Goblin Slayer - Season 1 Limited Edition Boxset (Review)

By Mithrandiel

Note - We received a copy of this set from Funimation in exchange for a fair and honest review.

When Goblin Slayer arrived last year, it was one of the most discussed anime of the season in the early weeks due to its shocking debut episode. With its depiction of sexual violence at the core of early discourse, many viewers were happy to find that following the explosive premiere, it never really dabbled in that territory again. Certainly, there was plenty of violence to be had, and multiple references were made to the savagery of goblins when it came to "toying" with female captives, but nothing as outright disturbing as the rape scene in episode 1.

And honestly, it turned out to be a solid show. It was airing alongside some other strong fantasy entries like That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime, but it managed to hold its own with its unique, grimdark feel. The camaraderie between the adventurers, the many, many ways we discover you can kill a goblin, the struggle of what it means to be a hero, and the fate of those who are ill-prepared for the task, all come together to create a compelling fantasy narrative.

With stellar animation, pacing and production as well, Goblin Slayer definitely deserves a spot on your shelf...which Funimation is happy to fill with their limited edition release of Season 1! Let’s take a look!

The box itself is of a sturdy, cardboard-like material, and features the two sides of the Goblin Slayer.

Inside of the box are the blu-ray/dvds, an "adventurers booklet" featuring spotlights on the various characters, design notes, etc. And finally a series of art cards of the central cast. Well...mainly the female central cast.

Also included in the set as "digital extras" is commentary on episode 11, "A Gathering Of Adventurers", which features one of the best scenes of the series when Goblin Slayer turns to some familiar faces in the Guild for help.

It also includes a short "tabletop talk" segment, where the voice actresses for High Elf Archer and Priestess are joined by a copywriter for the show and credits-producer to discuss role-playing in general. There are some fun little stories about their various adventures with role playing and how it tied into the production and voice-acting for the show so, I definitely enjoyed it.

Overall, Funimation has put out a great set with Goblin Slayer - Season 1. It's a great balance of the sorts of extras fans are looking for, while also keeping the price somewhat reasonable for a limited edition set. I still think more commitment to soundtracks could pay off big in future releases, but time will tell if Funimation will take me up on the recommendation.

In the meantime, make sure to pick up this set for yourself, or for that fantasy-centric friend of yours that loves anime. Enjoy!