Dungeon Meshi / Dungeons Meals

[shinta|hikari]

https://im4.ezgif.com/tmp/ezgif-4-7449899684.jpg

A party fought a red dragon in the dungeon, and the party leader's sister sacrificed herself to teleport the others outside, but she got eaten. Dead people can be revived, so some of the remaining members return to the dungeon to get her hopefully still intact corpse. Too bad they are poor, so on their way back down, they decide to make meals out of monsters with the help of a dwarf who lives by cooking and eating dungeon denizens.



This is on Netflix. Episodes 1-4 are out.

[MFauli]

This shit is everything I hate about current day anime :/

[Ryllharu]

This shit is everything I hate about current day anime :/

The series' real plot is ramping up. The distressing details about what's going on, how the dungeon operates, and the society built up around this dungeon functions have already been hinted at. You're probably missing the details because you're distracted by the comedy moments, the "simple" art, and the cooking stuff.

I do not lightly compare this to some of the best fantasy series ever made. It starts as a cooking series, sure.

The foundation for the full plot is already laid. This isn't something that sputters about and then finally finds its way. The whole plot was written from around this point.

Dismiss this series at your own loss.

[MFauli]

The series' real plot is ramping up. The distressing details about what's going on, how the dungeon operates, and the society built up around this dungeon functions have already been hinted at. You're probably missing the details because you're distracted by the comedy moments, the "simple" art, and the cooking stuff.

I do not lightly compare this to some of the best fantasy series ever made. It starts as a cooking series, sure.

The foundation for the full plot is already laid. This isn't something that sputters about and then finally finds its way. The whole plot was written from around this point.

Dismiss this series at your own loss.



So you're saying this turns into a serious medieval fantasy-story at some point?

[DarthEnderX]

I'm enjoying it.

The fact that his sister is just straight up dead, and they aren't even worried because they just have to get her body before it's fully digested feels very D&D.

[Ryllharu]

The fact that his sister is just straight up dead, and they aren't even worried because they just have to get her body before it's fully digested feels very D&D.

The weirdly cavalier way they treat anyone who dies is a bit of a red flag.

The frenzy of parties dungeon diving for treasure with no real consequence of dying as long as someone can recover your body is kinda fucked up and just fully glossed over right out of the gate.

[DarthEnderX]

The frenzy of parties dungeon diving for treasure with no real consequence of dying as long as someone can recover your body is kinda fucked up and just fully glossed over right out of the gate.Yeah, like I said, it's kinda how D&D feels. Because resurrections in D&D are even easier than they are in Dragonball, death is pretty meaningless for players.

"Yeah, that thing is probably gonna kill me after 3 rounds or so. The Cleric will just rez me after the fight. It only costs 5k gold. And that's nothing to us at this point."

[Buffalobiian]

I prefer Marcille's hairstyle in Ep4 than the previous eps.

As for the deaths, what happens outside of dungeons? Do people who die from the surface raids by the orcs also get rezzed? It's so weird.

[Ryllharu]

Eps 5

---------


So the main team is actually substantially more competent than the average (or even above-average) team, despite all the stupid shit they've gotten up to lately in this rush to get to Falin's corpse before she's digested.

Their scrounging keeps their pack weight down by a lot, and between Laios and Senshi, they've quite resistant to most ambushes.

It feels very D&D that ghosts are a HUGE threat. I really prefer that type of very scary and very deadly ghost.

And Falin, the perfect younger sister, was a very powerful priest/cleric in her own right.

[DarthEnderX]

So the main team is actually substantially more competent than the average (or even above-average) team, despite all the stupid shit they've gotten up to lately in this rush to get to Falin's corpse before she's digested.I mean, they DID make it all the way down to a dragon.

Although, I guess that was with 2 additional party members.

[shinta|hikari]

But now they have Dwarf Grylls, who is a competent fighter but also an unparalleled survivor and wilds cook. His knowledge alone likely makes up for the missing two's usefulness.

