Isekai anime are a dime a dozen these days. With the amount available, these shows must be creative to stand out. Even still, Isekai titles with a unique take on the genre are still overlooked as “trash” (which you can read about here). 

But sometimes an idea is so absurd, so out of left field, that people can’t help but take notice. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is one of those shows, and it’s taken the anime world by storm. As the name suggests, this series sees the main character reincarnate as a slime. Not an all-powerful hero. Not an evil demon lord. Just a regular ol’ slime.

This never-before-seen perspective has allowed the series to carve its own path and stand apart from the million other isekai out there. The cast of colorful characters, expansive world, intriguing story, and the excellent production quality help it stand out from other anime. All of this combined has allowed for the series to rise in popularity, to the extent that reincarnation as a monster idea has now become an isekai trope in of itself.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (which I will shorten to Slime because screw writing the full name every time) started as a light novel series written by Fuse and illustrated by Mitz Vah. A “light novel” is just a novel with pictures every couple of chapters. If you ever see an anime with a stupidly long title, there’s a good chance it’s adapting a light novel. 

Light novels are hit-or-miss when it comes to quality. For every Sword Art Online, there’s an In Another World With My Smartphone (yes, that’s a real thing). Slime falls into the former category, and it’s plain to see why.

The Slime series has seen a massive increase in popularity since its humble beginnings, being adapted into a manga series as well as an anime, which is what we’re here to talk about today. Slime is animated by Studio Eight-Bit and is currently composed of two seasons, a movie, and a metric butt ton of OVAs (Original video animations, basically special episodes released outside of the normal season). 

Premiering in 2018, the series has been received extremely well globally. And with every aspect of the series gelling together perfectly, it’s no wonder I and millions of people are in love with the series.

The Slime series follows a 37-year-old man who gets reincarnated as a slime in a fantasy world after being stabbed. Once reincarnated, Rimuru (the slime) meets an all-powerful dragon called Veldora, who is incredibly lonely. After the two bond over their shared loneliness, they become friends, and the story gets rolling. 

Unlike most isekai, the protagonist isn’t a black-haired teenager who has god-like abilities that can split the moon in half. Instead, we have a middle-aged man who gets stabbed in the gut, asks his friend to delete his search history, and then dies (real hero material). He doesn’t even get reincarnated as something cool like a spider god – no, he becomes a slime, the weakest monster ever. 

But therein lies what makes this series so enjoyable to watch: the subversion of expectations.

You know how I said that Rimuru isn’t reincarnated as an overpowered hero? Yeah, that’s only half true. He may not have been reincarnated with any broken abilities (except something that explains stuff to him), but as it turns out, making a friendship bond with a dragon can give you quite the power boost! 

What was once a weak and meager slime now has the power of a dragon behind him, which is something you don’t see every day. The absurdity of the plot and the number of coincidences that prevent Rimuru from becoming easy experience points for a random adventurer gives this series its charm. And that’s not even the craziest part…

Besides Rimuru and Veldora, there are many other quality characters in the Slime series. Most of the characters in Slime are of the monster variety. 

For starters, there are the Goblins, led by Rigurd, who are the first monsters Rimuru meets (besides Veldora). There’s also his trusty dire wolf, Ranga, who can control lightning and is the goodest of bois. There are also characters from all the different monster races, such as Gabiru, the self-absorbed lizard man, and Geld, the leader of the orcs. This ensemble is already looking like a lot, but I haven’t even touched on my favorites.

Some of the strongest members of Rimuru’s gang of monsters are the ogres. A group that once started as enemies of Rimuru’s small kingdom are now some of the coolest characters of the whole series. You’ve got Benimaru, who embodies the edgy samurai fantasy that we’ve all had at one point (right?). We have Shion, the secretary, who can’t cook to save her life. Then there’s Shuna, the ogre princess who can craft anything. There’s also Souei, Hakurou, and Kurobe, who all have their unique charms. 

And none of these characters holds a candle to the absolute best character in not just the series but this entire genre, Milim Nava the demon lord. Now I’m totally biased on this, but Milim is the best character in the series. Whether it’s her inability to whistle, her habit of unintentionally destroying everything or her weakness to honey, you’ll be guaranteed to laugh whenever she’s on screen. 

Each character is unique, and you’ll definitely find a favorite. Combine that with the amazing production value, and you have one hell of a series!

On the production side, Slime is one of the better isekai. The animation in the big set pieces is stunning (you know it’s great when the environment turns into squares). The sound design adds to this, with sound effects such as Rimuru’s devour, Benimaru’s fire, and even the sound of death when Shion is cooking. This same quality can even be found in the slower-paced moments of the series. Even something as mundane as farming has such love and care poured into it. Your eyes are sure to be glued to the screen. 

And don’t even get me started on the opening and closing songs for the series; they’re all certified bangers. My personal favorite is “Like Flames” by MindaRyn, but you could pick any of them, and you’d be in for a treat. 

The quality of Slime is on a different level compared to most other isekai out there. And the movie raises the bar even higher, which is just incredible! In all aspects of production, the Slime series is one of the best you could watch right now.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is one of the most unique and enjoyable isekai series you can watch. The intriguing plot, unique characters, and top-tier production quality make the series a must-watch. There’s no shortage of content either, with the two 24-episode seasons, the movie, the multitude of OVAs, and even a spin-off slice-of-life series. If you’re a fan of the isekai genre, you’ll love Slime. If you’ve never heard of isekai or never watched anime in general, I’d still say give Slime a shot. Who knows, maybe you’ll enjoy this unique look into the life of a little ol’ slime.

Have you watched the Slime series? Did you enjoy it? Who’s your favorite character? Let us know in the comments down below, where I will fight anyone who doesn’t say their favorite is Milim!