Short answer: it’s just good.
Summary:
- That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime has been getting consistently high ratings in Japan.
- This is because it’s a good adaptation of the already popular source material.
- The popularity is very much deserved.
As That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (Tensei shitara Slime Datta Ken) Season 3 has been airing this season, it got consistently high ratings on TV. Over 3% rating nearly every week — a very high rating for something that feels like yet another isekai series.
So what makes it so popular, and how much do TV ratings even matter in this case?
The High Ratings Mean Many People Watch It
TV ratings in Japan don’t actually mean what you might think it means. They have nothing to do with the actual public opinion on the series — they just show how many people are watching it. More specifically, they take data from the most populated regions of the country.
For example, the second episode got a 3.5% rating — indicating that 3.5% of households watched the series as it aired on the television. Recently, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End (Sousou no Frieren) got even higher ratings — over 4% during some weeks — but Frieren is clearly a unique phenomenon.
Reincarnated as a Slime is also popular, but nowhere near as popular as Frieren, and the third season is only watched by those who got through the first two.
This shows that Reincarnated as a Slime has a very steady fanbase — and while it’s already liked in the West, a rating that high in Japan indicates immense popularity. So, what makes the current season so popular?
It’s Just a Good Adaptation
The timeslot for Reincarnated as a Slime has nothing to do with it. While usually, series that air during early evening — when children come from school — get the highest ratings, Reincarnated as a Slime airs at 11PM. This classifies as a “late-night” timeslot, and these are usually only watched by otaku.
The reason behind the popularity of the Reincarnated as a Slime anime is fairly simple. It’s even more popular in the form of light novels and manga. The light novels are some of the best-selling not just now, but of all time — and the manga adaptation is just as popular.
It seems that the anime gets its popularity simply by being a good adaptation.
The Popularity Is Deserved
Reincarnated as a Slime deserves its popularity, though. It takes a joke premise — the main character becoming a slime, seriously? — and runs with it. It’s a lighthearted fantasy adventure with a strong and likable protagonist, and it having so much content and still being widely popular proves it’s one of the best isekai out there.