A Dungeons & Dragons Gourmet Extravaganza!

Dungeon Meshi is a manga I originally had minimal expectations going in, it looked like a somewhat generic Isekai from the offset. Oh boy, I was wrong. This manga feels like a masterfully crafted D&D campaign coming to life. Incorporating a lot of Tolkienesque lore, standard RPGs like Baldur's Gate, and other renowned franchises while being a brilliant Gourmet manga with so much care and attention put into these fictional dishes. It is one of the most impressive elements of the manga, it just feels authentic and lived-in, like, obviously, most of the ingredients aren’t real, but there’s a real logic and consistency to it. What initially could be perceived as comedy, becomes so much more endearing than just that. Granted, it's still a comedy, yet that isn’t a knock against it. There is a great deal of care when it came to the writing; there were no instances where I felt the dramatic moments undercut the comedic moments and vice versa, it's a delicate balance, yet she pulls it off almost effortlessly.

The characters, notably the main cast, are brilliantly written. Individually, they all have their own lives, goals, certain skills, quirks, and so forth. What sets Dungeon Meshi apart is not just the characters, but the dynamic of the cast. This fellowship becomes so endearing by the end of this journey, you genuinely care for each one of them, even the newcomer Izutsumi, perfectly fitting within the dynamic of the group. By far my favourite character would be Marcille, her arc and personal struggles were so well realised and felt so human as a result. The best chapters of the series are often related to her. The other characters aren’t anywhere near as developed, yet those side characters are still fun additions, the exception being Kabru and Mithrun (both characters were excellent!). I think once again that what sets Dungeon Meshi apart is the varied character designs. She might be one of the best artists currently working; her art is not just brilliant in a technical sense, but even extremely varied. There’s fair criticism in manga and anime about the proportions of females, no such issue ever arises in Dungeon Meshi. I also appreciate the lack of forced romantic interest, there were just brilliant friendships and ones of a sibling and parental nature. I do think one romantic coupling is hinted at slightly, however, it’s left open-ended if such a development does properly transpire, which is the right move.

The plot progressed at just the perfect pace. In general, I felt the manga was the perfect length and never overstayed its welcome while feeling like it concluded everything brilliantly. The interlude story in between with Kabru was a great juxtaposition, developing both the dungeon and the outside of it. In general, the worldbuilding is extremely well thought out, she even made her own Adventurer's Bible, which is a companion book that contains: world origin stories, monster guides, multiple dungeons, and descriptions of the various races that live in the world. It's like an elaborate RPG, even with mechanics or elements the developers don’t expect 99% of people to interact with, yet it rewards that 1% and shows that this is a world that is alive. There’s a plethora of references to video games, mythologies, Japanese folklore, and manga, all rolled into one, which gives the world texture and colour.

I’ve touched upon the art concerning the character designs, but yes, it’s just stunning to see. The evolution of the author's artwork as the series progresses is brilliant to see, as she was already incredible at the beginning, but the craft is refined better and better as it progresses. The spreads are gorgeous, the panel work is excellent, there is great use of expression, and in general, she utilised her medium particularly well. It’s rare to see an author who is excellent in all three departments: technical, framing, and varied designs. There are many themes that are handled quite well, but one surprising one would be moral and ethics relating to the Ecosystem of the Dungeon. It’s a subject that is touched upon verbatim, and it handles it quite well. In general, all the core complements unilaterally synchronize into a remarkable package.

In conclusion, there’s a lot to say about Dungeon Meshi. It's a remarkable series that achieves everything it intends, and more so, as a whole, it’s a very unique fantasy series that is worth not sleeping on. It has a brilliant beginning, middle, and end and is a satisfying adventure.