Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World: The Frozen Bond Vol. 3 Review – Going Back to the Very Beginning

The Re:Zero prequel finale is here, and this time Mangaka Minori Tsukahara is not holding back on the action and emotions that take readers to the beginning of the series. It’s a powerful and essential piece of this series that isn’t made clear if you’re simply reading for all of Subaru’s hijinx. Suffice it to say; it’s a powerful conclusion that answers various questions but could have used more depth in writing.

Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World – The Frozen Bond Vol. 3 begins with Emelia fighting for her life against a spirit named Melaquera, who has judged her with bias. She resembles the witch who once almost destroyed the world, and he’s there to end her life before she can do the same. However, the friendship between her and Puck is tested during the fight as their bond is the only thing that could defeat this enemy.

Some powerful moments occur during flashbacks that pace the story wonderfully. However, you’ll likely breeze through this entire volume if you’re not interested in action. There’s very little dialogue as we watch Emelia fight for her life. Further, the antagonist repeatedly repeats the same dialogue, which tells me we’re supposed to focus on the action here.

This is for a good reason, too, because the battle is epic. There’s a back and forth between these spirits, each pushing themselves to their limits. Melaquera is a formidable foe, and after getting an idea of his backstory, I feel the conclusion could have been handled differently. Still, the theme of bonds is what pushes the narrative forward.
The illustrations throughout focus on close-ups of the character’s facial features.

This is great for the more emotional moments, but the backgrounds aren’t given much attention. I can only guess this is due to the entire story taking place in the forest, though, so it’s not that big of a deal. But, again, the emotions are on full display, which only adds to the power of the scenes.

Re:Zero Starting Life in Another World: The Frozen Bond Vol. 3 takes us up to the beginning of the series, with a few liberties taken that are exclusive to the manga. Tsukahara-san delivers an epic conclusion full of emotions and struggles that prepare readers for the strong bond shared between Emelia and Puck. Although I wouldn’t have minded a bit more dialogue, it’s a must-read for series fans.