I really like the word “Sanctuary”. I think it just sounds nice. I have this weird thing where I randomly like words sometimes. My favourite in English at the moment is clockwork. Great word! This is an even weirder start to a post than my usual offerings. Sorry about that Crow, seems you’re in for a rough ride. How about you tell us a bit about your week to get everyone eased in.
It’s been an interesting week in the USA. Too interesting. So, let’s stay with the word “Sanctuary” instead! It reminds me of Logan’s Run. Loved the movie. Jenny Agutter and Michael York were great leads. The book was better, but the movie caught me at a good time. Great soundtrack, too.
I’m bold this week, and there will likely be spoilers.
Obviously I didn’t just hit my head hard or something. I’m talking about Sanctuary because that’s where our merry little group, Subaru, Emilia and Otto to be precise, was heading to when we last saw them. But first, Subaru took a little detour to chat with a witch.
Surprisingly, that is exactly what he did… chat. Well, he also had some tea and she may have poisoned him but it seems no one’s too bothered by that. Also a Witch Factor seems to be something you can ingest so that’s good to know. And Subaru does have one in him. Not sure if that makes him a witch.
The opener was fine. I like the Witch of Greed (not sure why she isn’t an Authority, are they the same thing?) and her speech was fun enough but it was mostly old info. It felt more like an introduction to the character and I look forward to seeing her more. What did you think, Crow?
Sometimes a character intro like that hits me just right — kinda like the Logan’s Run movie. This is one of those times. I loved Echidna. She acted all sweetness and light, but you could tell there’s an edge there.
You remember how she named the other Witches? Carmilla, Minerva, Sekhmet, and the rest? Each mention was like a little hint about rich, tragic stories. And the last she mentioned was Satella, the Witch of Envy, the one behind all of Subaru’s sufferings. Seems she didn’t pick on Subaru alone. She had “killed all the other witches and used them as sustenance while she made the whole world her enemy.”
Echidna was one of the Witches who had been killed.
Holy mackerel! How tragic was that?
Anyway, the entire encounter ended up quite civilized and Subaru just got back to the other by asking. His manly main character powers were just too much for the poor witch.
This is where we get our first look at Garfiel (a name which will always have specific associations for me). This is also when I realized that reZero is like narrative water for me. It just sort of seeps out of my brain. I mean Garfiel looks exactly like Frederika, so I sort of assumed they were related, but I honestly don’t remember her talking about him last episode. Yet she clearly did. It just poofed. This is very unsettling as I usually have a pretty good memory.
It’s a good thing for me that reZero is so exposition heavy and tends to go over the same information. That way I’m never lost even though I obviously should be paying more attention.
Also I liked his X face scar. Haven’t seen that design element in a while. Is Garfiel your type of character?
He strikes me as an honest sort. At least as honest as they come in this world. Isn’t unnecessarily cruel, but he doesn’t sugar coat anything. His scar reminded me of, well, Scar from Full Metal Alchemist Brotherhood. Sometimes the associations I make are pretty basic.
After the commotion, Frederika’s brother is rather rowdy, the gang finally makes it to Sanctuary to be greeted by second best girl Ram and meet up with best boy Rosewaal. I really like these two and I’m happy they are getting some screen time. I hope it’s a trend for the season.
Ram as best girl… I can see that. I tend to be in the Rem camp, but I might defect as long as she’s unconscious. Kinda boring cheering for her in that state.
But I’ll say this: It was great seeing Ram again. She was as sassy as ever.
So turns out Sanctuary is not just a place where disenfranchised haf breeds flock to and live together, it’s also a place that holds them captive. A sort of prison colony, if you will. Shock horror! And the only way out is to bring down the barrier created by the With of Greed. Actually, I’m assuming a few things here. There is a barrier holding the demi-humans captive and it seems you can bring it down by passing the Witch of Greed’s test, so that’s why I’m assuming she put it up but they didn’t tell us that. Also Garfiel is the one that gives the info about the test in the first place, and he doesn’t seem like the most reliable of narrators.
There’s one more twist, only Demi-humans can attempt the test in the first place. That’s why Rosewaal ended up badly injured when he attempted to free the villagers. Isn’t he just such a peach? A cinnamon roll that Roswaal.
