The following contains spoilers for When I Got Reincarnated as a Slime, Season 4, Episode 4, “The Invitation,” available on Crunchyroll.
fourth episode of At that time I was reincarnated as a slime In Season 4, Tempest is officially admitted to the Council of the West, a regulatory body made up of the various human nations of the West established to serve as a stronghold against the growing threat of monsters. The most interesting and important development in this episode was a council meeting to vote on the inclusion of the Monster Nation in an organization once created as an anti-monster measure.
In terms of good pacing and a plot with some interesting seeds sown, At that time I was reincarnated as a slimeSeason 4, Episode 4 was a very enjoyable setup for what would become a very important and action-packed arc.
The main antagonists appear in That Time I Was Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4 Episode 3.
Granville and Mariabelle Rojo's true ambitions were finally revealed in Season 4 Episode 3 of When I Got Reincarnated as a Slime.
It's the end of dungeon hijinx
No more fooling around in the dungeon with the surprise appearance of Demon King Frey.
The episode begins in the dungeon as Rimuru, Ramiris, Veldora, and Milim once again thwart the efforts of the adventurers who take on a difficult challenge. At this point, they have gained some notoriety among the adventurers who frequent the dungeon, and are gaining increasing reach and success. It was a fun and light-hearted start to an episode that got relatively serious as it tied back into the main story. Especially how vulnerable and guilty Milim feels when Demon Lord Frey makes a surprise appearance to remind Milim of her mission and take her home.
The sight of Milim, Veldora, and Ramiris trying to hide behind Rimuru and sneaking away to avoid Frey's cold gaze was a good scene for comedy. Especially now that I was used to manipulating my avatar's body, I was making noises about needing a bigger challenge in the dungeon. This means that the dungeon-related tasks begin to take valuable time away from more interesting plot developments and potential plot points, lowering the overall impact of the episode. This may be the point, as Rimuru himself used the dungeon to avoid more important responsibilities, but perhaps a greater focus on the Eastern Empire's agenda and clear antagonists in this arc could have given the episode more narrative weight.
After the remaining trio narrowly avoid Frey's spirit, Rimuru approaches Shuna, who knows full well that he is evading his responsibilities and playing with his friends in the dungeon. It was like watching a group of kids get scolded by their teacher. The teacher was also the children's big brother.
Rearranges covers into correct Japanese release order.
start
Rearranges covers into correct Japanese release order.
Easy (5)Medium (7)Difficult (10)
Shuna's use of “yandere eyes” to describe her disdain was an especially amusing detail considering her pink hair and the fact that she was named after a specific species of fuchsia plant with soft purple flowers. I'm nodding Even the pink hair usually associated with yandere characters. This isIt reflects the concept of the 'ideal Japanese woman' and the flower with the same name, 'Nadeshiko'. Anyway, it was all fun until Mjolmille came with an important letter containing a summons from the Western Council as part of Tempest's acceptance of the organization's participation.
The Council of the West votes to include Tempest.
Human leaders are worried about war breaking out in the East.
After briefly explaining the Western economic system, Mariabel discusses her desire to run the world from the shadows, and her brief appearance introduces the actual content of the episode in an interesting way before we are introduced to the Council of the West. Located in the kingdom of Engrassia due to being the center of various member states, the leaders of the various member states debate whether or not to accept Tempest's application. Although opinions vary, the common uneasiness among the leaders is that Rimuru is a monster who leads a nation of powerful monsters that previously destroyed human kingdoms, as seen in the Kingdom of Falmus.
Another concern is that the United Eastern Empire of Nazca Namrium Ulmeria is currently increasing military training as if preparing for war. The Eastern Empire greedily devoured many countries in the past, and will set its sights on the West in the future. As Mariabel Rozzo revealed in a previous episode: At that time I was reincarnated as a slimeShe loves being part of the super elite class that runs the world from the shadows.
As it turns out, she actually already controls the two largest decision-making bodies in the West: the Council and the Five Elders. Some of the leaders who attended the meeting expressed their intention to wage war against Rimuru against the Eastern Roman Empire, but were wary of making Rimuru their enemy because they did not know his strength or his tendencies.
However, the decision is ultimately to allow Tempest into the council. Despite her attendance, Hinata Sakaguchi was never consulted about the Demon Lord's “draw”, and the nobles' lack of a clear agenda and clear direction was a painful contrast to the meetings she attended in Tempest. When she realizes that she wants to live the rest of her life without interacting with other nobles, the First Prince of Engracia asks to speak with her. His designs are superb and accurately convey the delusions of arrogance and grandeur one would expect from a high-ranking nobleman, let alone a prince of a wealthy and powerful nation.
Hinata Sakaguchi's trust in Rimuru is revealed
The Rabbit Brain Plan of the First Prince of Engrassia has been shot down
Simply put, the Prince of Engrasia is afraid of having to meet Rimuru in their next encounter, and wants to keep Hinata Sakaguchi, the knight who fought to a draw with such a terrifying being, by his side. Unfortunately, Hinata is not confident that she can beat them in their second encounter, not to mention the much more pressing fact that when Rimuru arrives, he has absolutely no interest in activating and participating in the “character test” that the Western nobles want to provide. Hinata Sakaguchi trusts Demon King Rimuru, and after making that clear, she leaves the council headquarters.
Back at Tempest, Rimuru, Benimaru, So'ei and Shuna prepare to depart for the council meeting, leaving Shion behind to protect the realm, and the episode ends as quickly as it began, with a bit of comedy to offset the seriousness that comes with the episode's core. Watching Shion squish Rimuru with compelling, comedic physics is the kind of comical thing the series is particularly good at, and as the arc progresses, there will likely be fewer of these funny moments where things start to get real. At that time I was reincarnated as a slime Season 4, Episode 4 was a great foundational episode that set up what was to come, and gave enough attention to the main plot to build anticipation for Episode 5.
