Netflix’s newest anime about eating monsters has some great lessons about cooking
Back in the day, before I started doing this weird job called video games journalism, I worked in hospitality for more years than I’d like to think about. It was always going to happen, my family has a background in it, and my dad’s a chef, so food was just a big part of my life anyway. In turn, I’m lucky enough to know a little bit about cooking, and have gotten pretty good at it! It’s a skill you have to put time into, as it’s not exactly something most people will teach you, which sometimes makes it hard to learn. But, and bear with me here, I honestly think Delicious in Dungeon, Netflix‘s latest anime about killing monsters and turning them into delicious meals, has some surprisingly good lessons about cooking.
How about a point of introduction, first, as you might not have heard of this new anime. Based on the manga of the same name, Delicious in Dungeon sees a group of travellers attempting to make their way through an underground dungeon filled with all kinds of creatures and monsters, as they attempt to rescue one of their members from the stomach of a dragon. The only problem is, they’re flat broke, so can’t afford food. Enter Laios, leader of the party, and monster lover, suggesting that they eat the monsters they kill.
The anime adaptation comes from the acclaimed Studio Trigger, best known for their works like Kill la Kill, Promare, and more recently, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. It’s not got the fanciest animation in town, but it’s still lovingly rendered, and funny as all hell, a lot of that coming from the complete opposing force that is Laios, secret weirdo that wants to eat monsters, and Marcille, the elven mage of the group who couldn’t be more repulsed by the idea.