GOBLIN SLAYER

DESCRIPTION

CAST

NOVEL ActionGoblin Slayer
MOVIE ActionGoblin Slayer: GOBLIN'S CROWN
MANGA ActionGoblin Slayer

REVIEWS

• 

  4digitmen

  80/100
  Dungeons and Dragons the Anime

  To preface this review, I must say that Goblin Slayer is my favorite anime to come out this year (even if i didn't watch many this year). The way that this anime doesn't feel like a regular fantasy world anime but a tabletop RPG, in which the players roleplay as the characters included in the cast makes this an enjoyable ride. The way this anime works is not a focus on plot (no story to speak of, actually) or the characters individual growth, but instead, the characters growing closer together as friends in an adventuring party through the many adventures that they will go through (all of them including goblins, of course). There are some spoilers throughout the review but nothing major.

  Story: 5/10

  I must admit to being generous with this score because the story and plot are clearly not the main focus here. In fact, they are practically non-existent. The adventures that the cast goes through are very random, and pretty much is just "oh here's a quest, it involves goblins lets go". The quests themselves don't have a story to them, with one exception which is the Sword Maiden's, but even that is scratching the surface of a story. Mentioning the Sword Maiden's quest, I feel there was a huge missed opportunity with the mirror and the goblin world on the other side. They could have used that for a setup to a future arc in which they raid the goblin place in the mirror, but instead, the mirror was just buried under a layer of concrete, probably never to be touched again.
  Also, for side story/not involved very much with the main cast, is the Hero and the Demon Lord. The Hero is almost considered to be the protagonist of the Goblin Slayer world, and is only briefly mentioned by the main cast and only seen defeating one of the servants of the Demon Lord on screen. The Hero's adventures are what would be considered the main plot of an RPG, with the final boss villain being the Demon Lord. The Hero’s party not appearing very much on screen or being involved at all with the Goblin Slayer party, further emphasizing the point that the cast is not the main focus of the world and rather just a group of adventurers doing quests. This also serves to show that the show tries as hard to deviate from its genre of adventure fantasy, which usually involves the main cast being the Hero vs the Demon Lord (The names are also very telling here).

  Characters: 9/10

  Ladies and gentlemen, the main focus of the show. Now I'm not going to say that the characters are “deep” and “have emotional troubles stemming from their dark past” because that’s just not true (except for Goblin Slayer). In fact, the characters are very much what you would see in a fantasy world setting, but that's where it most shines. The callbacks to regular tabletop RPGs are extremely apparent here, where the main cast consists of a High Elf Ranger, a Mage Dwarf, a "Summoner" Lizardman, a Cleric Priestess, and of course Goblin Slayer, not pertaining to a certain class but a high affinity for anything that kills goblins. You might have noticed that I didn’t mention their names and that’s because they don’t actually have names. They are mentioned by the other characters and each other by nicknames and their races, and of course Goblin Slayer as Goblin Slayer. It definitely paints the image of newbie players who have made their generic characters and are new to tabletop RPGs, not getting into the roleplay enough to have a decent backstory or names for their characters. And even the initial awkwardness for being strangers to the other players is present in the beginning, but that’s one of its biggest strengths and why I like this show so much. As they get to know each other through their quests, the initial awkwardness fades, making it clear that as the players got to know each other better the characters also got closer together as a party.

  Goblin Slayer himself needs his own paragraph. For being a sort of main character (debatable, the priestess could also be), he is probably the best to be put in the limelight, because he is essentially the veteran player’s character. Fully equipped with a designated role designed for gathering the most experience the fastest way possible (further emphasized by how he counts the goblins as he kills them, and his silver rank despite only killing goblins), a backstory that itself has other “minor” characters and depth, and an actual name. Goblin Slayer by himself is incredibly boring as a character BUT that is only in his introduction. After Goblin Slayer joins the party and the priestess, it becomes obvious that the player is starting to enjoy not only playing the game but playing the game with friends by his side. And this obviously reflects on Goblin Slayer towards the party that we see in the show, where Goblin Slayer is opening up more to his fellow adventurers.

