ecchi

It is hard to end a season of anime. Particularly when so many stories aren’t finished in one season and are either hoping you’ll explore the source or hold out hope for another season. Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation doesn’t deliver us any answers about the gods or Rudeus’ purpose but instead focuses on whether Rudeus has changed as a person from one life to the next as well as on checking in with so many of the other characters and what they are currently up to.

The end result is a bit of a hodge-podge of scenes all kind of held together as we cut between the events in Rudeus’ life before being reborn that lead to him being a shut in and the now where he can’t muster up the energy to get out of bed. And Rudeus’ story was definitely the only thing that was really compelling viewing here and hit all the right notes.

Or maybe I just really empathised with Rudeus (a rarity for me while viewing given I kind of don’t like him) because I know myself that when things get too overwhelming shutting down and shutting out the world seems pretty appealing. Only problem is, the longer you do it the harder it is to get back out there.

So as much as I wanted Rudeus to do something this episode, I kind of got where his character was emotionally this week.

As for everyone else, I was kind of indifferent.

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation kind of sputters to a halt.

The rest of episode 23 for Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation was kind of drifting around as we checked in on Ruijerd who is still out killing monsters and slowly connecting with others, Eris who has resolved to get stronger and not lean on Rudeus (really think she could have explained herself to him first), Roxy, Rudeus family and a whole slew of other characters (some of whom I couldn’t even remember).

While it does leave us knowing where everyone is at season’s end it isn’t exactly a satisfying place to leave this story as they still haven’t accounted for people after the mana explosion and all the characters are still mid-stride in their stories.

Of course it was never going to be possible for Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation to wrap things up but there was one thing I was genuinely disappointed about.

The Man-God guy who has appeared periodically during this season does not make an appearance this episode. No advice or mocking for Rudeus. Nothing at all. The silence was deafening.

I kind of feel that was what I needed to really feel this season had come to some kind of close.

Then again, I can’t deny that the episode of Jobless Reincarnation at least ends in the perfect spot. As I mentioned before, the most compelling part of this episode was seeing Rudeus wrestle with his feelings, understanding the parallel to how he feels now to how he felt in his last life. And watching the end of the episode where he finally stands and leaves the tent ready, perhaps, to take the next step on his journey, was a richly rewarding experience.

Unfortunately it means sitting through a whole bunch of other scenes that feel largely inconsequential to get to that moment.

So a bitter-sweet farewell to Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Part 2 and you can read the full review of the season here. I really kind of hope we get another season for as much as this anime continues to give me mixed feelings there are some strangely compelling moments along the way.

Images from: Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Part 2. Dir. M Okamoto. Studio Bind. 2021

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Karandi James

“I want to have your kittens, Meow.” Bold of Eris in this episode of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation to utter such a line. I’m not sure whether to cringe or laugh, though clearly she knew her audience well because Rudeus most definitely responded.

I’m kind of fixating on that line largely because I’m not sure what to make of the rest of the episode. After such a long journey together in the space of one episode Rudeus loses both traveling companions and we end this episode (or close enough), the second last of the season, with him standing alone in a tent. I’ve called Rudeus pathetic before but he looks so small here and honestly I’m just not sure where the story is going now or what the next step of the journey is.

If there is one thing Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation has repeatedly reinforced, it is that life moves on.

On the one hand, it makes sense given how Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation has played out up until this point. Rudeus’ second life has been full of phases and then changes. Whether it was learning magic from Roxy, tutoring Eris or the initial journey from the demon continent, nothing lasts forever and that definitely gives us a sense that this is a real character who continues to grow and respond to the events around him.

On the other hand, with the constant flux of locations and characters and objectives, other than seeing Rudeus live a slightly better life this time around, there’s no real sense that we’re heading toward a final goal. And episodes like this one leave you feeling like Rudeus’ journey, whether he lives well or not, whether he is strong or not, is ultimately futile.

That’s a little depressing.

The situation for Eris is just as bad if not worse. She’s not even the protagonist so a lot of her struggles have been side-lined and yet her character has arguably grown the most.

Still hurts a lot though to see her react after being told her parents died after being teleported and her grandfather was executed. Though if that isn’t enough pain for one encounter by all means subordinate throw in the fact that some lord wants to take Eris as his concubine. Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation sure knows how to kick characters when they are down.

