English Dub Season Review: I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level Season One

Overview: After quite literally being worked to death, Azusa Aizawa (Skyler Davenport) reincarnates as an immortal witch into a new fantasy world hoping to live a peaceful life from there on out. After a long carefree life of killing slimes, she soon finds that after 300 years she has reached new heights of power and that it will draw more attention than she had originally bargained for. Soon after she begins meeting new friends that will change her way of life as she knows it and become a part of her family, such as her housekeeper and apprentice, Laika (Rachelle Heger), the shapeshifting red dragon, and even twin slime daughters, Falfa (Lizzie Freeman) and Shalsha (Suzie Yeung) along with many more. 

Our Take: By and large, the isekai’s title, and general tone of it, should tell most anime veterans what kind of series they are getting themselves into. I’ve Been Killing Slimes follows a fairly simple formula in which Azusa goes around helping new companions with their own predicaments that she meets on her adventures. Friends that either become integrated into her family as a whole or become a part of the rotating cast of supporting characters. There are minor deviations here and there but overall this is the general lay of the land in terms of how plots proceed. 

While not without its shortcoming, without a doubt the magic that is present within the series resides within the core cast. Azusa, played by Skyler Davenport, is a good main character to shepherd the series as she is a relaxed yet caring, putting most at ease and effective in reacting and learning about the various magical aspects of the world as a whole. However, her gradual development as a result of creating a family could have been cultivated better as there are very few moments when the series takes the time to actually focus on it. Davenport, nonetheless, does an excellent job as the famed witch of the highlands as she nails Azusa’s reluctance but also her fierceness and energy as well. 

But the talent is by no means just limited to her though as the entire ensemble cast is amazing. Rachelle Heger is adorably bashful and respectful as the trustworthy Laika. Lizzie Freeman and Suzie Yeung are more adorable than a box of puppies as the slime spirit sisters, Falfa and Shalsha. Erica Mendez is elegant, tough and charmingly coy as the lord of the flies herself, Beelzebub. Xanthe Huynh is lighthearted and ditzy as the elf Halkara. Anne Yatco is poised and polite as Rosalie. Amber Lee Connors is an unabashed free spirit with a strong infinity for anything that is meat as Flatorte. There are also a handful of guest characters that make recurring appearances who leave their mark on the show such as Tara Sands as a struggling musician, Kuku, with an infinity for over the top incomprehensible metal vocals. 

The type of humor and the chemistry between all the characters is incredibly solid. The self-contained plots are often goofy and feature an equally fun and silly resolution that is fitting within the tone of the overall series and characters. The entire family bounces off of each other well too with their own quirks instigating a lot of entertaining squabbles and exchanges like that of Laika and Flatorte constant rivalry in literally everything or Azusa irritation with Halkara’s airheaded nature or even just her cleavage constantly being out and about. Because of course no anime is complete without the secret ingredient that is boobs. 

One throughline that is a constant throughout each and every one of their stories is an emotional scene to cement their place as Azusa’s family. The only issue being that they very often walk the line between heartfelt and overly mushy, with it often falling on the latter when it comes to the more heartfelt scenes and writing. With that being said the few scenes that are executed well, are noticeably so and intensely satisfying culminations of building relationships such as Latorte and Kuku’s splendidly uplifting and heartwarming mentor and student bonding. 

 Also while all fun in their own right, these characters are, generally, not especially new or unique in the grand scheme of things. You’ve seen incarnations and/or slight variations of them probably a million times over by now if you are an anime fan and they really don’t bring anything especially new to the table, story or character wise. But without a shadow of a doubt, that is not a bad thing.

What you see is what you get with I’ve Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level in that it can be cliché and generic along with overly sentimental in regards to the writing. With that being said, there is plenty of charm, humor and sweetness to be found nonetheless. If you just want an experience akin to that of a vanilla ice cream cone, a simple sweetness that is reliably pleasing throughout, then look no further than this fantastical isekai.