First Impressions / Goblin Slayer

「強き者ども」 (Tsuyoki monodomo)
“The Strong”

While I always knew I’d wind up covering Goblin Slayer the entire way through (something something popularity), this episode certainly proved my decision correct. Story controversy or not there’s just something satisfying about watching a veritable D&D campaign in action, where ruin exploration and party banter meet big boss fights and shrewd imagination overcomes all manner of physical limitation. It may be conceptually simple and thematically wider than it is deep, but Goblin Slayer easily has the idea entertainment down pat.

As shown last week, part of the satisfaction lies with the party interactions. All the characters play off against one another well, whether than be the titular Goblin Slayer’s (hilarious) single-minded focus, Priestess’ watchful caring, or our anvil Elf’s bipolar love/hate relationship with the greenskin slayer. This too carries over into the more serious aspects, with Elf especially learning the hard way that dealing with minor enemies isn’t as easy as it seems which cannot be overstated a positive in Goblin Slayer’s books. It’s incredibly easy to overplay the serious side of these stories, to overindulge in the shock and let the edge dominate everything. This was readily apparent in the first episode (and one of my underlying concerns), but Goblin Slayer handled it well here by showing the trauma Elf experienced, but without wallowing in it. The girl was hit hard, but she dug in, worked through it, and came out the other side (mentally) stronger than before. It may be cold, cruel, and more than a little deranged (especially deranged), but as Priestess shows you have to adapt if you wish to work this job because the working conditions certainly won’t change themselves.

One of the big surprises revealed this week too are the mechanics of Goblin Slayer’s magic. Normally it would be simple to throw in some amorphous mention of MP and user exhaustion, but actual spell limitations? Now that’s different. This aspect in particular hearkens back to the RPG elements quietly coming to the fore in Goblin Slayer, where in a lot of works (especially older) health and magic management was essential because items were limited and you had no idea when the next town/merchant would appear. Know there’s likely a boss fight coming? Better hope you dealt with the mobs efficiently enough because you’re not going to catch a convenient break. Thus the importance of items like the scroll and knowing your enemy inside and out—it may appear overkill, but in the heat of the moment you might wind up thanking yourself for having put in the forethought. Hopefully Goblin Slayer retains similar imagination for its future fights because what we got here is definitely doing it right.

For the immediate future though it looks like it’s back to friendly banter and some further world building, for every successful adventure needs a bit of relaxation. Well, at least for the moment; if there’s one thing you can bet on it’s that Goblin Slayer won’t be taking too much time off from the mission at hand.

 

Preview

60 Comments

  2. https://randomc.net/image/Goblin%20Slayer/Goblin%20Slayer%20-%2004%20-%20Large%2006.jpg
    https://randomc.net/image/Goblin%20Slayer/Goblin%20Slayer%20-%2004%20-%20Large%2007.jpg

    Resistance if futile ms. flat-chan. You WILL join the GS harem!

    https://randomc.net/image/Goblin%20Slayer/Goblin%20Slayer%20-%2004%20-%20Large%2032.jpg
    https://randomc.net/image/Goblin%20Slayer/Goblin%20Slayer%20-%2004%20-%20Large%2034.jpg

    The thing the vocal critics dont understand about the Goblin Slayer fandom is that while the blood and gore do add to the feel of this dark fantasy, the main draw is the adventure.

    ginobi47
    Reply

    1. Yes, you have to admire his ruthless creativity.

      A whole nest of goblins? Use a couple of spells to make them drunk and sleepy, and you can murder them with their own weapons. A gate scroll? A normal mind would turn it into a “get out of trouble” card. But Goblin Slayer would turn it into a weapon of mass destruction. High Elf’s face when he was talking about all the ways of killing goblins he knows was priceless (a pity I didn’t see it here, or did I miss it?).

      As someone said in another forum, give Goblin Slayer a pillow and he’ll find a way to use it to kill goblins.

      Mistic
      Reply

      2. Hell, Goblin Slayer could probably kill a goblin or three with an effing pencil. Though seeing him make sure the goblins are dead with another stab (or two–double tap!) to the vitals is another thing I like about the guy. No nonsense.

        Incognito
        Reply

    1. XD

      Glad they didn’t ruin the subtitle translation for that scene this time around, unlike in the previous episode. (The “I wanted to slay…” scene at the campfire. It was still funny, but the differing sub translation blunted the humor of that scene.)

