Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 2

The second season of Re:ZERO came to TV in summer 2020. It was planned for April that year, but it was pushed back to July because the COVID-19 pandemic slowed down work on the show. Studio White Fox made it again, with director Masaharu Watanabe and writer Masahiro Yokotani. This first part has 13 episodes and ran from July 8 to September 30, 2020. It covers volumes 9 to 12 of Tappei Nagatsuki's light novels, plus the start of volume 13. Part 2 followed in January 2021.

This season picks up right after the end of season one, so you should watch that first. Subaru Natsuki, the young man from Japan who was pulled into a fantasy world, has just come through a terrible fight. He helped Emilia, the half-elf girl he loves. But the win had a high cost. Rem, the blue-haired maid who stood by him when he felt worthless, has been taken by a strange power. Worse, almost everyone has forgotten that she ever existed. Subaru still remembers her, and he refuses to give up on her.

There is more bad news. When Subaru and Emilia head back to the lands of Roswaal, the noble who supports Emilia, they find that a village there has been badly attacked. To get answers, the group travels to a place called the Sanctuary, a hidden village that holds many secrets. Here Subaru meets new faces. Garfiel Tinsel is a loud, tough young fighter tied to the Sanctuary. Otto Suwen is a traveling merchant who keeps getting pulled into Subaru's troubles. Subaru also meets Echidna, known as the Witch of Greed. She is a calm, curious woman who seems to know many things about the world and about Subaru himself. Before long, several dangers close in on the Sanctuary at the same time.

As always in Re:ZERO, Subaru's main tool is his strange way of coming back after he dies. Each time he dies, time resets to an earlier point, and only he keeps his memories. In this season, that gift starts to feel even heavier. The threats come from many sides at once, and some of them are not simple monsters but hard choices about trust and friendship. Subaru has to find out what the Sanctuary is hiding, what Roswaal really wants, and how to keep Emilia and the people he cares about safe.

The tone is darker and slower than the first season. There are long talks, painful memories, and deep looks at why the characters act the way they do. Emilia gets much more focus, and her own fears and growth become a big part of the story. Otto and Garfiel also turn into important members of the cast. The season won Best Fantasy at the 2021 Crunchyroll Anime Awards, and Yusuke Kobayashi, the voice of Subaru, won the award for best Japanese voice acting that same year. It is a must-watch for anyone who wants to see Subaru and Emilia keep growing.