「まどろむの中で」 (Madoromu no naka de)
“Dozing”

While I’m sure there will be a few complaints about Goblin Slayer returning to the quiet side of life (read: superfluous SoL filler) this episode, it’s kind of hard to blame the show for giving some pleasantries after the raucous past couple of weeks. Dinnertime banter, hilarious drunk Anvil Elf, a little kiddie training? For all its simplicity you kind of need that refreshing break every now and then—particularly when we all know what’s coming next down the pipe.

Although Goblin Slayer has shown its writing strength multiple times before, the show is still surprising me with the little things it does to accentuate its world and story. Take the man himself: roaming around without armour, and doing so while keeping watch for the very threat he wears that armour for? Inconceivable just a short while ago, but now something he’s willing to do. Sure it may only be because the guy’s armour was damaged, but I guarantee a part of it is because he’s finding confidence and trust in those around him. Whether shown or not, Goblin Slayer has come to rely on his party members and their skills, knowing full well he can do more with their help than alone. Say what you will about that single-minded attitude, but humility is always a trait worth having.

On point about Goblin Slayer’s showing of vulnerability as well is how nicely it ties in to this episode’s plentiful foreshadowing of the future. Without a doubt the future is what always occupies our collective time, we plan for it, worry about, often try and leave it for another day. In this regard adventurers are no different, some have ideas (no matter how vague) of giving back and helping the next generation, but many like Goblin Slayer believe, whether rightly or wrongly, that they simply have no time right now to secure their future. The childhood friend (and Priestess in a way) understands this and fears for what may happen, but how can you convince or direct the best in the business to start scouting and training his successor? Simply put, you cannot. As with everyone else it’s up to Goblin Slayer to decide when the time is right to forge his future and secure his legacy. He may succeed in doing it like one couple in the making or miss out entirely, but in the end the choice and its consequences lie with him and him alone.

In this respect I imagine one upcoming event may encourage our greenskin slayer to start considering putting some thought to what lies beyond killing goblins. Nothing after all encourages a change in mindset like a deadly experience.

34 Comments

  1. I found this episode almost unnecessary, except for the buildup at the end. We just had a “recovery” episode just two episodes ago; no need to spend 95% on another “recovery” day. Even with scenes of the current Hero(ine) defeating a dragon in the capital (and the Demon Lord?). Just the ever-present foreboding coming to a point with the final picture of lots of lots of goblin footprints in the forest near the farm.

    Two episodes left? 11 will be buildup, 12 will be final battle & epilogue. Any hints of a second season yet?

    jhpace1
      1. They may also announce the second season after the final episode has aired. Some studios do this with shows they have planned to be 24/26 episodes all along(But for example due to scheduling, can’t air straight through for 24/26 weeks). Probably for the good PR & hype that follows.

        Lyfe
      2. Dunno of a 2nd season immediately as the Anime pretty much caught up with the currently out manga chapters. (granted LN has 8 volumes out so in terms of content there’s enough for another season I guess :-?)

        Devastator001
    1. Sure it may only be because the guy’s armour was damaged, but I guarantee a part of it is because he’s finding confidence and trust in those around him. Whether shown or not, Goblin Slayer has come to rely on his party members and their skills

      I dunno, from the beginning, I had a feeling he was always this way; he trusts and cares about those around him. He may seem unconcerned, but that is just due to his nature he developed into. I think today’s episode’s flashback about his sister(and how he was crying that Childhood Friend was going to leave him), and how she wanted him to “protect girls” is at the very core of his nature, as we’ve seen several times already. His concern about the canary pretty much signifies this as well.

      Also as far as a successor goes, it felt like he was already training Priestess in that regard, but I know it was for general purposes and not specifically for goblins. Still his [I’m assuming]-predecessor(the goblin-looking fellow from ep8) may have kinda just stumbled on to GS, and wasn’t looking for a “successor”… a stretch to believe, I’m sure, but I’m sure that GS’s teacher gave something that could be considered “passed down”, in a sense. And I have a feeling it’ll be the same with GS and Priestess.

      On small random note, too bad Guild Girl couldn’t see GS w/o his armor. Would have been funny to see her fangasm over him =03.

      frubam
      1. it like you said, he always have been trusting to other people. it just because he so obsessed with hunting down goblin that people dont really team up with him.

        only the current teammate understand his personality in which they still maintain the team.

        Fahmieyz
    2. I think they needed the downtime episode mostly to remind us of the townies and local adventurers, for the last couple eps to have the right punch. It’s been a while.

      Of course, this makes the recap episode pointless, but then, recap episodes usually are.

      Guile
    3. I found this episode almost unnecessary, except for the buildup at the end. We just had a “recovery” episode just two episodes ago; no need to spend 95% on another “recovery” day.

      This is due to the change in the order of the events. The “recovery episode” seen here was actually the recovery after the ogre battle. You may ask, what about episode 5? That was a Frankenstein that combined bits and pieces of different novels.

      Also, the rushed pace of the Water Town Arc makes it feel as if the breather episodes come too quickly. To put it into perspective, episodes 6-9 cover the plot of the second LN. The rest of the episodes, this one included, are from the first LN with some moments and lines from other LNs.

      Mistic
  2. Well, now it’s very clear that the anime team wanted the Farm Arc to be the Grand Finale.

