Paul is fascinating in large part because despite the fact he abandoned his family responsibilities as a boy, did that stuff to Lilia when he was 13, then carelessly womanized and adventured for years until Zenith managed to make him try to tame himself, then he fails at that too, people like him. Everyone knows people like Paul in life who no one should ever look at fondly and they always talk shit about, yet they'd go out of their way to help them, and really enjoy being around them. Paul is real in a way that just feels true.
@thomasboyles9773 The ability to see what a person did in their past (awful things and/or things they may regret) and learn from it, try to grow and not let that define them or the rest of their life. Even if they are still flawed and make mistakes along the way, trying to see the good in them as they are now, what they can be, as opposed to what they once were. Its why so many people cant accept rudy or paul or even the series to begin with because they can’t get over that barrier. They see Paul for what he did to Lillia and see that as irredeemable no matter how young he was and no matter if he learned and has grown from that, undeserving of another chance. The way you can view Paul shows you have displayed you are capable of getting past that barrier. Making you apart of the audience of people who this type of story is targeted towards.
@@grizz1I may have underexplained my original message. It would probably be more precise if I had said that people around him seem to like him despite who he has demonstrated himself to be. Their response to Paul is what feels so real. Often, people of questionable character are handsome, talented, or fun enough to be around that their peers will glaze over their faults to enjoy their company, so far as to include women "pursuing the bad boy" who would deflower them and leave them in the night. I find the writing very reflective of reality in the dark ways we try to forget.
@thomasboyles9773 ah gotcha my bad lol. yeah I see that though. Especially if they have a long lasting relationship with that person they tend to overlook/forget the dark things they may have done and who they really are. But I do think my other comment applies for a lot of the fanbase who came around to like and love Paul and act as those in which you describe, the ones who overlook the wrongdoings and faults of that person.
The mark on her hand is from a scar she got as a kid, if I remember correctly, from trying to pick up a hot tea kettle or something (don’t remember exactly). It wasn’t touched on in the first season cause there wasn’t time or just wasn’t that important I guess but it’s so interesting that the anime has always had the scar on her hand even back in season 1 whenever it was visible. Goes to show the extra mile this studio puts in to this and the passion they have for the story. It isn’t the only thing as well that happens in the background or is just an extremely unnoticeable detail that anime onlies would just never catch or even think is relevant/intentional. (Not a spoiler) Like the armadillo they had travel with them back home for another example lol.
You've mentioned multiple times that Rudy should've waited to talk to Roxy about marriage until after he had a chance to talk to Sylphy. I agree with the sentiment of that. Though, without Rudy knowing what Roxy would be ok with or what she might want from Rudy, how is he supposed to take that step? Roxy was ready to give up and do her best to move on. Would she have stayed behind if she didn't talk with Rudy, she probably would've left with the others. I don't know if they could've had all those characters in the same room together without approaching it the way they did. Once again in an ideal scenario he would've gotten permission and forgiveness before asking Roxy.
The rest of the scenarios don't play out the same. You change the order and timing you approach things. You ask Sylphy and if Roxy really wants to she will stick around and still agree to it. If he needed to say something then and there brother could have simply just said "i care for you and want you around but have to talk to my wife first" didn't need to do a whole ass proposal to get the point across
@@grizz1 Maybe. I also don't think we would've gotten Norn's beat down if it hadn't been done in this manner. If Rudy spoke with Sylphy first, it would likely have been 1 on 1. Part of the pain and guilt felt by Rudy and Roxy was how real and correct Norn was about about everything she said. If Sylphy had already agreed before Roxy was even asked formally, it wouldn't hit the same when Norn lashes out. Norn speaking out for Sylphy before Rudy or Roxy knows how Sylphy will react, adds credence and amplifies their worries about how Sylphy will treat them for their request. Just a thought.
Based on what you said for last episode and discussion at beginning of this video, are you satisfied enough with the extent of consequence for the Rudy and Roxy situation? Like how you mentioned the balance of getting consequence and reward in narrative. So it does the fall out from the situation suit that enough or still seem too easily rewarded in the end?
I mentioned in the beginning part of this episode that I assumed Sylphy would be okay with it and the biggest thing that would come out of it is likely Norn getting angry and how I don’t feel that is nearly enough if so. So no. Yelled at by little sister for a few minutes over something she doesn’t even make the decision in or get second wife and have an entire life of potential happiness with her? Which sounds better to you? Its a trade I would take 10/10 times. I would say its too easy of a reward. I do love that Norn lashed out though and said what was going through a lot of peoples minds so that it really hammers it into Rudy and Roxy when they are doing even though they were both aware of most of the points she was making already. The thing is I will be fully transparent here and say I really don’t have a proposal for what would be a good consequence. I have tried to think of one but everything I think of lead me back to i would rather have my family for the rest of my life even if I have to give a part of me in exchange. So maybe my thoughts and desires are unjustified since I can’t even create a situation to satisfy myself on my own.
@@grizz1 I honestly think it's just the fact that in meta we can see how the harem route is so hard wired for the where the writing wants to go, that it doesn't hold that much tension for stakes in the interpersonal drama. This is where the writing is just most transparent to be tailored to that situation. Like even it's built in for Slyphie saying she expected the situation to happen at some point because how Rudy is. So that's just been built in the narrative since the beginning. Rudy and the Greyrat men, that's just how they are. lol We all knew Slyphie would be fine with it in the end and we're getting the harem route, though could have been a more compelling way to get there. For this episode, even if Slyphie is fine with it, maybe some more conflicting emotions at first from Slyphie. We see her make a few ambiguous expressions (mouth open, eyes widen), then Norn plays the bad cop in the situation, then Slyphie plays good cop to quickly diffuse it right after. Perhaps Slyphie could have expected the situation might happen and still be a bit disappointed in a way at first. Even if she thinks it's fine to have multiple wives, an inner part deep down maybe selfish to want Rudy to keep his promise not to cheat when she is actually faced with the situation. Then she becomes more understanding, admitting that she would have did the same thing if she was in Roxy's place to cheat to help him with his depression after some time of reflection. So I think a fair critique is that there could be more conflicting emotions at first before the resolution. So yeah, so while I like MT, this type of thing for the route to get Rudy's harem is one of the weakest parts of it writing wise for how it's executed.
