Spring 2021 First Impressions – I’ve Been Killing Slimes For 300 Years and Maxed Out My Level

Streaming: Crunchyroll

Episodes: 12

Source: Light Novel

Story Summary: Azusa is a 27-year-old office worker who keels over and dies one day from overwork. When she arrives in Heaven she learns that God has a soft spot for women, and Azusa is allowed to reincarnate as an immortal witch and live her desired “slow life.” The only monsters she encounters near her highland home are slimes, and she defeats around 25 of them a day to provide herself with money enough to live a modest life. Eventually 300 years pass in this manner, and a verification of Azusa’s strength reveals that she’s now maxed-out at level 99. This is an inconvenient secret that might spell the end of her lazy days at home, but of course rumors being what they are the news of her power soon spreads across the land. Eventually a dragon named Laika shows up at Azusa’s front door, and after a short duel accidentally smashes the home Azusa’s enjoyed for 300 years. Later, Laika returns in human form with repair funds and a request: she wants to become Azusa’s pupil and learn how to become strong like her.

Impressions: Hmm, should I be concerned that the isekai story set-ups I relate to the most are the ones that involve the main character suffering from overwork? Please don’t worry, I’m not in danger of dying or anything, but I do sometimes feel like too many of my waking hours are devoted to my job. It’s no surprise that Japan, with its infamous work culture, would inspire these types of fantasy stories, and that the dreams of characters forced to endure the harshest work conditions would likely amount to mundane things like getting enough sleep and having time for leisure activities.

I’ve Been Killing Slimes… (sorry, I’m afraid my hands will get tired if I type out the full title each time), in direct opposition to its protagonist’s original real-world problems, seems to go all-in on its more lighthearted reincarnation narrative, and I’m very much here for that. It’s not as though I wouldn’t appreciate a more serious takedown of the culture of overwork in my entertainment, because I think some more direct commentary in media could do a lot to help further shift the tides away from those kinds of destructive expectations. But more comedic series like this and last season’s Cells at Work: Code Black also have their roles to play in pointing out the ways in which we tend to cope (or not) with being made to believe that working hard is the only way to live. There’s nothing wrong with enforcing boundaries and leaving some work for the next day, and Azusa’s discussion with Laika enforces that. It’s a very comforting turn of events that provides a different perspective I didn’t realize I needed to hear.

This episode reminds me a lot of what I loved about Bofuri; the main character is inadvertently overpowered, but it’s a skillset she uses without malice and eventually serves to create positive relationships rather than to seek out competition. There’s something more satisfying to me about a fantasy story that puts its focus on character building and interactions as opposed to being simply a power fantasy about domination, and though we see it mostly in flashback and montage, it’s clear that Azusa has used her 300 year life as a witch to help and serve the nearby townspeople. It’s sort of the same philosophy that makes Superman an interesting character; he’s a figure who sometimes seems impossibly good, which might not on its surface seem to make for a compelling story. His superhuman abilities could allow him to rule over Earth with an iron fist if he wanted, yet he chooses instead to help and defend people rather than to dominate them. I think about that a lot because it goes against the adage that “power corrupts;” we see examples all over the place in the news every day where having power causes people to do terrible things, but we continue to cling to the kind of optimism that, at least for the characters in our stories, that behavior isn’t a given.

Anyway, I enjoyed this episode quite a bit. Azusa is a good witch (with a nice hat!) and I just like the show’s upbeat and fun attitude.

Pros: This might be a one-joke anime series (witch reluctantly utilizes her OP abilities, comedy ensues) but it’s one joke that I really enjoy and which I don’t have to feel guilty about. It’s one thing for a series to allow its protagonist free reign to whoop ass, but I enjoy it more when there are a few qualifiers and a protagonist who isn’t a complete misanthrope.

I like that Azusa makes it a point to pass on her life philosophy to Laika, who offers to work through the night to repair Azusa’s house. I think it’s a good way to emphasize the message that the boundaries between work and rest need to be actively enforced.

Cons: The production values are kind of middling. It’s by no means a deal breaker; the show’s more cartoonish attitude suits the simplistic designs well. But it’s hard not to notice when a female-dominant series kind of gets the short end of the stick in the design and animation department when there are some very high profile and lavishly-produced series of a similar nature featuring their male counterparts.

Azusa reincarnates in a form that God describes as appearing 17-years-old, and while I found this amusing I think there are some criticisms to be made about the fact that this is apparently when women look their best (not the case, in my opinion) and how it feeds into the trope of “she’s actually an 800-year-old vampire.” Her character design (and her attitude) read as “young adult” to me, but it’s something to think about.

Content Warnings: Description of death by overwork. Fantasy violence (magic and some bloodless sword-fighting). Mild fanservice (breast size comparison with a sound effect to match).

Would I Watch More? – Yes, this seems like a very fun, upbeat palate cleanser with cute characters.