Dungeon Meshi (Delicious in Dungeon)

I think when people starting to read this manga, it is important to keep in mind that despite how goofy the main characters may act, they are actually highly competent adventurers. It is implied at the start that had the party been in top shape, it would have good a chance taking down the dragon. (Whether they will eat it is another story entirely.)

That's actually a really good thing to mention.

Laius, Marsilla and Chilchack are all VERY good at what they do - Laius oneshots something an ENTIRE PARTY has trouble with, easily handles giant scorpions and more. Marsilla's magical power is IMMENSE, best shown in the Kraken chapter. Chilchack's trap experience and skill with traps is beyond professional.

The three of them are VERY experienced Adventurers. They got down to presumably the fourth floor at the MINIMUM with little trouble and food to spare, and we don't know if the Red Dragon goes between floors, or if it's even DEEPER than that, just that they got out with Escape magic.

The fact that they're so experienced makes the flow of the manga much better - it's not EXCESSIVELY about power levels and leveling up. It's about working hard to get a good meal - a monster meal, and it's absolutely amazing.

Again, I ABSOLUTELY recommend this, good gosh.

New chapter is up:

Even Marsilla got ravenous.

I stopped to laugh when even Marsilla realized that drinking in the undine unprepared would be a bad idea. But hey, adamantium pot!

Also wow, that comment by our halfling friend.

Leave it to Senshi to reshape an Adamantum shield into a pot. Also, Marsilla is being corrupted by Senshi and Laius.

I like how in this chapter Marsilla clearly displays that she's the Heart of the group, Chilchak is tagging along out of contractual obligation, Senshi is motivated by the prospect of cooking the dragon, and Laius is inherently bound because hey, it's his sister (and one can argue he's more drawn by the prospect of eating dungeon monsters in general). Marsilla, on the other hand, is motivated purely by her desire to save Farlyn.

I get the feeling that's just Chilchack trying to keep up his businesslike persona in front of others - which is why he tells Marsilla to avoid acting in ways that cause rumors to spread. If a THIEF/KEYMASTER gets rumors about him doing immense amounts of work pro bono circulating, like he said - no one would end up trusting him at any point, which in his job you have to EXPLICITLY trust the person telling you where to step to avoid spears up your butt and getting cleaved in half.

yaddayadda he's just following his own advice and avoiding the start of any rumors by coming up with the contractual obligation thing. Remember his reaction in the Sorbet chapter when Laius says "We wouldn't be eating this delicious sorbet if Farlyn were here!"? I think he's just putting up a huge front.

Another extra chapter's been translated, and ha, a place teetering on the edge of the abyss indeed. That said, it would have been awfully convenient to actually HAVE an underground shopping center somewhere on the upper floors. XD

Been putting this manga on hold for a while, but I've finally binged through the available chapters.

Damn, this manga has one of the best worldbuilding I've seen in a manga. From the dungeon ecosystems, the monsters' physiology, and the unique spin on common monsters, everything's great.

All characters so far are likable as well. I can see how people can find Marsilla annoying, but I've never been bothered by these common-sense characters anyway. Even the jerk gnome employer turns out to have a nice side to him. Personally I like how Laius often gets his priority wrong almost all the time.

One thing I'm bothered is the extra where Laius doodles on the living painting though. Poor, poor, doodle.

There's no new update yet. I'm worried.

It's a monthly series though. This isn't like Helck, which is serialized in a weekly publication.

AAAAAND ITS BACK! New (translated) chapter, folks! Have at it.

Marsilla is right. Stick to one weird thing at a time, guys! XD Though I have to say, the frog skin suits were hilarious.

edited 17th Feb '16 6:16:40 PM by MyssaRei

One of the funnier chapters for a while. And it seems like we're approaching endgame?

Kind of depends on whether the author simply has saving Farlyn in mind. There's still the mystery behind the dungeon itself.

Also, do you seriously think Laius would stop at just eating a dragon at this rate? xd

Their expressions when wearing the frogskin suits were priceless. And yeah, the worldbuilding in this manga is topnotch. A logical explanation for why dungeons always seem to have a Sorting Algorithm of Evil the deeper you go, and many classical monsters like mimics and living armor get fleshed out with practical explanations for why they exist and how they fit into the dungeon's ecosystem.

My prediction for endgame? If they don't solve the mystery of the dungeon and end up lifting its curse or whatever, Laius will open up a restaurant on one of the levels along with Senshi, cooking up various dishes with the catch of the day, occasionally dungeon-delving for more ingredients.

edited 18th Feb '16 9:03:20 AM by danime91

Are they going to end up eating the lich at this point?

But a lich is undead, and they seem to be pretty firmly staying on the side of not cannibalism. Plus undead means rotten meat, which no amount of preparation can make palatable.

And we have a new chapter!

While there's eating, it doesn't involve our intrepid party of dungeon foragers delvers, but focuses instead on the situation instead above ground. Like the Elves wanting the dungeon on a technicality, and a race for the elixir of Immortality? Yeah.

Also LOL at the panel describing Laius' party. Competent party? Looks like a bunch of addicts actually.

edited 14th Mar '16 10:33:20 AM by MyssaRei

I like this world-building. Less on the dungeon, more on the kind of gold rush town and economy that would spring up and develop around such a dungeon. Though if the entire thing is on one tiny island, I wonder what the rest of the wide world is like.

Also, that panel. It's amusing to see how other people see Laius and co.

How he could think of them as a competent party is beyond me. The ways of gnome mages are mysterious indeed.

They are a competent party. They've managed to make good progress while dealing with a variety of unexpected problems

We know they're a competent party because we see everything they think and do. For anyone who just met them? They must seem like some insane band of psychopaths led by a guy who looks like he'd tell Hannibal Lecter that he needs to broaden his culinary horizons.

The Gnome did see them handle the Tentaclus and Undine. Being a competent party and being a bunch of psychos aren't mutually exclusive.

They are competent. At the first chapter they said that they'd be able to take on the Red Dragon if they weren't so hungry back then.

Just the fact that they were so deep in the dungeon at all implies competence.