Main Character in Another World: Natsuki Subaru

Let’s try something new, shall we?

There are so many isekai shows these days. Dark shows, comedy shows, shows that are just flat out bizarre. Like the Simpsons, it’s done it all.

With so much variety, you’d think there’d be a great amount of variety between the protagonists. But not really. We keep getting the same horny dark haired boys with power complexes.

So I’m gonna start ranking ’em. Starting with one of the actually good ones: Natsuki Subaru of Re:ZERO fame.

Subaru is essentially the anti-Isekai hero. Dude has no special powers that make him a god among gods. Probably because he wasn’t hit by Truck-kun. He’s a perfectly normal guy in a dark, terrible, magical world. There are superpowered anime monsters everywhere, and he’s just Mr. Average Joe.

Except for one thing: he doesn’t die. Not permanently, at least. When he gets killed, he comes back at a certain point in time before the event. Think Groundhog Day.

Only ten times more horrifying. Such as when:

• He was cut apart by a sadistic assassin
• He was frozen to death
• He was eaten from the inside out by murder rabbits

So on and so forth. My man does not have an easy time of it.

Understandably, these deaths have a… less than positive effect on Subaru’s mental state. Worse still because he can’t even talk about it. Literally. Trying kills him on the spot.

Despite this, Subaru still tries to use his power to help. Regular joe though he may be, he’ll die however many times he needs to to get the outcome he desires. Dude is as stubborn as he is stupid and egocentric.

And despite it all, he can still put on a smile. He can still strike a stupid pose just to make someone laugh. The world has bent him over backwards and he still tries to make it better.

He’s even got depth beyond his adventures in another world. The show touches on what his life was like before. His home, his family, and his difficulties with both. Subaru is one of the few modern isekai heroes to actually deal with the emotional grievances of leaving behind everyone he knew and loved out of the blue.

By isekai standards, it’s ridiculous how well-written Subaru is. He’s got actual personality and depth, unlike most cookie-cutter power fantasies; in fact, this guy is the opposite of a power fantasy! Yet he’s still plenty likable and incredibly compelling!

As these rankings only just started, it’s pretty obvious to say Subaru is going to be #1. And chances are, he’s gonna stay there for a while. Maybe forever, who can say?

Anyway, now I need to go sift through the garbage for another one. But that’s fine. Dumpster diving was a favorite of my friends and I back in high school.