Re:Zero – Starting Life in Another World: Frozen Bond

Re:Zero: Frozen Bond is the second Re:Zero OVA film and is significantly more plot-relevant than Memory Snow. Set in the distant past before Emilia met Subaru, the film explores Emilia's life in the Elior Forest alongside the spirit Puck and reveals the origin of their deep bond — how Puck came to be Emilia's contracted spirit and what they each sacrificed to forge that connection. The film provides crucial backstory for both Emilia and Puck that enriches the main series' events, particularly the revelations about Emilia's past that Season 2 begins to unveil.

Frozen Bond is considered essential viewing for Re:Zero fans precisely because it answers questions the main series raises without fully addressing. Understanding the history between Emilia and Puck — what Puck means to her, why their bond is so absolute, and what Emilia endured in the forest — makes her character in Season 2 substantially more comprehensible and emotionally impactful. The film is beautifully animated, with the Elior Forest's frozen landscape serving as a visually striking backdrop. It is best watched before Season 2 if you want the backstory context in advance, or after finishing Season 1 to understand why certain revelations in Season 2 hit the way they do.