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Plot Recap
A Favor To Ask – Paul, Rudy, Sylphie, Ruijerd, Norn, Aisha
While it has been a while since her name was uttered, Zenith hasn’t been forgotten. Paul is heading to Begaritt to look for her, and because of how rough the terrain is, he sends Norn and Aisha to Rudy’s house without asking. Now, lest we forget, Aisha loves her some Rudy, while Norn seems to hate most of the people in her family. But luckily for Rudy, his house has more than enough space for Norn to be far away from everyone else.
Now, how does Sylphie feel about all this? Just fine. She likes the idea of a lively home, and kids being around does open up the conversation that she and Rudy have had before but with one caveat: Sylphie is down to have kids but, as an elf, may have trouble conceiving them. For Rudy, this is fine, and even though Sylphie brings up the option of having a concubine, Rudy rejects that proposal.
But, while it is noted Norn and Aisha might be coming to Rudy, it isn’t Paul bringing them. At the end of the episode, we learn it is Ruijerd, and he and Rudy have the beginning of what hopefully will be a nice reunion in episode 16.
Rock Bottom – Nanahoshi, Rudy
Nanahoshi has been working hard on a summoning circle, and when Rudy’s magic partly tears through it, she feels defeated. It begins with her just raging and destroying her lab a bit, but once that is over, she is a zombie, and Rudy feels triggered. Seeing that level of hopelessness and depression, just someone who is waiting to die, it’s a lot for Rudy, and because this is a new life for him, he makes sure Nanahoshi has what he didn’t in his past life.
You Need Comradery And To Be Challenged – Nanahoshi, Rudy, Zanoba, Cliff, Elinalise
Hence, Rudy gets Zanoba, Cliff, and Elinalise involved to see if a fresh pair of eyes could help the situation. After all, Cliff is a genius, Elinalise is well traveled and older than everyone combined, and Zanoba is studying that robot that is next level, so the idea is that they can contribute. Rudy, as shown, can’t provide much beyond mana, and though Nanahoshi has gotten far on her own, she needs to be challenged, have debates, and have people compensate for where she is lacking.
And damn, if Rudy doesn’t help her come up with layered summoning circles that allow Nanahoshi to conjure a plastic bottle, likely from our world. This is a major accomplishment and is celebrated by all.
Other Noteworthy Information
- Roxy is part of Paul’s party and helping look for Zenith.
Cast Guide
| Character’s Name | Actor’s Name |
| Paul | Toshiyuki Morikawa |
| Rudy | Yumi Uchiyama |
| Sylphie | Ai Kayano |
| Ruijerd | Daisuke Namikawa |
| Norn | Saya Aizawa |
| Aisha | Yûki Takada |
| Nanahoshi | Shion Wakayama |
| Zanoba | Satoshi Tsuruoka |
| Cliff | Oosaka Ryouta |
| Elinalise | Tanaka Rie |
Review
Highlights
Rudy Checking In With Julie
On a lesser note, it was cute for Rudy also to make sure Julie was okay. Lest we forget, she was worse off than Nanahoshi at one time, with being an enslaved child, but now she reports she eats all the time, she is often smiling, and despite her young age, she often is part of the group in celebrations. You could even submit that Julie is Rudy’s first child, just not with Sylphie, and while Zanoba is the custodial parent, that doesn’t make him less a part of her life – and a welcomed part of it, too.
Rudy Trying To Help Nanahoshi In A Way He Likely Needed Help In The Past
Both in his past life and after Eris slept with and abandoned him, Rudy has known what it has meant to feel alone, worthless, and like there is no hope. Unfortunately for him, death solved the problem the first time, and Rudy had to work hard the second, and residual effects like developing erectile dysfunction nearly pushed him to relapse. So, with that in mind, it is easy to understand why Rudy went to bat for Nanahoshi.
Her problem is that, as this mysterious student who has isolated herself, she poured everything into her work, and her success meant everything and any failure meant the same. You could even submit while Rudy only has being from Japan in common with Nanahoshi, him inviting her to functions, like his wedding reception, was always about helping her have more than her work, so when times like when she fails at something happens, she has something to fall back on – like friends.
And what is especially noteworthy is that Rudy didn’t leave her to solve this for herself. He took the initiative and got her out of her lab, took her to the infirmary, took her home, even though Sylphie has given Nanahoshi the side-eye before, and even got people involved who would be better able to help her than he could. All of it pushes you to be reminded how Rudy’s life isn’t just about avoiding the stumblings and failings of his past life, but making sure others don’t feel less than like he did.
Ruijerd’s Return
The main thing I’m excited about regarding Ruijerd’s return is the stories he can tell. That and the stories he could tell Sylphie because Sylphie is still pretty much cut off from Rudy’s world. She hasn’t met or knows much about the Greyrats besides Paul and Luke. Never mind, Eris and Ruijerd when they were part of “Dead End” with Rudy for a good part of season 1.
A Full House
Between Rudy’s sisters, Sylphie, Ruijerd, and, of course, Rudy, the house is being filled up, and you know this is going to lead Rudy to reflect on the family and community he is building. Gone are the days when he would stay alone in the house, in his room. Now, he is part of the action, potentially the screaming, and always the laughter. I can almost imagine him crying at the 180-degree change that doesn’t seem like a fluke but is solid now.
Some Idea On The State Of Zenith
It feels like it has been forever since Zenith was mentioned, partly since Man-God warned Rudy against looking for her and coerced him to go to school instead. So Paul mentioning he has a lead is a blessing, and I could only hope, even though I don’t think this has happened in a while, maybe Paul could get a non-Rudy episode where we see him make headway with Roxy and the others.
Sylphie’s Potential Issues With Pregnancy
Considering the extent of Rudy’s erectile dysfunction, it would be interesting to see Sylphie get the same level of treatment. Whether it is through miscarriages or other unfortunate moments, considering having a child is already difficult enough but then them reaching viability, how “Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation” both shows how it affects Sylphie, but Rudy as well, could be yet another tear-inducing experience.
Background Information
| Episode Title | Afar |
| Release Date | April 21, 2024 |
| Network | Crunchyroll |
| Director(s) | Tomoaki Takatsudo |
| Writer(s) | Toshiya Ohno |
| Previous Episode | Season 2/ Episode 15 |
| Series Page | Mushoku Tensei Jobless Reincarnation |
| Character Guide | Mushoku Tensei Jobless Reincarnation Cast and Character Guide |
How To Watch
Watch Mushoku Tensei Jobless Reincarnation: Season 1/ Episode 15 via its official site or on Prime Video.
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