We got some really cool hints about his family history in this episode. It’s fascinating that Mathers have overseen Sanctuary — a.k.a. the Witches’ graveyard — for generations. What’s that mean? Just who is this guy?
And did you notice that he told Emilia not to say “The Witch of Greed” because it made her sound bad? He wanted Emilia to call her Echidna. That just made me want to know more about those characters!
There’s a catch about that test, though. Isn’t there always? Only a demi human can attempt it. That means Subaru has to sit this one out. Unless we count him as a double demi human… In any case, for some reason Garfiel insists that the Demi Human has to be Emilia, so off to the ruins to face the test she goes. But as something seems to be off at the last second, Subaru decides to go after her (he’s not great with obeying simple instructions).
He wouldn’t be Subaru otherwise!
My double demi human theory may have been right, because Subaru gets sucked right into the test it seems, and first he must “Face his Past”. I love homecoming episodes in Isekais or anything Isekai like, any fish out of water stories, so I was cheering at this development. But I usually have weird tastes. I wonder how the general public is taking it.
I’m wondering if he’ll recover from that body slam his enthusiastic father gave him! That’s not the kind of man I pictured Subaru’s father to be!
Thinking about Subaru and the test, it was interesting how one of the last things Echidna said was that she gave Subaru the gift of being able to face the test. And that he’d think differently of her.
I think the most astonishing moment of the entire episode was when Ram admitted that she was wrong — to Subaru. Even more amazing was that she admitted Subaru was right! My view of the world has been shaken.
I was so excited to see Echidna , and so far this season has really been what I needed . I haven’t read the light novels so I’m going into this season blind , and I’m loving it.
I haven’t read them either.
I’ve been meaning to watch Re:Zero for quite some time. I’m interested to see how the series plays around with it’s… “psychological” elements
I do recommend it but the show itself is controversial. Some hate it, some love it and some just think its mediocre.
Thanks for the tip
I’m not sure if you’ve seen the first season but I think it’s probably a must before jumping into s2
Right. I’ll do that
Also check out the director’s cut on Crunchyroll too
👌
Ram best girl? Ha! IMHO, Echidna just took that from her.
I think that authority refers to a person who has the “authority” to wield the power in the real world. Since Echidna is dead, she probably has no control over who wields it. Echidna isn’t just the mother of monsters. She’s also a spiny anteater. This arc looks fun so far but it feels derivative. Deadly sins and authorities and all.
Rem is a wonderful character and all but my problem with her is that she is too obviously designed to be waifu material. Every time she shows up it feels like another waifu moment.
Jenny Agutter.. I saw first in a much earlier film, “Walkabout.” Abandoned in the Aussie outback with her little brother by a homicidal/suicidal father. She was just a child star then.
If DarliFranXXX had stuck with a simple “Logan’s Run” plot it would have been a much better anime.
I personally disagree with your opinion on Rem. I mean the first couple of times we meet her, she acted cruelly towards Subaru and is one of the causes of Subaru’s death and mental trauma. Browntable made a decent video analyzing why people like her so much and it is actually pretty good. The condensed reasoning is that because she hated Subaru(our audience surrogate) at first and then grew to respect and even love him. The audience has an improved perspective of her. Rem started seems more appealing than Emilia who didn’t get much development in season 1 who always had a decent opinion of Subaru.
Well it is somewhat of a harem show so a lot of the characters are designed as waifu material for different archetypes. That comes with the territory. I do know what you mean though. Rem does have just about al the tropes except possibly for the short hair.
Btw, it was explicitly stated that Echidna granted Subaru the chance to be a candidate for the trial regardless of his race. This was before Subaru was pushed out of the tea party realm
oh no, my double demi human theory!!! Sorry I missed it.
This ep was so. GOOD! Echidna is a great villain, and she’s kind of adorable when she wants to be. Roswaal is shady as hell – he reminds me of Hisoka from Hunter x Hunter in that you never really know what side he’s on. Subaru’s dad is hilarious, and honestly exactly what I expected him to be like haha. The worst thing about this is now I have to wait a week for the next episode to come out. Shit’s brutal. 😛
I have to say, I do have a feeling it would be just a bit better if I could binge it
Honestly, it was your comments on words that made me read this whole post! And what do you lnow, this anime looks interesting to add to the watch list- double points!
Here is a queston though: how do you hear or speak the word in your head when you see it?
