"That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime" Season 4 Shocks Fans with Unprecedented "Split-5-Cour" Announcement

A groundbreaking broadcast format has been announced for the fourth season of the popular TV anime "That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime" (Tensura), generating significant buzz among fans. On March 3, the official anime account unveiled the first key visual for Season 4, accompanied by the tagline, "Justice (Ideal) and Justice (Desire) Cannot Intersect." Within this announcement, an unprecedented revelation was made: "Season 4 will unfold in a split-5-cour format!"

The phrase "split-5-cour" immediately trended on the social media platform "X." A flurry of posts expressed a mix of surprise and anticipation, with comments like "Split-5-cour is incredible!" "How long will it take?" and "I've never heard that Japanese phrase before." Typically, one cour refers to a three-month broadcasting block (approximately 12-13 episodes). By simple calculation, five cours would equate to a lengthy series spanning approximately 60 episodes.

The broadcast is scheduled to commence with two consecutive cours in April 2026, airing within Nippon TV's "FRIDAY ANIME NIGHT (FLIANIME)" block. While some fans expressed excitement, stating "I'm happy it's long" and "It looks like it'll cover up to the end of the Empire Arc," many others were stunned by the sheer scale of the announcement, commenting "Split-5-cour!?!? More surprising than the Tensura Season 4 announcement itself lol."

With a total of 72 episodes broadcast through Season 3, the addition of the 60 episodes planned for Season 4 could potentially make the entire series a massive production exceeding 130 episodes. This unprecedented "split-5-cour" announcement conveys immense confidence in the work and a strong determination from the production team to meticulously portray the long-running story. Attention is increasingly focused on future detailed announcements and the development of this grand narrative.

The context

"That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime," often abbreviated as "Tensura" in Japan, is a highly popular Japanese fantasy series that originated as a web novel, later adapted into light novels, manga, and a hugely successful anime. It follows a salaryman who is reborn in a fantasy world as a powerful slime monster named Rimuru Tempest, who then builds a nation for monsters. The anime is known for its intricate world-building, political intrigue, and action sequences.

In the context of Japanese anime, a "cour" (クール, kūru) refers to a three-month broadcasting block, typically consisting of 10-13 episodes. A "season" of anime is often structured around these cours. For example, a 24-26 episode season is commonly referred to as a "two-cour" season. A "split-cour" broadcast means that a season is divided into multiple parts, with a break of a few months or even a year between them. This allows production studios more time for animation and avoids rushed schedules. While "split-2-cour" (two parts) is a relatively common practice for longer anime seasons, a "split-5-cour" broadcast is virtually unheard of in the industry. This announcement for "That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime" Season 4 signifies an exceptionally ambitious and extended production plan, guaranteeing a very long-term commitment to adapting the story.

The "FRIDAY ANIME NIGHT (FLIANIME)" block on Nippon TV is a notable slot for anime broadcasts, indicating that the series will be airing in a prominent and accessible time slot in Japan.