I agree on your point about Rudy proposing to Roxy. It was an unfaithful act that should have waited until after he talked to Sylphy. Maybe its a cultural thing though? In my head it fell into the trope of "taking responsibility" that we see all the time in anime. It was a priority for Rudy to show Roxy he was serious about her and didnt just use her to get out of a slump.
In the novels it's a lot clearer that she was fully prepared for this way before she knew if she was actually going to marry him. Another thing that adaptation unfortunately misses, but that's normal. But yeah, he did cheat, and she's not happy about that. She kind of takes it as a flaw in the person she loves, kind of "inevitable", which I think is ridiculous for modern polygamous relations without any prior consent, but in this mediaval-esque male-centric world is pretty plausible. And the author definitely put Norn in there as a stand in for veemently monogamous people to feel heard hahaha And about the consequences thing, I think this is just not a story that cares about this reward aspect (of course you can dislike that, there's no problem). To me this is a story not about redemption, because the world that cares about the kind of scumbag he was is not here anymore. It is, still, a story about getting past his past life and mistakes. The character gets better, but that doesn't mean he is a good character. Paul, born and raised completely in this world, plays by this worlds rules, where a rich powerful man that does some cool stunts can easily get away with rape. He is not good by modern standards. He may be a good father, but he would be in jail if modern standards worked. And the victim herself, instead of speaking up, and taking the trauma as one excpects nowadays, either drowns her sorrow, or doesn't mind is as much as the slight power it gave her over Paul where in the novela she used it to "negotiate" a spot as a maid, threatening blackmail. She doesn't think he is much scumbag, because in her mind that's just how it works. Or maybe she does, and has to keep it to herself. Rudeus could be like that, and probably get away with it. Nothing would have happened if he raped the beast girls when he kidnapped them. Nothing would have happened if he abused and murdered Julie when he bought her. There's no redemption to be had. What is interesting in the story, in my opinion, is how his previous worlds' morals are still in his mind, and he actually tries to be what we think he is a good person. He does bad things, cheating is bad, groping Linia at random is bad, but he doesn't do nearly as much as this world allows him to do, all of the perversions his hikikomori mind would have loved. And that character development is what drives the story. It doesn't mean he ever becomes a paragon of good. A cheating, casual sexual assaulter wouldn't fly here (and that's controversial, there are many people like this whose friends don't mind it at all), but it is way different from where he was, and honestly I still see improvement even from the start of season 2. Besides that, his family and friends relationships are the best development IMO, the harem is a bit mid in comparison, but the girls have such great motivations that I don't mind it either. And it's definitely the first show I see approaching a harem more "realistically", especially in the novels. I hope the anime cements that. And well, the aspect I actually like the most is the world building fantasy stuff lol
I think for me its something where because I am not in the world itself I don't understand the way that individuals feel about a lot of different things. The harem thing is extremely easy to get over once you realize and are told its very common in the world. Same goes for what you said above about rape, despite me morally disagreeing with it, it becomes a lot easier to understand and move past when explained about how the world itself works. (they may have explained that back early into s1 and I'm not remembering so my bad if so) Its something that happens and we as viewers cant do anything about, we don't have to agree with it but it happens in the world and the characters within the story accept that because they don't know any different. But I also understand Rudy a lot here, if I was in a different world that had different laws and stuff that is considered not acceptable here but maybe is in the new world, I wouldn't let my old world hold me back from living life to its fullest in this new world. I would absolutely take a step back and observe why everything was looked at the way it was in my previous world and see if I can come to terms with changing my mindset regarding it or if I would chose to act in accordance to what was accepted within my old world. And it works well as a potential plot point moving forward as Rudy grows and obtains more power, he can even start trying to reform some of the bad things that are common within his world but also gives him the chance to leave things be that he wishes would have been more accepted within his old world. He also never has to do any of this either, but it can be something that he can view from a unique perspective of seeing how one thing worked in one world versus how it works in another and try to improve the place he will be spending the next 60-70 years in and his kids will have to live in.
That wasnt cheating. People should stop using the word cheating. He didnt cheat. He was dying and Roxy got him out of his self destrictive depressive state of mind that would have surely lead to his death. How can anyone call that cheating? Cheating is when you see a hot girl, go to her and say: Hey lets sleep together while being fully aware that you already have a wife. You just want to sleep with her for no reason. The only reason being that she is hot and you just want to sleep with her. Thats cheating!
Yeah if you think Mushoku Tensei peak, next season is 10 times peak. You will not relieze that the author already set up the plot since S1, don't ask me which one. Just wait @@grizz1
Yeah, i dont understand when people like to push real life morality into a fictional story with magic and dragons that use medieval age as setting. I think its clear already, before Eris even introduced, that Rudy will go harem route. Agree with the S2 take, but maybe cause in first season the 2nd course theres so much world building and the plot more intense, that put the standard too high. So when its toned down and more focus on personal drama, it feels not so great. Eventhough the whole point of the story is Rudy growing from his formerself.
