@@pineapple8934 ꉂ (´∀｀)ʱªʱªʱª they're not "wrong" per se, it's just the Japanese pronunciation of them (e.g., エッキドナ -> "Ekkidona" vs the English "Echidna"; レム -> "Remu"; ラム -> "Ramu"; etc.)
@@Nothingtoseriousfr and this is just anime subaru , the novels are both way longer [and they aren't even completed] and even more in depth about his psychology and characterisation . truly one of the greatest characters in not just anime but in fiction
I think there is some truth in this for some people, but I think it's also a problem of "not living up to expectations". A lot of people have an idea of what a "MC" should be, and Subaru doesn't fulfill most of the requirements for people. When he makes poor choices, it's not just that he's a flawed character, it's that he himself is ignorant, a bad character, and that "I could do better". Many people don't grasp the situation that Subaru is in, nor that Subaru is his own person, as opposed to a self-insert for the audience. When the "self-insert" doesn't act how the viewer wants, it creates a mental disconnect, and can inspire anger. Plus many people are just bullies, and refuse to engage with the story of Re:Zero and instead mask their ignorance with baseless insults that many times don't even apply to Subaru.
Hot take: a character who gets alot of hate for their actions can prove how well written they are. The main reasons i see subaru get hate is due to many factors such as him obsessing over emilia. Alot of people are fairly used to self indulgent or confident mcs who can reassure themselves that the situation is under their control because of their strength and mentality. Subaru breaks that troupe immediatly in the first arc where he realizes that hes in a setting where being a hero isnt possible by convinetal means where he receives everything barehanded, but also shows the fact of how his ability affects the world and his actions. We see this all being accumulated in ep 13, showing his ugly side of his character. Up until now, we see subaru constantly sacrifice himself for people who clearly treat him as trash, or a hindrance, yet subaru was persistent on playing the hero because he was under the idea that he could become a different person by becoming a generic isekai ideal protagonist. But the story defies that, he doesn't discover any power and even the idea is taken away from him after he broke his gate, and his magic causes it to overflow with mana, which can cause him to die. This is another reason why people hate the story. Because people don't like seeing a weak protagonist who acts selflessly and selfish, arrogant, and even obsessive over ideas that he constantly clings to. And another thing, is that his obsession with emilia is due to the fact that shes the only consistent person in all his loops and gave him everything he couldve asked for and more. She gave him a home, risked losing her insignia for him to heal his injuries, and even fed him and gave him a place to gain attention and friends. Here's another thing, subaru reminds them of themselves. He can act pathetically selfish and be constantly shown trying over and over desperately to no avail that it reminds them of what they are or what they were. The reason why in season two that he didnt think of his parents when he first came into that world, is because its revealed that he felt he didnt live up to the ideal son of his amazing parents, living in his fathers shadow and trying his best to prove to people his worth that he can be kenichis son, rather than being himself. This is why i find the fact that he reassures himself of his own existence that he is natsuki subaru, and kenichis proud son proves that he has grown tremendously past that. Granted, i love how subaru doesnt instantly grow out of the mentality of wanting to be a hero, since its shown how much trauma hes accumulated and how he has to cope with it. I mean, think about it, someone whos faced those aversions of painful deaths and gets a motivational speech isnt going to automatically change completely. This is why this makes him so HUMAN. Think about it. Subaru doesnt instantly change, he has to constantly face his trials and his past transgressions through the pain of death, and revealing how others around him perceive him rather than how he perceives himself. Even rem acknowledged this, "all you know is yourself! How much do you know about the subaru i see?" She sees subaru not as an insecure and selfish human being, but a hero that saved her life and gave her purpose and meaning due to her past of her inferiority complex that grew from ram constantly being praised and failing to live up to thier expectations. DOESN'T THIS SOUND FAMILIAR TO YOU? its a direct parallel of subaru and mostly every character who had to face trials from their past like otto, garfiel, even emilia. She wanted to live up to the peoples expectations, but the discrimination and trauma she received, not to mention her raising of ignorance of puck from the outside world causes her to be naive, and very kindhearted, while also wanting to been not as satella, but as emilia. THIS IS WHY I LOVE REZERO. You can see how similar the characters are because all 3 characters such as rem, emilia and subaru have the same characteristics of wanting to be seen as their own person, rather than being themselves, otherwise they fail to live under peoples expectations of that person they see. And i didnt even mention the fact that subaru actually immediatly accepted that he wouldn't be able to return once he opened his eyes and saw a new world. That's the reason why the EP, "parent and child " is so important. Because it shows how subaru loves his parents, but why he didnt think of them in a new world. I can write on and on about how i love subaru, and why subaru receiving hate for his character isnt bad because it shows how a controversial character can be well written and humanly relatable to what the author intended. I hope this answers your questions. Edit: all of what i stated is just a small surface of what i found so great about rezero. Its honestly such a complex and indepth series, yet people will dumb it down to just a repititive cycle of needless suffering to make the audience symphatize with subaru, despite the story proving the opposite.
@@TehFlashBang_ Yeah, that is also what I was thinking. Of course there's people who just flat out refuse to engage with the characters and maybe it's just because the series isn't their cup of tea. But I believe that if Subaru had never been isekaied, and he were to watch a show EXACTLY like re:zero, just with the protagonist's name and physical appearance changed, he would be one of those who'd think "they could do better". People see themselves reflected in Subaru not because they can recognize his shortcomings as similar to theirs because that's a hard thing to do for anyone (Subaru can't even recognize his own shortcomings when they make themselves apparent). But they are there, and people clearly feel uncomfortable about that after being misled to put themselves in the shoes of who they think will be an ideal Isekai "mc" (just as Subaru would if he watched re:zero). Subaru is a carbon copy of most anime fans who hate him, and that is why he likewise starts off hating himself.
@@sameerdeka3426yeah, and the fact is that some things on his character are up to interpretation, so the character analysis of Subaru cannot be the exact same from different people
I think the fact that he’s so divisive is a testament to how well he’s written. A lot of characters in stories are written to be so flat or “perfect” that it’s hard to feel any strong emotions towards them, so a incredibly well written (and incredibly flawed) character like Subaru who, on the surface appears to be a self-insert character, tends to polarize people. He frustrates me a lot, but I don’t think Re:Zero would be Re:Zero without him.
Yeah initially I thought Subaru was the usual self insert isekai protag. Then I thought he was the authors punching bag for his dislike of isekai protags. But now I see the true depth of Subarus character and the author's writing
@@TerrelSam Technically, although Subaru IS somewhat of a punching bag, the main focus of the story is actually meant to be on Emilia, but just through Subaru's perspective. I don't recall Tappei ever saying he hates isekais or Isekai protagonists
@@ericshaun343 There's no way Tappei hates isekais or isekai protagonists when he is friends with the authors of each series featured in the Isekai Quartet as well as Mushoku Tensei's author.
I personally find it so refreshing to see a character with actual flaws that affect his social life, and it's really satisfying seeing him grow and learn from his mistakes.
Flawed though he is, I see a lot of myself in Subaru. My best became smaller and smaller. I shut myself away. I couldn't bring myself to go to school. The smiles of my parents were torture to me. I wanted them to hate me. I wanted someone, anyone who wasn't me, to vault me out of where I was. It took me several years to ever get up and go again. I got a job. I got my license. I started going to the gym. I'm going back to school. Self-improvement is a long journey, and it's the hardest part of growing up. I'm incredibly blessed to have people around me who believe in what I have to offer. Having people tell you how they see you is scary but incredibly liberating. You can be more than you currently are. You truly can. It's not too late, you ARE strong enough, and you CAN do it.
Yup, Subaru is such a goated character. Seeing him succeed is like seeing one of your homies who hasn't had a good spot of luck finally get out of a bad place, and that is the sign of a good character, when you see them as a real person, like a friend, who's just going through a bad time, it makes it all the more cathartic to see him rise again. I see alot of myself in him, and to this day he is still one of the best characters in any piece of fiction imo.
I think one of the major things you have to be able to hold in tension when it comes to Subaru as a character is that it is completely fine to enjoy his concept/his ethos as a character while simultaneously not vibing with his character quirks. He is all at once an incredibly deep character who acts and makes decisions based on an incredibly human back story, who also happens to be awkward, emotionally reactive, lacking in self-control, and any lessons he learns have to be brutally and painfully beat into him. I personally find Subaru to be both a fascinating and frustrating protagonist but I honestly wouldn't have him any other way. He's one of the best examples I can point to in fiction of how to write a protagonist who you can both like and hate all at the same time. I love that he tries his best in spite of his mountain of insecurities and baggage and also hate the way he consistently lets all that baggage spill out in ways that often times hurt more than just him.
I agree with this. The way id explain it is that you have to be able to see both the person and the character. The person is, well, who they are, their personality, motives, identity. The character is what they represent in the story, their role. Its okay to love one and hate the other. To hate the character but love the person is to hate how the character is used and the ideology or message that they represent, but love how the character acts, their mannerisms and quirk. To hate the person and love the character is to hate their personality and identity, while loving how they are used in the story to represent a message or ideology. In the case of Subaru, im sure a lot of fans hates the person of subaru natsuki (at least at first), but love the character of Subaru Natsuki. This includes me. I disliked subaru, at least at first. I never hated him, i never thought he is a bad person, just misguided. Hes the type of person who im fine with being friends with, but i would avoid them on a bad day. And when the humiliation of arc 3 happens, i still didnt hate him, i just feel sorry for him, though i do think he deserved his treatment at the time. But as the arcs go by, i started actually liking him. This started at the 'From Zero' episode, and peaked at arc 5. I find myself rooting for him, lamenting his lows and celebrating his highs. Subaru Natsuki is an amazing character.
I love the personal and the protagonist side of Subaru. Yeah he's definitely had some questionable moments, even outright awful moments, but I can never find it in my heart to blame him since I know I'd be just the same or even worse. It's like looking at a kid doing something you know will end badly, but you have to let it happen so they can learn from their mistakes.
You know what's the most masterful part about Subaru's writing and development? How realistically human he is. His growth is like therapy, just because he saved the day, just because Rem gave him a life changing pep talk, it doesn't mean he magically switches from loser hikikomori into a grand paragon of virtue, they're big steps in the right direction, but like therapy, he has to constantly follow up on it. Season 2's writing is exquisite in that regard, he learned all the right lessons from his peers, but Garfiel, Echidna, Rosswal and even Otto end up teaching him he still has ways to go, that's why it feels so good when he thanks Echidna for all she's done, even it nearly caused him to make a deal he'd regret. It spoke volumes of the human factor when even the witches, the very demons of Lugunica, were showing concern for Subaru. Re:Zero is just amazing overall, amazing analysis! Looking forward to your analysis of season 3 if you ever decide to make one once it finishes airing!
Tappei is an insane writer, it's not just Subaru who's realistically human, but all the characters that we see and all the character interactions as well!
Jesus Christ, as someone who finally gave Re:Zero another chance after I dropped it years ago, this video is a vibe. I remember years ago cringing so hard trying to watch the series years ago. Now the cringe is somewhat charming when seeing how far he's come. I binged the whole series from the start this weekend and am fully caught up. 🎉 W series. W MC.
Subaru is one of the only characters that I actually feel bad when things happen to him. The show portrays his emotions very well, which not many shows do this. Re Zero is my favorite anime and a masterpiece in my opinion.
I thought Re:Zero had depth but I didn't realize it was this deep. One of the best animes I've ever watched for sure, and you've really opened up my eyes to how masterfullly it was written.
