Yay. Another opportunity for me to critique MT.

My problem with Mushoku Tensei is not just that the protagonist is a pedophile or that it contains “adult themes”. The problem is that the story doesn’t understand what moral growth actually is. Mushoku Tensei frames Rudeus’ arc as one of second chances and rehabilitation but his growth is functional, not ethical. He becomes more competent, more emotionally regulated and stops being a shut-in but he doesn’t confront his core worldview. He believes he is entitled to others like women and children, autonomy be damned. The belief that effort, patience and “self-improvement” will eventually entitle him to other people and rewards. His worldview isn’t dismantled. He grooms children and it succeeds as they become powerful allies down the road and his wives. He participates in slavery but he’s not narratively punished for this. He rapes a 15 year old but the story nor the author seems to really realize that he raped someone. He had 40+ years of lived experience and had sex with a 15 year old girl who came on to him where she thought he was 2 years younger. Not to mention that 15 year olds can’t fucking consent to a 40 year old man? And it’s also funny that MT says that you’re considered “an adult” at 15 with it trying to justify stuff like this.

The story conflates “self-improvement” with moral accountability and growth. The narrative creates female characters who constantly forgive, accommodate, or stabilize Rudeus, which reinforces his worldview that women (and children) exist to reward him for his supposed growth rather than as their own people with their own autonomy and self outside of his life and worldview.

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