Delicious In Dungeon is what happens when you cross a Dungeons & Dragons campaign with the Asian Food Channel. It’s a concept that is so absurd it works: a dungeon party have to make a return trip to rescue their cleric from being digested slowly by a red dragon. However, since they’re on borrowed time and limited resources, the leader Laios has the brilliant idea of cooking and eating monsters while on their rescue mission. Spellcaster Marcille is opposed to the idea while thief Chilchuck rolls with the punches. The team also manages to recruit Senshi, an explorer who is a 10-year expert in monster-hunting & cooking.

Cue many animations and still shots of food dishes prepared usually accompanied by a lot of culinary exposition, a couple of fights here and there, and impeccable comic timing. Even if this is the debut episode, Delicious In Dungeon (or Dungeon Meshi) delights and makes a darn good first impression. The group dynamic is present, with Marcille being the normal one of the bunch and her reactions being the highlight of this first episode (and understandably so). The show’s editing style may seem a bit modern and “jump cut-ish” for some -this Trigger-animated show feels more like a compilation of YouTube vignettes upon multiple viewings- but so far, it does make me invested and hope that the show uses its food-channel-meets-fantasy-fighting trope in creative ways.

At the very least, the show’s budget is used well for its food porn segments. And who doesn’t love a good Bump Of Chicken opening song in their fantasy anime? It remains to be seen if the rest of the series will address the dire situation they’re in, but so far the show is leaning towards enjoying the finest of fictional culinary delights out of monster corpses & husks.

A note about the game’s English dub: it’s not too shabby. Emily Rudd (of One Piece live-action fame) does a great job portraying Marcille. Do check out the comparisons below.

Delicious In Dungeon’s debut episode is out on Netflix right now. Subsequent episodes will be out every Thursday night.