What they are really missing, as the episode pointed out, is the badass angel Falin.

[DarthEnderX]

But now they have Dwarf Grylls, who is a competent fighter but also an unparalleled survivor and wilds cook. His knowledge alone likely makes up for the missing two's usefulness.Kind of a shitty party member though, when he doesn't even understand the concept of "other adventurers have uses for valuables". He's just kind of a weird dungeon hobo and not much of an adventurer.

[shinta|hikari]

Do you mean the gold and jewels? I thought that was actually a smart move since they are delving deeper on a rescue mission. Gold and jewels will weigh them down, and if that ends up costing them time or even their lives, then that really isn't worth it. I understand what you mean had they been on the way back or actually searching for treasure as a goal.

[Y]

Kind of a shitty party member though, when he doesn't even understand the concept of "other adventurers have uses for valuables". He's just kind of a weird dungeon hobo and not much of an adventurer.

Yeah he was also sort of rude and dismissive to Marcille about magic. What is really easier, learning to use a flint and tinder to start a fire or learning to command the primordial forces of the universe?


This shit is everything I hate about current day anime :/

I'm unsure how this is "modern" at all. No one is being Reborn in Another World with a Cheat Skill at Level One that lets them have sex with a close family member who isn't related by blood.

[DarthEnderX]

Do you mean the gold and jewels? I thought that was actually a smart move since they are delving deeper on a rescue mission. Gold and jewels will weigh them down, and if that ends up costing them time or even their lives, then that really isn't worth it. I understand what you mean had they been on the way back or actually searching for treasure as a goal.
https://media.licdn.com/dms/image/D5622AQFoHueHK9sHCA/feedshare-shrink_800/0/1705826892975?e=2147483647&v=beta&t=FkUnPyIaa-spFf8IMkV9hmZNA3OwA8JDVIWQbTB7c84

At the very least, you hide it so you can pick it up later. Or if you wanted to be nice, leave it with the dead adventures equipment. You don't just throw it away.

[shinta|hikari]

Makes sense.

All I was worried about was the party's survival, so I was like "good idea."

[DarthEnderX]

Perfect example of this is the Trolls in The Hobbit. They can't afford to carry the gold, so they bury it for later. Bilbo digs it up on the way home, and it's enough to make him a wealthy Hobbit.

[neflight86]

6

Was the water horse really just waiting for the dwarf to get on his back to attack as supposed, or did it get spooked and turn feral when its tail got lassoed? I'm torn, and either way it could turn out is interesting.

[Buffalobiian]

I think given that it's whole thing is that it lures you into the water then attacks you, I'd go with that. It entices you to get into the water, that it's the first time Senshi decided to use it to cross. Checks out.

[shinta|hikari]

It was luring not just the dwarf, but any idiot to ride it so it can drown them in underwater. It wasn't a very strong beast. On land, it would've been killed instantly, but in water it has an extreme advantage. Even then, it died. What a zako.

[Ryllharu]

It was luring not just the dwarf, but any idiot to ride it so it can drown them in underwater. It wasn't a very strong beast. On land, it would've been killed instantly, but in water it has an extreme advantage. Even then, it died. What a zako.


6

Was the water horse really just waiting for the dwarf to get on his back to attack as supposed, or did it get spooked and turn feral when its tail got lassoed? I'm torn, and either way it could turn out is interesting.

Shinta said it, but that's exactly what kelpies do in all myths about them. Encourage a rider to think getting on is a good idea, immediately drown them and eat them. We saw one do the same in the Ancient Magus' Bride.

The encounter says more about Senshi's trusting nature than anything else. Laios knew what it would do. Senshi's experiences living in the dungeon for so long by himself have let him relax his guard or even find some beneficial.

Laios in contrast, LOVES monsters, but he also knows their behavior like the back of his hand, and knows exactly how far to trust their behavior. Shown, not told, like with the siren-mermaids.