    It’s not just that they changed the order of the events and put the Water Town in the middle. It’s not even that moments missing from episode 5 have been put to use here. They wanted to create a stark contrast between the Hero and Goblin Slayer.

    On the one hand, the Hero is the talk of the entire world. Spouting the usual shonen cliches, she and her band of nakama have faced the Demon Lord (Ainz-sama?! The Tomb of Nazarick?! The Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown?! Unexpected Overlord crossover) and won. She’s that overpowered. The world is safer now and she’s getting a big parade in the capital.

    On the other hand, Goblin Slayer could only dream (literally) of achieving such success. His job is far less glamourous and his actions don’t really matter for the world at large. The best reward he can expect is sharing a meal with friends (heck, even having friends at all is a huge achievement, as lampshaded by Cow Girl’s surprise) in a placid frontier town where the harvest festival is the closest thing they have to the capital’s celebrations. But it’s fine. It’s his world, and that’s enough.

    And now goblins threaten to destroy it once more.

    Mistic
    1. Not sure if its any solace, but there’s that bard that’s going around and telling the story of GS. That seems pretty big, if he’s going around and spreading GS’s tales around so much even one of the former heroes has come of hear of him, he’s gotta be making a name for himself somewhere(but I imagine those that have met him might think the legend is beyond the man{paraphrased: HEA =03})

      frubam
      1. Considering the general attitude of most people towards goblins and the presence of larger threats to focus on, GS is more famous among the commonfolk who often suffer at the hands of goblins while the Hero gets more attention from everyone else. Pretty much like how it is with Batman and Superman lol, especially since the former is one of the inspirations behind GS.

        AshScar
    2. (Ainz-sama?! The Tomb of Nazarick?! The Staff of Ainz Ooal Gown?! Unexpected Overlord crossover)

      Nah, the demon lord is almost certainly more moral and honorable than Ainz. 😛

      Wanderer
  3. hmm if ep 11 is gonna be a recap ep. Seems like they’re not gonna include much of the goblin lord’s backstory (that part was pretty twisted in it’s own way). Am worried that they’ll cut out alot of the farm attack part. (granted the majority of that is pure action so Icould be wrong :-?)

    Devastator001
    1. I wouldn’t be too worried about the content. While the Farm Arc is fondly remembered by many, it’s a very short adventure. It took 4 chapters in the first LN (which has 13 chapters + interludes), and 6 chapters in the manga.

      To make a comparison, the Ogre Arc (where GS and Priestess meet the elf, the dwarf and the lizard man) took 4 chapters in the LN too, and 5 chapters in the manga. In the anime? 2 episodes. Since the townie moments have already been covered by now, I’d argue that the anime is actually taking its time to adapt the Farm Arc in a proper fashion.

      This also showcases that the Water Town Arc has been rushed in the anime. An adventure that took 10 chapters in the second LN and 12 chapters in the manga was finished in just 4 episodes.

      Mistic
    2. I agree, orc lords story might be too much for people too handle as its pretty much super heavy handed social commentary(true social commentary but still too much for normies to handle). no way are they gonna show that.

      dropped
    1. Her design is also reminiscent of Konno Yuuki from SAO. So, a fusion dance between Haruhi and Yuuki created the ultimate overpowered hero?

      It wouldn’t be the first fusion. It’s said that the character of High Elf Archer was inspired by Sinon from SAO and the elf archer from Dragon’s Crown.

      Mistic
  4. https://randomc.net/image/Goblin%20Slayer/Goblin%20Slayer%20-%2010%20-%20Large%2001.jpg
    https://randomc.net/image/Goblin%20Slayer/Goblin%20Slayer%20-%2010%20-%20Large%2034.jpg
    Hope the Chosen Heroine made sure the Demon Lord’s spirit/essence was destroyed. Because if she didn’t, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Demon Lord is resurrected again like a certain “big red demon” from Blizzard Entertainment’s flagship action RPG series. On a different note, I just found out that Sword Saint (the one I mistakenly thought was voiced by Marina Inoue) was actually voiced by Haruka Tomatsu–best known as SAO‘s Asuna Yuuki. I honestly didn’t expect that casting gag.

    https://randomc.net/image/Goblin%20Slayer/Goblin%20Slayer%20-%2010%20-%20Large%2021.jpg
    Aw man, I wish they would include the scene where Guild Girl takes High Elf Archer to shop for underwear (while Priestess and Cow Girl try out chainmail bikinis). Then again, with so much stuff that has been shifted around for the anime, some scenes are sadly bound to be cut out. And speaking of scenes that might be cut out…

    So I read the news (via ANN) that next week’s episode is going to be a recap episode (*Girls und Panzer/Full Metal Panic! Invisible Victory flashbacks intensify*), before continuing the week after and having the episode 13 season finale three weeks later. I wonder if it has something to do with finding the best possible way to present a certain scene from the Farm Arc?
    Show Spoiler ▼

    Incognito
    1. If they’re going for 13 eps this give hope in the inclusion of some of the goblin lord’s backstory (ie how he got his gear and clawed his way up to his current position) as this gives him a bit of a personality (rather than just a smart leader type goblin as twisted as he is)

      Devastator001
      1. Technically the show is 12 episodes, minus the recap. Most likely because White Fox have two TV series planned after Goblin Slayer concludes for next year. When Season 2 is announced, no doubt it’ll be for Summer/Fall 2019.

        Lyfe

Leave a Reply to AshScar Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *