The wildly popular novel "Goblin Slayer" is even being adapted into an anime. Perhaps the secret to its popularity lies in the fact that the main villain is a goblin. It's a unique anime, so this time we'll examine the strength and threat of these goblins.
What are Goblins?
Source: Goblin Slayer © Kumo Kagyu, SB Creative / Goblin Slayer Production Committee
A small monster that is the leader of the non-player characters (non-players), it is classified as the weakest of them all. They are also written and called little demons. Even as adults, their physical strength and intelligence are on par with that of a human child, and they have the intelligence to handle primitive and simple weapons. They are so numerous that ordinary humans have mockingly said, "One appears every time someone fails," and they have a strong reproductive ability. While they are weak individually, the threat they pose when they band together and attack cannot be underestimated. According to Goblin Slayer, they originate from the green moon, one of the two moons.
Why Goblins Are Hated
Source: Goblin Slayer © Kumo Kagyu, SB Creative / Goblin Slayer Production Committee
They have a strong reproductive capacity and can mate with other races. They grow quickly and multiply in a short period of time. They kidnap women of other races, often humans, for food, entertainment, and fertility. They are cunning and cruel. They have excellent low-light vision, prefer dark places, and take advantage of the darkness to unleash harm. They lack bravery and primarily target the weak.
Goblin Traits
They possess no compassion or empathy for others, and feel no grief when members of their tribe or community are killed. Even when attacked, they become angry, not out of concern for their allies, but simply because their territory has been violated. For example, while they will defend themselves by using a human as a human shield, they will not hesitate to attack their allies even if the enemy uses a goblin as a shield. They will even mock their allies' mistakes, and even when outnumbered, they will flee out of fear of being injured or worn down. Their completely selfish nature is a testament to their wicked nature. Overall, they are a completely devoid of ethics, a selfish brat who enjoys bullying the weak.
Goblins are Cunning
Source: Goblin Slayer ©Kumo Kagyu, SB Creative / Goblin Slayer Production Committee
Just like humans, goblins plan their actions and act accordingly. For example, they attack a party from behind through a side tunnel just before a single-pathway to steal an adventurer's weapon, or poison their weapon before attacking. The reason the party didn't notice the tunnel was because the goblins had placed camouflage staffs there. They were distracted by them. This is a move to increase their chances of winning, as, like humans, goblins have lower basic abilities compared to dragons and the like. Isn't it this cunning side that is causing trouble for rookie adventurers?
How Goblins Raise Their Children
Source: Goblin Slayer © Kumo Kagyu, SB Creative / Goblin Slayer Production Committee
Also, because goblins are aware of their weak nature, they hide their children behind hidden doors at the back of the plaza. This is also why they are so numerous and reproductively prolific that they are often mocked as "one emerges every time someone makes a mistake." Perhaps this is why they are said to be so resilient?
Common Goblin Harm
Source: Goblin Slayer © Kumo Kagyu, SB Creative / Goblin Slayer Production Committee
It's common to see goblins attack a village and kidnap a young girl. It's also common for novice adventurers to set out on their first goblin slaying adventure only to be cornered and wiped out by the goblins. It's also common for adventurers to rescue young girls from goblin dens. It's also common for rescued girls to be used as goblin healers and then enter a temple, dismayed. This highlights the widespread damage caused by goblins.
High Goblin Damage, Low Threat
Beginners tend to underestimate goblins due to their lack of experience, but in reality, they are not particularly threatening on their own. Many struggle and triumph, learning that adventure is not to be underestimated. However, there are also cases of total annihilation. Furthermore, since the world is ruled by the dice of the gods, even experienced adventurers cannot guarantee 100% victory, and goblins are generally considered a "troublesome" opponent. The fact is that "goblins are the weakest monsters," and in a world where demons and dragons that could destroy the world roam, goblins are hardly ever considered important.
Goblin Slayers Gradually Get Stronger
Source: Goblin Slayer © Kumo Kagyu, SB Creative / Goblin Slayer Production Committee
Like adventurers, some take on jobs such as bodyguards. These "migrants" move between dens, gaining experience and growing. Furthermore, this experience and wisdom are passed on to new packs, so even though they have low intelligence, they have the tedious task of learning. However, they never learn "kindness" and become altruistic. The result of this is the emergence of higher-ranking mutants who possess abilities on a par with those of seasoned adventurers and boast enormous stature thanks to their atavistic heritage. Known examples of these "migrants" include the "Hob," a country bumpkin, the "Goblin Champion," a fierce warrior with extensive combat experience, and the "Goblin Lord," a leader of the goblins who has acquired high levels of leadership. Even the mysterious "Goblin Paladin" has been born.
