Dungeon Meshi
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Dungeon Meshi has been a wonderful, overwhelmingly well-orchestrated rollercoaster of emotions; one I just couldn't get tired of.

It started as a relatively simple (at least that was the impression) sword-and-sorcery parody meant to deconstruct the concept of eating monsters. It really is disgusting if you think about it for a moment, isn't it? Would you love to eat a rabid dog chasing you, or a snake about to bite you? That's the kind of mental struggle the characters had to go through at the beginning.

And it would be perfectly alright if it had stayed just that: a comedy around eating disgusting things. But the story ... eventually evolved into a compelling adventure where the procurement of food is not a comedic gimmick, but a unifying theme around which characters are exposed and relationships develop. And the best part? By the way you make it to the halfway point, you begin to realize everything has been planned and foreshadowed from the very beginning.

It bears repeating that Ryoko Kui is an incredible talent. She is very well-versed in both human and animal psychology, and the command she has over her characters is undeniable. Their interpersonal dynamics are some of the best I've ever seen in any story. They feel familiar but don't conform to any stereotypes; they are completely distinct from each other but have instant onscreen chemistry. And their behavior is one hundred percent convincing, true to established character traits and informed by their past experiences.

These experiences are the key to everything, and I can't get enough of the grace and finesse with which every character's development is presented. Every event the party goes through has long-term consequences. Every little thing remains in their memory as the author is meticulously tracking every aspect of the dungeon's closed ecosystem. A bar of "very good" soap is lost in volume 1, which is noticed in volume 3, and then it is found in volume 7, leading to a bath scene, leading in turn to another bonding experience for the party. The author will never fall so low as to beat you over the head with verbal descriptions of the characters' growth: she just shows you the gradual progress as it happens, both cause and effect, and trusts your intelligence to connect the dots. It's depressing how rarely I see authors in traditionally pop-entertainment genres show so much respect for the audience.

The exact same reverence is given to the setting. Although it can be easy to dismiss it as another banality inspired by Tolkien and Dungeons and Dragons, that would be missing the forest for the trees: the depth of fantasy and mythology lore explored and the precision of weaving it into the setting is well on par with the best works in the genre (and I'm not talking just about manga!) and opens new perspectives even for die-hard fantasy fans. The dungeon inhabitants' physical attributes are articulated in a unique style and follow the internal logic of the story. Kui has a *lot* of shorter stories and random designs showcasing her love for mythical creatures.

This goes lengths to show passionate research put into it and makes for a lot of interesting and often gut-busting interactions among the cast. And the fact that no experience is ever truly lost with the group leads to a lot of sitcom-like comedy that naturally emerges when well-written, quirky characters are put together in any sort of unusual scenario. The humor emerges naturally from their personalities and the audience's memory of their past experience. Organic setups pay off all by themselves, just like that. Very few stories ever end up in such a desirable state!

The visual comedy is further punctuated by beautiful art. Ryoko Kui isn't just a great writer and fantasy buff—she's also an amazing artist and character designer. You can always infer a character's emotions by looking at their face, allowing for both much tighter comedic timing and more diligent adherence to the 'show, don't tell' principle. The designs themselves are fantastic; they're never cutesy in the typical moe way, they are highly physically-accurate, and they grow on you so much you wouldn't want to change them for anything. Even orcs look appealing in their own way. If you can gain access to volume releases and supplementary materials, there are pages upon pages of top-tier designs, such as imagining the same characters as different sex or fantasy race. And yeah, there's not even a hint of deliberate fan service. The author evidently respects her craft far too much to pander and compromise the narrative's tone and message just for titillation; instead she opts to engage the audience by the means any good story should. And engage it does.

Throughout it all, Dungeon Meshi never abandons its food focus: all the monster dishes are unique, original, look hella tasty, and always feel appropriate for the circumstances. Again, the range is incredible: it's used as a comedic relief after a tense situation, to make a point by one character to another, to assert a victory over a tough enemy, to soothe a troubled heart... What seemed like a mere fun gimmick at first has proven to be a potent narrative tool that subtly enriched the story without forcing it into a repeating formula.

If all of that sounds like I'm just endlessly heaping praise upon this manga, well, it's because that's exactly what I'm doing. It's *that* good. It starts out unassuming and then just keeps punching far above its weight while making it look effortless and not messing up in the process. It sucks you in before you even realize how good it really is in everything it does. It's a rare miracle of a fun and endearing adventure story about a tightly-knit, lovable group of characters on a quest to save their friend and explore the intricacies of self-sustenance in a dungeon, with incredible art and a satisfying ending. And I wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone.

(Trigger, pls, make the adaptation deserving of the source material!)

