Delicious in Dungeon is a new anime series that follows adventurers on a dangerous journey into a dungeon filled with fantastical creatures and gruesome monsters. If you liked Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and maybe even Chopped, this show is for you. The series, airing on Netflix, combines adventure, comedy, and fantasy elements and is based on a long-running Japanese manga, Dungeon Meshi, written and illustrated by Ryōko Kui. Studio Trigger animates the adaptation for the screen, with episodes directed by Yoshihiro Miyajima and written by Kimiko Ueno. This review covers the first six episodes of the show.
The story of Delicious in Dungeon
The story revolves around Laios and his companions, Marcille and Chilchuck. After a failed dungeon raid that resulted in his younger sister Falin Touden being eaten by a Red Dragon, Laios and the remaining members of his party set out to rescue her from being digested by the dragon. The dragon’s digestion cycle takes a month; when that’s up, any hope of resurrecting Falin is gone. So, there’s a strong time-pressure element to the story. Falin (voiced by Lisa Reimold in English) does her best to help Laios and the party – among her abilities is the unique one to communicate with ghosts. She uses this power to protect the party and stop corpse possessions.
Dungeon crawling isn’t easy. Having lost most of their supplies in the initial raid, the group cannot afford rations. They make the unusual decision to eat monsters they encounter in the dungeon. Thus, the “delicious” part of Delicious in Dungeon. Interestingly, Laios is very excited to try different monster meals, which can cause him to be tactless sometimes. It contrasts his strong fighter personality. Damien Haas, a Smosh cast member, Twitch streamer, and decorated voice actor, voices the English dub for Laios. If I’m being honest, I started watching the show because he was cast in the show.
Marcille Donato (voiced in English by Emily Rudd) is a cautious half-elf magician and an original member of Laios’ party, who wields a wooden staff and can use various forms of magic. Under no circumstances does she want to eat the monsters. Marcille is like the person who only orders chicken tenders and french fries at a new restaurant. But she is proficient with performing complicated and high-power spells to help her party during their adventure.
Chilchuck Tims (voiced in English by Casey Mongillo) is a halfling, a locksmith and an original member of Laios’ party. He has good dexterity and keen senses, which he uses to disable traps, locate hidden pathways, and pickpocket for the group. Chilchuk thinks that Laios’ fascination with eating monsters is annoying, but he cares about the party. He’s skilled in finding traps, but he doesn’t like asking for help and will avoid fighting if he can.
Senshi (voiced by SungWon Cho) is a dwarf warrior who joins the party after their horrible attempt at cooking a monster scorpion. We meet him in the first episode Hot Pot/Tart. He’s been in the dungeon for ten years and has helped keep the ecosystem balanced. He’s also a master monster chef.
The visual style of Delicious in Dungeon is very vibrant and detailed animation, which brings to life the mystical world of the series. It’s no wonder that Trigger, the studio behind it, is the same one responsible for Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. Dungeon features a unique and whimsical art style that compliments the lighthearted comedy throughout the story. The character designs are expressive and capture the different personalities of the adventurers. I love the charm and appeal of the series and how the different colors and textures in animation make it an immersive series. The anime takes time to appreciate, prepare, and explore food as the characters navigate the dungeon and rely on its resources for sustenance.
The theme of survival is prominent in Delicious in Dungeon as the adventurers encounter different monsters, like ghosts, man-eating plants, basilisk, kensuke and so many more! As they explore the dungeon, it forces them to adapt and find ways to survive. Moreover, they get the chance to discover new tastes and culinary dishes within this magical setting. Laios’ party must work together and utilize different skills to gather resources, fight monsters, and get to the Red Dragon in time to save Falin. In addition to the themes, what I love the most is the balance between the characters and watching them move through interesting new environments. There are just so many different levels to the dungeon.
Delicious in Dungeon is an exemplary show that takes a simple notion of an adventuring party on a tumultuous journey while blending humor, adventure, and culinary themes to make it a compelling story. This fantastical anime will leave audiences in awe of the direction, writing, phenomenal voice acting, visually stunning scenes, and picturesque shots of their otherworldly cuisine. Although all the episodes have yet to be released, Delicious in Dungeon is a must-watch series. With excellent performances of the voice cast, these characters will make you feel right at home in this creepy arse dungeon.
Delicious in Dungeon is now streaming on Netflix.
Did you read the manga that came before Delicious in Dungeon? Does the show sound interesting? Connect with us on X @MoviesWeTexted to let us know.
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