Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken (Review)

Posted on May 22, 2019 by KiritoNarukami 6 comments

“Satoru Mikami’s life was pretty ordinary: at age 37, he was coasting along with a decent job but no girlfriend. That all changed when he was stabbed to death in broad daylight, and his final thoughts were translated into special abilities in his next life. Reborn in a fantasy world, Satoru now has a wide variety of skills and powers available to him, but the downside is that he’s no longer human. Instead, he’s become a blue slime monster, and is alone in a cave full of magical plants and minerals, or so he thinks until he runs into a giant dragon named Verudora. Satoru and Verudora soon become friends, but there’s a violent world waiting for them outside the cave.” -ANN

Story:

Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken, or TenSura for short, was an unexpected dark horse that anime season. With a cliche thing like being reincarnated in a fantasy world, there are many who’d think that it’s just another Isekai anime. Add on the over powered main character trope and it feels even more redundant. But TenSura’s wonderful story telling makes it easy to fall in love with the show episode after episode. The excellent pacing go the story that focused more on sculpting the characters developing in a meaningful way made TenSura one of the best shows I’ve seen to date.

Artwork & Animation:

The character designs took a minute to adjust to but by the end of the show, I fell in love with them. The overall art and animation are fantastic and articulate, creating a deeper immersion aside from the story. There are a good amount of setting from different cities, forests, and battlefields.

Character(s):

The character development in the show is staggering when considering the number of characters that appear in the show and all of their backstories. There’s great immersion through the character development. Personally, I loved seeing Rimuru’s empire grow through his planning but also his kindness and humbleness. And let’s not forget the number of details that we get to see from each of the races that show up throughout the show. There’s an understanding of political standing between each of the races and it creates a rather holistic setting in which the story takes place.

Sound (OST & Voice Acting):

Tensura’s soundtrack has a good variety, while a lot of it is fairly predictable there are some pieces, especially the ones used for battle, that get the blood pumping. Instrument-wise it’s pretty standard: typical orchestra, a generic rock band, and some electronic sounds here and there. Shout out to the track that uses an electric guitar with a wah-wah pedal for some comedic scenes!

Enjoyment:

I, and I can’t stress this enough, LOVE THIS SHOW. Everything about this show gets me excited, whether that’s the character designs, the soundtrack, or the characters themselves. TenSura was such a pleasure to watch and I’m excited for the second season that’s coming Fall 2019!

Overall: Score

10

TenSura does an excellent job in building that world that Rimuru now lives in as a slime. The great story and character development throughout the show create an interesting dynamic that makes you come back for another episode. Hands down, one of the best shows I’ve seen to date.

Best Girl: Milim

Maybe you saw this going from a mile away, maybe you didn’t. Regardless Milim wins this round because she’s the cutest (and toughest) ball of fun you’ve ever laid your eyes on. Her quirky nature and their love of her “besty” is something to enjoy in the show!

Honorable Mention: Shizu

While Shizu is a great candidate for the Best Girl award, it’s hard when with the limited screen time that she receives. But to avoid any spoilers, I’ll just say that she’s the kindest and most thoughtful person in this show and she deserves the world.

Honorable Mention: Shion

Not going to lie, Shion was best girl all the way up until Milim showed up. But I love her so much that I couldn’t help but add her into the honorable mentions!! Her strict attitude and her fluffy personality when it comes to Rimuru is a deadly combo. Match that with her terrible cooking skills and it’s a winner winner chicken dinner for me!