I came into Dungeon Meshi with no expectations and no prior knowledge of what it was about or how good it might be. I was looking for a new manga to read and I tend to like stories involving dungeons in general so I clicked on it and tried it out. Overall, I'm very glad that I did.

Dungeon Meshi is not a groundbreaking, exciting manga full of action and twists. Instead it is an extremely solid story with a simple premise. At first I thought that the focus was too much on food and too little on the great fantasy world imagined by this ... author. However after I got through a few chapters I came to truly enjoy both the realistic food preparation aspects of the story and the fantasy aspects as well.

Although Dungeon Meshi's story is very much rooted in the archetypal idea of a medieval fantasy world, many of the plot points are grounded completely in logic and reality. Food preparation works as it does in real life, the monster's strengths and weaknesses are sometimes magic but more often realistic details based on how they might be if monsters lived on earth as we know it.

The art is somewhat simple. I don't know too much about judging manga's art but I will say that it is certainly not bad art. It may lack the detail and flair that some manga readers are used to but the style overall is solid.

The characters pretty much adhere to the normal characters you'd expect in a medieval fantasy RPG style world which didn't bother me but may be too plain for others.

Overall I give Dungeon Meshi a 9/10 because although it is a simple manga, it is also a charming one and sometimes it is nice to read something without so much drama, fan service, and cliffhangers.

Story - 9
Art - 8
Character - 8
Enjoyment - 9
Overall - 9

"Dungeon Meshi" is honestly a real hidden gem.

It's set in an MMORPG kind of world that incorporates a lot of Tolkein-esque lore but the main attraction is the vast amount of incredibly creative cuisine that the characters manage to cook up. If you've ever read "Toriko" by Shimabukuro Mitsutoshi then this is super classy Toriko.

While the main content of the series revolves around the MC group eating the monsters they defeat, there is no doubt that there is a darker, more serious plot a lurking. However, the story pacing can seem a bit slow and a bit meandering but each chapter serves a purpose--it's a ... wonderful balance of light hearted fun and important plot/character development.

What really sold me is the fact that the female characters are not subject to tasteless over sexualization (even though there are plenty of opportunities) because they are interesting characters in their own right.

If you're looking for the cheaply cranked out shounen type of series, then I suggest you not read this series. But if you're looking for a creative, wholesome story with lots of potential, definitely give Dungeon Meshi a try!

The life of an adventurer is quite rough, tough mobs, deadly traps and most importantly not starving to death and dealing with the prospect of eating your fellow adventurers. Lauis was forced into the predictament after a raid to the Red Dragon led to his sister being eaten alive and left inside the belly of the beast and they only have an entire month to save her. But since they don't have much in the way of gold, the adventurers are forced to dine on the mobs they have slain. An unappetizing option for his companions, thankfully they stumble across the dwarf Senshi, the reliable ... dwarf is an hardly survivalist who wants to kill the Dragon not for the prize but for the taste of dragon and so a journey is made underground to save Lauis' sister and find new ways to kill the mobs and taste their remains.

Dungeon Meshi is a manga that takes cues from Toriko, Dragon Crown and Danmachi and combines it into a tabletop inspired adventure as the cast goes down into breach once more and feast on every mob they fight. The motley crew consists of Lauis, the aloof warrior who wants to keep track of the things they ate in the dungeon for future adventures, Mircelle the elven sorceress who is too used to eating prepackaged meals from the surface, Tirchac, the halfling thief and straight man to Lauis' quirky personality and Senshi's desire to taste a red dragon.

RIght now the manga has reached volume 2 and the I am gonna wait for volume 3's release and their forays into the dungeon culinary world.

Overall, this is a great example of fantasy manga that takes world building and various questions seriously; namely, monster design, world ecology, and consistency. This story takes place in a world that mirrors something like what you would encounter playing Dungeons and Dragons. The way it is written, with rich descriptions of the world and its various creatures, their interactions, and anatomical considerations, take it to the next level, hearkening to the mindfulness of design from older editions of DnD like ADnD2e and 3.Xe. You have meticulous planning of how certain environments work in tandem with their creatures, and how these are divided into different ... environmental spheres throughout the story really takes you on an in-depth journey. The backdrop of food as an excuse to explore the world is also a wonderful and fresh angle in the fantasy genre, particularly because the recipes sound much more accurate or believable than those others that might try to mimic this.
The art is, succinctly put, superb. The author's style has very strong lineart. Some of the shading use of lines rather than texture remind me of European woodblock prints, vaguely. The background art and design of environments is always detailed enough and yet you can still see points of focus easily. Designs of creatures are also not too crazy, with homages to the original inspirations in mythos without re-inventing the wheel. However, you do see some cuter designs of some creatures, and this is welcome as well.
What makes my scoring less than perfect is primarily to do with personal taste. I don't really like much of the main cast save for the halfling. That being said, the characterizations and writing are very strong, giving overt personalities to characters, even if they were only introduced halfway through the story.
One other thing I didn't like, personally, is the power level that the story operates at. One of the things about endgame DnD is that magic will make things like death a mere setback than anything truly staying. This happens a bit with their use of necromancy magic in the story, sometimes for gag purposes. However, this is not to fault the story itself. In fact, the story does deal with themes about life and death in a very poignant and well-rounded way.
For budding worldbuilders, I think this is a better read than something more bizarre like Made in Abyss. The monsters are familiar and the characters provide great comedy relief in the midst of a rather insidious plot that occurs both outside and within.

