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REVIEW: I've Been Killing Slimes for 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level


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Key
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Joined: 03 Nov 2003
Posts: 18137
Location: Indianapolis, IN (formerly Mimiho Valley)
PostPosted: Sat Aug 21, 2021 11:52 am Reply with quote
The way that the 300 years seemed to have little to no impact on Azusa bothered me more than the hand-waving of that time did, but otherwise I completely agree with Kim on both the strengths and flaws of the title and would grade it similarly. The flaws being the same in the novels are why I didn't keep up with the novels past the first, and why this was a low-priority view for me. (I actually finished it during a fit of boredom after the series was over rather than watching it week-to-week.)

I do wish that the anime had emphasized the way Azusa applied her "avoid overwork" philosophy to her new life a bit more. The novel practically waxed philosophical about that, and I felt that it was a strong and distinctive a selling point as its relaxed style.
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Dark Mac



Joined: 17 May 2008
Posts: 309
PostPosted: Sat Aug 21, 2021 12:58 pm Reply with quote
I feel like this should've been a heartwarming/cute/funny slice of life series, but the writing/characters/situations just weren't done well enough to make it work. Kinda reminds me of Kuma Kuma Kuma Bear in that regard, which was occasionally cute, but mostly not particularly good. Would be nice to get the isekai equivalent of Hidamari Sketch or Aria or The Demon Girl Next Door someday, but it hasn't happened yet.
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ab2143



Joined: 09 Jan 2021
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 21, 2021 1:42 pm Reply with quote
I found it interesting enough to buy the first volume of the light novel. I honestly prefer it over the anime tbh
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HannoX



Joined: 30 Apr 2012
Posts: 194
PostPosted: Sat Aug 21, 2021 4:42 pm Reply with quote
Slow and relaxed is fine if it's interesting, but this was mostly boring. Which is why after the first LN I skipped the rest. I had hoped seeing it animated would make it more interesting due to the visual elements. It wasn't.
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meiam



Joined: 23 Jun 2013
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 21, 2021 7:50 pm Reply with quote
Quote:
When Azusa berates her newfound friend Laika for overworking herself, insisting that "working hard" shouldn't be talked about as a virtue, her words still manage to ring true in spite of everything.


Haven't watched it, but coming from someone who apparently received a bunch of massive advantages and is practically immortal, doesn't that kinda sound like if you had a friend who inherited millions telling you to relax and not work so much and maybe take a 2 months vacation to Hawaii.
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Covnam



Joined: 31 May 2005
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PostPosted: Sat Aug 21, 2021 10:26 pm Reply with quote
You make a fair point with how little 300 years affected her. She seems to be as aware of her environment until the story gets started as the audience. "Oh, the guild clerk changed?" Shouldn't that have happened many, many times by now?

It didn't really bother me though in this series. I just enjoyed it as a fun fantasy show to relax with after work. I actually thought I'd like it less, but it grew on me Smile

meiam wrote:

Haven't watched it, but coming from someone who apparently received a bunch of massive advantages and is practically immortal, doesn't that kinda sound like if you had a friend who inherited millions telling you to relax and not work so much and maybe take a 2 months vacation to Hawaii.


Her outlook on working/overwork is from the fact that she literally died from overwork in her past life, not from the boons she received in her new one. Though I could see how, in universe, characters who don't know that fact could take it that way. Though then they also probably wouldn't know about her advantages...
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Spike Terra
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Joined: 21 Mar 2016
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Location: Maryland
PostPosted: Sun Aug 22, 2021 1:38 am Reply with quote
So I have found that much of my enjoyment from Slime 300 (my favorite of the truncated versions of this title) comes from the characters and the incredibly goofy story lines. I watched along the same lines like "K-ON" or "Is the order a rabbit?". Though I will say that the other shows I mentioned have better story telling, Slime 300 can still keep me engaged. I think half of that comes from the performances of the VA and the other half being the pace at which events move along within the show. To me it felt like every episode added in a new element for me to fixate upon (I would say my favorite episode was the concert one). Another thing, that I think plays in Slime 300s favor is the art style is just my jam, I especially like the use of color saturation as well as the outfits the characters were adorned with.

