How Even The Best Laid Plans Can Be Derailed by Idiots

Posted on by Karandi
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode Review Title Image

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode 12 Review

With the dryad making her request of Rimuru and the kijin being pretty onboard with the plan of taking out the orc lord, it seems it is fairly inevitable that we’ll get a battle between Rimuru’s group and the orc army. Still, allies are nice and while Rimuru doesn’t want to deal with the idiot Gabiru, he does send someone to talk to the chief of the Lizardmen and they hammer out an alliance of sorts. All looks to be going well in That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, until Gabiru decides (or rather is very easily manipulated) into stuffing everything up.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode 12 Souei

Characters like Gabiru really annoy me but at the same time they aren’t actually badly written characters. They really do reflect those people you meet in life who think they are all that and can do no wrong. Those people who charge into things believing it will work out because ‘how could it not’ but generally speaking then blame others for their failures or have a whole bag of excuses as to why something wasn’t their fault. 

Just look at Gabiru’s explanation as to why he lost to Gobta.

I might have worked with a few people just like Gabiru. They are more annoying in real life.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode 12 Gabiru

And while Gabiru eats a lot of screen time in the second half, this isn’t actually a problem because it is doing exactly what it needs to do. It is escalating the situation. Rimuru already had to deal with the orc army and the orc lord. He thought he had an alliance of Lizardmen waiting for his arrival, and now the lizards are under new leadership, stirring up the orc army and actually providing food for them (gross) and there’s almost no chance of them being able to join up. While I wouldn’t go so far as to call the situation tense, Slime doesn’t take itself seriously enough to actually have tension, it is certainly at least building up this threat as at least something that might vaguely threaten if not Rimuru then perhaps those that follow him.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode 12 Rimuru

I am definitely enjoying Slime more at the moment than I was and unlike other shows this season that started reasonably well but have kind of gone nowhere or downhill (looking at you Index and SAO), this one seems to keep building on its world, characters and ideas and gets more interesting with time.

The Worst Way To Learn the Skill of Diplomacy

Posted on by Karandi
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode Review Title Image

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode 11 Review

Rimuru might be a slime but this isekai story is pretty determined to ensure we hit every cliche and trope along the way which kind of takes away some of the impact of having a slime as a protagonist. Still, it isn’t as though cliches are bad, it is just this kind of self-awareness walks a fine line between slightly amusing and smugly obnoxious and Rimuru sitting at the table bemoaning the fact that he was about to be fed cliche terrible food (purple and all) really didn’t hit the mark. Though, as much as I will roll my eyes at that scene, the rest of the episode was pretty pleasantly entertaining.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode 11 Rimuru

We get to spend a bit of time seeing how the ogres have integrated with the goblin village and the roles they are taking up. While this does lead us into a number  fairly generic encounters but again, these characters are pleasant enough that you can kind of just go along with them. Seeing Rimuru trapped in the forge because he couldn’t find a good moment to take his leave as the Dwarf and the Ogre discuss techniques was pretty entertaining, and the other dwarves learning about silk was fine.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode 11 Lizardman

However, it isn’t until the Lizardmen finally show up in the village that things seem to move forward again. That usual issue I have with the pacing of the show where nothing happens for ages in terms of plot and then we suddenly leap forward.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode 11 Gobta
When rewards don’t work, threaten them with bad food.

But, it is worth the wait. Gabiru, the Lizardman Prince or whatever, is an insufferable narcissist, made worse by his group of cronies and hangers-on who encourage his worst personality traits. He’s only been around two episodes and yet I was utterly delighted when Gobta knocked him senseless. Gabiru is at the village essentially asking for help, and instead of asking declares that they can all have the honour of serving the lizards, and then proceeds to belittle the direwolves for following a slime. Not exactly the way one goes about asking for a favour.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode 11 Dryad

That actually seemed like enough for the episode, given the pace of most episodes, and yet Slime wasn’t finished just yet, as right before the end we introduce a Dryad who also asks Rimuru to fight the orcs. Given she’s a pretty girl I’m guessing he’s going to say yes.

