“Goblin Slayer” has turned out to be an anime series that I really enjoy, so much that I watched it all in one sitting! It’s that awesome! And I can only hope for a second season! “Goblin Slayer – Season One” is definitely recommended!
TITLE: Goblin Slayer – Season One
ORIGINAL TV AIR DATE: 2018
DURATION: 300 Minutes
BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, English and Japanese Dolby TrueHD5.1, Subtitles: English
COMPANY: FUNimation
RATED: TV MA
Release Date: October 29, 2019
Originally created by Kagyu Kumo
Directed by Ozaki Takaharu
Series Composition: Kurata Hideyuki
Music by Suehiro Kenichiro
Original Character Design: Kannatsuki Noboru
Character Design by Nagayoshi Takashi
Art Director: Kai Masatoshi
Chief Animation Director: Nagayoshi Takashi
Animation Production by WHITE FOX
Featuring the following voice talent:
Umehara Yuichiro/Brad Hawkins as Goblin Slayer
Oguri Yui/Hayden Daviau as Priestess
Hikasa Yoko/Amanda Gish as Witch
Nakamura Ryuichi/Barry Yandell as Dwarf Shaman
Iguchi Yuka/Brittany Lauda as Cow Girl
Yuki Aoi/Jessica Peterson as Female Narrator
Sugita Tomokazu/Josh Bangle as Lizardman Priest
Matsuoka Yoshitsugu/Kyle Igneczi as Spear Man
Toyama Nao/Mallorie Rodak as High Elf Archer
Endo Aya/Meg McClain as Sword Maiden
Uchida Maaya/Sara Ragsdale as Guild Girl
Back in 2016, the dark fantasy light novel series “Goblin Slayer” was created by writer Kagyu Kumo and illustrator Kannatsuki Noboru.
Serialized in “Monthly Big Gangan”, a 12-episode anime series adaptation was produced by WHITE FOX and aired back in 2018.
With an animated film titled “Goblin Slayer: Goblin’s Crown” set to premiere on February 1st in Japan, the anime series was released in North America back on October 29th.
The series begins with Priestess, a 15-year-old porcelain rank (the lowest rank) adventurer who joins a group of rookie adventurers who decided to raid a cave invested by goblins.
Thinking that they are hard to beat by numbers, their inexperience leads to the group being ambushed by goblins and the male warrior being horrifically killed, women raped and tortured and as for the young priestess, as she is about to be tortured/raped, a mysterious individual arrives and kills the goblins.
He is known as Goblin Slayer, a silver-ranked adventurer who only hunts goblins (which turn off other adventurers because they consider goblins as low ranked fodder, which Goblin Slayer disagrees with and despite being a silver-ranked warrior, he wears low quality armor).
And because Goblin Slayer rescues Priestess, he also teaches her about why he is after goblins, their psychology and battle tactics. While inexperienced, she joins Goblin Slayer in his mission to take on the goblins.
But what drives Goblin Slayer to only choose goblins and what happened in his past that made him despite goblins with a passion?
Meanwhile, a group of adventurers: High Elf Archer, Dwarf Shama and Lizard Priest search for an adventurer called Orcbolg and Beardcutter (Goblin Slayer’s name in their native tongue), to take on an Ogre and his minion of goblins.
VIDEO:
“Goblin Slayer” is presented in 1080p High Definition and the anime series is really well done! I was really impressed by the overall animation by WHITE FOX. While there is some softness, as one can expect from a TV series on Blu-ray, the animation is well-done and action scenes and emotional expressions are well-captured.
AUDIO & SUBTITLES:
“Goblin Slayer” is presented in Japanese Dolby TrueHD 2.0 and English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 . Both Japanese and English dub soundtracks are fantastic and dialogue and music are both crystal clear . But of course, with the English track having a 5.1 soundtrack is the better of the two.
Subtitles are in English.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“Goblin Slayer – Season One” comes with the following special features:
- Goblin Slayer: Tabletop Talk – (20:04) Featuring a video with Malorie Rodak (voice of High Elf Archer), Austin Lewis (copywriter), Sally Haden (production assistant) and Hayden Daviau (voice of Priestess) discussing “Goblin Slayer”.
- Episode 11 audio commentary – Featuring audio commentary by ADR director Tabitha Ray, Mallorie Rodak (voice of High Elf Archer), Hayden Daviau (voice of Priestess) and Brad Hawkins (voice of Goblin Slayer)
- Textless opening and closing song
EXTRAS:
“Goblin Slayer – Season One” comes with Blu-ray, DVD and Funimation Digital Code.
I absolutely love series that are full of lore, adventure and also if there is any similarity to an RPG, I’m always down to watching it!
“Goblin Slayer” is rather interesting as no one goes by a real name, they are either Goblin Slayer, Priestess, High Elf Archer, Dwarf Shaman, Guild Girl, etc.
But unlike other series that incorporate a war to take down an evil or corrupted/oppressive regime or characters in a video game, “Goblin Slayer” is about those who become adventurers, take on different jobs and level up and join groups/guilds to take on monsters.
We are introduced to a rookie adventurer, a healer known as Priestess. Excited going on her first adventure, she joins with a group of rookie adventurers who lack the experience but no doubt, have confidence.
Unfortunately, they venture into a cave full of goblins, thinking goblins are the lowest of the totem poll of monsters to fight and they quickly learn, they were wrong.
The goblins employ tactics to deceive and with humans, they rape, torture and kill.
And unfortunately for Priestess, her team is caught in an ambush, their male fighter is quickly killed, the women raped, tortured and murdered by the savage goblins. As Priestess tries to escape with one who is barely alive, her lack of experience has her injured by goblins who are probably going to do to her, what they have done to the other women.
Priestess fears that she is about to die, until a masked man comes and slaughters the goblins after her. She follows the warrior who covers her with their blood and to her shock, he enters the goblin nests and kills every single goblin, even the goblin children. Telling her about how savage they are, how they don’t forgive and for the Priestess, she is shocked to see him kill as if it is his mission.
At the end, while she is saved by the mysterious warrior who calls himself Goblin King, she wants to know why he slaughters them and tries to pose the question, what if there is a good goblin?
Needless to say, Priestess feels indebted by Goblin Slayer and joins him in her quest, to learn and grow as an adventurer.
But the road is not going to be easy for the both, as they encounter an Ogre, more goblins and so much more!
Each episode is entertaining, exciting and action-packed. It’s also quite violent, bloody and while not on the same level as an anime series such as “Berserk”, it is a violent and mature anime series not for children.
The animation by WHITE FOX is well-done and both the Japanese and English soundtrack are well-acted. You get a few special features featuring the Funimation English dub cast and staff as well.
Overall, “Goblin Slayer” has turned out to be an anime series that I really enjoy, so much that I watched it all in one sitting! It’s that awesome! And I can only hope for a second season!
“Goblin Slayer – Season One” is definitely recommended!
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The second season of “Goblin Slayer” will be broadcast in 2023, “Goblin Slayer: Another Adventurer, Nightmare Feast” to be released on Switch and PC