Though as much as I liked it, I wouldn't recommend Slime 300 to anyone who doesn't ascribe to the moe slice of life aesthetic.
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chex mix



Joined: 28 Mar 2015
Posts: 415
PostPosted: Sun Aug 22, 2021 4:02 am Reply with quote
I had fun with this show. There's nothing special about it and it was far from being the best in its season, but it was an enjoyable, chill watch that wasn't obnoxious with the yuribaiting or moe aspects. Worth it if you're bored or a fan of fantasy CGDCT shows.
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Cardcaptor Takato



Joined: 27 Jan 2018
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 22, 2021 9:31 am Reply with quote
I gave this show a shot but in addition to the pacing issues and lack of engagement, it was hard for me to take the message when coming from an industry known for overworking it’s animators and under paying it’s staff. Even if this production didn’t have those issues, it still comes across as a pot calling the kettle black situation to me. It also seemed like the show was placing all the emphasis on the personal choices of individuals rather than addressing overwork through a systematic lense. I get that it might beyond the scope of a show like this to address but it does kind of come across as an industry known for creating overwork conditions capitalizing on overwork to make an escapist fantasy than making a serious message about it.
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Punch Drunk Marc



Joined: 04 Oct 2013
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 22, 2021 9:49 am Reply with quote
Cardcaptor Takato wrote:
I gave this show a shot but in addition to the pacing issues and lack of engagement, it was hard for me to take the message when coming from an industry known for overworking it’s animators and under paying it’s staff. Even if this production didn’t have those issues, it still comes across as a pot calling the kettle black situation to me. It also seemed like the show was placing all the emphasis on the personal choices of individuals rather than addressing overwork through a systematic lense. I get that it might beyond the scope of a show like this to address but it does kind of come across as an industry known for creating overwork conditions capitalizing on overwork to make an escapist fantasy than making a serious message about it.


This is based on a Light Novel though. Not like its an original work, so why come at the industry for an adaptation of something? I don't think its that deep.
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Cardcaptor Takato



Joined: 27 Jan 2018
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PostPosted: Sun Aug 22, 2021 10:25 am Reply with quote
I don’t blame the light novel author for writing a story like this in itself but it bothers me a bit that main characters dying from overwork and reincarnating in a fantasy land is becoming a sub genre the anime industry is capitalizing on rather than fixing the problems with their own industry. There’s already another isekai show with a similar premise airing this season though it seems more cynical than this Slime show. And we had that other escapist isekai slime show about a character dying from overwork a few seasons ago.
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Blanchimont



Joined: 25 Feb 2012
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Location: Finland
PostPosted: Sun Aug 22, 2021 10:40 am Reply with quote
Cardcaptor Takato wrote:
I don’t blame the light novel author for writing a story like this in itself but it bothers me a bit that main characters dying from overwork and reincarnating in a fantasy land is becoming a sub genre the anime industry is capitalizing on rather than fixing the problems with their own industry. There’s already another isekai show with a similar premise airing this season though it seems more cynical than this Slime show. And we had that other escapist isekai slime show about a character dying from overwork a few seasons ago.

I wouldn't mind reading a Cells at Work! Code Black isekai sequel spinoff, to be honest... Wink
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Merxamers



Joined: 09 Dec 2013
Posts: 720
PostPosted: Sun Aug 22, 2021 11:10 am Reply with quote
In the afterword of volume 1, the author mentions that they've known many people negatively impacted by poor work in environments, and that as a student they interviewed with a company that worked to improve office environments. Knowing this, the themes of the book series make quite a lot of sense.
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Lobo The Ghost



Joined: 05 Jul 2021
Posts: 10
PostPosted: Mon Aug 23, 2021 6:50 am Reply with quote
So I think the point might be being missed a little here with the 300 years being skipped or not having weight. I feel like the question should be "Why were those 300 years skipped?" not just complaining about it. I'll admit, they are absolutely breezed over, but I believe that it's intentional, and not just an oversight.

To me, the reason it's done that way is because the story is intended to be a happy relaxing story about Azusa's found family, but also an antithesis to much darker sadder feelings ascociated with that long time.
Covnam wrote:
You make a fair point with how little 300 years affected her. She seems to be as aware of her environment until the story gets started as the audience. "Oh, the guild clerk changed?" Shouldn't that have happened many, many times by now?

^ This is a great example. Azusa wanted to spend her time relaxing. To think about how each person is going to live their entire life and die in a fraction of her lifespan is not something she wanted to think about. So she distanced herself from people. She knew from day one of her reincarnation she would have such a long lifespan and it was that lifespan that pushed her away from people.

Then look at all of those she's added to her family: Laika, 300+ year old dragon (How long do dragons live?). Falfa/Shalsha, 50 year old spirits (spirits are ageless/immortal) Halkara, 225 years old (Same as dragons). Rosalie, 150 years since death (Ghosts no age either), Flatorte, 400+ (dragon).

My point is that the story seems very purposefully constructed to be an escape from the more somber feelings ascociated with getting older. The story can effectively go on forever, so of course we wouldn't feel the passage of time, the story doesn't want us to.
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nobahn
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Joined: 14 Dec 2006
Posts: 5120
PostPosted: Thu Jul 28, 2022 5:42 pm Reply with quote
What's the term for "healing anime"? That's what I've been using it for when all of the awfulness of the world has me feeling awful. Sad Crying or Very sad Anime cry
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