What’s the show? Goblin Slayer, Episode 4.
So how’s this episode? I’m always in two minds about this show, there’s the side of me that could absolutely nitpick every little thing I find wrong with it and then there’s the part that’s like “eh whatever, at least it’s entertaining!”
So you have problems with the episode then? Fundamentally they’re more problems with how the show is put together and how it feels. Basically my major complaint is that this literally just feels like someone animated a DnD session—except somehow with less character development than the aforementioned. It’s like “the party stumbles into a room with goblins here, here and here, what will you do?” And then they go about solving it, yes you could level that criticism against any modern fantasy series but it’s never felt as glaringly surface level as it has here. “A boss ogre has appeared, your attacks do nothing to it, what do you do?” “Hey how about that rare item you picked up from the witch?” “The rare item unleashes the power of high water pressure that slices the ogre into pieces, congratulations!” This is how the episode felt to me, it was exciting and technically impressive but kind of hollow and cheesy.
You mentioned it has “less character development than a DnD session” what did you mean by that exactly? I’ve already mentioned it so this’ll be the last time I do so but not giving these characters names and just referring to them as their job title/race/class is the ~worst~ decision this series ever made because no matter how much I get to know these people there will always be this awkward distance in having them unnamed. It was like this series was written by someone who doesn’t know how normal humans interact—or maybe even by Goblin Slayer himself… hang on a second, I’ll be right back…
Wait? What?! Where did you go? You can’t just leave in the middle of a review! Can you believe this guy?… so, uh, how are all you doing today? I’m back, I’m back! Sorry, I just had to check something.
What was so important that you thought you needed to leave in the middle of a review? I read a bit of the light novel to see if it was told from Goblin Slayer’s first person perspective—which would pretty much explain why it’s so impersonal as he’s an exceedingly impersonal guy. But nope, it’s a third person narrative, so the only excuse now is that the writer himself is a very detached person. But we’re not reviewing the author now here, are we?
So are you done with the nitpicking portion of your review? Can we move onto the “eh, whatever, at least it’s entertaining!” part? The action is exciting and well thought out, there’s a requisite level of menace and ingenuity to the encounters and it delivers a satisfying pay-off to the ‘mini boss’ fight. I don’t know if it needed to devote a whole episode to this as it didn’t really feel like it contributed to the overarching plot, but it was still an enjoyable time overall. Also I don’t know that I buy the idea that Elven Ranger has lived 2000 years and still didn’t know that all Goblins are rapists? But whatever, maybe she’s been living a sheltered life. Damn it, this show is making me write ~normal~ reviews, how boring is that?!
Don’t worry, I’m sure some boobs will show up next week and you’ll be back to your usual perverted self… Let’s hope so!
Previous Goblin Slayer Reviews:
Dark Twisted Fantasy – Episode 1 Review
Reason and Restraint – Episode 2 Review
Bewitching Beauties – Episode 3 Review
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Anime QandA 
Actually this anime IS DnD based and the author is a high level tabletop player, so you will be expecting a lot of DnD content in this anime. I won’t be surprise if the technique GS used actually happened in his game before. But why not? DnD is fun to play and fun to watch,sadly we don’t get many of them in an anime.
It’s fun to read your review however some of your criticism kind of …..annoys me as they are not on point. The characters have no name because the author wants to give each reader the space to fill in the blanks with their own names for the characters. your comments “written by someone who doesn’t know how normal humans interact” are going too far which are not respectful to the story and the author.
After all, GS and his teammate are no hero in their world, this story is all about a broken man finding vengeance and redemption in his path, how his friends heal this broken soul to bring him back to normal instead of being a killing machine. It is heartwarming in its own right.
Above information could be found in the interview with GS’s creator done by my anime man link below if you are interested:
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Thank you so much for your comment. My off the cuff style of reviewing tends to make me say some things which may sound harsh in retrospect. I really appreciate the informative background info you’ve told me and I’ll try to incorporate that into future reviews.
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No problem!
I have read some of your other post and I found that you are the type of people enjoying character development and emotional scene, which is great because I love reading those kind of interpretation.
Actually there are plenty character development in this episode.
GS is the kind of series that don’ tell but show, so I will do you one more favor by giving you hints about character development in this/previous episode.
We have already known that GS is narrow minded and don’t care much other thank killing goblins, but if he is really that thirsty for vengeance, would he bother to go to the “trash” room first?
Why did he ask elf to leave after that?
How would the team view GS after this dungeon fight.
In EP1 the newbies have already took the quest GS won’t get any reward if he come after them, but he still did?
In those details we get a glimpse of what kind of person our protagonist is, and what could he have been,that’s why surrounding people cares about him.
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I’m in the same boat. Only sticking with the series because it keeps me entertained for 20 minutes. I was also really wondering how you’re 2000 years old and don’t notice members of your race being kidnapped and assaulted by goblins. Anyway great review!
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Haha….leaving in the middle of a review….that part made me laugh so much!! 😂😂
It’s funny that you mentioned D&D because that’s exactly what it felt like to me as well. It’s a fun show, but I’m beginning to think that the first episode was set up as this well for lack of a better word, perverted hook, to reel people in. Because things have really been toned down ever since that grim opening, and it now just feels like a “normal” fantasy type show. Don’t know if things are going to turn dark again, but right now I’m exactly of the same mind as you. It’s entertainig, but nothing really special at the moment. 😊
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