Gender Ambiguity in a Protagonist
Review of “Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken”, 転生したらスライムだった件.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime also known as TenSura or Slime Isekai is a Japanese fantasy light novel series written by Fuse, and illustrated by Mitz Vah. The story is about a salaryman who is murdered and reincarnates in a sword and sorcery world as a slime with unique powers and gathers allies to build his own nation of monsters… (per Wikipedia summary)
A fascinating story development based solely in the outer realms that we commonly see in fantasy media (video games, movies, films, board games, mythos, etc)… Forbidden Caves (Dungeons), Dragons, Cave Monsters, Goblins, Dwarves, Elves, Ogres, Orcs, Demons, Spirits, etc…
The audience gets to see their various lives and relationships play out in this delightful-but realistic tale of an individual re-born as a “Slime” who embraces where they are.
In their past life they were named Satoru.
Satoru gains the name “Rimuru Tempest” from a dragon, Veldora Tempest, which they incidentally encounter trapped eternally in an invisible barrier in a monster cave (they agree to share a last name (family name=Tempest) that Rimuru comes up with, while Veldora gives Rimuru their first name=Rimuru).
There is nothing Veldora can do about their static situation so they agree to a crazy idea by Rimuru to be absorbed by Rimuru’s predator skill while Veldora continues to try and break free from the inside.
Rimuru absorbs Veldora and they seem to disappear… after that Rimuru gains a powerful, ominous aura they later learn to control.
It is something like this that tickles my muse and inspires. A true positive trigger.
Having chosen a label of Gender Non-Binary myself, I appreciate when published media allow or intentionally create opportunity to present characters that are representative of the queer community.
The idea of making the most of what you have and where you are.
Taking the good and the bad, taking it one step at a time no matter how confusing or anxiety provoking.
Making choices and actions that benefit those around you.
Being generous to others, you get what you give.
The many thoughts and actions of Rimuru benefit each monster community they encounter.
Creating bridges, opening communication, founding lasting relationships.
This in turn helps to establish prosperity for the various tribes, including housing, clothing, food, and other resources (including learning skills, trades)
Respecting the wishes of others, there comes a point where Rimuru Tempest absorbs his destined female.
Rimuru learns they are destined to meet and be with this person when an elf that specializes in foreseeing and divination at a hostess bar in a free-market city asks if they would like to know their future soulmate… not knowing their name Rimuru etches their face in their memory so they will recognize them when they do encounter them… turns out they would encounter them not long after.
The destined-female individual, by the name Shizue, was summoned from Japan during WWII in the midst of a bomb raid right after losing their own mother to flames and in the midst of being engulfed in flames themselves…
The Summoner, an elusive, terse, and calculating, demon lord, renames them Shizu.
Shizu was used as a tool. They were initially thought to be a failed summon, but then the demon lord, noticing the evident burns on Shizu’s body, places a curse on them by imbuing them with the great fire spirit, Ifrit.
The events leading up to when Shizu meets a band of adventurers in a nearby town that then encounter the slime Rimuru are not elaborately explained within the first 12 episodes…
Shizu, the character, has been wandering on their own and was gifted a mask by another female human hero to restrain the spirit, Ifrit, from killing anyone the original Summoner would have considered an enemy (as a Summon cannot question the will of their Summoner).
In Shizu’s childhood, soon after being summoned, they recalled killing their best friend and their familiar at non-verbal request of the Summoner demon lord.
Traumatized by this and later events, Shizu has many questions for their Summoner that apparently were never addressed due to the one-way communication of their relationship.
On Shizu’s deathbed, after Rimuru has removed the curse of Ifrit by absorbing Shizu when in their Ifrit form in battle, the slime protagonist Rimuru inherits Shizu’s mask as a keepsake/talisman, using it to completely nullify their own powerful aura to make themselves appear even more human (and approachable) to others.
Upon absorbing Shizu’s body, as their last wish to remain with the slime protagonist who had also shared a previous life lived in Japan prior to be reincarnated, the slime gains the ability to take on Shizu’s form.
That said, most importantly to me and my review of this anime, the writer/producers/artists then present the protagonist as both with and without gender – in a way – Gender Non-Binary (GNB)!
Though they can create a double of themselves as an adult presenting as cis-male or cis-female, they choose to remain as they were when they first took human form, “small” and “slight” as a child with the uncanny form of Shizu’s face – genderless.
Both beautiful and provoking.
Everyone respects Rimuru upon experiencing their various abilities and actions.
They celebrate them and embrace them as both slime monster and child prodigy.
Even in the epic battles, Rimuru intentionally retains their child-like form as opposed to altering it to make it larger or more menacing.
In big and political discussions they still keep that child form.
Demanding respect despite size or obvious/projected gender.
They shake hands, their small and slight hand enveloped in the large and powerful – and yet there is respect (and of course some whimsy).
People (and monsters) are still moved by the things Rimuru does.
It’s okay to be a slime and/or an individual with no exact gender.
We can then measure their achievements, relationships, and self on something other than cis-gendered-based philosophies.
I would say this is definitely a great Japanese Anime for queer community folks. :3
Never underestimate the small things, the slimes, the children, the little things scattered around in your life all have meaning and potential.
