Hope, horror and introspection in Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World

Imagine this – you have betrayed every expectation you ever set for yourself. And then, by some miracle, you are given the chance to begin anew in a fantasy world. Not only that, but you are also able to return to fixed points in the past, even the moment you die.

All of it looks to be the very essence of a dream come true. However, much to his shock, Natsuki Subaru in Re: Zero - Starting Life in Another World learns that unlimited chances in this new world also bring an infinite potential for untold despair and just a sliver of hope.

Re: Zero, adapted from Tappei Nagatsuki's light novel series of the same name, begins as any other show from the isekai genre. Subaru, our plain-looking protagonist, mysteriously wakes up in the Kingdom of Lugunica, a typical medieval fantasy setting with characters that seemingly fit hand-in-glove into one archetype or another. But in this story, things are hardly as they first appear to be.

As is evident, the peaceful, bland fantasy is the first illusion to die. Subaru's nightmarish cycles of death and return, the trauma and shock of it all, and the intrigue of the subsequent circumstances don't fall short of the riveting enigmas – the crescendos of which are as brilliant as they are morbid. They envelop the viewer in the heavy shrouds of tragedy and mystery, keeping them waiting with bated breath to see the veils being lifted, even if only a little. The music and the voice acting – intense, powerful, and made to reflect each beat of hope, horror, and everything in between – only serve to immerse them deeper into the blood and water of this tale.

But to imply that Subaru's 'return by death' is simply a plot device meant for gore and shock would be selling this story short. At its core, Re: Zero is a story about exploration, introspection and success. His ability to return, armed with the knowledge of his past lives, is a device used to fully flesh out a continuous struggle for self-improvement.

Using the knowledge he retains, he can get closer to understanding the other characters – each of whom, as we slowly find out, possesses depth degrees beyond what we were initially led to imagine. But to understand others – to help them and be in turn helped by them – one must first understand and help oneself. Subaru falls into loops of death from which escape looks impossible in every way. He despairs, cries, suffers, and repeats – until the realisation dawns on him that the only way to live is to do things differently. He has to look beyond himself and change to be able to love himself. He is brought face-to-face with his flaws and forced to confront his worst regrets and fears. In fact, it is only through an ironclad commitment to be better that he is able to move on from one trial to the next.

With the third season having concluded a couple months back, the one thing that can be said definitively about Re Zero is that it keeps getting better with each season. The world-building has gotten richer, the fog of mystery has thickened, and layers of personality have been explored for the characters, with signs of a lot more development to come. But my heart will belong to the journey that saw a selfish, delusional character change himself into a genuinely reliable person others look to for leadership and inspiration. All while being disemboweled, dismembered, and decapitated countless times along the way.