Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken

Other world anime is very good, I am a lover of other world anime. The story line in this anime is very interesting and I guarantee that the next episode will be even more interesting. The visual design offered in this anime slightly makes my eyes fascinated. Everything is good, starting from the sound of the characters that are in this instance, it can be said to be a little different from the others. I really enjoy this anime because the first of the characters presented is very interesting and certainly the second is the storyline. If you like other world anime whose characters are ... not human but monsters, I highly recommend this for you

*I wrote this review for only the 6 first episodes.*
*I plan to do another review after the 12th episode*

*NO SPOILERS*

[Story 8/10]
Simply, original. It may seem stupid at first, but trust me, it works so damn well.

[Art 9/10]
It's diverse and attractive.
...
[Sound 8/10]
Sound effects are on point and has a pretty good opening.

[Character 8/10]
All the characters are good, especially the protagonist. It's so funny and cute.

[Enjoyment 8/10]
It's an enjoyable anime in general. The only cons is that some people might not find the humor funny, which in some cases, is acceptable.

[Overall 8/10]
Overall, it's a solid 8 out of 10 until now. It really got me into it and I'm definitely thirsty for more. It's funny, enjoyable and everything is in its place.

“If it looks like I stand no chance I’ll run away and think up a new plan, but otherwise, I should see how strong it is with my own eyes, right?” – Rimuru Tempest
Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken is an isekai that offers the audience action, comedy, world building and a little god-complex moments.

Story: 9/10

I loved the concept of building you own village/city while making friendships/alliances with other humans/monsters (there were a lot of "/'s" in that sentence). While Rimuru may be some kind of god-complex character, he is still not the strongest in that world, thus he needs to form alliances with other individuals ... to grow in military might. Combine that with seeing and experiencing an evolution of the city of Tempest and you have a great story. The world of Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken also offers a lot of possibilities since it is so vast in powers, monsters and countries. There will be a lot of stuff the author can expand on, which could make a franchise out of Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken.

Usually in other isekai anime, the main character is weak compared to other armies/people in that world and thus he/she has to grovel to defeat them. Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken isn't like this. Rimuru is already an overpowered character who can easily defeat the majority of countries in the world of Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken. We are introduced to stronger characters though, which keeps the story interesting.

Art: 7/10

When I watched the first couple of episodes, I wasn't amazed by the art. Especially because this anime aired in 2018, which should make its animation look clean and modern. Because this wasn't really the case, I would have initially given Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken a 5/10 for art. That was until the fight scenes showed up. Combined with amazing sound effects, the fight scenes were something else. The animation looked clean and the aura's of different magic spells reminded me of the Fate/Stay series. This boosted the score from a 5/10 to a 7/10.

Sound: 7/10

While the sound effects were awesome, the OST's weren't very memorable to me. Especially compared to other anime like: SAO, Boku no Hero Academia, Haikyuu etc... This doesn't mean that the OST's weren't good. They fulfilled their purpose: accompany the scenes in the anime well.
The OP and ED were pretty good. They're nothing crazy, but they were enjoyable to listen to.

Character: 5/10

This is one of the only things I disliked about Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken, which made it a 7/10 and not an 8/10.
The characters overall were pretty boring and didn't have much to offer. Although some characters were pretty colorful (Gobta, Veldora, Milim, Rimuru), most weren't (Behimaru, Ranga, Souei, Shuna...). This has to do with the anime introducing a vast cast of characters. They didn't have time to expand on all the stories of those characters, thus making them appear plain and boring on the surface.

What bugged me the most was that the characters are just too forgiving. A lot of the characters also don't stick to their own beliefs and just follow Rimuru like a flock of sheep. They basically see Rimuru as their God and will do anything he says. This makes a lot of the characters look weak mentally.

Enjoyment: 9/10

The only reason why I didn't give enjoyment a 10/10 is because I wasn't as hooked to the story towards the end of the season (episode 20-24) as I was at the beginning of the season. The excitement kind of faded out, because there wasn't much happening (especially in the Spirit Arc).
Overall, the story really intrigued me and it radiated a wholesome vibe.

Overall: 7/10

Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken is one of the best isekai I have seen so far. It has great world build, an enjoyable story and was exciting from beginning to end (except for episode 20-24).
I would certainly recommend this anime to anyone who loves isekai/adventure/fantasy/action anime!

This review will contain events that happen in the anime, I recommend watching the show before continuing reading it.

Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken is about an overpowered slime that builds their own town, and hardships it encounters on the way.

The most distinct feature about this anime is how it is able to keep its lightness while still touching on the serious topics, unlike most shows Slime is almost not edgy at all and always goes on with being a chill anime. With some of the best cryptic foreshadowing, it managed to make me keep on watching even though it was the third time I ... was experiencing the same things happen.

Isekai Slime with its gorgeous animation keeps your attention on the screen, and unlike most anime, this one has great background arts. Constantly switching between styles to define Magic, Potions, etc. makes up for a pleasant experience on its own.

With some of the best characters, I have witnessed in a while, it made the show very enjoyable. Many people tend, for some reason unknown to me, hate Rimuru, and most side characters. The protagonist is a very refreshing character that constantly tries to solve everything by peace and no fighting, it is not like he won’t win if he will fight, but he is trying to solve by peace. Him receiving help from The Great Sage also results in Rimuru essentially possessing 2 distinct points of view. Some of the side characters also possess fun personalities, and watching them interact is also one of the things which makes the Slime the anime fun.

Great Sage has a very big role in explaining the world that the protagonist transported. In contrast to many different isekais or any anime, which has anything that contradicts the physics of the world we live in, slime anime uses Great Sage to detail the details of the world that the protagonist is in, unlike most anime which doesn't expand on the topic and only poorly explains it or expects you to understand what is the rules of the world as it progresses.

I will have to admit that the series becomes very tedious for an arc, the Charybdis arc, but later it redeems itself, it is tolerable comparing the enjoyment you will get after the arc.

Having read the LN I could easily state that the story only gets better as it advances. Having the second season already announced it is reassuring that we will be able to see what occurs to this lovely slime and his town. Already knowing the story, I would predict If the show right now is a solid 7 the second season would probably end up being a strong 8.

When we watching anime, we get a feeling about "Why this character didn't do this, why didn't think that option", in this anime I didn't feel that way. It might be a guilty pleasure but main character was really smart and when I'm watching him DOING stuff which is show up my mind was really tasteful feeling. Some characters might be normal ANIME characters, they're absurd and lack of intelligence but especially main characters reactions was really realistic and this makes you feel really satisfied. I was going to say story is unique but I feel watch this kind of stories before, I can't tell ... where i saw but it's kinda known topic to me. But still great anime, no fillers, no wasting time and smooth storyline.

The 8 episodes that have aired up till now, I can safely say that Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken is one of the best anime this year.

Why I say so?

First things first. This is an isekai. The bad reputation that isekais have gained over the years with a few exceptions,can surely be overlooked in this anime. Why? WHERE HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A PERSON GET ISEKAIED AND TRANSFORMED INTO A F***ING SLIME.
But in all seriousness this anime deserves a watch. And here's why...


CHARACTERS:
The characters in tensura are absolutely amazing and have an altogether unique characteristic of their own. The MC, our favorite ... Rimuru is just about the best MC this season (Only if it weren't for Sakuta from bunny girl). He is absolutely the type of character that the fantasy isekai genre is in dire need of (Disregarding sora & shiro, my favorite characters of all time). Rimuru is the major attraction of tensura. Well obviously because he is the slime but even so. But other than Rimuru, the goblins are just amusing (Gobta is love).

