English Dub Review: Re:ZERO ~Starting Life in Another World~ “The Long-Awaited Reunion”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

The episode starts with Subaru meeting the Witch of Greed, Echidna in a mental space that looks like grassy plains. Despite being granted the chance to ask anything, Subaru is more concerned with getting back to Emilia and Echidna allows it with a souvenir: entry to the Sanctuary’s trial. After returning to the ruins Subaru is greeted violently by Garfiel, and by telling him that they know Frederica Garfiel stops and escorts them to where Roswaal and villagers are being kept. Subaru and Emilia meet Roswaal who’s covered in bandages after a bit of explaining on his injuries they find out that they can’t leave the barrier.

Garfiel tells them that only mixed-bloods can take the trial. Garfiel demands that Emilia takes part in the trial to break the barrier with the life of the villagers on the line. Emilia convinces the villagers to entrust her with the task and she, Subaru, Ram, and Garfiel head to the ruins. When Emilia enters the ruins the glowing signaling that the trial is in progress stops, and Subaru worried goes after her with the ruins glowing admitting him as a challenger. He quickly finds Emilia however his consciousness fades and then Subaru wakes up to see his father wrestling him out of bed.

Our Take:

Subaru drinking a witch’s bodily fluids was by the far the weirdest thing in this episode. Now as I’ve said in my last review that we should be wary of Echidna to Subaru and I was half right and half wrong. When the background literally breaks into a cool dark galaxy void and then Echidna mentions the witches it causes Subaru to be frightened. Even though she didn’t intend to, she shrugs it off as part of her nature as a witch. Admittedly I wasn’t expecting her to be that flustered when Subaru didn’t want to know anything from her.

There’s also the witch factor of sloth that Echidna confirms to exists inside Subaru and it is the reason that he could pass through the barrier unharmed. It begs the question of whether or not that factor has any other abilities and why Echidna used the witch factor of envy rather than her sin, greed to put into Subaru’s tea. Is it because of the witch’s scent that’s on Subaru that makes it so that the witch factor in the tea needs to be compatible? The mystery of the witch factors will no doubt be clearer in the future as Subaru continues to learn more about them.

Also, I love that we get information on the other Witches of Sin from an actual witch. The lore in Re:ZERO has always interesting to learn more about from Subaru’s perspective. It looks like the truth about the witches depends on perspective. Take Roswaal for example, he insists that Echidna be called by her name rather than her title as the Witch of Greed. It definitely makes me wonder if the Mathers family knew through a journal from an ancestor who lived when Echidna was alive about her personality. Anyways, even though the results of their actions are horrendous, the witch’s intentions were good to some degree with the exception of Satella from Echidna’s perspective.

Now the scene with Emilia and the villagers that really shows us her desire to just be accepted by others for who she is rather than her similar appearance to Satella. Like the chief said if Emilia had asked they would have given her their support in the royal selection, and it would have been just business. However, Emilia reaches out on a personal level with that touch on Puck’s crystal as a nudge. Her honest words about family and her self-made promise to help them return to their families helped her ease their concern of her. It’s a good step on her path in the royal selection and presents a difference between her and the other candidates.

Additionally, it was a delight to see Emilia speaking with the lesser spirits again, the animation is just beautiful along with the music of the ending too. I bet that the family theme will be relevant in the next episode with Subaru returning to his past and his family. It’s not often for isekai protagonists to return to their world physically or mentally, so I’m definitely anticipating a few things from the next episode.