And all of this comes after the farewell to Ruijerd who has protected, trained, and supported the pair since they arrived on the demon continent. I get the original plan was to get them home but surely after travelling so long together plans might change. It seemed really arbitrary for him just to suddenly decide to head off on his own.

Hopefully this isn’t the last we’ll see of him given he does say see you later, but now with Eris heading off with Ghislaine you have to wonder if the trio we’ve travelled with for so long at this point will get back together.

It’s been a long journey from where we started in Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, and there’s definitely a sense that times are moving on and characters have to move with them, which makes this feel quite different to so many stories that seem determined to keep the status quo even when it makes no sense. But it does leave you feeling a sense of sadness that a core group of characters that have really bonded have now been split apart.

I do wonder what the final episode of this series will bring and where they will leave Rudeus on this journey. And yes, somehow I suspect another season will be needed unless Jobless Reincarnation plans to try to wrap everything up in twenty minutes but that seems really unlikely.

Read the full review for Part 2 of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation here.

Images from: Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Part 2. Dir. M Okamoto. Studio Bind. 2021

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Karandi James

There’s a lesson I picked up watching Buffy The Vampire Slayer many years ago and it is one that Rudeus from Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation should probably try to learn. It came from Xander and pretty much went: “Generally speaking, when scary things get scared, not good.”

So when Ruijerd and Eris freeze at the mere approach of a pair of travellers on a snowy mountain perhaps striking up a conversation with one of them isn’t the best approach. Particularly when they are already leaving.

Then again, the Doctor took a similar approach once in Doctor Who, calling back aliens who were leaving, only he managed to actually intimidate them and didn’t end up in a bleeding puddle in the snow.

Anyway, lets be honest, Rudeus really made a mess of this and for once it seemed to bite him hard.

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation finds new ways to beat its protagonist down.

I guess that is one reason why Jobless Reincarnation can’t have a nice guy protagonist. Admittedly, about half the time Rudeus is the stereotypical nice guy, however the rest of the time you are reminded of his character flaws and he does some genuinely unlikeable things at times. Such as early in this episode where Eris asks him to pinch her to make sure she wasn’t dreaming and he takes the opportunity to pinch her chest.

It’s really hard to have sympathy when she sends him flying across the campsite.

Likewise, Rudeus is a character I don’t mind seeing losing a fight and being put in a helpless situation. With so many other protagonists it would hurt to see them that way and you’d want them to have some hope. With Rudeus it all kind of seems, as he puts it, a part of life and while you kind of want his group to not die you expect they are going to get knocked around a bit first.

It makes for a different kind of tone to the usual isekai fantasy that is so bursting with optimism and sweetness it could almost give you a cavity just watching it.

Whether you enjoy the pain Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation heaps upon the characters in its world sprinkles with small moments of triumph is entirely subjective. I can definitely tell that this isn’t an anime I’m going to binge watch for a pick me up.

That said, this anime isn’t trying to be grim-dark or really just wallow in misery either. I loved Eris’ response to seeing dragons and how excited she was when Rujierd declared that she was now strong enough to be considered a warrior. I loved watching her haul Rudeus along the mountain path when he was scared and trying to be cautious and she was standing out on the edge.

Its the contrasts between these small moments of happiness and the successes, such as the one Rudeus had just last episode, and the misery and failure that kind of make Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation one that is worth watching as Rudeus rises and falls and life knocks him down but he gets back up (sometimes with a lot of help from those around him and sometimes more on his own).

It would be nice if before the end of this season if we learned more about the man-god. His interference and ‘advice’ has been a fairly consistent part of this season’s events and the conflict on the mountain directly tied to him in the end. While I know there’s only two episodes more so we’re unlikely to get a huge reveal it would be nice to finish the season of Jobless Reincarnation feeling like Rudeus had gained some ground.

You can read the full review of the season here.

Images from: Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Part 2. Dir. M Okamoto. Studio Bind. 2021

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Karandi James

So a few things to discuss with the latest episode of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation.

