©Courtesy of Crunchyroll
Newcomers might be surprised by the nature and powers exhibited by so-called monsters in the world of Fuse’s manga and light novels. A slime like Rimuru Tempest (the reincarnated salaryman Satoru Mikami) possesses great power and prestige. In fact, Rimuru even attained the rank of “Demon Lord,” which, in this context, is not satanic or in any way sinister. He can also present himself in human form, which makes it easier for viewers and characters alike to relate to him. Similarly, a goblin like Gobuta might look a lot like Ernie from Sesame Street, but he is a tenacious warrior. As it happens, Gobuta gets his turn in the spotlight when a mysterious priestess from an undersea kingdom turns to him for help in Yasuhito Kikuchi’s That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime the Movie: Tears of the Azure Sea, which Crunchyroll will release in theaters this Friday.
Initially, this trip was supposed to be a vacation for Rimuru and his entourage, not another adventure. Invited to Resort Island by the Celestial Emperor and high elf sorceress Elmesia El Ru Sarion, the group from the Jura-Tempest Federation planned to do a little sightseeing, but mostly just either drink or fish. However, when Gobuta notices a mysterious woman following them, he lags behind to confront her.
Yura is a priestess of Kaien, an Atlantis-like oceanic kingdom that has been weathering a bombardment of “nuclear magic” from a mysterious external foe. This crisis presents an opportunity for a shadowy conspiracy, secretly led by the King’s most trusted advisor. The treasonous elements want Yura, because of her power to control the Aqua Dragon, the kingdom’s magical kaiju protector, through the ancient flute entrusted to her.
©Courtesy of Crunchyroll
The priestess hoped to enlist Rimuru’s help. Instead, she finds herself stuck with Gobuta when the cabal tries to abduct her. Yet, even though the goblin is the most cartoony-looking character in Rimuru’s realm, he is unexpectedly resourceful. In fact, despite their initial bickering, he and Yura develop a deep rapport. Nevertheless, the dangers facing Kaien are well out of his league. The beleaguered kingdom needs Rimuru’s power and wisdom.
Even by anime standards, this title is long. Good luck fitting that on a marquee. However, it stands alone relatively accessible for fresh viewers, provided they first read a nutshell explanation of who Rimuru is and what he represents in this world. Nevertheless, the titular slime plays a largely supporting role in Azure Sea. Some criticism of the prior film complained that Rimuru essentially took over the story, functioning in an almost omnipotent manner to defeat the bad guys. Perhaps Kikuchi and co-screenwriter Toshizo Nemoto took that feedback into account, because Gobuta and Yura are largely on their own throughout long stretches of the film.
In fact, the complicated relationship that develops between the goblin and the priestess should be deeply satisfying to anime fans, even those coming from outside the franchise’s fandom. English dub cast-members Ryan Reynolds (the regular Crunchyroll voiceover specialist, not the star of Project Hail Mary) and Allegra Clark nicely express their angst and heartbreak. Indeed, as was the case in Scarlet Bond, a feature-original character, along with Gobuta (who usually supplies comedic relief), largely upstage the more central figures of the ongoing anime series. That’s not necessarily a problem, especially if you are a franchise outsider, because the Gobuta-Yura storyline is surprisingly endearing—and eventually strangely poignant.
©Courtesy of Crunchyroll
Anime connoisseurs should also dig the animation, produced by the Eight Bit studio, which delivers some highly memorable fantastical imagery. Frankly, the luxury dragon-powered transport to Resort Island (sort of like a cruise ship deck, strapped underneath the mythical beast’s belly), is worthy of a full poster treatment. The Resort backdrops are also wonderfully picturesque, resembling a cross between the Land of Oz and the “Village” in The Prisoner.
Regardless, the new Slime will likely resonate for genre enthusiasts who have ever felt like goblins (or slime). It looks even better than the first feature film. While the underdog story is largely self-contained with respect to the mother ship anime series, fans will appreciate seeing Gobuta make his bid for love and glory. Recommended for the otherworldly visuals and the bittersweet tone, That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime the Movie: Tears of the Azure Sea opens this Friday (5/1) in theaters.
Grade: B+
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Here’s the Trailer of the film.