Roswaal is stuck in 400 years past, believing in the permanence of feelings and chained to the past, intent on fostering that same weakness which he believes exists in others to manipulate them Elsa is on a desperate hunt to recapture a feeling of warmth from her past Beatrice remains bound to a 400 year old contract Garfiel is terrified of the world being too big for him to protect everyone and decides that the Sanctuary should remain closed off. I would, however, say that beyond specific characters, the true antagonist in this arc is a symbolic, or abstract one - the idea of “stagnation”, which happens to be behind every obstacle of the arc. It’s also a very satisfactory watch, after the feeling of deadlock within the first cour, as the characters smash through insurmountable odds set up by the charismatic villain of Part 1.ĭue to the nature of the show, some spoilers will follow.Ĭour 1 revealed the antagonist for this season to be Roswaal, behind both the Sanctuary situation and the mansion attack. The message of this cour is a deeply positive one, hence the show momentarily forsaking its usual gimmick. Yes Re:Zero Season 2 is about self-reliance - but it is also about the fact that when you do decide to take that first step, whether it’s to change, to save or improve yourself, there are people out there who will cheer you on. Subaru, as the protagonist, takes a back seat he lends a hand to the other characters, gives them a push, and yet it remains up to them to make a choice and save themselves. The previously established Trials mechanic is used to explore characters’ histories and motivations, all the while sprinkling in setups upon setups leading up to the grand picture of the series. These aspects are in the limelight in this cour. The humanity of its characters and the messages it imparts. Re:Zero’s true strength lies, if you were to ask me, in
Why does Re:Zero, within the abundant sea of modern isekai, stand out like a shining beacon of light 5 years later? Some will argue it’s the breadth of its “best girl” selection, others will say it’s the impactful thriller elements. This cour shifted its focus away from the usual Subaru character study, delving more into worldbuilding, developing its side cast and delivering its core messages. The final line of the opening’s chorus, as well as the ending’s titular “Believe in you”, form the thesis and backbone of this season of Re:Zero.