4.5~ min read Slime was on an upward trajectory from the start- it was simply that typa show that gets way better the more you watch.. Especially in the second season with it's very noticeable improvement in overall quality. Stakes felt more real, storytelling felt more robust, and the core point of the series which is Rimuru's rise was being fulfilled as it was apparent that he was constantly striving to just be more oonga boonga overpowered.
S3 shattered (in a bad way) that high standard that had migrated over from S2 as it not only forsakened its own core identity but was also mostly just a glorified still-frame-zoom-meeting-simulator. Genuinely felt like more than half the runtime was filled with these minimally animated scenes of characters endlessly yapping with zero relevance to the plot. I kept waiting for it to move forward, but instead, it kept dragging its feet, draining the goddamn life out of the momentum the series had worked so hard to build.
Slime fumbled the bag even with the fight scenes, the main example of this is the Shizuku ‘conflict’- if you can even call it that.. It's laterally just a glorified misunderstanding.. that’s it- All that buildup from that rly cool first fight between Rimuru and Shizuku, to the (actually well written) political pressure from S2 - gone.. all thrown out the goddamn window.
Both Rimuru and Hinata proceed with a mix of suspicion and caution, each assuming the other is preparing for an attack rather than seeking a diplomatic resolution. Rimuru, hoping to avoid unnecessary conflict, organizes defenses and prepares for a possible confrontation, but he doesn't do this tooootally unimportant thing called STATING YOUR INTENTIONS?? Meanwhile, Hinata, pressured by the Church and acting on questionable intelligence to say the very least, prepares to engage Rimuru’s forces without fully considering other explanations for his actions. When they finally confront each other, it’s almost as if both characters have suspended all rational thought. Despite an uncountable number of chances to clarify their misunderstandings and literally just TALK ffs, they repeatedly choose not to—resulting in an extended fight that feels extremely forced and based entirely on negative IQ communication skills. They both have ample evidence by this point that neither one is intent on destroying the other, but they continue to fight like mindless husks.
They also act so out of character that it’s jarring, especially given how each of em is typically portrayed: Rimuru as a careful, diplomatic leader who avoids unnecessary violence, and Hinata as a calculated, strategic thinker who rarely fights without clear cause. Here, though, both of them abandon their usual rationality and depth, diving headlong into a prolonged, misinformed clash that could have been resolved with literally a single conversation. This setup makes the conflict feel contrived, the writer is actively forcing them into this shtstorm purely to create cheap tension. Their actions in this encounter lack the nuanced thoughtfulness they usually embody, making the confrontation feel extremely shallow and stiff.
AAAND HERE WE GO with the festival arc ohhh God.. the excitement, entertainment, and stakes levels all look like a crypto pump and dump on a graph. The series loses sight of its core identity—Rimuru’s relentless rise to become more oonga boonga overpowered ,defend, and cement Tempest as a formidable kingdom. Throughout previous seasons, especially Season 2- the progression can mostly be described as extremely consistent buildup, creating a satisfying and REAL sense of progression. (Much like Shield Hero S3) His rise was driven not only by power gains but also by a real sense of purpose and stakes. Yet in Season 3, especially during the festival arc, (also much like Shield Hero S3) this momentum stalls as the story shifts focus to the festival itself, filled with superficial events that feel hollow compared to the high-stakes conflicts of earlier seasons.
(Did I mention this is also much like Shield Hero S3) The arc’s minimalistic animation and extended meeting sequences only add to the sense that Rimuru’s character arc has been sidelined. Instead of progressing, Rimuru and Tempest feel stagnant, locked in scenes of repetitive dialogue and trivial interactions. The fights and confrontations that do happen are (Much like.. AHEM shield hero s3) lackluster, poor in the intensity and weight of past conflicts. Villains feel like afterthoughts, reduced to extremely predictable or inconsequential obstacles whose sole purpose is to make the festival happen. With so little at stake, the whole goddamn arc feels like filler; draining any lingering excitement from Rimuru’s journey and breaking the powerful momentum that Season 2 had established. This extended focus on a low-stakes event leaves the viewer yearning for the purpose and urgency that made Rimuru’s story so engaging.
In concussion- or conclusion same thing, Slime S3 feels like a hollow, directionless mess that abandons everything that made Slime compelling in favor of what feels like pointless ‘filler’. The result is a slog that even giga fans of the series will be scratching their heads from it all.
SPEED ROUND:
TLDR:
Shizuku Conflict Arc: Conflict exists for the sake of conflict.
Festival Arc: The abandonment or sacrifice of core identity in favor of aimless diversion.
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