This series is more of a casual read, like a popcorn flick, reading a few chapters on and off since it is so episodic at the start. If it was just this format alone, it would be 7/10.

Then the final 30 chapters comes along and we start to see the bits and pieces of the story coming together and characters intentions revealed as the story pushes ahead. Nice change of pace, one more star.

The series has a full arc with a complete ending, and that is more than what I can say for many mangas, which pushed me to rate it 1 star higher.

Final rating ... 9/10.

Love the characters, world and journey told by the author. Doesn't break into my 10/10 list, but it is still a solid enjoyable read.

Something that I understood after reading manga for so many years is that everything is hard when it comes to making a story, but maybe the hardest thing of all is consistency. It is something hard to achieve, both in life as in art, as it requires to be good not only once, but almost everytime. Now, with a weekly to monthly based market, a voracious public and trending demands, it is no surprise how hard it is to a manga to be consistently good. For that it is surprising that Dunmeshi isn't consistently good, it is consistently great.

Themes are presented and expanded upon, ... in a way so natural you almost forget how little the story was in the beggining. Characters appear and have realistic objectives and unique characteristics and relationships . New designs are showed, so creative and beautiful you may think the author has an infinite well of ideas.

And all that from a simple as a theme as taking sustenance from a dungeon. Really, the story is the definition of humble begginings. Even thought it starts with the death of someone, you are struck with the feeling of this ocasion being only an excuse for the execution of its simple premise: a foodie manga set in a medieval fantasy setting. And for some time, this deception is mantained, as I was reading and enjoying the silly exploits of our charismatic main cast I handwaived every sign that the story was big than it was suggested in the beggining. I took an starter dish, and thought it to be the main course. And when I truly understood that there where a full main course and dessert behind those initial feeling, what a delight it was.

I atribute this delight to two main traits of Dunmeshi: his unique cast of characters and its amazing worldbuilding. It is incredible how the author makes you care about this set of people, their believes and their relationships. Until the end of the manga, a bond is created with the main party that is rare to see in other works. Normally, what is seen in most fantasy manga with parties is an strorytelling tha makes one person overshadows all others. Now, I am not trying to say this is inherently bad, a dish with an ingredient that overwhelms all others can be good. But a dish where you can feel the role each ingredient had in bringing about the taste you feel is a whole other experience. And is that experience Dunmeshi brings. Even though Laios is the definite protagonist, you feel the importance of each members, and the repercussions of their actions. This aspect is not only seen in the main characters, but also all the supporting cast, making for one true scrumptious course.

Now for the world. Initially, the world seens generic, but just like an onion, this one has layers. I will not expand on the greatness of the world, but it is impressive how something shared by so many races and by so many monsters was made so cohesive. Just like a stew, you may not understand in the beggining what is the purpose of each presented thing, but with each spoonful you get more and more knowledge of the "recipe", and together a new appreciation of the flavor and of the warm feeling it gives. At the end, I was completely satisfied with this amazing universe.

The manga does a wonderful job in every other sphere of storytelling I can think of, specially the art and the ending, which are both so amazing. I firmly believe this to be one of the best written manga out there, and to anyone who has any form of fondness for the fantasy genre I say: dig in, and bon appétit

What is an ultimate adventure? A journey toward a new world? An encounter with new companion? A battle to save a kingdom? Quite a typical theme for a fantasy adventure don't you think(not that I against it though)? Now consider this new dimension: An adventure won't be complete without taking on a whole new taste.

Dungeon Meshi is an unique fantasy adventure that able to bring that new dimension of adventure, which surprisingly resonates with the concept of adventure in real life. What differentiate this from other similar manga is the fact that this series try to appeal the reader's appetite not from the drawing, but ... through the whole process of preparing food toward the table. The dishes is well planned (or should I say designed?) by considering the availability of the ingredient, the nutritional balance, and at some point: moral value.

