Re:Monster tells the cute story of cute goblins doing cute things.
Ahem… let me try that again.
Re:Monster tells the story of an uber-powerful vampire-thing who dies and gets reincarnated. The gamified world he wakes up in is full of monsters, character levels, and named abilities like Poison, Search, and Seduction. And Libido. The hook? He has How to Win Friends and Influence People-level managerial skills and will level up faster than you can ask, “But how many girls will fall for him?” That’s a great question, dear reader. Let’s have a look.
A New Goblin Genesis
Although goblins have been around since well before J.R.R. Tolkien, he was the one attributed with turning them into the staple of fantasy they are today. Initially, “goblin” covered many nasty creatures, much like youkai refers to many flavors of Japanese monsters. Tolkien’s goblins solidified their place in popular culture when Dungeons & Dragons, the popular tabletop roleplaying game, adopted them for its own worlds.
These days, you don’t need to go as far as Harry Potter to get your goblin fix. Even though they might not be as popular as dragons or succubae, goblins are everywhere. Harem anime is no exception. Goblin Slayer made goblins scary again, as That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime gave us Gobta, who everyone hated until he wormed his way into fans’ hearts. It really is a new goblin dawn.
But can goblins, humans, and other creatures get along in a fantasy world where everyone wants your loot?
A Gamer’s Power Fantasy
Re:Monster is a power fantasy. Gobrou (Takuya Satou, Sean Letourneau), the weak goblin, becomes a powerful hobgoblin, then an undefeatable oni. Then Gobrou gets all the waifus his fantasy crafting economy needs. Powers? He’s got the entire catalog. Gear? Gobrou and his clan have the key to the dungeon! The only things he really needs to worry about are the sex-hungry dryads.
He’s not worried.
Re:Monster could only be better if you were Gobrou. For now, you’ll have to enjoy the anime and manga.
Watch Re:Monster Today
Re:Monster was originally a light novel by author Kogitsune Kanekiru and illustrator Yamaada. The story was later adapted into manga. The anime version of Gobrou’s adventures was adapted by Studio Deen, while Genco produced the series. Re:Monster streams on Crunchyroll with English and Japanese audio.
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Are you watching Re:Monster? Do you want to learn by eating? Is Libido your superpower? Tell us in the comments or on social media.
Are you a lover? Or a fighter? I’m pretty sure D&D doesn’t have a Lover class. No, bards don’t count! If you want to slay some goblins, then High Elf Archer (from Goblin Slayer) might be your best ally. She has pointy things!
