Delicious in Dungeon

Episode 8

Another week, another stellar episode of Delicious in Dungeon.

Delicious in Dungeon episode 8 serves up one of the best meals for the mind we've had all season - and the food looks pretty good, too.

The first half of the episode has the crew resting up as Laios recovers (on account of eating a literal parasite and all), giving us an extended flashback of Marceille's time in school. It is in this section that we learn how she met Falin and formed their friendship. It's a delightful sequence in every way possible, showing off the series' best qualities in both the writing and the visuals. Not only do Marceille and Falin have a lovely friendship that blossoms over shared interests and desires, but there is a great widening of our understanding of the world's magical ecosystem. The idea of creating little dungeon terrariums to draw in mana and safely harvest monster parts is genius, and we learn that certain creatures like slimes can convert physical food into mana.

The back half focuses on an exciting fight with Marceille desperately facing off against an undine in the dungeon river. It's incredibly tense, and Marceille manages to escape (with a slight assist from Laios right at the end) using a combination of wits, magic, and calculated risk. The simple act of having her water-walking spell be part of the reason that she is isolated and forced to take on the undine solo is another bit of genius writing, creating a believable and immediate barrier that still has the rest of the party shouting from the sidelines.

And of course, the visuals are divine. What hasn't been said about the team at Trigger and their talents? Every single action is rendered in loving detail, the movements are crisp, the magical effects impactful, and the comedy beats hit just right. Even quieter moments like the girls talking at magical school and the various expression work and body language exhibited by the cast are wonderful. It's a treat every week.

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Grant is the cohost on the Blade Licking Thieves podcast and Super Senpai Podcast.

Delicious in Dungeon is currently streaming on Netflix.