English Dub Review: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime “The Gathering”

Magic Slime: The Gathering.

Overview (Spoilers Below!)

Shocked and frightened by Rimuru’s successes, Guild Master Fuze decides to investigate, taking Eren, Cabal, and Gido with him. Milim enjoys the JTF’s delicious food. Vesta sets up a communication crystal that can send messages directly to Gazel. He’s also found a way to produce healing potions as effective as Rimuru’s. Rimuru wants to sell them, but Vesta and Kaijin insist that these “full” potions shouldn’t be relied on for everyday mishaps, but reserved for great heroes and life-or-death situations. Instead, they hope to sell diluted “low” potions from Dwargon, with less effective healing properties.

After an explosion, Rimuru learns that the town has received new visitors. Half of Rigord’s flesh has been ripped away. Rimuru heals him, but Milim has already beat up the culprit, a dude named Phobio who calls himself one of Carrion’s “Beastketeers.” Rimuru scolds her for her bad behavior.

Phobio tells Rimuru that Carrion wants all the majin in the JTF to serve him. Rimuru sends him home with a message. They ask Milim about Carrion, but she says the demon lords promised not to interfere with each other’s plans. Rimuru tries to manipulate the secret out of her, but she doesn’t cave until they promise to craft her a special weapon.

Youm, from the neighboring trading power of Falmuth, leads an expedition to investigate the orc lord. He begins to fight off a night spider to protect Cabal’s gang, but Gobuta appears out of nowhere and kills the spider without breaking a sweat. Rimuru’s village cooks the spider while Rimuru meets with Fuze; they must prove, yet again, that their kingdom is legit. Rimuru wants Youm to pretend that he defeated the orc lord and Rimuru helped out, so their town can be known as benevolent and cooperative towards humans. Youm admits that he wanted to start a new life, and he moves to Rimuru’s town to train under Hakuro.

Clayman communes with his harlequin minion Tear, deciding to investigate Rimuru. Lady Frey, however, is more concerned with the impending revival of the monster Charybdis. Clayman sends Tear to attempt to tame the beast.

Our Take

So this is how the latter half of this series shakes out. Someone is freaked out that Rimuru is so powerful when they’re just a “lowly slime.” They decide to investigate and show up to Rimuru’s village, super aggressive from the get-go. After Rimuru proves their strength and great leadership, the aggressor is immediately swayed to Rimuru’s side, completely confident in their abilities and benevolence. They vow to serve Rimuru forever and Rimuru gains a valuable ally.

Which isn’t a bad plot, really. But do we have to keep watching it happen over and over again?

What does this episode add to the story that Rimuru’s alliance with Gazel Dwargo—or their friendship with Milim—didn’t already do? Why do we need Phobio, Fuze, and Youm to serve essentially the same purpose in the span of one twenty-minute episode? Why do we have to sit through Phobio underestimating Rimuru and getting beat up by Milim—and then Youm underestimating Rimuru and getting beat up by Shion? Why do we need two weird, flamboyant harlequin characters? Why did Clayman need a pawn just to create another pawn?

There’s an old adage that any story can be improved by cutting out 20% of its runtime, and Slime could definitely learn something from that. Fuze and the other Guild Master are inexpressive, flat, and uninteresting. Youm’s sudden change of heart lacks suspense and is incredibly unbelievable (this man who wouldn’t even protect other humans without charging money for it decides to dedicate his life to Rimuru out of nowhere… because Rimuru demonstrates that they can be humble and diplomatic one time? I don’t get it). It’s just too convenient that he was already looking to run away and start a new life, and once again, there’s very little conflict to lend interest to Rimuru’s situation.

I also don’t understand the situation with Vesta’s potions at all. He and Kaijin are completely opposed to mass-marketing the stuff, but they never give a reason why. It doesn’t seem to be addictive. It doesn’t seem to be a limited resource. So why save it for only great heroes? Is this some kind of commentary against socialized healthcare? One of Rimuru’s main motivations up until now has been providing for every member of their kingdom, so it doesn’t make sense that they’re now choosing to save miraculous healing salves for the elitist of the elite, only selling the cheap diluted stuff to the masses. That’s… so skeevy and gross, and it just seems out-of-character.

There are a few genuinely nice character moments in this episode. Vesta is so happy that he was able to contribute to society in an honest and genuine way that he bursts into tears. Milim is still charming as she declares loudly, “This guy thought he could stir up trouble! So I taught him a lesson using my fist!” (And her and Rimuru’s designs continue to be just so cute.) David Matranga is successful as the voice of Youm, and Monica Rial puts on a slight accent as Tear that’s a nice nod to Harley Quinn. But why is Milim wearing a sailor fuku in this medieval fantasy world?

I’m glad this episode chooses to lay off on the fan-service for a change, but oodles of repetition mean that the story still falls flat.

Score
5.0/10