Line #66 Main/CuteSlimeMook


1	[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/transparent_slimes.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:350:Some slimes draw near! Command? [[labelnote:> Identify]] Clockwise starting from top left: [[Franchise/DragonQuest Slime]], [[VideoGame/{{Neptunia}} Dogoo]], [[VideoGame/AtelierSeries Puni]], and [[VideoGame/RagnarokOnline Poring]]]][[/labelnote]]
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4	''VideoGame/DragonQuestI'' was one of the most influential video games of its time, and is partly responsible for forming the EasternRPG as we know it. But one rather minor monster from it also made a peculiar mark on gaming: The Slime.
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6	While the BlobMonster was a staple of tabletop [=RPGs=] before ''Dragon Quest'', Creator/AkiraToriyama's addition of a waterdrop-shaped form and an adorable smiley face made a particularly strong impression. The slime ended up becoming a MascotMook for the franchise, and naturally, like many of the tropes ''Dragon Quest'' introduced, a cute, low level blob became an Eastern RPG cliche in itself.
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8	Unlike the standard amorphous BlobMonster, a Cute Slime has a rounded form, like a drop of water on a car's hood (or maybe a gumdrop). They're also more likely to bounce or roll around than ooze. One assumes they have a much higher surface tension or thicker membrane than your typical Ooze (more like the classic Gelatinous Cube of ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' fame, but not as rigidly shaped). You might also note they have a strong tendency to be colored blue, at least the first or most numerous version is. [[UndergroundMonkey Variations]] may come in [[PaletteSwap a variety of colors]] (pink/red and green being fairly common). Since they're more solid than the traditional BlobMonster, their method of attack will usually be a bouncing body blow rather than an acidic slime tentacle.
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10	The Cute Slime Mook is almost always a [[TheGoomba common, weak, low-level]] {{mook}}, but like the ones in ''Dragon Quest'', may come in [[UndergroundMonkey stronger or gimmicky variants]]. Common variants of slimes include different colors, [[MetalSlime slimes that are harder to defeat but offer greater rewards]], or even expies of the Heal Slime. Like their inspiration, they always have cute, smiling faces, or at the very least, BlackBeadEyes. These slime-lookalikes are often [[MascotMook mascot mooks]] for their respective series in themselves.
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12	If you see one of these, it's likely the work is in a StandardJapaneseFantasySetting. More serious settings may forgo the cute face, but otherwise keep the same general shape and characteristics.
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14	Subtrope of BlobMonster, AdorableEvilMinions and FountainOfExpies. Compare SlimeGirl, which is [[{{Moe}} a different kind of cute]].
15	----
16	!!Examples
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18	[[foldercontrol]]
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20	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
21	* ''Manga/DragonQuestTheAdventureOfDai'': In true Dragon Quest fashion, Gome is an adorable slime and a friendly companion of the party. [[spoiler:Or at least, it looks like a slime, while it's actually the Tear of God, a magical artifact brought to life by Dai's wish]].
22	* ''Manga/EdensZero'': Maria's true form is an little space slime with a big, round head and a froggy mouth. However, she's powerful enough in her human form to be one of Drakken Joe's EliteMooks.
23	* The first episode of ''Anime/HyperdimensionNeptuniaTheAnimation'' has Neptune and Nepgear get overwhelmed by a horde of Dogoos, who playfully initiate TickleTorture to them without doing any actual damage, though the end result of the two covered in slime looked very... [[DoesThisRemindYouOfAnything suggestive]]. They're generally portrayed as playful, but only become a nuisance in large numbers.
24	* The protagonists of ''Manga/KoroSenseiQuest'' are so useless that the cute slime mooks farm them for experience.
25	* ''Manga/MonsterMusume'': Suu initially looks like this when she first appears in the household. Centorea [[WrongGenreSavvy assumes that this makes her weak because slimes in video games are easy to defeat]], but is quickly frustrated by the fact that Suu is, in fact, incredibly durable because things like swords can harmlessly pass through her body. Though it doesn't take long for Suu to turn into a SlimeGirl and be revealed as nonaggressive, she still reverts to her cute blob form on occasion.
