Makoto's review of Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken

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What makes a great anime? Is is adapting a good material? Good technical and artistic work from the studio staff? Good acting? Directing? Well, it is a mix of all of those. But sometimes the final result is greater than the sum of those parts. And speaking in 2021, Tensei shitara Slime datta ken (Tensura) absolutely is exactly that. Back in 2018 there could definitely be an argument to say the show is only above average, or even average. The first season of Tensura aired between 2018 and 1019 adapts the first 4 books, which are without a doubt slower and without some of the features that makes the rest of it great. But it does lay down all the necessary elements that actually make those parts work, even though they might actually have hurt the success of the first season, but we will get to that later. Technically, Tensura is without a doubt good. Studio 8 bit does a great job, specially in two aspects: Sound design and CGI use. The sound effects of Tensura, specially on the second season are probably the greatest technical aspect of the show. It's easy to create simple distorted and bassy sounds. But if it were easy to use them effectively everyone would do it. And they don't. CGI is very polemic in the anime world, specially because of questionable use by studios. Tensura uses CGI very well, and the reason for that is, besides being very good at it, the director has the good sense of using it in the right places, and not letting the CGI overstay its presence. In animation and cinematography, Tensura also does a very good job. Rimuru being a slime places a heavy artistic burden on the studio. It needs to be compelling. And it manages to be. Action scenes animate really well, although the fighting choreography leaves something to be desired. Character design in Tensura shines. Although its implementation sometimes is lacking, specially on the more budget scenes. A big part of what allows it to work is the source material. The story presents characters and scenarios that are easy to be implemented tastefully. Tensura's locations are mostly very basic ones, present in most fantasy works. Caves, dwarf cities, forests... With the exception of Tempest itself, everything is something that you have already seen. It needs to be said that, for a relatively unknown name on the scene, Okasaki Miho carries the show on her back. As we will discuss further, Tensura gravitas derives a lot from Rimuru himself, and she manages to portray the character's emotions with incredibly finesse. It is also important to mention that side characters are incredibly well acted. Tomari Asuna's cry as Gobta in 2x08 is certainly one of the greatest displays of emotional extreme I have ever seen. Tensura has a great OST. Special mention to the Geld fight and Meggido scene. With that all out of the way, let's talk adaptation. There are two roots a studio can go when adapting a work. You can either do a direct adaptation, just animating what is on the manga/light novel, or go the other route, which is to actually adapt the work to the animated medium. 8-bit choose the second route. This meant cutting stuff out, and that always ruffle some feathers. There are a lot of complaints about scenes cut and modified in the anime. And there is some validity to those concerns. But it is important to notice that what works in the world the light novel created, might not work in the world 8-bit created. Ultimately those changes are what make Tensura more accessible to the general public and what makes it viable to produce what was in 2018 a relative unknown and untested material. Tensura is an emotional show. The connections between characters are what hold it together, and what happens to them are what bring tension and gravitas to it. Three characters do that part. Shizu in season 1, and Shion and Tempest in season 2. Yes, Tempest itself is a character. It grows, gets stronger, more beautiful and create as much attachment as any other character. Seeing it in danger or hurt creates a strong feeling on the viewer and that is not unintended. Tensura crafts this character from the start. And making you feel for a town, a ship or a volleyball is just great storytelling. Tensura is also an adult TV show. It does not shy away from politics and economics, those being in fact, the main drivers of conflict. It does not shy away from vengeance or death. In fact death is a presence Thorough the show. Tensura would be an average show had Rimuru found a way to harvest human souls without killing people. But it didn't. Is Rimuru right? Would you kill 10000 people to revive a loved one? Is everything allowed in war? Can peace be created without force? Besides those questions, Tensura does not put action as a necessary element. It does not shy away from 6 episodes without a single punch being thrown. That can put away those expecting those elements, but it is surely a delight for those attracted to world building and the political developments. After saying all that, it is also important to remind you that this is an anime and it is not ashamed of being one. There is some light fanservice, there are big boobs, there are handsome guys, the whole pack is there. The only difference being that Tensura does not appeal to the lowest common denominator. It does not offend the viewer. Notice that I have not touched on some elements, like being an isekai, which is irrelevant. Isekai is not a genre. It does not carry any expectations or conventions. Or the supposed overpoweredness of Rimuru, which is also irrelevant. There is no rule that says characters can not be strong and need to have some physical challenge. Being overpowered is a problem when it hinders what the shows tries to do. It doesn't on this show. Tensura is a very well crafted fantasy adventure anime that asks the right questions and takes its time. It earns its emotional moments and although it is not a flawless execution, it shows that a studio can make a profitable, popular show without sacrificing its soul, as long as the original material is good and that the studio cares enough. It is not perfect, but it is fresh and it is highly enjoyable.