Is That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime's Rimuru A Boy or A Girl?

July 14, 2024

That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime's protagonist, Rimuru, is the most androgynous anime character out there, but are they boy, girl, or neither?

That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime is a hit isekai anime that follows Rimuru, a slime who was once a human from the modern day. Before being reincarnated, Rimuru was a human male, but is that still the case in this new world? The answer to whether Rimuru is a boy or a girl is a surprisingly complicated one that deserves a thorough explanation.

The series opens with Satoru Mikami, a 37-year-old salaryman who lives in Japan and has never had a girlfriend. Satoru is stabbed during a random mugging and dies on the street, but not before a mysterious voice sets him up to be reincarnated in another world. Satoru's thoughts on the door of death result in him being reborn with a body immune to stabbing, temperature changes, electric shocks, and numerous other abilities. The appropriate body for that turned out to be that of a slime, which is usually considered one of the weakest magical creatures. As the slime acclimates to its new life, it meets the Storm Dragon, Veldora, forming a pact to free him and obtaining some of his power upon being given the name Rimuru.

Rimuru Tempest Is Neither A Boy Nor A Girl

Early in the series, Rimuru still behaves a lot like their human self, but one of the first things that happens is that Rimuru gains a new voice, distinct from Satoru's, suggesting that being a reincarnation isn't the same as Satoru simply transforming into a slime. Rimuru eventually meets Shizu, a girl originally from Japan who was summoned to this world as a hero. From Shizu, Rimuru gains the ability to take on human form again, as well as her memories, which changes Rimuru somewhat, as they now have memories of lives from a male and a female. Rimuru's human form resembles Shizu, but with long, blue hair and golden eyes, making Rimuru appear feminine at first glance.

Despite having originally been male, the human-form Rimuru seen throughout most of the series is most easily classified as non-binary. The human form is just an appearance, after all; they're still a slime, just one that looks humanoid. Slimes definitely don't have genders or sexual characteristics, so there's no reason for a slime as powerful as Rimuru to identify as one. Rimuru's human form is explicitly androgynous, and it's shown that their body is like that of a doll, without sexual features. They take on human form mostly because it's convenient for dealing with other humanoids.

Rimuru's Gender Is Irrelevant For The Story

Ultimately, Rimuru's gender is irrelevant, so it makes sense that they would use a human form that's beyond such considerations. With memories of lives as both a boy and a girl, Rimuru really has transcended being one gender or the other, and their androgynous form is the best example of that. That Time I Got Reincarnated As A Slime is pretty unique in this regard, and it's just one of the things that makes Rimuru such an interesting protagonist.