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Re:Zero 2 pt 2 episode 48

Irina

We are now at re:Zero episode 48, only two more episodes to go in this season and things are wrapping up. We can pretty much see where we are heading now and start to make up our minds. Tell me Crow, what do you think of the direction the season is taking?

All of the plot turns and pinch points are coming together, and I find that the spectacle of this episode just helped me figure out the hardest thing about seasonal reviews: My opinion of the entire series is powerfully colored by the episode I just watched. I finished watching this episode just about 45 seconds ago. “Love Me Down to My Blood and Guts” gave us two pathos-driven spectacles that, in this moment, in the emotional glow of my reaction, I’d rank right up there with Frodo announcing “I have come. But I do not choose now to do what I came to do.”

It must have been the flames.

Oh my, jumped right in there, let me get the paperwork out of the way. There will be some spoilers for episode 48 of re:Zero season 2 and Crow will be in bold text this week. I hope you guys are having fun with this show and that you enjoy our reviews!

Seconded. Seriously, there’s no point to us writing these if you don’t have a good time reading it!

I have made no secret that I’m a bit disappointed by how often the adaptation chooses to convey information through direct exposition. Sure, there is animation, but I find that this season of reZero really had a lot of scenes of characters just talking to each other in what should have been action-filled moments. I do realize that this may be partly for budgetary reasons, though. 

As such, I was really happy to see that some good old fashion action was shown in the mansion scenes. It felt good to see things zoom around the screen once more and get what you need from context. What do you think Crow?

I think I gave away a bit of my answer in my opening statements! It did feel good to feel like re:ZERO cut loose, to see the power and drama they’d built over a season finally collide. 

Got to give props to Garfiel. The little dude did what he had to! I suspect he made his sister Frederica proud!

On the other hand, Emilia’s trial was probably one of the least animated yet. She was on her last day and being visited by the ghost of Christmas future but we really didn’t get to see much. It sort of occurs to me that only the first part, being forced to confront her past, actually felt like a trial. I guess the present was an idyllic picture of the present and it took strength for her to let it go, in theory, but we already know that she has just discovered the love of her life so her actual present is pretty damn good as well and the future one didn’t make any type of impact. 

Do you think the trials were kind of easy Crow? Maybe they are different from other people cause I would figure someone would have passed them by now.

With the exception of the first, I can’t call them anything but easy. It wasn’t just that Emilia had grown as a result of the first trial. The second and third just didn’t puncture her heart and rip into her. 

In fact, they were so easy, I have to wonder: Does that tell us something? Was Echidna nearing the end of her strength? It’s like her heart wasn’t in it or something. 

I know Crow must be very sad about the garden scene. I bet you would have really liked to see the two pretty ladies have tea together. At least there was some fanservice in that scene instead.

Would you have preferred a tea time between Emilia and Echidna?

Okay, part of me wants to argue the point, but I might as well be honest. Yeah, it would have been great to see Emilia try to get Echidna to admit why she so passionately hated her. 

But you know, Minerva almost made me forget about Echidna. There’s something about her earnestness that is endlessly endearing. And what about her saying that she knew Emilia’s mom? “Yes, I know her well, but I can’t tell you more,” she said. Present tense! I’m still not convinced that Satella isn’t Emilia’s biological mom.

Also, Minerva gives great hugs. 

Hooray for fanservice!

This act ended with Emilia self exposition, i.e. basically explaining to herself what was happening as it was happening, out loud, and then a little cliffhanger as she discovered a snowbound sanctuary, very reminiscent of part 1. What do you think is going on Crow?

I’m on the lookout for bunnies. I don’t think that’s a happy development for our heroes. Or hero, in this case. 

Was it my imagination, or did Emilia not recognize the body of Echidna in the casket? I wasn’t sure what that was about.

I didn’t recognize it either. The face looked very different.

The return to the mansion showed us the wrap-up of those events. It’s odd, re:Zero episode 48 felt like both the most expensive and cheapest one production-wise. There were all those huge fight scenes that were probably the most grandiose of this part at least but it was balanced out with numerous reused clips and cells from previous episodes and a lot of describing past events through speech instead of a visual flashback. 

What did you think of the production Crow?

I think you hit the nail on the head. They saved a ton of cash with Emilia, then blew all of it — and probably several of the animation team’s Visa and MasterCard balances — on the fight between Knifey/Elsa and Garfiel. Their fight might be the most dramatic and exciting that I’ve seen in Re:ZERO. Even Elsa inserting her back story worked, because Garfiel was all like “what you bringing this up now for?” But it also gave us a little insight into Knifey. 

I hope this insight gets used in the future. 

Did we know that there were vampires in the reZero universe? Have we seen any before, because it came as a surprise to me? Also, is Garf a vampire manbeast now? Cause of that final confrontation and all. If he is, he’s probably one of the most powerful creatures in reZero now, isn’t he? 

That’s an interesting thought! I haven’t heard of vampires in this world before. I didn’t get a sense of how vampires work, though. I didn’t think vampires auto-regenerated, at least the vampires I know. Moka Akashiya was really strong, but I don’t recall her having auto regenerate. Though maybe she’s not the best example…

But Garfiel with vampire powers on top of his already prodigious strength? Dang…

I thought it was over at this point because they tricked us with a closing credit screen but there was actually one more act.

This was so nostalgic for me. It was a classic set up where the opponents in a life or death battle take a break to explain their situations and motivations to each other. It had some major DBZ feels and it made me smile. I know I said there was too much exposition but as long as you’re going to put it in anyways, might as well make it hilarious at least!

Even though it’s sort of an outdated trope now, did you like it Crow?

It was super effective. I love Ram to death, and seeing her confess her love for Roswaal while retaining her edge was just fantastic. 

ith re:Zero episode 48 done and only two episodes to go we will find out why the Sanctuary Emilia emerged in is so chilly and if Subaru can finally bring Rem back. What are your predictions, Crow? Is there anything you hope will happen?

I hope Rem comes back to us, but I can’t see how that would happen — they haven’t done anything about Noming Dude (Lye Batenkaitos). I have the impression that as long as he’s alive, Rem’s memory is toast.

How about you? What would you like to see?

I think I’ll just be happy with a conclusion that actually advances the plot. I guess I would love some visual storytelling and maybe adding an actual fault or two to the main characters could add a lot of dimension. 

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