Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation, considered the godfather and creator of the isekai trend is a different kind of isekai. To me, it’s a breath of fresh air.
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation is a Japanese light novel series by Rifujin na Magonote about a jobless and hopeless man who reincarnates in a fantasy world while keeping his memories, determined to live his new life without regrets.
“Despite being bullied, scorned, and oppressed all of his life, a thirty-four-year-old shut-in still found the resolve to attempt something heroic—only for it to end in a tragic accident. But in a twist of fate, he awakens in another world as Rudeus Greyrat, starting life again as a baby born to two loving parents.
Preserving his memories and knowledge from his previous life, Rudeus quickly adapts to his new environment. With the mind of a grown adult, he starts to display magical talent that exceeds all expectations, honing his skill with the help of a mage named Roxy Migurdia. Rudeus learns swordplay from his father, Paul, and meets Sylphiette, a girl his age who quickly becomes his closest friend.
As Rudeus’ second chance at life begins, he tries to make the most of his new opportunity while conquering his traumatic past. And perhaps, one day, he may find the one thing he could not find in his old world—love.”
What sets this anime apart from all the other isekai that has come after is the pacing of the story, the visuals, and the world itself. I don’t know who to put it in words, but when I watched this anime, everything about it intrigues me. I’m interested in learning about Rudeus’s character development, the world itself, and the many races that inhabit the world. The premise of second chances is something that appeals to a lot of people and is likely why the isekai genre is as popular as it is today, yet Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation approach is more subtle and takes its time laying out the foundations for it. Yes, it’s odd that Rudeus remembers his past life as a 34-year-old man, and seeing him navigate his new world as a child is oddly entertaining. It becomes more apparent when you see how he interact with his new parents.
That being said, the plot really starts going when Rudeus starts learning magic, that’s where the animation starts to shine. There’s a lot of care given to how fight scenes are choreographed, how the magic attacks are animated and the weight all of it brings to the table. Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation is definitely worth checking out, especially if you’re looking for anew kind of isekai fix.
