Shion Gets the Spotlight While Rimuru Is Busy Elsewhere
The episode synopsis and nine preview stills, published by Japanese entertainment news site Dengeki Online ahead of the September 18, 2026 broadcast, put Rimuru's secretary at the center of the episode. The setup is simple: Rimuru and his allies are working to get Chloe and Hinata back, and that leaves Shion and Ranga to keep Razul (ラズル) occupied on their own.
The synopsis doesn't pretend it's a fair matchup. It describes the difference in strength as overwhelming, and the hook of the episode is that Shion doesn't give up anyway. Instead, she evolves her ability mid-fight. What that evolution looks like, and whether it's enough to turn the fight, is not spelled out in the preview.
M.A.O (Iris in Fire Force, Pecorine in Princess Connect! Re:Dive) has voiced Shion since the first season, and Chikahiro Kobayashi (Legoshi in Beastars) returns as Ranga, the star wolf who serves as Rimuru's mount and bodyguard. Razul's voice actor isn't listed in the preview materials.
On the production side, Hitomi Ogawa, who handles series composition for the season, also wrote this episode's script. Storyboards are credited to 大塚健 (likely Ken Ōtsuka), with episode direction by 江副仁美 (likely Hitomi Ezoe).
Where the Episode Sits in the Granbell Storyline
Season 4 picks up after the Founding Festival, with Tempest building diplomatic relationships and working toward a world where humans and monsters can live side by side. Standing against that is Granbell Rosso, a former hero who leads the Five Elders of the Kingdom of Siltrosso, and his granddaughter Mariabell. The pair believe humanity is best protected through control, and their schemes put them on a collision course with Rimuru. Daisuke Ono voices Granbell and Inori Minase voices Mariabell.
The season's official introduction also points to Demon Lord Leon making a move in the golden city of El Dorado, and to a hero on the verge of awakening. The episode title, "Granbell's Hope," keeps the focus on the Rosso side of the story.
Episode 23 follows directly on the September 11 episode listed in English as "Where the Soul Resides." How the two connect beyond the rescue setup in the synopsis is something we'll see in the episode itself.
Season 4's Five-Cour Plan
This is a long one. Season 4 is structured as a split five-cour run, with the first two cours airing back to back. The first began April 3, 2026 in Nippon TV's FRIDAY ANIME NIGHT slot (Fridays at 11 p.m. across 30 stations), with BS11 airing each episode on Saturdays. The second cour started July 3, 2026.
Eight Bit, the studio behind every season of the series so far, is animating again, with Naokatsu Tsuda directing and Ryōma Ebata on character designs. R・O・N composes the music, and Jin Aketagawa is sound director.
Miho Okasaki continues as Rimuru, alongside Megumi Toyoguchi as Raphael, the Lord of Wisdom, Tomoaki Maeno as Veldora, Takahiro Sakurai as Diablo and Manami Numakura as Hinata. Natsuki Hanae voices Yuuki.
The anime adapts the manga by Taiki Kawakami, based on Fuse's novels with character designs by Mitz Vah, serialized in Kodansha's Monthly Shonen Sirius.
Looking Ahead
Episode 24, the 96th episode overall, is scheduled for September 25, 2026 and closes out the second cour. There's no date yet for the remaining three cours of Season 4.
Crunchyroll streams Season 4 in North America, Central and South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, the CIS and Southeast Asia, with new episodes arriving after the Japanese broadcast. The manga is available in English from Kodansha, and Fuse's original light novels are published by Yen Press.
The full preview gallery for Episode 23 is up on Dengeki Online.