I’ll start by saying this: I love That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. Ever since the anime started airing in 2018, I always saw Rimuru (Miho Okasaki) and his Tempest-ruling adventures as a bright spot in the anime season. (Hell, I personally think that its spinoff series, The Slime Diaries, is even better!) But the last time TenSura (Japan’s abbreviated version of the title) hit the big screen, it didn’t exactly warrant excitement in me. Dare I say, it felt like a cash grab with its half-assed story and a predictable plot.

So when a new film was announced, entitled Tears of the Azure Sea, I was cautiously excited. Thankfully, it seems like TenSura has learned its lessons from its past mistakes. And perhaps the biggest lesson winds up being a major focal point of the new movie: it let another canon character other than Rimuru play the hero. After all, if you have a super-powered demon lord be the hero of a stand-alone story, then you already know what the outcome will be. Instead, the hero of Tears of the Azure Sea is the least likely to hold the protagonist position: Gobta (Asuna Tomari).

At first, Tears of the Azure Sea sets itself up to be a low-stakes film. Rimuru and his friends go on a much-needed vacation to a private resort. But in the background roams Yura (Saori Onishi), a priestess from the undersea kingdom of Kaien. She seeks Rimuru’s help to avoid a calamity caused by Kaien’s deity, the Water Dragon. But instead of standing side-by-side with the slime, she instead finds herself in the company of Gobta, as the two of them are constantly attacked by her brother Djeese (Kojiro Yusa) and his minions.

Some may think it’s silly that Gobta is given the hero’s pedestal here. After all, in the main series, he’s often seen as the comic relief. Which is why his role in Tears of the Azure Sea results in some fun and unpredictable moments. Yes, he can be weak at times, but when it counts, Gobta can be both a powerhouse and trustworthy. The more Yura witnesses what the little goblin can do, the more she sees the potential of him being the one to save the day.

Which is why it was a bit disappointing seeing Rimuru get wrapped up into the main narrative in the second half. I get that he’s the main character, and people pay money to watch him whoop enemy behinds in badass fashion. On top of that, Rimuru does offer a lot of charm and fun moments when he’s not in battle mode. So color me surprised (again!) when Rimuru takes care of the more dangerous parts, and allows Gobta to be Yura’s knight in shining armor when the time is right!

As this is a non-canon film, one should know that nothing ginormous is at stake. Be that as it may, Tears of the Azure Sea does offer some great action sequences and plenty of enjoyable scenarios. Whether it’s watching Gobta and Yura fight off ninjas or seeing Rimuru and the gang take on the Water Dragon, these scenes deliver a lot of excitement for what they offer. While the final act won’t be too shocking for some longtime TenSura fans, it has some surprises that may make viewers do a double take over the route it takes.

Unlike Scarlet Bond, Tears of the Azure Sea takes some bold risks with its narrative. And thankfully, they pay off well, especially when a different character is allowed to be the narrative’s focal point. It’s not a perfect movie, but it at least shows that TenSura can make a proper leap onto the big screen if the right story comes along. And hey, if Gobta is able to play the big hero here, maybe best girl Milim (Rinka Hidaka) can be given the big spotlight next time around…

English subtitled version observed for review. Promotional consideration provided by Annika Sellz of Crunchyroll. In US theaters May 1st. Click here for tickets!