Crunchyroll's Re:Zero NYC Premiere Was a Delight

I’ve often recommended to friends that they see anime in theaters and Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World- Season 3 premiere was a slow but strong entry onto the list of reasons why. The 90-minute premiere episode was the length of a theatrical screening, so it seemed fitting that Crunchyroll host a couple of special screenings. One was in New York City, which I attended, while the other is in Austin and set for the 30th of September.

Fans attending the New York screening were treated to the anime in one of Regal’s RPX (Regal Premium Experience) theaters, which feature massive screens, high-quality immersive audio, seats that don’t make your body feel like it’s been crumpled up for an hour and a half, and plenty of room for plenty of people. Fans also had the opportunity to take pictures in front of a Re:Zero backdrop as if they were stars walking down the red carpet. For the many people who showed up in cosplay (Emilia cosplay seemed to be the most popular choice) this meant they had an opportunity to do a mini photo shoot before checking out the film.

A Happy Cast

One thing that Re:Zero does a spectacular job of (both in general and during this episode) is making use of emotional contrast to highlight the opposite ends of the emotional spectrum. Moments where Subaru is experiencing death after excruciatingly painful death seem as powerful as they are because of how much it contrasts with the lighter sides of Re:Zero. Conversely, happy moments feel brighter in contrast, while also exposing the audience to a constant sense of foreboding as they wonder what horrors are to come. Without spoiling the finer details, this premiere episode leaned a lot more toward a lighter re-introduction of characters we already know. Ample time is spent on conversation, and some reinforcement of the series worldbuilding (especially as it contains the royal contest, which may have been easy to forget about with all the wildness of Season 2).

Perhaps most notable were a lot of adorable interactions between Beatrice and Subaru as they enjoy the fruits of a much more positive and friendly relationship after the events of Season 2 and their formation of a contract. This episode also featured a lot of singing, which was greatly enhanced by the theater’s speakers and really pushed through how beautiful that singing was.

Beautiful Settings… With a Twist

Much of the episode takes place in two sorts of settings: a large city with a large amount of seemingly Venetian influence and a particular location within that city with some explicit Japanese influence. Both are quite beautiful and detailed and form a careful backdrop to much of the episode. I think if viewers are watching expecting a lot of action in this first episode they may find themselves a tad disappointed. But, if they instead open themselves up to experiencing what’s actually on screen, I think even the “need more punch and kick right now” crowd will be plenty satisfied. The city of Pristella is a marvel and the amount of water especially is well done, with its movement, flow, and reflection of light all being handled nicely. Of course, seeing this on a massive screen helps convey the scale of things, but I’m sure it’ll look plenty good on a laptop screen too.

Of course though, nothing in Re:Zero comes without something else leaving you on the very edge of your seat. The last portion of the episode did just that, and there was an audible groan when the premiere ended right with an excellent cliffhanger. Overall, I thought that the episode was a solid beginning to the season. If you’d asked me to rate the episode while I was sitting through the first half, I’d probably have given it a 6 out of 10. By the time the second half had come and gone, the episode easily moved into the territory of an 8.

The anime airs on October 2nd in Japan with a Crunchyroll simulcast.
©Tappei Nagatsuki,KADOKAWA/Re:ZERO3 PARTNERS