

Best line in the entire episode though Q_Q

[Peanutbutter]

Originally Posted by Akuma Kousaka

Someone nominate Yuusuke Kobayashi for performance of the year. As awesome as Rem is, most actors would overact in Subaru's role to the point of being over the top and not be able to be taken seriously. But this SOB knows exactly how far to push himself and dial it back before it gets too crazy for its own good

Even since his supporting role as Hiraoka in Shirobako and main lead as Tanukichi in Shimoneta, I had a strong feeling he would go far. Currently, I can't think of anyone else who can voice both a loser, a jerk and a hero all at the same time.

[Cicili]

Subaru and Rem just stood there the whole episode and talked for like 20 minutes.

It's a bit amazing to have so much talk here and not make me feel bored at all. In fact, i think i liked it so much their whole conversation felt like 5 minutes to me.

And also obligatory "Rem is best girl by far" comment.

[Haruyasha]

This... only happens in the realm of fiction.

There are no girls out there who would stand there listening to a guy go on like that, much less stand there smiling after getting smashed in the face with rejection. (I realize he was just getting her back, but as a male that was extremely childish and embarrassing.)

They are just missing the icing on the cake - they cut out the part where Rem was supposed to say she'd be okay with polygamy.