That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (Japanese: 転生したらスライムだった件, Hepburn: Tensei Shitara Suraimu Datta Ken), also known as Regarding Reincarnated to Slime[b] and by the contraction TenSura (転スラ), is a Japanese fantasy light novel series written by Fuse [ja], and illustrated by Mitz Vah. The story follows Satoru Mikami, a salaryman who is murdered and then reincarnated in a sword and sorcery world as the titular slime, who goes on to gather allies to build their own nation of monsters.
It was serialized online from 2013 to 2016 on the user-generated novel publishing website Shōsetsuka ni Narō. It was later acquired by Micro Magazine, which published the first light novel volume in 2014. Twenty-one volumes have been released as of October 2023. The light novel has been licensed in North America by Yen Press, who published the first volume in December 2017. It has received a manga adaptation published by Kodansha along with five manga spin-offs published, respectively, by Micro Magazine and Kodansha, and an anime television series adaptation produced by Eight Bit, which aired from October 2018 to March 2019. A second season of the anime series aired from January to September 2021, and an anime adaptation of the second spin-off manga aired from April to June 2021. An anime film was released in November 2022. A three-episode original net animation spin-off titled Visions of Coleus was released in November 2023. A third season aired from April to September 2024. A fourth season has been announced, along with a second film.
Satoru Mikami is an ordinary 37-year-old corporate worker living in Tokyo. He is almost content with his monotonous life, despite the fact that he does not have a girlfriend. During a casual encounter with his colleague, an assailant tries to stab his friend, and Satoru pushes his friend out of the way and gets stabbed instead. While succumbing to his injuries, a mysterious voice echoes in his mind and asks a series of questions. In response to Satoru's answers the voice grants him various gifts, and powers to use in his next life.
After regaining consciousness, Satoru discovers that he has been reincarnated as a Slime in an unfamiliar world. At the same time, he also acquire new-found skills, particularly the ability called "Predator," which allows him to devour anything and mimic its appearance and skills. He stumbles upon Veldora, a powerful 'Storm Dragon', who has been sealed for the last 300 years for reducing a town to ashes. Feeling sorry for him, Satoru befriends the dragon, promising to help him in destroying the seal. He decides to exchange names, Veldora bestows upon him the name Rimuru, and he receives the name Tempest in return. Rimuru then consumes the dragon together with his prison in order to analyze the spell and eventually free Veldora. During his journey, he gains a human form after devouring a deceased human named Shizue Izawa.
The disappearance of Veldora's aura creates a power vacuum which eventually makes Rimuru the leader of all beings inhabiting the Great Forest of Jura, who accept him as a ruler and together they found the nation of Tempest. With Rimuru's strength, wisdom and idealistic vision the new nation quickly grows in strength and influence. Soon Rimuru and their subjects draw the attention of nearby foreign powers, from monarchs and legendary heroes to demon lords, some seeking to become their allies, others intending to take advantage of or destroy them completely.
Media
On the List of best-selling light novels, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime has the most approximate overall sales for a light novel series, with 40 million physical and digital sales of the Light Novel, Manga, and other related related books and adaptations.[5]
Fuse originally serialized the series as a web novel on the user-generated content site Shōsetsuka ni Narō between February 20, 2013, and January 1, 2016.[6][7] The series was acquired for print publication by Micro Magazine, who published the first light novel, with illustrations by Mitz Vah, under their GC Novels in May 2014.[6][8] On April 15, 2017, English publisher Yen Press announced during their panel at Sakura-Con that they had licensed the series for release in North America.[9]
A spin-off web novel series set between the ninth and tenth volumes of the light novel, titled Toaru Kyūka no Sugoshi-kata (How to Spend a Certain Holiday), began serialization on Shōsetsuka ni Narō on February 20, 2023.[10]
A spin-off manga, titled That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: How Monsters Walk (転生したらスライムだった件～魔物の国の歩き方～, Tensei Shitara Suraimu Datta Ken: Mamono no Arukikata), with art by Shō Okagiri, has been serialized on Micro Magazine's Comic Ride website since July 28, 2016.[6][13]
A second spin-off manga, titled The Slime Diaries: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (転スラ日記 転生したらスライムだった件, Tensura Nikki: Tensei Shitara Suraimu Datta Ken), with art by Shiba, has been serialized in Kodansha's shōnen manga magazine Monthly Shōnen Sirius since March 2018, compiled into seven volumes as of January 2024, and licensed in English by Kodansha USA.
