REVIEW: ‘Delicious In Dungeon’ Episode 6 — “Court Cuisine/Boiled in Salt Water”

With the ghosts out of the way, Delicious in Dungeon (Dungeon Meshi) Episode 6 “Court Cuisine/Boiled in Salt Water” from studio TRIGGER sees the party running low on supplies. Laios (Kentarô Kumagi) has a farfetched plan to remedy the situation. Meanwhile, Chilchuck (Asuna Tomari) is caught in a trap with a monster type he despises.

As this week’s episode opens, the party explores what was once an elegant dining hall. Long dormant there is nothing present but dust and furniture. Or so it seems. When Laios notices one of the paintings’ eyes following him, he realizes there are living paintings throughout the room. These paintings can pull adventurers into their brushstrokes, trapping them. However, when Laios spots food in the paintings he gets an idea. He can go into one, grab food, and return. Tying a rope around his waist, he tells the others pull him out to avoid being stuck.

Delicious in Dungeon Episode 6 takes this absurd premise and turns it into a fascinating story worthy of further exploration. As Laios jumps from one painting to the next, he sees the life of a king pass before his eyes. The various paintings play out his birth, wedding day, and coronation. This timelapse story is striking. Not expecting anything but a ridiculous plan to play out, seeing these moments gives the episode a heartfelt center that works surprisingly well.

The other big surprise within this sequence comes when Laios is finally able to get his “meal” and head home. As he walks away from the coronation banquet, an elven member of the court confronts him. He recognizes Laios from the other paintings he has visited. This implies a continuity between each work of art. Rather than each being a magical still moment, they are more akin to portals to another world. Laios manages to escape before the elf can act, but hopefully we can see this character again. This could be a creative way to grow the cast, as well as build out the intriguing side world that the paintings introduce.

Once the group moves on from Laios’ ill-conceived attempt to get food, Delicious in Dungeon Episode 6 sees the party bed down for a night’s rest before venturing deeper into the dungeon. While everyone else sleeps, Chilchuck steps away to get some water from a nearby fountain. While he’s out, he spots an insect coin that he chases. In his haste, he steps into a room that is rigged to trap travelers. He now finds himself locked in with a mimic. Which as it turns out, is a particular monster type he has had bad experiences with in the past.

This sequence welcomes another surprise. Chilchuck is the most frequently sidelined member of the cast. Learning about his past helps make him more of a co-equal with the other party members. The story approaches his traumatic history with mimics in a way that allows the sequence to stay fairly light-hearted while still imparting how big of a fear the monster poses for Chilchuck. How he has struggled with the creatures in the past comes together as a well-executed bit of background exploration.

When the monster awakens, studio TRIGGER kicks the sequence into overdrive, as Chilchuck’s blind panic takes hold. As he dashes around his momentary prison, desperately trying to activate the release, the animators capture his fear brilliantly. Vivid animation and excellent camera angles brings the stress of this moment to life.

Once Chilchuck manages to escape the trap and slay the monster in the process, Senshi (Hiroshi Naka) sets about cooking the crustacean-like monster. While this sequence provides yet another mouth-watering display of anime food preparation, it also brings another disappointing moment to Senshi and Laios.

As the duo tries to extract the meat from the mimic’s spider-like legs, they find themselves at a loss. They seem incapable of procuring said meat. Then, Senshi gets the idea to use Chilchuck’s lock-picking tools for the job. As one would expect, Chilchuck is not keen on the idea. His displeasure is such that Senshi must physically restrain him while Laios pilfers the desired tools. This feels particularly mean, especially given what Chilchuck has just gone through. But no one acknowledges the generally ill-spirited act, and the moment passes.

Delicious in Dungeon Episode 6 brings a pair of encounters that deliver unique and engaging elements. A fair measure of fun and surprises combined with top-class animation crafts an enjoyable entry in the series.

Delicious in Dungeon Episode 6 is streaming now on Netflix.