However, the whole story goal are not exactly to collect ingredients or eating the best food. Food in this series is portrayed as daily necessity (and sometimes a reward) to continue their main quest, which quite humbled compared to typical fantasy adventure you'll commonly see. For me, this hit a balanced point that make this enjoyable both as fantasy adventure and cooking manga.

dungeon meshi is a manga i started reading because i was on my kingdom break (so i dont get worn out) and looking for something else to read, the reviews were saying, "this series may be cute on the surface but past the surface is something great." and they werent joking, first couple dozen chapters or so was just an un-impactful, nice read, full of cute moments and world building, but it EXPONENTIALLY raises the stakes the more you read, unexpected story developments, genuine character arcs shining through, you begin to feel like youre reading an actual group of friends go through this dungeon with ... real feelings rather than just a silly group of characters.

story, 8: my score for the story quickly went from a 6, to a 7, to an 8 as i read more, which for me usually doesnt happen, i usually start with a guess score after ive read a decent enough amount of chapters to gauge where the story will go, and itll usually only go up one or down one from there, but this story is an exception. what started off as "lets all cook and try out random monsters while we venture to save falin!" quite rapidly turned into "this could easily be the end of the world!" a decent way into the story, and by then, youre already so immersed that its just like "okay yeah that makes sense"

art, 8: the art is without a doubt very pleasant, facial expressions are really what make the characters pop in this, and on certain panels can be absolutely filled with detail and artistic expertise, but that being said i personally would just consider it alright, does what it needs to, but it doesnt really stick out to me in specific way besides good character designs

(EDIT: the art really grew on me after i finished the review, when i thought back on it after reading this, the art was always something i thought about, and how charming it always was, im raising my review to a 9)

character, 10: here's what really makes dungeon meshi so special, the characters are some of the most likable and well thought out ive read. for what STARTS OFF as a comedy manga it sure knows how to portray feelings and passions in a realistic manner. the art is just as important as the writing for portraying this with how expressive they are. most of dungeon meshi's cast of characters dont feel like they're restricted to just the story's plot, they feel like real people in their own world.

enjoyment, 9: it was a fun read and im glad i found it, i like cooking so that was just a bonus. ill definitely be keeping up with it.

overall, 9.

(EDIT 2: this review sucks dungeon meshi still goated though)

Truly a breath taking journey for those who love character driven plots as well as heavy world building. Dunmeshi has helped me fall back in love with the Dungeon genre where it actually focuses on the dungeon rather than a male protag picking up chicks. Genuinely my all time favorite story and it has also led me to getting treatment for my Eating Disorder (it left me with a strong desire to heal my relationship with food). I recommend Dunmeshi to anyone and everyone I meet and I love seeing my manga collection being over taken by the series on my bookshelf.

Dungeon Meshi is what I call a "proper" manga. It has a story. It has its genres like comedy + fantasy. It sticks to its strengths throughout the series with a very satisfying ending. All the characters have their own stories and motivations. And it also has an overarching principle of "To live is to eat". It is a well rounded package and very easy to recommend.

I should probably warn you that the series takes almost 30 chapters before getting into the real plot progress. They are still quality chapters and do a LOT of world building with intricate details of dungeon ecosystem. We ... learn about a lot of monster species and how to deal with those monsters. There's also a lot of hilarious moments. We get to know our characters throughout these 30 chapters. And once we have setup the world properly (with a lot of hints being dropped throughout), we get into the meat of the story.

And once the pace picks up, it never drops the ball. The story definitely gets a little messy during the later stages, but the author manages to maintain decent pacing. The comedy makes sure that every chapter has *something* to give you immediate reward, and the plot's mystery keeps you hooked for the long term. Although, I am not much of a fantasy fan, I still appreciate a proper written fantasy. Most other "fantasy" manga are just Isekai settings like demon lord, hero, OP magic, maybe advanced civilization, elves, dwarves etc.. But this manga actually focuses on building the world with a lot of detail.

If you are not into the comedy, it would probably be very hard to keep going through the first half of this series. So, please read 3-4 chapters and decide for yourself if the comedy is to your taste.

"Eating is an act of optimism, to keep on living, you need to eat."

A quote that sounds so simple, yet confidently profound. A quote that wonderfully describes Dungeon Meshi.
Don't be fooled, although it starts off as your ordinary, run of the mill comedy it soon turns into something a lot more. The story matures into a deeper, more contemplative journey, and eating the monsters stops being just a running gag.

If there's one thing that separates this work from other works, it would be the astounding attention to detail. There's not much to say in terms of narrative as it is very straightforward, but the author's ... ability to craft such well detailed world and characters, whilst avoiding plot contrivances and holes more than makes up for it. Everything, from little details to larger, seemingly more significant ones like how the dungeon itself operates, is so carefully thought out and masterfully put together.