Real growth for Senshi this episode. He relaxed his superstitions about Marcille's magics and changed his opinion after her gesture of apology. She didn't criticize him after seeing how shocked he was about what happened. She reached out in trust instead.

All this stuff is what makes the series so good.

[DarthEnderX]

Was the water horse really just waiting for the dwarf to get on his back to attack as supposedThat is, traditionally, how Kelpies operate in mythology. They get you to ride them, then they drown you.


Real growth for Senshi this episode. He relaxed his superstitions about Marcille's magics and changed his opinion after her gesture of apology.He didn't let her braid his beard though!

Fucking cave hobo...

[David75]

Somehow myths or beasts from legends are like an algorithm or program. When you have the right inputs, it will invariably work as intended. Regardless of the experience you have living with them when not triggering their program/algorithm/myth
Like the scorpio and the frog, or demons in Frieren.

[DarthEnderX]

09

---

Pot lore!!

[Buffalobiian]

Technically if food cooks quickly, then Adamantine would be bad against fire. It shouldn't melt, but you'd cook.

But anyway, this episode explains why revival is a thing in the dungeon.

[DarthEnderX]

But anyway, this episode explains why revival is a thing in the dungeon.Which didn't seem like it needed to be explained beyond "there's resurrection spells". But I guess it only works in the dungeon.


Technically if food cooks quickly, then Adamantine would be bad against fire. It shouldn't melt, but you'd cook.I imagine when it was still a proper shield, it probably had suitable handles or straps so that it could be held even if the metal got super hot when deflecting fire breath or something.

[shinta|hikari]

Or it is a mystical metal that conducts or insulates well depending on what the story needed.

[Buffalobiian]

Which didn't seem like it needed to be explained beyond "there's resurrection spells". But I guess it only works in the dungeon.

But we now know that resurrection isn't normal outside of dungeons. Consequences are more definite outside, but within a dungeon you can play it like a video game - and we know it's by design.


Or it is a mystical metal that conducts or insulates well depending on what the story needed.

Well that's no fun.

[Buffalobiian]

Episode 11

------------------



So, turns out the shield is no good insulating against heat after all (though they did prove that in episode 9 when they boiled the Undine. We just got proof of that against dragonfire now - at least without an insulating handle of some description.)

I can enjoy slow motion scenes for effect, but here it actually feels like they used less frames than usual. It looked jarring in the two or so instances that they used it.

Otherwise, the episode was tight.

[DarthEnderX]

So, turns out the shield is no good insulating against heat after allAnother reason shields have handles.

[Buffalobiian]

Another reason shields have handles.

Yeah, handles would be a good start.

Cloth or something to insulate would help it last another hit or two. It wouldn't be something that'd turn the shield into an unlimited blocking machine though.

[DarthEnderX]

Cloth or something to insulate would help it last another hit or two.That dragon's hide would probably work pretty good.


Man, I'm weirdly looking forward to them eating that dragon.

[shinta|hikari]

Why is that weird?

[Buffalobiian]

E12

----------------


Yep, that dragon hide turned out to be a good insulator, though why that'd be good for baking is also an unknown. You want something that distributes even heat but also not necessarily insulate.

Lots of lore here
-Black Magic exists, and is black for some reason.

-Falin has godly mana right now, which might either be to do with that she's been revived using dragon flesh, or that it's the summoning circle, or both.

-Dark Elves also dabble in forbiden magic, and for whatever reason they're not very happy about this spell, and Maricelle despite her lack of guilt suggested erasing this circle. I don't know if it's because it's not supposed to be used, or that it's not supposed to be known. Luckily it's incomplete because Senshi blew half of it up, but it's recognisable anyway.

Adding all this up, it looks like the Dungeon's revival system + Elven magic is a way to power up mages in their world, and it's about to spark a war or something.

