Re:Zero and Visual Novel Mechanics

Eight episodes into Re:Zero I’ve gotten a very interesting vibe from the series.  Starting with Subaru’s death at the hands of Rem, it felt kind of like a visual novel.  The most obvious thing suggesting that is Subaru’s own comment that he must have angered her with his actions during that life, by stirring up her jealousy of her sister’s affections through his own relationship with Ram.  This whole scenario felt very “bad ending” to me.  He chose the girl whose affection he would focus on building, but in so doing failed to realize how yandere her sister was about her.  With episodes in this arc where Subaru “goes after” each of the four girls that share the mansion with him I can’t help but feel that this was conscious to some degree.