We begin the episode with another flashback to the initial disaster but this time from Lilia’s point of view and as the light rushed toward her she instinctively grabbed Aisha to shield her. The two of them then found themselves underwater and had to struggle in dark waters to reach the shore. And then they just kind of walk up to the city and the prince, who just happened to be near the gate and overheard them asking about Roxy, took them captive.

It’s a little bit of a rushed version of how did we get here but it then means Jobless Reincarnation can spend more time on the important things. Such as Rudeus’ jokes about his accommodation and the other prince’s obsession with the figurine Rudeus had made of Roxy when he was younger.

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation keeps its eye on the important things.

I guess we’ll just have this as a running gag every time Rudeus gets taken prisoner that he’ll describe his new accommodation in terms of being an apartment. It was kind of amusing when Jobless Reincarnation did it in the village though here it feels a little more tired and like a little less effort was put into it. Possibly that is because this prison is significantly less scenic than his last one but while I get the joke I didn’t find this round as amusing.

Also, unlike his previous prison, it is quite clear Rudeus can’t get out of this one alone whereas in the previous cage it was fairly clear he could have left at any time if he’d chosen to do so.

Instead, here Jobless Reincarnation brings along Pax’s brother who comes off as a really over-the-top collector who is obsessed with Rudeus’ figurines. He had the Roxy figure that Rudeus had made when he was younger and recognised the same work in the Ruijerd figures that Rudeus is now distributing.

Though, that Roxy figurine with the detachable clothing seems like it had a lot more thought put into it and is also quite creepy when you consider the age Rudeus was when he made it (and yes I get he’s a reincarnated middle-aged man but I’m not sure if that makes it less or more creepy). Again Jobless Reincarnation walks that fine line for me in terms of viewing that I’m comfortable with.

So pretty much Rudeus tells the obsessed prince that he could teach him or something if he gets him out of the prison and after futilely trying to break it, the prince decides that he just has to do something about his brother, Pax, and it will be sorted.

Then we get a very rushed explanation that the obsessed prince is actually super strong and once ripped the head off one of his other brothers.

That kind of came out of nowhere.

And just like that Jobless Reincarnation brings all the characters together with the guards having asked Ruijerd to save their families so they could betray Pax, and Eris and Aisha just kind of coming along because staying put where they were asked was too much effort.

If I’m honest, it feels like episode 20 of Jobless Reincarnation took a lot of narrative short-cuts. Like they knew this situation was too complex to really be resolved this episode but just rushed through things and cut corners to get to the resolution. Whatever the case, it feels like the pace is off. Whether it was the gag with the prison description, the backstory on the Prince’s or Ruijerd and Eris’ role everything just felt kind of dropped in and then moved on from without a lot of thought or finesse.

We do however get a happy ending with Aisha and Lilia rescued so, yay? We don’t get to hear any of Rudeus’ thoughts on the god who gave him the advice this time and he never seems to consider that if the god had given him more information or different information things may have resolved easier without the whole imprisonment thing.

While Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation continues to overall be entertaining enough viewing, this episode didn’t quite hit the mark. The plot does everything it needs to and we get a sweet family moment at the end but it just felt too hasty in trying to get there.

I’m hoping this is because they are trying to get to an actual resolution before the end of this season and that it won’t just stop mid-story again, though maybe that’s being overly optimistic.

You can read the full review of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation part 2 here.

Images from: Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Part 2. Dir. M Okamoto. Studio Bind. 2021

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Karandi James

Poor Rudeus. This week in Jobless Reincarnation he is once again given advice by the ‘god’ thing and this time he follows it to the letter only the results aren’t exactly awesome (at least not yet). As if Rudeus didn’t have enough reasons to have trust issues.

After episode 18’s minor diversion to follow Roxy on her journey, this week Jobless Reincarnation firmly returns us to Rudeus and friends as they finally arrive on the central continent. After a dream conversation with god, Rudeus has learned that two of the people he is looking for are in the city Roxy went to work after leaving him, and he’s given some fairly non-specific directions of what to do once he arrives.

I don’t know about everyone else in the audience, but I was pretty sure Rudy was being messed with once again. Sure, last time he followed god’s directions he ended up with a demon eye but I’m still not convinced that was a great idea (and certainly sounded kind of painful to receive). This time, Rudeus ends up walking into a trap set by and idiot and I just can’t help but think that if Rudeus hadn’t been trying to follow the instructions he’d been given he never would have landed in that predicament.

