Dungeon Meshi
Delicious in Dungeon

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Dungeon Meshi has been a wonderful, overwhelmingly well-orchestrated rollercoaster of emotions; one I just couldn't get tired of.

It started as a relatively simple (at least that was the impression) sword-and-sorcery parody meant to deconstruct the concept of eating monsters. It really is disgusting if you think about it for a moment, isn't it? Would you love to eat a rabid dog chasing you, or a snake about to bite you? That's the kind of mental struggle the characters had to go through at the beginning.

And it would be perfectly alright if it had stayed just that: a comedy around eating disgusting things. But the story ... eventually evolved into a compelling adventure where the procurement of food is not a comedic gimmick, but a unifying theme around which characters are exposed and relationships develop. And the best part? By the way you make it to the halfway point, you begin to realize everything has been planned and foreshadowed from the very beginning.

It bears repeating that Ryoko Kui is an incredible talent. She is very well-versed in both human and animal psychology, and the command she has over her characters is undeniable. Their interpersonal dynamics are some of the best I've ever seen in any story. They feel familiar but don't conform to any stereotypes; they are completely distinct from each other but have instant onscreen chemistry. And their behavior is one hundred percent convincing, true to established character traits and informed by their past experiences.

These experiences are the key to everything, and I can't get enough of the grace and finesse with which every character's development is presented. Every event the party goes through has long-term consequences. Every little thing remains in their memory as the author is meticulously tracking every aspect of the dungeon's closed ecosystem. A bar of "very good" soap is lost in volume 1, which is noticed in volume 3, and then it is found in volume 7, leading to a bath scene, leading in turn to another bonding experience for the party. The author will never fall so low as to beat you over the head with verbal descriptions of the characters' growth: she just shows you the gradual progress as it happens, both cause and effect, and trusts your intelligence to connect the dots. It's depressing how rarely I see authors in traditionally pop-entertainment genres show so much respect for the audience.

The exact same reverence is given to the setting. Although it can be easy to dismiss it as another banality inspired by Tolkien and Dungeons and Dragons, that would be missing the forest for the trees: the depth of fantasy and mythology lore explored and the precision of weaving it into the setting is well on par with the best works in the genre (and I'm not talking just about manga!) and opens new perspectives even for die-hard fantasy fans. The dungeon inhabitants' physical attributes are articulated in a unique style and follow the internal logic of the story. Kui has a *lot* of shorter stories and random designs showcasing her love for mythical creatures.

This goes lengths to show passionate research put into it and makes for a lot of interesting and often gut-busting interactions among the cast. And the fact that no experience is ever truly lost with the group leads to a lot of sitcom-like comedy that naturally emerges when well-written, quirky characters are put together in any sort of unusual scenario. The humor emerges naturally from their personalities and the audience's memory of their past experience. Organic setups pay off all by themselves, just like that. Very few stories ever end up in such a desirable state!

The visual comedy is further punctuated by beautiful art. Ryoko Kui isn't just a great writer and fantasy buff—she's also an amazing artist and character designer. You can always infer a character's emotions by looking at their face, allowing for both much tighter comedic timing and more diligent adherence to the 'show, don't tell' principle. The designs themselves are fantastic; they're never cutesy in the typical moe way, they are highly physically-accurate, and they grow on you so much you wouldn't want to change them for anything. Even orcs look appealing in their own way. If you can gain access to volume releases and supplementary materials, there are pages upon pages of top-tier designs, such as imagining the same characters as different sex or fantasy race. And yeah, there's not even a hint of deliberate fan service. The author evidently respects her craft far too much to pander and compromise the narrative's tone and message just for titillation; instead she opts to engage the audience by the means any good story should. And engage it does.

Throughout it all, Dungeon Meshi never abandons its food focus: all the monster dishes are unique, original, look hella tasty, and always feel appropriate for the circumstances. Again, the range is incredible: it's used as a comedic relief after a tense situation, to make a point by one character to another, to assert a victory over a tough enemy, to soothe a troubled heart... What seemed like a mere fun gimmick at first has proven to be a potent narrative tool that subtly enriched the story without forcing it into a repeating formula.

If all of that sounds like I'm just endlessly heaping praise upon this manga, well, it's because that's exactly what I'm doing. It's *that* good. It starts out unassuming and then just keeps punching far above its weight while making it look effortless and not messing up in the process. It sucks you in before you even realize how good it really is in everything it does. It's a rare miracle of a fun and endearing adventure story about a tightly-knit, lovable group of characters on a quest to save their friend and explore the intricacies of self-sustenance in a dungeon, with incredible art and a satisfying ending. And I wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone.

(Trigger, pls, make the adaptation deserving of the source material!)

First, let's talk about the one good thing about this manga, and really there is only one good thing: attention to detail. The author has clearly put a lot of effort into making the world-setting coherent, and making the characters and politics feel realistic. I agree with the other reviewers that the characters in this manga feel realistic.

