Goblin Slayer II (Episode 7) – Jungle Cruise
An ancient beast wandered into the elven city and seemed determined to cause some damage, however, Goblin Slayer spotted that a goblin was attempting to ride it! They killed the goblin and calmed the beast, but that was just the beginning!
Goblin Slayer II (Episode 7) – Jungle Cruise
What did you watch?
I’m still laughing about Goblin Slayer wondering if the giant dinosaur was an elephant. Anyhow, he was quickly corrected, but will that impact how he deals with it? After all, it’s not a goblin. I mentioned in the last episode review that there would no doubt be goblins involved. Goblin Slayer really can’t do anything without attracting a nest of them. Everywhere he goes – goblins! It must get pretty tiring, especially as his entire purpose is to wipe them out. As it is, he barely seems to be scratching the surface. The great goblin extinction seems to be a way off yet! Let’s dive in and see how he’s doing!
What happened?
Goblin Slayer used some ropes to tangle up the beast’s legs while Lizardman slowed with a roar and then Dwarf Shamen used Stupify on it. Once it was down, Priestess healed it. After all, it would be a great insult to the elves to hurt such an ancient creature. Of course, the big revelation was that a goblin had been sat on its back in a saddle. How had it been able to put it there and why were they attacking the elves? Goblin Slayer thought it impossible that they would target the elves, but having seen them, the goblins would begin to test the ground and this showed that they had decided to attack.
With High-Elf Archer’s sister’s wedding imminent, they set off to take care of the goblin nest. There was no time to waste. Goblin Slayer warned the elves about the water in the river and how the goblins would try anything. They set off down the river hidden within a heavy fog. Their decoy boat drew the attention of some goblin lookouts who attacked, revealing their position. From there, it was easy for Goblin Slayer to kill them all. At the end of their journey, they found a huge building sitting across the river. Inside, there was proof that a goblin shaman was involved. They needed to take care of this before it got out of hand.
What did you think?
No bikinis in this episode, but that’s all right, we don’t need them all the time. We’re not animals after all… Anyhow, the first half of the episode was a fairly slow affair as they dealt with the dinosaur and then had a drink before leaving to hunt the goblins. I liked how High-Elf Warrior was warming up to Goblin Slayer and the party. They even parted on good terms with each promising to watch over the other’s families in the event of something bad happening. We also got to see High-Elf Archer and her sister talking about the lives of humans and how High-Elf Archer wanted to be there for as much of Goblin Slayer’s life as possible. She’s really smitten with him now. I’ve really enjoyed her development as a character. There’s more to her than the loud tomboy that we first met.
What was your favourite moment?
I’m using “favourite” to highlight an important moment rather than something that I love. The view as they approached the mysterious building that the goblins had occupied was horrific. There were bodies and skeletons dangling over the river banks. The goblins wanted to make sure that no one would interfere with their plans there. Then, when they went inside, they found a room where it looked like someone had been crushed beneath a giant spherical rock. The goblins were tainting the water with blood and bodily waste. It was disgusting and absolutely something that we would believe they would do, especially with a shame to guide them. I think the next fight is going to be incredible.
I also think that it’s going to have something to do with the translation that Sword Priestess read from the tablets. The fact that she sent a message to the elves indicates that whatever she discovered is happening nearby and that building seems to be the likely spot, especially as they had a set of keys that didn’t open the main door. What do they open and will Goblin Slayer finally get to face something legendary that will break him free from the shackles of hunting just goblins? I think that’s what it was hinting at with the conversation between High-Elf Archer and Goblin Slayer.
Who was the most impactful character?
This arc seems to be all about Goblin Slayer and High-Elf Archer. Sure, the others are there and contributing to their successes as usual, but we are seeing a lot more moments where Goblin Slayer and High-Elf Archer are talking alone. I loved the moment where she told him to get some sleep after he apologised that it was goblins again and not a real quest. Their relationship has come on in leaps and bounds. I’m not sure it will go anywhere further than treasured companions because of her enhanced lifespan, but I’ll be watching, regardless.
What have you learned?
I love that this show isn’t afraid to go all in. Whether it’s a bikini frolic in the river or discovering the remains of people crushed to death by goblins, this series goes for it. At this point, we’re well into the second season so anyone who is watching is likely to be the real fans. Going hard has allowed them to quickly weed out the casual viewers who might be offended by some of the things we see. This is a lesson that I’ve been experiencing of late as I try to rewrite a series I’m working on. For a while, I’ve been trying to make it fit an epic fantasy format, but it’s a dark horror fantasy so I’ve struggled. Then, I realised that I don’t need to make it palatable to everyone. Write the story as it is and find the people that will appreciate it for that. It’s worked for Goblin Slayer and countless other stories. Basically, if you try to please everyone, you end up watering it down so that no one really loves it. Better to have a smaller group of superfans than a larger group of casual viewers.
Other posts in the series
Series Information
| English Title | Goblin Slayer |
| Japanese Title | Goblin Slayer |
| Genres | Action, Adventure, Dark Fantasy |
| Demographic | Seinen |
Anime
Season One
Movie
| English Title | Goblin’s Crown |
| Japanese Title | Goblin’s Crown |
| Released | Winter 2020 |
| Animation Studios | White Fox |
Season Two
Manga
| Series | Side Story II: Dai Katana |
| Author | Kumo Kagyu |
| Artist | Shougo Aoki |
| Volumes | Ongoing |
| 1 | The Fortress City |
| 2 | There’s Always Tomorrow! |
| 3 | Help and Help Alike! |
| 4 | I Can Smell Blood! |
| 5 | If You Let Your Guard Down, You Die! |
| 6 | Be Thankful to Everything! |
