Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation II

Episodes 0-2

A first glance, episode 0 couldn't be more different from episodes 1 and 2 of this new season of Mushoku Tensei. Episode 0 follows Sylphy and what she's been doing during the years since the mass teleport incident threw Rudues and Eris to the far side of the world. It's the story of her trying to survive in a world of royal political intrigue where she is being used by the only people she can rely on. Episodes 1 and 2, on the other hand, focus on Rudeus and the fallout of Eris leaving him at the end of the last season.

However, when it comes down to it, both stories are about one thing: people dealing with heartbreaking loss and their attempts to start over in wholly unfamiliar environments. Sylphy's biggest problem originally was her over-dependence on Rudeus. Tossed into a foreign kingdom, she has now lost not only him but everyone she's ever known. Yet, even as she is coerced into the role of royal bodyguard to a princess in the middle of a succession crisis, she can make a place for herself. While the princess may be using Sylphy for her chant-less magic powers at first, it's clear that the two form a bond—a bond that only forms between people in a shared life-and-death struggle.

Rudeus, for his part, is dealing with what happens when such a bond is forcefully broken—and it's even worse in his case as romantic feelings were tied up in it. So much of the first season is about Rudeus moving on from the trauma of his first life. Through hard work and dedication, he learned to go outside, make friends, and overcome impossible odds. But with Eris abandoning him after their first night together, he struggles to find meaning in his life again. The best he can do is cling to the fact that his mother is still missing—but that only gives him a vague goal rather than a concrete one.

Episodes 1 and 2 focus on Rudeus struggling to regain some semblance of normality. In the first episode, he is cold and withdrawn—trying to avoid others altogether. However, seeing that others have the camaraderie he so valued—even if he has lost it—is enough to get him to come out of his shell a bit.

The second episode shows the next step in his healing. Rudeus has decided to do the same basic thing he did with Ruijerd to find his missing mother—run a PR campaign. By doing quests of all shapes and sizes—and partying with as many different adventurers as possible—he hopes to spread his name far and wide in the north. That way, instead of aimlessly trying to find his mother, he will become a lightning rod of sorts. She will hear of him if she is in the north and come to where he is.

While this is a good plan, it also has a secondary purpose. Rudeus is terrified of being hated again. The PR campaign gives him an excuse to be friendly with everyone—to do whatever makes those around him the happiest. However, this is why Sol dislikes Rudeus so much. In a real way, Rudeus is lying to everyone around him—never showing his true self or his capabilities. After all, to do so would leave him vulnerable again—like he was with Eris.

Yet, with Sara alone in a blizzard surrounded by monsters, Rudeus is given the push he needs to do what he wants to do in the way he wants to—other people's feelings be damned. There is no time to pander to Counter Arrow's ideas on handling the situation or follow common knowledge and wait for the storm to pass. He can save her—and even though he knows it will make him vulnerable emotionally, he uses all his powers.

In the end, he is both punished and rewarded. On the one hand, Counter Arrow is angry at him for going alone. But on the other, they are thankful to him for doing what they could not. In his heart, being true to himself outweighs the potential pain of it. And so he decides to reject his past pain (burning Eris's hair which symbolizes the greatest betrayal of his second life) and instead clings to Roxy's panties (the symbol of all that can be gained by overcoming your fears and putting yourself out there). Rudeus is far from healed, but he's at least making steps in the right direction.

Episode 0 Rating:

Episode 1 Rating:

Episode 2 Rating:

Random Thoughts:

• I feel sorry for Sara. While she may see Rudeus, all he sees in her is Eris. Until he truly comes to terms with what happened, they could never be in anything close to a happy relationship.

• It was nice to see the obvious step up in animation quality after episode 0.

• I'm somewhat surprised we're spending so much time on this mini-arc of the story. But this anime has always been really good about moving at its own pace to best serve the emotional beats of the plot.

• When reaching into his bag, I wonder how often Rudeus was feeling the panties for comfort and how often he was feeling Eris' hair.

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation II is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.