The artwork perfectly complements the author's knack for detail. The humanoid character designs are all very varied yet still grounded. From Tall-men to halflings, to elves, and gnomes, all have and keep distinct traits that make them different. The same also goes for the monsters. Sometimes putting its own spin to it, it mostly takes inspiration from the usual myths and legends. Dungeon Meshi's art doesn't try to step outside the norms, yet it's still very effective due to how strong and thoughtful the artwork is.

This knack for detail also extends to the world. The worldbuilding in Dungeon Meshi is nothing short of incredible. The dungeon feels alive and breathing. And instead of filling you in on its mysteries with lengthy, convoluted exposition dump, it instead uses well thought out dialogue and story beats to show its reader about the world and how it actually works.

And now the highlight; the characters! This series lives and dies by its colorful cast of characters. All of them feel eccentric, flawed, weird, and human. No matter how unserious and lighthearted the story gets at times, the story never fails to remind its reader that the characters are all still just people at the end of the day. When faced with insurmountable odds they get mad, cry, and feel hopeless. Yet at times they're still able to laugh, smile, and have fun despite how absurd the world is. The characters are fun and over the top, yet still so grounded in realism.

Whilst seemingly used as a running gag, Dungeon Meshi uses "eating" as the central theme of the narrative. A very simple theme on the surface but takes on a whole different meaning when pieced together.
To a lot of people, eating is just a thing we do to get by, and Dungeon Meshi begs to differ. Eating is a lot more important than that. Self care is a lot more important than that. We have to be able to take care of ourselves before we can live and accomplish what we want. To live, we must first take care of ourselves; or perhaps taking care of ourselves is life itself.

Quaint, funny, endearing, and thoughtful, Dungeon Meshi perfects the balance of grounded character conflict and fun, lighthearted comedy. It might not have the most complex narrative, but its compelling characters, brilliantly crafted world, the simple, yet effective story, and the incredible attention to detail all feed off of each other to create a beautiful manga that is able to follow its vision all the way through.

Dungeon Meshi is one of the best works to come out in the last decade, and it merits every flower that it's received.

I started reading this manga without high expectations, but it turned out to be better than I imagined. The interesting monster and world settings show how much effort the author put into it. The cute art style details the monsters' organs, habits, and suitable ecosystems, reflecting the author's dedication.

A common flaw in food-themed slice-of-life manga is that the plot can become dull, causing readers to quickly lose interest. However, the author of Dungeon Meshi skillfully integrates elements of adventure, dungeons, demons, and mysteries, keeping the plot engaging while focusing on monster cuisine.

Moreover, the author is very restrained, knowing that the manga's main focus is not ... on suspense and action. When the plot could become darker and scarier, the author adds some humorous scenes and dialogue to lighten the mood, reminding you that it's a comedy food manga.

The ending is quite standard, tying up the plot well and addressing the characters' futures without major mistakes. However, readers might feel the ending lacks the freshness and excitement of the beginning, as the early chapters constantly introduced new settings and information.

Overall, I enjoyed it a lot and highly recommend it!

Much like a well-balanced diet, Dungeon Meshi manages to capture so many flavors essential to a perfect manga.

After a drastic retreat from a deep dungeon encounter, Laios and his remaining companions resolve to venture again and rescue his sister. To save time and coin alike, this adventuring party takes to feasting on dungeon denizens with surprising aplomb. With some of the most effective paneling in any manga, the clean art and fun dialogue keep pace with quick action and even quicker wit. Each chapter gives further insight into the character's relationships with each other and the world beyond the dungeon. And within the dungeon's ... labyrinthine floors is home to a vast ecosystem of monsters and familiar fantasy creatures — all of which are extraordinarily fresh and unique in their interpretations.

Amidst the vast ocean of fantasy stories, Dungeon Meshi stands out as a shining pearl with a charming cast, a rich setting, and an engrossing story. Ryoko Kui masterfully crafts an unforgettable manga that is sure to garner a legacy well worth its salt.

Trust me this is not just a cooking manga as you have been led to believe. It's muuuch more than that.

If you feel like it, you can watch the video review I have made in this.

Now for the written one:

Story - 8
The world and the powers within it surpass all of the basic fantasy tropes and build up the genre which is not something that happens often. On top of that as the story naturally ramps up in stakes everything still manages to stay lighthearted. However, the severity and the painful reality of the story still hits, it's almost a perfect balance.

Art - 8 ...
Simple and unique. Don't be fooled by the first few chapters when the story needs it this can be very beautiful. On top of that, the cover pages for every chapter prove that the mangaka has the ability to draw detailed over-the-top stuff BUT for the sake of being realistic, she chooses not to. Keeping the art very grounded blending very well with the themes.

