Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation

[Ryllharu]

Can't say I'm really a fan of Norn.

I'm honestly astonished that she uses Rudy switching girlfriends as something against him, considering she spent the most time with Paul while he was banging a bikini-wearing fighter while looking for his wife. You can't say she didn't know her father was a horndog, considering her half-sister was born the same year.

She was very enthusiastic about continuing to journey with Rujierd, but refuses to make any new friends at school. That whole contrast is moderately alarming. I get not getting along with your half-sister, still thinking your brother is a pervert and not warming back up to his wife, but that girl needs an attitude adjustment. She calls Aisha selfish, but Aisha's extroversion was mostly used to get her to her own goal of being a live-in maid. Norn definitely comes off as the selfish one.

All that criticism of Norn aside, Rudeus is actually the perfect person to guide Norn out of her self-imposed isolation and funk, since she appears to be starting the same route he did back in Japan.

I'm glad someone finally told Rudeus that he probably misunderstood Eris' intentions.

[Buffalobiian]

She calls Aisha selfish

Did she? I didn't hear her say much, let alone that part.

As for Rudy switching girlfriends, I put it up to her faith. She was the only one who gave blessings before eating. I do agree that that's in direct contrast with how she feels about her dad. Not remembering Sylphie also doesn't help I suppose.

Aisha's already a complete Bro-con at this stage, and if that bag of underwear made its way home she'd be completely fine.

[DarthEnderX]

Aisha is depressing. Talented enough to perfect score the mage exam, and all she wants to do with her life is housekeeping.

Takes too much after her mother.

[MFauli]

Aisha is depressing. Talented enough to perfect score the mage exam, and all she wants to do with her life is housekeeping.

Takes too much after her mother.

Agreed. I found that super frustrating. There's an entire world full of magical ... magic and she gives it up for a maid-job. Rudy should have told her "if you manage to become a powerful sorceress and still want to work as a maid, it'll be okay." Basically, make sure she at least tried something else first. And Paul paid for the expensive school fees ...

[Ryllharu]

Aisha is depressing. Talented enough to perfect score the mage exam, and all she wants to do with her life is housekeeping.

Takes too much after her mother.

Agreed. I found that super frustrating. There's an entire world full of magical ... magic and she gives it up for a maid-job. Rudy should have told her "if you manage to become a powerful sorceress and still want to work as a maid, it'll be okay." Basically, make sure she at least tried something else first. And Paul paid for the expensive school fees ...

I think you both missed the point of that scene. She made a deal that if she aced the exam, she wouldn't have to go to school, because it basically had nothing to teach her. She succeeded and she doesn't have to go.

Talent or no, people are able to choose their profession and specialization. Paul wanted Rudeus to follow in his footsteps, but he didn't, he went down the mage route instead. Eris was supposed to learn magic and basic education to become more civilized and not a misbehaved brat, but she never got good at math or magic, and became far more interested in sword fighting techniques. Zanoba has no talent in earth magic but wants to learn anyway, and then ultimately study the doll mechanisms and notices enough that he can clue the others in to help Nanahoshi make her breakthrough.

Aisha is free to not focus on any specialization and just become a housekeeper.

[DarthEnderX]

I think you both missed the point of that scene. She made a deal that if she aced the exam, she wouldn't have to go to school, because it basically had nothing to teach her.

That's a dumb conclusion for them to come to.

Why would everything that a school can teach you be on it's entrance exam? It's an entrance exam, not a testing out for credit exam.

Especially a school like that, where students are actively researching new magics.

She could be inventing the magical cure for cancer, and instead she just wants to mop.


I mean, she can follow her bliss if she want, but it's still a tragic waste of talent.

As for Aisha's lack of drive towards being anything better than a maid, I think she's actually mature and worldly enough to have come to that decision herself.

I'm not. I think her mom conditioned her to want this for her whole life. She literally pledged her to the Greyrat's service as a newborn.

[Kraco]

I'm not. I think her mom conditioned her to want this for her whole life. She literally pledged her to the Greyrat's service as a newborn.

Rudeus specifically, by the looks of it. Rudeus saved her and Lilia from the mad royals of Zanoba's home country (with Zanoba himself being pretty crazy). He also always treated her fairly. Before the mass teleportation incident, I reckon she only kept hearing good things about Rudeus, including how it was thanks to Rudeus that Lilia and her could stay at Paul+Zenith's household. It's unfortunate, considering her talents, but this seems to be her personality. She's a genius, so she couldn't be brainwashed so thoroughly if her basic character didn't desire for it at some level. Whether she still desires it 10 years later is a different thing, naturally. She's still young, so she can change her mind and do all kinds of things in her life.

[MFauli]

I think you both missed the point of that scene. She made a deal that if she aced the exam, she wouldn't have to go to school, because it basically had nothing to teach her. She succeeded and she doesn't have to go.

Talent or no, people are able to choose their profession and specialization. Paul wanted Rudeus to follow in his footsteps, but he didn't, he went down the mage route instead. Eris was supposed to learn magic and basic education to become more civilized and not a misbehaved brat, but she never got good at math or magic, and became far more interested in sword fighting techniques. Zanoba has no talent in earth magic but wants to learn anyway, and then ultimately study the doll mechanisms and notices enough that he can clue the others in to help Nanahoshi make her breakthrough.

