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Re:ゼロから始める異世界生活 氷結の絆 #1
Re:ZERO -Starting Life in Another World-, The Frozen Bond, Vol. 1
Before Return by Death, a Fateful Tale Woven by Girl and Spirit
Deep within the isolated Great Elior Forest, a freezing land covered in snow and ice, lives a girl feared for her resemblance to the legendary Witch of Jealousy. She is the half-elf Emilia, her only company a cat-like spirit named Puck. Both are similarly spurred by duty and guilt, yet the two never grow closer. In this world, the days seem as if they’re an unchanging eternity, but the trials awaiting them are merciless like hellfire…
Deep within the isolated Great Elior Forest, a freezing land covered in snow and ice, lives a girl feared for her resemblance to the legendary Witch of Jealousy. She is the half-elf Emilia, her only company a cat-like spirit named Puck. Both are similarly spurred by duty and guilt, yet the two never grow closer. In this world, the days seem as if they’re an unchanging eternity, but the trials awaiting them are merciless like hellfire…
180 pages, Paperback
First published September 25, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 10, 2022
The Beginning before Return from Death
When it comes to Emilia there are lovers and haters but this series is her time to shine (along side the mischievous Puck) as we see her life before the main series. As caring as she is her life is not without some danger and she has the ability to handle many dangerous things whether it is obsessed criminals or even wild beasts all in the name of protecting not only those that would enter her forest but the strange frozen elves that she cares for daily.
This is the time that the Ice Queen will find her destiny as the Frozen Bond secures her to it.
When it comes to Emilia there are lovers and haters but this series is her time to shine (along side the mischievous Puck) as we see her life before the main series. As caring as she is her life is not without some danger and she has the ability to handle many dangerous things whether it is obsessed criminals or even wild beasts all in the name of protecting not only those that would enter her forest but the strange frozen elves that she cares for daily.
This is the time that the Ice Queen will find her destiny as the Frozen Bond secures her to it.
December 9, 2023
Weird and cute. I hope the second volume brings the backstory.
July 26, 2024
There's an amount I want to see how this pans out, but it also feels like, since it's a prequel to the main series, I *technically* already know. Yet, I don't, and it feels weird, since the whole premise of how Subaru relives his life after each (literally) fatal mistake is repeated in each chapter break... despite this being YEARS before Subaru ever sets foot in this world.
The problem is, clearly it wasn't the best move to just start here in the first place, since Emilia is innocent and clueless to a fault, with none of the fun interaction that Subaru provides (and while Puck is cute, he doesn't stick around enough to even approach what Subaru brings to the table, ESPECIALLY since he has some ulterior plans in mind he keeps from Emilia). So it's a very slow-paced (to me) story, and even though it's a little easier to retain than watching the anime OVA (or maybe I just think that since I recently read the manga but have totally forgotten what happens in the OVA), it ultimately feels so "side story" as to be unimportant to the main story.
I mean, technically it is! Obviously, if this story were important, it would've been told in the main storyline, rather than as an offshoot. Granted, the series is so broken up that I have trouble keeping track of it, vs. something like Fullmetal Alchemist is straightforward in its numbering (and though there are offshoots, they're by a different author and only canon to the anime when the series started to overtake the main storyline). The narrative's just sort of going all over the place is the problem. Sure, lots of long-running series sort of lose the plot and drift off to other subjects, but the persistent theme is that Subaru learns from his past lives (and, after a while, doesn't want to depend on that anymore), yet the story as of the last volume I read is at a point where I've lost track of what the characters are even doing there. Is it really just, "Subaru keeps ending up in trouble and has to dig his way out, totally at random, forever?"
Anyway, THIS story is... at least at first, a bit more straightforward, but also slow-paced. Some terrible major event happened, and Emilia is living mostly alone (with visits from Puck) trying to piece things together, but the people in the nearest village harbour intense prejudice against her, due to the fact of her appearance, and despite her knowledge of and attempts to keep the magic beasts of the forest at bay. It's not really a story that would hold my interest by itself; I'm only still interested in reading BECAUSE it's a prequel. Otherwise, it would go in the "read one volume, donate to free library" pile and be forgotten in a week like a good number of other titles I've plowed through since joining Goodreads (really, since I discovered that free libraries were a great way to not have to keep books I would otherwise gladly acquire, read once, then likely never read again).
