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{{short description|Type of fictional creature in fantasy media}}
[[File:OpenGameArt Slime Madjestiko.png|thumb|An illustration of a slime creature typical of modern depictions]]
In [[fantasy]] fiction, '''slimes''', also called '''oozes''', are amorphous creatures composed of [[Gel|gelatinous]] ooze. In literature and film, slimes typically take the role of horrific monsters, while in video games and anime they are often depicted as cute fodderlow-level enemies.
 
==History==
Slimes as monsters in fictionliterature originated with the writings of [[H. P. Lovecraft]]. In his novella ''[[At the Mountains of Madness]]'', Lovecraft described [[shoggoth]]s, shapeless beingbeings made of black slime. Lovecraft's writings would go on to influence later [[Gothic fiction]] and other aspects of popular culture.<ref name=":2">{{Cite webbook |last=Wedlich |first=Susanne |date=2023-02-22Susan |title=From Ghostbusters to H.P. LovecraftSlime: A CulturalNatural History of|publisher=Melville SlimeHouse Publishing |urlyear=https://lithub.com/from2022 |isbn=978-ghostbusters1-to68589-h020-p-lovecraft-a-cultural-history-of-slime/9 |access-dateedition=2024-10-01First Melville House |websitepages=Literary Hub |languagetranslator-last=enTürkoğlu |translator-USfirst=Ayça}}</ref>{{Rp|pages=12–17}}<ref name=":3" />▼
[[File:Shoggoth by Nottsuo.jpg|thumb|An artistic depiction of a [[shoggoth]], an influential slime monster created by [[H. P. Lovecraft]]]]▼
▲Slimes as monsters in fiction originated with the writings of [[H. P. Lovecraft]]. In his novella ''[[At the Mountains of Madness]]'', Lovecraft described [[shoggoth]]s, shapeless being made of black slime. Lovecraft's writings would go on to influence later [[Gothic fiction]] and other aspects of popular culture.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Wedlich |first=Susanne |date=2023-02-22 |title=From Ghostbusters to H.P. Lovecraft: A Cultural History of Slime |url=https://lithub.com/from-ghostbusters-to-h-p-lovecraft-a-cultural-history-of-slime/ |access-date=2024-10-01 |website=Literary Hub |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":3" />
 
In the game ''[[Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord]]'', slimes appear as low-level monsters, which inspired [[Slime (Dragon Quest)|their appearance]] in ''[[Dragon Quest (video game)|Dragon Quest]]''.<ref name="origin">{{cite web | author=Jason Cipriano | date=July 9, 2010 | title='Dragon Quest' Creator Sheds Light On The Inspiration For The Slime | url=http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2010/07/09/dragon-quest-creator-sheds-light-on-the-creation-of-the-slime/ | work=[[MTV]] | publisher=MTV Networks and TM MTV Networks | access-date=March 1, 2013 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020071233/http://multiplayerblog.mtv.com/2010/07/09/dragon-quest-creator-sheds-light-on-the-creation-of-the-slime/ | archive-date=October 20, 2013 | df=mdy-all }}</ref> The ''Dragon Quest'' slime, designed by [[Akira Toriyama]],<ref>{{Cite web |date=2007-05-25 |title=Dragon Quest Interview |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/05/25/dragon-quest-interview |access-date=2024-10-10 |website=[[IGN]] |language=en}}</ref> became a highly popular and recognizable character, and went on to influence slimes in other fantasy video games. Slimes in video games are typically "cute" characters, sometimes appearing not only as common enemies but also as allies or pets.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McKeever |first=Madison |date=2022-06-22 |title=7 Most Iconic Slimes In Gaming |url=https://gamerant.com/most-iconic-slimes-in-gaming/ |access-date=2024-10-10 |website=Game Rant |language=en}}</ref>
 
Slimes inalso videoappear games also influencedin tabletop games such as ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]],''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Maas |first=Erroll |date=2021-12-07 |title=The Best Slime Monsters In Video Games |url=https://www.thegamer.com/video-games-best-slime-monsters-creatures/ |access-date=2024-10-10 |website=TheGamer |language=en}}</ref> although their depiction in that game is more horrific, being also partially inspired by horror films such as ''[[The Blob]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=How To Play Oozes Like Body-Devouring Terrors |url=https://www.dndbeyond.com/posts/949-how-to-play-oozes-like-body-devouring-terrors |access-date=2024-10-10 |website=D&D Beyond |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Forest |first=Richard W. |title=The Ashgate Encyclopedia of Literary and Cinematic Monsters |date=2014 |publisher=[[Ashgate Publishing]] |editor-last=Weinstock |editor-first=Jeffrey |pages=192–195 |chapter=Dungeons & Dragons, Monsters in}}</ref>{{Rp|page=193}} Slime creatures in ''DunegonsDungeons & Dragons'', such as the [[gelatinous cube]], envelop prey before dissolving them in acidic ooze.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Boyar |first=Michelle |date=2023-04-12 |title=How The Gelatinous Cube Works In D&D: Honor Among Thieves (& Why It Burns) |url=https://screenrant.com/dungeons-dragons-honor-among-thieves-gelatinous-cube-burns/ |access-date=2024-10-10 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}}</ref>
 
