That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode 20 Review
It’s taken twenty episodes to get to this point, but I finally realise this was a series I was never meant to watch. For all that it has interesting moments and ideas, what it lacks are compelling characters or a developing narrative. I can’t wait until people tell me why I’m wrong this week (sarcasm) but that is the conclusion I’ve drawn after watching Millim decide it’s time she got back to demon lording and just up and leave, Rimuru deciding that things are going well enough in the kingdom he’s building that he can now just up and go to deal with Shizu’s baggage and have the episode end with him becoming a teacher in what essentially looks like a magic school.
This isn’t a problem of this story being more slice of life than narrative focused. While there has been a narrative stringing events along, plot has never been a particularly strong point of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. The most profound and interesting moments have come from the characters with Shizu’s short visit and subsequent death being the absolute highlight of the series. There’s also been some amusing moments from the general antics of some of the characters that have helped keep things feeling fresh even when very little seems to be happening.
The problem is that in the absence of a driving plot, we don’t have deep or complex characters and a lot of the cast aren’t even vaguely fleshed out or interesting. Every character introduced has been potentially interesting, but far too many have just been shoved to the background with absolutely no focus, development or growth. Again, the support cast might get away with that if the main characters were amazing but as much fun as Rimuru is, and he is fun, for me he just isn’t a strong enough character to carry a series (clearly other people disagree given the recent Crunchyroll awards – but that’s why it is an opinion). For me, Rimuru is an interesting enough character and given a strong plot, I’d probably really love watching him. However, with neither the plot nor the characters particularly engaging me, this second cour has really felt pretty flat and my enjoyment of the series has been on a downward trajectory.
But, the final nail in the coffin (not really given its still fun enough), is this sudden lurching scene change and Rimuru taking on the role of a teacher. I don’t know how that will play out. It might end up being brilliant to watch. However, it doesn’t fit within the context of the anime so far that has focused on building up that small goblin village and then negotiations between countries. It is such a shift in focus and even though it does connect to a previous plot thread, and one I really liked given Shizu was a high point, it honestly just feels like the writer decided they were bored with the whole negotiations and treaty building part of the story and wrote themselves a scene change.
We’re still five episodes from the end of this and while I’ve had enough fun and even some good moments, I’m really going to have to think about my final review of this series, because with the ups and downs, highs and lows, the only thing I know for certain is that this anime is something I could have happily passed on.
Or, use one of my product affiliate links.
TENSEI SHITARA SLIME DATTA KEN 1/6 SCALE PRE-PAINTED FIGURE: SHION SWIMSUIT GRAVURE STYLE
- Episode 1 – Strictly Set Up
- Episode 2 – So I Ate A Dragon and A Snake And A Bat Thing…
- Episode 3 – Submissive Wolves and Buff Goblins
- Episode 4 – Dwarven Blacksmiths and Giggling Elves
- Episode 5 – Past Wrongs and Future Destinies
- Episode 6 – The Importance of Pacing To Build Tension
- Episode 7 – Miraculous Survival of the Slime
- Episode 8 – 3 Ways Slime Is Exploring Endings and Beginnings
- Episode 9 – Watch The Slime Playing with Powers and Defeating Ogres
- Episode 10 – Slime, Ogres and Lizardmen; The Coming Conflict Looks Colourful
- Episode 11 – The Worst Way To Learn the Skill of Diplomacy
- Episode 12 – How Even The Best Laid Plans Can Be Derailed by Idiots
- Episode 13 – War: Crushing March of the Overpowered Monsters
- Episode 14 – The Fitting End of the Orc Lord Courtesy of the Slime
- Episode 15 – The Accidental Creation of a Slime Nation
- Episode 16 – Can You Catch More Demon Lords with Honey?
- Episode 17 – That Time The Powerful Slime Decided To Dabble in Diplomacy
- Episode 18 – The Slime, The Demon Lord and The Flying Sharks?
- Episode 19 – That Time We Defeated a Catastrophe Without Really Trying
- Episode 20 – Well It’s Been Fun, But Now We’ll Count Down Until The End
- Episode 21 – Who Would Have Thought That All You Need Is A Dog And Unlimited Power?
- Episode 22 – That Time We Found a Fairy Who is a Demon Lord?
- Episode 23 – That Time The Show Ended And The Audience Wondered Why?
- Episode 24 (Extra) – And Then Shizue Stole the Anime Right Out From Under Rimuru
- Episode 24.5 (Padding) – Now Worth The Slime
- Images from:
I read the full post and just wanted to tell you that I shared of the opinion. I just wished I had as many good words to describe things like you do.
I started watching the anime because of all the hype surrounding it but, after just 5 episodes, I gave up and dropped it. Much like some other series I dropped this season the plot, like you said, didn’t leave me wishing to see more. The animation was pretty ok, which in my way of speaking means it was pretty average. And I had to drag myself episode after episode trying to find what even was there to hype about.
I hope I’m not hurting any sensitivities, but that was what I felt.
So I do congratulate you for lasting that long. I for one, am not that interested in seeing what’s to come. Like I said in a post of mine “it feels like I’m watching a slow game of civilization”. I wonder if that makes sense for someone with a few more episodes down the line.
Stay well and keep up the posting.
I wouldn’t even mind watching that game of civilization except that for me to get into slice of life or that kind of thing, I really do need more from the characters than Slime has given us. Ultimately it just isn’t doing enough with the characters (for me) to compensate for the absence of a forward plot.
Very well said.
The previous arcs and are not the history as such of the anime but the configuration of the world and above all the construction of the nation of Tempest. the characters will only develop later. Now try to address an earlier plot point because Rimuru could not leave the city without first making sure that its inhabitants can manage independently and have protection against attacks, now they will approach volume 4 where the real plot begins.
I didn’t care for much of what happened after the Orc arc, but since this starts establishing long-running plot ideas, I’m a bit more invested. Though I do agree that the Shizu arc was a high point that Slime hasn’t been able to get back to since.
Lots of people seem to be enjoying it and I will admit I’ve enjoyed it. But there’s just so little to grab hold of that it is hard to really remember character names or pay all that much attention to events because so little of them matter in any meaningful way.
It has not been as strong as the first half was, and seems to be falling into that “watch as our god-like MC, mary sues his way to victory every week” but the designs are good, and it isn’t overly bad. Just a bit bland after a really good start.
I do hope that Shield Hero doesn’t suffer the same fate.