  Visual and Sound Design: 7/10

  The visuals in this anime are very much grotesque. The goblin’s facial design is a prime example, and very much fitting into the tone of the anime. A LOT of blood is present when damage is done, so you’ve been warned. The character designs are very obviously trying to go for what I previously mentioned in the character section. Goblin Slayer and the Sword Maiden having unique character designs affirms the point that Goblin Slayer (and the Sword Maiden) are the veteran players, having characters with fleshed out backstories, previous adventures, and character designs with unique gear to reflect as much. The other characters look generic, probably on purpose to accentuate how they are new. Good to mention here that there is CGI present, usually when there is a pack of goblins or Goblin Slayer himself is also CG (I don't mind the goblins since I'm used to crowds having CG, but not a fan of Goblin Slayer being CG at times). The art is good at its best, it's not exactly Your Name levels but its passable (though having read the manga I prefer the manga’s). The sound design is pretty good, the music shines where it counts and the blows actually have an impact and you can feel how hard a hit really is (very much like this since its usually a gripe I have with action anime).

  Enjoyment: 9/10

  The pacing in the anime is great, introducing the main characters and cast in the first couple of episodes naturally. No episode felt boring, and as long as the cast was present having adventures or just simply talking about why they wanted to become adventurers it is fun.

  Conclusion:
  All in all, this show is a solid 8/10.
  It's pretty much DnD the anime. It's great; Need season 2.

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• 

  AndoCommando

  30/100
  A schlocky action show weighed down by inconsistencies and a lack of depth across the board.

  I think it is fair to say that no other anime has caused such controversy and overwhelming divide amongst anime fans after a single episode like Goblin Slayer has. The pilot almost effortlessly setting a spark across the community that would act as ignition to countless flame wars lasting for weeks on end. A scene lasting around fifteen seconds receiving more vitriol and condemnation than arguably every other anime airing this year. On the surface, the divide seems clear: on one side lies those vocal to their displeasure of even the sheer existence of this series, labelling it as edgy, repugnant and pornographic. Some going even so far as comparing the anime to Nazi propaganda decades ago. And on the opposing side lies the fandom, constantly upset by criticism their beloved show receives and reverting to insults and name-calling them with popular phrases such as the dreaded “SJW” for example. But these are simply gross generalisations of both the series and its viewers, centring upon a small group of outspoken individuals that unfortunately leads any attempt of discourse astray. Instead my aim here is to hopefully bring a more critical view on Goblin Slayer to the discussion; of the series’ perceived intent, as well as numerous faults and issues prevalent throughout its first season.

  “The gods of light, order and fate, and the gods of darkness, chaos and coincidence decided to throw dice in order to determine which side would rule the world. The gods threw the dice over and over and over again, until they began to feel faint.”

  Goblin Slayer is a dark fantasy anime adapted from both the manga and light novels of the same name, highly inspired by tabletop role-playing games. Initially the story follows a young woman known as “Priestess” that has recently become an adventurer and joins an upstart party on her first quest. Their naivety and inexperience ultimately lead to their grim demise, ravaged by goblins who commit heinous acts such as rape and dismemberment depicted in much more graphic fashion compared to other fantasy anime of recent years. Before the Priestess can be dispatched however, the actual protagonist appears from the shadows, intent of massacring every goblin in sight. From this point, the series is predominantly focused on this mysterious adventurer commonly referred to as “Goblin Slayer” and his efforts to exterminate the entire goblin species.