PLOT:
The plot, honestly, until now hasn't been a really intricate one. But seeing the OP and the ED and also from the Manga readers, I can surely say the plot is gonna take an amazing turn by the 12th or the 13th episode. Gotta wait about a month for that though.

MUSIC:
The OP isn't so great as many other anime's but I have been addicted to it quite a while now. The general soundtrack is good though. It matches the mood of the anime pretty well.


Overall what I can say is that ever since I had taken a break from watching anime for about a month, this anime was pretty much enough to get me hooked and right back on track.

Rebirth into a Different world, Okay.
Getting Overpowered skills and abilities from the start. Alright looking good.
Expecting a Cool looking Hero and Getting a Slime.. WTF?! WOW

When I first watched the anime , I thought of this as weird, unusual way to tell a isekai/ Another world story.Like its really a Slime, we are talking about here on the first view and perspective.
It started a bit funnily and mysteriously , but after couple of episode, I grew fond and got hooked on the slime a.k.a Rimuru.
Okay Rimuru has Over powered skill right from the start, especially after meeting the Dragon, but he really doesnt act ... all proud and mighty, neither trying to look cool or trying to abuse his power or neither some weird intent. I am like wow i am really starting to like this and before i knew i got hooked.
The story has begun on the basis and elements of a MMO RPG , and boy i am Loving it!
When Rimuru came to the outside world from the cave, a whole lot of surprises awaited.

There are a lot of races of monsters, Humans and different kind of beings we get introduced to like in a mmo rpg, But what makes it interesting is, how he is underestimated greatly since he is C'MON A FREAKING SLIME! but our boy (Sorry Slime) rimuru keeps us surprised and proving his abilities and imagination can knock us out our seats but also he can make us laugh with his hysterics.

I love that kind of character development. He has good personality, loves to be serious and funny at the same time, his slimy expressions are so hysterical and enjoyable. He roams around acquires skills, he learns through a mysterious but amazing ability acquired through his afterlife choices., making allies and underlings, utilize his ability to the utmost. And you know the best part?? its just getting Started!

Animation is beautifully balanced with good colors, detailed drawings and good animation perfectly made for a isekai scenario by 8 Bit studios.

As for music, Takuma Terashima is performing the series' opening theme song "Nameless story and for outro Miho karasawa/ True sings the ending theme song "Another colony".

Many viewers are thinking that the main character will stay strongest forever. But gathering from the glimpses of other characters anime has shown us till now that's not the case at all. Soon the real story will begin and it will be get interesting and the story will keep on getting better i feel, 24 episodes is really worth to wait and watch how it unfolds.

Definitely one of the Best Anime's to watch this Fall season. I hope more viewers can watch and admire this great piece of work. Definitely Highly recommended.

I have to say i'm really enjoying this so far.

It captures my favourite tropes from other isekais, resulting in an almost perfect show.

While the show does have the classic OP protagonist, much like Overlord, most of the supporting cast are also OP in comparison with most of the inhabitants of the new world. Which in my opinion makes for a much more enjoyable show, as the MC isn't beating everyone alone.

This anime is great to look at, and the music and sound effects accompany the a battle scenes flawlessly.

I can't wait for the rest of the episodes to come out.

Most isekai anime out there do the same things with there plot where someone is trapped in another world, they are strong as hell, and just learn to live with there new life or try and get out. But this anime does something different with those common trops and makes them either funny or entertaining to watch. I didnt start watching this show until half way through the season and when i picked it up i was so glad to watch a good anime that i started watching more anime again thanks to this show.

First the story. I really really love this story and what ... they do to move the plot foward. There were times were they might of skipped information or jumped months in advance, but just watching everything play out with the characters and what Rimuru Tempest does to make everyone equal and still help others out along his journey in this new world. Some parts of the story were a little boring, but when action happened and they feels you get at points are what makes this story really great in the world of isekai anime.

Next the art. The art in this anime was completely beautiful. Every scene had vibrant colors and outstanding visuals. The characters had great colors to them that made each of them stand out in one way shape or form and then the backgrounds also were touched on very nicely which made watching this anime even better. Even the background characters had some sort of color to them to make them not just another boring character and then some of the support characters with there style as well made every bit of art in the anime something to look to.

Next the sound. I will admit that some of the sounds in this anime were a little off, but all and all the sounds were really good. When there was a fight the sound sync was on point, when someone made a smirk or noise they were caught as well. The beginning and ending songs that played were also just as good when looking at sound. I think if the beginning of a anime can relay what the show is about and the music and also complement that then you should know your in for a good time and wanting to watch the new episode to see what else happens.

Next the characters. All the characters that spoke in this anime had some sort of personality to them and each on had there time to shine in this anime. Each one had screen time and were not just one off characters where they were helped and never seen again. The were brought back a few times here and there which is better then nothing. Rimuru Tempest is a great character who didnt know nothing when coming to the world and was a fast learner to it which helped in a big way. Plus his personality is funny and great to watch when paried up with other characters like Rigurd,Ranga, and Shion all of which had there own personality as well and didnt make the plot slow with them in it.

Finally my enjoyment. I did enjoy watching this anime from the beginning to the end and im already glad that there will be a second season coming next year because i want to see where these characters go and what king of problems they will have to face along there journey to make new allies and face even more enemies along the way. Plus i really want to see how strong Rimuru can be with the predator ability he has.

Overall this was a really great anime to watch and i would recommend giving this a change if you like isekai anime or just want to watch something that can make you laugh and cheer at the same time.

I love this anime, more so than I can really properly type in a review. The TL:DR is that this series brings a smile to my face in the same way few anime have. It gives me genuine hope for humanity and what we can accomplish by working together as one. Rimuru earns every one of his followers not by sheer power alone, but by showing compassion towards those whom others wouldn't. He's powerful with magic sure, but he's nowhere near the strongest thing this world has to offer.

Honestly this style of character and feel is very foreign in anime. It makes me ... genuinely giddy seeing the different races getting along and past enemies making reparations and becoming friends. I still love dark and fast paced anime, but this take on Isekai is just so refreshing.

I'll end by saying I know this show isn't for everyone. Its a slower paced show and Rimuru doesn't seem to have a clear goal, at least at the start. But I want everyone to at least give it a shot if it entices you. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

A lot of people say it's just stupid because it has no plot, I personally disagree. It's definitely not for everyone but I really enjoyed it. Overall It is funny, interesting, and just overall enjoyable. I have to admit it lacks suspense but I really don't think that lowers it's quality at all. Also I really recommend the dub it's really good in my opinion I'm really excited for it's next season and hope it goes on for a while. I definitely recommend watching it, It's on the top of my Anime list. If you don't believe me watch it for yourself and enjoy it

Please note this review is intended to be read by those that have finished watching Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken and while care has been taken to minimize story related spoilers there may still be spoilers within character analysis. You have been warned.

Based off a popular manga and light novel of the same name Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken which is better known by its English title of That time I got reincarnated as a slime and its synonym’s of Tensura is a fantasy and shounen anime that gives us the opportunity to see what will happen if a mid-aged office worker who seems ... to be content with his life as just another salaryman that lives in the metropolis of Tokyo were to one day while providing his juniors with some well earned life lessons were to suffer a truly untimely death that would rather than transport him to the netherworld where all deceased would go would rather see him transported to an alternate world that’s more akin to that of a game world than the real world. However, rather than being transported to said world as a human being as one would expect he would instead be reincarnated as something that can be said to be the lowest of monsters which is that of a slime.

