Anime

is it just me or is re:zero a really bad series starting from halfway though s2?

the character development and plot and tension up until sanctuary are decent 

but all the weird echidna and ryuzu and beatrice and roswaal backstory is so slow and detached 

and too much monologuing

I agree with you. The series shifts gears significantly post-Sanctuary, with a lot of focus on backstories that feel disconnected from the main plot. The pacing becomes slower, and the excessive monologues do detract from the overall experience.