A third spin-off manga, titled That Time I Got Reincarnated (Again!) as a Workaholic Slime (転生しても社畜だった件, Tensei Shitara Shachiku Datta Ken) and illustrated by Shizuku Akechi began serialization in Kodansha's Niconico-based Suiyōbi no Sirius manga web platform on September 26, 2018, and has been compiled into two volumes as of March 27, 2020.[14][15] On June 3, 2020, Kodansha USA announced that it has licensed That Time I Got Reincarnated (Again!) as a Workaholic Slime.[16]
A fourth spin-off manga, titled Tensei Shitara Slime datta Ken Ibun - Makoku Gurashi no Trinity (転生したらスライムだった件 異聞 ～魔国暮らしのトリニティ～), with art by Tae Tono began serialization in Suiyōbi no Sirius on March 14, 2019.[17] On March 18, 2020, Kodansha USA announced their license to the manga for a print release under the title That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Trinity in Tempest.[18]
A fifth spin-off, a yonkoma titled Tenchura! Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken (転ちゅら！ 転生したらスライムだった件), with art by Chacha, began serialization in Monthly Shōnen Sirius on February 26, 2019. This story differs from the main one after Rimuru's encounter with Shizu, when they learn how to mimic a human body. However, the body they create is that of a three-year-old.[19]
A sixth spin-off manga centered around Demon Lord Clayman, titled Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken: Clayman Revenge (転生したらスライムだった件クレイマンREVENGE) (That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Clayman's Revenge), with art by Wataru Kajika began serialization in Monthly Shōnen Sirius on April 26, 2022.[20]
A seventh spin-off manga, titled That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Gourmet Legend: Peko and Rimuru's Cooking Notebook, with art by Chika Nakatani will begin serialization in Monthly Shōnen Sirius on April 26, 2023.[21]
A manga adaptation of the Toaru Kyūka no Sigoshi-kata web novel illustrated by Yuzo Takada began serialization in Monthly Shōnen Sirius on July 26, 2023.[10][22]
An anime television series adaptation aired from October 2, 2018, to March 19, 2019, on Tokyo MX and other networks.[6][23][c] The series is animated by Eight Bit and directed by Yasuhito Kikuchi, with Atsushi Nakayama as assistant director, Kazuyuki Fudeyasu handling series composition, Ryouma Ebata designing the characters, and Takahiro Kishida providing monster designs. Elements Garden is composing the series' music.[24] The first opening theme is "Nameless story", performed by Takuma Terashima,[25] while the first ending theme is "Another colony", performed by True.[26] The second opening theme is "Megurumono" (メグルモノ), performed by Terashima, while the second ending theme is "Little Soldier" (リトルソルジャー, Ritoru Sorujā), performed by Azusa Tadokoro.[27] The series is simulcast by Crunchyroll[28] with Funimation streaming an English dub as it airs.[29] The first season ran for 24 episodes. An original animation DVD was originally scheduled to be released on March 29, 2019, bundled with the 11th manga volume,[30] but it was delayed to December 4, 2019, bundled with the 13th manga volume.[31][32] A second original animation DVD was released on July 9, 2019, bundled with the 12th manga volume.[33] Three more original animation DVDs have been announced, with the third OAD being released on March 27, 2020, bundled with the 14th manga volume.[34] The fourth OAD is being bundled with the 15th manga volume, which released on July 9, 2020. The fifth OAD was to be bundled with 16th manga volume, which released on November 9, 2020.
A second season was announced to be a split-season anime, but the first half was delayed from October 2020 to January 2021, and the second half was delayed from April to July 2021 due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. The first half aired from January 12 to March 30, 2021, and the second half aired from July 6 to September 21, 2021. Eight Bit animated the series, with the staff and cast members reprising their roles.[35][36] The opening theme is "Storyteller", performed by True, while the ending theme is "Storyseeker", performed by Stereo Dive Foundation.[37] The second opening theme is "Like Flames" performed by MindaRyn, while the second ending theme is "Reincarnate" performed by Takuma Terashima.[38]
A spin-off anime series based on the Slime Diaries: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime manga was scheduled to premiere in January 2021 but had been delayed to April 2021 due to COVID-19.
