There's nothing at all wrong with taking simple pleasure in a simple work, but Re:Zero has a specific charm that has made it unique among isekai. Its die-hard fanbase has been elated since the new season's announcement at AnimeJapan 2024, because Re:Zero is a series that scratches an impossibly special itch.

Incorporating the suspense, tension, and time-traveling intrigue of psychological sci-fi classic Steins;Gate, Re:Zero both subverts and celebrates isekai's conventions, as the trailer above shows. It's able to fascinate the entire spectrum of anime fans - even those who hate isekai.

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Re:Zero Starts Strong And Stays That Way

From The First Episode, Re:Zero Proclaims Its Position Among Isekai

Commencing with protagonist Subaru Natsuki's unexpectedly thrust into a parallel world, the story would seem to start off like any other isekai. By the time the first episode's extended runtime of around 50 minutes is over, the singular appeal of the anime is entirely visible. Whenever Subaru dies, time resets to a given pointì, figuring out how to manipulate these jumps is a pulsing mystery. Subaru eventually winds up in the castle of Emilia, a royal candidate who bears a striking resemblance to a notorious witch.

As Subaru integrates into his new world, he starts to care for the surrounding cast. But the high-stakes game of royal progression combined with growing confusion about the connection between Emilia and the witch she resembles inevitably throws everybody Subaru loves (and he, himself) into mortal danger. Subaru starts using his time reset ability to protect those around him, but in the meantime, he experiences the emotional pain and fatigue of watching loved ones repeatedly die and having to relive days on loop. What results is a heartbreaking yet inspiring journey featuring one of isekai's freshest concepts ever.

Re:Zero Shows Isekai's Potential — And Revived The Genre

Re:Zero's Undeniable Appeal Brought Isekai To New Audiences (And New Ideas)

It wouldn't be hyperbolic to say that Re:Zero was instrumental to the robust library of isekai series today. It's true that it made isekai more popular, but its inimitable combination of influences also made the genre more interesting. It paved the way for more complexity in isekai anime: for example, That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime. The success of Re:Zero (and, of course, Steins;Gate) would also lead to a warm reception and popularity for series incorporating time-travel and isekai elements (like Erased, Tokyo Revengers, and Summertime Render) despite not being isekai themselves.

There's a reason that Re:Zero is considered one of the best isekai of all time. Looks can be deceiving, and prospective viewers shouldn't be fooled by Re:Zero's cutesy cast of characters. Combining time travel, psychological complexity, and unrelenting heartbreak, it's jettisoned from isekai's conventional world, becoming a fish out of water like Subaru himself. Like Subaru, too, it learns to breathe and thrive.

With its third season coming so soon, it's clear why anime fans, even those who are usually not enticed by isekai, should try Re:ZERO - Life In Another World and in on the anticipation.