It’s time for another visit to the best named manga series in recent memory. A lot has changed for Rimuru Tempest who has gone from disgruntled salaryman Mikami Satoru to a powerless slime in an RPG world to a guild leader. And things aren’t looking to get any less tumultuous.
Milim is now a resident of Tempest, but her presence there sets off a chain of events that begins with the entrance of a rival demon lord’s servants. Rimuru, as the leader of the Jura Forest Alliance, must swiftly and delicately handle this potential threat, but it won’t be easy to do so while managing the behaviour of an all-powerful yet child-like demon lord and leading an entire nation of monsters…
Rimuru has obviously come a long way from his initial arrival in this RPG inspired world. He has seen himself grow from a powerless and sightless slime to the leader of a prominent alliance with full mastery of his slime abilities. Whilst the series is now settling into the more familiar tropes of the fantasy manga genre, there is still plenty of fresh elements that make the series so appealing. Despite his ability to shift into human form, Rimuru still spends a good deal of time in his slime form which keeps the series from veering into overly serious territory. The new additions to the guild also help in that regard with Milim being a particular highlight. Not only is it disconcerting to see a powerful demon lord in the form of a young girl, but her behaviour brings Rimuru’s more cynical and snarky side to the forefront (made all the better when he is in his slime form).
The art once again is on top form with Taiki Kawakami continuing to turn in some fantastic pages. His ability to create a serious fantasy world whilst maintaining the light-hearted feel established so far is something to behold. Plus the amount of expression he is able to get out of Rimuru in his slime form is truly impressive.
That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime is getting an anime adaptation premiering in October, so attention for the series is at an all-time high. Anyone yet to discover this one-of-a-kind fantasy/comedy manga is truly missing out.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime 7 is out now from Kodansha
9781632366412 – P/B – £10.99