I remember when I first watched Re:Zero and hated Subaru for constantly failing and being obnoxious but it wasn’t until “from zero” and “parent and child” where it finally hit me I saw myself in Subaru and after rewatch it made me appreciate how complex and human he really was, this series genuinely made me change the trajectory of my life for the better
I'm very advanced in the story through the web novel, so I know a lot of what's going to happen. BUT EVEN SO, this video opened my eyes to a LOT of things I missed. Tappei is truly a fantastic writer
Could've doubled it with Arc 5 alone , as it expands massively on Subaru's parallels and dynamics with other characters . with Arc 6? the video could be days long and it wouldn't be enough
“Maybe to be a hero, the first step, the most important step, is knowing WHO needs to be saved.” To put it in Satella’s words: It seems so simple but yet is always forgotten. Never have i ever felt such awe to a conclusion of someone’s character. The lead up and amount of thought in this video directed towards the series and Subarus character is truly astounding. Seriously so much love to the production and writing of this video. I don’t think i’ve ever seen a better analysis of a work of art. Everyone working on this should be proud. ❤❤❤
No matter how much i thought about it, I just couldn't come up with any witty, long, maybe elegant complement. Only a genuine thank you. It is the truth how much re:zero resonates with the ones who took a liking to it, who sat though the sad, the horrifying, the uncomfortable and cringe moments of it. And just this one, especially this thorough of an analysis, helps to put it into words what have captivated me on my first and consecutive rewatches. As you said love is when you are willing to expose your vulnerability to others, trust them and ask them to do the same. It is hard to learn and grow through an experience you never went through, no matter how relatable it is. But when you put it to words like this, lay it bare before us, at least me, it genuinely helps to appreciate it even more, understand it more. Even if i fail to grow as a person after watching your video, i still thank you with all my heart for i have felt it.
"It's easy to give up. But it doesn't suit you" being brought back at the very end of the video made me start bawling my eyes out on the spot. Incredible video, thank you so much for this watch.
Something about Re:Zero and the audience reaction to Subaru has always bothered me, and it's how viciously judgmental everything and everybody is toward him, on both sides of the screen. There's some of this when you show the clips of Subaru getting punched and beaten by Otto with the implication that this should be satisfying to the audience, but I just felt sorry for him, and this happened repeatedly while I was watching the series, I looked at the comments and everybody was shitting on Subaru and I couldn't help but wonder, are these people even watching the same show? He's what, 17? 18? It's hard to imagine anyone in the audience doing one tenth of the good he did at that age and under those circumstances, let alone do better than him. The guy immediately forgave and showed kindness to someone who literally tortured him to death, that alone makes him a damn saint. It would be so easy to hold a grudge and start using the loops to get back at the people who made him suffer, but for all the "ugliness" Subaru supposedly shows, that thought doesn't even cross his mind. I guess being cringe really is the worst sin of all.
Lets not forget that under circumstances from the whale, Otto pushed subaru off his carriage, causing him to break multiple bones and leave him dead for the whale to kill him by saving his own life. Yet, by the end of the sequence, we see ottos cart being shown pushed back by his ground dragon, showing that Otto wanted to actually save subaru from the whale, but due to the influence of the amnesia the fog causes, it forced him to make that decision.
Exactly, I cannot find it in me to get mad at Subaru for what he did at the royal selection scene. When I originally watched the scene with the argument between him and Emilia I thought of it as cringe. But when I rewatched it I couldn't help but actually feel bad because he was acting like this because of his trauma with his deaths and his other trauma that is explained in season 2. It's not that I'm saying the way that he acted at the selection is acceptable, it's just everything that happened to him boiled over. He is only 17 at that point and people expect him to be strong and stoic after dying time and time again? Pure hypocrisy, most people wouldn't even make it past arc one
Also there is a lingering thought in my mind that the trauma from his deaths until now will boil over again eventually and his friends will have to save him, probably sometime at the end of the story at some point, wouldn't be surprised if he even becomes a temporary villain at some point. Just a thought ...
This is what I think - heck, more than "He's not great but it's understandable", Subaru IS quite a good guy - he tries to be a supportive and reassuring brother figure to any kid he sees, he puts in relentless effort to save everyone - literally, and also getting them out of their shell (Rem and Beatrice being the biggest examples of course). He relapses in his otaku mindset sometimes, but overall his way of treating people is very warm. And ever mind his deaths in the new world, his backstory is incredibly tragic and it's no wonder he has the flaws he does today. He gives love, and he needs more love imo
It’s always “Why doesn’t he do this or this” and then getting annoyed when he doesnt make the perfect decision every time or abuse RBD, even though he has shown over and over why he doesn’t want to do that, especially after the second trial
I will never understand why he got hate. Where's the fun in all these perfect MCs? They don't feel human. Re:Zero was unironically the first anime that ever made me cry... and it was somewhere halfway through the first season. Seeing Subaru's struggle hit me harder than any other character struggle in any fiction, ever. And I think it's precisely because of his imperfections, that he actually felt human and relatable to me, and therefore made me cry aswell. I can't help but feel that if someone hates subaru, they lack empathy or emotions to some extent
Its the people who like watching Kirito #61 win the day and get the girls, then they hear of this super popular and well regarded Isekai, pretty girls on the cover, cool ability, and they expect a specific Archetype. I like to call it "Aura-Scaling", Subaru doesn't do "cool' things like use a op ability, or die 1000 times to learn attack patterns, Subaru is Human. Its a disconnect in expectation
@@nerdblock215 Honestly, considering the IF stories that Teppei has written, Subaru is really impressive for managing these situations as well as he does. Arc 5 (season 3) spoilers. I remember reading Arc 5 (web novel except i skipped the liliana chapters) and getting the point where his leg was injured. As soon as he woke up in the infirmary, I had a feeling that he wouldn't be using RBD anymore in that arc. That time skip between 4-5 provided a lot in terms of him growing as a person beyond RBD. It makes me think about Arc 3, where Wilhelm gives up on sword training after Subaru's night time conversation with Crusche. He says something along the lines of Subaru having given up on getting stronger.
This is the greatest Re:Zero video on TH-cam, and I'm not exaggerating in the slightest. The ability to perceive the story in a way that can be explained in completeness to an audience is absolutely incredible. Please do not stop making Re:Zero videos, I'm waiting for at least one on S3
I simply cant see how Subaru is not one of the best written protagonist in anime. This video is the proof. Also, grats on this amazing video man. You said that Subaru is a hero that knows who needs saving reminds me that for whatever lore reason, he says to save Satella. Yes, even that Satella is someone that is not beyond saving for Subaru. My guy is such an imperfect perfect hero.
One thing i feel this series explores as well is how to cope with trauma. I don't see it talked about very often, but what subaru goes through is undoubtedly very traumatic. And in every loop, when he tries to deal with it alone, he ends up failing and amounting more trauma. But even if he cant talk about the trauma directly, he can still talk about how he is feeling and gaining the support of others to better himself and work through it often leads to him completing each loop. Running from it is never the answer, but at the same time, completely a loop doesnt mean that trauma has faded. Instead, he learns, bit by bit, how to better respond and adjust to the challenges and the memories he holds. No one knows exactly what he is going through, but they can tell he is troubled none the less. Accepting that help from others is what allows subaru to face it head on
17 minutes in, and as a web novel reader, your analysis has already hit several nails on the head in breaking down Subaru's character and his issues. I'm also increadibly impressed by said analysis from the perspective from an anime-only such as yourself! Your video is fantastic, and I'm looking forward to finishing this over the week.
One of my favorite aspect of his power is how much is he willing to let go. This aspect of him is not explored in anime. But it is intriguing to think about it.
That is the one thing I find to be a but unbelievable, though it helps the character from becoming too cynical or cold, so I wouldn't ever change it. Might just be my petty ass, but if someone literally tortured me in a loop before their sister kills me AS A MERCY! I might not be too inclined in becoming friends with said person and help them overcome their inner demons. I probably wouldn't really care much for the outright stupidly powerful 1/4 tiger child that, in a tantrum, murdered all of my friends leaving me to get eaten alive by rabbits.... I know Subaru is mentally the strongest character in the whole show and his believe in other people is one of his core believes, but freaking hell he might be a bit too forgiving. Even if his death isn't perfectly memorized or felt in the loop after because it is more like a dream, it is still insane he can even TRY to talk to people that murdered his ass out of nothing more than a light suspicion of him being in a cult...
@@bibbobellawell, the story doesn't shy away from this fact either that hes too self sacrificial and forgiving. In the novels and S2, the witches question his mental because of him risking his life to save people who brutally murdered and tortured him, even quite literally having a regular conversation with him that they call him insane. They aren't wrong either, since subaru mentally tries to ignore his deaths to save a girl who doesn't even know his existence and died just to receive her name, even to the point of accumulating an obsession with her due to his trauma and her being the only constant in his loops that hadn't treated him as such, even comforting him when she didnt know what he went through. Its how rem perceives subaru, and how ram perceives roswaal and even how roswaal perceives echdina. All of them have an unhealthy obesssion with the person they love due to their past trauma or incidents, and will do anything to prove thier worth to them. This is why rezeros main central message is seeing yourself as your own person, not as someone else and starting to become a new person from the absolute beginning. Another thing about subaru is that hes not human because of his actions alone, but how he reacts to the trauma of his deaths and how he tries his hardest despite things not going his way. Even showing how selfish he can be, and how the ugly side of humanity causes others around us to be affected by our words and actions. Not to mention, subaru sees the people who treat him like that show their ugly side, but knows there is more to them than that. Its how rem views subaru despite how he views himself, because how we can perceive ourselves is not a reflection of the others we know perceive you. Like how emilia views herself as a mere half elf and a hindrance, yet subaru recognized this, and says he loves her because shes emilia despite how she feels about herself. The same thing subaru did to rem, about how rem viewed herself as inferior to her sister and how she is completely useless, yet subaru saw a girl who was actively struggling with the same problem he has. Even roswaal was baffled by rams behavior towards him, because despite all of what he did and how he pereives himself as truly evil, ram truly does love him. Which is a concept commonly done in rezero, and how the characters constantly grow under similar characteristics by wanting to be thier own person, rather than how society wants them to be or how they perceive themselves. To become a better person while acknowledged their own flaws and inherent problems.
@@bibbobellaOn Garf, he didn't kill Subaru friends in a tantrum. He legit just lost control in his tiger form. When he goes into it he basically becomes mindless. It was shown in a dead loop when he turned back to normal he was horrified at what he did
@@NothingtoseriousfrI saw a very good analysis somebody did on how REM view of Subaru is a mirror to how Subaru used to view Emilia. REM puts Subaru on a pedestal and sees him as this unstoppable figure rather than just a human. She's more in love with the idea of Subaru rather than the person named Subaru. You remember that one loop where Subaru became catatonic from the trauma of all the death he saw and Rem straight up said she'd be happy if he stayed like that forever cause she can keep him to herself under the guise of he can't take care of himself? Sufferu tumblr has a really good post talking about the entire: "I don’t think we talk enough about how CREEPY Remsuba is in canon - especially from Subaru’s POV. Like on the surface, it’s like, “Rem is in love with Subaru as her hero and he develops feelings for her after she helps him pick himself back up during Arc 3” - But then there’s stuff like Rem making Subaru into the center of her world and her sole reason for existing - And “Rem got up early every morning to sneak into Subaru’s room and watch him as he slept” - And also Subaru canonically still being deeply traumatized from the time she beat him to death twice in a row a year later - So traumatized, in fact, that this trauma had about a 50/50 chance of either pushing him off a cliff to go back and save her or almost single-handedly propelling him straight into the Wrath IF timeline where he trusts absolutely nobody, not even himself - Which by the way, means he spent that month between Arcs 2 and 3 living in a mansion with a woman who tortured him for hours and also beat him until he died with a flail in the next room over, while said woman was also following him around like a lovesick puppy to the point where she’d be standing over his bed every morning - And then “Rem pretended to die to the White Whale just to see his reaction, and it was only immediately after this that Subaru - still not quite thinking straight - agreed to let her be his second wife” - Like. I love Rem, but - even in just the canon timeline. It’s not like she’s horribly abusive to him all the time or anything, but she’s often really creepy and emotionally manipulative and if she didn’t get erased by Gluttony she was almost certainly going to do her damn best to drag Subaru into being hers by any means necessary. And then you take into account that from Subaru’s POV Rem is responsible for arguably one of the most traumatic things that has ever happened to him in this new world, and sure from Rem’s POV that never happened, but it sure fucking happened as far as Subaru is concerned, and that does count for SOMETHING. Even her speech to him in Arc 3 - look, it’s a great scene, and Subaru needed someone to give him a boost so he could do what he actually thought was the right thing to do, and also from Rem’s POV that was absolutely the right thing to do, but look me in the eye and tell me that you would tell your loved one to go back to something that killed them three times in a row. Not to mention that Rem’s not-codependent ass in Arc 7 is basically telling Subaru that the very thing she said to him in Arc 3 was actually incredibly toxic, and this hero mentality that he’s been adopting thanks to her is harmful and unrealistic. That scene wasn’t entirely a good lesson for him, is what I’m saying - and honestly, depending on your interpretation, it could very well be taken as Rem putting him on a pedestal as her hero for her own sake (because she needs a hero) regardless of how much it ends up hurting Subaru. After all, Re:Zero is not a story that encourages absolute heroism - and especially in this case, I think it’s hiding how fucked up this choice was behind the suspension of disbelief that comes with it being a fictional series. Hell - her choice between Sloth IF and the Envy Route could even be interpreted as her choosing between owning everything but his heart or deciding to take the hard way and earn his heart before taking him as hers in his entirety. Because the thing is, that Sloth IF route where they run off together - that divergence point isn’t Subaru’s choice, it’s REM’s. Subaru chose that route already, and whether or not they end up following is entirely up to whether Rem takes Subaru’s hand and keeps him for herself now or waits to take the entirety of him later - and we know she’s not giving up, because she later faked her death to the Whale in order to use his relief to manipulate him into taking her as his second wife. And there’s also something to be said about how the fact that an IF route where she rakes him for herself now exists proves that that was a HARD choice, and she almost did it. Anyway Remsuba isn’t - like - Echidna levels of toxic or anything, but it’s still not an ideal relationship by a LONG SHOT and I think 1) Re:Zero being a story with a layer of suspension of disbelief around things like Subaru’s deaths being heavily traumatic and honestly really evil (like seriously, even in the world of Re:Zero, Rem did NOT have to do ALL THAT -) and 2) Rem being such a stereotypical charming anime waifu are both used to covertly cover up a lot of the things that make that relationship such a scary end for Subaru. And they do have their good points, they have their mutual assurance and sweet moments and genuine love - and that makes it so much easier to ignore the darkness seeping through the cracks, and at least for me, that only helps make it so much scarier."
@@whateverwhatever4476 I know. Still wouldn't forgive him. he choose to go into that form. "I didn't mean to kill them! I just turned into my mindless tiger from that I can't control and accidentally proceeded to paint the nearby trees with my friend's innocent blood and guts!" wouldn't stick in court and it wont stick with me either!
As someone who never watched Re:Zero,I'm at least glad i watched this video. While i didn't vibe with the anime itself for a multitude of reasons, being able to see the soul and message of the story presented like this was great. Thank you for all the hard work you put into this!
Re:Zero genuinely changed my life, just as it was said in the video, it felt like a mirror was pointed at me. It was one of the factors that made me fight stagnation in my life. I'm grateful to Lord for this piece of art, because that's what art should do, set the soul ablaze, thank you Tappei.
Re zero has some of the best characters ever written, one of the most interesting worlds and amazingly tense moments. Hope it gets a better game adaption at some point.
I like everything that goes in re:zero, the way it is, it seems perfect, but when you dive deep, you can't unsee some things. Best characters? Where? It seems like most of the characters in Re:zero are somehow derived from Subaru. Usually it is seem as something bad when all you see is yourself and it starts to bother you, and make you feel uneasy. But that uneasiness is paid ten-fold in Re:zero, and that is a good writing, not how good or even best characters are. Sure, some of the characters that met godly writing, hinting at Rem, are considered best, because millions of people see her as a default waifu representative for anything anime-related, but in retrospect, it is literally hinting at the fact that Subaru Natsuki is also the same, hell, he was the first one to do what people love about Rem. And now they all tell lies how they hate Subaru, when the heart of the matter is, they secretly love how mc can save someone like themselves. Anyone loves being truly saved and don't know if they ever could or did save someone. That's like the whole point of ep18, if you can love someone, you can be loved too. The problem is it is NEVER about the character but the way that character is derived by the plot, be it in reality or in this story. I still doubt that these are the best characters, but i will agree that they are more real than most and relatable af
The final section of this video made me cry, tbh. What a great video on Suabru, addressing his flaws without ignoring his strengths and acknowledging both while building upon it. I have waited long for a video like this where all of these aspects, good and bad were talked about properly. Amazing analysis. 2:09:36 is also one of my favourite quotes from this video.
Did I just watch 3 hours of a video analysis of something I barely know about? Yes I did but it made me want to watch it now and see everything about it not covered in this.
My favorite anime, I'm jealous of you and anyone about to embark in it for the first time. You're in for a horrific and beautiful ride, and yes I know it sounds like an oxymoron but it ain't.
Subaru is my all time favourite protagonist and character because of how painfully real he is. I've known plenty of Subarus in the past, and I probably walk past many while going to work. It genuinely feels like the author just picked up a teenager with issues from his house and placed him into the story, that raw feeling of mundane reality permeates every aspect of his choices and thoughts to the point that I'm thinking ''Oh yeah my buddy _ would totally do this, or say that, or mess up here'' etc. The pinnacle of 'everyman' characters, my glorious king Wubaru 👑
It’s been a long while since I’ve seen this scene 2:11:11 and started crying from contemplating what I’d do if I was in Subaru’s shoes. “To love yourself” “Why can’t you see that you should include yourself in the ones that need to be saved.” From almost dying after saving people from an incoming truck. To dying countless times in a hostile world filled with supernatural events and sadism. To rationalizing that his charisma is the key saving everyone and that it is perfectly fine to die until his charisma prevails. Coming to terms with parents through a dream. Then still struggling with his self esteem. Satella, Beatrice, and Rem have done more than enough to make him realize that his life isn’t meaningless. Death shouldn’t be a goal but being a coward or procrastinating from doing the things that are right by us and our loved ones is a metaphorical death that we have idealized.
I’ve never wanted to punch Subaru in the face or thought of him as obnoxious. I never found him annoying once. Am I just weird? I honestly don’t see what’s so annoying with him, he’s just an average guy who dies constantly and slowly loses his mind while also growing as a person. Subaru is my favorite character in the anime, I’ve never lost faith in him or found him cringy. The more he suffered or lashed out at others, the more I rooted for him to get over his flaws or whatever challenge lay in his path, to overcome it and protect what he holds dear. Subaru’s just the best man.
I thought I was the only person who felt this way. Finally someone with like minds. One thing, Julius is the one that started mocking Subaru, like he has a page long rant that boils down to "You are a useless lowborn and therefore can never be a knight no matter your achievements" (he included Al in that too), Subaru then retaliated by mocking the knights. In ep 13, He wasn't wrong about the knights though? They deliberately under their own oath and free will insulted one of the royal candidates for the throne despite inviting her there? Do you understand how backhanded that is? Just look at the state of luginica before subaru arrived. The whale was roaming freely and taking the lives and even stealing the existence of others, completely letting the ones close to them forget them entirely. Look at the whale fight and tell me without subaru, they would've pulled off a victory. Or how they couldn't even locate the whale without subarus scent from the WOE. Or how he used his determination to inspire crusch to make a speech, and how this specific moment in ep 13 makes it all the more relatable to the audience and how crusch acknowledged how he's physically the weakest, yet still was the only one unaffected and fought against the whale, and even came up with the plan of using the tree to entrap it to begin with. Go look at how the Manga shows roswaal almost killing subaru in front of an entire room of royal knights, go look at how those same royal knights would've killed subaru if not for julius stepping up and saving him by beating him like that. And finally, go look at how priscilla, a royal candidate tried to kill felt if not for Reinhardt. So apparently, all of these big royal ups can literally commit multiple crimes and disrespect their own despite their positions and code, yet subaru gets all the blame because he directly calls out all the knights for insulting a royal candidate for their appearance they cannot control. Yet you're telling me subaru deserved to be 1. Kicked and threatened by priscilla after desperately begging her for help to save the village of arlam, despite him following her rule. 2. Disrespected by crusch and called a madman because of his rage towards the witch cults actions. 3. Literally scammed by Anastasia, and even brought up his past to demoralize his inner self esteem even further. 4. The fact that he was pushed away by two of the only people who are his moral support says enough. Even rems self sacrifice causes him to blame himself even further. This is why I say that ep 13 afterwards was unnecessarily cruel towards subaru. You're telling me all of these knights were willing to shun and kill a civilian despite them disrespecting a royal candidate and even witnessing a royal candidate try to murder another one? Lol, it's funny considering how subaru was the one right in the end all along. He's singlehandedly the only competent knight who's achieved more for a world who completely treats him like trash. Subaru is one of the most selfless characters period. He is absoutely selfish, can be rude, etc. That's all aspects that makes him so humanly flawed and makes me relate to his character a lot more than others realize.
99% people in 2016 - OMG SUBARU YOU REJECTED REM YOUR TRASH EMILIA TRASH SHIT ANIME ONLY REM IS GOOD! EMILIA HALF BITCH! 1% - (me) - Good for you Subaru for sticking to your feelings!
I wouldn't say you are weird, just probably in the minority. Season 1 had a few particularly bad moments for him that most people would be a least a little bit annoyed at him for. The royal selection ceremony in particular is really hard to fully back Subaru on, at some point your actions are so ridiculous or absurd that they can't be justified. He was a complete and total dick to Emilia in that arc and I don't think you are supposed to side with him there.
@Aporro1 no, because he was right there too. The only wrong thing he did was become selfish in that moment and trample on emilias promise, which is extremely important to a mana user.
I was gonna joke about this being longer than our conversations on stream after watching the episodes, but then remembered you stream again on a second time slot once your thoughts have marinated for a while.
Amazing video as always, I really find it in hindsight stupid that I didn't realize all the intricacies of the character interactions and as you say it the true meaning of why Subaru is so beloved in the world yet seems to useless to the audience. You do an excellent job of highlighting really important things while weaving together a convincing argument and making it a great story to tell.
This was incredible work on your part @nearlyOnred. Truly amazing, thank you for pushing through the difficultly and frustration you faced in the creation phase. This video has affected me for the better in a way I am still processing and I am sure so many others can attest to this, well done!
It's a real testament to RE:Zero's writing and story that the best and most gripping episodes are those where the characters just talk about their feelings. It's not fluff needed to develop the characters between plot beats, it's the meat of the show.
I did not expect to end up watching all of this in one sitting (Guess I'll be doing my entire project tomorrow). However wow this was quite the eye opening character analysis. I've been quite the Re:Zero fan for some time now and seeing all these aspects that I hadn't fully took into consideration, mainly about how our perspective of Subaru is very similar to his owns, and how that plays into his insecurities. Also just the focus on insecurity as a whole... In my eyes Re:Zero was always just about a guy doing his best to save everyone he loves while learning to still love himself. And while that's true, I really appreciate your focus strictly on Subaru's insecurities. I hadn't really thought about them and their significance towards his character and significance that it plays in the overarching point of Re:Zero's existence as a whole. And I just wanna add, the whole "final section" you added were some of the most beautiful takeaways I think you could have possibly come to. Subaru really is a hero, huh?
This video was beautiful and made me tear up a few times. Really great analysis! ( currently only watched from 'Echidna's gambit' to the end, but I think I have to watch it in full now )
"Subaru is not a hero in spite of his shortcomings, but BECAUSE of them", 3:00:51 As A writer, I really enjoyed how in depth this analysis was; since I really love the characters in re zero, that's why I wanted to thank you for making one of the best videos I watched on this platform. I actually never thought that I would watch a 3 hour long video, since the longest I watched was nearly an hour, but I enjoyed every minute of it Thanks again for your hard work, and I hope you keep making these epic vidoes!
Can't believe I watched an entire 3 hour long video on subaru, but this video is really well done. Subaru is honestly one of my favorite characters of all time and even an inspiration to strive to be a better person.
It's very sad how much people glaze guts and thorfin. And hates Subaru. He's just a teenager so he acts a little cringe which is just normal. He is also a Isekai protagonist so he doesn't get the respect he deserves. But he will always be my favorite main character. He is fighting being thousand times stronger than him while dying countless times. His haters could never
Oof, this video made me realize I now relate to Subaru as an adult On the note of “suffering making you kinder” I don’t think it’s wrong but I don’t know if it’s a good focus. I feel like it feeds into that martyr complex cycle. IMO empathy is a muscle that can atrophy- and while suffering can help give perspective I think more credit is due to people who come out kind. Sometimes you experience something traumatic and the only thing you learn is fear and anger. I never thought id be one of those people, but I guess maybe that’s why. Maybe assuming suffering has to have merit puts a lot of pressure on yourself.