Though he may never have located the two missing people either so maybe things will work out yet.

Jobless Reincarnation really likes to make you second guess the characters and their choices.

With the focus on Rudeus and his search for Aisha and Lilia, once again Eris and Rujierd are getting decidedly sidelined. I somehow suspect they will be important next week because if they don’t go looking for Rudeus I’m not sure how Jobless Reincarnation intends to get him out of his current predicament, but this week at least we get Eris feeling relieved that they are no longer on a boat and Rujierd has about one actual dialogue exchange with Rudeus.

I did begin to wonder during this episode if terrible reunions were just going to be the ongoing theme here. Largely because Rudeus and Paul had an awful first encounter after so long apart and now Rudeus finds and saves Aisha except that she doesn’t recognise him and the description she gives of her older brother being a pervert (while pretty accurate) is a little scathing.

Naturally Rudeus doesn’t actually introduce himself to her because you couldn’t continue the gag if you just cleared up the misunderstanding. Plus god told him not to…

Yeah, god really is just messing with Rudeus in Jobless Reincarnation.

Anyway, all of this culminates with Rudeus stashing Aisha with Eris and Ruijerd before a visitor from the castle (where he sent a letter to Roxy – though the audience already knows she isn’t there) arrives and leads him to a shady part of the building before asking him to leave his staff and equipment. Red flags are going off everywhere and yet Rudeus decides to just go through with it because he decided to follow the god’s instructions.

You know, I kind of hope something good happens at the end of all of this, otherwise Jobless Reincarnation is really just giving Rudy a kick in the guts because it can.

And then the penny drops, or rather the trap is sprung, and we more or less end the episode with Rudeus now completely trapped.

Admittedly, it is hard to really make any kind of decision about whether the events here are meaningful without knowing how this situation resolves and what Rudeus takes away from it. I enjoyed the episode but kind of hope there’s some deeper meaning in all of this than just god being amused at watching Rudeus fall.

You can read the full review of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation part 2 here.

Images from: Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Part 2. Dir. M Okamoto. Studio Bind. 2021

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Karandi James

Jobless Reincarnation really does live or die by its character work and this week the episode is squarely focused on Roxy and her facing a past she’d rather not giving her a chance for an emotional reunion. For fans of Roxy’s character this is a solid gold episode only hindered by a general lack of screen time for this character. For me, not really caring much about Roxy’s character, it was more a diversion from the story I’m really interested in and a breather from the heavier emotions experienced while watching the last two episodes.

While we do get a brief glimpse of Rudeus and team onboard their next ship, with both Eris and Rudeus down with sea-sickness in the rough conditions, Jobless Reincarnation devotes the rest of the episode to Roxy.

We knew she was on the demon continent and that like two ships passing in the night she had missed Rudeus by a hair’s breath. This week we have Roxy more or less walking back along Rudeus’ trail and ultimately we see Roxy return ‘home’.

Jobless Reincarnation asks what is home as Roxy returns to her parents’ house.

It was interesting enough finding out more about Roxy this week. Her past was a little mysterious and honestly this episode does fill in some of the missing pieces for her character.

Jobless Reincarnation doesn’t rush this one. Instead we see Roxy talking with another adventurer who more or less lectures her about her decision not to return home and while it is clear Roxy isn’t keen on the idea, next seen we see her small, lonely figure walking a dusty road into a village.

It quickly becomes apparent why Roxy left the village.

With the rest of the town communicating telepathically and being unable to understand them the feeling of being an outsider would be ever-present for Roxy here. Much like arriving in a country where you don’t speak the language it would be exhausting as every interaction becomes a struggle. However, unlike in that analogy, Roxy can’t learn telepathy even if she wanted to so can never find a way to integrate or at least minimise the barrier.

The first exchange with her parents is awkward to say the least with both parties trying so hard to be stoic and polite that ultimately the things that need to be said aren’t and the emotions that need to be conveyed are bottled up. Fortunately, Jobless Reincarnation doesn’t make us wait until next episode for the resolution to this situation.

