Kurobe

Kurobe (黒兵衛) is an Oni and is the top blacksmith of the Jura Tempest Federation.

Appearance
He looks like a pretty-average middle-aged man after being named, which Rimuru comments on and manages to feel some level of kinship to given his past life.

Personality
Despite his fierce Ogre appearance and muscular build, he tends to be soft spoken, kind and polite. He was a former smith in the Ogre village with an obvious love for the Forge. Among the six ogres that joined Rimuru, Kurobe felt lost and unneeded until a chance meeting with the dwarf Kaijin working a forge nearby, and was immediately entranced and befriended him. Upon becoming a Kijin the next day, his whole personality shifted again from stoic to downtrodden to happy and hopeful, and swore to Rimuru to forge him the best weapons he could make.

Background
Before the Orc War, Kurobe was the master blacksmith in the Orge village. After the Orcs devastated the village, he was among the six survivors who journeyed through the Great Jura Forest until they encountered Rimuru. Seeing him with a magic mask, recalling an individual with a similar presentation, the Orges attacked seeking to avenge their slain brethren. Despite aiding his friends, Rimuru halted his advance with Paralyzing Breath and he was out of commission until the fighting ended. Thankfully, Shuna's diplomacy convinced everyone to stop fighting and Rimuru proved his innocent of any correlation to their village's destruction.

With the Ogres invited to stay in Rimuru's village, Kurobe wandered the location for a time in a depression until he met Kaijin, and the two developed a fast friendship with both being blacksmiths. The following day, Rimuru granted him the name Kurobe and he evolved into a Kijin, with his evolution altering his physical form. As Rimuru recovered for a few days after naming the six newly evolved Kijin, Kurobe spent time with Kaijin in the forge developing materials and equipment for the hobgoblins, greeting his master upon his awakening. Kurobe later participated in the war room discussion about the advancing Orc Army, and was present when the Dryad, Treyni, petitioned Rimuru to intercede on her behalf, and Kurobe equipped the Goblin Riders with gear and weapons for their battle.

Trivia

 * There is a franchise-wide running gag involving Kurobe where he is never featured on the cover of the light novels or manga, including spin-offs. Even in the anime, he is never shown in the openings aside from one shot that shows him in the background while walking, though even in that case his face happens to be hidden by a tree branch that prevents the audience from seeing his face.
 * Many of his works have reached Legendary status in such a short time, that many people call him the "Legend Forge-Talker." But upon hearing of this moniker, Kurobe mistakes it for someone else and makes a personal pledge to 'beat him' in forging things, not realizing that he is hearing of his own renown.
 * A constant gag in the series and spin offs is that he and Kaijin often spend hours talking about Blacksmithing, with gusto and passion, much to the bored onlooker; usually Rimuru, but occasionally others who are just trying to find a way to leave politely.
 * Despite being the weakest Kijin; his physical strength and stamina are ludicrous, often surprising other characters when he single handily brought thirty tons of metal a kilometer away to his forge with his hands alone. He has no fighting spirit, or is particular good at much else, but he is a master of the forge.
 * Another recurring gag is of him forging ridiculously well-graded common items or overworking and making an eldritch sword of excellent caliber. Things that he made a little too good include: a Garden Hoe, a Kitchen Knife, a Butter Knife, as well as a Fork and Spoon set for Veldora-- who was scooping up some ice cream and took half the table with it.

Gallery
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