Mushoku Tensei II: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu Part 2

"Screw it. I'd rather be a scumbag than have regrets."

This one quote is but a symptom of Mushoku Tensei's true colors. A poorly conceived and erratically-focused power fantasy masquerading as some greater isekai story.

Mushoku Tensei's anime has been praised by many fans for different reasons: its worldbuilding, its down-to-earth writing, its music composition, wonderful visuals, and its characters. Most notably, you'll even hear defenses for this series: it's an anime about a flawed man overcoming faults and achieving redemption in a different world. Rudeus, a creepy degenerate, is not perfect for a reason.

However, it has been apparent to others that Mushoku Tensei isn't a ... well-built together isekai plot, but rather, a creepy degenerate fantasy where the "game is the game". An unfortunately shallow worldbuilding with uninspiring depiction, plot contrivances to give Rudeus perfect opportunities without much challenge, and a questionable depiction of personal agency, especially surrounding women and children. To compensate for the MC being a leech and the second coming of epst*in, other people are that much degenerate and stupid if not even more. Perversion is everywhere, SA is a measly off-comment remark, and degeneracy is the norm.

Fans will say “If you don’t like it, don’t watch it” but that’s missing the point. Any piece of media can/will be received and responded to by audiences. Some viewers will go into further works they don’t necessarily like with an open mind. There’s a reason media can “shift expectations.” Media can challenge your views, and that’s why media is powerful.

So how does this season fair with previous iterations?

Even worse.

Not only does it fail to “challenge your views”, but it also fails to write cohesive situations that can only be excused with "it's a fantasy". Choices in writing and production fall apart; this anime season, especially the later half, is an egregious storytelling of rushed problems, incomprehensible developments, and poorly handled traumas before setting up a complete character assassination plotline for many of those loved ones.

Rudeus is…controversial to put it lightly. You have heard enough about his issues from other negative reviews. However, the first half of part 2 continues his path to achieve the good life and grow. Growing into a family man and overcoming his past faults for others made some actually like Rudeus's character for a moment (which is saying something). Other characters get some good arcs, such as Norn and Paul. Sylphie…is a character in the series "Mushoku Tensei".

Composition-wise, the music remains strong, and while animation quality has taken a bit of a decline, parts that need stellar animation (e.g. ep 10's fight scene and ep 12's argument scene) are on point. While many fans may complain about the drop in animation quality, Directors still manage to create a show with component alignment. Voice Actors remain giving their heart and soul and a wonderful performance when the time comes for them.

However, all of my praises end here.

This is a point specifically from LN readers, not from me. The anime adaptation skips several conversations and chapters. Now, it’s not unfamiliar for anime to do this. To fit its restricted runtime, budget, and story points, it has to set constraints and cut material. This is just a symptom of making anime. As an anime-only fan, many sightings of potential cuts become noticeable. Big developments are missing reactions from other characters, and arcs are rushed to set off new events. An episode supposedly has a very important conversation cut, and its cut makes the act look even more reprehensible (we’ll get to “that moment” later). Even as a solely anime watcher, you’ll notice rushed developments without the needed downtime.

However, before you say “Y’all should just read the LN already” to anime watchers, keep in mind that these are views of the anime’s work, not the light novel. If you wish to discuss comparisons to the light novel or complain about specific scenes missing, discuss it in those forums. I've seen enough “this is why I hate anime-only fans!” posts during this series airing. LN readers are allowed to feel upset, but fans have gotta stop plastering spoilers or attacking anime-only watchers just because there is disappointment surrounding this season. Be critical, not a d***.

However, this iteration is still a disappointment overall, and it’s not just because of “adaptation no good”. The first half is still actively uneventful, and good arcs become sparse in a slow-running lagoon. In the second half, the plot and the people surrounding the plot take a turn for the worse without proper development for such setups. The most egregious of these (the streets won’t fu- with this one) has to involve Roxy.

Do you like her characterization? Too bad! It becomes just as shallow as Rudeus's brain. Many aspects of her goals along many years of living and her 7-year journey get nullified, and she becomes nothing more than another girl accompanying Rudeus…who she feels flustered by now that he’s older! Plot Twist! Conveniently ignoring how Roxy is 50 and knew/taught Rudeus when he was 5 years old (Yes...I know Migurd age far differently and Rudy is mentally 50. Let me joke and talk my s*** again), she is no longer her own character with her own goals, but rather, just another one of Rudeus’s girl companions. This is all haphazardly thrown together over a mere 20 minutes of anime runtime and is far more poorly developed than previous interests, especially on both ends.

But it gets far worse. Through one specific plotline, several other plot points become rushed and ideas fall apart. Viewers will either defend this girl with their lives or despise everyone (including her) for the illogical turn of events; as you can guess, I’m in the latter camp. You don’t need a ragebait video to understand how some viewers, including some established fans, were upset by the later arc of season 2 part 2. To put it simply, it’s a slap to the face of one’s intelligence.

