Murder Is a Habit

All right! Wednesday has come again today! And now it's nighttime! Which means it's Re:Zero day! Last time too, it was one hardship after another, but is there any chance things start looking up from here!? Last week's chaotic ending leads into this week's bewildering beginning! Let's get this show on the road!

After suddenly blacking out, Subaru wakes to find Meili transformed into a terrible state. And then there's the unfamiliar wound on his aching arm--mm, absolutely not the kind of awakening I'd ever want to experience myself.

Naturally, even without knowing what happened, Subaru tries to infer what happened. As a result, what only grows more troubling is the writing carved into his arm, and who could have left it there. He's about to step closer to someone he seems to know, and yet doesn't really know.

Getting past the confusion and making the first thing you do be hiding the problem is not good. That said, if you're in a position to watch from above, I think you'll spot "bad mistakes" scattered all through Subaru's actions right now, so please enjoy that aspect too.

Just as Subaru is on the verge of having his heart moved by Emilia's words, what comes flying in is the worst news imaginable in that very moment.

When you think about how the Books of the Dead work, it's pretty evocative that each book has a different thickness. Including how thick the book with Meili's name written on it was.

Little one No. 1 -> Beatrice. Little one No. 2 -> Meili.

This protagonist has had a furrowed brow the whole time and looks like the culprit. Isn't he the culprit?

After Typhon's book last time, now it's the beginning of Meili's book. Not just with this one, but with The Book of the Dead in general, I'm consciously writing it differently from usual, so if you ever get a chance to see the original text, pay attention to that.

G-Guiltylaw! Why, if it isn't Guiltylaw-san!

G-Guiltylaw-saaaaaan!!!!

Congratulations! Appearing in every season from 1 through 4!

Oh? A nasty remark in a pleasant, familiar voice.

This goes for Meili too, but Elsa-san at the time we first met her also started out around that in-between stage of girl and adult, and there's something deeply evocative about seeing them like that.

But Kobayashi Yuusuke is incredible...

Hypothetically speaking, this is probably the single most inappropriate book for anyone in the tower to read.

It's something that forcefully hammers "someone else's life" into you at an intense density, so naturally, if the person receiving it doesn't have the capacity for it, their mind gets completely scrambled. That's a pretty severe side effect of The Book of the Dead.

Imaginary Meili-paisen picking this very moment to make the most wicked face possible.

The smart (pessimistic) team is searching the tower, but they're also considering the possibility that Meili tried to escape outside the tower and lost her life there. In that case, they figure they probably wouldn't find even her remains. Part of what they're doing is also to help Emilia accept things to some extent.

Shaula sidling up with that meaningful air. Just what does "I properly got it" mean, exactly?

It's not like the healing effect of the spirit in the green room only works if you're on the bed, but Patrasche sleeping with only her head resting on the bed behind Beatrice as she watches over Subaru is cute.

When you have something to feel guilty about, every little thing the other person does can feel like it's bearing down on you. Why do I know that, you ask? Well, well, I don't dislike perceptive readers.

As a counter to Eridna, he's using the fact that he spent today's actions and time for Emilia's peace of mind as a card in his hand.

First a princess, then a son, then Tayu. What exactly is supposed to be born from that??

Impossible, was this Natsuki Subaru not supposed to be the detective role?!!

Ram's remark about having "seen" refers to the clairvoyance from borrowing Patrasche's eyes just before this. She witnessed Subaru acting obviously suspicious and followed him. It's also a kind of classic trope for the first viewpoint character who seemed like the detective role to end up being the jobber!

This time, I really love the way the ED comes in, but what do you think? I've talked before about how well the ED fits, but this time, that ominous prelude kicking in at the episode title card just really stirs the heart in the best way. Dimolto bene.

I love the way the episode title comes in! I don't think Re:Zero has had this kind of pattern before, where the title is read aloud, so it felt "strong" to me. The "strength" of still having new ways to captivate.

Well then! This week too, it was less one problem after another and more like even seeing Enma three times wouldn't be enough, but thank you very much! Only one episode left in the first half of Season 4! Seriously? What's even going to happen in just one more episode? With those questions still unending, let's heal our hearts with the mini anime from the half-hour mark and wait with full anticipation for next week!

Come to think of it, Season 3 had Imaginary Elsa, and Season 4 has Imaginary Meili, huh...

Come to think of it, there’s one thing I should clarify: the Elsa plushie Meili had was something she requested when Subaru asked her, “Is there anything you want me to make?” Elsa was also his first-day opponent, so Subaru had mixed feelings about it in various ways, but he honored Meili’s wish. She probably made him redo it a few times, too.