Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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General Information
This section Includes information about the Director, Writer, and Cast.
| Release Date (Crunchyroll) | July 23, 2023 |
| Director(s) | Sayaka Tsuji |
| Writer(s) | Atsushi Takayama |
| Newly Noted Characters and Cast | |
| Elise | To Be Determined |
| Previously Noted Characters and Cast | |
| Sara | Shiraishi Haruka |
| Rudy | Tomokazu Sugita, Yumi Uchiyama |
| Soldat | Toriumi Kousuke |
| Elinalise | Rie Tanaka |
| Suzanne | Kobayashi Yuu |
Plot Recap
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Is This A Crush Or A Obligation? – Sara, Rudy
While we’ve seen Sara get friendly, it wasn’t clear how friendly she was willing to be. However, after asking Rudy out, spending a day with him, and wanting to spend the night, it becomes clear she likes him. She says she drinks more around him because she feels safe and comfortable, likes holding his arm, and doesn’t take too long to get naked when they are alone in his room.
However, while Rudy is willing, he can’t get it up, and Sara takes offense to that. In fact, she makes it seem this was all about an obligation because he saved her more than her liking him. Which with Rudy’s abandonment issues, leads to him spiraling and drinking.
Searching For Joy At The Bottom Of A Cup – Rudy, Sol, Elise
Rudy has no friends or family, so the only thing that can console him is drinking. He likely wants to drink himself into blacking out, but Sol walks in and picks with him before he can. Rudy, who cares not about his reputation at this point, verbally lashes out at Sol before hitting him and being vulnerable in ways that leave Sol too stunned to fight back.
But, after seeing the real Rudy, the one with erectile dysfunction, girl troubles, and family issues, Sol warms up to Rudy. He even tries to help him by taking him to a brothel, but even with the sex worker Sol hires for him, Elise, being nice and even familiar with Rudy in a positive way, still no erection. This leads Sol to believe that Rudy, with his deep-seated issues, likely less so, needs variety or a pro as much as he needs an emotional connection before sleeping with someone.
You’re Still Running, But Now I Get And Accept Why – Rudy, Sol, Sara, Suzanne
Now, in an ideal world, Rudy would talk to Sara about this, and maybe their relationship could continue. However, Rudy tries to brush off the night before by putting down Sara’s figure and her role in his life, and he does this boisterously, and Sara hears every word. She smacks the mess out of him, and even Suzanne is ashamed, and Sara even throws the knife she brought with Rudy at his feet.
He tries to kill himself no sooner than he realizes what happened, but Sol stops him. With just feeling like nothing is going right in his life, Rudy sees no reason to continue, but Sol offers him an escape. Yes, Sol, who damns Rudy for running away, gives him a chance to leave the town with his group and explore other areas, take on new monsters, and seemingly, become the friends they never could when Rudy was so hell-bent on being likable, despite how unlikable he feels he is.
Other Noteworthy Information
- Elinalise hears about Rudy and seemingly may seek him out in the Northlands.
Review
Notable Performances or Moments
An Episode About Erectile Dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction is a fear many men have, especially men who don’t play a submissive or bottom role. It’s your manhood. Having a strong erection is a symbol of your volatility, and for many, it is the key to their worth. Which is why for a lot of shows and movies usually handle ED in one of two ways: They treat it as a joke, or else it becomes very dramatic and made into something that is the end of the world.
“Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation” doesn’t really take either road. It recognizes that Rudy’s issues stem from his first time with someone leading to being abandoned, and with that, he now has baggage. The kind where, as Sol said, he likely needs a secure connection to do more than fantasize but really be in the moment with someone.
I can’t recall any conversation about ED being this clear, potentially helpful, and even having some sense of nuance. For while Sol’s original idea was just Rudy sleeping with someone who has tricks to help someone get it up, shout out to sex workers who do know ways of helping, it is nice that, at the end of the day, he realized not all things can be met with the same stimuli. It shows Sol is deeper than he appeared and allows Rudy to both show he is still perverted, maybe even an ass, yet at the same time, vulnerable and emotional enough to be willing to do something drastic, like stab himself in the face, or open up to a man who seems willing to listen.
Heck, I’d even say Sol being willing to listen, and being a man, might be part of Rudy’s healing since, in his past and present life, it seems he more easily has connected with women than men. So, this new relationship, one without the need to protect or prove himself, is likely different but welcomed for Rudy.
Highlights
Wanting To Know Sara’s Perspective
I don’t want to discount what Sara felt, for if we got all of this out of Rudy, imagine how Sara felt. I still strongly believe she had a relationship with someone that disappointed or abandoned her, which put that chip on her shoulder. She does talk about her dad a bit, who inspired her to commit to archery, so maybe it was him? It’s hard to say.
However, with talking about how comfortable she is around Rudy, how quickly she got dressed, and her reaction to him not being able to get an erection, I don’t think this was all part of an obligation. I refuse to believe sex was supposed to be a reward for saving her life. There is more here, and the less we’re told, the more I hope we know, especially regarding what Suzanne might have said since I KNOW she told her about what happened.
Episode Directory
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FAQs
Answers to some questions you may have regarding this episode:
Why Is The Episode Called “Abrupt Approach?”
Likely due to Sara abruptly coming onto Rudy, asking for a date, and even the sex, for Rudy, who hasn’t dated much, being seen as abrupt.
Who is Elise?
Elise is a sex worker in the red light district of Pippin, within Basherant’s second city.
TV Shows We’re Covering This Season
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