*POTENTIAL SLIGHT “SPOILERS”*. Not specific, but read at your own risk*



Episodes 9-12 (especially episode 11) are a misaligned mess. Major plot events and aftermaths are ill-conceived and are merely situational for the sake of being situational. Such events that should be utterly story-shaking are moved on from quickly and become nothing more than devices for misplaced subplots that don't have enough development to be feasible. And the BIG "dilemma" loses the plot as it doesn’t know where its lead should focus. Events are illogical and make characters, especially Roxy, look utterly disgusting in context. People wouldn't defend those involved while criticizing past characters if these current events weren't portrayed in the story as the more "attractive" archetypes and outcome(s). This "dilemma" act also ends up completely undermining big story-shaking events in previous episodes as the dilemma is the means for resolution. Those effects are nothing more than a mere afterthought in the heat of something degenerate.

But don’t worry. Just like in previous seasons, the anime’s “morals system” will try to validate its degeneracy once again. This time around though, the anime becomes just as hypocritical as Rudeus. Do you know how other girls called out other guys for specific perversion in season 1 (while not factoring in different religious beliefs)? Don't worry, your fictional waifus WILL accept your perversion! Rather than tackle these problems head-on, others will actively reward and excuse your actions when others in the past have been vindicted. The one who vocally hated a character for their past acts of degeneracy will actually RATIONALIZE the consequences of that character's actions if you're factored in. This MC's previous sense of morality? INVALID! Their original efforts to grow family-wise?! POINTLESS! MORALS ARE DIFFERENT HERE! Let’s just conveniently ignore how other characters were previously hounded for their lack of morality from multiple angles (season 1 for instance. Not just from one party's religion), and how this entire subplot STILL undermines big events from a prior episode. A character's acts to be better than past errors? You forgot this was a NEET's power fantasy where indulgence is best.

Interesting debates and controversial views, especially those surrounding certain relationships, become nullified by a rush of flows, a lack of upfront communication between everyone, and an active inconsistency with tone. “This dilemma” isn’t bad because it’s controversial. Controversial media can challenge our world’s views on “morals”. It can set up believable scenarios with understandable roots where even “the moral police” has to see a different perspective. The fact that many fans can still see Paul as a well-written character (not person) is proof of this idea. Unfortunately, if it fails to be well-put-together controversial with consistent challenges, then it becomes nothing more than wish fulfillment. Mushoku Tensei rushes so hard into creating and indulging in “the dilemma” to get its way. This doesn’t help with an utter inconsistency when addressing this subject and an unfortunate degradation of characters along the way. It can't even challenge itself without portraying those challenging its ideas as guilty or insensitive as possible.

Treat it like a cake that was “not like the other cakes”. It's gonna be sold and promoted for its unique style, but it'll still be criticized regarding a correct mix of ingredients and cooking time. The cake being poorly made isn't validated by its differences or challenges. You can gas it up like "the store-bought cake enjoyers ain't finna like this one!", but it'll still be judged for its final taste. Mushoku Tensei continues to leave a bad taste in your mouth while claiming it's something deep, challenging, and thought-provoking. It is still that uninspiring male fantasy masquerading under a big isekai story. Rudeus having the cake and eating it too is a pretty effective way to negate any sort of past efforts he made.

But it's not supposed to make sense. It's supposed to be a fantasy for NEETs. Rudeus is their self-insert, he’s amazing af, and the waifus run a faucet for him. This season makes it very clear of that. I better see a harem tag on Season 3.

*POTENTIAL SLIGHTLY SPOILERS OVER*




I've never been able to favor Mushoku Tensei. However, I've continued this series with an open mind like a “critic” should. Despite having vast issues with its flaws, many developments from previous iterations left me intrigued. This series does have good moments, especially production-wise. I have to give so much credit to directors, voice actors, animators, and compositors. Of course, I have to respect Rifujin's original hard work. However, this season's final developments, not just with Rudeus's Parents but also with Roxy and Sylphie, become an insult to everything that was teased before about Rudeus's "growth". It will continue to be wish-fulfillment degeneracy. Rudeus is still that pest fans will either support or desire to ram into a wall.

I've had friends say to me that the degenerative aspects that I despised were all en route for an interesting redemption story with great plot development and intriguing worldbuilding. But then, after so many attempts and compromises Rudeus made to grow as a person, he drops this line:

"Screw it. I'd rather be a scumbag than have regrets."

It is, and will always be, just that idealized male fantasy other critics perceived it to be. A hikikomori, family leech, and literal pedophile reincarnates into a poorly built fantasy world getting all types of looks, powers, benefits, and girl companions for free. Any sort of roadblock or tragic event is quickly moved on from and nothing but a directive to set up another otaku fantasy (usually sexual or romantic). Potentially interesting worldbuilding takes a backseat when "needed". Everything typically horrible in real life is simply "not that big of a deal in this world" so Rudeus can look better narratively as other characters look worse. Women have no sense of agency in the presence of our master. He can be celebrated, put on a pedestal, and prance around that he is a better person now than before, but that doesn't change that at his core, he will always be a degenerate pest. Now, he is just a hypocritical one that this new world validates.