The Isekai genre of anime, light novels and manga fame is a well-trodden one thanks largely due to the ease of use of its main concept which is the transportation of a being human or otherwise from one world to another parallel world. Looking back through the previous anime season’s one can see many great examples of the genre such as the famed Konosuba, Re Zero and Log Horizon series. However, apart from the genre, there is one other common theme that links these series together and this is the fact that whichever world the main characters of these series find themselves transported too they will still remain as human. In this Tensura can be said to be somewhat unique as after death the main character of the series rather than being reincarnated as a human as previous series have done instead is reincarnated as a slime a creature that is seen to be the lowest of monsters.

This concept of being reincarnated as a creature rather than a human being I thought was interesting and notable as while providing a much needed breath of fresh air into the genre it also provided an interesting opportunity to see a new fantasy world from the perspective of a human being that while being in the form of a monster has the knowledge that comes from the fact that he retains the memories that he had in his previous life. This combination of being a monster that has memories of subjects and matters that are visually unknown to the people of this new world was what can be said to be the main reason that drew me to the series as this knowledge of the mc allows him to not just create magic, organizations, towns and societies that are visually unknown to the world but also allow him to change and advance the various races that inhabit the land and dispel the sense of inherent distrust that exists between the various races by forging alliances between them and teaching them to respect and treat others fairly. This concept of trying to instill peace and order within the new world while making sure that each race is able to advance in tech level in uniform fashion, I felt was admirable as Rimuru’s actions not only changed himself and his allies but also the world around him as well. This sense of trying to change the world through diplomacy and teaching of new concepts to others in order to change the various races and their views on others ensured that this series was one of the best series of this season and I was glad that I decided to watch the series from start to finish.

The overall story for Tensura takes place in a fantasy world that while having the standard races of humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, and goblins also have some unique exotic races like the ogre’s, direwolves, dragons, demons and Dryad’s that manage to fit surprisingly well into the fabric of the world’s races. Similar to fantasy realms of other series the various races of the world are broadly divided into regions in which they inhabit with towns and villagers being the most common forms of settlements. In this world, while peace was indeed in full reign it can be said that not every race got on with each other with harmony and indeed conflict would break out with the suddenness of a flare. The series overall story follows the life of Rimuru tempest a human being from the modern world who after suffering an untimely death in his home world was reincarnated as a slime in this new fantasy world. Rather than become an OP fighter slime as one would no doubt expected him to be Rimuru instead decides to take it slow and learn not just about this world but also get a feel for not just his newfound abilities but also of how the various races that inhabit the land view him and other races that they share this land with. This sense of taking things slow and learning not just about how each race lived in the world but also how their societies can be advanced and integrated with others so as to create a sense of unity within the world and help bring about peace can be said to be one of the main themes of the story and a theme that I felt took great advantage of not just the various types of races that existed within the world but also of the sense of democracy that came from Rimuru’s origin of being from a modern civilized democratic society like modern day Japan.

Rimuru Tempest

Rimuru Tempest portrayed by new seiyuu Miho Okasaki is one of the main characters of the series and is the main protagonist of the series. In his initial form, Rimuru was a mid age salaryman that lived-in modern-day Tokyo that while having everything that life could have offered him aspired what many people in his position would wish for which was to have some sort of excitement in his life that would spice things up for him. As a result of this despite the demands of his job and the stress that came from modern-day city life, he still maintained a cheerful and friendly personality that enabled him to get on well with others easily a trait that unfortunately proved to be his undoing and caused him to become an unfortunate casualty. After his reincarnation as a slime Rimuru’s personality changed dramatically. While still retaining his friendly and cheerful nature Rimuru also developed a sense of curiousness to explore this new world that he had been transported to and a desire to test out the various things that he had discovered. While being reincarnated as a slime would no doubt have taken an average human being some time to get accustomed to it can be seen that even as a slime, he had not lost any of the traits that he had in his previous life. While curious to explore Rimuru was also intelligent and fast thinking and wasn’t afraid of experimenting with his new-found powers and form now that the old-world rules did not apply to him. This can be seen well in his attempts to create new attacks and trying them without any kind of safeguard in place. This sense of wanting to test out ideas however wasn’t restricted to the testing of his powers however as Rimuru true to his nature was also willing to experiment with somewhat riskier ideas like creating completely new societies that have more than one race in them a plan that could easily have backfired had it not been Rimuru that was doing it. This shows that while developing a sense of curiosity Rimuru had also developed a sense of creativity as well and one that wasn’t restricted to one world’s knowledge and was willing to create a wide manner of things no matter how outlandish they may sound to the people of this new world with the town of unified races that Rimuru created over the course of the series to be a good example of this.

Despite being transformed into a slime it can be seen that Rimuru has lost none of the friendly and easy-going nature that defined his original self. This can be seen well in the many first encounters that he has with the many races that inhabit this world. Despite commanding a number of impressive abilities that would have given most people pause it can be said that Rimuru is a calm and understanding person by nature that tries to ensure that all parties are relaxed before interaction begins. While this can be seen to be a weakness of sorts here it can also be said to be the opposite as Rimuru as a result of being freed from the stress and demands of modern day life now has all the time that he needs to analyze the various situations that he comes across in his journeys and come up with the best possible answers that can benefit all parties. While noted to be someone that preferred to deal with situations via diplomatic means it can be said that Rimuru was by no means someone that was afraid to counter those that were rude to him or his allies and was willing to verbally spar with those that he felt had offended him or his friends something that I felt matched well with his friendly and caring nature while also showing off his intelligence and his wittiness. A good example of this is shown in the initial exchanges between Rimuru’s town and the lizardmen. In the beginning of the series largely due to the inexperience that he had in dealing with new races, Rimuru was noted to have a certain lack of awareness on the feelings of others and the needs and desires of the races that he encounters over the course of the series. As a result, in the beginning while his orders were certainly followed accordingly it can be seen that not all races were ready to follow him. However as the series goes on and Rimuru got to see and understand the kinds of struggles, needs and desires that each race had within them Rimuru gradually began to realize that in this world each race was like an individual person that had their own unique beliefs, needs and desires and as a result gradually learned to be more considerate towards the feelings of those around him something that I felt fitted well with Rimuru’s role as a leader.

Overall the character of Rimuru I felt was an interesting one and while death might have been a traumatic experience to some it can be said that the death of his initial body and the act of being reincarnated as a slime in a brand new world had the opposite effect as it instead gave him the freedom to for the first time in his life take things easy and slow and actually enjoy the new world in which he had been sent into. Seeing Rimuru manifest the infinite sense of curiosity and creativity that had been suppressed by the demands of modern day life and use it to try and change not just the races that he encounters in his travels but also the world as a whole as well in an effort to create a peaceful society I thought was an interesting development and direction for his character as while for the most part it derived from his desire to live an easy life in this new world it also derived from both the fact that he was from a modern democratic society where peace was second nature. This sense of combining character development and direction with the personal beliefs and desires that one has learned from hard-earned life experience I thought was interesting as it added a more personal feel to the development of Rimuru while also matching well with the series overall theme of advancing society.

Shizue

Shizue Izawa portrayed by Yumiri Hanamori of Yuru Camp fame is one of the main supporting characters within the series and is one of Rimuru’s allies within the series. In her initial appearances Shizue who is more commonly known as the masked swordswoman on account of both her skills as a swordswoman and the mask that she wore when on duty was seen to be a quiet, calm and composed young woman who despite her fame was kind, caring and polite to all that she met in her journey. While a quiet and composed person by nature Shizue was also someone that was shown to be curious about matters and subjects that she had not seen before which is best shown in her reaction at seeing races that would otherwise have been hostile to her instead show her kindness and care. At the same time despite her fame as a famed swordswoman Shizue was someone that was noted to prefer observing and understanding new situations before making a decision rather than simply drawing her sword and fall back on standard protocols of eliminating races on the off chance that they are hostile something that I felt put her in good stead and ensured that she managed to bond well with not just the members of Rimuru’s future town but also Rimuru himself.

