MyAnimeList - Goblins in Anime & Manga (General)

Goblins appear across a wide spectrum of anime and manga, from serious dark fantasy to comedy. Notable appearances include: Goblin Slayer (the most famous dark take on goblins); Overlord (goblins as summoned monsters, including the Goblin General empowered by a magic horn); Re:Monster (a protagonist reincarnated as a goblin who builds a goblin empire); That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime (goblins and hobgoblins as early allies); Rokka no Yuusha (goblins as part of the monster army); The Rising of the Shield Hero (goblins as early-level enemies that grow into a threat); DanMachi (goblins appear in the dungeon as low-level monsters); Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash (realistic depiction of goblins as dangerous creatures that new adventurers struggle to defeat); Goblin Is Very Strong (comedic take on goblin reincarnation); and many isekai series where goblins serve as introductory enemies. The portrayal of goblins in anime typically inherits from their Western fantasy roots—small, green-skinned, crude, and often violent—but Japanese media has added unique twists such as goblin reincarnation (tensei) stories and the 'cute goblin girl' subgenre.