Despite having solid art and animation, a wonderful music composition, sparse solid characters, and moments that show something special underneath, Mushoku Tensei remains nothing more than uninspiring storytelling with trashy direction. Many plot points and character situations remain actively unexplored or rushed and will continue being unexplored and rushed. Good writing and worldbuilding are not a focus when the “game is the game” and you gotta “catch ‘em all”, right?

Perhaps I’m just tired. My disappointment is immeasurable, and my day is ruined. If I continue with this series, I’ll probably fall into a state of trauma.

And I doubt sex is the perfect means to make it better.

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation S2P2 - We're finally at Part 2 of Season 2, but don't EVER think that you've just scratched the surface of what's to come, in a similar manner to Part 2 of its former season.

As a newly rekindled Mushoku Tensei fan praising Studio Bind's overwhelmingly outstanding production from time to time, I would still say this: Not everything is a bed of roses, and the result of what we got was a downgrade of a sequel with critical core staff leaving the project (heck, even Season 1 director Manabu Okamoto left in droves to helm other projects). But what remains, and ... is still the most important thing, is the "grandfather of Isekai" novelist Rifujin na Maganote's impeccable, genre-defining works of all time. The sole sobering effect that his story, while only getting better with the passage of time, will also continue to wreck the hearts of many following its titular MC Rudeus Greyrat's second chance at making life better, not just for him, but for the people around him, is a great life-changing deal. But as they say, "the grass is greener on the other side", "life is not always a bed of roses, for the thorns come with it".

With Part 2 of Season 2 covering the latter half of the Adolescence stage of Rudeus's life with Volumes 10 to 13 of the WN, similarly Volumes 10 to 12 of the LN (forget about the rather inferior manga adaptation, the anime has far surpassed it), we have finally come to the mid-way point of Mushoku Tensei as a whole with the end journey of finding Rudeus's biological mother Zenith, as well as, like Pokemon with the starter trio combo, finally settling down with the girl that he reunites with first. The latter, which I can spoil for being Part 2's re-introduction, is starting a family with Sylphiette a.k.a Sylphie, who's grown to become Rudeus's fundamental sexual arousal caretaker (I shall not say anything more about that). But when it comes to Zenith, it's a whiplash of emotions that, as Michael J. Fox quotes: “Family is not an important thing. It’s everything.”, Rudeus needs all the help he could get: learning from Shizuka Nanahoshi's research on how to get back to Japan, friends and enemies accmulated from the Magic University of Ranoa, and even his own biological family, where Paul Greyrat is also searching in tandem for the whereabouts of his lost wife.

I've said this before, and I'll say it again: there's a reason why Mushoku Tensei IS the gold (or even platinum) standard for all Isekai works in Syosetu a.k.a Narou, because Rifujin na Maganote does a lot of things right that so many authors just don't understand how to concept and fully develop the imitations that come from it, and that source is a flawed, but unblemished deep dive into character growth and development. As a growing young man ready to embrace adult life, Rudeus Greyrat (to some eyes) may still look like a douchebag or someone irredeemable for a second chance at life, but to the eyes of many (including myself), if you can take a second chance to redeem what you've lost, you WILL take that opportunity to rewrite your legacy. And that's exactly what we see in Rudeus as he matures from a young boy to a young man, growing out of his immaturity into a wholly mature man who doesn't run away from his issues and faces them head-on.

With the thematic of both latter parts of Seasons 1 and 2, Rudeus is forced to mature fast because of the similar parallels in its storyline, with Season 1 facing the Dragon God Orsted, and Season 2 facing the endgame of Zenith when all is said and done. It truly is the make-and-break of all Turning Points in the anime thus far...most especially for this season, because it's VERY intentionally crafted with a sense of purpose, though that purpose can be rather twisted in certain ways, for both good and bad. Still, after 2 seasons of 2-cours worth, Mushoku Tensei is one of the rare cases where its relevancy (even after the LN and WN have long since wrapped up) is still felt as a modern Isekai classic masterpiece, 10 plus years since its inception. And as the years pass on, I certainly don't doubt that we're witnessing one of the grandest stories and works of all time— not just one singular man's approach to a renewed second chance at life, but a story that's centered around him and his forthcoming new legacy of a life well lived, even with the roses and thorns smacked all around his life.

Onto the production side, there is once again yet another directorial change from Part 1's Hiroki Hirano to the latter part of Ryousuke Shibuya (I kind of suspect that the former did not do well to shake off threats from his handling of Part 1 being underwhelming), who at one point was the chief director for one of Summer 2021's most underrated shows: Uramichi Oniisan a.k.a Life Lessons with Uramichi-Oniisan. If you've watched that unassuming gag humour of a dark comedy show where adulthood hits you hard (I know I felt it), Mushoku Tensei will hit you EVEN harder given its adapted content, which at one point, speaks back about the importance of family bonding, to then proceed and smash it into a million pieces that's coupled with Rifujin na Maganote's impeccable and unforgiving writing that will send you instantly back to reality. Despite having only been an episode director for Season 2 Part 1, Ryousuke Shibuya nailed his presentation and got the series back to its groove, which is great to see Mushoku Tensei return to its unparalleled masterpiece territory.