[Ryllharu]

A detail I really like is how much taller and broader that Falin is compared to Marcille. An actual emphasis on the Tall Man race being legitimately taller than the other races, it's not just Laios being tall because he's their bulky fighter.

Falin has godly mana right now, which might either be to do with that she's been revived using dragon flesh, or that it's the summoning circle, or both.

Adding all this up, it looks like the Dungeon's revival system + Elven magic is a way to power up mages in their world, and it's about to spark a war or something.


Falin isn't a mage though, she's a cleric (different magic heritage going on here). Heavily implied that she uses the same magic that gnomes do, since she teleported the entire party in the first episode, and the old gnome that Namari is working for now also has gateway paintings set up to transit between the middle levels and his base of operations on the surface.

But given Falin's power boost, even before they ate and considering she should have been basically drained completely like Marcille was a few episodes ago, something is definitely off with the method they used to revive her and the means they took to accomplish it. She shouldn't be flush with magic, and they all noticed it.

Marcille said they usually use lambs or goats when they have to pull someone back without a mostly intact dead body. Those are surface animals. Marcille just used a dungeon monster imbued with magic, on account of it being a dragon.

[DarthEnderX]

Dragon pizza!!!

[Buffalobiian]

Oh, they also played it off as normal that Falin can see ghosts. Not the freezing ghost-monsters, but actual ghosts are just invisible people.

[DarthEnderX]

Not the freezing ghost-monsters, but actual ghosts are just invisible people.I mean, the little girl ghost can probably also freeze people. She's just choosing not to because Falin is placating her.

[David75]

Marcille just used a dungeon monster imbued with magic, on account of it being a dragon.
Oh, so she's probably a hybrid and can't leave the dungeon is what it implies?

[DarthEnderX]

Oh, so she's probably a hybrid and can't leave the dungeon is what it implies?Why would being part monster mean you can't leave the dungeon?

[DarthEnderX]

13

---

Poor Falin. Can't catch a break...

[David75]

So the intuition was using dragon flesh has consequences. First she was full of magic, a surprise to everyone in the party, and now we infer that her dragon side is probably on par or even stronger than her Falin side.

[Buffalobiian]

I wonder how much interplay there is between the fact that the dragon was a dungeon monster that was presumably created with ancient magic, and the fact that Maricelle used ancient magic to revive Falin. Normally you don't revive dungeon monsters, but she didn't exactly use a normal spell.

[DarthEnderX]

14

---

The fact that Falin isn't in the new OP doesn't bode well for getting her back quickly.

[Buffalobiian]

Kabru pisses me off because he's creepy and also rather manipulative when he wants to be, but that's also why I like him as someone who's a potential villain vs our main group.

[DarthEnderX]

Kabru pisses me off because he's creepy and also rather manipulative when he wants to be, but that's also why I like him as someone who's a potential villain vs our main group.Yeah, it was funny when that one person in the group was like "You shouldn't make wild assumptions" after they'd just spent 10 minutes making a bunch of assumptions about Laios's group.

[Ryllharu]

Kabru pisses me off because he's creepy and also rather manipulative when he wants to be, but that's also why I like him as someone who's a potential villain vs our main group.

Kabru is without doubt a manipulative and sanctimonious psychopath. It is deeply troubling that he and several members of his party believe that he's the right person to conquer the dungeon and rule the island. That episode was a great example of Show Don't Tell because we got a full course of the type of person he is.


Yeah, it was funny when that one person in the group was like "You shouldn't make wild assumptions" after they'd just spent 10 minutes making a bunch of assumptions about Laios's group.
That he's such a good judge of character is further proof that he's a psychopath, imo.

...Meanwhile, Shuro immediately quit the party and gathered his entire harem to rescue his crush, Falin. haha. The better part of the Shuro developments is that everyone in Laios' party already knew that Shuro had a ridiculously strong crush on Falin and just like...ignored it. Poor guy.

