Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 Episode 9, “Lament,” sees the cause of Nanahoshi’s (Shion Wakayama, Lycoris Recoil) deteriorating condition revealed and a party form to seek out someone who may have knowledge of how to cure her incredibly rare ailment. But it will take a return to a faraway land Rudeus (Yumi Uchiyama, To Your Eternity) likely never expected to see again.
The emotional power that this episode opens with is at times overwhelming. Two major moments clash as the viewer is dragged into a pair of devastatingly painful scenes that present the power of both passion and indifference.
While Perugius’s (Rikiya Koyama, Dragon Ball Daima) people can determine the nature of Nanahoshi’s plight, they can do little except stall its progression. And while Perugius may have the power to search out other means of treatment, he nonchalantly declines to do so. This does not sit well with those close to Nanahoshi.
The callous presentation of Perugius smacks of humanity’s harshest side.
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 Episode 9‘s opening conflict sees Perugius defend his unwillingness to act. While some see it as the duty of those with power to aid those who have none, he does not subscribe to such an edict. He acknowledges that he will do the minimum required of him as a guest in his house, but no more.
The callous presentation of Perugius smacks of humanity’s harshest side. As a powerful individual whose life has spanned centuries, what is one person to him? He has his great mandate to focus on and sees no need to trouble himself for a lone person, even one who has worked with him. A cold and calculating view, one that contrasts greatly with other recent explorations of such characters.
This indifference is met by Cliff’s (Ryôta Ôsaka, Daemons of the Shadow Realm) fiery rebukes of the hero. As one who deeply believes we should all do what we can for each other, Perugius’ willingness to knowingly do less than he can enrages him. The slender stick of a man screams at the huge, heavily armored hero. Only a hushed plea from Elinalise (Rie Tanaka, Record of Ragnarok) quells the storm of emotions he let loose.
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 Episode 9’s central moment is brutal.
Interrupting the discourse surrounding Nanahoshi’s condition is the news of her awakening. When her friends go to see how she is holding up, it is a painful sight. The once enthusiastic girl has permanent shadows under her eyes, and her lips are shriveled, giving her a deathly look. After fumbling through some awkward attempts to encourage and cheer her up, all but Rudeus leave. Once alone, Nanahoshi unleashes her feelings on the only other person who knows her full story.
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 Episode 9’s central moment is brutal. As Nanahoshi lashes out at the unfairness of her life, her words ring blisteringly true. Her complaints about the raw deal she’s been given feel like echoes I’ve heard many times in real life. About how misery after misery is heaped on her. She confides that since she arrived in this world, she has not changed one bit. Her hair and nails haven’t grown, nor has her height changed. He doesn’t even get her period. And yet, her body can change in this way. How does that make any sense?
The way she describes her plight sounds so similar to friends I’ve had with chronic illnesses. The permanent strain on their bodies causes even more things to go wrong, compounding an already unfair situation. This similarity provides a powerful reference point for Nanahoshi’s situation, making it incredibly relatable despite the magical circumstances surrounding it. And through all his friends’ cries and pain, Rudeus can only stand and listen, unaware of anything he can say.
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 Episode 9 delivers a powerful emotional opening.
The camera does not shy away from the protagonist’s discomfort either. As Nanahoshi lashes out, at one point even crying foul about his seemingly perfect existence compared to hers, Rudeus can only wince, knowing what the cruel words are born from. But what could anyone say at that moment? Rather than fumble through some meaningless platitude, he simply bears witness, accepting both tears and curses from his friend, while silently resolving to do something.
That something takes the form of a quest to locate the one being Rudeus knows of whose life dates back to when Nanahoshi’s now extremely rare illness was more common: Kishirika Kishirisu, the Great Emperor of the Demon World (Yuka Iguchi, Train to the End of the World). But to find the ancient being, Rudeus needs to return to the Demon Continent. Luckily, Perugius is willing to facilitate that with access to a teleportation site.
While the initial impression seems to be that the party’s search for their target could prove difficult, a random act of kindness by Cliff leads the group to stumble upon their target just as the credits prepare to roll. They’re left to ascertain whether Kishirika can aid them until the next episode.
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 Episode 9 delivers a powerful emotional opening that is sure to cause more than a few tears. The show’s ability to craft relatable moments of intense feeling within its fantasy context shines again, delivering another praiseworthy performance.
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 Episode 9 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.
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Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 Episode 9
9.5/10
TL;DR
Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 3 Episode 9’s ability to craft relatable moments of intense feeling within its fantasy context shines again, delivering another praiseworthy performance.