The songs, however, have gotten a lot worse, being all too generic in their presentation, and with effect from Part 1 of Season 2, it's clear that some of the original vision from Season 1 has totally been lost to cut back on spending more on resources where it's needed the most. I can vibe with Hitorie's Shonen-ish OP, but while it's on par with Longman's OP for Part 1, it can never reach the heights of the music artist mainstay of the series with Yuiko Oohara, whose ED songs still hold up well to this very day.

Still, for 3.5 years now, Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, as far as its current duality of seasons is concerned, may have had stumbles in the past, however, it never lost sight of its grand story and characters. While you can judge them for yourself, they're very relatable, and I promise that it'll tug at your heartstrings watching Rudeus's growth from weakness to strength.

And to think that we're only halfway through the entirety of Mushoku Tensei, PEAK is still waiting for us on its eventual arrival in Season 3 to continue this journey of time and growth.

for those who hate this anime:
people mostly like perfected things, they like to see what they wish or what they want to become in the anime, they want some kind of ideal, nobody wants to see how they really are, and how we do mistakes despite trying. i can say for sure most of the people(if not all) are flawed and we somehow hide those things from others and sometimes from ourselves. we all have done some irreversable mistakes that we wish would be erased but it doesn't, so we cover it up with time or hide from those things all our life. this anime ... exactly shows us that imperfecton and doesn't shy from it like other anime or movies, it questions us, "were you truely right... why did you do this... was their no other choice... did you really did the right things, did you do your best?... then why are you crying and saying i could have been this/that... "
for those people who says it's a crime to marry multiple wives or something like underage overage, i would say just read the history of every country, empire, civilization, you name it. it was so much common back then even 30 40 years ago in asian countries, and before world war 2, over the whole world it was very common even now in many backward countries,
and now we are talking about a world of much lower civilization, some backward magic world which is like 17th century level, we want their law? everything to go according to our decesion?
you have to understand everything in terms of their world their situation, put yourself in their place and think, what you would have done if it was reality?,how would you have overcome those dangerous situations, or will you really be able to handle any difficult situations at all? what you could achieve iin the other world and your mental state, cause at first it sounds really good but the more you understand reality the more horrifying isekai gets, in most of the cases it's like nanahoshi or even worse, you might even die before knowing.

i sometimes think those who are critisizing the anime, are they really all that perfect, are they all so truthfull, honest, have never done anything wrong. or are they just spouting shit cause it is someone else and in their real life they are full of mistakes. think of our current society first.

i only want everyone to thing carefully about the situation and try to understand it.
if you read the whole light novel you will understand it is a beautifull story with touch of reality and all the charecters are people, not just some fictional charecters like every other show.

it has the aspect, no matter how hard you try some things are unatainable, most of the things are not how we wish it and it's out of control, and sadly it's reality.
which is unlike other anime where everuthing is possible, and makes you feel invincible which you are not.

you can argue if there were no perverted scenes and not controversal things it would be one of the best anime ever, i agree on that
but if that were to happen, it would have remained as any other anime which is really good, but doesn't have a soul.

you know what, when you get stuck in life doing the same mistakes again and again and mature enough, come again and see it, you will get to understand many things.

thank you.

Honestly, at this point I am begging everyone to ignore the adaptation and just go read the original Light Novel.

While this season technically does follow the original plot, it tries to contain waaaaay more chapters of the novel than it can. Thus, it simply skips some big parts of the plot. Multiple chapters completely and some important details of the chapters that got adapted. I am deeply saddened and angry because this series does deserve a good thorough adaptation, because almost all episodes and details in the novel DO MATTER and add to the experience. If the adaptation is like this - better stop adapting ... it at all. It hurts even more knowing that the first season was amazing, and followed the original almost completely.

It is obvious that the anime makers just figured people loved the series and will consume it anyways, so they don't even bother adapting it well. Please, for the love of God, just go and read the original novel and don't give those who produced this crap of an adaptation a single penny. They don't deserve it

I'm not the biggest fan of isekai, but this one innovates in most aspects, bringing a good protagonist who makes mistakes and is not invincible. The soundtrack and animation are strong points in this anime. Everything else is very well developed, from the character's restart to his adulthood. The humor is very enjoyable and perfectly balanced, making the most of every second of screen time, giving time to things that need it and being energetic when necessary. The depth in the character's development concerning his past life, which makes him empathetic and aware of the importance not only of the people around him but of ... everyone, is very well conveyed. We can notice how he now sees each person as unique, with their own feelings, worldview, and way of interpreting things. For many people, some scenes may be a bit uncomfortable, but it doesn't bother me because there is no superficiality if you can understand the message.

The second half of Mushoku Tensei Season 2 continues its march towards mediocrity. Absolute filler episode vibes, with the main character not learning anything new about himself, and no dynamics changing in the story line. The world building set up in the first season, with a journey spanning CONTINENTS and diverse cultures has been focused down to a single magic university where fundamentally nothing is learned, and where the main character just visits a library every day to read books of no value.

