REVIEW: ‘Delicious in Dungeon’ Episode 8 — “Raspberries/ Grilled Meat”

After Laios’ (Kentarô Kumagi) parasitic meal at the end of the last episode, Delicious in Dungeon (Dungeon Meshi) Episode 8,  “Raspberries/Grilled Meat” finds the adventurer still recovering from his ill-considered meal. While he rests, Marcille (Sayaka Senbongi) recalls her early days at magic school and how she met their missing compatriot, Falin (Saori Hayami, Spy x Family).

The opening half of this week’s narrative brings together some of the best elements of the series. At the forefront are great characters and an interesting exploration of the dungeon as a living breathing ecosystem. All this happens while letting Marcille exist as a character beyond her disgust with dungeon food.

Marcille’s frequent primary role in the story is to be disgusted by a proposed meal, just to come around when the resulting dish turns out to be delicious. This standardized role reduces her to being a comedic prop within episodes. While a bit of humor still comes through Delicious in Dungeon Episode 8 in the exploration of her past, the episode allows her to be more than that.

We see Marcille as an accomplished student at her magical school. Other students look up to her. And while she enjoys the admiration of those around her, she doesn’t lose sight of others. This grounded depiction of the character is wonderful. Neither unbelievably humble nor contemptuously rude, Marcille feels like someone who is trying to keep her head about her while only mostly succeeding. This makes the character feel like a real person. Any student receiving that praise wouldn’t be able to help but let it go to her head a little.

It is amid this adoration that Marcille takes note of another student, Falin. The young girl gets knocked off-balance by a rushing student and Marcille quickly breaks her fall. Marcille then learns that the other students think little of Falin. Often arriving looking dirty, when she shows up at all, the others look down on her. When Falin’s magic experiment ends up being the best in the class, Marcille endeavors to learn more about her classmate.

It’s through Marcille’s friendship with Falin that Delicious in Dungeon Episode 8 explores the dungeon in a new light. Senshi (Hiroshi Naka) speaks about preserving the ecological balance of the dungeon but his view is always from a resource management perspective. He wants to keep the dungeon healthy so he can continue to harvest from it. As Falin introduces Marcille to a secret corner of the dungeon only she knows about, we see something different. Falin loves the dungeon purely for what it is. She slips away to read and write in her quiet corner of its vast space. She’s come to understand the importance of monsters like slimes, as well as how to enjoy the dungeon safely, without eliminating them. Her holistic view of the dungeon is one of pure appreciation.

Falin’s perception of the dungeon is reinforced to the viewer thanks to gorgeous lighting and excellent camera work. The serenity and warmth of the moment are skillfully captured. Soft lighting reinforces the peace of the moment. While slow, camera movements reinforce the calm and safety Falin finds in her secret space.

Once the journey down memory lane wraps up, Delicious in Dungeon Episode 8 sees the party prepare to move out now that Laios is back on his feet. Before the group ventures forth, Marcille takes a moment to do some quick washing from a nearby water source. Unfortunately, it turns out that magical creatures called Udines live in the water. A skirmish breaks out as Marcille tries to escape from the ambush.

This closing action sequence brings a unique presence to it. With Marcille caught without her staff and separated from the others, she must think on her feet. Her isolation combined with repeated cuts to her concerned comrades builds tension during the showdown. Despite the relatively small scale, there is great weight in the moment. Studio TRIGGER does a fantastic job of capturing the excitement through its animation work. The Udines are excellently crafted, as the magical energy that makes up their presence shifts and lashes out at Marcille. Usurpingly, the animation also does a great job of delivering Marcille’s acrobatic evasions. Delivering great kinetic action, TRIGGER makes the elf feel nimble despite the obvious degrees of panic that play out through her vivid expressions.

Delicious in Dungeon Episode 8 brings both sides of its narrative together to deliver an engagingly fun story with a lot of heart. It manages to utilize all of the series’ strengths while avoiding any of the pitfalls that have held back previous episodes.

Delicious in Dungeon Episode 8 is streaming now on Netflix.