This is the shortest 3-hour essay I've watched. Amazing job breaking down every point in the most concise manner. It's surprising how much inspiration can be found in a story that camouflages as the usual escapism fantasy.
i just started the video (10 minutes in), but it already seems fire, i will leave this comment here for now to try and help with the algorithm, and later on add my opinion of the full video, man i love subaru Okey I actually finished the video now, and I can surely say this is the single best Subaru, no the best re:zero video ever made as far as Im aware, everything is understood and displayed masterfully, in the most exact and best way possible, i really wish with all my heart that everyone who saw the series, whether they liked it or not sees this video and truly understand the extent of both Subaru and the series itself writing, but more importantly its purpose, i know how interesting the main plot of the story is and how gaze-catching the complexity of the characters can be, but i truly believe that Rezero is was not created for either of those, but to truly give an actual message to the reader that relates to them and teaches meaningful ideas which is why I love the series and probably always will regardless of how it ends, the value of its message so far was that strong within me. And subsequently I will now on look up to this video and love it for the way it managed to explain and showcase that message in a concise way which is much easier if everyone to understand and really have the full perspective and scope of it. With that said I can only leave a like, subscribe and keep on waiting for more context related to the series (since as a LN reader I can assure there is much more to cover which in sure you will love and appreciate) and truly wish the best for that all the effort put into the making of this masterpiece of a video reaches as far as possible. Thanks again for it ❤
I missed your Re:Zero content man I’m so happy you came back with such a bang. The level of quality of your analysis is the highest I’ve seen for the series and you truly find some spectacular connections, especially regarding the appas and the star video (I still tell people about the star video to this day because there’s some insane connections in there that must be true and was found by no one else). I missed your longform stuff and I’m praying that up get the attention you deserve for this, was genuinely excited to see this in my recommended because I’ve always wanted to see someone do a deep dive on Subaru and it was done by my favourite analysis channel. Thank you!
Interestingly enough, what really sold me on Re:Zero was episode 13 of the first season, ie Natsuki Subaru at his absolute worst. Because it was proof that the series was willing to actually delve into those aspects of the character and acknowledge his flaws, that we were in a world that didn't catter to him (as so many isekai worlds are), and that even with Return by Death, actions can still have long-lasting consequences, and sometimes you don't get a do-over to erase a disastrous first impression.
I am currently at the tail end of the Vicarious Weight of Failure chapter and I just need to take a minute to call out and appreciate how outstanding your analysis is I have been following Re: Zero for 6 years. I have seen the first season of Re: Zero no less than 4 times; I have seen the second season of Re: Zero 2 times; I have read the Light Novel from the beginning to the end of Arc 4; I have read the Web Novel from the beginning of Arc 4 to the middle of Arc 7; I have read almost every EX volume; I have watched dozens of hours of analysis on the series and its characters And yet, with all of my experience with Re: Zero and the content created around it, only you have managed to hit the nail on the head in explaining exactly why Rem's speech to Subaru in From Zero, Subaru's words to Wilhelm after the defeat of the White Whale, and Crusch's words to Subaru after the defeat of the White Whale hit me hard enough to make me cry every time I watch/read those scenes (even within this video) You have perfectly described how Re: Zero expertly clashes dramatic irony against dramatic irony. How Subaru is perceived by those around him and why those around Subaru perceive him that way. The real reasons behind Subaru winning over the favor of so many of the powerful (both in skill and in stature) people around him After 6 years, it is this video of yours that has finally given me the ability to verbalize what it is about a massive number of scenes that speaks to me so deeply. Being recognized by others for the way you carry yourself despite the way you perceive yourself is deeply profound and meaningful to me Thank you
well I managed to make time for this short video! I don't have much to say beyond what has been said but I look forward to season 3 of Re:Zero and hopefully more coverage from you!
Slight arc 6 spoiler later on, the first part of this essay of a comment will be spoiler free for anime only. I will warn when im getting into the spoiler section. I wanna talk about that From Zero moment by Rem, and why the speech isnt as good as some people may think, and how that actually makes the entire series better. Now, im aware the video tackled this same topic in much more detail and substance than my simple mind can ever come up with, but i think it can be explained in a more simple way. The From Zero moment is the pinnacle of arc 3, and Rem's speech is one of the best moment in all of Re;zero ever. It seems to really brought subaru back to being himself and solve his self worth issues. After all, even if he hates himself, Rem loves him, so how bad could he be? But, im here to posit that Rem doesnt actually solve the root of subaru's issue, and its quite obvious in hindsight or if you simply read the novel. In the novel, right after that moment, its still stated plainly that subaru "still hated himself", but he still resolved to better because Rem believed in him. Re;zero, at least from arc 1 to arc 6, is a story mainly about self love. Of course it tackles more topic than that, complexity is a mark of excellent stories after all, but **mainly** its about self love. To make this simpler, ill use an analogy of a car engine, fitting for Subaru. A person is like a car, to run, we need fuel, and the fuel is love (this is, of course, overly simplified, but this is all thats needed to explain my point). Now, ideally, the fuel, love, should be self sourced. Ideally a person should love themselves enough to be able to function properly. But, subaru failed in that, he does not love himself, he hates himself. This is why he did what he does to emilia, putting her on a pedestal and disregarding her wishes, is all because he yearns to be loved. "If she loves me, then maybe i can love myself", thats why he justifies all his action with "im doing this for you". Its the thought of "im worthless, so i need to offer my actions for her to love me", its that transactional view of love that is disproven by the end of season 1, caused by his lack of self love. What Rem does is not help subaru find a way to love himself. What she does is show that *she* loves him, even if he hates himself. If he cant fuel himself with love sourced from himself, then Rem will lend her love to fuel subaru. Again, in the novel its outright stated that Subaru still hated himself. This is no permanent solution, its borrowed fuel, its not ideal. If something were to happen to his fuel source, his source of love, Rem, he would become fuel-less once again. This is why its important that that is exactly what happened. Rem got taken out, subaru lost his source of fuel, and his issues returned in season 2 in a diffrent form because of it. This pushes subaru to eventually attain that ideal self love, to be able to go on by his own love of himself. If you think about it, you would notice how shallow Rem's rebuttal of subaru actually is. Subaru *was* right, he knows himself best. One always knows oneself best. Rem's rebuttal of "what do you know about the Subaru that i see" is really quite shallow, it basically says "your view of yourself is wrong, my view of you is right", and to accept that, you would need to have a really low view of yourself or a really high view of the one who said it, which just so happens to be where subaru was holy shit tHE WRITING IS SO GOOD- **Cough** Rem's rebuttal pushes subaru to act, and act he does. Before, he acts out of desperation for love, he acts to seek love, because he cannot provide love for himself, and he wishes that emilia can provide that love for him. This show tells us that this is no way to act, acting this way only leads you into acting like a monster. Rem talked to subaru hoping that it would inspire self love in subaru, but of course thats impossible. The only person who can inspire self love in Subaru is Subaru himself. But Rem managed to do the second best thing, and that is to lend her love to subaru, so that subaru can do what he needs to do. "If Rem, someone i admire, loves me, then how bad could i be?". And for now, thats enough. Arc 3 subaru is a glimpse for us to seeing how amazing subaru can be if only he gets the fuel, the love, that he needs. He orchestrated a teamwork between two royal candidates in slaying the god damn white whale, a beast that no one in 400 years can locate and slay, using a plan that he comes up with on the spot. He then proceeds to slay one of the archbishop of the witch's cult. The story is telling us "this is what love does to someone, it turns an average guy into a hero". But, its no good to be complacent. And Rem's love cannot be subaru's crutch forever. So the story takes that away from him. This basically reverts subaru **almost** to the beginning. **Almost**, because the seed of self love bas been planted, after all, "if someone like Rem can love me, how bad could i possibly be?". Heck, Rem even showed him the side of subaru that *is* lovable, its the subaru that is strong, smart, courageus, and- yeah, that causes a hero complex in subaru. A hero complex that is tackled in the second season, and again in arc 7 onwards. The video explained really well about how season 2 tackles both subaru's lack of self love and his hero complex, and how that almost led him into Greed IF. SPOILERS FOR ARC 6!!! Arc 6 is the pinnacle of re;zero's story of self love, culminating in Subaru quite literally telling himself "you are an amazing person". Subaru no longer needs to search for fuel, and he no longer needs to borrow fuel from someone else, because now he has reached that ideal, he can love himself, and he can fuel himself. How fitting is it then to bring back Rem, the person who once lend him love, to address his hero complex by the end of arc 6.
I just finished listened all of it.even though English isn’t my first language. I really appreciate the effort to make 3 hour about my personal favorite anime. it really well written. I wish this video reached more people who didn’t understand what re zero is about.but it maybe just be a miracle to make them understand because they don’t really care in the first place but I still appreciate for the video. you deserve more subscriber
Amazing video, watching this video just confirms how much I love Subaru as a character, so well written, you can hate him, find him annoying or like me that I can even relate to him at times. You can see his lows and flaws, but at the same time you can celebrate his victories and achievements, and on top of that you can learn precious and important messages in life, reminding us to be the best version of ourselves.
Reminder: Please NO SPOILERS in comments. Anime-only season 1&2 + Frozen Bond/Memory Snow are all referenced in the video. Thank you!
Banger video mate the algorithm has noticed
Arc 9 Light of the Nameless Star
Watched this video over the course of two days and am already excitedly waiting to see what you have to say about season 3
Great video, but how did you get so many of the names wrong 😅
@@pineapple8934 ꉂ (´∀｀)ʱªʱªʱª they're not "wrong" per se, it's just the Japanese pronunciation of them (e.g., エッキドナ -> "Ekkidona" vs the English "Echidna"; レム -> "Remu"; ラム -> "Ramu"; etc.)
Least extensive Subaru analysis:
You can write over 10 essays on his character and there would still be alot to unpack. Man, tappei cooked with his character.
@@Nothingtoseriousfr and this is just anime subaru , the novels are both way longer [and they aren't even completed] and even more in depth about his psychology and characterisation . truly one of the greatest characters in not just anime but in fiction
@@SkeetWeet4368My glorious king 👑
my favorite thing about it is Subaru's interaction with other main characters are also peak. Subaru - Emilia couple dynamic is rare to find in anime.
@@SkeetWeet4368 I know right arc 6 and 7 gives so much depth to Subaru as a character
Shortest Subaru analysis video:
Algorithm, I beg you, uplift this video
I am with you.
Commenting for the algorithm
@@matthewvillanueva4420indeed a good strategy
It's 3hrs long 😭 honestly I wanted to watch this but 3hrs is just way too long especially with so many people with a low attention span nowadays
@@fatblobb6700 do not watch it in one go try to split it, Im at 1h of the video and I'll continue later because I think it's a great video of subaru
Many people who dislike subaru do so because they see themselves reflected in his shortcomings I think
I think there is some truth in this for some people, but I think it's also a problem of "not living up to expectations".
A lot of people have an idea of what a "MC" should be, and Subaru doesn't fulfill most of the requirements for people. When he makes poor choices, it's not just that he's a flawed character, it's that he himself is ignorant, a bad character, and that "I could do better". Many people don't grasp the situation that Subaru is in, nor that Subaru is his own person, as opposed to a self-insert for the audience. When the "self-insert" doesn't act how the viewer wants, it creates a mental disconnect, and can inspire anger.
Plus many people are just bullies, and refuse to engage with the story of Re:Zero and instead mask their ignorance with baseless insults that many times don't even apply to Subaru.
Hot take: a character who gets alot of hate for their actions can prove how well written they are.