They appear to be fabricating intense emotional conflicts out of pure air and then designing an episode to diffuse the ... situation, or concocting a story line based off of juvenile tropes that our 50+ year old mental protagonist stumbles through in his arrested development ways.

I can't get the time back from watching these episodes, but I hope you can before it's too late.

I mean, if you enjoyed Mushoku Tensei enough to have arrived at this season and you're still looking for reviews, I assume you are an anime-only viewer and you're wondering if this season is any good since the last season might or might not have made it seem like the direction of the show changed a bit compared to the first season.

So here's my 2 cents - Yes, keep watching and you'll thank me for it in the future.

This story has always been about Rudeus' second chance at life and one of the most unique and greatest things about this show is that it brings ... the viewers along the entire journey. Things might seem slow at times, but the big plot has always been there and things will eventually come together (My guess would be in the next season judging by the pacing), and you'll see where Rudeus fits in the puzzle.

As long as the story remains faithful to the original material, ez 8/10+

Mushoku Tensei consistently emphasizes drama and character development, distinguishing itself from typical Isekai series. From the outset, the show has prioritized the exploration of character dynamics over action, using dramatic sequences as a vessel for deeper storytelling. This season further refines its focus, dedicating substantial effort to flesh out its characters, including those with smaller roles. The series adeptly captures their varied emotions and responses to different challenges, moving beyond the conventional trope of defeating a demon lord. Instead, it delves into how characters confront and navigate through their circumstances, a theme that has been central but is now highlighted more prominently with episode 22.

For ... viewers who appreciate intricate and thoughtful character portrayal, this season will be particularly rewarding in its later half. Conversely, those who prefer action-driven narratives might find the pace slower and less engaging. Despite occasional criticisms about its lack of action, "Mushoku Tensei" offers a profound narrative about Rudeus' and its characters' journeys, revolving significantly around themes of redemption.

The narrative compellingly addresses the idea that regardless of one’s past actions or mistakes, individuals change over time. The artistic direction bravely explores the morally ambiguous aspects of its characters, reflecting a realism that often verges on the controversial without shying away from sensitive topics. Not only does the story explore Rudeus' flaws, but it also encourages viewers to appreciate his virtues. This extends to the portrayal of family dynamics, emphasizing the importance of maintaining connections, caring for loved ones, and offering forgiveness, regardless of reciprocity. This theme is beautifully woven into the narrative, suggesting that embracing change and making efforts towards improvement can lead to meaningful redemption.

Furthermore, it's important to address the critical perspective that sometimes categorizes the show under controversial labels (such as pedo-bait). Mushoku Tensei is far more complex than such critiques suggest. (Woke) viewers who primarily follow the anime without exploring the light novel may not fully anticipate the depth of upcoming developments. As the series progresses, it deserves an open-minded approach, free from premature judgments based on surface-level interpretations.

In conclusion, Mushoku Tensei is a 10/10 anime, making it standout in the realm of Isekai genre.

The second part of the second season of Mushoku Tensei was a resounding success, delivering a captivating narrative, stunning animation, and memorable music. The pacing was meticulously crafted, ensuring a seamless and engaging viewing experience.

The series delved deeper into the heartwarming relationships between Rudeus, Sylphie, and Roxy, showcasing their growth and evolving dynamics.

The animation style was visually stunning, bringing the world of Mushoku Tensei to life in a way that exceeded my expectations. Each character, including the beloved Aisha and Norn, was animated with remarkable precision, adding depth and personality to their portrayals.

The continuation of the story from the previous season was expertly handled, ... introducing new plot points and challenges while maintaining a consistent tone. The announcement of a third season at the conclusion of the final episode was met with great enthusiasm, leaving me eagerly anticipating the next chapter in Rudeus' journey.

Furthermore, the series boasted some of the most visually striking and emotionally resonant opening and ending themes of the year. The music, animation, and overall aesthetic of these sequences elevated the viewing experience, leaving a lasting impression on me.

I hold my review until eps 7 drops.

Previously, there was a big difference between season 1 and season 2. How they tell the story, the animation, and also the genre feels different. Mushoku Tensei season 2 part 1 feels so generic, like any other isekai anime, just like the standpoint from season 1 is gone. Everything is just slightly better than generic isekai. Up until season 2 part 2. In the first episodes you can feel something is tickling, something that has been gone, you feel a bit of the recipe that they used in the first season. They treat this anime better than part ... 1.

Even though the first six episodes are more drama-heavy, It's still enjoyable. Rudy's friendship, marriage, and his relations with his siblings almost made me cry. This feeling is what I got from season 1. Then, after the turning point 3 episode, the big question came up. How are they gonna adapt the adventure again. I lowered my expectations, I accepted that they're never gonna as good as season 1. But I've proven wrong. Eps 7 is such a beautiful episode. If you look closely, the animation looks much better also the background looks delightful. The phasing is at the right pace and the soundtrack complements everything (although I still wish they made the soundtrack a bit, just a bit better). Overall, because of eps 7, I have high expectations for this show. Nevertheless, I'm still gonna enjoy this show, it's already become part of my anime journey. Thank you for adapting this show.

