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Warning: Contains spoilers for Delicious in Dungeon season 1.2024 opened with the premiere of the latest anime from Studio Trigger,Delicious in Dungeon. The original manga by Ryoko Kui developed a sizeable fanbase over the years thanks to itscomedic and insightful approach to fantasy, and with how eccentric the animation in Studio Trigger’s projects tends to be, they seemed to be a perfect fit for the adaptation.
Delicious in Dungeonseason 1 has just finished its run, and sure enough, it perfectly lived up to all the hype surrounding it. Between the high quality of Ryoko Kui’s writing and Studio Trigger’s flare,Delicious in Dungeonseason 1 was a fantasy story with incredible writing and visuals from start to finish,and Studio Trigger’s best anime in years.
Delicious in Dungeonseason 2was announced immediately after the season 1 finale, and if it’s of the same caliber as season 1, then the show could go down as one of the greatest fantasy anime ever.
Delicious in Dungeon’s Comedy Prevails in Every Episode
One of the Funniest Anime to Watch Right Now
One of the biggest selling points ofDelicious in Dungeonhas always been its comedy, and it succeeds on all fronts. The joke surrounding the characters having to eat monsters and Laios’ neverending enthusiasm towards the idea always makes for a lot of laughs. Beyond that,the dialogue and character interactions inDelicious in Dungeonare always a great source of comedy, with everyone always saying, doing, or reacting to something in a hilarious and over-the-top way.
The art and animation ofDelicious in Dungeonplay a big part in selling the comedy, as well. While it’s never as cartoonish as some ofStudio Trigger’s best anime, likely due to not being an original work,the visuals inDelicious in Dungeonalways have a level of fluidity that perfectly complements the comedy, whether that be physical comedy or through how someone reacts to something ridiculous happening in the scene. Thanks to that, the visuals, themselves, are often a major source of comedy inDelicious in Dungeon, making every episode a delight to behold.
Delicious in Dungeon’s Animation Is Some of Studio Trigger’s Best
Studio Trigger Made Delicious in Dungeon as Gorgeous as Possible
Beyond the comedic elements, the visuals inDelicious in Dungeonare simply great to look at. As is always the case with Studio Trigger,the art and animation ofDelicious in Dungeonalways make for highly detailed and creative scenery; the fight scenes are where that’s the most noticeable, of course, but even the more laidback scenes of the characters just talking always have a lot of care put into them. Even when it’s a more serious moment, the visuals are always one of the best parts ofDelicious in Dungeon, and with any luck, that will not change in the next season.
Delicious in Dungeon’s Worldbuilding Is Fantasy Writing at Its Finest
Delicious in Dungeon Knows How to Build a Fantasy World
What truly makesDelicious in Dungeonso great, of course, is its writing, much of which stems from its stellar worldbuilding. As much of a constant joke it is that the main characters have to eat monsters to survive,Delicious in Dungeonalways takes the time to explore the biology of the monsters in its world, both to explain the right ways to eat them and to elaborate on how the monsters fight and are supposed to be killed. Because of that, every fight and cooking scene in season 1 can play out without a hint of mundanity.
Another great testament toDelicious in Dungeon’s worldbuildingis through the execution of the races of its world. Like many fantasy stories,Delicious in Dungeonis one with a variety of races, but rather than leave it at that,Delicious in Dungeondoes a lot to explore the ins and outs of how every fantasy race works. The last two episodes of season 1 did an especially great job of that when the main characters all swapped races and had to deal with everyone’s strengths and weaknesses, and that sort of clever writing will hopefully be maintained in season 2.
Delicious in Dungeon’s handling of fantasy races also plays into the unique political elements of the story.The titular dungeon has a lot of people from various races invested in the potential profits that it can deliver, and the fighting that arises from that is taken even further by the complicated relations the races have with each other, most of which stem from the antagonism of the elves. Between the monsters and the races, there are few fantasy stories with as thorough worldbuilding asDelicious in Dungeon.
Delicious in Dungeon Always Knows When to Take Itself Seriously
Delicious in Dungeon Is More than Just a Comedy
Something that also makes the writing inDelicious in Dungeonso great is how well it has a handle on tone. While the anime is largely a comedy, between elements like the aforementioned political elements, Falin’s resurrection and mutation into a chimera, andSenshi’s tragic backstory,Delicious in Dungeonalways knows when to put the comedy on hold for more serious storytelling, all of which is executed just as flawlessly as the comedy.
That same handling of differing tones is also present in the anime’s genuinely heartwarming moments. As much as they all might fight and argue,Delicious in Dungeonalways takes the time to show how much the main characters care about each otherand how easy it is for them to care about others in their own way. The bonds Laios and his friends share never fail to add a lot of heart to the series, and with occasional moments of seriousness,Delicious in Dungeonis an anime that has a perfect understanding of what tone it needs to take.
Delicious in Dungeon’s Characters Make Every Episode a Delight to Watch
One of the Best Casts in a Studio Trigger Anime
That sort of character work is always a hallmark of great writing, and fortunately, it’s alive and well inDelicious in Dungeon.
Tying every great element ofDelicious in Dungeon season 1 together is the great handling of its characters. While Laios and his friends are initially just a parody of a typical adventuring party,Delicious in Dungeondoes a lot to flesh out its principal cast and make them incredibly layered characters; Laios and Marcille, in particular, gradually become the most developed among the cast through their backstories and greatly varied personalities. It’s thanks in large part to the Touden party that every episode is so great to watch, and it’s hard to imagine the story playing out without their antics.
The rest of the cast inDelicious in Dungeonalso adds a lot of life to the story. Even when someone doesn’t play a large part in the story,Delicious in Dungeonmakes sure to give even its minor characters a lot of personality through their actions and appearances, and because of that, every character manages to be engaging in some way, no matter how little screen time they might receive. That sort of character work is always a hallmark of great writing, and fortunately, it’s alive and well inDelicious in Dungeon.
Delicious in Dungeonis a definite winner for Studio Trigger, so far. The writing for the characters, worldbuilding, and the overarching narrative are just as good in animation as in the original manga, and with Yoshihiro Miyajima’s incredible direction, that’s always brought to life in as spectacular fashion as possible.Delicious in Dungeonseason 1 is an easy contender for 2024’s best anime, and anyfantasy animefan would be remiss to ignore it, especially with season 2 on its way.
Delicious in Dungeon
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Based on the manga series, Delicious in Dungeon is a comedic fantasy series with a cooking emphasis. The series follows the exploits of a guild leader named Laios as he heads into a massive dungeon that contains a sunken kingdom, lured by the promise of untold treasure if he can slay the magician that caused it all.