Now, let's talk about the bad. Initially, the story was the MC and his team fighting monsters, sometimes using clever and non-conventional tactics based on the rules of the setting. That was fun and exciting and it made sense in the context of the setting. But as ... the manga dragged on, the plot just veered off in nonsensical direction, with the protagonists fighting the dungeon master who was practically a god, using tactics and logic that felt like they shouldn't work but somehow they do? I have to say that the story felt more and more unrealistic and nonsensical as it went on. The MC is a goofy type, who is only obsessed with researching monsters and cooking them, and not really interested in politics (at least that's the way it comes across in the manga). If events had proceeded more logically, then most likely the ending would not have been a happy one for the MC. But, a series of happy coincidences resulted in a happy ending for the MC. I didn't like that.

Another thing I didn't like about this manga was that there was too much cooking. Pages upon pages filled with nothing but dialogue about the cooking and eating of fantasy monsters. In the beginning it was okay, I thought maybe this was just some comedy joke thing, but as the manga went on, it got worse and worse. As the series neared its end, there were more and more pages in each chapter that was purely just cooking and eating monsters. Pages upon pages of characters just talking about eating fantasy creatures. It became increasingly tedious and boring for me but I powered through it and got to the end at last. Now, don't get me wrong, I like eating food as much as anyone. But I cannot stand a manga that was literally just about eating food.

I don't often give the “Not Recommended” tag, but I'll be honest: I do not believe Dungeon Meshi is worth the read. While it presents interesting morals and a unique take on exploring dungeons, and does have its upsides, there are plenty of better reads out there.

With that said, let’s explore what this manga is about and the themes it seeks to convey. We’ll discuss whether the beginning is misleading, how it approaches its key themes, and how effectively it utilizes the major elements of the medium to tell its story.

So, what is this show about?

At its core, Dungeon Meshi deals with the dichotomy between ... desire and death, which, within its setting of food and dungeons, is not a bad idea. Food, as the most basic representation of desire, ties into the theme naturally, while dungeons—a staple of danger and reward in fantasy—become the perfect backdrop for exploring this concept.

The idea itself is solid, and the manga delivers a surprising level of realism, especially with the meals and detailed monster biology. However, by the end, this realism begins to fall apart, and the themes are too shallow to make up for it. Desire versus death is one of the most thought-provoking themes in literature, but Dungeon Meshi ultimately doesn't add anything new to the conversation. At best, it serves as another metaphor, but not one that leaves a lasting impact.

First things later, let’s talk art direction.

There’s nothing particularly unique in terms of character design. While it might stand out compared to some other anime or manga, most characters resemble generic class templates you'd find in an older RPG. Their race characteristics are exaggerated, and few characters truly feel distinct.

On the positive side, some panels are beautifully detailed, especially when it comes to the food, which is mouthwateringly rendered and supports the core theme. The art picks up toward the conclusion, offering a better balance between “meh” and impressive panels. Unfortunately, the flow of the panels is inconsistent, which might hurt the pacing for some readers.

In terms of world-building, Dungeon Meshi's art doesn't particularly excel, but the focus on monster biology adds a unique touch.

So, how does it start?

The first volume is dense, with a lot of text and some creative, albeit not very fluid, paneling. It does have a more episodic nature than the last volumes, but does reflect a good portion of the narrative, which has a similar structure.

The quality is inconsistent, too. The first volume isn’t quite a masterpiece, but is pretty good. However, the series pivots direction multiple times, making it somewhat misleading for new readers. You might enjoy the start but dislike what comes later, so I can't confidently recommend using the first volume to gauge the whole series.

What about the characters?

The characters feel quite artificial. Somehow, they know very little about their fellow adventurers, and when they do know something, it often feels contrived. They keep secrets from one another without any real reason and share personal information without any caution. This becomes particularly jarring since there’s nothing in their personalities that justifies this behavior, and it even contradicts the traits of certain characters.

Miscommunication is almost a theme in this manga. Many plot points hinge on characters failing to communicate. While it works for someone like Laius (the main guy) due to his bashful nature, it doesn’t make sense for calmer, more collected characters. The narrative takes unnecessary detours because of these forced miscommunications.

What about the story itself?

The story is primarily episodic. You encounter a monster, learn about its biology and habits, then enjoy a well-drawn, tasty meal. That’s the formula, though eventually, the manga starts moving away from it. Some episodes take longer to get to the meal, while others focus on political matters or an important foe that needs to be dealt with.

Despite its flaws, the immersion is fairly strong, especially when it comes to the inner workings of the dungeon and the monsters’ way of life.

Then, what did I think of it as a whole?

Dungeon Meshi offers an average plot with well-executed realism and solid immersion, but its glaring flaws—especially in character development and thematic depth—hold it back. It ultimately relies too much on its core themes, and unfortunately, they don’t carry enough weight to make the experience truly worthwhile.