The main reasons i see subaru get hate is due to many factors such as him obsessing over emilia. Alot of people are fairly used to self indulgent or confident mcs who can reassure themselves that the situation is under their control because of their strength and mentality. Subaru breaks that troupe immediatly in the first arc where he realizes that hes in a setting where being a hero isnt possible by convinetal means where he receives everything barehanded, but also shows the fact of how his ability affects the world and his actions. We see this all being accumulated in ep 13, showing his ugly side of his character. Up until now, we see subaru constantly sacrifice himself for people who clearly treat him as trash, or a hindrance, yet subaru was persistent on playing the hero because he was under the idea that he could become a different person by becoming a generic isekai ideal protagonist. But the story defies that, he doesn't discover any power and even the idea is taken away from him after he broke his gate, and his magic causes it to overflow with mana, which can cause him to die. This is another reason why people hate the story. Because people don't like seeing a weak protagonist who acts selflessly and selfish, arrogant, and even obsessive over ideas that he constantly clings to. And another thing, is that his obsession with emilia is due to the fact that shes the only consistent person in all his loops and gave him everything he couldve asked for and more. She gave him a home, risked losing her insignia for him to heal his injuries, and even fed him and gave him a place to gain attention and friends. Here's another thing, subaru reminds them of themselves. He can act pathetically selfish and be constantly shown trying over and over desperately to no avail that it reminds them of what they are or what they were. The reason why in season two that he didnt think of his parents when he first came into that world, is because its revealed that he felt he didnt live up to the ideal son of his amazing parents, living in his fathers shadow and trying his best to prove to people his worth that he can be kenichis son, rather than being himself. This is why i find the fact that he reassures himself of his own existence that he is natsuki subaru, and kenichis proud son proves that he has grown tremendously past that. Granted, i love how subaru doesnt instantly grow out of the mentality of wanting to be a hero, since its shown how much trauma hes accumulated and how he has to cope with it. I mean, think about it, someone whos faced those aversions of painful deaths and gets a motivational speech isnt going to automatically change completely. This is why this makes him so HUMAN. Think about it. Subaru doesnt instantly change, he has to constantly face his trials and his past transgressions through the pain of death, and revealing how others around him perceive him rather than how he perceives himself. Even rem acknowledged this, "all you know is yourself! How much do you know about the subaru i see?" She sees subaru not as an insecure and selfish human being, but a hero that saved her life and gave her purpose and meaning due to her past of her inferiority complex that grew from ram constantly being praised and failing to live up to thier expectations. DOESN'T THIS SOUND FAMILIAR TO YOU? its a direct parallel of subaru and mostly every character who had to face trials from their past like otto, garfiel, even emilia. She wanted to live up to the peoples expectations, but the discrimination and trauma she received, not to mention her raising of ignorance of puck from the outside world causes her to be naive, and very kindhearted, while also wanting to been not as satella, but as emilia. THIS IS WHY I LOVE REZERO. You can see how similar the characters are because all 3 characters such as rem, emilia and subaru have the same characteristics of wanting to be seen as their own person, rather than being themselves, otherwise they fail to live under peoples expectations of that person they see. And i didnt even mention the fact that subaru actually immediatly accepted that he wouldn't be able to return once he opened his eyes and saw a new world. That's the reason why the EP, "parent and child " is so important. Because it shows how subaru loves his parents, but why he didnt think of them in a new world. I can write on and on about how i love subaru, and why subaru receiving hate for his character isnt bad because it shows how a controversial character can be well written and humanly relatable to what the author intended. I hope this answers your questions.
Edit: all of what i stated is just a small surface of what i found so great about rezero. Its honestly such a complex and indepth series, yet people will dumb it down to just a repititive cycle of needless suffering to make the audience symphatize with subaru, despite the story proving the opposite.
@@TehFlashBang_ Yeah, that is also what I was thinking. Of course there's people who just flat out refuse to engage with the characters and maybe it's just because the series isn't their cup of tea. But I believe that if Subaru had never been isekaied, and he were to watch a show EXACTLY like re:zero, just with the protagonist's name and physical appearance changed, he would be one of those who'd think "they could do better".
People see themselves reflected in Subaru not because they can recognize his shortcomings as similar to theirs because that's a hard thing to do for anyone (Subaru can't even recognize his own shortcomings when they make themselves apparent). But they are there, and people clearly feel uncomfortable about that after being misled to put themselves in the shoes of who they think will be an ideal Isekai "mc" (just as Subaru would if he watched re:zero).
Subaru is a carbon copy of most anime fans who hate him, and that is why he likewise starts off hating himself.
The opposite can be true, I love him exiplicilty because hes like me and makes me want to grow and improve
In other words, they're projecting?
Natsuki Subaru is the greatest written protagonist in fiction. You can analyze his character for hours and there will always be something left unsaid.
I somehow knew I would see you here lmao
exactly its serisosly so complex his journey and his mindset and the way taappei does it peak fiction fr
Agreed man such a great character.
@@sameerdeka3426yeah, and the fact is that some things on his character are up to interpretation, so the character analysis of Subaru cannot be the exact same from different people
I think the fact that he’s so divisive is a testament to how well he’s written. A lot of characters in stories are written to be so flat or “perfect” that it’s hard to feel any strong emotions towards them, so a incredibly well written (and incredibly flawed) character like Subaru who, on the surface appears to be a self-insert character, tends to polarize people.
He frustrates me a lot, but I don’t think Re:Zero would be Re:Zero without him.
Yeah initially I thought Subaru was the usual self insert isekai protag. Then I thought he was the authors punching bag for his dislike of isekai protags. But now I see the true depth of Subarus character and the author's writing
@@TerrelSam Technically, although Subaru IS somewhat of a punching bag, the main focus of the story is actually meant to be on Emilia, but just through Subaru's perspective. I don't recall Tappei ever saying he hates isekais or Isekai protagonists
@@ericshaun343 Its just my feelings on it. I didnt know if it was the authors intent or not
@@TerrelSam I kind of assumed from the get-go that he wasn't a self insert as soon as it was mentioned that he worked out and was ripped (episode 1).
@@ericshaun343 There's no way Tappei hates isekais or isekai protagonists when he is friends with the authors of each series featured in the Isekai Quartet as well as Mushoku Tensei's author.
I personally find it so refreshing to see a character with actual flaws that affect his social life, and it's really satisfying seeing him grow and learn from his mistakes.
Flawed though he is, I see a lot of myself in Subaru. My best became smaller and smaller. I shut myself away. I couldn't bring myself to go to school. The smiles of my parents were torture to me. I wanted them to hate me. I wanted someone, anyone who wasn't me, to vault me out of where I was. It took me several years to ever get up and go again. I got a job. I got my license. I started going to the gym. I'm going back to school. Self-improvement is a long journey, and it's the hardest part of growing up. I'm incredibly blessed to have people around me who believe in what I have to offer. Having people tell you how they see you is scary but incredibly liberating. You can be more than you currently are. You truly can. It's not too late, you ARE strong enough, and you CAN do it.
This be hitting different as someone who also sees themselves in Subaru. His mental breakdown in Season 1 really hit me hard.
Yup, Subaru is such a goated character. Seeing him succeed is like seeing one of your homies who hasn't had a good spot of luck finally get out of a bad place, and that is the sign of a good character, when you see them as a real person, like a friend, who's just going through a bad time, it makes it all the more cathartic to see him rise again.
I see alot of myself in him, and to this day he is still one of the best characters in any piece of fiction imo.
I love that hour long analysis videos are now the norm for Re:Zero content. This gonna be good
testament to the sheer depth and complexity of the series
I think one of the major things you have to be able to hold in tension when it comes to Subaru as a character is that it is completely fine to enjoy his concept/his ethos as a character while simultaneously not vibing with his character quirks. He is all at once an incredibly deep character who acts and makes decisions based on an incredibly human back story, who also happens to be awkward, emotionally reactive, lacking in self-control, and any lessons he learns have to be brutally and painfully beat into him.
I personally find Subaru to be both a fascinating and frustrating protagonist but I honestly wouldn't have him any other way. He's one of the best examples I can point to in fiction of how to write a protagonist who you can both like and hate all at the same time. I love that he tries his best in spite of his mountain of insecurities and baggage and also hate the way he consistently lets all that baggage spill out in ways that often times hurt more than just him.
I agree with this.
The way id explain it is that you have to be able to see both the person and the character.
The person is, well, who they are, their personality, motives, identity.
The character is what they represent in the story, their role.
Its okay to love one and hate the other. To hate the character but love the person is to hate how the character is used and the ideology or message that they represent, but love how the character acts, their mannerisms and quirk.
To hate the person and love the character is to hate their personality and identity, while loving how they are used in the story to represent a message or ideology.
In the case of Subaru, im sure a lot of fans hates the person of subaru natsuki (at least at first), but love the character of Subaru Natsuki.
This includes me. I disliked subaru, at least at first. I never hated him, i never thought he is a bad person, just misguided. Hes the type of person who im fine with being friends with, but i would avoid them on a bad day. And when the humiliation of arc 3 happens, i still didnt hate him, i just feel sorry for him, though i do think he deserved his treatment at the time.
But as the arcs go by, i started actually liking him. This started at the 'From Zero' episode, and peaked at arc 5. I find myself rooting for him, lamenting his lows and celebrating his highs.
Subaru Natsuki is an amazing character.
I love the personal and the protagonist side of Subaru. Yeah he's definitely had some questionable moments, even outright awful moments, but I can never find it in my heart to blame him since I know I'd be just the same or even worse. It's like looking at a kid doing something you know will end badly, but you have to let it happen so they can learn from their mistakes.
Like an old friend. "Bro, you know you are such a cool guy, right?" And "Bro why the fuck are you doing that" both fit right in for Subaru
You know what's the most masterful part about Subaru's writing and development? How realistically human he is.
His growth is like therapy, just because he saved the day, just because Rem gave him a life changing pep talk, it doesn't mean he magically switches from loser hikikomori into a grand paragon of virtue, they're big steps in the right direction, but like therapy, he has to constantly follow up on it.
Season 2's writing is exquisite in that regard, he learned all the right lessons from his peers, but Garfiel, Echidna, Rosswal and even Otto end up teaching him he still has ways to go, that's why it feels so good when he thanks Echidna for all she's done, even it nearly caused him to make a deal he'd regret.
It spoke volumes of the human factor when even the witches, the very demons of Lugunica, were showing concern for Subaru.
Re:Zero is just amazing overall, amazing analysis! Looking forward to your analysis of season 3 if you ever decide to make one once it finishes airing!
Tappei is an insane writer, it's not just Subaru who's realistically human, but all the characters that we see and all the character interactions as well!
Jesus Christ, as someone who finally gave Re:Zero another chance after I dropped it years ago, this video is a vibe. I remember years ago cringing so hard trying to watch the series years ago. Now the cringe is somewhat charming when seeing how far he's come. I binged the whole series from the start this weekend and am fully caught up. 🎉 W series. W MC.
that's just cuz you're a bit more mature as a person now don't u think?
@thesnowarts943 Undoubtedly tru
Subaru is one of the only characters that I actually feel bad when things happen to him. The show portrays his emotions very well, which not many shows do this. Re Zero is my favorite anime and a masterpiece in my opinion.
I thought Re:Zero had depth but I didn't realize it was this deep. One of the best animes I've ever watched for sure, and you've really opened up my eyes to how masterfullly it was written.
I remember when I first watched Re:Zero and hated Subaru for constantly failing and being obnoxious but it wasn’t until “from zero” and “parent and child” where it finally hit me I saw myself in Subaru and after rewatch it made me appreciate how complex and human he really was, this series genuinely made me change the trajectory of my life for the better
I'm very advanced in the story through the web novel, so I know a lot of what's going to happen. BUT EVEN SO, this video opened my eyes to a LOT of things I missed. Tappei is truly a fantastic writer
same man, im not a good reader so i missed some details and had to watch the anime multiple times to comprehend the characters. W Tappei.
crazy how this video could have very well doubled in length if it was made post season 3
Could've doubled it with Arc 5 alone , as it expands massively on Subaru's parallels and dynamics with other characters . with Arc 6? the video could be days long and it wouldn't be enough
Re:zero is already just absolute peak in every aspect, it having one of if not the best protagonist is just a bonus to me 😅
“Maybe to be a hero, the first step, the most important step, is knowing WHO needs to be saved.”
To put it in Satella’s words: It seems so simple but yet is always forgotten.
Never have i ever felt such awe to a conclusion of someone’s character. The lead up and amount of thought in this video directed towards the series and Subarus character is truly astounding. Seriously so much love to the production and writing of this video. I don’t think i’ve ever seen a better analysis of a work of art. Everyone working on this should be proud. ❤❤❤
No matter how much i thought about it, I just couldn't come up with any witty, long, maybe elegant complement.
Only a genuine thank you.
It is the truth how much re:zero resonates with the ones who took a liking to it, who sat though the sad, the horrifying, the uncomfortable and cringe moments of it.