While a kind and caring person by nature and one that would not hesitate to use her powers to protect her friends and comrades from harm from the onset it can be seen that Shizue was someone that preferred to keep her true emotions and feelings hidden behind her mask. As the series goes on it can be seen that Shizue’s mask rather than merely keeping her identity a secret from those that she doesn’t trust also serves as a sort of sanctuary of sorts for her as it is only within the mask that Shizue is able to reveal her true feelings. Unlike the kind and confident personality that she shows on the surface it can be seen that beneath her mask Shizue is someone that’s emotionally fragile and lonely that stems from not just her role and position as a famous swordswoman but also from the many regrets that had formed within her as a result of the many discoveries that she has made regarding not just her own powers but also that of her charges as well. As a result of this it can be seen that in addition to being emotionally fragile and lonely Shizue also possesses a deep fear that perhaps one day if she’s not focused that her powers would not only go berserk but also injure those that she was supposed to be protecting. As a result of these fears, it’s perhaps unsurprising that Shizue would desire to find and befriend people that she can share her secret pain and grief with but alas for her she was not successful until she encountered Rimuru. Though the interactions that Shizue had with Rimuru were relatively short ones it can be seen that in her last days Shizue thoroughly enjoyed spending her time with Rimuru as for the first time in her long life she was able to reveal to someone that she trusted all of the pain and regrets that she had been holding beneath her mask for so long and the one wish that she despite her power was unable to fulfill that she hoped that Rimuru her first confidant would be able to in her place.

The character of Shizue I felt was an interesting one as the contrast between her position and role as a powerful swordswoman that was widely seen by many as a powerful but kind, steadfast and dependable fighter that can face down the fiercest of enemies with icy calmness and her hidden side of a lonely, insecure and emotionally fragile young woman that longed to find someone that she could pour her heart out to being especially so. In a way despite the way that society views her it can be seen that Shizue was somewhat of a tragic figure as she was not only brought to this world against her will but also forced to take up the role that she was ill-suited for. While persevering in her duties as a valued member of society in an effort to both protect the innocent but also find a way back home Shizue much to her horror found that not only will her control of her powers start to decrease as she ages but that her valued charges would also start to enter the final roads of their lives as well. This combination of a professional struggle and the hidden personal struggle that she tries hard to conceal with from friends in an effort to not worry them I thought was well done and conceived as it added a more emotional element to her character’s struggles and made her relationship with Rimuru that much more special.

Shion

Shion portrayed by veteran seiyuu Mao Ichimichi of Aoki Hagane No Arpeggio and Digimon adventure Tri fame is one of the main supporting characters of the series and is one of Rimuru’s main allies within the series. A member of the Ogre race and one of the survivors of that village Shion in her initial appearances was seen to be a proud, confident, stubborn and a somewhat fiery person by nature that preferred to strike first rather than use diplomacy when meeting new races. This last trait is shown well in the first encounter that she and her party had with Rimuru and his village. However, despite her tendency to act first Shion is also someone that can be said to have a strong sense of honor and willing to respect those that are able to show their resolve even when they are backed into a corner which I felt goes well with her spirit as a warrior. In line with this Shion is someone that isn’t afraid of facing down strong foes on the field even if the said foe has proven to be much more powerful that she is.

After becoming a member of the village and after being uplifted by Rimuru Shion’s personality gradually starts to change. While still retaining her strong loyalty to her fellow ogre’s and to the village that acted as their homeland Shion like the rest of the ogre’s also developed a strong loyalty to both Rimuru and the town that he had created due to the fact that he not only gave them a new location in which they can call home but also allow them to get revenge on the orc lord that was responsible for the destruction of their village. However, unlike the rest of the ogre’s it can be said that with Shion’s loyalty comes an intense romantic interest in Rimuru which while excessive at times often provides a good deal of comic relief for her character with notable examples being how bad she is at cooking. As a result of this dual amount of affection and loyalty that Shion has for her lord and the village it can be seen quite clearly that she’s very proud of Rimuru and of the notable alliance that he had formed with the various races that inhabit it and as such she will not tolerate any type of slander of either.

Shuna

Shuna portrayed by veteran seiyuu Sayaka Senbongi of Girlish Number and Clockwork Planet fame is one of the main supporting characters of the series and is one Rimuru’s main allies within the series. A member of the ogre race and one of the survivors of that village Shuna is also Benimaru’s younger sister and a true princess of that race. From her initial appearance Shuna was seen to be a quiet, perceptive and intelligent person by nature that unlike her brother Benimaru and her friend Shion was seen to understand the value of diplomacy and the need to be cautious and rational when dealing with new races and situations. While a quiet person by nature Shuna was also noted to possess a degree of bravery that one would hardly expect from a quiet girl like her and she was willing to go to great lengths to ascertain and confirm a theory that she had discovered. This is shown well during the first encounter between Rimuru and the members of the Ogre’s of which she was a part off when she stepped in to defuse the quickly escalating situation that transpired between the two parties.

After joining the village and being uplifted Shuna like the rest of the ogre’s gradually began to change in personality. While still retaining her trademarked quiet and calm nature Shuna also began to develop a desire to be useful to her new lord and to be useful enough to be relied upon by giving her a degree of responsibility something that I felt was not just cute but also showed her desire to be of better use to her village and to her new allies. While certainly weaker than her fellow ogre’s in frontline combat Shuna however more than made up for it with the vast knowledge that she had in medicine and in this, it can be seen is where she truly shines. While clearly intelligent Shuna true to her personality did not show any degree of arrogance in her actions and indeed she was willing to not just learn about different cultures but also techniques that have been created by other races which does well in showing her hardworking and earnest nature. Like Shion Shuna too is shown to have a great deal of affection for Rimuru but unlike Shion who is more open with her feelings Shuna’s feelings towards her lords tend to be more subtle. Though not often seen the rivalry between the two friends over their affections for Rimuru are always amusing to watch and add a sense of hilarity to the scenes in which they take place.

Millim

Millim portrayed by veteran seiyuu Rina Hidaka of Sword Art Online and Ryuuou no Oshigoto fame is one of the main supporting characters within the series and is one of Rimuru’s main allies within the series. A young human female and also one of the oldest of the demon lords that currently inhabit the world to which Rimuru calls home Millim from her initial appearance is seen to be a positive, curious and earnest young lady that approached each new situation with both determination and a somewhat childish desire to be surprised. Unlike the more traditional image that can be inferred from that of a demon lord Millim rather than being a brooding, dark and cynical person who enjoys making mortals dance to their tune is quite the opposite in that she while disliking the various rules and agreements that are in place within the world is instead someone that can be said to be somewhat of a free spirit that approaches each day with cheerfulness and a desire to try out new food and experiences and meet new surprises aspects that are more in line with that a average teenage girl than that of a demon lord. However, this schoolgirl side of her will vanish once Milim gets serious for this is when she shows off the demon lord side of her that’s she known for far across the land.

In contrast to Millim’s default schoolgirl self which is kind, caring and protective of her friends and allies Millim’s demon lord self can be said to be the total opposite. In this form to which she will adapt when things get serious Millim’s kind and caring personality is instead replaced by that of arrogance and confidence in her abilities as a demon lord and unlike in her alternate self she will not hesitate to strike the enemy before they can prepare for her. While hitting hard and fast with her attacks it can also be seen that Millim also takes great care to observe her enemy and use the knowledge that she gained in centuries of learning magic and actual combat to deal with the enemy’s attacks while making sure that her own are as effective as possible showing that while she may look relatively young for her role that Millim’s combat skills are indeed genuine. This is shown well within the first fight between Rimuru and Millim in which she was consistently able to get the upper hand in that fight despite Rimuru’s attempt to counter her. Though Millim’s demon lord form is indeed powerful its interesting to note that even in this form Millim’s curiosity to experience new things are still present to some degree and can easily be exploited to end things peacefully as shown in the manner of how Rimuru ended the fight that he had with her. In this, it can be seen that while Millim herself is a fearsome combatant that can match Rimuru quite easily in terms of combat strength that she’s a child at heart that can easily be distracted when presented with things that she hasn’t seen before.