      Incognito
      Reply

  6. One of the big surprises revealed this week too are the mechanics of Goblin Slayer’s magic. Normally it would be simple to throw in some amorphous mention of MP and user exhaustion, but actual spell limitations? Now that’s different. This aspect in particular hearkens back to the RPG elements quietly coming to the fore in Goblin Slayer

    Honestly, you could break down these fights using D&D character sheets and rules. Heck, I wouldn’t be surprised if many of these battles weren’t originally worked out with actual character sheets and actual dice rolls.

    However, even though the battles are heavily based on rpg mechanices, it simply uses that to determine the flow and the focus is on the characters utilizing their skill well. In contrast, most other series (including much Isekai) that use game mechanics are too focused on treating it like a game what with user interfaces,actual HP counts, &c. I’ve done a lot of rpgs (as well as some quality larps) over the years, and if one is going to make a comparison to rps, mmporpgsd, &c. and Goblin Slayer is a refreshing change where the emphasis is on the roll playing and the characters (with the mechanics simply underlying skeleton to help support a good story), rather than most other “game based” series where the protagonists come across as over-powered munchkins who eschew character for a quick op win.

    Seriously, I’d love to game and roll some dice with Kumo Kagyu (the LN author).

    LoliHat
    Reply

    1. Honestly I wouldn’t be too surprised if D&D mechanics did provide the base for many of these scenes, and not just for the dice allusions. At its core it’s a very good way to structure things (particularly for randomizing outcomes) and something I know a few people like using to help generate ideas. Nothing gets the imagination going like already having a way to encourage it.

      Pancakes
      Reply

      1. Well, no one. i did not read any Light Novel in text form so far.. I prefer Manga and Anime.. in my past i read many Books. But as i said, its in the past and my eyes where better in these day…

        Worldwidedepp
        Reply

  10. It’s incredibly easy to overplay the serious side of these stories, to overindulge in the shock and let the edge dominate everything. This was readily apparent in the first episode (and one of my underlying concerns), but Goblin Slayer handled it well here by showing the trauma Elf experienced, but without wallowing in it.

    Agreed. This mini-arc changes the course of the series quite a bit. It gives Goblin Slayer a real party, an actual group of nakama. Yes, the goblin-slaying is as dark, bloody and violent as always (and Goblin Slayer didn’t mince his words about it), but… It’s not the same when you have people who support you. And people to go back to.

    In a way, it reminds me of Akame Ga Kill. Another series which became famous due to the extreme violence and shocking events in the first episodes, only to tone it down later and introduce a likeable cast of heroes and villains. Then it made the mistake you mention: trying to be too edgy again, it lost its way. Shock for shock’s sake doesn’t work beyond a certain point.

    Thankfully, I believe Goblin Slayer isn’t going down that path.

    In that regard, I like the realism of the setting. Yes, I said “realism”, despite all the monsters, magic and DnD rules. The realism is in the details: goblins are nighmarish, but in the large scheme of things they’re a low-class threat; the adventurers guild is first and foremost a business, and the rules of the market can get newbies and poor villagers screwed; and while the reality of goblin-slaying is making someone like High Elf Archer want to puke, Goblin Slayer is dispassionate and efficient about it. He treats it like a job. An ugly and dirty job, but a job nonetheless.

    Priestess is already learning it. That face! XD

    Mistic
    Reply

    1. I can not read GS Mind, but from his actions and behavior from the outside point he is on an Mission to slay every Goblin, and since they reproduce this fast (they just need females of any kind of race) His mission never ends

      Worldwidedepp
      Reply

      2. still same goblin, prolly higher chance to evolve into a shaman though based from typical RPG elves being more proficient in magic, but lower pregancy rate hampers them multiplying quickly. (which why they target livestock first then get bolder as their numbers increase)

        Devastator001
        Reply

      3. @Worldwidedepp
        Indeed he is, that’s Goblin Slayer’s obsession. And yet, he doesn’t go on his own to kill goblins. He joined the guild, became a registered adventurer, waits for quests and gets paid. A real job, despite his obvious goblin-slaying preferences.

        Which is also quite realistic when you think about it. Personal crusades don’t fill an empty pocket or an empty stomach.

        Mistic
        Reply

    2. One of the points that is also interesting is that goblin lair clearing is probably not a newbie job – there’s one part in the light novels where an unnamed higher ranking adventurer reflects back on their goblin hunting days and really does not want to go back to doing it again. The goblins in larger groups probably require either luck or meticulous planning to deal with properly, and without any real foreknowledge it leads to a lot of newbies becoming casualties.

