TenSura – 48 (S2 Fin) – Complacent No More

Last week hinted that Round 2 with Clayman might not be a cakewalk, but that was not the case, as not only does he end up defeated, but straight up executed by Rimuru. That’s fine with me, good riddance, really. If can’t keep track of how many times Clayman says “Okay, NOW I’m going to get serious”, it’s happened too many damn times!

Rimuru dealt with Clayman in the time it took to roll the opening credits, leaving the remainder of the episode the boring part of Walpurgis, in which I got scary flashbacks to the opening six (seven?…eight?) episodes of this season that were nothing but people discussing things while seated in a circle. At least it’s a little more interesting here due to the new characters.

The business of Walpurgis is as follows: Clayman is defeated, Guy Crimson officially recognizes Rimuru as a Demon Lord with no objections, Roy Valentine’s maid turns out to be the real Demon Lord, Luminus (whose name Veldora couldn’t remember). Frey and Carrion, having seen the strength Rimuru demonstrated, decide to resign their Demon Lordships and become disciples of Milim.

Finally, after Guy draws very close to Rimuru and insists he do so, Rimuru gives the Former Ten Demon Lords a new name, something that was apparently took up an entire Walpurgis last time they needed one. I kind of like the idea that these guys are so powerful that they don’t have much to do, and that they take something like naming their group so seriously. Rimuru comes up with Octogram: The Eight-Star Demon Lords, which everyone likes.

While Rimuru is over being a big hit with his new fellow ‘Lords, Roy Valentine returns home just in time to encounter Laplace, who was sneaking around Luminus’ mansion until he encountered Sakaguchi Hinata (Hi Hinata!) and double-timed it out of there.

But while the Harlequin is afraid to even face Hinata in battle, he eliminates Roy quite easily, apparently unaware he isn’t the real Demon Lord Valentine. Doesn’t matter; Laplace is pissed that Clayman is dead. No doubt he’ll seek revenge on Rimuru.

Rimuru, however, won’t be so naïve or vulnerable next time. Out of the crucible that was the coordinated attack on his domain and his people, Demon Lord Rimuru Tempest was forged. This Rimuru is a little harder, a little more cognizant of the big dangerous world he lives in, and a lot less complacent. That said, I’m sure he’ll allow himself a few days of celebration, rest, and relaxation back home.

With the three remaining members of the Harlequin Alliance, Kazalim, Hinata, Yuuki, and who-knows who else (I imagine there are still some fiercely-powerful beings we’ve yet to meet) still out there, Rimuru has plenty to be vigilant about and prepared for.

As for TenSura, looks like it’s getting a movie in Fall 2022. Until then, the second part of this second season got a bit rough at the start there, but led to some fine payoffs. TenSura is nothing if not consistent.

TenSura – 47 – Good Times Had By All (But One)

Veldora didn’t show up because he sensed Rimuru was in danger—he wasn’t—but because he wanted Rimuru to give him the next volume of a manga he was really getting into. That’s kind of the lazy otaku energy I’m here for.

While he’s there, he’s all too happy to spar with his older brother’s only child, Milim (while pulling off Street Fighter and Dragon Ball moves!). When Rimuru tells him not to hurt her as she’s being controlled by Clayman, Veldora tries to correct him, but Rimuru is in to much of a hurry to listen.

After dealing with the magical beasts by freeing Nine Tails (who was suffering under Clayman’s Demon Dominate, a spell removed with Raphael’s help) Rimuru checks in on how Beretta’s fight against Viola is doing, only to find Beretta happily humming as she neatly arranges Viola’s parts around her.

After shit got super-serious last week, it’s good to see that playful humor return, along with easy but still cool-looking wins. The pieces are meant as an offering to Rimuru in hopes he’ll find a place for her new master Ramiris and her to live in Tempest.

Speaking of cool, Shion may have the best moves of anyone this week, easily freeing herself of Clayman’s bonds and pummeling the shit out of him. When he transforms into his apparent final boss form, he’s just as easily dealt with, showing just how large the gap is between Rimuru’s most trusted lieutenants and everyone else who isn’t a Demon Lord.

It’s when Clayman is on his back and bloodied when he calls for Milim to get over there and bail him out that Milim reveals to all that still didn’t know it that she’s acting of her own free will. I complained last week that we were basically getting a Milim devoid of personality, and this episode gave me exactly what I wanted: the regular sweet, joyful, and completely chaotic Milim Nava. Plus, Hidaka Rina finally gets to say words!

