This is a transition volume in the series as the last book's victory is swept away by misfortune, setting up a new quest to be undertaken by our harried and hungry band of adventurers. Time that should have been spent on a few more monster recipes was given over to fleshing out a previously introduced team of rivals that will apparently play a bigger role during the next few books. This is a decent outing with some amusing bits and a little action, but I hope to see things back on track next volume.
I also wasn't expecting to be introduced to a new band of adventurers, especially for a good chunk of the volume to be featuring them for as long as it did. I guess it was okay and new, and thankfully it did not involve much in the way of recipes, but overall, it just felt unnecessary filler. However, perhaps the newly introduced group will serve a purpose, and I'll find them to be better than I think they are?
Either way, I just want to know what's happened to Falin.
Non si è fatto in tempo a recuperare Farin che già sparisce! Anche in questo volume ci si concentra su altri gruppi di combattenti, che poi confluiscono tutti insieme nel finale. Il 5 capitolo non delude.
If compared side by side with the last volume, the fifth volume is weaker but, the fourth volume had a epic dragon fight to go with the arc conclusion so it had a tremendous advatage. This volume is still funny as ever, although the pace suffers because of the need to introduce two new parties to the story, we still got several memorable lines from it.
"Do not use people as pickling weights." (Marcille the Elf)
Falin is finally with the troupe again! ..Or is she? We finally get to see who is possibly the 'lunatic magician' that controls the dungeon. There are some extra explanations as to how the dungeon works, the importance of balance, and a few hints as to why the magician does this.
The band who is always rescued by Laius et al decides to take revenge.
Shuro finally appears!
Also, people turned into stone are great weights for making jerk, who woulda known.
YET another great volume in what is fast becoming a favourite series. This one was not as good as the previous volume but there was still a lot to love- some background on the group and the dungeon, the expansion of the story of a second party, Senshi continuing to be the most wholesome and adorable character ever. It was great.
OMG, so much plot! I have no idea what is going on, but this volume of Delicious in the Dungeon features a whole lot of action other than just monster slaying! Falin is back, but not. There's a creepy group of adventurers who look eerily similar to our heroes. Everything is suddenly strange and ominous and I love it :D
I am so bummed that I don't own the next ones because this series is just so much fun to read. More weird food, awesome adventures, and even more mysteries to be had. It's really introducing some new characters in these past two novels that I think will bring some intriguing conflict and or relationships to focus.
Now that the Netflix series has basically caught up to this Volume I really needed to continue reading.
So here are my thoughts about this Volume: I'm super worried about Falin. I don't trust Kabru. He seems so slimy to me. I love our main group. They are just so stupid and lovable. I like the way the perceptions of Kabru's group and reality of our main group were contrasted. "Oh, they are definitely evil" Vs them being absolute dorks and talking about dryad pollination. Too funny.
dungeoneering nuance and conflicting interests! i love how this story is progressing and am going to try to coerce Jonah into cosplaying as Chilchuck ?
I started reading after watching the anime and I am quite surprised how close the adaption stayed to the original. This part of the story remains my favourite, so far.
8/27/2021: ★★★☆☆ These are cool-down chapters after an action heavy arc, so there's not as much going on. That said, still funny and enjoyable. I'm still not sure where Kui is going with Kabru and his party, but I guess we're about to find out.
Still so good. A volume more focused on the plot and drama of the world, it doesn't neglect the humor or any character. Everyone should be reading this series.
(the following review is a spoiler-free review of the entire series that i will copy onto the other 13 volumes)
wanted to reread the series before the final volume released this month.
what a joyous thing.
i own two manga series in totality that i return to frequently when i'm looking for comfort: dorohedoro by q hayashida (an admittedly VERY different experience in some ways), and now delicious in dungeon by ryoko kui. cracking open a volume from either series at any time is like a weighted blanket for my soul. (i'll be dropping a review for my recent re-read of dorohedoro soon, too.)
