I love this series, but I had forgotten how slow the beginning is. From the outset, Shirayuki is such a strong and capable character, thoroughly showing her ability to think on her feet. Zen's characterization is a bit weaker at the beginning, but he does show his supportiveness and naïvety when dealing with people outside of his circle. I really like his stance on being part of a royal family in general, wanting to go out there and really see how the people are living. Matsuhide and Kiki are hilarious from the get-go and I already love their dynamic. I had also forgotten how Obi was introduced to the group, so that was fun revisiting.