However, I feel like that original concept was completely disregarded towards the conclusion of part 1. By the end of part 1, the narrative had shifted in the direction of fantasy adventure, which is fine. But by neglecting the original core premise that made up this show is where the structure fell apart for me. Additionally, Rudeus’ pedophilia nature was not changed in part 1 and nor was it challenged and changed in part 2. The series just let him do whatever he wants regarding his uncontrollable sexual temptations. This aspect of the anime is not only reflective of Rudeus, but also the series as a whole. Men in the world of Mushoku Tensei are all degraded to one aspect: fulfilling their sexual desires/fantasies. The series even went out of its way to write about scumbags like a prince of sovereignty who openly touts his fantasies of kidnapping Roxy and turning her into his personal sex slave. But fans of this series argue that it’s a trope. An aspect that’s used to further the development and contrast for Rudeus. Except it isn’t a contrast because Rudeus is a man who couldn’t resist his desires either. Sure, he might not have gone to the extreme level where he openly admits his fantasies to others. But Rudeus definitely thought about these temptations, committed the act of preserving Roxy’s underwear, and even groped Eris. The fans of Mushoku Tensei argue that it takes time for Rudeus to make that change. If this aspect is rushed, it only makes the transition feel unnatural. Except that defense is completely illogical because he had years between the point he was reincarnated and the point he’s at now.
The worst part is that none of these actions are held accountable, belittled, or battered on. It’s all viewed as a normal part of their society. Men are shown as the dominant force, while women, on the other hand, are used to fulfilling men’s wishes, and I realized that’s the point of this anime.
Speaking of wish-fulfillment, the entire secondary female cast is part of Rudeus' love interests. Let’s be honest here, the female characters in Mushoku Tensei, like Eris, are the typical embodiment of overly done anime tropes. But it wouldn’t have been so bad if Eris as a character could stand on her own. Because other than developing her physical strength in the art of swords, she doesn’t have any other drive. She has no other struggles, which is disappointing because I was expecting some sort of conflict to be inflicted inside of her after being taken into the unknown. And no, I don’t consider her being more open and kinder to Rudeus is significant because, in my eyes, that falls back into the trope that she embodies. Finally, by the end of part 2, she leaves Rudeus after she had sex with him. This single moment solidifies it even further in the wish-fulfillment fantasy, as Rudeus brags about it afterward. And I don’t care if Rudues’ reincarnated body is the body of a teenager. The fact that remains is that he’s still the same 36-year-old pedophile. The series is only disguising it with a younger body.
Now, what about Roxy? The only interesting exploration that we got about Roxy was that she couldn’t communicate telepathically with her people since birth. And the series emphasized that was the sole reason which led to Roxy’s alienation among her people and her eventual break away from her family. The forced break away from her family was supposed to have a very traumatic impact on Roxy as a person because of all the emotional conflicts that were accumulating inside of her. Except the series was very surface level about it. Instead of fully exploring her state of mind at the time, the series brushed it off with a surface-level presentation in one episode and shifted the focus back to Rudeus because Roxy’s sole purpose is to serve him.
In regarding its magic system and world-building, I would say it’s still a major strength that the series has a grasp on. Never once were the rules that were set in place being abused or broken. Characters in the fantasy setting of Mushoku are still limited by the boundaries set in place. Because of this, the series demonstrates that intelligence and cooperation with a bit of luck is the only way to get through the difficulties that are set in place. And each of the regions in its world has its own distinctive social structure, though it’s somewhat ambiguous. Regardless, this tiny positive is insignificant overall when compared to the overall faults I formed while watching through part 2.
The main reason I wrote this review in the first place is to discredit the praises I gave for Part 1. I was ignorant to think that Mushoku Tensei was anything but a wish-fulfillment fantasy. I was fooled into thinking that Mushoku Tensei was a series that would take its initial powerful concept of redemption, self-growth and execute these themes without ever losing its focus. Mushoku Tensei’s continued usage of superficial elements in resolving personal conflicts and drama between Rudeus and characters like Paul only further devalues the series for me. The series has long lost its original concept and has shifted into a more male power fantasy, but I do understand that some might not feel this way. That’s fine. After all, this is my perception of how the anime has progressed and it isn’t indicative of one’s own.
Score: 3/10