  The beginning to this story gives what I believe to be a clear sense of what Goblin Slayer strives to be. Simplistic, cheerful dialogue to elucidate fundamentals of the adventurer system, a light-hearted tone able to create a strong optimistic mood, even the visuals and audio utilizing light colours for character designs coupled with an upbeat tune all try and convey a presentation akin to the typical fantasy anime of recent memory. The group of upstart adventurers each can be seen representing archetypes one would expect to be present in such a series: tsundere, loli character, main character for a harem, etc. Numerous times before a goblin appears on screen, subtle signs are revealed about the party’s lack of preparation and expectation to indicate this quest will not be as successful as they hope, and then what follows is a shocking realization of what the world of Goblin Slayer truly entails. Essentially these characters were tools for the series to subvert people’s initial expectations of the story, with the tragic events that entail further emphasizing this point. The sickening portrayal and detail of these actions going to further lengths than most anime fans have probably ever experienced previously in the medium. Disgusting to watch even for the short time shown, and from the reception this anime received, it looks to have garnered the initial reaction staff had intended. From this perspective, while many can find these scenes crass and tactless in their depiction, I find it difficult to call this part of Goblin Slayer lazy writing.

  Shortly followed by the introduction of the titular protagonist reveals a change that strongly contrast to events that just transpired earlier. Compared to the almost wilfully ignorant upstart adventurers that end up decimated to the lowest mob type in the world, Goblin Slayer’s approach to killing goblins is much more tactical. Shown to analyse nearly every time he murders a single goblin, often determining the most effective method for slaughtering the mob step-by-step before executing his strategy in cold, calculated fashion. Through this he not only personifies the kind of badass main character one would expect for a darker fantasy story, but also provides a solid understanding of how a high-level adventurer would be expected to act in battle. Armed with various weapons and antidotes whilst always on the lookout for signs, Goblin Slayer has enough tools at his disposal to face any goblin he would come across. A clear juxtaposition to how many inexperienced adventurers would conduct themselves. Him slaughtering the horde also raises an intriguing question of Goblin Slayer’s morality when intending to murder the child goblins. While the protagonist remains steadfast of his opinion on the species, the Priestess brings forth the possibility of a “good goblin”. Despite going through with eliminating them, he does admit there could be one out there. From this, viewers have a grasp on how this tale could further develop this idea with having both character’s ethics challenged as Goblin Slayer’s quest continues. There is potential in this tale to be more than just the fun schlock of the season. Unfortunately, that potential slowly gets squandered every episode following, and personally even loses the series’ initial appeal.

  One of the more detrimental choices I find a story can make is following an attempt to create a purposeful, serious tone, and then reverting to what it tried to distance itself from initially. After Goblin Slayer’s shocking start that firmly established the story as a dark fantasy that supposedly takes itself seriously, the anime takes an odd change in tone that is rather baffling to understand. Numerous quests later in the series showcase characters in a way you would never have expected in Goblin Slayer, with an array of playful, trifling scenes one would more commonly associate with a slice-of-life anime than this show. Somehow the series decided to skip on possibly showing some of the effects trauma experienced from death, sexual assault or even just being an adventure can have on a person, instead these scenes barely contribute to the characters on a notable level. The change in tone can lead to breaks in one’s immersion of the story and the protagonist it follows, with transitions feeling awkward and out of place more often than not. A notorious example can be found in episode 2 where the episode cuts to a well-endowed redhead girl waking out of bed and stretching, followed by some of the most prominent jiggle physics to be found this season. I thought this was meant to be a serious tale. For a dark fantasy to work, usually it requires the atmosphere of a series to remain constant enough to a degree where the earnestness and consequences of actions can still be felt through the more cheerful scenes. Berserk, Attack on Titan and Fullmetal Alchemist 2003 are just some examples of dark fantasy anime that constantly have a sombre air about them, constantly felt when witnessing the actions of their characters. Goblin Slayer lacks this air that breezes alongside the narrative and whilst continuing to lack a strong sense of identity in a genre already spoiled by an abundance of generic fantasy, it is more inclined to leave a stale taste in the mouths of those hoping for Goblin Slayer to distance itself further from its contemporaries.

