Summary

• Slime's slow start in season 3 shines a light on special moments that define this isekai series.
• Rimuru's nation-building focus sets him apart as a selfless leader with grand aspirations for his people.
• The series finds a perfect balance between slice-of-life moments and action scenes, showcasing what's truly at stake.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime has begun its third season, which has been off to a bit of a slow start instead of diving straight into the action. However, it's these slower moments that really help to show what makes Reincarnated as a Slime special.

As with any Isekai series, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is all about wish fulfillment. Rimuru was reborn into this world as a weak slime, and gradually worked his way up to being one of the most powerful creatures in the world, a Demon Lord. He went on to found a city, and then a nation. He has throngs of adoring followers who are eager to fulfill his every request or desire. Yet, Rimuru doesn't take advantage of his followers' willingness to grant his wishes, instead using their skills in ways that benefit the nation of Tempest as a whole.

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is currently airing its third season, with new episodes appearing weekly on Crunchyroll.

Slime's Nation-Building Focus Really Sets it Apart

While Rimuru's ultimate goal is to get back many of the luxuries he had in his previous life in Japan, he does this in perhaps the least selfish way possible, attempting to elevate the quality of life for all those that he interacts with. This starts from the very beginning, when he takes the goblin village under his care and helps to name each and every one of them, an act which takes a big toll on him physically. Rimuru's previous life gave him experience in construction and building a society, a skill which he has ingeniously applied to this new world.

Rimuru becomes invested in the plight of these monsters, seeing that they're people just like humans are, and soon makes it his mission to ensure that monsters are respected in the world. It's an uphill battle, to be sure, and even other monsters aren't respecting each other, meaning he really has his work cut out for him. Rimuru's true greatest power is his ability to win over the people whom he defeats, getting them to see the value in his goals and how they can all prosper together, if only given the chance.

This happens most notably with the Orcs, who were a force of sheer destruction before Rimuru's intervention. Rimuru defeats the Orc Lord, but promises him to care for his people, noting that they were forced into this situation by famine. Rimuru sees them as an opportunity as much as a threat: if they can keep these Orcs fed, then this will add a huge amount of labor to their workforce, enabling all kinds of amazing public works projects, such as roads, to be built. Rimuru's forward thinking nature is what helps even in the darkest of situations.

Slime Doesn't Forget Its Characters, Either

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime is a show with a lot of characters, acquiring new characters constantly with each story arc as the nation of Tempest continues to grow and expand, welcoming new groups into its borders. While it could be easy for the series to become too focused on Rimuru's lofty goals, it actually goes out of its way to avoid losing touch with the society that he's working so hard to build. episodes 3 and 4 of Slime season 3 epitomize this, with Rimuru returning home after a long time and consulting with his most trusted advisors.

These advisors are made up entirely of characters whom Rimuru went to great lengths to ally with, and whose opinions he has come to value. They help to watch over the town while Rimuru is busy with other things, but Rimuru always tries to make time to spend with them one on one. For example, sensing that Geld the Orc is stressed, Rimuru agrees to go drinking with him, like he would with his old colleagues in his past life. For a moment, Rimuru is just another guy, and he's able to sympathize with the difficulties Geld has been facing.

Rimuru is equally dedicated to enjoying his new life as he is to making things better, so the series has plenty of celebrations for the citizens of Tempest, allowing his people time to relax and recuperate from the hard work they've been doing. Tempest has become as beautiful and well-constructed as any of the human societies seen in the series already, and there's still so much potential that lies ahead of them. After all, what's the point of going on to construct such a society if they're not going to enjoy the fruits of their labor from time to time?

The peaceful, slice-of-life days are so popular that the series even saw a spinoff, The Slime Diaries, which focuses almost exclusively on the slice-of-life aspect, leaving the action for the main series.

A Careful Balance of Slice-of-Life and Action is Slime's Secret Recipe

Of course, Reincarnated as a Slime isn't always at peace, and the peace in season 3 is already quite fragile. The action will return soon, as Hinata Sakaguchi makes her way towards Tempest. What ends up setting the series apart is how perfectly it balances the action scenes with these slower, more peaceful slice-of-life moments. It's a good reminder of exactly what it is that Rimuru's fighting for, and what's at stake should he lose.

While Rimuru's power is at an absolutely ludicrous level, Tempest itself becomes the thing which Rimuru must protect at all costs. Tempest is the physical incarnation of all the work and dreams of the people that Rimuru has gathered under his banner, and he can't risk that being destroyed. Instead of putting Rimuru in mortal peril, the series tends to put the danger on Tempest as a whole, threatening those who can't fight back and the civilization that they've brought up together.

As That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime prepares to move back into its next action-heavy storyline, it's a good time to the value that these quiet, slice-of-life moments add to the series, and that Tempest itself is what really needs to be protected, justifying Rimuru's every action.