That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime

Episodes 1-3

If you've ever complained that most isekai protagonists are less interesting than a puddle of goo, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime might just be the show you've been waiting for. Main character Satoru Mikami goes through the usual process of dying and being reborn in a fantasy world, but he comes back as a little slime monster instead of a human. The first living thing he encounters is an enormous dragon named Veldora, who has been imprisoned in a cave by a powerful magic barrier. The two of them hit it off, and Veldora gives Satoru a new name for his new life: Rimuru Tempest. Since neither of them can find a way to spring Veldora from his lonely prison, Rimuru ends up eating the whole thing so his slimy body can analyze the barrier from the outside while Veldora tries to break through from the inside. On his own again, Rimuru emerges from the cave into a world thrown into chaos by the dragon's sudden disappearance. His first order of business? Sort out a conflict between a village of Goblins and a pack of Direwolves.

As you might expect from its title and premise, this series gets off to a reasonably amusing start. Even Satoru's dramatic death is partially played for laughs; his rambling final thoughts are loosely translated into special abilities in his next life, and his final request is for his coworker to destroy the hard drive on his home computer. The opening episode sets aside some time for him to adjust to his new life as a slime, and there's a good sense of fun behind the way Rimuru tests out his various abilities. Once he encounters Veldora, the show really hits its stride. The image of a tiny slime ball conversing with a giant dragon is funny enough on its own, and the dynamic between Rimuru and Veldora is endearing. Compared to the formulaic “teenage boy meets hot fantasy girl” interactions that so many isekai titles open with, this unlikely friendship between blob and lizard feels genuinely fresh.

As the story plays out, the show manages to find a comfortable balance between comedy and plot advancement. Rimuru's constant commentary sometimes upstages his interactions with other characters, but for the most part his observations help add a sense of levity to whatever situation he gets into. This is especially welcome whenever the script jumps into world-building mode; an occasional witty remark helps to make those “here's how this universe works” speeches a little less dry. There are a few moments where things get serious, most notably during Rimuru's confrontation with the Direwolf leader, but the show is always quick to transition back into lighter material. If anything, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime could actually stand to spend more time on its dramatic elements; the script seems capable of making them work, so why not give these scenes a little more room to breathe?

Then again, that tendency to lean toward comedy may be the thing that saves this story from its biggest potential pitfall. Rimuru starts off with a generous list of special abilities, and it's rare for a scene to go by without him either improving a skill he already has or acquiring a totally new one. He's already the scariest monster in the immediate area, and there doesn't seem to be any sort of limit on the amount of power he can acquire. That strength could undermine the dramatic tension in an otherwise climactic battle, so it's encouraging to see the series finding ways to write around the issue. Rimuru's personality seems to be geared toward avoiding conflict, as evidenced by the way he handles the battle at the Goblin village; the focus is more on making peace and less on defeating the presumptive bad guys. At the same time, we're starting to see signs that Rimuru isn't completely indestructible, and he seems to be particularly vulnerable after using up too much magic. With a little luck and some solid writing, all this should be enough to take the edge off the old overpowered hero problem.

For the most part, the visuals are a good match for the narrative. The art style tends to go for a bright and colorful look during the more lighthearted scenes, with the dramatic moments taking on a darker and less cartoonish palette. Most of the monster designs are nothing special, though the physical evolution of the Goblins is handled pretty well. The one big highlight is Rimuru, who manages to be incredibly expressive for a blue ball of goo. His movements show off the best of the show's animation, ranging from swift jumps to a leisurely gelatinous slither. Also worth noting is the way the visual direction depicts Rimuru getting used to his body in the first episode, with some abstract imagery and extreme close-ups helping to convey the feeling of adjusting to a completely new physical form.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is off to a good start, provided you're in the market for a less serious take on both fantasy and isekai. It's able to maintain a lighthearted tone without completely abandoning the plot, and its efforts at world-building have been at least mildly interesting. The importance of names seems like it'll be a theme worth exploring, and I imagine we'll meet the girl who defeated Veldora sooner or later. As long as it doesn't get bogged down by excess lore or derailed by Rimuru's overwhelming strength, this could be a unique and entertaining variation on a popular formula.

Rating: B+

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.