I don't know. *Sort of* recommended for fans of the series. Watching the OVA might be easier, though, or it might not. I don't know if it just didn't end in a satisfying way, and that's why I forgot what happened, or if it really didn't get finished and I forgot to check if it ever did.
The problem is, clearly it wasn't the best move to just start here in the first place, since Emilia is innocent and clueless to a fault, with none of the fun interaction that Subaru provides (and while Puck is cute, he doesn't stick around enough to even approach what Subaru brings to the table, ESPECIALLY since he has some ulterior plans in mind he keeps from Emilia). So it's a very slow-paced (to me) story, and even though it's a little easier to retain than watching the anime OVA (or maybe I just think that since I recently read the manga but have totally forgotten what happens in the OVA), it ultimately feels so "side story" as to be unimportant to the main story.
I mean, technically it is! Obviously, if this story were important, it would've been told in the main storyline, rather than as an offshoot. Granted, the series is so broken up that I have trouble keeping track of it, vs. something like Fullmetal Alchemist is straightforward in its numbering (and though there are offshoots, they're by a different author and only canon to the anime when the series started to overtake the main storyline). The narrative's just sort of going all over the place is the problem. Sure, lots of long-running series sort of lose the plot and drift off to other subjects, but the persistent theme is that Subaru learns from his past lives (and, after a while, doesn't want to depend on that anymore), yet the story as of the last volume I read is at a point where I've lost track of what the characters are even doing there. Is it really just, "Subaru keeps ending up in trouble and has to dig his way out, totally at random, forever?"
Anyway, THIS story is... at least at first, a bit more straightforward, but also slow-paced. Some terrible major event happened, and Emilia is living mostly alone (with visits from Puck) trying to piece things together, but the people in the nearest village harbour intense prejudice against her, due to the fact of her appearance, and despite her knowledge of and attempts to keep the magic beasts of the forest at bay. It's not really a story that would hold my interest by itself; I'm only still interested in reading BECAUSE it's a prequel. Otherwise, it would go in the "read one volume, donate to free library" pile and be forgotten in a week like a good number of other titles I've plowed through since joining Goodreads (really, since I discovered that free libraries were a great way to not have to keep books I would otherwise gladly acquire, read once, then likely never read again).
I don't know. *Sort of* recommended for fans of the series. Watching the OVA might be easier, though, or it might not. I don't know if it just didn't end in a satisfying way, and that's why I forgot what happened, or if it really didn't get finished and I forgot to check if it ever did.
April 8, 2025
May be a biased opinion since I've already watched the series (what they have so far) and the movie, but this was great to read after waiting so long for more anime content. Absolutely love this story in its entirety, it's highly underrated and one of the best Isekai manga/anime out there. This volume in particular tells a story that roots from Emilia and Puck, beginning after a long tragedy that overcame their forest so long ago. I'd love to read more volumes if I can. Definitely can't put any volumes of this series down!!
April 30, 2023
I'm not when it takes place in the Re:Zero world but I quite liked it, we didn't have Subaru, it was just Emilia and Puck. With some bandits and town folk, it's still setting up the story as to why she's living in a forest looking after statues and hated by everyone but I suspect a lot more will be explained in future volumes. It's a nice slow burn, what the hints of what happened in this were good.
July 12, 2024
would probably rate this a 3.5! haven’t read manga in awhile but this was a pretty quick read; since i watched the anime this perspective was a new and interesting one of emilia living by herself (well, with puck of course) and trying to just survive in the forest despite the biases of all those from the village around her.
the translations could use a bit of work to get them more natural sounding!
the translations could use a bit of work to get them more natural sounding!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2024
First volume of the saga I read. Sweet. Discreet drawings. You don't understand everything in the fights, but that's ok. The connection with the envy witch makes me curious. The past is gradually revealed. Will Puck be a ghost or an elf? We will see. The story is about discrimination between different "races".
April 5, 2023
Was a bit boring glad I got it from the library I think I'll give another vol a try.
June 1, 2023
puck kemana sih 😭😭
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews