Content Warning: This article contains discussions of sexual harassment and assault.

Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation is no stranger to controversy with a reprehensible protagonist whose perverted personality is right at the forefront. The story follows Rudeus Greyrat, a man who used to be a societal outcast who was afraid to leave his home in the modern world and gets reincarnated with his memories intact into a world with magic. Having a morally bad protagonist is not an inherently bad thing, but it does require a level of care for the message being sent that is sorely missing from this anime.

While it may seem to position itself as a redemption story or a commentary, Muhsoku Tensei refuses to provide real consequences for Rudy and largely allows him to simply continue the same harmful behaviors without apology or ability, and gain affection or iration despite it.

While Rudeus is able to overcome most of the faults he had in his first life and show some real growth, one area where there is absolutely no improvement is his relation with the other sex. Though it is certainly not the first time the story has done so, Episode #7 of Season 2 hammered home the point that this story is not one of redemption, but of plain and simple power fantasy and wish fulfillment with a morally bad (and fairly sexist) protagonist.

Mushoku Tensei Downplays Assault Through The Actions Of Its Protagonist

When It's About Women, Rudeus Shows No Growth At All

This episode followed Pursena Adoldia and Linia Dedoldia, Rudeus' classmates from the Beast Tace, who smashed a figure belonging to Rudeus' disciple, Zanoba. However, the figurine had been sculpted by Rudeus himself, and it represented one of his great loves, Roxy. Enraged, Rudeus ties up, gags, and gropes the girls, then leaves them confined to the extent that they urinate on themselves.

What makes things worse is that Rudeus its that he simply wanted to test if he could cure his current illness (erectile dysfunction) by groping the girls. Furthermore, the victims and Sylphiette are shockingly unbothered. Sylphie actually proceeds to threaten the girls with non-consensual permanent body writing on their faces, and at the end of this ordeal they start calling Rudeus “master” or "boss" and become friends.

While some depictions of assault can have value to teach important lessons and perspectives, none can be found in this. The setup of the episode, in which Linia and Pursena were framed as deserving of being 'put in their place' in the most degrading and sexist expression of the phrase, and the resulting acceptance of the act from the women and bystanders, only serves to excuse and downplay Rudeus's assault.

Unfortunately, this scene severely undercuts any growth the character has experienced and will experience later in the series (especially after the devastating loss he suffers) and reduces the women in Mushoku Tensei to tools of wish fulfillment for Rudeus, that they would easily forgive or love a man that degraded and abused women.

There Is No Redemption For Rudeus Greyrat

Mushoku Tensei's protagonist proves he is not just morally bad, he is also uninterested in real redemption. His behaviors are dominated by his own self-interest, and Rudeus repeats many of the same offenses throughout the series without remorse. Often the only consequences he receives from women around him are painted in a tsundere light, to shift the focus to their general shy or contrary attitude rather than his actions. In this case, he never apologizes or loses favor with Sylphie, Linia, or Pursena, and he even continues to attempt to grope Linia and Pursena when they become friends, with only comedic slapstick violence in response.

It must be said, however, that the author of Mushoku Tensei never meant for Rudeus to have any redeeming qualities. Rifujin na Magonote wanted Rudeus to feel as 'real' as possible, to make his journey of redemption more relatable. Unfortunately, by season 2 of the anime, the lack of any consequences for Rudeus' actions have blocked any chance for true redemption, tacitly implying he's done nothing wrong. Another example is that Rudeus has a neutral stance toward slavery (which is present in his new world).

Still, seeing women like Sylphie written as unreasonably forgiving of Rudeus's behavior makes it clear this is not a story of redemption; it's just a story about a bad person's wish fulfillment and one that seems to downplay the impact of sexual assault. Though Rudeus saves his comrades at times, it is largely these displays of power that earn him affection and not any acts of ability, or deep internal change.

Rudeus's assault on Pursena and Linia is a primary example of how Mushoku Tensei negates any growth its protagonist might experience with his persistent, unchallenged abuse of the women around him.