I like how the enemy turn on season II, the enemy took the expected turn even thou the change of character.
I cant yet give my full reaction of this season as its only 4eps so far but I do believe the anime will take a very unexpected turn within the few coming episodes, So far I really enjoyed the family pace of it, so unique.
This season involves beautiful romantic scenes and the simplicity of a normal life, but you know what they say there is always a storm after a quiet day. I highly recommend this season. you wont get disappointed !

One of the best seasons, if not the best, thanks to the dramatic ending. Some scenes are skipped and toned down compared to the source, but it is still a great story, even if we get family friendly blue blood monsters and minimal fun time between Rudeus and his girls.

This gives a lot of reasons to read the LN, which have more freedom of expression. You can read it before or after watching the anime. I picked up LN after the first season and started with the first volume. It is as exciting to read this masterpiece as it is to see it adapted.

The ... growth of MC, and some of his companions, is one of the best things portrayed here. Animation and everything else is not far behind and done on a good level.

Mushoku Tensei’s popularity & inflated rating does not reflect particularly well on the anime community, and this season highlights that fact once again. This review will be brief and not go into too many specifics (~400 words):

The writing itself is best described as a high school level fanfiction due to the haphazard story direction, lackluster character development, borrowed attempts at world-building, and the continued use of forced plot points which are entirely nonsensical and break suspension of disbelief. The magic fantasy world presented has no unique properties compared to its predecessors and simply serves as a backdrop for the selfish scumbag main character ... to “live a better life,” not by improving as a person necessarily but rather by simply being special and having everything fall into his lap. Even when things go poorly or mistakes are made, in the end it ends up working out for him personally and that’s all that matters in this story.

The reality is that this series has revealed its true nature as a thinly veiled harem wish fulfillment & power fantasy story injected with the author’s questionable sexual fantasies/beliefs. All the plot points this season, like previous ones, felt extremely forced for dramatic effect and could have easily gone another way if the characters present had any critical thinking abilities whatsoever. The side characters have been reduced to simply being bland primitive tools used to carry along Mr. Pervert NEET's miniscule character development of "trying to be less of a scumbag this time around, but mostly failing at that so far". The author attempts to be a jack-of-all-trades using fantasy elements, adventure, romance, ecchi moments (*puke*), drama, slice of life, and commentary on the human experience (note - Comedy is missing here for a reason). However, they fall short in producing a quality product in any of these regards and it all comes off as an amateurish first attempt at something which they have little experience in.

In particular, what irks me the most this season is the "inhuman" feeling of the dialogue between characters, their inconsistent behaviors, overly simple or unclear motivations, and just the underlying feeling that "none of this feels believable". Even in a fantasy setting the character interactions should make enough sense to feel "real" and allow the audience to connect to the medium, but this show is one of if not the worst offenders in this regard.

Mushoku Tensei is a parody of a serious fantasy story without intending for it to be so. It barely receives a passing grade in watchability due to the drawing, voice acting, and action elements being good enough to carry it along despite its many problems.

Will not be watching season 3 and will not recommend that to anyone either.

It's crazy to see reviews on Jobless season 2 and see reviewers talk about how drama filled this particular season is, how it's lost it's magic from season 1, or the action being completely absent and turned into a boring mess. I'd argue extremely differently. This season is absolutely amazing when it comes to it's character work and properly developing said characters. I mean, that's essentially what season 1 was all about too. It just so happens that it was accompanied with a lot of really good action set pieces. There was a lot of character work back then and even more now. People ... just didn't notice it because they were enthralled with all the action scenes.

This anime was always focused on drama and character building. It wasn't originally an adventure action show turned drama. It was ALWAYS a drama from the beginning with the action pieces being a medium to engage in that type of story telling. Without even looking at Rudeus, look at the other characters. Roxy, Eris, Paul, Ruijerd. Sylphi, Nanahoshi, and more recently Norn, have all gone through massive changes throughout their run time with many other characters following suit. I mean look at the second half of season 1 for example. Rudeus, Eris, and especially Ruijerd, all grow heavily in that time they spend together. There were arguments, compromises, and deep conversations all over the place whenever they interacted with each other or other characters at the time, but it's over shadowed and forgotten about because of the fights. Eris was absolutely terrified of Ruijerd when she first encounters him because of all the stories that were spread overtime about his kind, but as their relationship develops, she grew to love him tremendously and even cried when he left the group. That's just one example of the MANY character arcs that you might have forgotten was there.

Then when you look at Rudeus himself, well, he speaks for itself. Anyone saying that his character hasn't changed from his S1 horny and harem seeking self just didn't watch the show at all. I mean there is a segment in this season where the S1 version of himself would pass out of excitement with nose bleeds all over the place, but this version of him would completely denounce and ridicule the idea of it.

