Fans waiting for the next chapter of Rimuru‘s story will need to be patient a little longer. The production team behind That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4 just announced a change to the schedule. The regular episode set for May 1, 2026, is not airing. Instead, a special recap program will take its place due to what the staff calls scheduling reasons.
This news comes as the popular isekai anime continues its run on Crunchyroll and Japanese networks. The fourth season started on April 3, 2026, as part of the Spring 2026 anime lineup. This season is special because the studio plans to air it for five cours, making it the longest run in the series history.
Episode 5 Release Faces One Week Push Back
The original plan was to release That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4 Episode 5 on May 1 in Japan. But the NTV channel and its 28 affiliated networks will not broadcast the new episode that day. The production committee confirmed this change on April 14, 2026, without giving detailed reasons.
So when does That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4 Episode 5 come out? According to multiple sources, the new episode will likely release on May 8, 2026. This means a one-week delay from the original date. The break is not because of production problems or quality issues. The conflict comes from the Japanese television network schedule.
The show airs on NTV’s “Friday Anime Night” block at 11:00 p.m. JST. It also streams on BS11 and other platforms. Crunchyroll simulcasts the series for international audiences in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, India and worldwide.
Special Recap Episode Replaces Regular Broadcast
The team did not leave the time slot empty. On May 2, 2026, at 10:00 p.m. JST, BS11 will air a one-hour special program. This special is called Season 4: Dissection Manual.
The special brings together Miho Okasaki, the voice actor for Rimuru Tempest, and presenter Haruka Mori. They will look back at the story so far and talk about what is coming in the latest season. The program runs for 30 minutes and gives fans a deeper understanding of the plot.
The special episode is designed to enhance the viewing experience for fans. It will cover key events from Season 4, important plot points and terminology, foreshadowing for upcoming arcs, and personal favorite scenes from the cast.
This is not just a simple filler. The makers want to make sure viewers still have something to enjoy while waiting for the next episode.
Film Release Offers Slime Content on May 1
There is some good news for fans marking May 1 on their calendars. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Tears of the Azure Sea, the new movie in the franchise, arrives in theaters in the United States and Canada exactly on May 1.
The movie will play with both Japanese and English audio options. So while the TV episode is delayed, fans can still get their Slime fix at the cinema.
Also Read:
Season 4 Structure and What Makes This Delay Different
This fourth season is the most ambitious project for the series so far. The team at Studio 8-Bit planned it to run for five cours. Two cours are airing consecutively in 2026, with three more scheduled for the next couple of years. A single cour is about 12 to 13 episodes. Five cours means more than a year of nearly non-stop episodes.
The delay of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 4 Episode 5 matters more because of this long schedule. Any break in the flow can worry fans. But the production team gave reassurance that the special episode will help, not hurt, the viewing experience.
Season 4 is building up to a conflict between Rimuru and the nation of Tempest against a new faction. The story has been moving toward this fight for some time. The recap episode will help viewers keep track of all the important details before the action continues.
The series first started as a web novel by Fuse on the “Shōsetsuka ni Narō” website from 2013 to 2016. It has since gotten over 400 million page views. Micro Magazine began publishing the print version with art by Mitz Vah in 2014. The main novel series ended with its 23rd and final volume on November 29.
For more updates on anime releases and schedule changes, keep reading VvipTimes for the latest news from the entertainment world.
