English Dub Review: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: “Birth of a Demon Lord”

Overview: Rimuru (Brittany Karbowski), at long last, ascends to the heights of a demon lord as he takes out Falmuth’s forces. 

Our Take: Going into this episode, Falmuth getting their just deserts was an aspect that was more fulfilling than I expected it to be. However, cathartic doesn’t even begin to describe the pure enjoyment that came from the pure annihilation he dished out to Falmuth. There is nothing especially exciting happening on screen animation wise but his ability to pretty much instantaneously and lethally dispatch was jaw dropping to behold nonetheless. The episode strongly sets the tone early on when characters built up as potentially menacing threats such as Razen wrapped up in neat little Shogo package, are taken out with ease and treated like nothing more than the rest of the cannon fodder. 

I won’t lie, Rimuru’s decision to commit mass genocide definitely threw me for a loop at first. After the death of his friends and fellow, of course his reason was sound. But after so many Shonen with plucky, dogged spiky haired protagonists hell bent on doing good like a dog with a bone, it was definitely shocking, even jarring at times. But in a good way. Probably the best way possible because it gives me what I ask for so very often but so very rarely get. And that is characters who are not stereotypical icons of justice and who instead are painted in realistic and gripping lights. 

One other curious story element that had me pondering as to how it would be implemented was that of the demon lord, Diablo. He played a small role in Shizu’s past and an even bigger one in Rimuru’s with him saving his students, but most importantly he was teased as having a prominent part this time around during the end of first season. The way he factors in definitely isn’t how I anticipated. Him wanting to be under Rimuru’s tutelage was a curveball because of how much of a paint by numbers menacing villain he was positioned as. Not that I’m complaining because this is so exponentially more interesting because of the various ways his role could develop, whether he be a slowburn antagonist (very likely) or a genuine companion and friend to Rimuru and Tempest, forging a unique friendship like very few, not excluding Rimuru’s neighboring demon lord, Lord Carrion. One last nod is how, potentially, even more exciting new threats are being set up for the future of the series. The seeds of fear and conflict are being planted as Grucius begins realizing the danger that Rimuru presents with his newfound abilities exceeding that of Carrion making for a potentially shaky relationship moving forward.

“Birth of a Demon Lord” is an amazing new beginning for Rimuru but an even better bookend for this arc with realistic character motivations and power plays along with interesting plot threads being woven.