In October 2018, the anime ''[[That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime]]'' released. In the anime, the protagonist is reincarnated in a fantasy [[isekai]] world as a small blue slime inspired by the slime from ''Dragon Quest''. This series created a trend of anime focusing onfeaturing cute slime creaturesslimes.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Freedman |first=Maxwell |date=2020-05-03 |title=Slimes Are Taking Over Manga & Anime... But Where Did They Come From? |url=https://www.cbr.com/slimes-taking-over-manga-anime/ |access-date=2024-09-27 |website=CBR |language=en}}</ref> In ''[[Delicious in Dungeon]]'', slime monsters are a core ingredient in several meals eaten throughout the series.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Egan |first=Toussaint |date=2024-02-02 |title=Delicious in Dungeon's delectable dishes, ranked |url=https://www.polygon.com/24050648/delicious-in-dungeon-food-dishes-ranking-worst-to-best |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}}</ref>
 
==Analysis==
▲[[File:Shoggoth by Nottsuo.jpg|thumb|An artistic depiction of a [[shoggoth]], an influential slime monster created by [[H. P. Lovecraft]]]]
According to [[Steven Shaviro]], slime creatures in fiction often take the form of either a single organism (like a [[unicellular organism]]) or a [[superorganism]], "both of which cannot grasp its complex nature." Additionally, slimes lack the differentiation of organs orand tissues that are characteristic of multicellular life. In this difference, slimes are "a collective without individuals, without any specialized parts, and without any sort of articulated (or hierarchical) structure." Marijeta Bradić writes that the motif of slimes in fiction "serves as a tool for questioning the idea of human exceptionalism."<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=Bradić |first=Marijeta |date=2019 |title=Towards a Poetics of Weird Biology: Strange Lives of Nonhuman Organisms in Literature |url=https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=836364 |journal=Pulse: theThe Journal of Science and Culture |language=English |volume=6 |issue=1 |pages=1–22 |issn=2416-111X}}</ref>
 
InSlime thehas workshad ofsymbolic H.meaning Pin fiction. LovecraftIn [[science fiction]], slime creaturesis like the shoggoths serve asoften "a metaphor for the intangible or unthinkable", according to designer [[Steven Heller (design writer)|Steven Heller]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Heller |first=Steven |date=2023-08-21 |title=The Daily Heller: The Existence of Ooze and Slime |url=https://www.printmag.com/daily-heller/the-daily-heller-slime/ |access-date=2024-10-01 |website=PRINT Magazine |language=en-US}}</ref> Historically, some male writers, including Lovecraft, associated slime with femininity, characterizing women as disgustingly different from men. An example of this symbolism is in Lovecraft's short story "[[Dagon (short story)|Dagon]]", which features a monster made of ooze and shares a name with [[Dagon]], a [[List of Mesopotamian deities|Mesopotamian deity]] sometimes depicted as a hybrid of a fish and a woman.<ref name=":2" />{{Rp|pages=23–25}} American journalist Daniel Engber considered slimes in cinema of the 1980s, such as [[Slimer]] and the [[Ectoplasm (paranormal)|ectoplasm]] in ''[[Ghostbusters]]'', to be emblematic of cultural fears during the [[Cold War]] of [[nuclear radiation]] and radioactive slimes created by [[nuclear weapons]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Engber |first=Daniel |date=2016-07-18 |title=Out of Slime |url=https://slate.com/technology/2016/07/ghostbusters-made-slime-a-national-obsession-can-the-reboot-make-ooze-cool-again.html |access-date=2024-10-10 |work=Slate |language=en-US |issn=1091-2339}}</ref>
 
Writing for ''[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]'', Ana Diaz described video game slimes as "loyal punching bags", owing to their role as common low-level enemies.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Diaz |first=Ana |date=2022-03-22 |title=Which slime is the ultimate slime, according to a polymer chemist |url=https://www.polygon.com/22984964/slime-minecraft-dragon-quest-zelda-stardew-ratings |access-date=2024-10-10 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}}</ref>
 
==See also==
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{{stock characters}}
 
[[Category:FictionalFantasy species and racescreatures]]
[[Category:Fictional amorphous creatures]]
[[Category:Fictional characters who can stretch themselves]]
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[[Category:Stock characters]]
[[Category:Fantasy tropes]]
[[Category:Fictional superorganisms]]
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