Anime Review: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode 1

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Episode 1

Studio: 8Bit

Genre: Fantasy, Comedy

Stream: Crunchyroll

In present-day Tokyo, Satou Mikami lives a “totally normal, uneventful life.” He went to college, got a job, and is happy with everything except not having a girlfriend. Unfortunately, he gets stabbed while trying to save a friend from a random attacker in the streets. As he dies, he vows that if he is reincarnated, he will lose his virginity and be with tons of women.

The protagonist died within the first five minutes of the show? Looks like we have yet another isekai anime. So what makes That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime different? Yes, he is reincarnated into a slime, as opposed to some OP character with good looks.

Mikami has a few abilities in his new form, which are often analyzed and explained by a computer that helps him adjust to his new life. Mikami discovering his new surroundings leads to some solid comedy, and this first episode got a few laughs out of me. The show is fairly light-hearted and certainly doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Visually, this episode did much more than I expected, with flashy aesthetics and an interesting presentation of the slime’s skills. Mikami’s transformation was quite a sight, with some stellar animation. About halfway through, the show finds itself full of vivid colors as Mikami is given sight. The world around the protagonist looks sharp and is the highlight of the episode. Despite none of the characters being human, they are all expressive. This even applies to the face-less slime.

The OST doesn’t stand out, but the voice acting overall is acceptable. Mikami’s voice as a slime fits the character and tone, which is about all I can ask for. This episode did have some superb sound effects throughout as Mikami explored his surroundings.

Outside of a few successful jokes and the visuals, there isn’t much else to see here. The dialogue is kind of bland, and the two main characters introduced in this episode aren’t particularly exciting. The show does deserve praise for avoiding using fanservice as a hook, which is way too common.

Despite its shortcomings and lack of substance, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime deserves praise for standing out in an oversaturated genre. It’s clear that  8bit, the series’ studio, has put a lot of heart into it. The characters and story aren’t exciting, but there is plenty of room for growth here. This one might be worth checking out for fans of fantasy games or light comedy.