Environment for Goblins to Become Strong
Source: Goblin Slayer © Kumo Kagyu, SB Creative / Goblin Slayer Production Committee
Because of their individual weakness, they are often viewed as a low threat, and nations and feudal lords rarely take action against them. To be precise, since the Adventurer's Guild is a state-run organization and the country itself sends adventurers, the military never takes action. Dealing with them is largely the job of adventurers, and since this is sufficient, it has become the norm. Although weak, swarms that have swelled to a certain size are a threat to villages with little self-defense power, and the damage they cause is a serious problem, but since the clients are villages with little income, the pay is low, and many adventurers shy away from requests to exterminate them. For this reason, many novice adventurers take on the requests. For these reasons, a vicious cycle is created in which goblins spawn and strong goblins are born from among them.
Having goblins to lead the way greatly enhances your fighting power
Source: Goblin Slayer © Kumo Kagyu, SB Creative / Goblin Slayer Production Committee
The Goblin Lord's goal is to "destroy the city and establish a 'Goblin Kingdom.'" As his first plan, he will now attack the "ranch" to the east. By capturing the eastern ranch, he will be able to have children there, increase his allies, and establish a strong foundation. This was a location that could potentially become an important base for the Goblin Lord. They knew that several humans had gathered there. However, even so, they were a "Goblin army". They believed they could easily overwhelm them with force. The goblins held up "humans" as shields. They knew that by doing this, the humans would be unable to attack. This was also very cunning.
Goblin Damage in the Story
Source: Goblin Slayer ©Kumo Kagyu, SB Creative/Goblin Slayer Production Committee
Goblins run around like they own the place, killing friends and family, and even abducting people. Suppose, for example, that your own sister was attacked, tortured, used as a toy, and then killed. Imagine them laughing at you, doing whatever they wanted, and then throwing away the bodies of your family. Imagine you were hiding and watching this whole scene from start to finish, holding your breath. You would take up a weapon, train yourself, think, grow, and then take action to exact revenge on the goblins. That's what Goblin Slayer says. This is based on real experience, and Goblin Slayer is a victim of goblins.
The victim is indeed a woman
Source: Goblin Slayer © Kumo Kagyu, SB Creative / Goblin Slayer Production Committee
Goblins are making their home in the ruins of an elven mountain fortress. A group of rookie adventurers are now infiltrating the fortress to rescue the kidnapped women of the village. They thought the defenses were weak. However, the goblins have set up numerous traps and are hiding in wait.
Source: Goblin Slayer © Kumo Kagyu, SB Creative / Goblin Slayer Production Committee
Following an unexpected surprise attack, the party begins to retreat. However, it's too late. Unable to withstand the goblin's attack, everyone is captured. Unable to resist, the entire party is killed.
The Archbishop who defeated the demon god is also a victim of goblins
Source: Goblin Slayer ©Kumo Kagyu, SB Creative/Goblin Slayer Production Committee
The Archbishop is a gold-ranked Goblin Slayer, and has a proven track record of defeating one of the resurrected Demon Kings 10 years ago. He states, "I defeated one of the Demon Kings." It's unclear whether he accomplished this alone or as part of a party, but either way, he seems to be a top-class adventurer.
Source: Goblin Slayer © Kumo Kagyu, SB Creative / Goblin Slayer Production Committee
The Archbishop tells Goblin Slayer his tragic past: "I was captured by goblins 10 years ago..." Like the other victims, he was likely subjected to various abuses by the goblins in the cave. He was captured by the goblins, and perhaps his eyes were damaged as a result. This shows why goblins should not be underestimated.
A Summary of Goblin Strength and Threats
Aren't goblins similar to humans in some ways? They are weak, so they gather in groups. They are weak, so they are cunning. While humans hunt monsters as adventurers, aren't goblins the ones who hunt humans? I don't think there is any monster that targets humans as much as goblins. That's why "Goblin Slayer," which features goblins as the villain, is so popular?