The character of Millim I felt was an interesting one with the contrast between her two forms and with them their respective personalities being especially so. While the image that most people would have upon the mention of the term demon lord would no doubt be some scheming demon that sits on a throne somewhere working on his next big plan of conquest Millim is a bit of an exception to this rule as if one did not know her personally one would no doubt think that she was just your average teenage girl that was enjoying the youth that all girls would go through before adulthood. Indeed, it is this view that truly makes her stand out for unlike other demon lords that are shown in the series Milim while a genuine demon lord with combat abilities that are equal to or above that of Rimuru rather than treat others with arrogance and cruelty instead treats all that she encounters with respect, politeness and cheerfulness that add a degree of freshness to her character. More than anything seeing Millim gradually learn about society and seeing how she befriends and bonds with the members of the village while enjoying all of the benefits that comes from living with those that she gradually learns to care about was an interesting experience for both us the viewer and for Millim herself as well. This development is seen especially well when Millim sees her friends and allies getting hurt by outsiders as it is here where we can truly see Millim’s strong desire to protect them by unleashing her demon form. Seeing Millim not just learn about what a society is like but also see the value of friendship and bonds that can be found there I felt was interesting and highlighted just how much Millim has grown as a character. Seeing her switch between forms so readily in order to protect those that she considers dear to her was also endearing as well.

AMV
In terms of animation, I thought that the various locations and settings that were featured within the series were both well thought out and designed and featured quite a strong variety of terrain that matched well with the races that called those locations their homes. Notable examples of this included the goblin village, the dwarven homeland of Dwargon and the Freedom academy that housed the students that Shizue was trying to save. Of these locations the Goblin village which later transforms into a city that serves as the capital of Rimuru’s Jura Tempest Federation is undoubtedly my favorite due to the fact that the city was essentially built from the ground up using both the ideas that Rimuru had from his former home and also because of how it symbolized the core beliefs of his dream which was to build a city that housed citizens of all races that can live alongside each other without fear of tension and disagreements that could escalate into conflict.

In terms of character design, I felt that the series featured quite the large variety of both races and creatures within its overall story. Each of the races within the series whether it was the beasts that Rimuru and co had to fight within the series or the individuals of each race I thought was very well designed and detailed. While the standard conventions of how humans, elves and dwarves looked were established long ago I thought that the series did well in showing the more exotic races that weren’t featured in conventional work with the series depiction of the ogre’s, Dryads and goblins being especially well done. The series depiction of Orcs as pigs I felt was an interesting take on how the race looked. In terms of combat animation, I thought that the series featured some pretty impressive fights that while usually short were well thought out and made great use of both terrain features and simple but creative use of tactics and Rimuru’s own abilities. Notable fights within the series that I enjoyed seeing was the battle between the goblins and the direwolves, the battle to defend the village from Ifrit, the battle against the Orc Lord and the battle against demon lord Millim. While Rimuru is the main character within the series I was also thankful in that the various races that he had uplifted with the naming were also given the chance to show off their improved stats within the series as well with the Kijin in particular being able to make a satisfying bang in their combat debut.

In terms of music, the series made use of two opening themes which was Nameless Story and Meguru Mono that was sung by Takuma Terashima and Three ending themes which were Nameless story that was sung by Takuma Terashima, Another colony that was sung by TRUE and Little soldier that was sung by veteran seiyuu singer Azusa Tadokoro. All of these songs I felt were catchy ones with Meguru Mono, Another Colony and Little Soldier being my favorites. Of the series OST, I felt that it did a great job of dividing its time between peaceful and calming music for scenes that showed the development of characters and infrastructure and more dramatic music for the combat scenes. At the same time, I also felt that the Opening and ending themes of the series was used well to both give us a look at characters that have yet to appear within the series and at the same time show the development of said characters and the town as the series progresses. While certainly subtle I felt that this aspect was used well to show not just how many friends and allies Rimuru has made over the course of the series but also in how much he changed the world as well.

In terms of voice acting I felt that the series main voice cast all did an excellent job at portraying their assigned characters whether they were main ones or support ones. In particular I feel that Miho Okasaki, Yumiri Hanamori, Mao Ichimichi, Sayaka Senbongi and Rina Hidaka deserve special praise as I felt that they all did an excellent job in portraying the characters of Rimuru, Shizue, Shion, Shuna and Millim respectively. Miho Okasaki in particular really impressed me with her portrayal of Rimuru and I hope that the experience that she had gained in portraying Rimuru would help greatly in allowing her to develop her skills as a seiyuu and make a career within the seiyuu industry. In addition, while I didn’t cover them within this review, I also thought that Makoto Furukawa, Asuna Tomari, Chikahiro Kobayashi and Rie Tanaka all did an excellent job at portraying the characters of Benimaru, Gobuta, Ranga and Treyni respectively.

Overall conclusion

Overall Tensura was an anime that I really enjoyed watching and I have to say it’s definitely one of this season’s best animes. Its main strong points in my opinion is its excellent and unique premise, strong story, well designed and developed characters, excellent voice acting, its strong emphasis on real-world issues like nation building and integrating different races into one society and its emphasis on changing the world through society and tech advancement rather than through military means. At the same time, I also thought that the series did a great job at skillfully blending the genres of comedy, action and fantasy together something that can be said to be inherently tricky within an anime.

The overall premise of Tensura which is the death and reincarnation of a human being from the modern world to a parallel is nothing really new since it serves as the main form of transportation for the Isekai genre. However, while the form that they would reincarnate into can vary substantially being reincarnated as a slime which is a monster that is widely considered to be the lowest on monsters has to be the most unique form I ever seen. While being reincarnated as a slime instead of a normal human being that can make much more effective usage of his modern-day education and memories can be seen as a disadvantage as after all very few people take slimes seriously the form of a slime can also provide some unique advantages that the larger forms lack such as a unique perspective on how monsters behave and operate in the world, deception and misdirection and a less threatening appearance the last point being especially useful for Rimuru given his focus on diplomatic means to resolve crisis. All in all I felt that the form of a slime that Rimuru took after being reincarnated rather than give him a host of disadvantages that many would have expected actually provided a great deal of unique advantages that allowed him to not just overcome the many different trials that comes from his adventures but at the same time act as a safety net due to a slime’s unique body structure. More than anything I felt that being a slime rather than say a human being actually had a hand in contributing to Rimuru’s success in convincing the various races to work together with him.

The overall story for the series I felt was one of the series main strong points and was one that I really enjoyed. Typical Isekai stories tend to focus on a hero that after being reincarnated in the new world would one day receive a quest in which they must fulfill a difficult quest that would see them face anything from dragons to demons while protecting humans from the predations of the evil demi humans and monsters that inhabit the dark places. However, what if this story is replaced by one where the main focus rather than focusing on dealing out death to anything that’s not human instead is replaced by one where the main focus is on learning about the various races that inhabit the land, uniting them and advancing their tech level in order to instill changes to not just their living conditions but also create an ability to evolve their society so that they can be equal to their surrounding countries and no longer be seen as a mere monsters. It is this focus on learning, expanding and advancing of the various races that Rimuru encounters over the course of his journey that can be said to be the true joy of this anime as we get to see Rimuru not just overturn the concept that all monsters were threats to humans by not just giving them personality but also their unique culture, taste’s, likes and dislikes aspects that many would argue that only humans would have. Seeing Rimuru recognize this by treating them not as beasts but as humans by giving them names and working with them to forge bonds with others and make friends and not enemies that culminated in the creation of not just the town of Tempest but also of the larger Jura Tempest Federation I felt was immensely satisfying as more than anything it represented a great change within the series not just to the various non-human races but also to the many human nations as well.