Roxy’s mother opens the floodgate, breaking down first as she realises Roxy intends to leave and not come back. While I wouldn’t say everything is all healed and forgiven here, there’s every chance now Roxy will return and the very photogenic moment where both of Roxy’s parents embrace her, all three with tears in their eyes, more or less sums up the episode.

Though despite learning that Rudeus passed through the village and is in fact in the party Dead End, Roxy decides to keep travelling the demon continent looking for other survivors rather than try to meet up with Rudeus. Which is probably why this episode really felt detached. Sure there’s parties all over the place looking for people but if we start trying to follow all of them this story will end up quite fragmented and from the beginning Jobless Reincarnation has been Rudeus’ story.

So while I did enjoy this well enough and I’m glad Roxy fans got more Roxy, I’m kind of hoping next week we’re back to Rudeus and Eris and finding out what their next steps are for their journey.

You can read the full review of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation part 2 here.

Images from: Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Part 2. Dir. M Okamoto. Studio Bind. 2021

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Karandi James

I’ll deal with the actual content of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation episode 17 in a moment. First I want to talk about why I am now a huge fan of the bit character, Geese.

Now a couple of episodes ago, I could not have told you this characters name. He was just kind of this random who showed up in the same cell as Rudeus in the forest and then kind of helped out in the village before going his own way with a cryptic message about checking the board at the adventurer’s guild. It is kind of clear now why he said that but why not just tell Rudeus his father was in town (or actually take him straight to Paul).

Anyway, after the events of episode 16 of Jobless Reincarnation, my thoughts about Paul were more or less rock bottom and to be honest, nothing much in this episode convinced me otherwise. But at the very least the audience had Geese there to tell Paul what most of us wanted to tell him in the last episode.

It’s amazing how cathartic it was watching Geese just lay out some actual truth to Paul. About the only thing that would have made it better was if Eris had actually gotten to at least punch him once later in the episode.

Jobless Reincarnation has a second attempt at reuniting father and son.

I personally find it kind of entertaining that an anime based around a character who is kind of trying to make the most at his second chance at life decided to play a single scenario where both people involved just really needed a do-over. Neither Paul nor Rudeus came out of their last exchange looking particularly good, though at least Rudeus gets the ‘child’ excuse though even that holds less weight when we know he’s lived a life before (even if he was socially stunted through trauma).

And so Jobless Reincarnation winds us back to the day of the tragedy and we witness Paul’s first steps and the long journey after.

If this was trying to make me feel any more sympathy for Paul it didn’t succeed because what I noted was that Paul immediately comforted Norn and put on a brave face. Yet he couldn’t manage either when he finally encountered Rudues. Sure, Rudeus is a bit older, but he’s still Paul’s son. The discrepancy actually highlighted how low Paul has sunk in his time on the road because perhaps if he had found Rudeus earlier he might have still had enough strength of mind and character to muster up a welcome back.

We then see the current Paul, drinking and more or less looking even more miserable, which is where Geese comes in and delivers some solid truths to our Paul Greyrat. By calling out this character and making him face his own shortcomings, Jobless Reincarnation makes this whole situation far more palatable to the audience and also makes it finally feel tragic as two people, father and son, have failed to connect after such a long time apart.

As always, Jobless Reincarnation gives us some solid writing to really have the scene hit home and despite not liking either Paul or Rudy I did kind of tear up when Paul sought out Rudeus and we had the second attempt at a reuinion.

Of course, after two episodes on this incident, I’m not sure how I feel with the episode progressing to Rudeus more or less planning the next step of his journey and Eris just jumping on-board. It feels like they could have spent at least a couple of days actually reconnecting.

Also, Rudeus gets to mope and be depressed and a whole spectrum of emotions but Eris’ response to the news about her home-land is pretty pithy as she explains she was already prepared for that kind of news. While it is great Eris isn’t throwing a royal tantrum or falling apart, it really doesn’t feel like her character was given a chance to react to the situation. Her own internal struggle is more or less side-lined by Rudeus’ emotional moment.

Perhaps Jobless Reincarnation will give Eris her due emotional exploration later.

For now, this was another solid episode of Musoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation and another illustration for me that enjoyment of characters and their journey doesn’t require me to actually like them.

You can read the full review of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation part 2 here.

Images from: Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Part 2. Dir. M Okamoto. Studio Bind. 2021

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Karandi James