Written by: Gabriel Castillo | Published on: January 14, 2021
The colorful and creative fantasy world along with Rimuru and his crew return to dazzle and entertain isekai fans! Enjoy and reconnect with this nostalgic and delightful start to the season. It's slime time.
With a successful first season, fans eagerly awaited the return of the slime. And now, Rimuru is back after being delayed due to COVID-19. The split-cour season was set to open in October 2020 with its second half opening in April 2021. However, due to the delay, the first half was opened last January 12, 2021 while the second half was pushed to July 2021.
Will this season be better than the first? Or will it feel the same? Expect a plethora of new characters to be introduced (and likely pushed to the background). Hopefully some more notable figures pop up and shake up the story! Apart from the characters and the story, the crisp and enjoyable animation (as seen in season 1) is something to look forward to. Thankfully, 8bit is still in charge of animating which means the series is in good hands. Lastly, the atmosphere established in the first season was light and fun — which should be the expected experience for viewers this season. Playful characters, light conflict, and fun interactions await!
Season 1 Summary
Note: The first few minutes of the episode are dedicated to Rimuru briefly summarizing the events that transpired in Season 1 (with pictures to prompt some memories).
Many things happened in the first season and here is a rundown of the events:
Satoru Mikami, a 37-year-old office worker and virgin, was killed after being stabbed. He was reincarnated in a cave as a slime with some unique skills formed from his final thoughts right before dying.
While exploring the cave, he met the powerful dragon Veldora (surprisingly a tsundere) that was sealed in the cave centuries prior. The two became friends and named each other: Rimuru Tempest (the slime) and Veldora tempest (the dragon). Rimuru promised to free Veldora from the seal, stored the dragon in his stomach, and set out to see the foreign world.
Rimuru encountered goblins in need and together they face Direwolves. After being defeated, the Direwolves swear their loyalty to Rimuru. And so, Rimuru, the goblins, and Direwolves started living together.
With a strong sense of nation-building, Rimuru set out to find master craftsmen in order to build a village.
Rimuru ran into a group of adventurers including the Conqueror of Flames and vessel of Ifrit, Shizue Izawa — a Japanese girl summoned to the fantasy world by Demon Lord Leon Cromwell. Shizu passed on her will to Rimuru and asks him to find Leon.
Rimuru encountered Orgres, Lizardmen, and Dryads in need of help. Together, they set out to defeat a new looming threat: The Orc Lord and his rampaging orcs. Despite having help from a demon lord, the orcs were no match for Rimuru. After a huge battle, the orcs were defeated and the Jura Tempest Alliance was formed.
The alliance grew with new allies including the dwarven kingdom and the powerful demon lord Milim.
Thanks to the plan of Demon Lord Clayman, an ancient evil, the Charybdis, was resurrected. Charybdis engaged in a colossal battle with Rimuru’s alliance but was eventually slain by Milim.
The last portion of Season 1 was dedicated to Rimuru addressing Shizu’s lingering regret of not saving her students — five children summoned to the world with no hope of surviving the immense amount of energy in their bodies.
Rimuru managed to save the students from dying by having superior spirits inhabit the children to better control the energy.
The season ended with Shizu’s memory of Kuro, a powerful demon progenitor, defeating an archdemon named Orthos. Kuro, now interested in the powerful slime with Shizu’s mask, decided it was time to meet Rimuru.
TL;DR version: a man was reincarnated as an overpowered slime in a fantasy world. He befriended a mighty dragon, foughtsome monsters, befriended more monsters (even a demon lord), inherited the will of Shizu, built a nation, and saved some summoned children from dying. Now, a powerful demon progenitor seeks to meet this slime.
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
Summary
Rimuru takes some time away from teaching his students and returns to Tempest. After a brief recap of past events, Rimuru begins working with familiar faces. In line with their non-aggression pact, Rimuru and Demon Lord Carrion send delegations to each other in hopes of fostering better relations. As the delegation from Eurazania arrives, harsh words toward Rimuru spark a kerfuffle.
Time with the Characters
Majority of the episode shows Rimuru and all his buddies. The usual cast got their fair share of screen time especially during Rimuru’s address to the delegation. Plus, there’s a bit of fan service (the usual onsen scene). These scenes do a decent job of reuniting viewers with the world and its characters.
Eurazania's Delegation: The Beastketeers!
The delegation is composed of beast-like monsters and some tiger-drawn chariots. The characters in the delegation look well-designed but have some typical and predictable personalities (e.g., haughty, condescending, and slime-doubters). Have a look at three notable characters:
Albis is the leader of Eurazania's Three Beastketeers and the delegation. On top of her gorgeous snake-like eyes and black-gold hair, Albis has a calm demeanor with a commanding aura.
Suphia is a member of the Beastketeers and a hot-headed brawler. She immediately looks down on Rimuru for being a slime (no surprise here) and stirs up some tension. Her temper is matched by her strength and prowess in hand-to-hand combat.
Grucius is considered the runt of the Beastketeers. He seems mild-mannered but still ends up joining the conflict.
Based on how things usually go, these guys are probably gonna get whooped.
Production (Animation and Design)
8bit does a fantastic job of designing and animating the world (clearly seen in their success with the first season). The colors are delightful and dynamic befitting of a proper fantasy world. Additionally, the character design is creative and enjoyable. 8bit successfully transports viewers to the world of Rimuru by creating a unique and memorable atmosphere. On top of the wonderful design, the animation is excellent. The brief brawl towards the end of the episode is smooth and fun to watch —a showcase of 8bit’s ability.
Music (OP & ED)
OP: Storyteller by TRUE has a pop-rock feel with a very energetic vibe and powerful vocals. Singing along is inevitable! This song works perfectly to introduce the anime as it evokes a strong feeling of adventure and fun. The aptly titled Storyteller invites viewers to sit down and enjoy another season of a lovable slime's entertaining journey.
ED: STORYSEEKER by STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION has a very poppy feel, laidback rhythm, and catchy beat. The colorful vibe of the song goes hand-in-hand with the show's own vibrant atmosphere. Headbobbing and vibing are certain with this one.
VERDICT
Author's Rating: 8.1/10
A solid return for Rimuru and his crew! The episode did a great job of reintroducing the beloved cast in a fun and familiar manner. Most of the episode felt nostalgic as it brought back the mood of the series. To make things better, the story went on with new characters and a plotline to follow. The well-animated fight towards the end was a great bonus (and tease for the action to come). Overall, this episode was entertaining and it built up excitement for the season.
What will become of their non-aggression pact with Eurazania? What other beings (friends and foes) will Rimuru meet? Will he finally find Cromwell? Who else will he devour? How will the story unfold from here? More adventures with Rimuru await!
Official Anime Website: Tensura
Official Anime Twitter: @ten_sura_anime
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Fan of isekai? Fan of the series? What are you looking forward to this season? Let us know in the comments below!
