English Dub Review: The Slime Diaries: “Where Is Santa Claus?”

 

Overview: Rimuru (Brittney Karbowski), Shion (Michelle Rojas), Shuna (Tia Ballard), Malim (Kristen McGuire) and the rest of the Jura Federation ring in a snowy white Christmas. 

Our Take: It is time to deck the halls with Christmas in Tempest. The fact that the season’s greetings bring up the prospect of Santa Claus being an otherworlder, similar to Rimuru, is a great way to kick things off. It is such a wacky, entertaining theory in how he would deliver presents to people incognito to propose. There is also a considerate mindfulness in how Rimuru would explain a bizarre alien holiday to an alternate culture, like monsters, who are not accustomed to the ideas associated with it.

With everyone making the preparations, it allows for characters like Gazel, Rimuru and others to sport some Santa garb, which is strikingly funny and charming. Although, it is definitely not funny looking Shion, who is looking like the best gift one could ask for in the outfit. Fun little moments are spread throughout like Rimuru being bitter over not romantically involved with anyone during the holidays, Malim ignoring the rules of Santa and only listening to what she wants to, and Gabiru and Vesta having a deeper discussion than one would think about children’s singing. Treyni’s sisters back and forth with her in their lighthearted sibling bickering is nice in that they do not get much of any throughout the mainline series.

After lighting the tree, Hakurou’s lessons in reveling in the merriment is a nice therapeutic moment that we all need more of. Souei’s classical running deadpan humor continues to be subverted well with Souka. Fanciful dishes get a spotlight, continuing the evolution of phenomenal looking food such as roast turkey, perch/spinach quiches, hot wine and dried fruit and Rossini-style cow deer filet. Their feast is full of seductively delicious yet regal art, especially the high class looking steak, that has me jonesing for an official Slime Diaries cookbook. Geld and the goblin girl exchange presents is an incredibly wholesome exchange that further distinguishes their adorable chemistry. 

Veldora’s running commentary with Ifrit is funny in showing how much of a big baby he really is in wanting a gift, even gauging what the fire god would give him. Malim’s special sight, creatively dubbed the “Malim Eye,” is a funny way of explaining her selective hearing. While this episode lacks the heavier messages of previous entries, it has enough warm moments to delight like the ending wonderment of old Saint Nick being real, serving as an endearing and nostalgic, an element straight out of a family Christmas movie. There is a cruel, titillating ending stinger in Malim thinking of Frey when chowing down on a chicken leg.