Goblin Slayer - Episode 3 (Review)

By: Mithrandiel

Miss my review last week? You can find it here!

This week's episode of Goblin Slayer takes things even slower, introducing the broader party as our duo suddenly blossoms into a proper group of 5. Though many of the relationships are stereotypical, it continues to build a classic fantasy adventure, and alludes to an action-packed episode to come.

Summary

The post-credits scene last week revealed an elf, a dwarf and a lizard-man (no, this isn't the start of a joke) that were on the hunt for a man named "Orcbolg". Finally making their way to the adventurers guild, they inquire about Orcbolg, with no luck. The receptionist is unaware of any adventurers by the name. The dwarf refers to him as "Beard Cutter", before the Lizard-Man eventually refers to him by his known moniker: "Goblin Slayer".

Right on cue, Goblin Slayer appears to announce the successful conclusion of his latest mission. The mysterious trio ask him to come upstairs and discuss something important, and the priestess is left mulling over a cup of tea as the Goblin Slayer asks her to sit out of the meeting.

A voluptuous sorceress (do they make them any other way?) approaches the Priestess and warns her of the Goblin Slayer. She alludes to a scroll that she made for him once, and the fact that she could be out doing more good for the world if she wasn't tagging along on all of the Goblin Slayer's one-note adventures. Still, the Priestess believes that it's the right place for her to be, and ultimately the witch wonders aloud if doing the right thing is ever easy.

Meanwhile, in the meeting, the elf informs Goblin Slayer that the Demon King has been resurrected, and hordes of demons are preparing to attack civilization at any time. The leaders of the various races are preparing an offensive, and have sent them as representatives and delegates in an effort to battle back the goblin incursion that is growing at the same time. Goblin Slayer initially declines any interest in battling demons or fighting the demon king, but when they reveal their intent to take on a large goblin nest, his interest is piqued.

The group prepares to head out, though Goblin Slayer doesn't want Priestess to come along; suggesting she get some rest instead. The Priestess doesn't like this idea, and insists on a place in the group. He concedes, and the party sets out.

The second half of the episode largely takes place around a campfire as they make their first camp together. Running through the "Why did you become an adventurer?" conversation, they each share brief nuggets of their history and motivation for heroism. The elf constantly tries to get under Goblin Slayer's helmet (this is not a euphemism), and generally they learn a bit more about one another as they prepare for their assault on the goblin nest.

There's a brief discussion about where Goblins come from, as Goblin Slayer shares his thoughts on how they originate from the haunting green moon that they see in the sky.

As creatures of envy and greed, originating from a green planet seems fitting for anyone who's done a cursory read through of The Great Gatsby - and the adventurers largely agree that they are base creatures driven by avarice, and not much else.

The episode concludes with the Elf's opening salvo against the goblin guards at the entrance, and a badass shot of the party making their way towards their destination.

It's goblin-slaying time!

Review

Despite the wealth of high-level fantasy series that we're seeing this season, this really does strike a classic chord unlike any other series has so far. Both That Time I Reincarnated As A Slime and Sword Art Online are tweaking the fantasy genre with its isekai twist. Goblin Slayer, on the other hand, is pulling much of its plot and direction straight out of classic fantasy.

Indeed, the entire episode plays out like an early session of Dungeons and Dragons: from the hushed rumors of a demon king's revival, a sassy elf & dwarf duo, a reserved lizard-man, all the way to an extended conversation around the campfire about what it means to be an adventurer. It doesn't get much more traditional than this, ladies and gentlemen.

The animation and art direction took a step back this week, with some fuzzier shots and less overall detail as the characters did a lot more talking and a lot less goblin-slaying. Honestly, I was hoping to see a scuffle between Goblin Slayer and the lance-wielder in the adventurers guild, just to reinforce the idea that the Goblin Slayer deserves his silver rank, and showcase a bit more of the weighted combat animation style that helps you experience every blow. Alas, it was not meant to be.

I think that given the hullabaloo surrounding the debut episode, the real test will be how next week's episode plays out. What really helped to set the series apart, for better or for worse, was the gratuitous violence and mature content of the opening episode. Will next week be a repeat of the controversial premiere? If so, will fans proclaim that it's being edgy just "for the sake of being edgy"? Or will it strike an interesting balance that will draw viewers back in for the weeks to come?

What'd you think of this week's episode? Let us know in the comments, or join us on Discord!