Overall Tensura was an anime series that I really enjoyed, and it is undoubtedly one of the seasons best animes on account of its unique premise, strong story, excellent voice cast, its skillful use of real-world issues that aren’t usually seen within anime and its emphasis on diplomacy rather than on physical might. As a final score, I would say that Tensura easily deserves a score of 9/10. While the series started strong I felt that the story arcs near the end while introducing some interesting new characters didn’t expand them enough to make them compelling.

Okay, I'm usually rarely the type to go blindly into series, but this one just popped up in recommended for Goblin Slayer. The synopsis seemed fun, even without romance, which I sometimes like depending on the mood. There have been shows before, shows with very similar premise, and that is even more exciting with the fact on-board - I am the type to search for shows that are similar to the ones I liked very much before, or at least in the way of what I'd like to see in a series I imagine interesting for myself.

I started the first episodes and literally rushed it ... down to 8 episodes. It has been ages since I saw such flowing story telling, visuals, fantasy THAT MADE SENSE and great communication among characters and the viewer. The visualization of the Rimiru's 'AI mind' is a lovely execution that appeals to me and lets you understand, receive, perceive the information even better, it does feel much more like-able as opposed if it was without such. It is the first show in a while that wasn't invoking a lot of obvious predictions in my mind - it only provoked theories that I wondered how and why would and could happen (especially seeing EDs/OPs), which would be cool to witness, but the action and the main character very well captures your attention not to bother with that! I love how the main character deals with the difficult decisions and how certain people, for example, the Conqueror of Flames, entrusts her life to the main character and her will is carried on. The main character, who appeared to have an uneventful life before, now has a life where he has an adventurous time, but still carries on the similar fate - to help, understand people. The fact that the main character has memories that can be applied to the current situations deepens the relation as well. The combat scenes and animation, in general, are very well done and presented, it is indeed slimeisfying watching a slime fight.

The only thing I hope is that this show does not fail on its way. The story will end eventually, everything will end eventually, but I wish the best of luck to the studio to execute it as well as those current episodes are airing. It definitely captivated me, and I do hope it continues to do so in the future!

Overall: 10/10, with the right to change if any of the criteria are affected by the series further progress

P.S. Keeping Rimiru in the form of Shizu definitely feels like something I look forward to seeing more often :>

"I'm not a bad slime!" The plot is very straight-forward and kept light-hearted. You could say it was dumbed down for the sake of pure entertainment. But there is something extremely beautiful about this simplicity. Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken has one appeal that you cannot find in other shounen anime. The drama here doesn't involve, dishonesty, betrayal, backstabbing, dirty tricks.. Yeah you heard me right. Problem1 appears, problem1 ends. Problem2 appears, problem2 ends. And it goes on and on that way without resolved case ever becoming an issue again. In a way that makes the characters unrealistically too good and the story, lacking some ... depth. However that in itself makes the show very appealing. All of us are exhausted with work, school, everyday conflicts.. Why would we want to watch a stressful anime in our free time? There's not much relief from that. On the other hand, slime offers a beautiful world, a utopia, a peaceful universe that previously only exists in our imagination. A place where everyone understands and work together.. A TRUE BREAK from reality.

The fact that this has become a popular favourite is no surprise. It's rare to find an anime without overcomplicated drama that's dragged over the course of several episodes. Shitara Slime Datta Ken is a true dopamine rush with great subliminal message. "CAN'T HUMANS LIVE PEACEFULLY JUST LIKE THIS?". Overcoming our racial differences and darker past?

. U N I T E .

--Review may contain spoilers--

Mikami Satoru, your average businessman residing in Tokyo, Japan, gets stabbed and dies by a passing murderer. He gets reincarnated as a Slime in a parallel world. This Slime is not your average weak and lame Slime you'd find in every MMO game, but a Slime with special abilities and unique skills that make him overpowered. He meets Veldora, the Storm Dragon in a cave where he was reincarnated to, becomes friends with him and was named as "Rimuru Tempest".

Story (9): This is undoubtedly the isekai series to set the bar for the upcoming isekai series out there. It all starts off ... with a decent way of someone going into a parallel world, but from then on, the anime blew my mind. At first, I was a little skeptical of the anime title because it would just be a story of someone reincarnating as a Slime, A SLIME out of all things, how could that be any interesting? But fortunately, I gave it a try and now I just can't wait for the next episode to air. Despite being overpowered as hell, Rimuru just wants to co-exist with humans and monsters alike, even creating his own village which consists of different monster races. With some comedy every now and then, you would expect this to be one of the best animes out there.

Art (9): Art is simply beautiful. Nothing much to say here.

Sound (9): The OP and ED are PERFECT.

Character (9): Like I said, despite Rimuru being overpowered as hell, he doesn't use his power to destroy everything in his path. Usually someone with this much power would just dominate the whole world but this anime is different and I love it. Every character is special in their own way and they're not textbook like.

Overall Enjoyment (9): I definitely hope that this anime would go on as it is. Would definitely be a shame if it were to start of so good and become bad later on.

LA was not expecting to like it but damn was LA surprised by Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken by the end of it.

Isekai had flood of mediocre and lazy installments for anime from Isekai wa Smartphone to Tomo ni. to Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyousoukyoku and LA just started to get tired of the trend, but Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken was a fresh of breath air in a sense.

Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken at the start starts off like your typical isekai overpowered main protagonist harem-like anime series just that this time the main protagonist turns into a slime before he goes into ... another world and he quickly learns overpowered abilities that make him feared, but him being a slime, a monster KNOWN to be a "starter monster" in RPG's, not many buy this. LA didn't like this as a premise not to mention slightly rushed especially with the transition of the main protagonist Satoru Mikami into another world into a slime and his quick gather of abilities making him an all powerful monster. But Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken is definitely one fo those shows where you just have to carry on watching it and to this credit LA will say the first few episodes weren't a great first impression towards this series.

It's not until Rimuru (Satoru's slime form name in his new world) starts making a small goblin village flourish and gaining new allies where the key to this anime truly lies. See Rimuru knows he can't go back to his world, his previous life was snuffed out, so he has no plans of going back so he might as well make the most of it in this new world, so with the good natured person he is, he helps the small goblin village from attacks from other monsters and from then on, gathers allies, monster and human alike. Thing is due to his good natured demeanor, Rimuru NEVER kills anyone and rather talks it out, he only "eats" them if he has no choice and the villain in question is causing more trouble than he's worth that he'll resort to extreme "final move" methods and with this he gain allies, from wolves, lizardmen, dwarves, fairies, demons and oni.

There is one other character of note and that is Rimuru's "chosen" one by the name of Shizue Izawa voiced bu Yumiri Hanamori, another person summoned into this world, but forced through a demon pact, Rimuru befriends her and later on passes her legacy onto Rimuru, giving Rimuru more motivation and something to strive for in this world than his own and two great things comes from entire ordeal.

One and the most obvious one being that Rimuru grows through his friendships and allies especially with Shizue as she was extremely important to Rimuru's growth as a character throughout the anime because of it and this extends onto any new ally he faces even if they are at first deterred by Rimuru, he let bygones by bygones and makes their place in Rimuru's flourishing village grow that much more as a result.