And just this one, especially this thorough of an analysis, helps to put it into words what have captivated me on my first and consecutive rewatches.
As you said love is when you are willing to expose your vulnerability to others, trust them and ask them to do the same.
It is hard to learn and grow through an experience you never went through, no matter how relatable it is. But when you put it to words like this, lay it bare before us, at least me, it genuinely helps to appreciate it even more, understand it more.
Even if i fail to grow as a person after watching your video, i still thank you with all my heart for i have felt it.
Oh, and i couldn't think of a spot for it, so
Re:zero is indeed the greatest media literacy test.
Pretty great comment
"Love is when you are willing to expose your vulnerability to others" This is brilliant🔥
"It's easy to give up. But it doesn't suit you" being brought back at the very end of the video made me start bawling my eyes out on the spot. Incredible video, thank you so much for this watch.
A three hour vid about one of my fav characters? SIGN ME TF UP
Natsuki Subaru, the greatest of all time.
Something about Re:Zero and the audience reaction to Subaru has always bothered me, and it's how viciously judgmental everything and everybody is toward him, on both sides of the screen.
There's some of this when you show the clips of Subaru getting punched and beaten by Otto with the implication that this should be satisfying to the audience, but I just felt sorry for him, and this happened repeatedly while I was watching the series, I looked at the comments and everybody was shitting on Subaru and I couldn't help but wonder, are these people even watching the same show?
He's what, 17? 18? It's hard to imagine anyone in the audience doing one tenth of the good he did at that age and under those circumstances, let alone do better than him. The guy immediately forgave and showed kindness to someone who literally tortured him to death, that alone makes him a damn saint. It would be so easy to hold a grudge and start using the loops to get back at the people who made him suffer, but for all the "ugliness" Subaru supposedly shows, that thought doesn't even cross his mind.
I guess being cringe really is the worst sin of all.
Lets not forget that under circumstances from the whale, Otto pushed subaru off his carriage, causing him to break multiple bones and leave him dead for the whale to kill him by saving his own life. Yet, by the end of the sequence, we see ottos cart being shown pushed back by his ground dragon, showing that Otto wanted to actually save subaru from the whale, but due to the influence of the amnesia the fog causes, it forced him to make that decision.
Exactly, I cannot find it in me to get mad at Subaru for what he did at the royal selection scene. When I originally watched the scene with the argument between him and Emilia I thought of it as cringe. But when I rewatched it I couldn't help but actually feel bad because he was acting like this because of his trauma with his deaths and his other trauma that is explained in season 2. It's not that I'm saying the way that he acted at the selection is acceptable, it's just everything that happened to him boiled over. He is only 17 at that point and people expect him to be strong and stoic after dying time and time again? Pure hypocrisy, most people wouldn't even make it past arc one
Also there is a lingering thought in my mind that the trauma from his deaths until now will boil over again eventually and his friends will have to save him, probably sometime at the end of the story at some point, wouldn't be surprised if he even becomes a temporary villain at some point. Just a thought ...
This is what I think - heck, more than "He's not great but it's understandable", Subaru IS quite a good guy - he tries to be a supportive and reassuring brother figure to any kid he sees, he puts in relentless effort to save everyone - literally, and also getting them out of their shell (Rem and Beatrice being the biggest examples of course). He relapses in his otaku mindset sometimes, but overall his way of treating people is very warm.
And ever mind his deaths in the new world, his backstory is incredibly tragic and it's no wonder he has the flaws he does today. He gives love, and he needs more love imo
It’s always “Why doesn’t he do this or this” and then getting annoyed when he doesnt make the perfect decision every time or abuse RBD, even though he has shown over and over why he doesn’t want to do that, especially after the second trial
I will never understand why he got hate. Where's the fun in all these perfect MCs? They don't feel human. Re:Zero was unironically the first anime that ever made me cry... and it was somewhere halfway through the first season. Seeing Subaru's struggle hit me harder than any other character struggle in any fiction, ever. And I think it's precisely because of his imperfections, that he actually felt human and relatable to me, and therefore made me cry aswell.
I can't help but feel that if someone hates subaru, they lack empathy or emotions to some extent
Its the people who like watching Kirito #61 win the day and get the girls, then they hear of this super popular and well regarded Isekai, pretty girls on the cover, cool ability, and they expect a specific Archetype. I like to call it "Aura-Scaling", Subaru doesn't do "cool' things like use a op ability, or die 1000 times to learn attack patterns, Subaru is Human. Its a disconnect in expectation
@@nerdblock215 Honestly, considering the IF stories that Teppei has written, Subaru is really impressive for managing these situations as well as he does. Arc 5 (season 3) spoilers.
I remember reading Arc 5 (web novel except i skipped the liliana chapters) and getting the point where his leg was injured. As soon as he woke up in the infirmary, I had a feeling that he wouldn't be using RBD anymore in that arc. That time skip between 4-5 provided a lot in terms of him growing as a person beyond RBD. It makes me think about Arc 3, where Wilhelm gives up on sword training after Subaru's night time conversation with Crusche. He says something along the lines of Subaru having given up on getting stronger.
This is the greatest Re:Zero video on TH-cam, and I'm not exaggerating in the slightest. The ability to perceive the story in a way that can be explained in completeness to an audience is absolutely incredible. Please do not stop making Re:Zero videos, I'm waiting for at least one on S3
I simply cant see how Subaru is not one of the best written protagonist in anime. This video is the proof.
Also, grats on this amazing video man. You said that Subaru is a hero that knows who needs saving reminds me that for whatever lore reason, he says to save Satella. Yes, even that Satella is someone that is not beyond saving for Subaru. My guy is such an imperfect perfect hero.
One thing i feel this series explores as well is how to cope with trauma. I don't see it talked about very often, but what subaru goes through is undoubtedly very traumatic. And in every loop, when he tries to deal with it alone, he ends up failing and amounting more trauma. But even if he cant talk about the trauma directly, he can still talk about how he is feeling and gaining the support of others to better himself and work through it often leads to him completing each loop. Running from it is never the answer, but at the same time, completely a loop doesnt mean that trauma has faded. Instead, he learns, bit by bit, how to better respond and adjust to the challenges and the memories he holds. No one knows exactly what he is going through, but they can tell he is troubled none the less. Accepting that help from others is what allows subaru to face it head on
17 minutes in, and as a web novel reader, your analysis has already hit several nails on the head in breaking down Subaru's character and his issues.
I'm also increadibly impressed by said analysis from the perspective from an anime-only such as yourself!
Your video is fantastic, and I'm looking forward to finishing this over the week.
One of my favorite aspect of his power is how much is he willing to let go. This aspect of him is not explored in anime. But it is intriguing to think about it.
That is the one thing I find to be a but unbelievable, though it helps the character from becoming too cynical or cold, so I wouldn't ever change it.
Might just be my petty ass, but if someone literally tortured me in a loop before their sister kills me AS A MERCY! I might not be too inclined in becoming friends with said person and help them overcome their inner demons.
I probably wouldn't really care much for the outright stupidly powerful 1/4 tiger child that, in a tantrum, murdered all of my friends leaving me to get eaten alive by rabbits....
I know Subaru is mentally the strongest character in the whole show and his believe in other people is one of his core believes, but freaking hell he might be a bit too forgiving.
Even if his death isn't perfectly memorized or felt in the loop after because it is more like a dream, it is still insane he can even TRY to talk to people that murdered his ass out of nothing more than a light suspicion of him being in a cult...
@@bibbobellawell, the story doesn't shy away from this fact either that hes too self sacrificial and forgiving. In the novels and S2, the witches question his mental because of him risking his life to save people who brutally murdered and tortured him, even quite literally having a regular conversation with him that they call him insane. They aren't wrong either, since subaru mentally tries to ignore his deaths to save a girl who doesn't even know his existence and died just to receive her name, even to the point of accumulating an obsession with her due to his trauma and her being the only constant in his loops that hadn't treated him as such, even comforting him when she didnt know what he went through. Its how rem perceives subaru, and how ram perceives roswaal and even how roswaal perceives echdina. All of them have an unhealthy obesssion with the person they love due to their past trauma or incidents, and will do anything to prove thier worth to them. This is why rezeros main central message is seeing yourself as your own person, not as someone else and starting to become a new person from the absolute beginning.
Another thing about subaru is that hes not human because of his actions alone, but how he reacts to the trauma of his deaths and how he tries his hardest despite things not going his way. Even showing how selfish he can be, and how the ugly side of humanity causes others around us to be affected by our words and actions. Not to mention, subaru sees the people who treat him like that show their ugly side, but knows there is more to them than that. Its how rem views subaru despite how he views himself, because how we can perceive ourselves is not a reflection of the others we know perceive you. Like how emilia views herself as a mere half elf and a hindrance, yet subaru recognized this, and says he loves her because shes emilia despite how she feels about herself. The same thing subaru did to rem, about how rem viewed herself as inferior to her sister and how she is completely useless, yet subaru saw a girl who was actively struggling with the same problem he has. Even roswaal was baffled by rams behavior towards him, because despite all of what he did and how he pereives himself as truly evil, ram truly does love him. Which is a concept commonly done in rezero, and how the characters constantly grow under similar characteristics by wanting to be thier own person, rather than how society wants them to be or how they perceive themselves. To become a better person while acknowledged their own flaws and inherent problems.
@@bibbobellaOn Garf, he didn't kill Subaru friends in a tantrum. He legit just lost control in his tiger form. When he goes into it he basically becomes mindless. It was shown in a dead loop when he turned back to normal he was horrified at what he did
@@NothingtoseriousfrI saw a very good analysis somebody did on how REM view of Subaru is a mirror to how Subaru used to view Emilia. REM puts Subaru on a pedestal and sees him as this unstoppable figure rather than just a human. She's more in love with the idea of Subaru rather than the person named Subaru.
You remember that one loop where Subaru became catatonic from the trauma of all the death he saw and Rem straight up said she'd be happy if he stayed like that forever cause she can keep him to herself under the guise of he can't take care of himself?
Sufferu tumblr has a really good post talking about the entire:
"I don’t think we talk enough about how CREEPY Remsuba is in canon - especially from Subaru’s POV.
Like on the surface, it’s like, “Rem is in love with Subaru as her hero and he develops feelings for her after she helps him pick himself back up during Arc 3” -
But then there’s stuff like Rem making Subaru into the center of her world and her sole reason for existing -
And “Rem got up early every morning to sneak into Subaru’s room and watch him as he slept” -
And also Subaru canonically still being deeply traumatized from the time she beat him to death twice in a row a year later -
So traumatized, in fact, that this trauma had about a 50/50 chance of either pushing him off a cliff to go back and save her or almost single-handedly propelling him straight into the Wrath IF timeline where he trusts absolutely nobody, not even himself -
Which by the way, means he spent that month between Arcs 2 and 3 living in a mansion with a woman who tortured him for hours and also beat him until he died with a flail in the next room over, while said woman was also following him around like a lovesick puppy to the point where she’d be standing over his bed every morning -
And then “Rem pretended to die to the White Whale just to see his reaction, and it was only immediately after this that Subaru - still not quite thinking straight - agreed to let her be his second wife” -
Like. I love Rem, but - even in just the canon timeline. It’s not like she’s horribly abusive to him all the time or anything, but she’s often really creepy and emotionally manipulative and if she didn’t get erased by Gluttony she was almost certainly going to do her damn best to drag Subaru into being hers by any means necessary. And then you take into account that from Subaru’s POV Rem is responsible for arguably one of the most traumatic things that has ever happened to him in this new world, and sure from Rem’s POV that never happened, but it sure fucking happened as far as Subaru is concerned, and that does count for SOMETHING.
Even her speech to him in Arc 3 - look, it’s a great scene, and Subaru needed someone to give him a boost so he could do what he actually thought was the right thing to do, and also from Rem’s POV that was absolutely the right thing to do, but look me in the eye and tell me that you would tell your loved one to go back to something that killed them three times in a row. Not to mention that Rem’s not-codependent ass in Arc 7 is basically telling Subaru that the very thing she said to him in Arc 3 was actually incredibly toxic, and this hero mentality that he’s been adopting thanks to her is harmful and unrealistic. That scene wasn’t entirely a good lesson for him, is what I’m saying - and honestly, depending on your interpretation, it could very well be taken as Rem putting him on a pedestal as her hero for her own sake (because she needs a hero) regardless of how much it ends up hurting Subaru. After all, Re:Zero is not a story that encourages absolute heroism - and especially in this case, I think it’s hiding how fucked up this choice was behind the suspension of disbelief that comes with it being a fictional series.
