Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- (Re：ゼロから始める異世界生活, Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu) Season 2 is a 2020-21 television anime series based on Tappei Nagatsuki’s light novel series of the same name with illustrator Shin’ichirō Ōtsuka and the second season to the 2016 anime series. The series was adapted by studio White Fox, and the staff credits include director Masaharu Watanabe, series composition writer Masahiro Yokotani, character designer Kyuta Sakai and music composer Kenichiro Suehiro. The second season first aired in Japan on July 2020 with its first cour, followed by its second cour airing in January 2021.
Note: Due to the packaging artwork and contents, this unboxing will contain spoilers for the show’s first and second season.
Background:
“Following the battle with the Witch Cult, Subaru has discovered that, to his utter horror, Rem is in a coma and everyone barring him has forgotten her existence – a horror exacerbated by the realisation that even his ability to “Return by Death” is unable to rectify the situation. In a desperate search for a resolution to this state of affair, Subaru follows a lead which leads him to the Sanctuary – the residence of Echidna, the Witch of Greed, and the home to a trio of harrowing trials that will test both him and Emilia like nothing they have experienced before.”
Plot Synopsis via Anime Limited, December 2024.
The world of Re:ZERO continues as we have a third season currently airing over in Japan which is split into two parts similarly to this season, and the franchise as a whole continues to grow in popularity. Now I’ve not watched the new season but I have seen the previous ones which were both really good and well worth watching. While the first season covered three story arcs, the second season adapts one massive arc that took a whole two-cours worth of episodes to adapt. Like before, it’s all about the journey and challenges that Subaru faces, whether its rabbits or figuring out how to deal with two situations in different locations at the same time. Either way, it’s a wild ride.
Now if you’ve been following my hauls, you will notice that I have already picked up Re:ZERO Season 2 for home video. To recap what had happened, Crunchyroll UK announced plans to release the series, only to them backpedal and say it’s not happening because they don’t have the rights (presumably in reference to home video). At MCM Comic Con London in October 2024, Anime Limited finally revealed they had the home video rights, but the problem was that many fans including myself went for the US release because we didn’t want to miss out on the limited edition since we’re all fans of the series, and this is a big show where Season 1 did sell pretty fast on the special editions for both regions. Anime Limited was radio silent about this and could only reveal it at the convention which was weeks after people imported is not acceptable in my opinion, and I hope this never happens again. So yes, owning the US version was not supposed to have been the plan had I had known that it would still receive a UK release. The US version is still very good and well-priced, in fact it’s still in stock on Crunchyroll’s store which makes this whole ordeal even more frustrating.
Crunchyroll has the streaming and home video rights for Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- (including the director’s cut for Season 1 as well as the two specials but those currently remain streaming only) but the first season was distributed by Anime Limited for the UK & Ireland during a time where Crunchyroll was separate from Funimation. For the second season, Anime Limited as mentioned were able to release Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 2 for the UK & Ireland, but have decided to split the season into two parts whereas Crunchyroll went for a complete season collection. You’re basically paying more under Anime Limited than you are importing from Crunchyroll’s let’s just put it that way. It does bring to question how the license was handled, whether Kadokawa/TV Tokyo in Japan only provided Crunchyroll the home video rights for US and Australia this time around.
Collector’s Edition Contents:
As mentioned, Anime Limited decided to split Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 2 into two parts rather than a complete season. You’ll be playing more to own the season but for their collector’s edition release it does mean more consistency with the first season. Since I have both parts ordered together, this unboxing will include them together as well.
The collector’s edition Part 1 release is presented first with an outer box (sold exclusively through AllTheAnime website) to house both parts together. Then we have a rigid box containing a digipack to house the Blu-ray discs and the first Original Soundtrack CD, alongside a 52-page booklet and an A3-sized poster. The booklet includes character information and designs, illustrations, background, props and more.
The collector’s edition Part 2 release is presented first with a rigid box containing a digipack to house the Blu-ray discs and the second Original Soundtrack CD, alongside a 52-page booklet and an A3-sized poster. The booklet includes more character information and designs, illustrations, background, props and more.
Both booklets are not in hardcover compared to the first season collector’s edition releases and content-wise is the same as what’s included in the Crunchyroll limited editions but with added synopsis/information for each character presented on the pages. French text is also included as this release’s physical items are also distributed in France by AllTheAnime. The discs will be different however.
The rigid box artwork for both parts are free of any information or BBFC content and the info sheet covers the information and specification like previous Anime Limited releases. Both collector’s edition Blu-ray sets have 1000 units printed for an SRP of £74.99 (an increase due to the OST inclusion I believe). Standard edition Blu-rays are also available for retailers at an SRP of £39.99 each.
Both parts went on early bird offer at the same time over on AllTheAnime store in September 2024, and so I ordered them together. The offer was £44.99 each, totalling £89.98, but since I have the Anime Unlimited membership the price lowered by 10% at £40.49 each, totalling £80.98. This is still more expensive than owning the Crunchyroll limited edition (which Rightstuf sold for $60.74 i.e. ~£48 plus postage).
Physical Contents:
- Part 1
- Rigid Outer Box to house Collector’s Edition Parts 1 & 2 together (AllTheAnime Store Exclusive)
- Rigid Box with digipack packaging
- Info sheet for specification and BBFC rating details
- Original Soundtrack CD 1
- 52-page Artbook
- A3-sized Poster
- Part 2
- Rigid Box with digipack packaging
- Info sheet for specification and BBFC rating details
- Original Soundtrack CD 2
- 52-page Artbook
- A3-sized Poster
On-Disc Contents:
Distributor: Anime Limited
Released: 9th December 2024 (Parts 1 & 2)
The collector’s edition Part 1 release for Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 2 contains the first cour of the series, episodes 1-13, across two Blu-ray discs. All the discs were encoded and authored by Crunchyroll.
The collector’s edition Part 2 release contains the second cour of the series, episodes 14-25, across two Blu-ray discs. All the discs were encoded and authored by Crunchyroll.
Audio options include Japanese audio with English subtitles and the Bang Zoom! English dub commissioned by Crunchyroll. The white subtitles are unlockable during playback and the regions are locked to Blu-ray players set to B.
Blu-ray Specs:
| Languages | English, Japanese |
| Audio | English Dolby TrueHD 2.0 Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0 |
| Video | 1080p High Definition Native format 16:9 aspect ratio |
| Region | B |
| Subtitles | English |
| Locked Subtitles | No |
| Discs | Part 1: 2 BD-50s Part 2: 2 BD-50s |
Blu-ray On-Disc Extra Features:
Part 2 – Disc 2:
- Promo Videos (08:00 runtime)
- Commercials (02:27 runtime)
- Textless Opening Song “Realize”
- Textless Opening Song “Long Shot”
- Textless Closing Song “Memento”
- Textless Closing Song “Believe in You”
Unboxing Photos:
Part 1:
Part 2:
Final Notes:
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World- Season 2 is available to purchase on Blu-ray by Anime Limited in the UK & Ireland. The collector’s edition Blu-ray releases can be bought across different retailers including Amazon UK (Part 1, Part 2), Anime-on-Line (Part 1, Part 2), and AllTheAnime Store (Part 1 w/Exclusive Box, Part 2). A standard edition Blu-ray is available and can also be bought across different retailers including Amazon UK (Part 1, Part 2), Anime-on-Line (Part 1, Part 2), and AllTheAnime Store (Part 1, Part 2).
(Disclaimer: Amazon links are also included when available. They are affiliated so if you decide to order them, I’ll earn a small percentage if they ship which will help me with any hauls or small bills.)
The Normanic Vault 
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