26	* ''Manga/NegimaMagisterNegiMagi'': The Slime Sisters are small and cute slimes that can shapeshift into girls and serve as Wilhelm's AdorableEvilMinions.
27	[[/folder]]
28
29	[[folder:Literature]]
30	* ''Literature/BlackSummoner'': Clotho, Kelvin's first summoned monster, is a tiny slime. At least when it's not a Glutton Slime.
31	* Sui from ''Literature/CampfireCookingInAnotherWorldWithMyAbsurdSkill'' is a small blue slime with BlackBeadEyes who's very young and behaves like a CheerfulChild. He starts out as the typical weak slime, but quickly shows intelligence and skills beyond the slime norm.
32	* ''Literature/IveBeenKillingSlimesFor300YearsAndMaxedOutMyLevel'' obviously has them, and shaped like their ''Dragon Quest'' counterparts. Slimes with a pale coloring are evil, while the ones with darker hues are good, and apparently, they have souls as well; two of the main cast were borne out of a {{merger\|ofsouls}} of them.
33	* ''Literature/KonoSuba'': Comically {{subverted}} with Hans the Deadly Poison Slime. Having seen only his human disguise, [[WrongGenreSavvy Kazuma assumes that]] he's the ''Franchise/DragonQuest'' kind of slime and will thus be a pushover, but he turns out to be closer to the ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' mold - a giant, nigh-indestructible BlobMonster that [[WalkingWasteland spreads decay in its path]] and destroys anything it touches.
34	* Rimuru from ''Literature/ThatTimeIGotReincarnatedAsASlime'' is roughly the size of a watermelon, and is adored for his super cute slime form. He ends up making quite a lot of allies -- especially [[{{Fanservice}} women who enjoy]] [[MarshmallowHell holding him close to their breasts]] -- by making friends through diplomacy. However, he subverts the "weak" reputation of this trope, as his "Predator" ability also proves to be extremely powerful, [[TheAssimilator allowing him to take on the properties of anyone and anything he absorbs]], which results in him snowballing to UltimateLifeForm and WorldsStrongestMan status. Knowing how to use this to bring peace and to resolve conflicts is the main goal of the series.
35	[[/folder]]
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37	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
38	* The jellies in ''Series/TheSchoolNurseFiles'' are semi-translucent blobs, only visible to certain people. They are the ghosts of dead people or the feelings and desires of living people. Some of them are dangerous.
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41	[[folder:Multimedia]]
42	* Baby I or [[DubNameChange Fresh]] level ''Franchise/{{Digimon}}'' are often blobs with simple, cutesy faces. They are very weak and have almost no combat abilities, but will eventually evolve into stronger Digimon.
43	[[/folder]]
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45	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
46	* ''TabletopGame/FabulaUltima'' is a love letter to [=JRPGs=], so naturally it features this trope. The Mellow Ooze and Static Ooze are a pair of cute, low-level slime creatures with rotund bodies and perpetual cat smiles. The former is a naturally occurring Monster which can heal its allies by doing a magical dance, while the latter is an artificial {{Elemental\|Embodiment}} which can zap foes with electricity.
47	[[/folder]]
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49	[[folder:Video Games]]
50	* ''VideoGame/AdventureQuestWorlds'' features Slimes like virtually all games by Creator/ArtixEntertainment. However unlike its sister games the, the chibi artstyle makes the AQW slimes noticeably cuter, being a blob with a cute cartoony eyeball looking out.
51	* In ''VideoGame/ANNOMutationem'', at Harbor Town, a nearby resident offers to show his unique specimen for a few [[WeWillSpendCreditsInTheFuture credits]]. The creature shown is a tiny slime with a single eyeball and a small pointy head.