Characters - 10
This is the best example of the serious/goofy vibe of the manga. Our main 4 characters are always having fun (for the most part) and being lighthearted however we get certain reality flashes whenever they encounter side characters which generally are more serious and bring variety to the narrative. To get back to the main 4 while they are very charismatic can be fun we have plenty of moments when we go and explore their character further when the already deep personalization we had before.

Enjoyment - 9
Some parts at the start can feel a bit awkward but on their own, they don't really take down the manga to a 9. What does take the manga to a 9 though is one very painfully stupid interaction that is very plot-relevant. Without spoiling anything there is some very key information that just has to be conveyed to our main cast... and that just doesn't happen. Both parties are there, they talk and all but for some fuckin reason everybody (for that one scene) turns into morons and it's not cool.

Overall - 9
While the manga has some minor "bad" stuff in it and while yes it has that one brain-numbing chapter that can't hold down the manga too much. It's still a great time.

A straight-up modern classic right here folks.

Dungeon Meshi. Score is a 10 and only because it can't go higher, so don't miss it! By the way this is gonna be more of a praise for this manga's strong points rather than a summary (you did read the synopis, right?).

I want to make it clear that, even though you might have heard that this is a cooking manga (not exactly wrong), it's not a gimmick manga. There is a lot of cooking but it's not the main thing you have to look forward to. Unless you are into that; the food looks really good and people enjoy different things after all. ... My point is that the story is top notch. It starts off nice and promising and only gets better as it delves deeper. The tier one world building, plot that keeps on giving and characters to match make it difficult not to read it through to the end. The amount of work put into the story is wild.

The characters are all well designed, well written and have great dynamics between each other. It's really hard not to love their interactions. The monsters are also very well thought out, ranging between cool, interesting and terrifying. Very easy to see the author's passion in the designs and art.

There are some chapters in which the creator talks about her designs with illustrations and these are always a joy.

No conventional fan service, which can be good or bad depending on you.
(And i say conventional because in my opinion this story in itself is a service to all fans)

It's also very funny, the characters very much complement each other causing hilarity to ensue.

Concluding, if you are looking for a nice adventure into an unknown world of magic, monsters and delicious food (said monsters), please read this manga, i love it and i think you might too!!!!

Dungeon Meshi is a journey that gradually unfolds. Initially, I didn't consider the manga bad, but found it a bit dull, even contemplating abandoning the read. However, I decided to persist until chapter 20, and as I approached that point, I became more engrossed in the story. By the time I reached chapter 20, I was completely hooked and eventually turned into one of my favorite manga.

Initially, the story was predominantly a comedy focused on eating monsters. However, as the narrative deviated from these origins, it evolved into a captivating adventure. The quest for food ceased to be merely a comedic device, transforming into a ... unifying theme around which characters expose themselves, and relationships develop. The best part is that as we progress in the story, we realize that everything was meticulously planned and hinted at from the beginning.

One of Dungeon Meshi's charms lies in the construction of the world, centered around the dungeon the group traverses. This world is meticulously detailed, with impressive attention to detail, addressing not only the ecology and physiology of monsters but also delving into how the dungeon functions, sustains itself, and even incorporating nuances of fantastical politics. These elements not only enrich the story's environment but are also crucial for plot development, contributing to an immersive reading experience. Despite the richness of information, the reader never feels overwhelmed by excessive exposition, as everything is presented organically and integrating it seamlessly, ensuring a smooth and engaging reading experience.

Another merit of this work is its narrative tone. The story oscillates between funny and emotional moments, always maintaining a touch of humor even in the most intense situations, without compromising the characters' genuine emotions. Additionally, the manga addresses the importance of self-care, highlighting how the group strives to take care of themselves to better help others. The ecological analysis present in the story, especially within the context of a dungeon, is also fascinating. The work adeptly explores various themes, with a particular emphasis on ethical and moral issues related to the dungeon's ecosystem.

The artistic elements are remarkable, presenting a remarkable range of designs, finely crafted to be easily recognized and remembered. The author's artistic evolution is stunning. What was impressive from the beginning becomes even more refined as the series progresses. The character drawings become increasingly sophisticated, demonstrating technical mastery that evolves with each chapter. Elaborate and detailed backgrounds, along with page composition, are a visual delight. The use of facial expressions is exceptional, effectively conveying emotions to readers. Additionally, the author creates bonus sketches featuring characters in different clothing, hairstyles, and races, where the distinctiveness of each design can be further noticed, together with the author's love for the created world.