Aisha is free to not focus on any specialization and just become a housekeeper.

"Age is just a number"-vibes.

Aisha is a little child, and no matter upbringing or the world she lives in, that doesn't change AND Rudy knows better.

It's literally dumb. Being a maid is an entry-level, dead-end job. Even worse when it's for your fucking brother. It just feels like she's in deep depression and has no drive and motivation for something else, something better. She doesn't need an understanding brother, she needs therapy.

[Ryllharu]

"Age is just a number"-vibes.

Aisha is a little child, and no matter upbringing or the world she lives in, that doesn't change AND Rudy knows better.

It's literally dumb. Being a maid is an entry-level, dead-end job. Even worse when it's for your fucking brother. It just feels like she's in deep depression and has no drive and motivation for something else, something better. She doesn't need an understanding brother, she needs therapy.

Only one making this creepy is you. Not sure where you even decided to make that connection from after rereading my own post.

Norn is obviously the one with separation-anxiety depression, not Aisha. Aisha has an inferiority complex when she's compared to Norn, not depression.

But since you started this angle of discussion, you should stop reinterpreting the setting based on Earth's modern customs; the world clearly operates on medieval or at best Renaissance era customs regarding age. Rudeus was sent off to work as a tutor for Eris at age 7 (season 1, cour 1). A human's 10th birthday is a major cultural milestone (season 1, cour 1). He's never been questioned regarding age when registering as an adventurer on any continent (season 1, cour 2).

They very clearly put children to work at a similar timeline to the medieval/Renaissance eras.

[Buffalobiian]

I'm not sure that Paul did pay for the school fees. Paul needed a baby sitter and Rudy was around. Rudy was the one who mentioned that as long as you pay, they'll accept. During this episode, it didn't even sound like taking the exam was something the girls even considered.

As for Aisha's lack of drive towards being anything better than a maid, I think she's actually mature and worldly enough to have come to that decision herself. She's not your typical kid. It's like saying that someone has to finish their university degree before being the barber they've always dreamed to be, just because you're good enough to ace the exam.

In a way, Rudy has ensured that she studied and immersed herself into the material enough to get a perfect score. Even then all she wants to do is stay at home, so he didn't just fold and say "oh okay, no school for you" without doing anything. I was actually expecting Sylphie to offer home schooling for Aisha's magic training and was surprised that it didn't come up.

[Ryllharu]

I think that's what makes the two sisters' relationship interesting.

They're both fiercely jealous of each other just like normal sisters get, and it doesn't feel like forced narrative.

[Buffalobiian]

E17

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I liked this episode a lot. I'm all for Norn wondering why his brother was chilling when Paul is out looking for the mum.

The whole "living at the dorms" thing turned out to be just Norn betting and losing.

But anyway. Turning Point 3!

[Ryllharu]

Meh. It was a well-composed episode, but I'm sorry author and director, I still dislike Norn strongly.

I get the sense of rejection she had brewing concerning her own capabilities compared to her two siblings, but I can't accept it because she let it fester despite everyone in her life telling her otherwise for years. Her confirmation bias is infuriating in light of how many times she was told that she just got a bad first impression of him.

[DarthEnderX]

I get the sense of rejection she had brewing concerning her own capabilities compared to her two siblings, but I can't accept it because she let it fester despite everyone in her life telling her otherwise for years. Her confirmation bias is infuriating in light of how many times she was told that she just got a bad first impression of him.

100% this. Her being like "I don't understand my brother", but then every single time someone is like "Let me tell you about your brother", her internal monologue is just "I don't want to hear it!" is insufferable.

[Kraco]

If amazing, talented people tell her that Rudeus is not like what she believes him to be, it doesn't necessarily matter. She did see Rudeus being violent with Paul, who was anything but amazing when it happened. He was a failure and Rudeus was beating him up. Norn feels like a failure herself, all the time. Paul got better later, but that would have made Norn feel like she was left behind by him as well. Thus she feels like she has no allies, being the only untalented person in the family. Besides, since she hated Rudeus, it would make sense for her to believe Rudeus would dislike her as well. It's not like they would have ever had a good relationship. They relationship started with the fight and there it ended as well. Why would she expect Rudeus to welcome her with open arms when she openly showed her dislike back when they met in the southern country? Norn basically built a pit for herself and fell into it.

[David75]

How old is she already? 10? she's still a child, she needs time and experience, even in their medieval setting pushing hard truth way too soon on children.

[Buffalobiian]

I pretty much didn't care so much about Norn's motives, but I did find it a little interesting that she was still seeking attachment from Rudy even though she didn't like him much.

I was mostly impressed with Rudy trying to figure out how best to talk to Norn and the choice of words he'd use based on his past experiences. The icing on the cake is how the helper doesn't even know how they've helped sometimes, but the very act of being there and talking can be all that needs to happen. Sometimes I can forget that since I'm very "So what am I accomplishing by simply being here?"

[shinta|hikari]

Fuck Norn.

[MFauli]

Fuck Norn.

And Rudy took that literally.

[shinta|hikari]

Same here.