52	* The Punis in ''VideoGame/AtelierSeries'', which have prominent BlushStickers and come in a variety of different colors. There are also faux punis and even pint-sized mini punis which appear to have pacifiers in their mouths. They were curiously absent from the Dusk trilogy, but made a return in the Mysterious trilogy with a new, taller shape.
53	* ''VideoGame/TheBindingOfIsaac'': The Dips/Drips fill this role, as the cutest creatures in the game, being tiny drops of moving slime. They get a little bit grosser when you actually see them and realize what that slime ''[[ToiletHumour is]].''
54	* Goopy Le Grande, one of the first bosses of ''VideoGame/{{Cuphead}}'' has a design that directly references the Slimes - he's a blue ball with a pointy tip and a smiling face. He's also relatively easy, being one of the game's {{Starter Villain}}s.
55	* The Slimes in ''Franchise/DragonQuest'' are the {{Trope Maker\|s}}. First conceptualized in [[VideoGame/DragonQuestI the]] [[VideoGame/DragonQuestII first]] [[VideoGame/DragonQuestIII installments]] of the series in the TheEighties, they became popular enough to become the MascotMook, and many examples on this page take direct inspiration from their cute blue forms.
56	* ''VideoGame/{{Eastward}}'': There are slimes taking the form of slugs with some variants being slightly bigger and able to expel [[ShockAndAwe electricity]].
57	* ''VideoGame/{{Elona}}'' has the Putits, cute white blobs with two beady black eyes. They are one of the weakest monsters in the game, and also come in a slightly stronger red variant. Eating their flesh grants charisma, and they are also [[ExplosiveBreeder explosive breeders]], so they're a popular choice for ranches. Interestingly, Putits exist alongside more traditional western faceless blob monsters.
58	* ''VideoGame/TheEnchantedCave'' features various colors of weak blob monsters with cute googly eyes.
59	* ''VideoGame/EXTRAPOWERGiantFist'': The caverns beneath the Latour cult headquarters features bouncy, brightly coloured gumball-shaped creatures, how cute! They're like big, cuddly [[VideoGame/ExtrapowerAttackOfDarkforce Pururu]]! [[KillerRabbit Don't be fooled]].
60	* ''VideoGame/GenshinImpact'''s Slimes are embodiments of elemental energy in the form of bouncy gelatinous blobs with big, round eyes. There's a variant for each of the seven elements, each of which comes in small and large sizes. They're one of the game's {{Mascot Mook}}s, and there are even official slime plushies.
61	* ''VideoGame/GianaSistersDS'': Jellyfishes look like adorable, spherical blue blobs with two googly eyes floating inside their liquid bodies.
62	* ''VideoGame/GoingUnder'': The Emoozi slimes are actually nastier people than the demons; they're the ones who were contributing to its harassing work environment (they're the slimy members).
63	* ''VideoGame/JimmyAndThePulsatingMass'':
64	** The first fight in the game is a Revolting Blob, a green blob of goo that manifested itself in Buck's room. After its defeat, Jimmy gets an ability to turn into Revolting Blob himself to aggravate enemies into attacking him, and to leak into hard-to-reach places.
65	** On the more basic variety of "generic basic enemy blob of slime", Slimes frequently appear as enemies in the Everchip area, as a part of its nature as an {{homage}}[=/=]AffectionateParody of 8-bit[=/=]16-bit fantasy [=RPGs=]. The Bookworm's Knowledge even states that "they are used for standard hero training in the Everchip".
66	* ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'' has the Flantastic Seven, which are a family of friendly flan-shaped Heartless with yellow custard bodies, brown caramel hair, and a crown adorned with one of seven fruits. Summoning them with the "Boinnng!" Command allows you to take on their minigame challenges for a chance to earn exclusive Ingredients; if you find them all and complete their minigames, you get an Orichalcum+, one of the materials necessary needed to create the [[InfinityPlusOneSword Ultima Weapon]].
67	* One of the many JRPG parodies in the Penultimate Fantasy Airship in ''VideoGame/KingdomOfLoathing'', the Irritating Series of Random Encounters enemy appears as a large group of what appear to be exact copies of the slimes from ''Dragon Quest''.