Hell - her choice between Sloth IF and the Envy Route could even be interpreted as her choosing between owning everything but his heart or deciding to take the hard way and earn his heart before taking him as hers in his entirety. Because the thing is, that Sloth IF route where they run off together - that divergence point isn’t Subaru’s choice, it’s REM’s. Subaru chose that route already, and whether or not they end up following is entirely up to whether Rem takes Subaru’s hand and keeps him for herself now or waits to take the entirety of him later - and we know she’s not giving up, because she later faked her death to the Whale in order to use his relief to manipulate him into taking her as his second wife. And there’s also something to be said about how the fact that an IF route where she rakes him for herself now exists proves that that was a HARD choice, and she almost did it.
Anyway Remsuba isn’t - like - Echidna levels of toxic or anything, but it’s still not an ideal relationship by a LONG SHOT and I think 1) Re:Zero being a story with a layer of suspension of disbelief around things like Subaru’s deaths being heavily traumatic and honestly really evil (like seriously, even in the world of Re:Zero, Rem did NOT have to do ALL THAT -) and 2) Rem being such a stereotypical charming anime waifu are both used to covertly cover up a lot of the things that make that relationship such a scary end for Subaru. And they do have their good points, they have their mutual assurance and sweet moments and genuine love - and that makes it so much easier to ignore the darkness seeping through the cracks, and at least for me, that only helps make it so much scarier."
@@whateverwhatever4476 I know. Still wouldn't forgive him. he choose to go into that form. "I didn't mean to kill them! I just turned into my mindless tiger from that I can't control and accidentally proceeded to paint the nearby trees with my friend's innocent blood and guts!" wouldn't stick in court and it wont stick with me either!
As someone who never watched Re:Zero,I'm at least glad i watched this video. While i didn't vibe with the anime itself for a multitude of reasons, being able to see the soul and message of the story presented like this was great. Thank you for all the hard work you put into this!
I pray to the algorithm to bless this channel on trending because this content is SO GOOD 😭😭😭😭😭😭
This is just a straight up therapy session. I knew Subaru was relatable but didn't realise he was this relatable
Subaru learning how to love himself and learning how to grow and accept his mistakes make him so so good imo
Subaru is the only character in fiction who feels so real and genuine to me, that is thanks to the genius of Tappei sensei
3 hours ? What a comeback!!!!!
Re:Zero genuinely changed my life, just as it was said in the video, it felt like a mirror was pointed at me. It was one of the factors that made me fight stagnation in my life. I'm grateful to Lord for this piece of art, because that's what art should do, set the soul ablaze, thank you Tappei.
True art should make the audience uncomfortable, challenge their view or perception and showcase human nature.
Re zero has some of the best characters ever written, one of the most interesting worlds and amazingly tense moments. Hope it gets a better game adaption at some point.
I like everything that goes in re:zero, the way it is, it seems perfect, but when you dive deep, you can't unsee some things. Best characters? Where? It seems like most of the characters in Re:zero are somehow derived from Subaru. Usually it is seem as something bad when all you see is yourself and it starts to bother you, and make you feel uneasy. But that uneasiness is paid ten-fold in Re:zero, and that is a good writing, not how good or even best characters are. Sure, some of the characters that met godly writing, hinting at Rem, are considered best, because millions of people see her as a default waifu representative for anything anime-related, but in retrospect, it is literally hinting at the fact that Subaru Natsuki is also the same, hell, he was the first one to do what people love about Rem. And now they all tell lies how they hate Subaru, when the heart of the matter is, they secretly love how mc can save someone like themselves. Anyone loves being truly saved and don't know if they ever could or did save someone. That's like the whole point of ep18, if you can love someone, you can be loved too. The problem is it is NEVER about the character but the way that character is derived by the plot, be it in reality or in this story. I still doubt that these are the best characters, but i will agree that they are more real than most and relatable af
Great video. More people needs to understand the greatness of re:zero
The final section of this video made me cry, tbh. What a great video on Suabru, addressing his flaws without ignoring his strengths and acknowledging both while building upon it. I have waited long for a video like this where all of these aspects, good and bad were talked about properly. Amazing analysis.
2:09:36 is also one of my favourite quotes from this video.
Did I just watch 3 hours of a video analysis of something I barely know about? Yes I did but it made me want to watch it now and see everything about it not covered in this.
My favorite anime, I'm jealous of you and anyone about to embark in it for the first time. You're in for a horrific and beautiful ride, and yes I know it sounds like an oxymoron but it ain't.
Hope you enjoy the ride!
Have you watched it
Oof, bro about to be hit with cringe and ultimate wholesomeness when happy asf when subaru actually grows
Finding「 Subaru 」:)
Algorithm! Popularize this video and my soul is yours!
Subaru is my all time favourite protagonist and character because of how painfully real he is. I've known plenty of Subarus in the past, and I probably walk past many while going to work. It genuinely feels like the author just picked up a teenager with issues from his house and placed him into the story, that raw feeling of mundane reality permeates every aspect of his choices and thoughts to the point that I'm thinking ''Oh yeah my buddy _ would totally do this, or say that, or mess up here'' etc. The pinnacle of 'everyman' characters, my glorious king Wubaru 👑
not long enough. fully watched.
It’s been a long while since I’ve seen this scene 2:11:11 and started crying from contemplating what I’d do if I was in Subaru’s shoes.
“To love yourself”
“Why can’t you see that you should include yourself in the ones that need to be saved.”
From almost dying after saving people from an incoming truck. To dying countless times in a hostile world filled with supernatural events and sadism. To rationalizing that his charisma is the key saving everyone and that it is perfectly fine to die until his charisma prevails. Coming to terms with parents through a dream. Then still struggling with his self esteem.
Satella, Beatrice, and Rem have done more than enough to make him realize that his life isn’t meaningless.
Death shouldn’t be a goal but being a coward or procrastinating from doing the things that are right by us and our loved ones is a metaphorical death that we have idealized.
A THREE HOUR RE ZERO ANALYSIS?!?! IM EATING GOOD TONIGHT!!!
One of my favorite dudes in the medium, can't wait to hear many things I probably haven't ever thought about my boy~
I’ve never wanted to punch Subaru in the face or thought of him as obnoxious. I never found him annoying once. Am I just weird? I honestly don’t see what’s so annoying with him, he’s just an average guy who dies constantly and slowly loses his mind while also growing as a person. Subaru is my favorite character in the anime, I’ve never lost faith in him or found him cringy. The more he suffered or lashed out at others, the more I rooted for him to get over his flaws or whatever challenge lay in his path, to overcome it and protect what he holds dear. Subaru’s just the best man.
I thought I was the only person who felt this way. Finally someone with like minds. One thing, Julius is the one that started mocking Subaru, like he has a page long rant that boils down to "You are a useless lowborn and therefore can never be a knight no matter your achievements" (he included Al in that too), Subaru then retaliated by mocking the knights.
In ep 13, He wasn't wrong about the knights though? They deliberately under their own oath and free will insulted one of the royal candidates for the throne despite inviting her there? Do you understand how backhanded that is? Just look at the state of luginica before subaru arrived. The whale was roaming freely and taking the lives and even stealing the existence of others, completely letting the ones close to them forget them entirely. Look at the whale fight and tell me without subaru, they would've pulled off a victory. Or how they couldn't even locate the whale without subarus scent from the WOE. Or how he used his determination to inspire crusch to make a speech, and how this specific moment in ep 13 makes it all the more relatable to the audience and how crusch acknowledged how he's physically the weakest, yet still was the only one unaffected and fought against the whale, and even came up with the plan of using the tree to entrap it to begin with. Go look at how the Manga shows roswaal almost killing subaru in front of an entire room of royal knights, go look at how those same royal knights would've killed subaru if not for julius stepping up and saving him by beating him like that. And finally, go look at how priscilla, a royal candidate tried to kill felt if not for Reinhardt. So apparently, all of these big royal ups can literally commit multiple crimes and disrespect their own despite their positions and code, yet subaru gets all the blame because he directly calls out all the knights for insulting a royal candidate for their appearance they cannot control. Yet you're telling me subaru deserved to be
1. Kicked and threatened by priscilla after desperately begging her for help to save the village of arlam, despite him following her rule.
2. Disrespected by crusch and called a madman because of his rage towards the witch cults actions.
3. Literally scammed by Anastasia, and even brought up his past to demoralize his inner self esteem even further.
4. The fact that he was pushed away by two of the only people who are his moral support says enough. Even rems self sacrifice causes him to blame himself even further.
This is why I say that ep 13 afterwards was unnecessarily cruel towards subaru. You're telling me all of these knights were willing to shun and kill a civilian despite them disrespecting a royal candidate and even witnessing a royal candidate try to murder another one? Lol, it's funny considering how subaru was the one right in the end all along. He's singlehandedly the only competent knight who's achieved more for a world who completely treats him like trash.
Subaru is one of the most selfless characters period. He is absoutely selfish, can be rude, etc. That's all aspects that makes him so humanly flawed and makes me relate to his character a lot more than others realize.
99% people in 2016 - OMG SUBARU YOU REJECTED REM YOUR TRASH EMILIA TRASH SHIT ANIME ONLY REM IS GOOD! EMILIA HALF BITCH!
1% - (me) - Good for you Subaru for sticking to your feelings!
I wouldn't say you are weird, just probably in the minority. Season 1 had a few particularly bad moments for him that most people would be a least a little bit annoyed at him for. The royal selection ceremony in particular is really hard to fully back Subaru on, at some point your actions are so ridiculous or absurd that they can't be justified. He was a complete and total dick to Emilia in that arc and I don't think you are supposed to side with him there.
Not even in the whole proclaiming he's emilias Knight and making a complete ass of himself? Yeah that is weird
@Aporro1 no, because he was right there too. The only wrong thing he did was become selfish in that moment and trample on emilias promise, which is extremely important to a mana user.
Guys comment as much as possible. This needs more views
I feel like I can't just watch this for free..
This video is CRIMINALLY under viewed. I just watched the entire thing. Love This Man.
I was gonna joke about this being longer than our conversations on stream after watching the episodes, but then remembered you stream again on a second time slot once your thoughts have marinated for a while.
I just watched a 3 hour analysis on a fictional character and I wouldn't trade those hours for anything else.
Amazing video as always, I really find it in hindsight stupid that I didn't realize all the intricacies of the character interactions and as you say it the true meaning of why Subaru is so beloved in the world yet seems to useless to the audience. You do an excellent job of highlighting really important things while weaving together a convincing argument and making it a great story to tell.
This was incredible work on your part @nearlyOnred. Truly amazing, thank you for pushing through the difficultly and frustration you faced in the creation phase. This video has affected me for the better in a way I am still processing and I am sure so many others can attest to this, well done!
It's a real testament to RE:Zero's writing and story that the best and most gripping episodes are those where the characters just talk about their feelings.
It's not fluff needed to develop the characters between plot beats, it's the meat of the show.
I did not expect to end up watching all of this in one sitting (Guess I'll be doing my entire project tomorrow).
However wow this was quite the eye opening character analysis. I've been quite the Re:Zero fan for some time now and seeing all these aspects that I hadn't fully took into consideration, mainly about how our perspective of Subaru is very similar to his owns, and how that plays into his insecurities.
Also just the focus on insecurity as a whole... In my eyes Re:Zero was always just about a guy doing his best to save everyone he loves while learning to still love himself. And while that's true, I really appreciate your focus strictly on Subaru's insecurities. I hadn't really thought about them and their significance towards his character and significance that it plays in the overarching point of Re:Zero's existence as a whole.
And I just wanna add, the whole "final section" you added were some of the most beautiful takeaways I think you could have possibly come to. Subaru really is a hero, huh?
You just made me like this show even more tenfold, and it was already one of my favourites.
Subaru is a fantastic character, literally my fav protag of all time
Come on algorithm, prompt this video up. It needs more views
love how he calls it R.E Zero, it's kinda funny lol
Pretty short vid. Very good
Before this video gets millions, I was truly here
You are an amazing guy, Natsuki Subaru
I pray this blows up in recommended, I'm so glad I found this!
