REVIEW: ‘Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation’ Season 2 Episode 6 — “I Don’t Want to Die”

With the help of the mysterious Mr. Fitz (Ai Kayano), Rudeus (Yumi Uchiyama) begins his research into teleportation and the university library. Despite his focus on this field of study, there are plenty of other problems vying for his attention, like his friend Zanoba’s (Satoshi Tsuruoka) desire to learn magical sculpting. So, Rudeus dives into teaching his friend to work this magic in Mushoku Tensei Season 2 Episode 6 “I Don’t Want to Die.”

This episode’s opening focuses on Rudeus’ continued research into teleportation. While his research as a whole struggles, it does see him spending more time with Mr. Fitz, whom Rudeus finds he has a strong emotional pull towards. This pull confuses Rudeus, as he doesn’t grasp why he would have such strong feelings for this relatively unknown man. While it is clear to the viewer that his subconscious is seeing the familiarity between Fitz and Sylphiette, as they are one and the same, Rudeus’ brain hasn’t caught up yet.

Seeing Rudeus struggle to ascertain what it is about Fitz that makes him such a compelling personality for him is entertaining throughout these moments. The fact that Fitz takes some delight in seeing Rudeus at a disadvantage for once only adds to the playfulness of the moment.

While this opening focus delivers a lot of charm, as Rudeus gets to know his “new friend,” the narrative falls off a cliff pretty quickly as it moves on from there. As it shifts its focus to Zanoba’s pleas for Rudeus to teach him model crafting, the episode’s plot begins to struggle a lot. As Rudeus tries various ways to teach his friend sculpting, each setback is met with annoyance. Zanoba is not a strong character here, as his only mode is loud and obnoxious. Each setback is highlighted by a freak-out on the part of the struggling character.

But while this sequence is annoying, where the episode goes next is simply unfortunate. When Rudeus confides in Fitz about his struggles to teach Zanoba, Fitz suggests that if Zanoba can’t do it, maybe they should purchase a slave who could be trained to do it for him. Impressed by this idea, Rudeus, along with Fitz and Zanoba, strikes out to procure a slave to succeed where Zanoba can not.

As the episode sees its character walk the halls of the slave market looking for their desired candidate, one might expect a level of discomfort from Rudeus towards the concept of owning human beings. Alas, no such commentary is ever presented, and Rudeus seems quite at ease in the whole situation. This is a hard failure for the show. To present such a scenario without any acknowledgment of concern or care on the part of the characters does nothing but hurt them. That they see no problem with these situations and conditions is a black mark against them, and it’s not easily overlooked.

Mushoku Tensei Season 2 Episode 6 tries to salvage the sequence through the compassion Rudeus shows when they find the individual who seems most likely to fit their needs. A Dwarf child, Rudeus sees despair in her eyes that he remembers all too well from his previous life on Earth. His connection to the girl and how he tries to help her provide a touching display of sentiment, even if it’s not enough to wash away the failures of the episode.

This episode provides a mixed bag for its narrative. While it does a great job of exploring Rudeus and Fitz’s growing friendship, it fails its characters by allowing them to nonchalantly participate in one of the cruelest endeavors any world, fictional or not, can partake in.

Mushoku Tensei Season 2 Episode 6 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.