I wouldn't be surprised if many of you have watched this anime before or have at least heard of it. Re Zero was a smash hit in 2016 with many lauding it as the one of the best fantasy anime ever with it's unique take on the characters and the unconventional, dark elements introduced into the story. If this wasn't enough, the thriller aspect of the show was also well done with many viewers ( myself included) clamouring for more week by week. Along with that, it was a 25 episode anime series which made it a treat to watch every single week for a
...
pretty long time. There was of course times when the anime faltered, but when it was good, oh boy was it really good! I had a blast watching this anime when it first came out and I must say this was probably the most enjoyable anime for me in 2016. While it certainly has it's strong points however, it had a decent number of problems which hindered its quality to a slight degree. With all that said, let us dive head first into the review!
To begin with, the story. With the most of you having read the summary, it does seem generic and to a degree some of the parts of the show are indeed. To be honest, I probably would've never checked out the show if I just read the summary. However, with the amount of work that went into the first episode, it was inevitable that the series was gonna blow up. As if introducing a mechanic and showing that it wouldn't be your typical fantasy series wasn't enough, the first episode was almost an hour long! It managed to capture the attention of a decent number of people and generated a lot of interest. In the end it didn't disappoint me at all. The story starts out normally at first with few twists thrown in here and there. The first 12 episodes are responsible for setting up the second half of the series. While not exactly amazing or great, it was still good and managed to make the series interesting enough to make the viewers continue watching. It introduces a plethora of characters, all of which have unique and contrasting personalities, making it a treat to see most of them on screen.
The second half of the series however is where I believe Re Zero truly begins. To anyone who hasn't watched past episode 12, i highly recommend that you check out the series thereafter. Not only was the writing superb, the world building and setup for the future series were done really well. The staff of the show really did pull the rug under us viewers. The tone shift and development of the main character caught almost every viewer off guard. Now I will not say that it was a " triumphant level of masterful writing", by no means it was; but for what it did for a fantasy anime series, especially for an "issekai" anime, it was truly innovative. It was able to add a sense of realism, it showcased the psyche of Subaru, it was truly unique. The psychological element of the show was really well done, which truly was representative of the show's quality. Of course there were problems with the writing. The change in pacing felt rather off during the end of the series and the ending wasn't very satisfying and didn't help in setting up anything for the future. Nonetheless, it was still well done.
Another important aspect of the series which made it special were the characters. While a decent number of people are on the opposite side of the fence, I still personally believe that the series had a set of characters who were all unique and added their own flair. While most of the characters weren’t developed as much as others, those who were turned out in being very interesting and a treat to see on screen, especially the main character Subaru. As mentioned before, Re Zero focused more on the psychological elements of the show and it did so by using Subaru. The fear of being sent to another world, the loss of everyone who he holds dear, the facade he puts on to look happy- these are just a few of of the things Subaru did and went through throughout the story and writers really did capitalise on them to turn Subaru into a rather interesting and relatable(not to a large extent of course) character. Without a doubt, Subaru is one of the best characters in the series for the amount of depth he has. Now some may argue by saying that he was an annoying character who had your typical happy go lucky personality, an idiotic demeanour and the qualities of your typical “hero”. While he may have had these, I personally believe that it was necessary for the writers to show what was actually going on inside his head, and they did a great job in the end. Another one of the standout characters was Rem, a maid who is introduced in the 4th or 5th episode. While she was meant to be another one of the supporting characters, the direction in which the writers took her character made her a fan favourite. It even got to the point where she became even more popular than the main female character, Emilia, and for good reasons too. She was at first a very cautious and untrustworthy of others, especially Subaru. However, after a certain event in the show she became very loyal and caring towards Subaru and this translated into the second half of the show as well. Their relationship was written so well, that there was even one episode in which these 2 characters talked, just talked for 20 minutes! Yes, that may sound boring but with how well their characters were written and how well each one of them were able to translate their feelings, nothing felt forced at all. It was nothing but a synchronised mesh of pure emotion and character, at least for me that is. This truly made me appreciate series a lot, and I must say, a decent number of others as well. Though there are many others who heavily hated Subaru for a certain scene in episode 18, not including me, all in all i believe that Subaru was amazing to see on screen. Rem especially was also amazing.
The music of the show was also a highlight. The opening and ending songs were great, the other tracks used within the show managed to setup the atmosphere really well. From the uplifting and colourful to the gritty and unnerving tracks, none ever disappointed. By far, the second ending was one of my most favourite songs from 2016. Not only was it sung by Rie Takahashi, the voice actress of Emilia, it felt as if it was being sung by Emilia herself, like if she was expressing her emotions in a poem or of such sort. The second opening established a sense of dread and despair, a recurring theme in the latter half. The tracks used in the show as well were well composed as well. Scenes which were supposed to be sad were sad, to be funny were funny, to be uplifting were uplifting and as such. All in all, the OST of the show was really well done.
The animation and art were also good. While not exactly spectacular or mind blowing, it was still good to look at. In the fight scenes especially, the animation and art were definitely stepped a notch, making them very engrossing. The art itself was really pretty amazing at times. There were however few moments in the series where it didn’t look too great, especially during a fight sequence from episode 20 to 22. All in all, it was a pretty good looking show.
The series was really enjoyable as well. I will not say that this show is meant for everyone. Some may be put off by the silly and stupid moments and some may not like the dark moments in the show. Also, note that I watched this series while it was airing. The experience may all together be different if watched in a single sitting. The thrill while waiting for another episode was indeed something i didn’t expect the show to do. Very rarely does an anime make me so engrossed. However, experiencing that same feeling while binge watching it however may not be possible. Nonetheless, I highly recommend Re Zero, especially to fans of fantasy anime or people in general who want something different.
Dec 22, 2017
I wouldn't be surprised if many of you have watched this anime before or have at least heard of it. Re Zero was a smash hit in 2016 with many lauding it as the one of the best fantasy anime ever with it's unique take on the characters and the unconventional, dark elements introduced into the story. If this wasn't enough, the thriller aspect of the show was also well done with many viewers ( myself included) clamouring for more week by week. Along with that, it was a 25 episode anime series which made it a treat to watch every single week for a
...
Nov 17, 2017
Death Note
(Anime)
add
*Note that this is my first review so it may not be done really well*
Death note, probably one of the most popular anime series out there, has continued to be a fan favorite even though it was released more than a decade ago. For that time, it was regarded as a magnificent piece of fiction and made a huge splash in the anime world. It is often cited as one of the many gateway anime to bring people into watching anime and many people have paraded it as a masterpiece. However, it has been almost 3 years since I've watched it and now that ... |
