Mushoku Tensei S2, Ep 6 Review
It’s been a while now, and Rudeus has adjusted to life at school. Every morning he wakes up, does his exercises, spends time with Zanoba, takes classes, and then does reserach on teleportation while spending time with Sylphie in her alter ego. It’s not the most exciting life, but given what’s happened in both his lives, he’s earned it. However, there’s one problem: Zanoba won’t stop asking him how to make figurines and dolls. And when his normal methods won’t work, Rudy has to resort to means that would be frowned upon in modern life: slavery.
The Sylphie-Rudy Relationship Grows Cuter With each Moment
Last week, we saw how Rudy reunited with his childhood friend, Sylphie, but was completely oblivious over her true identity. Out of shyness, and a bit of a desire to tease him, Sylphie’s keeping him in the dark for now, but he’s slowly starting to catch on. Everytime he’s in her presence, his heart starts beating faster and he blushes a lot. Since he doesn’t know she’s a girl, though, that just leaves him confused about his preferences in romance.
Sexuality aside, seeing Rudeus and Sylphie have the chance to enjoy the school life they always wanted is genuinely endearing. After all the hell they went through, they’re able to live a semi-normal life, even if only for a short while. At this rate, Sylphie will be in the running for 2023 waifu of the year.
Zanoba Really, Really Likes Dolls
Zanoba is like the Mushoku Tensei equivalent of Pygmalion. In Greek mythology, he was a sculptor who shunned the company of women in favor of his craft, until he fell in love with his masterpiece and she was brought to life by the gods. Given how his superhuman strength prevents him from making meaningful connections with others, it’s understandable why Zanoba would be in a similar boat.
At any rate, despite his desire to create dols and figurines, Zanoba’s strength makes it impossible for him to with his own two hands. Feeling bad for his student, and at the advice of Sylphie, they decide to go recruit some outside help to teach magic and aid Zanoba in his work. As an aside, the way Sylphie asks to come along makes the entire thing sound akin to a date, something that Rudy remains ignorant to.
Here’s the catch: they don’t go to hire someone. They go to buy a slave.
Don’t be so Judgy
No one needs to be told in the modern day that slavery is bad; it’s a moral drummed into our heads since childhood. However, before we judge Rudeus and Zanoba for buying a slave, it’s important to remember the context:
- This is in a world where slavery continues to exist. Rudeus may not like it, but he knows it’s impossible for him to get rid of it, even if he had an army.
- Given who Rudeus and Zanoba are, whoever they get would be a slave in name only. In truth, they’d be an assistant, or partner and treated as such.
- Given how they’re looking for a young child to teach skills such as reading, writing, and magic, as well as providing with everything a child would need, they’d be better off with them than they would otherwise.
In the end, the trio ends up purchasing a little dwarf girl. Since she doesn’t have a name, they choose to name her Juliette, or Julie, after Zanoba’s late baby brother. However, here’s where Rudeus’ empathy comes into play again. When they first meet Julie, Rudy sees right away that she’s given up on life. That was the mindset he had in his first life, and the one he’s trying to overcome since Eris left him. So he helps her in the best way possible, by making her say she wants to live.
This is what makes Rudeus a good protagonist. He knows what it’s like to feel like everything’s hopeless. Thus, he knows the best ways to give people the will to live again. This time, it ends up gaining him and Zanoba what amounts to a little sister. She’ll be good for Zanoba, in particular.
Yet another good episode, even if it was a bit slow. Then again, much like in real life, it’s the slower moments people may remember the best.
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