English Dub Review: Re: ZERO ~Starting Life in Another World~ ”A Journey Through Memories“

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Emilia doesn’t start her trial immediately and instead goes through a warm-up with her memories. She recalls her childhood in Elior forest as she meets a lesser spirit and sneaks out of her room. Emilia and Echidna discuss the dream world and comment on Emilia’s memory. The memory plays before them of a bored young Emilia who continues to sneak out of her room. She sees Mother Fortuna with a sane Petelgeuse who brings clothes and other things. He asks about a seal and Emilia’s wellbeing and Mother Fortuna says it’s the same as always and that she’s energetic.

Meanwhile out of the trial an embarrassed Subaru lamenting over the fact that Garfiel saw his words to Emilia. Then Ryuzu Shima goes up to the group to discuss an important matter in freeing the sanctuary. A young Emilia is curious about the seal that the adults bring up so a lesser spirit brings Emilia to the seal. The seal is a door in the white patch of the forest with vines surrounding it. One day she meets Petelgeuse while sneaking out and he cries out of joy upon their meeting. Then Emilia’s trial really begins as the two witches see Emilia playing tag with Petelgeuse and Mother Fortuna. However, Mother Fortuna asks Emilia to return to her room when a stranger appears, Regulus Corneas.

Our Take:

Re: Zero drops some fluff with a tiny Emilia and Mother Fortuna and Petelgeuse before the horror begins with Regulus Corneas’s arrival. The transition in this episode from Emilia meeting Puck in the frozen forest to her memories of Mother Fortuna and Petelgeuse in the once verdant forest was great. Emilia’s voice actor did a great job at expressing her boredom and childlessness whenever Emilia sneaks out of her room.

Mother Fortuna’s relationship with Petelgeuse is sweet despite how he ended up in the present before his death by Subaru and the others. Their conversations ranging from the seal to Mother Fortuna’s wellbeing show how long they’ve known each other. From his garb and the way he calls himself a sinner, it looks like he’s in the witch cult. Surprisingly he still has his sanity. Hopefully, we get the reason for how he broke down mentally. There’s also his connection with Emilia which Emilia and Echidna comment on while they’re watching it unfold. It’s clear that he knew her parents along with Mother Fortuna, and it’s most likely that they’ve passed away. His reaction is confusing with his tears of joy, but one could assume that it’s because of his history with her parents.

Mother Fortuna teaching Emilia about promises gives a good explanation of why Emilia considers promises to be important. The oath to meet again with Petelgeuse was nice. Furthermore, Emilia’s aptitude for spirits as discussed by Petelgeuse which solidifies her skills as a Spirit User. Essentially their interactions build upon Emilia’s characterization. Then there’s little Emilia’s comment about them acting like a mother and father and it was cute. It does set up their relationship to be a romantic one, and it makes me all the warier for what’s to come. If there’s anything I’ve learned from Re: Zero is that happiness doesn’t last forever.

However, that moment ends with the arrival of Regulus Corneas. From his introduction in the first half of the season and his temperament in the memory, it looks like we’ll get a fight between him, Mother Fortuna, and Petelgeuse. Admittedly it is surprising that Petelgeuse doesn’t recognize Regulus immediately considering they’re in the witch cult. Perhaps it’s before Regulus joining the cult? Either way, Regulus’s objective in the forest doesn’t seem to be a good one with the forbidding music.

Overall the episode was cute with tiny Emilia, Mother Fortuna, and Petelgeuse. However, with Regulus’s entrance, it looks like we’ll be getting into a tragedy in Emilia’s memories. I look forward to seeing how the adults will fight it out.