Delicious in Dungeon Volume 2

Both the monsters and the story challenges become more varied in this second volume of the series. Delicious in Dungeon volume 2 provides more insight into the characters as well.

Senshi, in particular, is well-developed, as we learn how he gardens vegetables in the dungeon with a clever twist. He has strong opinions about the value of hard work, avoiding the easy way, and contributing to make the community a better place and maintaining the balance of the natural (monster) order. That’s what’s so interesting about this series, as it combines a fantasy crawl with plenty of creative creatures and yummy ideas for recipes. I keep seeing genre conventions with new eyes after author Ryoko Kui puts a new spin on supernatural beings.

The monsters are amazing, with, in addition to the usual ghosts and traps, treasure insects (bugs that look like jewels or coins) or magic pictures that suck in the viewer. (Our team tries to exploit that one by picking the portraits that have food in the background.) I never gamed D&D or anything like it, so I don’t know how many of these beings have been seen before, which makes every new chapter even fresher and more of a discovery for me.

We also get more information on the nature of the world, as our merry band of adventurers gets captured by orcs. Of course, the situation is helped by cooking together, making chicken stew and bread. The art remains impressive, with creatures and meals both equally well pictured and each team member — mage, thief, warrior — given time and space to stand out.

Flashbacks and conversations remind the team and the reader of the bigger purpose, to rescue the missing member of their party, as well as elaborating on what might happen in future as they go further into the dungeon and what its history might be. In the meantime, I’ll continue laughing at such dishes as “exorcism sorbet” (made from holy water).