This video was beautiful and made me tear up a few times. Really great analysis! ( currently only watched from 'Echidna's gambit' to the end, but I think I have to watch it in full now )
"Subaru is not a hero in spite of his shortcomings, but BECAUSE of them", 3:00:51
As A writer, I really enjoyed how in depth this analysis was; since I really love the characters in re zero, that's why I wanted to thank you for making one of the best videos I watched on this platform.
I actually never thought that I would watch a 3 hour long video, since the longest I watched was nearly an hour, but I enjoyed every minute of it
Thanks again for your hard work, and I hope you keep making these epic vidoes!
Can't believe I watched an entire 3 hour long video on subaru, but this video is really well done. Subaru is honestly one of my favorite characters of all time and even an inspiration to strive to be a better person.
It's very sad how much people glaze guts and thorfin. And hates Subaru. He's just a teenager so he acts a little cringe which is just normal. He is also a Isekai protagonist so he doesn't get the respect he deserves. But he will always be my favorite main character. He is fighting being thousand times stronger than him while dying countless times. His haters could never
We match the same taste, 👆
@@Transparent_mind Glad that we do bro!
welp the algorithm brought me here wasnt expecting to stick around for the full video but here i am. nicely done
For some unknown reason my schedule suddenly has 3 hours 4 minutes and 38 seconds of free time.
Can't wait to dive into this. Thanks for remembering your YT only audience.
"Algorithm... Uplift this vídeo and my soul is yours!!!"
FR
May the algorithm bless this channel
Bro made a 3 hours analysis, leave a like, he deserves it
Amazing video.
This should be required watching for anyone who gets into Re:Zero.
There have been so little re zero analysis content thank you so much for cooking this much
Psyculturists also has some nice Re:Zero analyses
Watched the whole thing in one go without being bored. Thanks for explaining what I couldnt put into words
Oof, this video made me realize I now relate to Subaru as an adult
On the note of “suffering making you kinder” I don’t think it’s wrong but I don’t know if it’s a good focus. I feel like it feeds into that martyr complex cycle. IMO empathy is a muscle that can atrophy- and while suffering can help give perspective I think more credit is due to people who come out kind. Sometimes you experience something traumatic and the only thing you learn is fear and anger. I never thought id be one of those people, but I guess maybe that’s why. Maybe assuming suffering has to have merit puts a lot of pressure on yourself.
Why yes, i have ten free minutes of coffee time for the next 18 days
This is the shortest 3-hour essay I've watched. Amazing job breaking down every point in the most concise manner. It's surprising how much inspiration can be found in a story that camouflages as the usual escapism fantasy.
i just started the video (10 minutes in), but it already seems fire, i will leave this comment here for now to try and help with the algorithm, and later on add my opinion of the full video, man i love subaru
Okey I actually finished the video now, and I can surely say this is the single best Subaru, no the best re:zero video ever made as far as Im aware, everything is understood and displayed masterfully, in the most exact and best way possible, i really wish with all my heart that everyone who saw the series, whether they liked it or not sees this video and truly understand the extent of both Subaru and the series itself writing, but more importantly its purpose, i know how interesting the main plot of the story is and how gaze-catching the complexity of the characters can be, but i truly believe that Rezero is was not created for either of those, but to truly give an actual message to the reader that relates to them and teaches meaningful ideas which is why I love the series and probably always will regardless of how it ends, the value of its message so far was that strong within me. And subsequently I will now on look up to this video and love it for the way it managed to explain and showcase that message in a concise way which is much easier if everyone to understand and really have the full perspective and scope of it.
With that said I can only leave a like, subscribe and keep on waiting for more context related to the series (since as a LN reader I can assure there is much more to cover which in sure you will love and appreciate) and truly wish the best for that all the effort put into the making of this masterpiece of a video reaches as far as possible.
Thanks again for it ❤
I missed your Re:Zero content man I’m so happy you came back with such a bang. The level of quality of your analysis is the highest I’ve seen for the series and you truly find some spectacular connections, especially regarding the appas and the star video (I still tell people about the star video to this day because there’s some insane connections in there that must be true and was found by no one else). I missed your longform stuff and I’m praying that up get the attention you deserve for this, was genuinely excited to see this in my recommended because I’ve always wanted to see someone do a deep dive on Subaru and it was done by my favourite analysis channel. Thank you!
Interestingly enough, what really sold me on Re:Zero was episode 13 of the first season, ie Natsuki Subaru at his absolute worst. Because it was proof that the series was willing to actually delve into those aspects of the character and acknowledge his flaws, that we were in a world that didn't catter to him (as so many isekai worlds are), and that even with Return by Death, actions can still have long-lasting consequences, and sometimes you don't get a do-over to erase a disastrous first impression.
Here before this video blows up. I see a 3 hour long analysis on Subaru, I click the like button. Simple. Thank you for your work
This the content we deserve on Rezero, keep up
SATELLA, MAKE THIS VIDEO AND CHANNEL GAIN A LOT OF VIEWS AND MY TRAUMA IS YOURS
20 minutes in and it's already one of my favorite videos.
Brilliant video, you highlighted what many people missed not just about Subaru but also Re:Zero as a whole.
ain't noway bro stood 3 hours in front of camera for Re:zero video ❤🔥
I am currently at the tail end of the Vicarious Weight of Failure chapter and I just need to take a minute to call out and appreciate how outstanding your analysis is
I have been following Re: Zero for 6 years. I have seen the first season of Re: Zero no less than 4 times; I have seen the second season of Re: Zero 2 times; I have read the Light Novel from the beginning to the end of Arc 4; I have read the Web Novel from the beginning of Arc 4 to the middle of Arc 7; I have read almost every EX volume; I have watched dozens of hours of analysis on the series and its characters
And yet, with all of my experience with Re: Zero and the content created around it, only you have managed to hit the nail on the head in explaining exactly why Rem's speech to Subaru in From Zero, Subaru's words to Wilhelm after the defeat of the White Whale, and Crusch's words to Subaru after the defeat of the White Whale hit me hard enough to make me cry every time I watch/read those scenes (even within this video)
You have perfectly described how Re: Zero expertly clashes dramatic irony against dramatic irony. How Subaru is perceived by those around him and why those around Subaru perceive him that way. The real reasons behind Subaru winning over the favor of so many of the powerful (both in skill and in stature) people around him
After 6 years, it is this video of yours that has finally given me the ability to verbalize what it is about a massive number of scenes that speaks to me so deeply. Being recognized by others for the way you carry yourself despite the way you perceive yourself is deeply profound and meaningful to me
Thank you
well I managed to make time for this short video! I don't have much to say beyond what has been said but I look forward to season 3 of Re:Zero and hopefully more coverage from you!
Great video, Tappei really is a master of exploring the psychology of his characters. You're gonna have a loooot of fun with arc 5 and 6.
Slight arc 6 spoiler later on, the first part of this essay of a comment will be spoiler free for anime only. I will warn when im getting into the spoiler section.
I wanna talk about that From Zero moment by Rem, and why the speech isnt as good as some people may think, and how that actually makes the entire series better.
Now, im aware the video tackled this same topic in much more detail and substance than my simple mind can ever come up with, but i think it can be explained in a more simple way.
The From Zero moment is the pinnacle of arc 3, and Rem's speech is one of the best moment in all of Re;zero ever. It seems to really brought subaru back to being himself and solve his self worth issues. After all, even if he hates himself, Rem loves him, so how bad could he be?
But, im here to posit that Rem doesnt actually solve the root of subaru's issue, and its quite obvious in hindsight or if you simply read the novel. In the novel, right after that moment, its still stated plainly that subaru "still hated himself", but he still resolved to better because Rem believed in him.
Re;zero, at least from arc 1 to arc 6, is a story mainly about self love. Of course it tackles more topic than that, complexity is a mark of excellent stories after all, but **mainly** its about self love.
To make this simpler, ill use an analogy of a car engine, fitting for Subaru.
A person is like a car, to run, we need fuel, and the fuel is love (this is, of course, overly simplified, but this is all thats needed to explain my point). Now, ideally, the fuel, love, should be self sourced. Ideally a person should love themselves enough to be able to function properly. But, subaru failed in that, he does not love himself, he hates himself. This is why he did what he does to emilia, putting her on a pedestal and disregarding her wishes, is all because he yearns to be loved. "If she loves me, then maybe i can love myself", thats why he justifies all his action with "im doing this for you". Its the thought of "im worthless, so i need to offer my actions for her to love me", its that transactional view of love that is disproven by the end of season 1, caused by his lack of self love.
What Rem does is not help subaru find a way to love himself. What she does is show that *she* loves him, even if he hates himself. If he cant fuel himself with love sourced from himself, then Rem will lend her love to fuel subaru.
Again, in the novel its outright stated that Subaru still hated himself. This is no permanent solution, its borrowed fuel, its not ideal. If something were to happen to his fuel source, his source of love, Rem, he would become fuel-less once again. This is why its important that that is exactly what happened. Rem got taken out, subaru lost his source of fuel, and his issues returned in season 2 in a diffrent form because of it. This pushes subaru to eventually attain that ideal self love, to be able to go on by his own love of himself.
If you think about it, you would notice how shallow Rem's rebuttal of subaru actually is. Subaru *was* right, he knows himself best. One always knows oneself best. Rem's rebuttal of "what do you know about the Subaru that i see" is really quite shallow, it basically says "your view of yourself is wrong, my view of you is right", and to accept that, you would need to have a really low view of yourself or a really high view of the one who said it, which just so happens to be where subaru was holy shit tHE WRITING IS SO GOOD-
**Cough**
Rem's rebuttal pushes subaru to act, and act he does. Before, he acts out of desperation for love, he acts to seek love, because he cannot provide love for himself, and he wishes that emilia can provide that love for him. This show tells us that this is no way to act, acting this way only leads you into acting like a monster. Rem talked to subaru hoping that it would inspire self love in subaru, but of course thats impossible. The only person who can inspire self love in Subaru is Subaru himself. But Rem managed to do the second best thing, and that is to lend her love to subaru, so that subaru can do what he needs to do. "If Rem, someone i admire, loves me, then how bad could i be?". And for now, thats enough. Arc 3 subaru is a glimpse for us to seeing how amazing subaru can be if only he gets the fuel, the love, that he needs. He orchestrated a teamwork between two royal candidates in slaying the god damn white whale, a beast that no one in 400 years can locate and slay, using a plan that he comes up with on the spot. He then proceeds to slay one of the archbishop of the witch's cult. The story is telling us "this is what love does to someone, it turns an average guy into a hero".
But, its no good to be complacent. And Rem's love cannot be subaru's crutch forever. So the story takes that away from him. This basically reverts subaru **almost** to the beginning. **Almost**, because the seed of self love bas been planted, after all, "if someone like Rem can love me, how bad could i possibly be?". Heck, Rem even showed him the side of subaru that *is* lovable, its the subaru that is strong, smart, courageus, and- yeah, that causes a hero complex in subaru. A hero complex that is tackled in the second season, and again in arc 7 onwards.
The video explained really well about how season 2 tackles both subaru's lack of self love and his hero complex, and how that almost led him into Greed IF.
SPOILERS FOR ARC 6!!!
Arc 6 is the pinnacle of re;zero's story of self love, culminating in Subaru quite literally telling himself "you are an amazing person". Subaru no longer needs to search for fuel, and he no longer needs to borrow fuel from someone else, because now he has reached that ideal, he can love himself, and he can fuel himself. How fitting is it then to bring back Rem, the person who once lend him love, to address his hero complex by the end of arc 6.
I just finished listened all of it.even though English isn’t my first language. I really appreciate the effort to make 3 hour about my personal favorite anime. it really well written. I wish this video reached more people who didn’t understand what re zero is about.but it maybe just be a miracle to make them understand because they don’t really care in the first place but I still appreciate for the video. you deserve more subscriber
Amazing video, watching this video just confirms how much I love Subaru as a character, so well written, you can hate him, find him annoying or like me that I can even relate to him at times. You can see his lows and flaws, but at the same time you can celebrate his victories and achievements, and on top of that you can learn precious and important messages in life, reminding us to be the best version of ourselves.
THESE are the kind of videos I love about shows like this.
Great video man. Very nice to listen to while studying.