Rating: 5/5 stars
The long-awaited anime adaptation of the manga “Dungeon Meshi,” “Delicious in Dungeon,” has finally arrived. Currently the manga has officially ended with side epilogues by mangaka Ryoko Kui. The animation for the show is being done by Studio Trigger, well-known for shows like “Cyberpunk: Edge Runners,” “Little Witch Academia” and “Promare.”
The plot centers around a party of dungeon crawlers in a battle with a great red dragon. Falin Touden (Lisa Reimold, “Pluto”), a “tallman” (human) healer mage who saves the party but, sadly, becomes consumed by the dragon. When they are returned to the entrance of the dungeon the remaining members are now on the clock and on a mission to save Falin before she is completely digested by the dragon, a seemingly impossible task as the party no longer has any supplies or money to trek back. Laios Touden (Damien Haas, “My Happy Marriage”) the swordsman leader suggests to Marcille Donato (Emily Rudd, “One Piece”), an elf mage, and Chilchuck Tims (Casey Mongillo, “Evangelion”), a halfling locksmith, to eat monsters to sustain themselves. Secretly it seems he is excited to try them to the chagrin of Marcille and Chilchuk. After the first failed attempt at eating walking mushrooms, they meet Senshi (SungWon Cho, “God of War: Ragnarok”), a dwarf who had ten years of experience cooking monsters. The party’s mission is to save Laio’s sister while learning about the dungeon’s ecosystem and the rules of “eat or be eaten.”
“Delicious in Dungeon” stands out from other series primarily due to its unconventional color palette and animation style. While Studio Trigger is renowned for its vibrant and energetic animations, this series takes a departure with its earth-toned, slice-of-life dungeon crawl theme. It marks the studio’s first manga adaptation, and they skillfully blend “bad” animation with breathtaking scenes, a signature move of the studio. Additionally, Ryoko Kui’s character design adds a unique flair to the genre with strong silhouettes and recognizable fantasy races. Even when she changes a character’s race in her drawings, the characters remain distinct. There is an incredible range of body types and sizes.
The series draws inspiration from “Dungeons and Dragons” and “Lord of the Rings” mixed with “Food Network.” This strange combination gives a fresh take on dungeon crawling and how dungeons are explained. A strong ecosystem lies on each floor of the dungeon with new monsters to see and eat—ghosts, living armor, dragons, mimics, mandrake and mermen. It is fun to see how these unconventional creatures are turned into a delicious meal. It is also fun to watch the character’s journey and use unconventional methods to fight monsters.
It is a character-based show and the cast works well together. Laios’ strange behavior and overzealous love of monsters make Marcelle miserable. Senshi’s knowledge and “I don’t care” attitude make Chilchuk angry at times. We see how relatable the crew works together and how it is not always rainbows and sunshine. If you like D&D fantasy stories like no other, this show is a good recommendation.
Image from Netflix