68	* Gooey from ''VideoGame/KirbysDreamLand3'' highly resembles Akira Toriyama's slimes, right down to the googly eyes and red smiley face, but with the addition of an OverlyLongTongue.
69	* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrails'':
70	** ''VideoGame/TrailsInTheSky - The 3rd'': A Slime Lump is a living lump of slime. It'll let out a shout that power up enemies when defeated.
71	** ''VideoGame/TrailsFromZero'': The Frost Slime is a bright blue enemy with a shell in its body.
72	* ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'':
73	** Chuchus are usually ugly blob monsters, but they were given a somewhat cuter makeover for ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker''. They come in many different colors, some with different abilities. The Buzz Blobs from most games are walking slimes with big eyes, they'll electrocute you if you try to attack them with your sword, with ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaLinksAwakening'', ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheMinishCap'', and ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTriForceHeroes'' featuring giant versions of these slime mooks as minibosses that attacks with lightning.
74	** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'': Slimes appear whenever Link uses Magic Powder on enemies, turning them into tiny slimes with a plant on their head.
75	** ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask'': The Mad Jelly is a mini-boss where it's an enormous slime that moves around as Link battles with a Gekko.
76	** The Zols and Gels of ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI'' and the Bits and Bots of ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink'' certainly have the shape and bounciness down pat, but ''just'' missed the cuteness that really solidified the trope. Like the Chuchus, the Zols and Gels were given a cuter makeover for ''Link's Awakening'', the ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOracleGames Oracle Games]]'' and the ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaFourSwords'' games.
77	* ''VideoGame/MapleStory'' has its own slimes that are green, have starry eyes, catlike mouths, and long antennae.
78	* The Jellies, the slime equivalent in ''VideoGame/{{Miitopia}}'' are mostly pretty cute, being small and rather weak enemies. They tend to either have smiling mouths or eyes, but usually not both.
79	* The cubical Slimes in ''Videogame/{{Minecraft}}'' can potentially be one of the first enemies you run into if you spawn in or near a swamp, and will often be in one of the smaller, easier to manage sizes. The smallest slimes are in fact completely harmless and be kept as 'pets' if you lure it all the way back to your base and give it a name tag.
80	* Jells resemble a humanoid blob monster in most ''VideoGame/MonsterRancher'' games, but were given a cuter makeover in ''Monster Rancher 3'' with a more gumdrop-shaped body and black, beady eyes. According to the in-game lore, this is actually the monster's original form, but became more humanoid over the years after being exposed to humans, as ''3'' is a {{prequel}} to the other games.
81	* In ''VideoGame/MoonRemixRPGAdventure'', the Slymy is a mollusk which jiggle-hops up and down as it moves. It greatly enjoys when the player pinch its little tippy-top part with its fingers.
82	* The Dogoos in ''VideoGame/{{Neptunia}}'' are a much more direct parody, [[ReferenceOverdosed given the nature of the games]]. Much like the original Dragon Quest slimes, they come in metal and even jellyfish-like heal variants. The difference? They have adorable puppy dog ears and snouts.
83	* ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' has multiple BlobMonster {{mons}}, but Ditto most closely resembles the ones in ''Dragon Quest''. A VoluntaryShapeshifter, it's shown in [[Anime/PokemonTheSeries the anime]] and TheMerch that it always keeps its beady eyes and goofy smile no matter what it transforms into.
84	* The titular Puyo of ''VideoGame/PuyoPuyo'' played the typical RPG slime role in the original ''VideoGame/MadouMonogatari'' games, but became a core gameplay element [[GenreShift when the series became a puzzle game]]. There are many different types of Puyo with different effects, but the basic idea is to stack and match colored puyos while sending garbage puyo to hinder your opponents.
85	* ''VideoGame/PuzzleAndDragons'' has low level and adorable slime monsters for each element that can also evolve into bigger forms while retaining their cuteness.
