Subaru Natsuki (Japanese: ナツキ・スバル, Hepburn: Natsuki Subaru) is a fictional character from Re:Zero − Starting Life in Another World, a series of light novels written by Tappei Nagatsuki and illustrated by Shin’ichirō Ōtsuka. Subaru is a young hikikomori who suddenly finds himself transported to another world on his way home from the convenience store. While dealing with the new society, he also encounters catastrophes that result in his death, though he is always revived to a point in time where he can make substantial changes. Using this “Return by Death” (死に戻り, Shinimodori) ability, Subaru searches for a way to protect his newly found friends. Aside from the anime and video games based on the series, Subaru also appears in the gag series Isekai Quartet.

Nagatsuki originally wrote a web novel in 2013 involving Subaru’s ability, which impressed his superiors and asked him to write the light novels. Ōtsuka’s first sketch of the character was rejected due to the writer’s fear of making him unlikable. In the anime adaptation of the series, Subaru is voiced by Yūsuke Kobayashi in Japanese and Sean Chiplock in English.

Subaru has been a popular character in Japan and won for “Best Character (Male)” at the Newtype Anime Awards. Despite early mixed reception to Subaru’s characterization in the narrative, anime and manga critics have praised the handling of his stress and the way he overcomes it in a heroic manner, making him a likable protagonist.