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[Ed. note: This article contains spoilers for Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation season 3.]
Season 3 of Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation opens with Eris, one of the show’s female co-protagonists, reminding audiences that she and Rudeus, the reincarnated protagonist of this isekai, who also happens to be her second cousin, had sex when they were 15. (For context, Rudeus has the mind of a 30-year-old.) Shortly after, we see Eris embarking on a journey with her master, Ghislaine, a beast-folk woman whose look and outfit are the culmination of the wet dreams of pubescent, fantasy-obsessed boys around the world.
Things like this make it hard to recommend Jobless Reincarnation to anime fans. And yet, I would have a hard time not including the series among my top three fantasy (not just isekai) anime of all time. That’s the problem with Mushoku Tensei: despite all its controversies, it’s just that good.
Based on the light novel series written by Rifujin na Magonote and illustrated by Shirotaka, the anime produced by Studio Bind tells the story of an unnamed 34-year-old Japanese NEET who dies and is reincarnated in a fantasy world as Rudeus Greyrat, the son of two former adventurers. Rudeus retains the memories of his previous life, but unlike in most isekai, these don’t give him a particular advantage or “cheat skills” besides the fact that his premature awareness pushes him to study magic from an early age. Instead, his previous, miserable life serves as a constant, painful reminder of the mistakes Rudeus wants to avoid now that he’s been given a second chance.
Season 3’s opening episodes are not about Rudeus at all. They focus entirely on Eris, picking up her story where it left off at the end of season 1. In the wake of the teleportation disaster, Eris leaves Rudeus right after their first night together. She is saddled with feelings of inadequacy after the terrible meeting with Dragon God Orsted, who almost killed Rudeus. Eris wants to train to become stronger and kill Orsted, who is considered the most dangerous creature in the world. She thus journeys with Ghislaine to the dojo of the latter’s master, Sword God Gal Farion.
However, things are never easy to obtain for the characters in Mushoku Tensei. Eris’s ferocious attitude earns her the nickname “Mad Dog,” and she spends years training in the basics of swordsmanship just to reach the state of mind needed to learn advanced techniques. She trains with different masters and, with many difficulties, gets closer to some fellow students, all to bridge the impossible gap between her and Orsted.
I wonder what will happen when Eris learns that her sudden departure left Rudeus depressed and suffering from erectile dysfunction for years. Or, even better, when she finds out that little Rudy has grown up and now has not one, but two wives. Yes, polygamy is a thing in this series, as well as slavery, which Rudeus encounters and barely comments on.
Both the characters and the world of Mushoku Tensei are deeply flawed, which gives rise to many controversial elements. The show doesn’t shy away from them, presenting everything in the most unfiltered way possible. Mushoku Tensei stands out because of just how raw its viewpoint is. As the author stated in a 2021 interview with Anime News Network, Rudeus is not meant to be a good guy or a role model: “Because he’s a controversial character, his mountain of regrets makes the act of redoing life more meaningful.”
The issue, for some, is that this process is not fast. Elements of Rudeus’s previous existence linger in his second life for a long time, leading to controversial moments that turned off many fans. This is a big difference compared with most isekai, where the protagonist’s previous life is usually barely touched upon. There’s nothing wrong with that: I genuinely enjoy watching shows like Reincarnated as a Slime or Overlord, where we learn almost nothing about the main characters before their reincarnation. But they’re a different kind of entertainment: fun, light-hearted, best for decompressing after a long day at work.
Mushoku Tensei is a visceral take on the isekai premise. Rudeus’s two lives are in constant dialogue with each other, and the outcome is negative as often as it is positive. This approach extends to most of the characters. Eris didn’t need to abandon Rudeus without an explanation. She is as self-absorbed as he was in his first life, and as a result, the person she loves most has suffered for years. Eris may be in her “training arc” in season 3, but character progression in Mushoku Tensei is never about becoming stronger or developing new powers. It’s about becoming more human: much to some viewers’ dismay, this doesn’t always come true.
I won’t deny that the show’s disturbing aspects make it hard to watch sometimes. But it doesn’t feel like these exist just to fulfill some perverse fantasies of the author or the audience. It’s a creative decision not to shy away from the dirtiest, most disturbing aspects of life, which allows Mushoku Tensei’s storytelling and character to function so well. So far, it looks like season 3 won’t be an exception.
