I still have some gripes with how the show handled Rudeus' perv moments, although the statue thing with Zenoba was a neat bit of writing, never thought that would be plot relevant, the statue itself was kinda creepy.
BUT, this show contains some of the best worldbuilding, animation, music, editing, and character writing I've ever seen in an anime. and I mean, considering the horrible shit I tolerated in the Monogatari Series, this is nothing in comparison.
Probably giving the second cour a 9, but I have a feeling Studio Bind has a 10 season in them.
as for this last episode, it concludes a truly brilliant run of three episodes, a trilogy of episodes where Rudy is broken physically and mentally, and finally, remembering there are people that love him now, he's able to do what he couldn't in his former life, pick himself up after defeat, and take a step forward. This show has pretty profound meaning for anyone who has been severely depressed, isolated in their life. what this last episode hammers home is that Rudeus has had a huge positive impact on many people's lives, people care about him, and lying in bed wallowing in self-pity is no longer an option.
I also want to point out how the ED frames this part of Rudeus' journey as a remembrance, a book being read much later. There's this feeling that this was the end of Rudy's innocence, the first real chapter of his life, and he's going to remember and be profoundly influenced by the journey of Dead End until the day he dies. And he's not the only one influenced by it, because his actions create unforeseen ripples, consequences both positive and negative we probably won't see play out in the show for years. That's something I also appreciate about the show - actions have consequences, and no person is an island.
and there's something brilliant about this episode zooming out from Rudy and showing so many other characters - the show manages to be about him, without having the whole world completely revolve around him, and giving many, many characters their own interiority and agency. it's really a shame how many people will never get to see this because of, well, you know. Understandable, and I kind of blame the show a bit, although I also think there's an insanely moralistic way of viewing media that's taken hold especially with younger people, and it's actually pretty reactionary, even from "progressive" types. Media should do better, that's for sure, BUT condemning all media that fails in any way is fascistic. and people throughout the spectrum do this. I think if you love freedom, art, and basic human empathy, you have to accept the warts. Criticize, sure, but throwing the baby out with the bathwater is not just fascistic, but also immature and unrealistic. It's a twisted kind of idealistic absolutism. and I say this as a really morality-forward, judgmental person, lol. Mushoku Tensei has problems! It's problematic! And that's fine. It means some people are never going to be able to get into it, and that's okay. Where I have a problem is where those same people call anyone that likes it pedophiles, and makes the kind of ignorant statements about anime that I might have made when I was 20. I recognize too much of my stupid anime-disdaining past self. and tbh, it's also extremely racist to write off the entire medium of anime, isn't it? right?
sorry, I got carried away. but you get my point, right? My position is that Mushoku Tensei could have handled some of the uncomfortable moments better, and anyone that bails out because of those moments is valid in their choice, if that's not something they can stomach. But they have no right to judge anyone that can stomach it. but also that we that have stomached it should acknowledge the issues rather than pretending they're not there. It doesn't make Mushoku Tensei bad. In fact, you can see how much I praised it! It's just a big ugly wart on a pretty face, or a gouge in the most gorgeous tapestry you've ever seen.
frankly, though, that kind of problem makes it more interesting than an entirely tasteful, morally inoffensive work. It brings up a compelling conversation about how we depict degenerate behavior and thoughts, and it's very interesting how it exposes just how many people think we should simply bury it and pretend it doesn't exist. Or that there should be a Hay's Code (look it up) style moralistic judgment passed. While I don't think narratives should reward or valorize perverts, these people think perversion is IRREDEEMABLE. they would condemn everyone who doesn't conform, everyone who is flawed, to hell. That's the kind of interesting thinking Mushoku Tensei inadvertently exposes. |