I see a black and white Quasimodo going ballistic on Notre Dame. Haha! I can’t see that word without it being shouted in my head. Unfortunately the same goes with the names Stella and Adrianne.
Clockwork is a great choice too. No yelling involved and so descriptive, but it would be better with another 2 syllables.
This is totally random (which is no shocker since this whole reply has been random), but I am betting you would love the book “Reading the OED” by Ammon Shea.
It contains wonderful words that I knew had to exist somewhere like gound- the “sleep dust” in the corners of one’s eyes.
Or scrouge: to inconvenience or discomfort a person by pressing against him or her or standing too close.
Just fun to browse randomly.
Also, I love reading your collaborations!
Most languages are not my mother tongue so I generally hear words in my head in low very tentative voices. Like I’m sounding it out
Ah, that makes sense.
English is my native language (although I do not always wield it as of it is 😛 ) so most words are emotionally charged with the meanings or how it was introduced to me.
However, I also think of words in other languages by the sound of the words.
I usually try out words in Arabic in a hushed whisper, Italian is usually sing-song and joyful, and Japanese is an odd mixture of a polite whisper to yelling at the top of my lungs- do not worry, I do not practice this with others outside of my family. Hehehe.
Samoan is different. This is my grandparents’ native tongue. I am ashamed to say that I do not speak it very much at all, but I want to learn more. Polite phrases, shocking phrases, hymns and words for food are the ones that stick out the most.
Irina, I never want to pry or invade your personal space, but I do find your journeys incredibly interesting.
The thing that drew me into anime was actually the language.
My brother introduced me to a Japanese punk band. Not knowing Japanese, I didn’t understand any of it, yet I began to cry because the overall emotion of wanting live life to the fullest and giving everything was overflowing in that song.
When I looked up the meaning of the lyrics (wayy afterwards), I was touched by the vulnerability in the lyrics- as crazy and random as they seem.
After this, I had to learn Japanese. I wanted to know more of this culture, I wanted to learn.
I wish I could say it was something deep and maningful, but with each place that I have wanted to travel to was because I found the language beautiful- something about it, I just couldn’t shake it.
Vietnamese is one of those languages. I don’t think I will EVER master even basic phrases, but I wouldn’t mind spending my whole life trying.
Sorry, I tend to write and talk too much. 😛
Just wanted to say, thay I find languages and words in general incredibly interesting. There are entire worlds I have never experienced…..
So, if you ever feel like sharing that part of yourself, I would love to hear it and to learn.
Thanks for this blog, Irina!
I would never have guessed English would be your second tongue. It makes me want to become more fluent in everything too.
I love when you write too much. It’s fun. I cry to songs I don’t understand all the time…
Awww, thanks. I never hear THAT in real life. “I love it when you talk too much” Heheh.
I had a roommate from Shanghai that would cry to Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get it On” because she said that it sounded so sad. It was not the reaction her boyfriend was hoping for. XD
The headline of the post is sort of fitting: heh.
Everyone in the show: Oh no, Roswaal is wounded. What could have hurt him so?
Me: Oh no, Roswaal’s not wearing his make up. I guess they don’t make it in the sanctuary.
Joking aside, it’s details like that that make the setting seem alive. Even better that no-one makes a big deal out of it (or even mentions it), as one-outfit designs are very prominent in anime, and in many shows any deviation from it gets a comment. (I hope Subaru washes his jumper…)
I also really liked Echidna. Apparantly, what she was greedy for was information. Is she… a scientist? There’s also this little moment where she regrets something, though it’s not entirely sure what. I wonder whether the barrier isn’t supposed to keep her in – or to keep people using her power out (like, I don’t know, the “Authority of Greed”?)
Finally, I wonder what it means for a witch to be dead. In my experience, death comes with a little more… absence?
And while I’m at it: Logan’s Run = childhood memories. Box. Crazy Cat Gentleman Ustinov. Good times.
re:Zero has a very uneven relationship with Death in general. I sort of hope tat Subaru is just a witch now and he’s ike mid tier in the cult. He’ll occasionally get job offers out of the blue and maybe be invited to the summer company picnic.
I’d be happy with Witch Subaru. I was honestly wondering if he was another sin like Pride
He can collect them all and become mega witch
Sounds like a plan ! I would watch that