  This lack of an identity also permeates the narrative and overarching worldbuilding to a degree that I have to address. When a series attempts to be a subversion or even a deconstruction of a genre, normally this would involve acknowledging tropes typically associated with a genre whilst subverting their intentions. Goblin Slayer, at least in its first season, does not do this. Alongside the series constantly switching the tone between dark and nonchalant, the anime seems to never want to take its world very seriously despite the premise. Goblin Slayer is a man who has an unrelenting obsession to kill goblins as they are a species that lingers on as a problem for innocent people. They are weak creature with childlike intelligence individually, but as a mob are a destructive force which can lead to the devastation of entire towns. An interesting yet believable problem in this world. So then, how is it believable to think that there is only one person that acts in response to this problem? Because the anime has mainly taken place around a small town there is a possibility for other adventurers similar to Goblin Slayer to be primarily hunting goblins in their own areas of the world. But thinking on a large scale, if goblin mobs can and already have been a significant cause of wiping out various towns, would someone not think that their effect to agriculture and the overall economy poses a severe threat on a national scale, to where even adventurers seeking glory and fame would end up losing money? I would have at least expected some form of intervention – here is an idea: have some adventurers hired as a form of security for farmers against a potential goblin attack. Or at least have the guild girl not allow novices to take these jobs when it is made apparent how many novices and kidnapped and killed off by goblin mobs! If so many are dying because of this fact, maybe it would be best to intervene, even if with just a simple warning about how dangerous they are, and how prevalent this is. If only Goblin Slayer had more consistency in its world that more people could admire, instead of trying to subvert common fantasy anime tropes and then as if almost contradictory to itself maintaining a level of unbelievability behind how these aspects work in its story.

  It is upsetting how a show essentially fails at fleshing out the more complex issues the world of Goblin Slayer encompasses, especially when most of the defence for this anime in regards to certain actions and events is derived from insular logic. A common complaint for the series initially was based around why goblins rape, and while it certainly is specified that rape is their only option for reproduction, that does not cover details about their creation. Goblins here are force-of-nature villains that embody evil and chaos, thus not requiring distinct personalities and from this the rape shown can be considered a further way of emphasizing that point thus bringing them to where they can be considered irredeemable, but this only works on a narrative level. All works of fiction are made with intentions from their creator/s and by peeling down the layers of in-universe context is one able to search for the purpose and intentions behind specific scenes, actions, etc. Often termed the Thermian Argument, it claims that pointing to a show’s logic in response to criticism of the subject matter is inherently fallacious. It supports a difference between what is being depicted and why such is being depicted at all; a metanarrative point of view. I stated what I believed to be the main intention behind such shocking acts in the first episode as a way for the show to subvert the audience for what kind of anime they were in store for, but after witnessing the series make that idea almost completely irrelevant through poor direction, tonal dissonance and having such actions repeated onscreen later with similarly crude framing for reasons even I am unsure of, it is hard to defend the series for all these creative choices happening numerous times throughout the anime’s duration from a metanarrative point of view.

  Characterization is one of Goblin Slayer’s focal points if even only applying to one individual so far. Goblin Slayer is the embodiment of a man who refuses to die before his purpose in life is seen through to the end. Driven by revenge after goblins took away the person most precious to him, he epitomizes the idea of how a badass protagonist should act. His character design is also impressive in certain scenes with a red eye theme glowing in the darkness that oozes a killer instinct rarely found in anime nowadays. Reminder that the in-universe creation of the series was founded on gods rolling dice and playing the game of chance, with all various races and species being birthed purely for their amusement. But with the way Goblin Slayer acts, he can be considered the one character in this world to defy the will and wishes of those who created him. And while there are numerous examples of him conveniently surviving so far due to plot armour, the intent remains – underneath his monotonous voice and implied social awkwardness lies the potential for a metaphorical figure of inspiration. Unfortunately, that is where most of the praise for characters ends at this point in the anime. Every character besides Goblin Slayer receives little attention in the anime, with minimal development bar the Priestess who acts as a rookie slowly growing and learning how to survive as an adventurer in this harsh world, however even this has made little progress this first season. Other characters sprinkled across the story range from other rookies slowly improving and gaining experience to dependable fighters often able to hold their own in battle, which is a striking difference compared to how most typically act away from any battlefield; childish and immature. Honestly, besides Priestess and Goblin Slayer the rest of the cast are easily expendable, but I guess that is to be expected when the supporting cast includes names such as “Dwarf” and “Lizardman”. Hopefully if there is a sequel, they have a better opportunity to leave a lasting impression on the anime.

