2-1 discovered “That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime” when he was in the fourth grade, and has been a big fan ever since.
TenSura (転スラ)
In the recent times when going out is difficult due to the effects of COVID, when Second son had to go to Akihabara for company business to purchase equipment, a thought crossed my mind.
“I wonder if 2-1 would be happy if I invited him?”
Just like in my own childhood, it seems that 2-1 also enjoys anime and manga. Lately, he has been particularly hooked on “Tensura” (That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime), reading the manga multiple times.
He gets so engrossed in watching other manga and anime online or on TV that he often gets scolded by Second son’s wife.
It’s about an hour by train from Second son’s house to Akihabara, not too far. However, considering the current situation with COVID, we decided to travel by car. So, the idea of taking 2-1 along with us crossed my mind.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (Japanese: 転生したらスライムだった件, Hepburn: Tensei Shitara Suraimu Datta Ken), also known as Regarding Reincarnated to Slime[b] and by the contraction TenSura (転スラ), is a Japanese fantasy light novel series written by Fuse [ja], and illustrated by Mitz Vah. The story follows Satoru Mikami, a salaryman who is murdered and then reincarnated in a sword and sorcery world as a titular slime, who goes on to gather allies to build his own nation of monsters.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime – Wikipedia
Are you going to Akihabara?
Second son has visited Akihabara many times for PC-related items, manga, and electronic components.
However, in the past decade, the opportunities to visit have decreased. Akihabara itself no longer carries electronic components as much as it used to, becoming primarily a town focused on anime and subculture. Therefore, there hasn’t been a reason to visit much lately.
Nevertheless, on TV, there is often a focus on Akihabara for its subculture, so naturally, 2-1 is aware of Akihabara’s existence.
So, Second son consulted with his wife, asking, “Do you think 2-1 would be happy if we took him to Akihabara?” His wife immediately replied, “He’ll be thrilled.” When asked directly, 2-1 surprisingly seemed to be pondering.
“What’s wrong?” he was asked, and it turned out he’s a bit scared of COVID-19 (laughs).
After being teased by Second son and his wife for being a bit timid, 2-1 eventually succumbed to the charm of Akihabara and decided to go together.
Akihabara was the best.
On the day, we drove for a little over an hour to visit Akihabara together.
2-1 was surprised to see so many people despite the ongoing COVID situation. Every time he passed someone, he seemed worried about getting infected.
However, once on Akihabara’s main street, his eyes lit up as he made a beeline for Animate.
Apparently, 2-1 had searched the internet and done some research on his own, even before Second son had a chance to tell him the location of Animate (laughs). However, being his first time in Akihabara, he naturally got lost while walking and ultimately showed Second son the map to grasp the store’s location.
Nevertheless, upon entering Animate, he quickly regained his energy and dashed straight to the section featuring his beloved Tensura (That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime).
After much contemplation, he purchased character cards and goods, bidding farewell to Animate’s main store.
Despite having come all the way, Second son found out that the electronic parts store he had intended to visit was unexpectedly closed, leaving him unable to buy anything. In response, he told 2-1, “If there are other stores you want to visit, I’ll take you there,” which made 2-1 extremely excited.
He enjoyed exploring the toy section of the electronics store, checking out LEGO Star Wars blocks and trying his luck with gachapon machines scattered throughout the city.
In the end, we ended up crisscrossing every nook and cranny of Akihabara’s main area (laughs).
