'That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime' Is the Anti-'Overlord'

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime was initially my most favorite among the debuting anime shows of fall 2018 that I picked up.  At the end of the season, it was still my most favorite, and it made my list for top ten anime shows of 2018.  However, it’s only now that I’m making an individual review for it because its debut season continued into 2019 and has just recently wrapped up with its 25^th episode (actually, the main storyline already ended at episode 23, and episodes 24 and 25 were just inconsequential side stories – no better than filler OVAs [there’s an actual OVA, by the way; I don’t know yet when it will be released]).

The anime revolves around Rimuru Tempest (Best Anime Hero in the most recent Bernel awards), an asexual slime that can take on the appearance and abilities of anybody or anything he absorbs via a skill called “Predator.”  Thus, with every opponent he defeats or remarkable material he comes across and swallows into himself, he becomes more and more powerful.  Aside from Predator and the abilities he gained from it, he also has the invaluable skill called “Great Sage”, which more or less serves him like a magical, multi-purpose AI supercomputer.

Actually, Rimuru used to be a 37-year-old office worker named Satoru Mikami.  Protecting a friend from a random knife attack, he was the one who got stabbed and killed.  He immediately got reincarnated into a slime in a high fantasy world, where he soon met and became friends with a sealed powerful dragon named Veldora.  The slime and the dragon then agreed that the former will take the latter (and his enclosure) with him – by using Predator – as he set off into this new world, with the hope of someday figuring out a way to completely free the dragon from his seal.  But before this, Veldora first gave him the name “Rimuru Tempest”, increasing his power enormously.

You see, in this world, monsters dramatically evolve into more powerful creatures when they are named.  And while on his journey, Rimuru meets various races of monsters – goblins, direwolves, ogres, lizardmen, orcs, etc. – to whom he gives names.  In return, these monsters – some of which used to be his enemies – grateful for his kindness and protection and in awe of his power and wisdom, become fiercely loyal to him.  And thus, he becomes their ruler and they become his people.

A large part of the show’s appeal lies on witnessing the growth in quantity and variety of Rimuru’s community of monsters, whom he gradually leads toward building a proper and prosperous nation.

In a way, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is the anti-Overlord.  Both anime features an intelligent, overpowered MC who is working to expand his realm’s influence.  But while Ainz Ooal Gown uses manipulation, intimidation, force, and malevolence to accomplish this, Rimuru uses diplomacy, compassion, aid, and benevolence.  These two anime have fundamentally opposite philosophies, but they are both satisfying and interesting to watch in accordance to their respective visions.

I enjoyed That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime so much that I couldn’t help but read ahead with the manga.  And I regretted a bit that I did.  The story is more fleshed out in the manga, as it’s more detailed.  Thus, when I returned back to the anime, it began to feel like it was skimming over the story in comparison.  Moreover, I was disappointed that it split with the manga’s storyline at episode 20.  I liked the narrative route that the manga took better.  Hopefully, the anime takes on that route as well in season two.

In the end, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is a fantastic isekai anime overall.  Even though the anime market has been saturated by isekai in the past few years, it still distinguishes itself quite nicely as something utterly fresh, thanks to its wholesome execution, engaging storytelling, unique protagonist, and feel-good tone.