anyway. these were wonderful. if you've watched what's been released of the anime series thus far and you've enjoyed it, then this series comes with my highest recommendation! the anime is fantastic, but i believe that this story is most effective in its original medium. it's not surprising that they couldn't capture every moment in the show, but there is also something structurally impossible to recreate in animation. i wouldn't say the comic's pacing is slow, but it has much more confidence in its stride. like its many exhortations to healthy living, the comic series itself is hale, fully-fleshed and fit. it is, in fact, nourishing. i know it's a bit on the nose to use language like this, but i can't think how else to express my feelings here at the end, but also how i felt as i progressed through it.
you leave each volume (the final one, especially) invigorated with a zest for life. a major theme at work in the text is how we manage our desires, so it's no surprise that i walk away thinking more poignantly of my own desires. i want to cook more. i want to exercise. i want to go outside and see something. i want to wonder.
in the midst of this reread, i was nearly laid off (again (again))—such is the joy of being an english teacher in the public school system under late capitalism in america. i've been trying to find more things that give me joy in the last few years as my immediate environs change. friends marry, move, have children; jobs market is unstable; being in your 30's and living at home with parents as they change and often buckle beneath the weight of time and current events; dating is a hellscape; my cat is getting older... but recently i've been cooking more. i've been studying birds—i'm trying to get into photography, for the birds. i've dusted off my japanese textbooks and want to be able to play/read a rudimentary japanese game by the end of the calendar year—i've been mindful of my social media intake, i've been trying to drink less during the week, i've switched over to predominantly decaffeinated coffee (it's good! you need to buy the decent kind!).
i'm finding ways to manage my desires and realize them.
and when something doesn't take, that's fine. it's hard, and i do fumble a lot. but these are all things i'm thinking about, in large part because of this series. it's not that i've never thought of these things before, but there's something about this series that inspires me to try.
read delicious in dungeon!
my star system: 1 star - this book must be forgotten by god and man 2 star - i was not wild about this book 3 star - other people will enjoy this more than i, but i see the appeal/enjoyed it/probably had some fun 4 star - i love this book and wholeheartedly recommend it 5 star - i am an absolute freak and this book was written specifically for me, your mileage may vary
Finally, there is one volume bit weaker. We are watching our fellas get together after Falin rescue and realising, that in the dungeon could be a worse threat than a huge red dragon - the omnipotent wizard - master of the dungeon. So our heroes are in a bit of pickle, out of resources and trying out to solve the puzzled streets of that level. Besides that, there is a huge conversation part did by another group (and then with one more), and this is just a bit boring and bit out of the concept. But on the other side, in this book, there is more to explain the existence of dungeons - how they fix themselves, how they change. This is one of the great things about this manga - the dungeon (in RPG meaning) is something real, and there are explainings how it was founded, how it works, why resurrecting is possible, how chest of gold refill themselves, how the creatures live here in something like ecosystem, how is possible that destroyed things are fixed and the map is changing and many more. For fantasy RPG players - this is a treat. It makes sense, it's funny, it's clever and it fits the story. With our party, you together explore the contents of the dungeon, but you also explore and examine the dungeon itself. And it is as fun as interesting.
Oh yeah and also we meet a dude with a crush (who I don't really like), and meet that other rival team in more detail (they are sketchy as hell), and we meet some dryads (it's deadly and hilarious), and we meet a mad magician (WHO I FEAR AND RESPECT) (), and nearly starve to death until we eat bricks (gosh, I love this series).
okay everything makes more sense now but also less. I love love LOVED chilchuck talking to the orc princess and that whole emotional scene. also senshi feeling guilty about not feeding them wah. also kabru being dead eyed and cute and insane is very appealing to me I think he and laios should KISS ABOUT IT
also in the extras laios being sad about his dungeon gourmet guide never rly eating the monsters WAH
*
“Why don’t you just be honest with them and admit that you don’t want them to die?”
“While you guys were busy turning into stone, bleeding from the nose, and frantically searching for food…I managed to figure out several of the rules governing how the dungeon changes.”
This series is so good. I can’t believe it starts out as something like a gag manga with each chapter being fairly self-contained, while still peppering in some world building and character motivations. Anyway, after 5 volumes all the world building really comes to a head and it feels like it’s becoming very plot heavy while still being incredibly funny. Kui is a genius!! Eagerly looking forward to finishing my re-read and getting up-to-date with the series.