So fans of this blog might remember a little something I reviewed a long time ago called Bikini Warriors. At the time I picked up the show for one very big reason: I very much enjoy when fantasy shows call out their own bullshit and stop following specific types of tropes. The reason I bring this is up is that in this week’s Slime Isekai we learn why it was important for Rimuru to be named last episode and how that affected his situation. We also learned that he can, in fact, run out of magic and when he does he becomes the cutest slime puddle ever. Aww, I want to scoop him into a jar and poke his little slime cheeks.
What we learn this week is entirely meta-knowledge: it is well known in the fantasy genre that if a boss has a name, they are a more powerful monster. Originally it related to distinctions and budget cuts: naming a monster and making minor model changes was a cost-effective way of denoting their importance. Eventually, the concept simply became a staple. Slime lampshades this when Rimuru defeats the direwolf boss and has the rest of the direwolves become friends with the goblins. He starts naming every Goblin and direwolf he can until suddenly he is out of magic. But when he wakes up. . .
All the monsters are souped up. Naming them made them super powerful and beefy, making wobbly little goblin dorks into some straight up boss monster material. Naming them even seems to take magic. I laughed so hard when this happened and I love that little touch. I could watch forever just to see fantasy meta jokes.
On the other hand, an aspect I am very fond of is that Slime Isekai seems to have great moments of animation despite what seems to be a lackluster budget. The reason why is rather ingenius: slimes and wolves and beasts don’t move their mouths in this show, and the acting sells it well enough that the animators can focus on everything except for mouth flaps. If they cut out the walk cycles now they’ll have every resource imaginable. This show must be hilariously fun to work on just for the ways they cheat regular animation rules.
So far the show has hints of more mature ideas, Rimuru decapitated the direwolf boss, but then he becomes a blushing blob of slime. I don’t quite have a read on the tone yet but that’s fine, I’m here for the ride.
Oki