I continue to love the contrast between Laios' party and any others. Kabru and team thinks they're hot shit but Kabru doesn't know monster anatomy. They've died multiple times to monsters, but they're really good at killing humanoids. They're smart and make good plans and they fall apart when it counts. Others like the gnome couple are overly cautious and retreat frequently to keep themselves safe, though he abuses Namari as a meat shield or bait. Shuro's team has astonishingly good teamwork and fierce loyalty to their apparently high-ranking leader (and now we gotta wonder why he was with Laios' party solo to begin with). Then you have the Liaos party, who are all morons, but remarkably successful and resilient. They each have a specialty and trust each other with those skills.

And lastly, Senshi having no clue how old anyone is, is the funniest gag of episode 15. Senshi thinks Chilchuck is a child, but Mick's dialogue tells us Chilchuck has been around the island for quite a while and is one of the most influential members of the half-foot community.

This is how you do fantasy races interacting properly. Misalignment of perspectives!

[Buffalobiian]

Chilchuck's 40 or something and has a kid from memory.

[DarthEnderX]

16

---

I assume Falin is the little dragon.

[David75]

I thought it was pretty clear the moment that tsun elf called her dragon when giving her orders.
Somehow the show gets more and more intricate and what was a gallery of characters is starting to mesh into a nice story.

[Ryllharu]

I assume Falin is the little dragon.

She's been fused with the Big dragon, the little ones were made from just the red dragon's blood by the lunatic magician.

Shuro's retainers are a fun and dangerous crowd. We've got the Crane-wife styled lady, the oni, two ninjas I presume are sisters, and then finally the kuroko-robed one that the head retainer doesn't trust.

But Kabru is still the concerning one. At least Liaos has recognized on some inherent level that Kabru isn't trustworthy, but Shuro's kuroku retainer ruined it anyway with her apparent super-human hearing.

Maybe the most interesting part is the quiet lore drop again about the Western Elves. They aggressively punish Black Magic users. And now Kabru has leverage against Liaos' party.

[Y]

Kabruu confronting Laios here is a great example of how you don't have to write characters to be stupid because they're not the main characters just to cause problems or move the plot along. Him instantly realizing the thing he was actually worried about was just a misunderstanding or something, in a way that doesn't actually de-escalate the situation at all, is just an absolutely perfect bit of writing.

[DarthEnderX]

Him instantly realizing the thing he was actually worried about was just a misunderstanding or something, in a way that doesn't actually de-escalate the situation at all, is just an absolutely perfect bit of writing."Well he didn't steal our treasure. But he did heresy with Black Magic. He gotta go."

[Buffalobiian]

"Well he didn't steal our treasure. But he did heresy with Black Magic. He gotta go."

More like that he never thought Laios was fit conquer the dungeon in the first place and now has a means to ruin him or blackmail him.

I enjoy Maricelle's interval hairstyle changes, and even more that she stayed in the frog suit.

[DarthEnderX]

17

---

Characters make a lot of weird decisions in this show.

"I've been racing down here without food or sleep to save Falin."
"You need to go back to the surface to get some food and sleep."
"I'm going back to my country and never coming back."

[Buffalobiian]

I don't think Shuro thinks Falin can be saved, so he's just leaving.

[Y]

17

---

Characters make a lot of weird decisions in this show.

"I've been racing down here without food or sleep to save Falin."
"You need to go back to the surface to get some food and sleep."
"I'm going back to my country and never coming back."

The circumstances surrounding Falin have changed for the worse to such an extent he no longer believes it's possible to save her. He didn't know she was a giant monster chicken now or he wouldn't have come obviously. And on top of that even if they save her he thinks the elves of the west are going to arrest/kill everyone for dabbling in black magic, so he is doubly sure saving her is a waste of time.

Also also, the only reason he came on the adventure was to get some pussy, and now that Falin is a monster chicken he has given up his dream and is returning home.

Also also also all of this is in the episode pretty plainly.