      Heck, even more senior adventurers can have a bad roll of the dice and get taken down by a large swarm. In a way, more powerful but less intelligent monsters are probably easier to face.

      Goblin Slayer’s single minded obsession is probably going to keep him going for quite a while, but Show Spoiler ▼

      RuneGrey
      Reply

      1. Agreed, goblin lair clearing shouldn’t be a job for newbies. Problem is, it is their job due to how the guild system works. Adventurers who have the experience and the skill don’t want it and it’s up to the newbies to take it.

        I wonder if there’s a social commentary there: “Youngsters with little or no experience have to take the dangerous and shitty jobs. They’ll be able to get a promotion and do more savoury work after they prove themselves to the veterans, not before! What are you saying? That this system is inefficient, that it increases the chances of doing a botched job, and that the risk of breaking the newbies is too high? Sorry, this is a business, not a charity. If you don’t want the job, don’t worry, another person more desperate than you will risk their neck for the reward.”

        Mistic
        Reply

      2. He is Paranoid. remember “what if you told the goblin?” part. I’m guessing this is some sort of mantra or checklist whenever a scenario come up. He may have dealt with many intelligent Goblin in the past 5 years.

        FVA
        Reply

      3. It should be remembered: Newbies CAN clear Goblin Nests. Newbies CAN’T clear stuff that senior adventurers usually do or army contest against. And if that non-newbie stuff is not cleared they will do as much or more damage than Goblins. So everybody do what they can.

        Also there is NO safe newbie missions even if it’s likely wouldn’t be covered by anime:
        Show Spoiler ▼

        al103
        Reply

    3. Heh Akame ga Kill, I remember that well. My hope overall is that Goblin Slayer can go the route of Berserk, keep the edginess which we’ve come to expect, but flesh it out with the scenes like the party interactions these past couple of weeks. Giving us a good balance will keep Goblin Slayer’s flair while preventing it going into train wreck territory.

      Pancakes
      Reply

      1. Agreed. Ironically nough, I think the choice oif enemies helps in Goblin Slayer’s case. Akame Ga Kill tried hard to showcase how depraved and evil the higher ups in the Empire were, to the point they became caricatures and you wondered how the nation could work with those people in charge.

        Meanwhile, goblins don’t need to prove how evil they are time and again to prove that the protagonists are justified in killing them.

        Mistic
        Reply

      2. I’m not sure where they’re going to end this season. They’ll definitely finish the first light novel, but the second novel is in itself a complete story.

        Show Spoiler ▼

        BigFire
        Reply

  12. I hope that the adventurers’ guild gives the Priestess a promotion up from porcelain level. She has survived multiple quests, doubled the number of miracles that she can use, and defended her party when facing a high level monster.

    Kling Klang
    Reply

  14. I’m glad to see that this bit was handled in one episode – I was worried we’d end on a cliffhanger and then have a more disjointed quick conclusion next time.

    This is a lot more of the Goblin Slayer of the future, as opposed to the first episode. I think its important to show that the goblins are dangerous, especially to adventurers who are unprepared, but at the same time this is a lot more about the party and the troubles they encounter, rather than just goblins doing horrible things over and over again.

    Show Spoiler ▼

    RuneGrey
    Reply

  15. glad this show is around to fulfil my fantasy needs in a mature sensible way. I watch this then I watch the more lighthearted Radiant. It’s interesting that Goblin Hunter has not faced any other monsters so I am curious how does one get to be a silver ranked adventurer if you are not fighting bigger guys to get to that rank. Hopefully this gets explained. Goblin Kings?

    Kurik
    Reply

    1. It is explained later, at least in the manga. There is even a chapter about Goblin Slayer lending Guild Girl a hand in an interview for a guild rank promotion.

      Basically, although it’s true that the value of the rewards they get plays a part in deciding an adventurer’s rank, personality and reliability are equally important. Goblin Slayer may only go after low bounties (goblins), but the guild appreciates how reliable he’s always been in his particular line of work.

      Mistic
      Reply

  17. Have to wonder how much Priestess spends on laundry costs to get the goblin blood and guts out of her clothes. She even says it doesn’t go away completely, which I’m guessing is the smell in her hair and on her skin.

    rh75
    Reply

  18. They really do a good job in making goblins a detestable parasitic lesser beings.

    Kill them. Kill them all. Adults and children alike. Kill them all.

    Watching slime isekai and GS in the same season makes the former feels lackluster

    Henrietta Brix
    Reply

    1. For what it is I think Slime does fine, it’s meant to be fun and relaxing instead of edgy and dark. We’re honestly pretty lucky to have a season where we actually have a choice between the two, not often everyone has a show matching their respective taste.