The second and the more obvious one is that Shizue's inclusion added ALOT of world building to Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken's world, what does LA mean by that?, well though the anime mostly resides in the goblin village at first, Rimuru explores his new world, makes trade deals, recruits blacksmiths, architects, magic users to grow not only his village but the world building itself, like a two for one deal and how they implemented this was actually ingeniously done. Coming from an isekai, the main focus for the most part, the bland main male protagonist, Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken manages to work it's world building and it's character development all in one just by simply befriending them.

Now the other part of the world building comes in with Shizue and how she was summoned into the world, which brings up new lore as the world Rimuru is in now are also inhabited by humans from his previous world, like this is a normal occurrence. Lastly would be the villains themselves and this ties it in as a demon summoned Shizue and one of Shizue's motivations was to find her master, now passed onto Rimuru wants to find Shizue's master, but it's not easy when the demons are one, powerful and two, send in monsters or plan up something that threatens Rimuru's village and his allies' territories.

If Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken was telling of a theme, it's showing the positive, befriending nature of Rimuru that is at the core of Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken and sure it took time for this theme to be fleshed out in the anime but it was pretty solid by the end of the anime even with all the demon scheming and other important character backstories were going on at the time.

With all that being said, LA's favourite characters form the anime (and there are ALOT of character to be honest) are, Millim Nava voiced by Rina Hidaka as a hyper genki and powerful demon lord but fancies Rimuru also she had some great comedic moments at that (though LA thought she was a filler only character for some reason but no she's canon!), Shino voiced by M.A.O an oni who is Rimuru's secretary and has an obvious crush on Rimuru and finally Gobuta voiced by Asuna Tomari, a pipsqueak of a goblin but has some crazy latent luck or he was naturally powerful (an obvious but good gag for this character and comes to a direct comparison to Rimuru in a ways of looking weak but is waay more powerful than they look) and Shizue gets a mention for being a pinnacle part of the anime and the turning point of when the anime got REALLY good.

8Bit who did the animation actually did an amazing job with the animation, from the exotic character designs and some impressive battle animation. The character designs are just by default exotic with the variety of species Rimuru take sin and sometimes some changes to them with Rimuru's magic and whatnot and LA is some fo the few that actually liked the oni's change to be more human-like features. The battle animation was greatly done with each attack done with great impact helped by the sound direction and background work. 8Bit outdid themselves with the animation to be totally honest here though 8Bit had always had potential from their other anime works, this was just showing what they could really do and maybe more.

Voice cast, well due to the large cast, LA will go with only the most notable ones, Miho Okusaki as Rimuru was great with an amazing range of cadence and really gave life to Rimuru and his likable personality, Rina Hidaka of course gets a mention as the destructive genki Millim, Yumiri Hanamori as Shizue was awesome, M.A.O and Sayaka Senbongi as Shion and Shuna was rather well done even as a pigeonholed role from both but still. Great cast what else?

LA will say that Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken isn't without flaws, LA already mentioned the first few episodes were rushed and cliched of an isekai but there is another one and that is as much as LA LOVES the world building in this anime, Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken does tend to exposition ALOT using the Grand Sage voiced by Megumi Toyoguchi, but man there were episodes where it was exposition and not much else, yes it helps us the audience gets us in the know as well as setup and build up for the upcoming episodes but it did kill the pacing...."rarely" though.

Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken is one of those shows you just can't judge on the first episode, you NEED to watch the entire thing and your judgment and feelings towards this anime will change, it did for LA as LA thought LA was gonna see the typical overpowered harem isekai anime scthick all over again, but nope, we get a one part Rimuru wrecks a monstrosity that the demons made, one part wholesome anime about a slime who befriends and grows a NATION of monsters filled with character development from even some minor characters and great amount of world building to make this world both have that nostalgic RPG feel but also make the world alive and realized at the same time, yes the anime does get exposition heavy at times but that does not detract from what Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken has and had going for it and with it already announcing a second season, there is ALOT more potential that Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken can go and LA will be interested where it'll go in it's second season. Color LA surprised by this isekai installment.

Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken maybe on normal mode, but man LA didn't think making a Civilization anime adaptation with a slime could be this much fun!

"This slime is overpowered from the get-go, it's your usual generic isekai with no redeeming qualities!"
This show has been one of the best rides for me as a heavy game consumer, and that is because the whole premise revolves around this MMORPG-like world and how a stupidly overpowered slime wants to conquer it. Now all's well and good when I say that, but what exactly makes this show different from all the other isekai shows with similar premises? Well it's simple: None of the other shows could capture the feeling of such a world, especially having it feel like an actual game you would play ... back in the 2000s.
TL;DR: It's a good show but beware of the characters which may feel like extras. Other than that it's one of the best of its kind.
Story: 8/10
Although this might come out as a shock because of how generic it sounds from the premise, TenSura manages to execute many things right, from worldbuilding to actual storytelling. Its story goes like this: A 37 year-old NEET virgin with a crippling hentai and eroge addiction, Mikami Satoru, is caught in a weird accident and ends up with a knife in his general abdominal region, dying pretty soon afterwards, but not before telling his precious kouhai to wipe out his hard drive(Carefully, he's a hero). Before he dies, he has this internal monologue(almost) where he complains about pain and whatnot. Then our good pal, Great Sage which will later be revealed as our MCs Extra Skill, hears him out and takes care of his complaints, giving him all the powers he needs in a body that does not require blood: a slime(Now, anyone who has ANY knowledge in the world of games knows slimes are some of the weakest mobs you could find). With a unique skill that lets him store anything he eats into his body and take their characteristics, he loots the cave he spawned in like a real game connoisseur, and ventures into it, finding Veldora, a... tsundere dragon? Point is, he is one of the strongest monsters out there who's been imprisoned by a hero of legend and, in a real tsundere fashion, our buddy befriends him and gets himself a name which he'll use from that point on: Rimuru Tempest. After discussing for a bit, Rimuru wants to free his tsundere friend, and Veldora agrees to stay inside of our MCs stomach until they can find out how to break this prison of the hero's. Rimuru explores more of the cave in hopes of finding the exit, while killing all the mobs and gaining their powers. After a few days had passed, our slime friend finds his way out and into a village of goblins. He decides that he wants to build a civilization now, and thus begins the adventure...
Most of what happened before this point was not coincidental nor just for the sake of plot convenience, and anyone who's played games can tell that from a distance.
With a basic understanding of the place, and having drawn the outline of this fantasy world, all the while not forgetting to explain the mechanics and rules of said world, the story proceeds, with a very lighthearted tone. People saying that the show has no stakes might be right, but only for now, as this is probably only a mere introduction into the world of TenSura.

Art: 10/10
The art in SlimeTime is definitely wonderful, and I personally loved the very goofy style it showed. It's very vibrant and 8bit put everything together nicely, resulting in some smooth animation, which successfully resembled an MMO world.

Sound:10/10
The audio was a highlight in my opinion. The OSTs blended in with everything that was happening on the screen and it made me feel like I actually was in a game. Beautiful OPs and EDs, and the VAs did an excellent job voicing the characters(I'm looking at you, Kazuma).

Characters:6/10
Here's where the show failed to deliver, the characters. Aside from Rimuru and a few exceptions, the show does not dive deep into any of its characters, if at all. Though this definitely reminds me of the good ol' NPCs in games, in an anime you can't brush this aspect off. This rating is as high as it is because when the anime does dive into a character, it further develops the world and it adds a bit more to the story itself. I wish there was more depth to the side characters, but the show simply did not explore this side of itself.

Enjoyment:10/10
This aspect always comes down to subjectivity more than anything else, and I cannot lie that this show has its issues(the one most talked about being the pacing), I'm well aware of that fact. But for me, this managed to bring me back, and give me a trip down memory lane.
Overall:9/10
This show has everything you need, it's a well executed story accompanied by MMO-like visuals and soundtracks, and it's a great watch for any age. Highly recommend it to anyone who loves their MMORPGs.

Reincarnated as a Slime started with a bang, with awesome production quality and a great, humorous approach to the isekai tropes. It subverts many usual parts of the genre, nukes the obligatory harem angle with its genderless protagonist and simply has fun with the formula, rather than developing deep drama or even focusing heavily on action.

The thing is, while the show gradually evolves from dynamic adventure to a SoL story in another world, it doesn't do as good of a job making the latter part enjoyable. The protagonist is quite interesting, despite being ridiculously-indestructible (and later plain overpowered), but the supporting cast is just ok. ... With tons of characters circulating through the story, we don't learn very much about any of them and they're pretty much just background to protagonist's exploits. Thus, whenever we don't see the protagonist facing a new challenge, things get somewhat dull, and that's what most of the second half of the season consists of. It's humorous and still relatively fun, but in no way brilliant.

The animation and music are rather brilliant all the way through and I don't think I ever noticed the team behind it making noticeable shortcuts. Voices are good, but as I didn't find many characters memorable, they also couldn't help much.

In general, this is a lovely-produced and overall enjoyable series, but you have to be ready for it being more of a "healing anime" in isekai's skin than another Log Horizon, if you really want to enjoy it. I also think the pacing and character development in second half of the season were genuinely flawed - there was just not enough happening and too many things worked in protagonist's favour. A solid 8/10, but not a masterpiece.

It's no secret that isekai anime have been big recently. Apparently writers saw the success of Sword Art Online and unanimously knew they could do better which has led to a lot of series. One such series is Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken, which aired from late '18 to early '19. It's based off of a manga that started in '15. The studio behind it is 8bit, which I am not familiar with. Honestly, I don't anticipate much from it. Most isekai series I've seen, while better than Sword Art Online, just end up being relatively mediocre. But we'll see. 

Story:

Our protagonist is a man with ... a mundane life approaching middle aged. About the most interesting thing he does is argue with people's opinions on the Internet. Probably. He's on an outing with a co-worker and his new girlfriend when he gets stabbed and dies. He quickly awakens as a little slime in a cave. After wandering around and absorbing things, he discovers a sealed dragon and gains the name "Rimuru Tempest." He absorbs his dragon friend with the goal of eventually unsealing him and manages to escape the cave, find a goblin village and become its leader. 

There are certainly some issues with the series. The first is that it doesn't always explain things all that well. We never find out why the stabber was running down the street with his knife randomly outstretched. We also never really know why he was reincarnated. It just seems a random choice. There's a point later on where Rimuru manages to soothe things over with someone in a high position who's really infuriated with him but we never see how he does it. The guy goes from attacking him to being great buddies with him after a short cut. At least that one has an implied reason, even if we don't see how Rimuru calms the other man's wrath. The last episode is a bit weak. It's basically a prequel episode that we're told is going to have aspects that come into play later but the way it's set up, it feels like it would work better as the start of series two than as the finale of series one. 

The series bases a part of its appeal on its sense of humour. Which can work well. It has a lot of strong moments in that regard. But it also has its moments that are overly predictable. Rimuru asking his friend to destroy his computer, presumably so that no one finds out he was watching too many Hitomi Tanaka videos, that's an obvious joke. The stuff with Shion's cooking is a very overused joke. Even if they lampshade it, that doesn't make it fresh. To be fair, those moments aren't all that many. Most of its comedic parts work quite well. 

Another thing I can appreciate about the series is its pacing. There's never a point where they spend far too much time building up the next problem or just dragging. Instead they set up the scenario, make progress and finish it up in order to transition into the next thing. Which does enhance those comedic elements since long, dragged out arcs don't tend to work well for comedy. The series also manages to hit that sweet spot where the antagonists and scenarios are interesting, but they aren't so threatening that they ruin the more light-hearted aesthetic. 

Characters:

There are a lot of one-note characters in this series. Part of that is just that Rimuru recruits people like he's a trainer trying to not only catch every Pokemon, but catch one of each with every possible nature. Which results in a lot of characters who rely on archetypes. To be fair, the more comedic sensibility of the series makes less developed characters kind of work since they have enough variety among them to be used in a lot of different funny moments. However, the series is also clearly not meant to be a straight up comedy. Light-hearted, certainly. Fully comedic, no. Which means the comedic elements don't serve as an adequate excuse for virtually every character to be under-developed. 

Art:

The biggest issue I have with the artwork is that the series does have some of the "battle bikini" style outfits. Particularly with the Demon Lord Milim. And there are some other fan-servicey elements. Aside from that, there are some strong designs. And it's interesting to see the differences between named versus unnamed monsters. The backgrounds do get nicely detailed and the action sequences can be pretty well done. When they aren't just over within a minute. Seeing the architectural build up for Rimuru's village is also visually interesting. 

Sound:

There are a lot of strong actors in this. Okasaki Miho, Hanamori Yumiri, Eguchi Takuya, Ichimichi Mao, Kobayashi Chikahiro and many others all come together to deliver strong performances. The music was handled by the Elements Garden group, which I am not at all familiar with. But they did a great job here. So, good first impression. 

Ho-yay:

There's a bit. Rimuru drools a bit over pretty girls and pretty boys alike. He especially seems enamoured with Souei. But it's limited to a few lines of dialogue where he refers to some men as attractive.

Areas of Improvement:

I'd take more time to build up the major supporting characters. Since this isn't a straight up comedy, it does benefit from a bit more development. It's not going to harm the pacing to have a few more character moments. 
I'd lose the last episode. Episode twenty three is a much stronger stopping point. And you could use that time to expand on the characters a bit more while still having twenty four episodes. 
Explain yourself a bit more. With the stabber, for example. We don't need an essay or his life story. But if you give us an of-handed line about him being drugged up, or the crazy ex of the new girlfriend, that gives us the motivation that makes the scenario make more sense. 

Final Thoughts:

I'm not going to lie, I went into this expecting a mediocre at best offering. But the series has a sense of fun that I can really appreciate. It's well paced and it did genuinely keep me entertained. It may not be one of the greatest anime ever, but I would go so far as to say it was quite good. I'm giving it a solid 7/10. 

This show as a whole has been an absolute blast. Remembering back to when it was announced about a year ago now and I'd never even heard of it before to now being so immersed with the novels, manga, and anime is crazy to think about. I probably wasn't the biggest isekai person beforehand but slime, along with others, helped me be more open to them. This whole season has been a joy really. I've enjoyed pretty much all of it.

Rimuru and the cast were great with how fleshed out and diverse they all are. Rimuru being able to bring all different creatures together ... in an island of misfit toys kind of way was very endearing. From Gobta to Benimaru to Milim to Shion, loved em all. Not a too many characters I disliked. Seeing Rimuru grow his influence and footprint in the world has been really fun. I think that's what sums this show up best, Fun. Cause it's just plain old blast. A Saturday morning cartoons kind of feel to it. Goofy at times sure and the pacing goes up and down but just........fun.

A good ole fantasy adventure which I can appreciate when it's done so well and with so much passion. I truly think that 8bit put their best into this. Adaptation flaws aside I believe it was done with passion just like the source. The action always looked sharp with all the big scale set pieces that happened. From a technical aspect it was really good. Big bright and welcoming. Music was great too. The

Overall this is without doubt one of the best isekai out there. High on stakes and gravitas, no. But fun as hell and a good time, unquestionably.

9/10

See you next year Rimuru!!!