86	* ''VideoGame/RagnarokOnline'' has the Porings, a weak MascotMook which are pink and have catlike mouths along with bubbles coming out of its head.
87	* ''VideoGame/RecettearAnItemShopsTale'' has cutesy slimes in various colors as the most basic of enemies.
88	* ''VideoGame/RiskOfRain'': Gups are big orange slime creatures with adorable faces, clover-like antennae and tiny curved legs.
89	* ''VideoGame/SlimeRancher'' is all about raising a variety of cute, smiling slimes. Even the ones that are dangerous, either passively or because they've turned feral, are rather cute. Subverted with [[TheVirus The Tarr]] who aren't even remotely cute, and are the only genuinely aggressive and dangerous threat in the game.
90	* The protagonist of the action platformer ''VideoGame/SlimeSan'' is one of these, and even leaves trails of goo wherever he goes.
91	* The Blobs in ''VideoGame/{{Snailiad}}''. As Snaily progresses he encounters different coloured blobs which take more hits, culminating with the BossInMookClothing Devil Blob.
92	* ''VideoGame/SongsForAHero'': Slime mooks are one of the enemies found in the third, sixth, seventh and eight levels, being cute, passive smiling green blobs that harm the Hero by touch. Most notably, they are the only enemies in the game that cannot be harmed by the Hero's ball of fire, simply catching fire and ignoring it (what can be useful to lighten dark places).
93	* Slimes in ''VideoGame/StardewValley'' are round and have cute, simplistic faces. Green Slimes are some of the weakest enemies in the game, but there are [[UndergroundMonkey other colors]] of Slimes that are stronger.
94	* ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros''
95	** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld2YoshisIsland'': Slimes appear disguised as platforms until Yoshi touches them, which makes them morph into their actual form. Slime Drops are smaller versions which fall from the ceiling in "droplet" form.
96	** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine'': Swoopin' Stus are tiny blobs that emerge from surrounding goop, they move rather slowly and only jump towards Mario when they're near him.
97	** In ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiBowsersInsideStory'', Spike Blops are tiny slime creatures wearing a Spiny shell.
98	* ''VideoGame/{{Terraria}}'' has many slimes of various colors appear as enemies. They all mostly take a form of a semi-transparent droplet without any visible features. They also have [[KingMook two boss versions]]: King Slime, and its [[UpgradedBoss more difficult]] DistaffCounterpart, Queen Slime. The various Town Slimes play the trope straighter, being an assortment of friendly, harmless slimes with facial features and accessories that will move into homes like [=NPCs=].
99	* Moldsmal is one of the first enemies you'll run into in ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}'', and looks like a relatively harmless jello mold. It's also very easy to befriend.
100	* ''VideoGame/VoyageOfTheEldritch'': Samuel The Slime can multiply himself in this fashion, and some of his copies look adorable.
101	[[/folder]]
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103	[[folder:Visual Novels]]
104	* Slime from ''VisualNovel/DotKareshi'' is one of [[ReferenceOverdosed many shoutouts]] to ''Dragon Quest'' and Eastern [=RPGs=] in general, although this being an otome game, he takes the form of [[SlimeGirl a cute human boy]].
105	[[/folder]]
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107	[[folder:Webcomics]]
108	* Lime the Slime from ''Webcomic/MonstersCanBeHeroesToo''. Upon meeting her, Coal is so charmed that she forgets she was supposed to kill a slime and brings her back instead.
109	* ''Webcomic/{{Swords}}'': Bathad's Blade's soul usually appears like this. The [[OneWordVocabulary only word]] is can say is "Stab" with different inflections.
110	* The Jellese/jellies in ''Webcomic/UnicornJelly'' are visually based on these.
111	[[/folder]]
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113	[[folder:Web Original]]
114	* VideoGame/{{Ovipets}}: One of the available species of pets are Slimes, which are simple blob-like creatures (although mutations can make their appearances more complex).
115	[[/folder]]

Context Main / CuteSlimeMook