  Much like these forgettable characters the production quality for Goblin Slayer also failed to leave a strong impact. The art is not very detailed, with most character designs and backgrounds often appearing plain and generic for most of the season. A mixture of 2D and 3D animation is used to jarring effect, with most action scenes and the occasional panning shot relying on CGI that look more like an eyesore that anything visually pleasing. In fact, most of the better-looking shots involve scenes lacking any sort of movement. Disappointing as the artwork is commonly seen as a key strength to the manga’s popularity. For a series where the most basic appeal comes from a guy mowing down goblins, the action was underwhelming and that kills a show like this. Wish I could say otherwise for the soundtrack, but that also failed to leave a strong impression on me. Voice acting was solid but effectively crippled with a lacklustre script treating half the characters as dense. The opening theme was melancholic but failed to ever have me personally want to listen to it more than once. The ending theme while I certainly enjoyed it more was accompanied by CGI Goblin Slayer with clunky animation. At least the ending track was fun.

  Goblin Slayer is at its core, an anime about one man slaying goblins. Though it can tempt viewers with ideas of something greater at work, it still boils down to a mere schlocky action show with lacklustre presentation that by the end of its first season has its biggest strengths stemming from potential and a hope that a sequel can further flesh out characters and worldbuilding which at this point cannot hold up to scrutiny. But it does have its appealing qualities no matter how superficial they might be. If you are willing to take a chance on a simple action anime trying to break the trend of generic fantasy released this year, this might be worth your investment. My main hope is that now with the most controversial anime of the year finished, the community at large can learn from this experience. As the old saying goes: “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.”

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• 

  TheR7angelo

  65/100
  -C’est quoi l’histoire en résumé ? -Et en détaille ? -What's the story in short? -And details?

  Parti française

  C’est quoi l’histoire en résumé ?
  Goblin slayer est un anime qui nous raconte l’épopée d’un aventurier, Goblin Slayer, et nous raconte au fur et à mesure qui il est réellement.

  Et en détaille ?
  Cette animée nous apprennent plusieurs choses dont la première et la plus importante selon moi sont la façon de voir les petites difficultés non pas comme des petites mais justement comme des grandes ce qui nous permet donc de toujours être prêt à tout à peu près, de plus on voit aussi les bienfaits de l'entraide dans un groupe ce qui est beau à voir.

  Parlons du personnag principale en particulier, LE Goblin Slayer, au tout début de son aventure, il refuse toute aide et travail uniquement en solitaire mais la nonne, Onna Shinkan, parvient à travailler avec lui et de là s’ensuit un groupe d’aventuriers qui tue les goblins ensemble, ce groupe est composé de Yousei Yunde, une elfe archère, Tokage Souryo, un lézard prêtre, et de Kouhito Doushi, un nain chaman.

  À la toute fin de l'anime, le Goblin Slayer demande de l’aide à toute la guilde d’aventurier pour sauver l’endroit où il vit mais surtout l’endroit ou vit une personne proche de lui, Ushikai Musume, son amie d’enfance.

  English part

  What's the story in short?
  Goblin slayer is an anime that tells us the story of an adventurer, Goblin Slayer, and tells us as we go along who he really is.

  And details?
  This animated film teaches us several things, the first and most important of which, in my opinion, are the way we see small difficulties not as small ones but precisely as large ones, which allows us to always be ready for almost everything, and we also see the benefits of mutual aid in a group, which is beautiful to see.

  Let's talk about the main character in particular, LE Goblin Slayer, at the very beginning of his adventure, he refuses any help and work only alone but the nun, Onna Shinkan, manages to work with him and from there follows a group of adventurers who kill goblins together, this group is composed of Yousei Yunde, an archaic elf, Tokage Souryo, a priest lizard, and Kouhito Doushi, a midget shaman.

  At the very end of the anime, the Goblin Slayer asks the whole adventurer's guild for help to save the place where he lives but especially the place where a person close to him, Ushikai Musume, his childhood friend, lives.

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