You know what they say about dragon-slaying, it’s not for the weak of heart — or appetite. And when a group of magical young fighters discovers one of their friends has been devoured by the very beast they just battled, there’s no time to lose. In the new anime series Delicious in Dungeon, the intrepid adventurers land on a solution so crazy it just might work: Descending into subterranean lands to save their pal before she’s fully digested, they vow to eat anything they meet along the way. But will they be quick enough to save her?
From Studio Trigger and based on the popular manga by Ryoko Kui, anime fantasy is the main dish on the menu here, with side helpings of unusual cuisine and elaborate world-building, plus a dose of comedy for added flavor. Delicious in Dungeon is directed by Yoshihiro Miyajima, with character design by Naoki Takeda, monster design by Yuto Kaneko, and culinary design by Mao Momiji.
Read on to find out all about the quest- and food-motivated series where the stakes are gastronomically high.
Stream it now. New episodes will be released every Thursday until June 13.
There will be 24 episodes in total.
Check it out at the top of this page.
One day, in a small island village, there’s a rumbling in the earth — and a lone man surfaces from the rift that emerges in its wake. Deep below the cemetery, he claims, is his once-prosperous kingdom. His story inspires legions of fortune-seekers to strike out in search of it, battling creatures and obstacles along the way. Among them are the band of young adventurers led by the determined swordsman Laios (Kumagai).
After Laios discovers that his sister Falin (Hayami) has been eaten by the Red Dragon, he, Marcille (Senbongi), and Chilchuck (Tomari) resolve to do whatever it takes to save her before she’s been fully consumed. They’re short on time, low on cash and provisions, and they can’t afford to sell their weapons — but the fire of their empty bellies may be stronger than the fire of any dragon. As the adolescent fighters’ thought bubbles turn to visions of their next meal, the ever-pragmatic Laios has a gross but possibly genius idea: The vast dungeon where the dragon lives contains a whole ecosystem of edible roots and creatures that can sustain them. Luckily, a few new friends and underworld gourmands (like Naka, a warrior dwarf who happens to know just how to whip up a mean hot pot of Walking Mushrooms) step in to help.
Over the course of this fantasy-comedy series, the group ventures into the unknown worlds in the depths of the dungeons, encountering all sorts of traps, as well as potential foes, allies, and other strange characters (gnome researchers, giant frogs, and the undead among them). Each weekly episode serves up its own bizarre menu, so stay tuned for everything from Exorcist Sorbet to Mandrake Omelettes (maybe with a little Treasure Bug or Slime seasoning), as our heroes fight off a host of beastly creatures — and their own fearsome appetites.
A tallman (aka human) spell-caster with a gentle soul, Falin has the ability to charm creatures as tiny and delicate as a caterpillar — and she’ll do anything to save her friends and her brother, Laios. Unfortunately, her generosity also makes her easy prey for the Red Dragon: Though Falin is able to teleport her fellow explorers to safety, she winds up stuck in the belly of the beast herself.
Yes, it’s based on the manga series that was written and illustrated by Ryoko Kui and serialized in the magazine Harta from February 2014 to September 2023. Its original romanized Japanese title, Dungeon Meshi, translates to “dungeon food” or “dungeon meal.”
As Kui told the Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu recently, her influences include classic fantasy novels such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Neverending Story, as well as games ranging from Baldur’s Gate 3 to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Most of the series takes place in a lost island kingdom (and dungeon compound) buried deep below a graveyard.
