The author of “Mushoku Tensei,” Rifujin na Magonote, recently attempted to explain the character Rudeus’s perspective on slavery, emphasizing that Rudeus doesn’t harbor hatred for the practice.
However, the author’s Tweet likely reached beyond its intended audience (Japanese fans) when Anime News Network shared the information about the Tweet, leading to backlash from anime fans.
“Mushoku Tensei” Season 2, Part 2, is currently airing. In the series, Rudeus’s student Zanoba is passionate about figures and asks Rudeus to teach him sculpting. Despite multiple attempts, it becomes evident that Zanoba lacks the talent to create figures.
To create figures for Zanoba, Rudeus purchases a child slave, naming her Julie. The portrayal of slavery, coupled with Rudeus’s lack of opposition to it (despite being from the modern world), raised concerns among viewers. It’s important to point out that the practice of slavery is considered normal in the world of “Mushoku Tensei.”
Seeing the criticism of the episode, author Rifujin na Magonote decided to share Rudeus’s viewpoint on slavery, Tweeting:
“Regarding Rudeus, He doesn’t really have a strong aversion to slavery. He feels like not all slaves are necessarily more unhappy than they were before becoming slaves, so while kidnapping is evil, it doesn’t seem that the slavery system itself can be definitively called evil. It feels like I shouldn’t brandish my own sense of justice in a culture I’m not familiar with.”
This Tweet, once shared by Anime News Network, led to criticism from anime fans. One fan commented, “Everything I hear about this series tells me more and more it’s not for me,” while another Tweeted, “One of the most annoying things about some of these isekais is that the main character from the modern day just casually accepts slavery because that’s just how it is in that world, no need to question it.”
One of the main points of criticism was that Rudeus, despite having lived in the modern world for almost 40 years, doesn’t despise or hate slavery. This aspect of his character has particularly struck a chord with viewers, as it contrasts sharply with contemporary values and attitudes towards slavery.
Mushoku Tensei Author Apologizes
Faced with significant backlash, Rifujin na Magonote felt compelled to apologize to viewers, Tweeting, “I don’t condone slavery myself, so I’d like to apologize, but it’s true that I wrote Rudeus as someone who has no aversion to slavery. I’ve written it in a mild setting so that it can be accepted, so there’s no point in justifying yourself.”
Since the first season, Mushoku Tensei has been involved in its fair share of controversies. Fans have criticized the main character, Rudeus Greyrat, for being too pervy. Many viewers even dropped the series because of this.
Most of the criticism seems to center around the portrayal of characters, sexual content, and moral ambiguity in the series. Some viewers appreciate the world-building and unique aspects of the show, while others are turned off by the content and themes.
What are your thoughts on Mushoku Tensei’s depiction of Slavery? Let us know your opinion in the comment section.
