Play Hit cartoon series That time I was reincarnated as a Slime is a prominent genre in the isekai (“other world”) genre, and that success is largely due to one thing the genre doesn’t always do: looking beyond its protagonist to see larger world around them.
Isekai stories revolve around a protagonist who is transported to another world, usually through death and rebirth. The main characters in isekai tend to use large amounts of power, earning the respect and admiration of everyone around them. At its core, isekai is a kind of wish-fulfillment-based genre that puts the audience in the shoes of a hero who can literally channel their will into the world and see big changes from there. . Many take inspiration from video games, which give the character skills or abilities as one would normally see in Role Playing Games, resulting in the hero’s strong nature. That Time I Got Reborn as a Slime makes no difference in this respect, but the real difference is the way that power is used.
That time I was reincarnated as a Slime that made its hero’s power work
In just a few episodes of the series, protagonist Rimuru Tempest has devoted himself to using his powers to build a new type of society where monsters and humanoids can coexist. This is partly selfishly motivated, as Rimuru’s original goal was to have a society as close to the comfortable modern world he came from, but as the story progresses, Rimuru begins to take it seriously. their leadership responsibilities. Starting with goblins and ferocious wolves, Rimuru begins to broker peace between the warring groups, using the extraordinary powers they have inherited to solve problems. After all, when faced with peace or destruction, most will choose peace.
Many isekai series feature rather selfish protagonists who only want to fulfill their wishes (hence the kind of harem common in the genre), and another hit series, The Eminence In Shadow , is a perfect example. Although Rimuru isn’t really selfless, the level of responsibility Rimuru sees for himself keeps them from becoming too greedy. They have people to protect those who rely on them, and that’s something Rimuru takes quite seriously, even to the point of doing some very morally questionable things. While many isekai focus on the power part of the illusion of power, That Time I Got Reborn as a Slime carries as much weight as the responsibility that comes with using that power.
The nation building sets reincarnated as a slime alongside the other Isekai
At its core, the series is a comedy, so it usually tries not to be too gloomy when it comes to handling responsibility, but that doesn’t mean it’s not there or that it doesn’t play a major role. Rimuru’s seemingly endless increase in power has been accompanied by an even increase in responsibility for those who rely on them and the potential consequences of their actions. This element is really the secret that created That time I was reincarnated as a Slime such a hit, and why it continues to be popular to this day.
