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Jobless Reincarnation Episode 12 Review – Quick Summary
In Jobless Reincarnation Episode 12, “The Woman with the Demon Eyes,” Rudy, Eris, and Ruijerd were elated to finally get to the ocean. Eris wanted to dive in for a swim. Unfortunately, they mood turned sour when they learned how much it would take to charter a ship back to Eris’ continent. How much was the price? Well, the word “astronomical” came up… What can Rudy, Eric, and Ruijerd do to earn that much money? Who was the frail waif begging for food along the back alley where Rudy walked — because the Man God suggested he walk there? And how many more times will Roxy Migurdia nearly cross their paths, without either of them noticing?
Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious.
Favorite Quote from Jobless Reincarnation Episode 12
I had to feel sorry for Rudy. Poor guy just wanted a cool nickname like Eris and Ruijerd! Capture from the Funimation stream.
As soon as they entered the city, they found a broker who could get book passage to the Eris’ continent. The broker recognized them as Dead End. What’s more, he knew they had some nicknames they’d earned through their exploits.
Rudy got all excited. He’d always wanted a cool nickname. The broker remembered Eris as “Mad Dog Eris.” He remembered Ruijerd as “Guard Dog Ruijerd.”
Rudy’s had his share of crappy luck. “What’s mine?” he wondered. “It’d better not be ‘horndog’ or something!”
It wasn’t “horndog.” The broker struggled to remember, because obviously, Rudy’s exploits weren’t as well known. He finally said (03:26), ““I remember! ‘Kernel Master’ Ruijerd!”
Well, at least it wasn’t “horndog.” Though I can’t say that would have been inappropriate!
Best in Show Moment for Jobless Reincarnation Episode 12
Rudy isn’t used to being around people he can depend on. Old habits die hard. Capture from the Funimation stream.
Setup: Picking Up Where It Left Off
Since I reviewed Jobless Reincarnation episode 11, I had honestly forgotten just how beautifully this show is crafted. Did you hear the music playing during the OP? As far as I’m concerned, that would have been good music for a big-budget, cinema-released movie. The voice acting was spot on. I mean, listen to the joy in Eris’ voice as she celebrated landing her first strike on Ruijerd! During that scene, I didn’t hear the voice of Ai Kakuma, a talented voice actor. I heard Eris celebrating.
What’s more, did you see the background animation? There’s a short early on, just after Ruijerd basically protected Eris’ honor by not letting her strip down and swim in the ocean, when the camera panned across the beach to the city’s walls. But, the city didn’t have pristine, symmetrical walls. There were some sections that weren’t quite finished. There were others that seemed to be hewn out of raw rock, maybe where an outcropping had prevented the builders from extending the beige stone all around.
The background art carried more detail than most series’ would have on key art! It’s just wonderful! Capture from the Funimation stream.
Think about that for a second. The background art hints at history and story! In almost every scene, I went between complete immersion as a viewer and delight as a writer. The people who put this series together love their art, and they are skilled in their craft, and I’m absolutely ecstatic that they’ve decided to share it with us!
Look. If some of the content in this show is so objectionable to you that you can’t watch it, I get it. There are things I can’t morally accept, too. But in this case, I feel bad, because you’re missing something special.
Delivery: Rudy and Ruijerd’s Trust
I love it when a series gives me so many possibilities for my favorite moment. I finally settled on a moment that showed not only Rudy’s growth, but Ruijerd’s longing for friendship and his personal strength, too.
It started with Rudy feeling guilty that his Eye of Foresight helped him beat Eris. She’d been riding high on her first strike on Ruijerd. Then, after an afternoon stroll, Kishirika Kishirisu gave Rudy an artifact that evened the playing field. Eris felt crushed. She wanted so much to fight beside Rudy as an equal.
That night, he turned over as they slept side by side. And he didn’t perv on her! In fact, the guilt made him feel so bad, he decided then and there to sell the amazing magical staff Eris had commissioned for him. That was the only way he could think of to get the money for their passage.
Rudy was lying next to an unconscious Eris — and all he could think about was how much he was supposed to be helping her instead of powering up. Capture from the Funimation stream.
But when he tried to sneak out, he ran into Ruijerd, who waited outside. Ruijerd wasn’t buying any of his excuses (really, Rudy — magic kinks at a brothel?). Instead, Rudy and Ruijerd argued. Rudy desperately wanted to solve the problem, because he felt responsible. Ruijerd, though, had another perspective.
He said (20:09), “Why are you trying to do everything yourself?”
Ruijerd had been alone for so long. Now, he was part of a party. Ruijerd wanted to help. Eris had been upset, because she wanted a role in the party, too. In that moment, Rudy began to understand what contact between people could be. In that moment, he saw a path other than the one he’d seen in his previous life.
That’s what this show is about — those moments between people. That’s why I felt almost giddy through the whole episode. The show’s back, and it’s still doing what it did best. I’m really looking forward to where it goes this season.
What did you think of Kishirika Kishirisu’s approach to life? Where were your favorite moments? Let me know in the comments.
Jobless Reincarnation Episode 12: Other Posts
Other Anime Sites
- Reddit: Mushoku Tensei: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu – Episode 12 discussion
- RABUJOI: Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation – 12 (S2 E01) – Eyes Forward
- 100 Word Anime: Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Part 2 Episode 12 – Straight Into Action
This Site (Crow’s World of Anime!)
