That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime - Episode 1 (Review)

By: Mithrandiel

The fall season has officially begun, and I make my first foray into the new selection of shows with That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime.An "other-world" fantasy adventure with a grounded MC, the opening episode is a strong indicator that we've got a reliably entertaining show on the docket. Read on!

Spoilers ahead!

Summary

Mikami Satoru is a hardworking 37-year old salaryman who describes himself as "content". Having climbed the corporate ladder, he appears happy with his place in the professional world, and lives a largely average life in Tokyo.

As Satoru muses about his life in the opening moments, he realizes that the main thing he's missing is companionship, as he's never had a girlfriend; in fact, he's still a virgin.

While meeting up with a younger co-worker named Tamura and his new girlfriend, there's a sudden shriek in the crowd as an unknown attacker dashes towards Satoru and the young couple. Tamura initially tries to step in front of his girlfriend, but ultimately Satoru pushes them both out of the way and is stabbed in the back before the attacker flees.

In Satoru's final moments, he hears a mysterious, digitized voice granting him "skills". At first he thinks that Tamura is talking/mocking him as he's dying, but when his consciousness slips he realizes that the voice is actually a part of him now.

Slowly coming back to consciousness, he realizes that he can't see anything or feel any of his limbs. Slowly, regains certain sensations and begins to get a grasp on the situation, eventually realizing that he's taken a highly unexpected form:

That's right - our hardworking salaryman has been brought back as a low-level slime monster! However, the nature of his reincarnation, and the gifting of multiple "Skills" makes him a far more formidable threat than any other slime in this new fantasy universe.

As he's getting the hang of his new form, he's introduced to his unique and powerful "Extra Skill" known as "Predator". By absorbing items, he can analyze and mimic them - something we're sure to see even more of in future episodes.

Slinking about in the cave, Satoru realizes that he's not alone. After discovering how to effectively "see" in his slime form, he's introduced to the fearsome Verudora - The Storm Dragon.

Verudora explains that Satoru appears to have been brought from the other world via reincarnation - a unique method of transporting so-called "Otherworlders". In making the transition from one world to the other, they are granted special powers (skills), as well as a unique power (extra skill) to set themselves apart. Satoru commits to finding more otherworlders, but first he strikes up a friendship with the long-sealed dragon after a brief tsundere skit.

The episode concludes with the two confirming their friendship, as Satoru begins to make sense of this strange new fantasy world.

Review

That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime was recently called out as one of the 10 most anticipated series of the Fall season. First appearing in 2013, the light novel was recently ranked 6th in the magazine This Light Novel Is Amazing! Fans of the LN have been eagerly anticipating the adaptation, and were thrilled when it was announced that the show would be two full cours.

Now, my last real journey into an isekai series was the emotionally taxing Re:Zero, and honestly I'm not sure I'm ready to sign up for something like that again (Goblin Slayer might say otherwise). Luckily, Reincarnated As A Slime appears to be keeping things light, with an MC that definitely has some eccentricities. I mean, you're not entirely normal when you're a 37 year old virgin who desperately asks his co-worker to toss his hard drive in the tub as you are literally dying...or if you can adjust to being a slime so quickly!

If Satoru's carefree attitude combined with the playful friendship that he strikes up with the monstrous Verudora is an early look at what we have to look forward to, then Reincarnated As A Slime will be a treat indeed.

In addition to the grounded MC, the opening episode also did a great job of world-building without overloading the viewer with needless information. We understand there are magic-infused beings in the world. We know that "Otherworlders" are brought over and gifted with abilities. We know that there are four "true" dragons, of which Verudora is one.

Ultimately, these little nuggets are all we need to pique our interest in the broader world. It makes us curious to see more "Otherworlders" and their respective powers. To see what sort of structure and ruling classes exist in this fantasy world. To meet the other three dragons, of course!

Not only is the world building engaging, but the pacing is spot-on. The opening scene is just long enough to relate to Satoru, and respect the seemingly healthy rapport he's established with some of his younger colleagues. We get to see his selfless act of trying to protect Tamura, and then accompany him on his journey between worlds. It's not too long after this transfer that we're introduced to Verudora, and before we know it, the closing credits have begun.

I will say that the animation was a bit more reserved than I'm used to with opening episodes. Not that it wasn't strong - the cave where Satoru begins his journey as a slime is a vibrant and colorful one, and Verudora's massive and fearsome figure was also a sight to behold. However, the environment was very limited for the bulk of the opening episode. We didn't get any sweeping shots of a fantastical kingdom or extended action sequences to set the tone.

Overall, the debut episode does a great job of setting itself apart from other isekai series with an MC who isn't overly eccentric or "too cool for school". While the animation is limited, what we do see is solid, and as a whole the episode is thoroughly entertaining, and very well paced. That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime will likely attract a strong core of weekly viewers with this premiere. You can catch it on Mondays at Crunchyroll!

What did you think of the first episode? Let us know in the comments, or join the conversation on our Discord channel!