r/ReZero

So in regards to the release of the Sasageru IF, I’ve been seeing a lot of degenerates who most likely are just larping off of Jakez123 new video (no hate to him), that continue to promote this weird and abhorrent narrative that this IF route somehow canonically validates, let alone EVER shows any scene or implication that Subaru is willing to reciprocate Petra’s feelings.

On Od Laguna, some of you clowns are genuinely giving off the same vibes as the people who deliberately wait for young girls to turn freshly 18 so they can feel justified in having weird fantasies about them 😭.

Actually analyze the thematic beauty and tragedy of this route, how the theme of melancholy, resignation and devotion is something that is expressed throughout every character - NO 🤬 !!!

Rush to ship Subaru (60 year old senior citizen mind you) with someone he still views as just a village girl - YES 🤑 !!!

It’s crazy that I have to say this, but when Subaru respond’s to Petra’s declaration of her feelings in this IF route, he does it in a respectful yet also adoring manner, devoid of any romantic feelings, similar to how he addresses Beatrice as his lovely spirit. There are various times in the WebNovel (damm near every arc, at least once), where Subaru outright says that he loves Beatrice (verbatim says “I love you” various times), but via factoring in the context, on top of how Subaru says it, we as readers obviously knows he says this in the same manner that a father would address his beloved daughter, not how genuine partners would do so. Henceforth, since we already know that Subaru does not romantically love Petra in canon, him saying that “he loves her” in this IF, should be taken in the same way he says he loves Beatrice, mostly in a platonic manner.

I mean my heart literally started melting when Subaru started narrating about how he would do things for Petra which he knew she couldn’t, yet somehow people managed to interpret a moment like this in the most odd way possible 💔.

Beyond that, even in the Ninth Arc, “Subaru” and Petra were literally bonded spiritually through reading his Book of the Dead, and despite being the closest to her, undergoing thousands of loops her with, and them having knowledge about another world which nobody else has, Subaru only showers Petra with platonic praise, like an older brother teasing his younger sister. He specifically uses the word “cool” to describe Petra in multiple occasions, never once showcasing any encouragement or engagement on his end, in regards to her romantic feelings, even when she literally commits suicide through the Aggressor Loops.

In fact, it’s literally impossible for Subaru and Petra to (assuming we throw out Subaru’s canonical character) even end up together because the possibility of Subaru’s bride was one of the myriad of things that Petra sacrificed to try and overcome Al’s authority?

Back to the main point though, why might it be that people are somehow finding a way to ship Petra Leyte with Natsuki Subaru?

Aside from the fact that a. Part of this fandom would rather be bisected in twain than read mere words present and actually use their brain, b. Many are using this excuse as another way to dogpile on Emilia slander, and c. Another part of this fandom is filled with…well…*those* type of people, there’s actually a specific trend I’ve been noticing that has carried on to unfortunately infect our innocent Petra.

And this is the fact that people keep conflating agenda or showing support for the female characters within the series, with just mindlessly shipping those same female characters with Subaru. Don’t believe me? Look at the current ships within the community, and how the shippers around those ships act in regards to the characters within their ships.

Cruschbaru/Crusch officer never promotes or accepts the existence of Ex Volume 1 or her dozen of countless side stories that explore her themes and dynamics with other male characters beside Subaru, yet will be seen under every post spamming Evon artwork to an obsessive degree.

Anabaru/Anastasia merchant who will sell their soul to hook people on a narrative that if Subaru joined her camp, he’d be making 10 figures over in Kararagi, but won’t promote the side content which shows how truly influential and extremely successful Anastasia actually is.

Prisbaru/Priscilla palladian who will write an entire novella about how her extreme observation skills would cure Subaru of his mental illness, but will never discuss the extra releases which explore how merciful and compassionate Priscilla is towards the people living in her domain.

People will see a female character they presumably like or find attractive, but instead of actually having any form of beneficial and intellectual discussion around the traits which they find relatable in that character, they will use Subaru as a self insert for their desires, and ultimately ship him with every woman under the stars. Consequently, of course, now that people are coming to show their support for Petra, the fandom now has to face genuine goons who think that Subaru is somehow attracted to Petra.

In the coming months, prepare for an influx of performative and bandwagon Petra fans, because seeing this not even a day after the chapter is out is truly disheartening.

I know that this behavior doesn’t truly represent who we, the fandom who loves Re:Zero truly are. So please…

Do better, so that we may be ourselves.

Source: https://x.com/anpon\_aji/status/2039895653703381382