REVIEW: ‘Delicious in Dungeon’ Episode 10 — “Giant Frog/Aboveground”

The party continues its quest with Marcille’s (Sayaka Senbongi) mana restored. But unexpected threats provide a challenge as the group nears its final destination in Delicious in Dungeon (Dungeon Meshi) Episode 10, “Giant Frog/Aboveground.” Also, plots begin to unfold on the surface which could affect life in the dungeon.

Near the fifth basement floor of the dungeon, the group hits a roadblock. They find a treacherous set of stairs before them. Overgrowing with tentacles and laced with traps, the way forward is a perilous one. But any detour will add significant time to their journey. So they choose to push forward. But even as Laios (Kentarô Kumagai) begins clearing a path, he finds himself without his sword thanks to a surprising attack by giant frogs. Caught on the narrow steps and rapidly losing their weapons thanks to the far-reaching, sticky tongues of the frogs, the situation soon worsens.

Delicious in Dungeon Episode 10 uses this dire moment to let Chilchuck (Asuna Tomari) deliver for the party. The rogue’s sharp eyes and quick wits saved the moment from certain doom. Noticing that the threatening tentacles don’t react to the frogs’ presence, Chilchuck wraps his hands in the skin of a fallen frog so he can safely trigger a trap to slay their attacker. This ingenious moment gives the generally hands-off character another moment to shine.

Chilchuck’s discovery leads to the party skinning the final defeated giant frog and making onesies for themselves. With only their faces exposed, the group can make their way down the stairs in a safe, and adorable, fashion. Seeing the group bundled up in their bright orange frog suits is the perfect moment of visual humor. The ridiculous sight is balanced by how much sense it makes. The series has gone out of its way many times to build a vibrant ecosystem that works together. For the frogs to survive with the tentacles, they would have to have a natural defense. That such a goofy moment can work into the series so sensibly is a huge credit to the show’s stellar writing.

As the party arrives on the fifth floor, Delicious in Dungeon Episode 10 jumps away to Tansu’s (Kazuhiko Inoue, RWBY: Ice Queendom) party as they return home. After sending Namari (Akira Miki) to get some rest, Tansu makes a trip to the expedition’s benefactor to discuss the results of their journey. The discussion soon turns to the wider world as we learn there is tension growing between the races. The elves are demanding humanity turn the dungeon over to them. But with the secret of the immortality spell on the line, the human leaders are reluctant. Gaining access to the spell would be a huge boon for obvious reasons.

This is the first time the show has expanded its narrative outside of the core group. As the battle with the dragon draws near, it’s a great sign for the series that the foundation for future plots is already getting laid out. This will allow the narrative transition to go much smoother without any set-up episodes bogging down in explanation.

Once this world-building wraps up, we get to follow Namari for a moment after she recovers from her recent struggles. Through Namari we learn another new tidbit of information about the world. We observe the adventurer as she heads to a nearby establishment that serves adventurers returning from the dungeon. Well, the dead ones anyway. It seems there is a morgue-like establishment, presumably for people to claim and resurrect comrades brought back from fatal experiences. Namari arrives looking to see if Falin (Saori Hayami, Spy x Family) has been dropped off. This trip further reinforces the bond Namari still shares with her former comrades. It’s touching that she goes out of her way hoping for a near impossibility.

Delicious in Dungeon Episode 10 returns to the group as they begin to explore the fifth basement. Finding signs that the Red Dragon is active and terrorizing the area, the group begins to confront a dire problem. How can three of them take on the enormous threat of the dragon? While they determine that a frontal assault is impossible, they eventually come up with a reasonable plan to stun the creature while exposing its weak area for a kill shot.

With the plan set, the party settles in for a good meal before their battle. This moment’s beauty comes not from the gorgouesly presented food, but from Laios (Kentarô Kumagi). With their journey nearing its end, he takes a moment to thank each of his comrades for helping him get this far. While not a tear-jerking moment, the genuine sweetness is still felt.

As Delicious in Dungeon Episode 10 closes, we hear the roar of the dragon, signaling the final battle. The perfect cliffhanger ending for the opening leg of the series’ narrative. With Studio TRIGGER animating, what comes next is sure to dazzle as the long-awaited battle is joined.

Delicious in Dungeon Episode 10 is streaming now on Netflix, with new episodes airing every Thursday.