Or, use one of my product affiliate links.
THAT TIME I GOT REINCARNATED AS A SLIME PUNIPUNI RIMURU-SAMA
THAT TIME I GOT REINCARNATED AS A SLIME PUNIPUNI RIMURU-SAMA

Slime, Ogres, and Lizardmen, The Coming Conflict Looks Colourful

Posted on by Karandi
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode Review Title Image

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode 10 Review

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime continues to move at its own pace. Last week, Rimuru defeated the ogres and invited them back to his village. This week, we admire the meat and feast before Rimuru gets to the business of inviting the ogres to join him in the village. Now, this seems fairly straight forward: ogre village destroyed, ogres should go elsewhere. However it turns out it is a little more emotionally complicated than that for the leader of the ogres who feels he has failed to protect his people and all that. 

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode 10 Rimuru

I don’t actually mean to sound blase but it is really hard to sound otherwise when discussing this anime. For while we do get a fairly decent scene with the ogre punching a tree showing off some inner turmoil, in almost the next scene he puts a few amendments onto the agreement with Rimuru and takes to one knee. It is back to this idea where Slime kind of lingers on slice of life nothing kind of moments but then where something major happens it feels like it just kind of accelerates straight through it.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode 10 Ogre

Not that it matters. The point gets across. The episode doesn’t feel dragged out. Ogres join with Slime and Rimuru then gives them names causing him to take another nap. He really needs to learn to ask first as to what the cost of something is going to be.

However, just in case ogres weren’t enough, the anime then brings in some Lizardmen. And while these guys haven’t gotten to Rimuru’s village yet it is kind of only a matter of time. Their introduction seemed only relevant in that it reinforced that the orcs are coming, the Prince of the lizard-guys has been given a name by a wanderer, the same as the deceased goblin brother that was mentioned episodes ago, and the ogres have all but confirmed that the demon lord guy who connects those two points is the one who came to their village and was refused right before the orcs destroyed it.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode 10 Lizardmen
You just know this guy is going to be a problem.

It’s kind of a lot of information but at the same time still feels like we didn’t really get very far. And I feel like I say that a lot with this anime. Anyway, I had fun, in case that wasn’t clear. The more characters and the more the world opens up, the more entertaining each episode seems so let’s push on and see what happens next.

Watch the Slime Playing With Powers and Defeating Ogres

Posted on by Karandi
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode Review Title Image

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode 9 Review

Rimuru had something of a touching moment at the start of this episode where we saw him looking eye to eye with the mask Shizu left. For a character that existed for only a couple of episodes, she’s left an impact on both the Rimuru and the audience and her presence is palpable throughout the episode as Rimuru’s human form does mimic hers in a lot of ways and he’s also acquired her powers. 

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode 9 Rimuru

Still, despite doing a decent job on the passing of a character last week and beginning with remembering her we quickly turn to some comedy that will either have you smiling or groaning depending as Rimuru plays with the body double skill and first ageing and then playing with the sex of his human form. Fortunately this is a brief moment of comedy before we get on with more important things (though still kind of cool if you think about future possibilities it has to be able to change the appearance of your clone).

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode 9 Rimuru in human form

I enjoyed Rimuru returning to the cave where Veldora was to play with his new powers. It kind of gave it a sense of importance and also reminded the audience about Veldora (who at this stage is pretty easy to forget). But, this episode did want to move things along and so we have a party of hunting goblins being attacked by ogres. However, things aren’t as they seem as the ogres are only attacking because their village was attacked.

Going to be honest, this one is a pretty transparent as to where this is going.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode 9 Ogres

By the end of the episode Rimuru in his own weird way has won them over and they all go for a feast. Which is probably a sound way to end anything really. Still, like many things in That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime it all felt a little too unearned. Largely though, this remains a pretty fun viewing experience and it has built nicely upon its foundations even if at times it feels a little shallow.