REVIEW: ‘Reincarnated as a Sword’ Episode 4 – “The Terrifying Goblin Stampede”

Reincarnated as a Sword Episode 4 surprisingly provides a good balance of action and exposition after already taking some good first narrative steps in the right direction in the last episode. This episode further progresses the anime’s narrative and finally gives us some insight into its fantasy world.

The episode starts exactly where the last stopped as Fran surprisingly dispatches over a hundred goblins in a short period, which is an impressive feat, especially as the previous episode did an excellent job of making viewers feel the gravity of the situation by displaying Fran seemingly surrounded and cornered by the aforementioned Goblins. Later on, we also learn that there is a dungeon nearby where the Goblins plan on “stampeding,” and Fran is tasked to report back to the guild master, who is unsurprisingly shocked at the news and how she is still alive.

Afterward, while fixing her equipment, Fran and the viewers are taught how the dungeons are created and their standard video-game-like properties, like enemies, treasures, and more. However, this particular scene is relatively short-lived. It is quickly replaced by a scene with the previously introduced guild coordinator Nell who promptly establishes her position as an older sister type. Again, while brief, I like how the anime is slowly beginning to spotlight more characters in the cast instead of only showing the two protagonists throughout, like in previous episodes.

Through Nell, we also learn how this world works for the first time four episodes later. Essentially, we’re told the world was created initially by ten gods who come in several categories, from regular gods, including The God of Earth, Forests, Oceans, and Beasts to “Evil” gods who create monsters and several other unsavory things. The most noteworthy god, however, is the God of Death, who, we learn, created “The Great Wheel of Reincarnation,” which would explain how our hero seemingly spontaneously appeared in this world. What further supports this is that we learn these gods came from another world. Seeing as these are mystical gods, it’s a convenient explanation for reincarnating one being from one realm to another.

Shortly after this, our protagonists head into their first dungeon for the regularly scheduled fight scene, which sports outstanding choreography and excellent visual effects. My only gripe with the fights this time is that some of the moves Fran uses during fights are either practiced and learned offscreen or those already acquired by the sword. While watching Fran use these several moves is always entertaining, it sometimes feels undeserved and unsatisfying.

Despite that, I enjoyed Reincarnated as a Sword Episode 4 as it significantly progresses the anime’s plot and provides some well-deserved background and world-building. It also gives me hope that the anime will finally be heading in the direction it should have had three episodes prior. Overall, Reincarnated as a Sword Episode 4 surprisingly provides a good balance of action and exposition while progressing the narrative.

Reincarnated as a Sword Episode 4 is streaming now on HIDIVE.