Back to GFClark's Profile GFClark's Profile

Season 2 of Re:Zero was a random side quest for the purpose of world building, character development, and exposition dump... but it was executed sub-optimally, feeling difficult to get through at times, and wasted some characters' mystery/potential. I only completed it because I loved season 1 (Director's Cut) and can see season 3 picking back up again with the return to the main plot.

Season 2's sense of horror and stakes were diminished, and plot lines were insufficiently supported by characters' motivations. The main character became less complex and more one-dimensional with repetitive long-winded "don't give up" and "I'm here for you" speeches with every other ... character. There were so many forced/hurried backstories to the point where it was difficult to care about them all.

That said, I still have high hopes for the rest of the series.

Instead of another review talking about how the show promised everything in the first 15 episodes, but followed up poorly on all of its themes, symbolism, and character development...

I am writing in defense of Zero-Two, who many people write off as an abusive girlfriend... and against Ichigo, who many describe as the friend who was trying to save Hiro from a toxic relationship.

Zero-Two if anything, is the perfect example of how abused people isolate themselves, self-harm, and lash out to those who attempt to get close. She was tortured since childhood. She couldn't even remember the one person who cared enough about her to not ... treat her like a monster. If there's any problematic character in the series, it's Ichigo.

Zero-Two:
Zero-Two does not deceive Hiro about how she, simply by virtue of existing, harms her co-pilots. Others know this, Hiro sees it, and makes the choice to still be with her. She does not want to hurt people. It just happens. Not only that, but it feeds into her complex about attempting to become "human" and is more evidence to her that she isn't. Her separation from "humans" makes her push herself to believe that other humans don't matter. That she shouldn't care about them. And she "hurts" Hiro by piloting in a situation where she was already both isolated and attacked. She couldn't handle her reflection. She couldn't handle how everyone treated her like an animal, and when hitting her breaking point (in the hospital), she lashed out and hurt his friends. Then Hiro calls her a monster, and after that, feeling like she's lost everything important to her and feeling inhuman and not worthy of love, she self-destructs. Hiro's next scene involving her shows her horns have grown to an alarming degree. She's abandoned hope of being "human." Then, they communicate. They address how their failure to communicate and address their personal issues lead to her hurting his friends and (indirectly) him, and him calling her a monster. After they do this, there is not a single moment of contention in their relationship as they support each other through the rest of the show. This is not "textbook example" of an abusive relationship. This is an example of two damaged people hurting each other and working through it.

Ichigo:
Her entire squad calls her out for being a terrible leader, allowing her jealousy to fuel poor judgment and further attempt to isolate Zero Two so she could have Hiro to herself. Her motivation for the first half of the series is to pilot with Hiro and get rid of Zero Two. Ichigo forces everyone to isolate Zero Two and threaten her with violence. They lock her in a room, guard it, and carry weapons. It gets to the point that the rest of the group finally stands up to Ichigo to just let them talk, but due to her interference, another miscommunication arises, which results in Zero Two feeling lied to, sabotaged, and further isolated and lashing out.