The cast of characters in Dungeon Meshi is truly exceptional. Each character is meticulously crafted, possessing distinct ideologies that give rise to fascinating dynamics among them. They exude charisma while remaining true to their flaws, and their behaviors are genuinely convincing, staying faithful to their established characteristics. The narrative skillfully conveys character development, subtly revealing it through their actions rather than relying on explicit verbal explanations.

In conclusion, Dungeon Meshi is a meticulously crafted work, filled with engaging elements that make the reading experience unique. I highly recommend it.

At first, i only read this manga because i ran out of things to read, i thought it would be a somewhat cute manga that has no purpose and just keeps being cute to make people to read it, but i was wrong, its actually one of the best manga that is currently being written.

Story: 10/10
The story started off simple, as it has been summarized in the synopsis, the group of dungeon explorers have to commit the taboo act of eating monsters inside the dungeon to help them advance in the dungeon as the result of many difficult circumstances. The story develops ... in a comedy way in the few first chapters, but then continue to slowly unfolds into much more complex and interesting plot as the manga progresses. The best thing about the story is that the author somehow manages to logically explains everything that happens throughout the story, connecting all the past current events together in a smooth and satisfying way that makes us readers hungry for more chapters.

Art: 10/10
Art is drawn in a cute but detailed way, all the characters emotions and all the details are drawn in a very satisfying way that perfectly describes the characteristics of characters and the scenery of the dungeon.

Character: 10/10
The best part of this manga, each and every character in the manga is developed very carefully and logically, all the characters feels relatable and distinguishable, even the side characters or monsters. The best part is that all the monsters feel like they have a purpose, not just plain bad guys made so that the hero can shine by killing them like in other manga, all the monsters in the manga are described very logically from biological, to characteristics.

Enjoyment: 10/10
At first, i enjoyed the good comedy and cuteness of the characters, but the more i read, the more i learn that there are so many amazing things about this manga, everything about it is perfect, the anatomy of monsters are even described in a very logical way that makes the manga virtually have near zero plot holes.

Overall: 10/10
It's not even a finished manga, but the author has proven that it has the potential to become a masterpiece with good storytelling, character developments and art combined with good comedies that doesn't feel out of place or just bland bad like in other manga. One of the best manga currently.

I could have never guessed the journey I would go through when I started reading this series. Without spoiling anything, I can say that this manga will take you on a fantastical and twisted journey beyond its original premise of being a food series.

First the art style. Perhaps that is the most important aspect of both a fantasy series and a food series. And this manga nails it. Not only does it always serve you delicious-looking food you can taste straight from the pages, but it also sports some of the most gorgeous character designs. While certainly not unique or deviates from the genre, the ... design for all the different monsters and races feels inspired and meshes well with each other, so nothing looks out of place. Also keep on the lookout for spread pages, as this series will serve you with a gorgeous arts reminiscence of Renaissance paintings.

Next is the character. This series consistently brings you complexly written characters. In the short run that it has, it managed to give the characters enough screen time and background story to make you empathize with them, even when you don't agree with their action, even for the main antagonist.

And lastly the plot. Considering the twists and turns this series will take you, I cannot say much without spoiling anything. But what I can say is that it is amazing what this manga can accomplish with so few chapters. You will find this series to be special when all is said and done.

TL:DR

Fantastic and unique fantasy tale that bucks the trends and creates a near masterpiece, with brilliant world building and equally well written characters. Read this right away!

Story: 9/10
What starts as a light-hearted comedy manga (and a good one at that!) parodying typical fantasy type stories with interesting world building turns into a compelling story in it's own right. The beginning of the manga starts simple, archetypal characters (human knight, halfling rogue, elf mage, etc) with a simple goal. But that doesn't mean it stays that way for long, soon realising a real plot with real stakes. While it keeps the comedic air and never gets ... too serious, that doesn't mean that it can't hit you in the feelings. And the best part? Looking back, you will realise it was all set up from the beginning.

In terms of characters, what starts out as standard fantasy fair (halfling rogue, elf mage, etc) becomes something so much more to make some really unique characters. As the author slowly expands the cast, each with their own backstories and motivations, it becomes so much more than the parody it looks like initially.

Despite the growth of the series from gags to a proper plot, food remains central to the manga. Despite this it's not just gorgeous art of food and ways to cook (although it certainly has that in spades), Food is the underpinning theme of the story and it's all pervasive in this work: to punctuate the manga's themes, comedic relief, bringing characters together or just to make our mouths water. The manga even ends with a feast. I promise this is not as silly as it sounds, the manga plays this entirely straight and it so genuine and well written that it works.

The story is tightly written, with not a line wasted. As the main plot builds momentum, you will realise that everything has been set up since the beginning. This story was meticulously planned, previous events and information coming back up to throughout the manga only for everything to weave together at the end for a truly explosive final.