The series aired from April 6 to June 22, 2021.[39] Eight Bit also animated the series, with Yuji Haibara directing the series, Kotatsumikan writing the script, Risa Takai and Atsushi Irie as character designers, and R.O.N composing the music.[40] The opening theme is "Brand new diary", performed by Akane Kumada.[41]
Following the airing of the second season's final episode, it was announced that the series will receive an anime film, titled That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: The Movie – Scarlet Bond.[42] The film premiered in Japan on November 25, 2022.[43] Crunchyroll screened the film outside of Asia in early 2023.[44]
A three-episode original net animation (ONA) series, titled Visions of Coleus, was announced on February 19, 2023, and premiered on November 1, 2023.[10] The staff from the second season reprised their roles along with Toshizo Nemoto handling series composition. The opening theme song is "Hikaru Hanatsu" performed by Takuma Terashima, while the ending theme song is performed by Miho Okasaki.[45][46]
A third season was announced on November 9, 2022,[47] and aired from April 5 to September 27, 2024, on the Friday Anime Night programming block on Nippon TV and its affiliates, as well as BS11. The staff from the second season and the Visions of Coleus ONA series are returning to reprise their roles.[3]The first opening theme song is "Peacekeeper" performed by Stereo Dive Foundation,[48]while the ending theme song is "Believer" performed by Rin Kurusu. The second opening theme song is "Renacer Serenade" (レナセールセレナーデ)performed byMomoiro Clover Z, while the second ending theme song is "Miracle Soup" performed byMindaRyn.[49]
Following the airing of the third season's final episode, a fourth season has been announced, along with a second film.[50]
Video games
At the AnimeJapan 2021 special stage for the franchise, a free-to-play role-playing game app, titled Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken: Maō to Ryū no Kenkoku-tan (That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: The Saga of How the Demon Lord and Dragon Founded a Nation), was announced. It is developed by Bandai Namco Entertainment and was released in 2021.[51] The game was released in English under the title That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: ISEKAI Memories.[52]
The mobile game The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross had a crossover event where some of the characters of the series could be obtained for a limited time.[56] A similar event occurred in the Japanese version of the mobile game Yo-kai Watch: Wibble Wobble.[57]
Reception
The light novel series has over 4.5 million volumes in print.[6] It was the fifth best-selling title of 2018 with 539,277 light novel sales,[58] and its manga adaptation was the ninth best-selling title of 2018 with 3,460,066 copies.[59] It also became the first manga series based on a light novel with at least 20 million total copies in print.[60] By March 2021, it had over 24 million copies in circulation.[61] In May 2021 it reached 25 million.[62] In January 2022, it had over 30 million copies in circulation.[63] In February 2023, it had 40 million copies in circulation, with 35 million copies in Japan and 5 million copies overseas.[10]
In May 2021, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime was one of five isekai-oriented anime titles (along with KonoSuba, Zombie Land Saga, Princess Lover!, and Nekopara) that were given a limited ban by the Russian government for their depiction of reincarnation.[64]
In 2017, the manga adaptation was ranked fifth at the third Next Manga Awards in the print category.[68] The manga adaptation (along with its light novels) also won the 2018 BookWalker Award.[69] It was nominated for the 45th Kodansha Manga Award in the shōnen category in 2021;[70] it won the 46th edition in the same category in 2022.[71]
In 2019, Rimuru Tempest won "Best Protagonist" at the 3rd Crunchyroll Anime Awards.[72] The anime was also nominated for "Best Anime Series" at the IGN Awards in the same year.[73] The second season won the award for "Best Fantasy" at the 6th edition in 2022.[74] Rimuru Tempest's voice actor Rosie Yaziji, was nominated for "Best Voice Artist Performance (Arabic)" at the 8th edition in 2024.[75]
See also
Alderamin on the Sky - Another light novel series whose manga adaptation was illustrated by Taiki Kawakami
Notes
^ abCredited as Animation Director (アニメーションディレクター), a credit separate from Animation Director (作画監督), and one that denotes series director responsibilities, as confirmed through Keizou Shimizu and his work Legend of the Galactic Heroes.[4]
^This title is seen on the cover of the Japanese version of the light novel.
^Tokyo MX listed the broadcast times as Monday nights at 24:00, meaning the first broadcast technically occurred on Tuesday at midnight JST.
^第５回 清水恵蔵（キャラクターデザイン・総作画監督）「１９９４年 第３期制作時インタビューより抜粋」 [5th Interview, Keizou Shimizu (Character Designer and Chief Animation Director) - Excerpt from 3rd Series Production Interview, 1994]. Legend of the Galactic Heroes. Retrieved November 7, 2021.