- Jobless Reincarnation Episode 12: The Woman with Demon Eyes
- Jobless Reincarnation Episode 13: Missed Connections
- Jobless Reincarnation Episode 14: No Such Thing as a Free Lunch
- Jobless Reincarnation Episode 15: Slow Life in Doldia Village
- Jobless Reincarnation Episode 16: Family Squabble
- Jobless Reincarnation Episode 17: Reunion
- Jobless Reincarnation Episode 18: Separate Journeys
- Jobless Reincarnation Episode 19: Route Selection
- Jobless Reincarnation Episode 20: The Birth of My Little Sister, The Maid
- Jobless Reincarnation Episode 21: Turning Point 2
- Jobless Reincarnation Episode 22: Dreams and Reality
- Jobless Reincarnation Episode 23: Wake Up and Take a Step
- Jobless Reincarnation Episode 24: Eris the Goblin Slayer
You’re absolutely right: the art direction in this show is excellent. This is a lived-in world in more ways than I probably spotted (I missed the wall details; but even if I didn’t notice, I got the effect of a setting that’s just… alive).
So, the show starts by reminding me what annoys me the most about the show: with Rudy perving out, and then the rest of the episode is absolutely free of that sort of thing.
Oh, and when we saw the demon Lord (Lady?) briefly last season, I wondered if she was the blueprints for Millim in Slime. The way she behaved this episode? Oh, definitely. Millim’s definitely an omage (unless there’s someone further back that inspired them both).
Yeah. This isn’t a show where our protagonist will get away with serious perviness.
I have always subscribed to the notion that it doesn’t matter what goes on in your head, it is what you actually do. So far he has done nothing but wishful thinking. (And stealing one pair of panties.)
Is it more virtuous to never be tempted or to be tempted and to resist? The latter is certainly more human. Logically, as the child of minor nobility, he could have gotten away with a lot. His father and male role model is clearly not trying to resist temptation. There must be some inner compass that tells him not to take advantage. Therefor he is a virtuous character.
There’s also the “ancient loli” trope. Lots of that in anime and some of the shows containing it are thought to be classics. I fall back on my previous statement, thoughts don’t matter, nor even fantasies, only actions do. Especially if the “ancient loli” is portrayed with a mature personality you could choose to see her as simply an adult of short stature and lacking curves. There’s nothing pervy about that. Roxy is an example. Our main character is an example of “grown up but not yet ancient shota.”
But this one is clearly the “Millim” type of “emotionally immature ancient loli.” Personally, I find that type of loli irritating. I find myself screaming, “You’re a thousand years old. Grow up!” YMMV.
“Is it more virtuous to never be tempted or to be tempted and to resist? The latter is certainly more human.”
That’s a good question.
There are too many perspectives from which to answer it, but I’ll say this: I think you’re right about the latter being human. I search for shows like this to see humans struggling — against themselves, against a protagonist, whatever.
Though I have tremendous respect for monks or nuns who remove themselves from the world, they don’t make terribly interesting fiction! With apologies to Umberto Eco’s The Name of the Rose, of course!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Name_of_the_Rose
Millim gave me serious Kishirika Kishirisu vibes! The thing I liked better about Kishirika Kishirisu was that she was pretty much insane. She just shoved her hand into Rudy’s eye, yanked our his original, and shoved in her magic eye. Like it was nothing. I like seeing that kind of casual insanity in demon lords.
If they just wait, Roxy will find them. They don’t know that. Maybe dream dude god will point him in the right direction?
Or maybe they take on a super duper job that kills everyone else and pull it off for the money. And then pass Roxy as she sails in the other direction. Just two ships in the night… Seriously, Roxy is my waifu in the show so far.
i didn’t see anything here that was even slightly objectionable. Nobody even died.
You see nothing wrong with someone who has the mind of a man in his 40s perving out at a 7-year-old’s body?
I’m not convinced that Man-God will point him in the right direction to Roxy. I feel the whole point of his dream was to make sure that Rudeus was away from Ruijerd and Eris so that Roxy would miss seeing him. Sure, Rudeus got a power-up from following his advice, but if that dream hadn’t happened, Rudeus would have met Roxy, and they would have been able to go home so much easier.
I was under the impression he was joking. Just like his wish for half the world. After he asked for lots of money and got turned down, I figured from then on he was being sarcastic.
If I thought he was being serious about it, it would be problematic.
In a way, for the time being he is SOL as far as romance goes. I’m sure the anime won’t let him get into trouble that way. His mind is adult but his body is a child. (I think he was 9 when he tutored Eris.) If he has a girl friend his own biological age, then his mind is vastly too old for her. If he gets an adult woman for a partner, then she’s guilty of robbing the “physical” cradle.
Man-God probably has some hint of the future and knows he needs to become more powerful to handle the threats he’ll face. He isn’t ready to go back with Roxy yet.
I’m enjoying that there are multiple interpretations for characters like the Man God. Shows depth of story!
“He isn’t ready to go back with Roxy yet.”
That’s an interesting idea. Being back with her would be a distraction, wouldn’t it? And now, he’s learning leadership and teamwork with Eris and Ruijerd, which are skills I’m pretty sure he’ll need going forward.