In this season, it attempts to focus all of it's energy in developing characters rather than trying to weave in fight scenes to entertain the viewer which I really appreciate and I think they do a very good job at it. Even with the lesser side characters, they manage to portray their many feelings and perspectives on the many given situations. This anime isn't about how Rudeus and the gang will defeat the demon lord like in every other generic Isekai (even though I am very sure they will end up doing that). It's about how each and every character responds to certain situations and events and how they navigate around those issues, which again, was super present in the previous season, but now there is a much bigger focus on it and I love that.

If you like complex and well written character work based shows, then you should absolutely love this season. However, if you don't like that sort of thing, then I can understand why you would have such a different view when comparing the 2 seasons, but to say that this season is terrible and boring because there are very little action set pieces, is just disingenuous.

Mushoku Tensei has proven itself multiple times over at this point that doing a review for one of its later arcs is kind of pointless unless you’re comparing it to its prequels.

One thing I really like to describe it as is that it’s the only Isekai where the past life matters. Looking at how most shows can’t even make their main plot interesting, Mushoku breaks that curse, everything is interesting because simply, everything is encompassed by the main plot.

The second part of season two takes off straight where the previous one left off, with a seamless transition to what concluded, and also includes the Labyrinth ... arc.

It’s funny how a show so heavy on magic has magic that surrounds it of its own, it feels so slow-paced and slice of life-y at a glance, but once you zoom out the slightest you feel everything passing by, almost at lightning speed. It’s a story that does not wait for your attention but also gives time to its characters. It's kind of like real life. It’s believable.

Yet again, the entire cast, not only Rudy goes through immense development, and not just physically. We see heartfelt sorrow, constant struggles, and visible pain all throughout, all accompanied by rational decisions and believable conclusions that genuinely enhance the slow pace.

Part one might not have been what a lot of people wanted from season two, but this part definitely makes up for it.

Overall: 9.14/10.

** Spoiler free brief summary **


The story is the strongest part of this anime, not only because of the plot itself but also because of the storytelling skills of the studio members. Some parts have been changed from the novels, which has upset some people, but I believe that the story structure in the anime, with only 20 minutes to deliver the impact, must be served differently, and they nailed it.
It is not something you will be bored watching. The anime does a great job with story structure, so you won’t be lost in what’s happening, making it guilty of being an anime masterpiece.

Animation is ... not a topic I will spend too much time on. Animation has always been a strong part of Mushoku and remains strong even now. There is a CGI moment, sadly, but I prefer it over waiting a year longer for the next season. Besides, it did not interrupt the flow of the anime, so I don’t see any problem. Animation is amazing.

The music will be the part I will criticize, which is evidence I’m not here only to praise it. It is by no means bad, but it is not something memorable. I would say the music is pretty boring, even though it complements the story very well. I think they could do a better job because it could have made the moments even more memorable, the fights more epic, and the excitement more intense. The only thing that made the music pass the minimum requirements is their judgment on where to use it. They withheld the music where they should to deliver maximum impact and skillfully chose the moments to use it to experience the most intense emotions. My final words are: the music sucks, but it’s implemented in a very intelligent way.

The characters are extremely relatable and the reason you will be hooked on the story. They are very complex and have their own personalities to the point they could be the main characters in their own stories. The characters are special because they all have their trademark personality without it being their whole personality, which is unprecedented in the history of anime on this level and scale. Even side characters have very complex origins, reasons, and motivations. The characters in this anime are not characters anymore; they are people.

Overall, this is THE anime. I cannot praise it enough. They've managed to get me hooked even in slice-of-life episodes, which is quite a feat. There is not a second worth skipping, and the enjoyment never lacks. Obviously, I will recommend this anime to anyone. You just have to have the stomach for the main character's morals from time to time, as it can ruin the relatability and create a disconnect between the watcher and the anime. But that’s not my problem, and therefore, a perfect score it is.

The first season was actually decent, fantastic even...

But since then, the series has devolved into this isekai/harem mess with way too many story lines and characters crammed into one anime. Some people might prefer this and there's nothing wrong with it, however every "good" anime or should I say script, always has a "main story" or an objective which the series has to follow. This particular anime does not seem to have such an objective while also not being the random comedy show you watch and not care about it (the story). So you have to be very invested to keep up with this nonsense. ... This also might seem to be a trend with isekais and is the reason why Mushoku Tensei is objectively, just not good...

On the positive note: Rudeus' character development has been done very well and he is a well rounded character overall.

This show has attracted quite a lot of controversy regarding the relations of seemingly underage characters. This is nothing new in anime as many of you know already. However, this will ruin Mushoku Tensei (S2 specifically) for a plenty of people with a working moral compass.

Note:
This review is strictly about the anime and I have not read the LN.

This anime starts off STRONG, like so strong. One of the best anime series seasons ever - in my opinion, obviously. It for comparison, it's very similar in 'vibe'/feeling to Re: Zero. Jobless has to be careful at this point past season 2, as it has slowed down exponentially. This writing is great, storytelling great, the context and worldbuilding has been set and done, but the aspect that death is just around the corner is vital for the survival of this series. Without that, I'm not sure where this is going. Not to spoil, but scattered around are really scary characters, gods, monsters, etc. ... there needs to be more of that, and unless there is a cool direction that has been planned for season 3, if season 3 is like season 2, it'll likely have lost me, sadly. We'll see how it goes! I have faith for so more action packed, ADVENTURE, and thriller vibes from season 1.