Excellent world building, in terms of how a dungeon actually works, the monster's ecology/physiology and a little fantasy politics. Kui is one of few fantasy writers to have put serious thought into how any of this would actually work, in term of how a dungeon operates and maintains itself but also of how individual monsters could function biologically and, of course, how they taste. Despite this, it never feels like the author is beating us over the head with exposition. Everything we learn comes naturally and without bring the story to a screeching halt. In fact, every part of the world building not only enriches the world but is also relevant to the plot.

When I started reading this, I came in expecting a fun fantasy romp to laugh a little and forget. I did not expect to find what is unironically one of the best fantasy stories I have read, one that not only transcends fantasy tropes but also genre altogether.

Character: 9/10
The writing is realistic, they all have sensible motivations to enter the dungeon beyond "my friend needs me!". That idea is even criticised. Though, this doesn't mean that they're all sociopaths, there is some top quality banter and it really feels like they are real people getting to know each other. Everything the characters do makes sense with what has been established for their character, It never felt like the manga was forcing the plot forward but rather that things were simply moving to their natural conclusion as a consequence of the people in it. Even the main cast are never just heroes out to do the right thing, even if that's what happens in the end.

The author's economical writing applies to their character's too. One character who I thought would be nothing more than a recurring gag becomes central to the plot in a suprising way. I won't say that literally every character gets to shine but that's not necessary to make a good story. Everyone important gets a well written character arc, and you will find the cast expands rapidly without feeling bloated. Everyone has a part to play, each propelled and acting in accordance with their own motivations, personality traits and understanding of the world.

This dense style of writing also ensures that the character growth is continuous as a result of their experiences. Kui shows a level of respect for the reader uncharacteristic of manga, even seinen, refusing to simply spell out how our cast has changed but rather conveying it subtly in their behaviour. All except for one character and we will get to that.

The depth of personality each character has drives not only the plot but also the comedy, as a natural and perfectly believable consequence of their unique quirks without it feeling the author is trying to get a cheap laugh out of us. Seriously, despite all the very serious stuff I've babbled on about, this is a very funny manga.

The only real criticism I have of the manga is the handling of Izutsumi's character. She started out with such potential, introducing a new concept in the world but she's written without any of the characteristic deftness Kui typically employs. The chapters focusing on her are ham-fisted and clunky, feeling very out of place. After her time in the spotlight, Izutsumi is just kind of… there? She sticks around the main party where every other character has a part to play except her. She could have been plucked out of the story after a point and it wouldn't make much different. The author has some minor characters join and leave the main party at times with several acting independently so I don't know why Izutsumi alone is a permanent addition to the core cast. Yes, she has somewhat of a role in the conclusion but a certain other character would have been better in that role. Even in the epilogue, she doesn't get a satisfying conclusion like the rest of the cast but just another clumsy morality lesson. Reading her chapters made me seriously consider whether this manga was actually classified as a seinen.

It feels so close to having perfect character writing but the author really dropped the ball with izutsumi, “Dungeon Meshi” could have earned a perfect 10/10 in character writing but she left a sour taste in my mouth. Don't get me wrong, she makes a fun sidekick for background gags and she has her moments but she just could have been more.

Art
Every character, even the minor ones with barely one line, have distinct and memorable character designs. In the epilogue were everyone character major and minor is gathered together, I found I could recognise most of them. In fact, the author has drawn some bonus sketches where they swap the characters outfits and hairstyles around and it really hit me just how distinctive each design is and how much it reveals about the character with visuals alone. Looking at their sketches really made me aware about just how much though went into creating each character, even the minor ones.

This close attention to detail isn't reserved just for the people however, the monsters are rendered beautifully, creepily, majestically and all the ways a monster can be depicted. It is clear that the author has thought a lot about how monsters would work and, more importantly, how to cook them.

Yes this is technically a manga about food and the delightful dishes are lavishly illustrated to make the reader hungry, with even the steps taken to cook the beast shown with skill.

Kui has a strong grasp of visual comedy to go along with her witty writing, with absurd reactions to accentuate the absurd situations our cast finds themselves in. Not to mention, the entertaining activities of characters in the backgrounds of panels with blink-and-you-miss-it gags to make you crack a smile.

Of course, Kui is more than capable of being serious. Dramatic scenes are given the power they deserve, fights are well drawn with palpable impact.

Overall: 9/10
This is nearly all unadulterated, effusive praise and that's because it's well deserved. “Dungeon Meshi” is a true hidden gem and maybe my manga of the year, it's no doubt one of the best manga of all time. The author has previously only released anthology manga and, with a debut series like this, I am very much looking forward to their next work. This is a fantastic story that I recommend to everyone, I promise it's not just a silly manga about food, it's a very serious manga about food and much more.