Disgrace in the Extreme

Well then, Re:Zero anime episode 17 is about to start! Looking forward to being with you all again this week!

By the way, this week's web preview featured Priscilla-sama, and for anyone who thought, "Wait, they didn't say who wrote this?" here's the answer. This preview was by the series composer, Masahiro Yokotani! Yokotani-san had run out of steam after working so hard through the first half, but he said, "I at least want to do Priscilla!" Well, the result speaks for itself!

By the way, a quick thought on episode 16: basically, the author naturally has full control over the protagonist's actions. Characters often start moving on their own, but even then they don't really go beyond the framework of my imagination. So regarding Subaru-kun's disgraceful behavior over these past few weeks, behavior utterly unbefitting a protagonist...

...I've been watching while thinking, "Well, how adorable, how adorable," but then there's episode 16. After Priscilla-sama refuses to cooperate, Subaru-kun walks down the street muttering resentfully. There's a scene where he grabs a passerby's shoulder and shoves them aside like, "You're in the way!" ...but that part isn't written in the original. The anime expanded on it.

That part was the anime staff deciding that the current Subaru would probably act that way. But when the author saw it, my reaction was, "Whoa." Because that unwritten part was outside what I'd imagined. And then I thought, "So this is the view everyone else has been seeing."

Subaru doing something awful outside the bounds of my imagination. The unpleasant feeling I got in those few seconds... everyone has been experiencing that for 20 minutes every week, huh? Frankly, I'm amazed you've all kept watching. The end.

And with that, Episode 17! It's starting!

After that sudden appearance last week... and then, the White Whale. Otto's "It's the White Whale!" here was something I was fairly particular about, so I had them do it a few times.

The White Whale's name was only mentioned briefly in Episode 14, so at the end of Episode 16, I did it hoping everyone would have forgotten about it, just like Subaru had. Opening time.

This week is absolutely packed and crammed full of content, so don't take your eyes off it for even a second! You can forget about the author's tweets!

Opening sponsor card. Oh, it's you guys for the first time in a while...

White Whale, White Whale, gwaaaaaahhh

Part A begins!

A fun little side note: the ground dragon pulling Otto's dragon carriage is named Fulfoo. He's Otto's beloved dragon, and they've been together a long time.

The White Whale is huge. I love big monsters!

Mr. White Whale is quite angry about getting punched right after waking up.

If they'd been preparing countermeasures for the White Whale, that'd be one thing, but you can't come up with a plan against something you've forgotten.

Otto trying to stop him here shows what a good guy he is.

The BGM cutting out here is matched to Subaru's consciousness. The director did that.

"Rem will always be watching over Subaru-kun from behind." In the anime, this line was cut for time, but it's in response to Subaru saying before they left the royal capital, "You just stay behind me and keep watching."

This is the power of the Suwen family style of driving off thugs.

The grand subjugation.

Who is Rem supposed to be...?

Please watch that part where he gets punched again later in slow motion. He gets hit a whole lot.

Mr. White Whale has logged in.

Otto instantly throws away the crystal lamp, trying to get rid of anything that might stand out even a little. And that's when Subaru realizes something.

It's a trait that was put to effective use once before, though.

Otto suddenly went insane. Well, given the situation, that's understandable. Though there are certain other circumstances too.

At the part where he's rolling just now, the camera from Subaru's point of view cuts in for a moment.

Ugly

That's why it's lovable

"Fog," vanished.

"Young master..."

The ground dragons in this world are kind.

See, this time he made it in time. Thanks to Rem.

It's okay. The children laughed because Subaru, driven to desperation, gave a thin smile, but right after that they noticed how awful a state he was in and went to call the adults.

Part A ends.

The rice-ball-looking one is Mild, the half-naked one is Lyca, the regent one is Dain, and the cute one is Petra.

Part B, begin!

Reading is a low-key hobby that Ram and Rem share. Rem reads plays and poetry. Ram mostly reads magic books and the like, though.

Still, Nee-sama is cute.

Who is Rem supposed to be...?

Ram doesn't have any little sister. That's that thing from that thing that any veteran gal game player would know.

A conversation that doesn't connect. A story that can't hold together because she's missing.

"...Balse seems tired, so let's let him do as he likes until he's satisfied."

He could just stay in his room and sleep like this, but...

She's there.

This music-box-like sound is nice, isn't it?

"Why won't anyone understand me?"

Those rapid-fire words of abuse... who is saying them to whom, I wonder?

"Rem...?"

"I love you."

Because I wanted to do this scene, the author never showed Emilia’s corpse even once since episode 1. Not even in episodes 14 or 15, in scenes where she was probably dead. I only wanted everyone to see “the Emilia he couldn’t save” and “the Emilia Subaru killed.” I’m sorry.

Beatrice is back after a while, but she won't grant Subaru's wish here. I wonder what Betty was feeling at this moment.

The true essence of "Door Crossing." At this point it's basically just an ultra-powerful spatial teleportation spell.

"I heard there's someone who wants to die."

Because of the anime's time constraints, Petelgeuse-san's lines feel like they've been excerpted to sound as if they might mean something, but then they still somehow don't seem to mean anything after all, and really, what even is with this guy?

Last time, you couldn't see it.

This finger gave Matsuoka-san a really hard time...

Damaging it is NG.

The Beast of the End is mad.

Part B is over! Another packed 20 minutes this time too... 20 minutes, was it? Thank you for the roughly 20 minutes!

Closing Pack

This week's episode was another incredibly dense one. I hope the predictions from people guessing what would happen to Subaru last week got overturned. Now then, Petelgeuse vs. the Beast of the End vs. Subaru, a three-way showdown! Who will win? And with that, see you next week.

Well then, I'd like to see you again next week for Episode 18. If possible, I'd be happy if you could stay with it and definitely not miss it. See you then. Thanks for watching along.