Rimuru Tempest’s political maneuvering is only getting more complicated, and That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4 Episode 18 is set to push the Council conspiracy storyline even further. After a scheduling shift earlier in the season, knowing exactly when this episode lands matters more than usual. Here’s the confirmed release date, where to watch, and a full recap of where the story stands.
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4 Episode 18 Release Date
Episode 18 is scheduled to premiere on August 14, 2026, one week after Episode 17 aired on August 7. That gap exists because Episode 17 didn’t air on its originally planned date of July 31 — the show’s official website confirmed a delay tied to programming changes in Japan, which pushed the rest of the summer’s back-half schedule, including Episode 18, into its current slot.
For international audiences, new episodes continue to release on Fridays at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET, a timing that has held steady across the Crunchyroll simulcast all season, even with the one-week shift to the Japanese broadcast. Episodes arrive with both English subtitles and an English dub simultaneously, so there’s no separate wait for a later dub release.
Where to Watch Slime Season 4
Crunchyroll remains the primary home for That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4, streaming across North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, the CIS region, and Southeast Asia.
In Japan, the series airs on NTV as part of its Friday Anime Night block — a programming slot that’s become a launchpad for several high-profile anime releases in recent years. The season has aired there since its premiere on April 3, 2026. Prime Video also carries episode synopses for the season, giving viewers another way to track the story even if they’re watching primarily through Crunchyroll.
Season 4 Plot Recap: The Growing Council Conspiracy
Season 4 continues Rimuru’s long-running goal of building a lasting alliance between humans and monsters, and the political stakes have escalated considerably. Rimuru’s vision for that alliance is edging closer to reality, but it’s being actively challenged by Granville Rozzo and his granddaughter Maribel Rozzo, who are pursuing their own plan to protect humanity by ruling over it instead of allying with it.
At the same time, in El Dorado, Demon Lord Leon is pursuing goals of his own, and the season has been building toward the awakening of a new Hero — a thread that’s expected to carry major consequences for the rest of the season.
The most recent stretch of episodes has leaned heavily into political intrigue rather than large-scale combat. A batch of unreasonable demands from the Council tipped Rimuru off that something bigger was happening behind the scenes, and an interrogation following an attempt on Prince Elric’s life exposed who’s actually been directing the Council’s actions from the shadows.
That thread keeps unraveling from there. Glenda has come forward with what she knows about the Council’s connection to the Rozzo family, while Rimuru turns his attention to the ancient ruins tied to the conspiracy. That investigation into the ruins of Amrita is now underway, and it’s setting up a direct meeting between Rimuru and Maribel inside the ruins themselves — a confrontation that looks likely to bring much of this season’s political tension to a head.
Why Slime Season 4 Is Built Differently Than Previous Seasons
This season is the most ambitious the franchise has attempted. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4 is planned across five full cours of episodes, spread out over the next couple of years, with only the first two cours currently locked to confirmed release dates.
That scale is a big part of why the pacing feels noticeably different from earlier seasons. Storylines like the Founder’s Festival and the ongoing Council conspiracy are getting the kind of sustained, unhurried attention that a standard one- or two-cour season simply wouldn’t have room for. Rather than compressing major plot developments into a handful of episodes, the show is letting its political subplots breathe alongside its usual mix of world-building and action.
That balance is still very much intact heading into Episode 18. Veldora continues to cause chaos in his own corner of the story, Benimaru remains eager for a real fight, and Rimuru is left holding the whole operation together with the same composed, pragmatic leadership that’s defined his character since the series began. Balancing nation-building politics with combat has always been the show’s core appeal, and Season 4’s extended runtime gives that balance more room to play out than any previous season.
What to Expect From Episode 18
With the Council conspiracy now fully out in the open and Rimuru closing in on the ruins connected to it, Episode 18 is positioned to move the Rozzo confrontation into a more direct phase. Whether Rimuru handles the coming standoff diplomatically — in keeping with his broader mission — or is forced into a more combative response remains one of the season’s central open questions heading into this episode.
FAQ: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4 Episode 18
When does Slime Season 4 Episode 18 release? Episode 18 premieres August 14, 2026, one week after Episode 17’s August 7 release.
Why was the Slime Season 4 schedule delayed? Episode 17 was pushed back from its original July 31 date due to programming changes in Japan, which shifted the rest of the season’s schedule by a week.
What time does Slime Season 4 release new episodes? New episodes release Fridays at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET on Crunchyroll.
Where can I watch That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4? Crunchyroll streams the season across most global regions, while it airs on NTV in Japan. Prime Video also carries episode synopses.
How many cours is Slime Season 4? The season is planned across five full cours spread over the next couple of years, though only the first two currently have confirmed release dates.