We learn that Milim was pretending all along in order to get Clayman where she wanted him: in a place where he couldn’t win, and where he’d reveal the person hiding in the shadows: Yuuki (apparently).

This calls into question why she had to destroy Carrion’s kingdom in service of that lie, but since none of its denizens were harmed and Rimuru has ample treasure and labor to rebuild the kingdom, all’s good in the hood!

That is, until we get what is supposed to be Clayman’s sadsack story about being the weakest member of the Moderate Harlequin Alliance, calling out to the heavens to give him more power, and the heavens rather curiously answering his call.

As he converts his soul and the souls of all he’s had killed into energy and power, we learn this was Rimuru’s plan all along: awaken this next-level Clayman so that he can be defeated once and for all and free all those souls. And after getting his warmup in with Milim, Rimuru chooses himself for the task of taking out Clayman—to demonstrate that he has arrived as a genuine Demon Lord.

TenSura – 46 – Fight Nacht

[Rubs hands together excitedly] Alright, now we’re gettin’ down to bid’ness. The tryhard OP is expunged so we can get the bandying of words between Clayman and Rimuru out of the way. The rest of the Demon Lords are either indifferent, asleep, or neutral. Guy, who seems to be the toughest, seems most intrigued with Rimuru, and you can tell kinda wants to test the guy without being too overt about it.

We also get a little instant gratification as Rimuru siccs Shion on Clayman and he gets the everloving snot socked out of him. Sure, he immediately heals, but he felt those punches. I love how after so many episodes of just talking, Rimuru is done talking. He’ll either have someone talk for him with her fists (Shion) or do the talking with his own.

This is when the rest of the Demon Lords, most of whom only showed up half-heartedly, are treated to an epic multi-pronged battle, confined within an expanded barrier courtesy of Guy. Rimuru, Shion, Ranga, and two of his wolfy underlings must take on Clayman, his adorable fox Nine Head, his two magical beasts, and some Beretta-looking mofo named Viola.

Oh yeah…and Milim Nava, whom everyone assumes is acting on her own despite the very suspicious purple gem choker and her dead eyes. But who knows…maybe Milim isn’t being controlled by Clayman! Outside the ring, Ramiris convinces Guy to let Beretta join the fight, and Guy is impressed not only by how the former Greater Demon doesnt fear him, but also claims that she’s no match for Rimuru’s attendant (I’m guessing Diablo).

That makes it six-on-five in favor of Clayman. While the beasts fight, Shion and Beretta take on Clayman and Viola, while Rimuru has the unfortunate burden of having to go up against an emotionless Milim who is not holding back. Not that she ever held back before, but Rimuru is because he doesn’t want to hurt or kill her, so he’s at a distinct disadvantage.

All I can say is that every moment Milim is launching lightning-quick punches and kicks, forcing Rimuru to instantaneously morph into slime mode to doge, is absolute FIRE. I still consider it a shame that Milim got a personality wipe this cour, brainwashed or not, but that’s surely only temporary, and in the meantime, Silent Milim is plenty entertaining. And she actually does show some emotion as the battle wears on!

More importantly, this is the first time since Hinata that Rimuru has met his match. It’s great to see him sweat and say “this is bad,” because things aren’t going quite as planned. Raphael can’t detect the spell affecting Milim, while Rimuru has yet to notice that the purple gem is probably the key. Overpowered characters can be fun but they get boring fast if never challenged, so it’s good to see here.

How can he, when Milim is not letting up her attack. When he switches tactics by using Beelzebub, she lures him into a trap, giving her a free swing with her charged-up fist. Rimuru thinks he’s done for…until Veldora shows up, takes the full force of the punch…and then protests that Milim is being mean. Now that Rimuru has a trusty shield, the battle to free Milim can finally begin.

TenSura – 45 – Demon Lords “R” Us

From the battles of Benimaru, Gobta, Gabiru, Geld, and the Beastketeers we rewind a bit back to Rimuru’s palace, where he sees Shuna off before heading through the ominous portal from which an extremely powerful demon maid named Misery emerges to escort him to Walpurgis. Before heading off, Veldora and Ramiris tell Rimuru the names of the other demon lords: the giant Dagruel, the vampire Roy Valentine (and his predecessor …Milis?), the demon Guy Crimson, and the lazy Dino.

As Rimuru, Shion, and Ranga walk through the portal to a very important and potentiall very perilous meeting, Shuna arrives at the outskirts of Clayman’s castle, flanked by Souei and Hakurou. They’re surrounded by a mist that dulls their magical senses, and before they know it they’re surrounded by an undead army led by Adalman, the Index of Clayman’s five fingers.