      Pancakes
      Reply

  21. https://randomc.net/image/Goblin%20Slayer/Goblin%20Slayer%20-%2004%20-%20Large%2012.jpg
    https://randomc.net/image/Goblin%20Slayer/Goblin%20Slayer%20-%2004%20-%20Large%2032.jpg
    “They are numerous, cunning, without mercy. But you. You will be worse. Rip and tear, until it is done.”

    https://randomc.net/image/Goblin%20Slayer/Goblin%20Slayer%20-%2004%20-%20Large%2011.jpg
    I know the manga version of this scene was brutal, but seeing it in color in animated form… Damn. I don’t know if elves have stronger mental fortitude than humans, but the trauma will surely haunt her for the rest of her (immortal) life.

    On a different note, episode 1 of the English dub version of Goblin Slayer is available now.

    Incognito
    Reply

    1. For me I thought they kinda went with the middle-ground here as the manga depicted the goblins pretty much made sure to disfigure only one the right side of her body and kept the left side pretty much untouched

      Devastator001
      Reply

  22. I have long felt that this arc was the coming of age for Goblin Slayer as a work. Before that it was a reasonably decent dark fantasy story. The manga had good artwork and the Light Novel was interesting enough but it was not a stand out work by any means. We have seen such works before; Berserk casts a long shadow over the whole genre. Many subsequent works had similar tones such as Ubel Blatt, Claymore and, to a lesser extent, Bastard.

    The significance of this arc is that it heavily humanizes Goblin Slayer. The show shifts towards a character study with subtle and not so subtle hints about the protagonists. We already know that Goblin Slayer is one part Doom Slayer and one part Rorschach; a deeply damaged human being who has devoted himself single-mindedly to a particular cause as part of a coping mechanism. This arc we see that he is, fundamentally, a good and decent human being.

    He shows concern (as far as he is able) for his adventuring companions. Goblin Slayer went to the goblins’ trash heap first since he knew that any prisoners would be kept there. He is a professional, he is well aware of the goblins’ proclivities. There was always a chance that they would need to cut and run, perhaps even level the whole structure to kill all the goblins. By going there first he ensured that they could evacuate as many of the surviving prisoners as possible.

    Goblin Slayer might have his crusade but he is not willing to salt the Earth in its execution. He is apparently not willing to put people at undue risk for his cause. It is good and noble to put one’s own life on the line in pursuit of a worthy goal. It is quite another thing to sacrifice others (especially unwilling or unwitting others) for the same. I think this clearly delineates Goblin Slayer from much bleaker works like Wortensia Senki. Yes, things are bad but there are still heroic characters trying to change things for the better. Sure, some humans are bastards but most are decent people.

    One thing that is implied in the manga is that Show Spoiler ▼

    Mechamorph
    Reply

  23. He shows concern (as far as he is able) for his adventuring companions. Goblin Slayer went to the goblins’ trash heap first since he knew that any prisoners would be kept there. He is a professional, he is well aware of the goblins’ proclivities. There was always a chance that they would need to cut and run, perhaps even level the whole structure to kill all the goblins. By going there first he ensured that they could evacuate as many of the surviving prisoners as possible.

    I hadn’t thought of it that way, but now it makes perfect sense. A subtle “show, don’t tell” about Goblin Slayer’s personality. Also, it fits with the next scene, when Priestess and High Elf are worried that he might mercy-kill the prisoner. If he wasn’t such an emotionless guy, you could almost believe he was a bit hurt they thought he would be that cold-hearted. Sure, he did it to the Mage in the first episode’s party, but it’s still a last resort for him.

    As you say, yes, I feel this sets GS apart from similar works. His obsession and trauma don’t stop him from prioritizing other people’s lives over killing goblins.

    Mistic
    Reply

    1. Show Spoiler ▼

      BigFire
      Reply

  25. Well, with the Stone Magic of the Dwarf here he could create some kind of Bathtub or little “hot spring”

    Someone get some water, someone an flame to heat it or the bathtub from the outside. Voila!

    and “everyday magic use”, we haven an self made Hot spring for the party.. Just the Water is an problem.. an campfire could heat the Water..

    Worldwidedepp
    Reply

  26. The music doing the scroll reveal was perfect… I read the manga not the light novels though so I k ow it’s gonna be a good season 1… Oh and world trigger is back WHAT A GREAT YEAR.

    Persona0
    Reply

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