The concept of reincarnation into video-game like worlds of sword and magic is one that has been gaining much traction recently in the anime world, with titles as this particular one and “Jobless Reincarnation” being the main “representatives” although in a rather different approach. In that regard, “That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime” follows a more “PG13” path that remains, though, quite entertaining.
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Satoru Mikami is an ordinary 37-year-old corporate worker living in Tokyo. He is almost content with his monotonous life, despite the fact that he doesn't have a girlfriend. During a casual encounter with a colleague, an assailant pops out of nowhere and tries to stab his friend. Mikami jumps in front of the assailant, and is injured severely, soon after succumbing to his wounds. However, instead of dying, he finds himself reincarnated in another world, but not with his former appearance, but as a slime. Despite his initial shock, he soon discovers that he has a kind of assistant in him that explains what is happening, starting with his “Predator” ability, which allows him to devour anything and mimic its appearance and skills. Eventually, and after the meeting with a dragon who gives him the name Rimuru, he becomes the leader of all beings inhabiting the Great Forest of Jura, who accept him as a ruler and together they find the nation of Tempest. His leadership soon results in the country becoming bigger and bigger, attracting new allies but also new foes.
Yasuhito Kikuchi directs a series that functions much like the anime version of an RPG, since all the elements of the particular category of video games are to be found. Starting with the predator ability, and the fact that the more things Rimuru consumes, the more he levels up and the more abilities he learns, continuing with the founding of a base (country in this case) and the recruiting of more allies which strengthen its overall power (“Suikoden” anyone?) all of which come to him after various adventures and battles (much like quests in the RPG games), everything points towards a video game. Add to all that a bit of slapstick humour, some elements of fan service that become particularly intense upon the appearance of Shion, a bit of drama, and you have the backbone of the narrative.
However, the unique element here is the fact that the protagonist is an actual amorphous blob, which occasionally looks cute, but remains ridiculous for the whole of the series, particularly when you hear him talking as a leader in grandiose terms. Kikuchi exploits this originality quite intensely in narrative terms, focusing on the reactions of the various individuals Rimuru meets, the ways they respond to the fact that he is a slime and the how he manages to turn them around, either by force or by showing his overall abilities. That eventually he also takes the form of a rather beautiful young man (if somewhat feminine) dulls this impact a bit, although for the most part, the protagonist remains a bubble.
The narrative makes some socio-philosophical comments, mostly regarding the fact that even those who appear evil, have a reason to be so, as the battle against the orcs highlights, and how presumption and assumption, particularly regarding appearances, can shape opinions. As a whole however, the approach here is happy-go-lucky, without particular depth, something that also extends to the technical aspect, including Ryouma Ebata's character design and Takahiro Kishida's monster design, the overall colouring, and the sketching of the backgrounds. The animation by 8bit can be impressive on occasion, especially on a number of battles, who are however, also PG13 friendly, for the most part at least. The same applies to the overall sense of humour, with the silly faces not missing from this title either, in a style that frequently can be characterised as pedantic.
“That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime” has its issues, and the truth is that adults who are searching for more context will be better off looking at “Jobless Reincarnation”. At the same time, the rpg elements, the main concept, and the way the protagonist and his nation progress are rather intriguing, providing much entertainment, in a title that will definitely appeal to fans of video games.