While Souei and Hakurou buy time by battling a zombie dragon and knight, respectively, Shuna uses an Alignment Field to cordon herself and Adalman off so they can have a nice little magic battle. It seems like it’s been ages since the good princess got something to do, but it was worth the wait, as she kicks some serious skeleton ass.

Mind you, Shuna doesn’t move around much, nor does she ever raise her voice. But that’s fine; the dignified, elegant princess isn’t one to scurry around or shout. She stands with absolute confidence in her power as she calmly counters his Acid Shell with her Flame Wall and his Curse Bind with her Holy Bell. That last one surprises Adalman, who didn’t know a monster could summon a Divine Miracle.

When she rewrites his suicidal Disintegration mega-spell with Overdrive and disperses most of the undead army, she also inadvertently lifts the binding curse Clayman cast Adalman and Co. in order to have their…er…undying loyalty. But now that he’s been soundly defeated by a worshipper revere-er of Great Rimuru, Adalman is all about meeting the Lord Slime, and happily offers to guide Shuna & Co. to Clayman’s castle.

As for Great Rimuru, he encounters Guy Crimson (who definitely has his game face on), Dagruel, Guy Valentine, Milis (possibly), and Frey for the first time, and has some harsh words for Leon regarding what he did to Shizu that results in Leon inviting Rimuru to his castle…assuming the slime survives Walpurgis.

That’s when the other new kid on the block Clayman arrives, with a very out-of-it-looking Milim in tow. Rimuru surely could tell something was very wrong when Milim didn’t immediately run to him and gather him into a warm embrace—they are BFFs, after all. But what really sets Rimuru off is when Clayman, clearly drunk on power, strikes Milim in the head. Everyone is shocked by Clayman’s conduct, but Rimuru is just mad, and promises Clayman’s death won’t be painless. Can’t wait to see it!

TenSura – 42 – The Gods Stir

Rimuru starts to head to Walpurgis (though with his teleportation magic one would think there’d be no further need to “head out” anywhere; he can go wherever he wants instantly and can take whoever he wants with him. But this episode isn’t about Rimuru; it’s about Clayman, his plans, and the elite Demon Lords know and think about all these goings-on leading to the Walpurgis.

Clayman is being set up for an epic downfall. For one thing, he wrongly assumes it was Veldora and not Rimuru who destroyed Falmuth’s army. Second, he still believes his former tool Mjurran to be dead. Thirdly, he took the frankly suicidal step of turning Milim into his doll and puppet by having Sky Queen Frey place an enchanting pendant around her neck. Just to up his evil cred, he beats the everloving shit out of the defenseless Milim. There’s no way he doesn’t pay for all of this somewhere down the line!

Meanwhile, Demon Lords who consider the likes of Clayman naught but a whelp confer before the Walpurgis. Demon Lord Guy Crimson, one of the oldest and strongest lords along with Milim, summons the less powerful but still really really powerful Demon Lord Leon Cromwell to his ice palace to discuss things. While Guy seems content to lounge around his ice palace, a merchant spy (I think we all know who) has been steadily feeding Leon intelligence about Clayman, Rimuru, and Velora.

It isn’t long before Guy’s paramour, White Ice Dragon Velzard, who just happens to be Veldora’s big sister, joins the discussion. These three just emanate power, dignity, and above all shrewdness. They don’t come off as villains, either, but well-rounded people, albeit people who can rend the earth asunder with a snap. By comparison, Clayman and his pack of clowns seem like…well, a bunch of pathetic clowns.

While he could probably only defeat Guy one out of a million or so times, Leon may be the smartest demon lord of them all (most certainly brighter than our dumb blue protagonist), able to see through both Clayman’s lies and the cover story Rimuru put out there. He suspects that rather than being the recipient of tremendous luck, Rimuru could’ve been the one who broke Veldora’s seal, which would put him on their level.

Leon’s even learned that it was Rimuru who cured the summoned children before he could take them in. This makes Leon very excited for the upcoming Walpurgis, though Velzard pointedly declines to accompany him there. No doubt she’s going to go look up her brother in Tempest.

All this lends credence to the fact that Clayman isn’t really someone Rimuru needs to worry about. I mean for gosh sakes, Clayman isn’t even a real Demon Lord yet, while Rimuru is! ‘Nuff said! But it’s not, because as long as people like Guy and Leon are around, Rimuru can’t really take it easy. Aw, who am I kidding, he’s going to keep taking it easy!