Short version: S1 was 10/10, S2 was 8/10; if S3 is like S2, it'll be <8/10 no matter what. If S3 is like S1, it could be >9/10. If S3 is unique and moves forward with things naturally, with adventure, excitement, and edge of seat interactions, could be a 10/10 again.

More than any other isekai, Mushoku Tensei exemplifies the human experience and the concept of starting life over in another world, taking us through Rudeus’ full life journey from beginning to end. Full of ups and downs, mistakes, bad choices, regrets and lessons, it does truly feel like we’re viewing not just a show, but almost a documentary on someone’s life as they evolve each day beyond the person they were. To that end, this third season of Mushoku Tensei truly feels like the end of the “child” stage of Rudeus’ life and the beginning of him being a man. It’s an emotional roller coaster ... that takes us from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows, all the while reminding of us of what makes this franchise so great. Featuring improved visuals immense character development for Rudeus and the most impactful story arc of the franchise thus far, Mushoku Tensei season 3 is probably the best it’s ever been.

From a pure objective standpoint, this is the best season of Mushoku Tensei. Rudy is no longer the horny degen pervert that turned people off in the beginning. He’s a husband and entering a new chapter of his life with Sylphy and his sisters. The responsibility on his shoulders forces him to grow up, it’s almost hard to recognise him anymore and I mean that in the best way possible. I liken it to looking back on your middle school days and cringing at all the stupid stuff you used to do. I felt an overwhelming sense of pride seeing Rudy use lessons he learnt in both his original and current lives to help those around him overcome issues of their own in the first half of the cour. Especially his emotional reconciliation with his sister. Realising what he put his parents through back in his old life and seeing firsthand someone close to him going down that same dark path he did as a shut in recluse really drove home how much of his life he’d wasted. This season really just felt like Rudeus being determined to make the most of this second chance he’s been given. A more mature, almost father like Rudeus was such a welcome sight after all the pantsu worshipping and sexual harassment from earlier in the series.

But the second half is where things really got going with the latest and arguably most important turning point of Mushoku Tensei thus far. Some of the top animators and directors from the first season of Mushoku Tensei came back to work on this arc and it showed, not only in its animation and visual quality, but also in its direction and pacing. While there are of course omissions from the anime as always with adaptations, I think they managed to perfectly convey the themes of this arc and the infamous Father’s Day episode was one of the most emotionally enthralling episodes I’ve ever seen. Without spoiling, this arc was basically a culmination of Rudeus’ past and present with him combining aspects of both to move towards the future.

So Mushoku Tensei season 3 has the best story of the franchise, is an emotional roller coaster and looks awesome, why isn’t it a 10? Well, for a rather petty reason to be fair. I’m not a fan at all of a particular twist in the story in the last two episodes which anyone who’s seen the show will understand. Even though people online had basically spoiled this twist for me for years, it didn’t make it any less annoying to see it play out in the anime. Considering everything that Sylphie has done for Rudeus, I felt an immense betrayal and it was hard to respect Rudeus. BUT, I can’t deny how masterful this season was and all the love and dedication BIND put into it. It’s one of those tricky situations where you recognise something’s greatness, but don’t necessarily like it. Because of that, I can’t give this season a 10, but I fully understand if others think it is.

For me, despite the amazing story and production values, Mushoku Tensei gets an 8 out of 10.

Another part of the season, another time with life altering events and a world that doesn’t hold back.

In the Jobless Reincarnation season 2’s 2nd part do we focus on Rudeus and his family, both at the magical academy and in the rest of the world. We see how Rudeus once again is thrown into hard decisions that can lead to both success and defeat, something that leaves him in a hard place.

This part of the season’s plot focuses more on Rudeos’ family and his relation to them, we see how the family has gone through hardship, but also how they care for each other. This ... gives a very interesting dynamic to both the current state of events and what has previously happened to Rudeus. The plot overall has a very nice flow to it, where it brings in both beautiful and awful moments.

One of the main things about the show has always been the characters, which they are still holding strong. In this season does Rudeus' journey of improvement continue, where we see him face things that push him to evolve further, straying even more from his previous life. Same can also be said for other characters, where we see them evolve through the life they live. And through the characters' journey do we still see how they are as a person, and their traits makes it clear why they make the decisions they do, which hold the characters true to themselves.
A thing that Jobless reincarnation also does, that really sets it apart, is showing how characters don't stop living when they are away from Rudeus. But still evolve, which really brings life to the show and the world.

Another thing that really also impresses the audience is the fantasy setting the world is in. The world is not shown to be a kind place alone, it is shown to be ruthless and sometimes beautiful. This is something they still strongly stick to, where they show how a fantasy world isn’t just pure joy, but a real world where your actions can have consequences.

Without a doubt this is a great continuation of Jobless reincarnation, and I would without a doubt recommend watching this, if you have watched the previous parts.