In the most slice of life episode yet, episode ten follows Goblin Slayer on a simple day through town. Quite literally nothing happens this episode, save for the big jawdropper at the end, but it’s a nice change of pace. Following the cave collapse action of the previous episode, this episode feels like a breath of much needed air for Goblin Slayer. Not only does it serve as a vessel to introduce some memorable side characters, it gives many of our characters time for introspection.
It begins with narration from Goblin Slayer himself, describing the dreams he had as a child. As many boys probably do, he desired to be an adventurer or a hero. It’s the voice of a grown man who’s long given up that dream, and in a way it’s heartbreaking. His narration is juxtaposed with the visuals of the actual hero defeating the demon lord in a flurry of lights, and one can’t help but wonder if Goblin Slayer could’ve been the hero, had his story taken a different turn. It was a cruel stroke of fate that made Goblin Slayer into the machine he is today, and he himself understands this. But had he become the Demon King Slayer, we likely wouldn’t have this story at all. For there’s nothing special about another hero that slays demon kings.
Goblin Slayer follows Cow Girl into the town and undergoes a number of slice of life shenanigans. Since he isn’t wearing his signature armor, he’s greeted quite warmly by Spearman who comments on his pasty skin. No surprise there since his armor severely deprives him of any sunlight exposure. Unlike her partner however, Witch knows it’s Goblin Slayer immediately. Even tipping him off about the lack of goblin slaying quests in today’s queue. He then heads to the blacksmith, where the wisecrack blacksmith complains about how Goblin Slayer gets so beat up over goblins. Being Goblin Slayer, he doesn’t care at all and moves on with the conversation. It is later revealed however, that the blacksmith respects Goblin Slayer to a decent degree, understanding that Goblin Slayer is truly an expert as his craft.
The next slice of life phase is the training session between Heavy Swordsman and a couple new adventurers. It holds no significance really, but establishes that the older generation of adventurers are willing to mentor the younger generation. It makes the world seem much more alive to see all these characters mingling in their freetime rather than our only exposure being through Goblin Slayer’s interactions. We’re also introduced to Female Knight who speaks to Goblin Slayer quite warmly. This gives me the impression that either the general opinion towards Goblin Slayer has risen immensely, or that the higher ranks all acknowledge his expertise. It’s likely a bit of both, but it’s great that we’ve moved past laughing at Goblin Slayer for doing nothing but slaying goblins.
When Goblin Slayer enters the Guild Hall he’s rushed by both Priestess and Guild Girl. It’s quite amusing how his harem has developed, and also a tad bit annoying. The harem aspects of this show are quite tame as of now, with only the slightest feelings bubbling beneath the surface, and I hope it stays that way. The best parts of this show are the characters, worldbuilding, and the expertise of Goblin Slayer, not the number of women fawning over Goblin Slayer’s one word answers. Soon the entire party catches up with Goblin Slayer and he finds himself surrounded by friends, something that was unspeakable to think of in the early episodes. Cow Girl is of course surprised to see him with so many friends, and it’s likely a breath of relief for her since she’s always worrying about him.
The dinner with all his friends is quite amusing, with all of the women teaming up against Goblin Slayer, unified by their personal affection for him. It easily transitions into the Guild Hall dinner where all the adventurers are drinking, gambling, and having a fun time. It’s quite cozy, with the sound of music and hearty laughter! I wouldn’t mind being there myself.
The final monologue from Cow Girl touches some serious points regarding Goblin Slayer’s future. The man cannot slay goblins forever, he will either grow old and his body won’t be able to keep up, or he will die. Cow Girl spends days and days looking forward to him arriving home, and she definitely harbors some form of guilt over the Goblin Slayer he turned out to be. She understands that even Goblin Slayer himself probably won’t know what to do with himself once he can’t lay goblins anymore. It’s not the most profound of monologues, but its somber tone matches perfectly with the final reveal of the episode. A huge field of goblin footprints near the farm!
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