It’s getting icy as Laios’ party dives deeper into the dungeon in Delicious in Dungeon episode 20! “Ice Golem/Barometz” is the first episode with Izutusmi as a member of the party, but that doesn’t mean it’s smooth sailing. In fact, “Ice Golem/Barometz” shows just how terribly wrong adding a new member to the party can go. Plus, we get to see the freakiest monster yet.
Getting to know Izutsumi
Izutsumi is, at best, an abrasive character especially when compared to the rest of the party. She’s bratty, set in her ways, and refuses to eat things that she doesn’t like—let’s not forget that she is a teenager. Other than Marcille’s ability to use ancient magic, she doesn’t actually know much about the party. This creates tension between her and the rest of the party, leading them into a precarious situation with direwolves. Despite this tension, or perhaps it’s more accurate to say because of it, Iztusmi reveals more of her backstory while talking to Marcille.
I do have to point out that for anyone who doesn’t watch the opening (editor’s note: never skip OPs), Izutusmi is now part of it! This might not be surprising for some, but it’s nice to see her become an “official” member of the party in this small way.
More monster lore
Both the ice golem and barometz are two of my favorite monsters in Delicious in Dungeon. The ice golem is possibly one of the coolest monsters I’ve ever seen; especially when compared to the golems we met earlier in the series. It has an ice beard – how cool is that? Additionally, the ice golem’s origin is interesting. The ice golem came to be via Senshi accidentally dropping a core down the drain to mix with the magic of the dungeon. It’s a fun take on both the golem monster and dungeon magic that seems to be consistently changing as the party delves deeper.
On the other hand, the barometz is by far the weirdest monster to me. For some, this might not be a new monster but it was for me and I absolutely love how freaky it is. While harmless, it is strange that the barometz takes on the appearance of a sheep both as an unripe and fully ripened fruit. If we’re being honest, the unripe fruit is pretty creepy. On the outside, it looks like a peach but when cut open, it resembles a lamb fetus — which is Berserk levels of creepy if you ask me. This monster is one of the first things that audiences witness as the darker and strange imagery of Delicious in Dungeon begins to creep in. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
Senshi, Master Chef
“Ice Golem/Barametz” gives the audience not one, but two cooking scenes that show off Senshi’s abilities. It’s a nice return to the familiar after the cooking chaos of the last few episodes. Senshi’s ability to make a meal out of monsters is nothing short of amazing. We learn this back in “Hot Pot/Tart” when he comes across Laios’ party attempting to make a meal out of a scorpion. But his cooking game has improved tenfold as they get deeper within the dungeon. I am amazed that his barometz chops are something even Izutsumi couldn’t say no to. There’s a reason he’s so adept at living within the dungeon and creating meals out of the monsters within. It’s something both the party and the audience will learn about soon enough.
So far, Delicious in Dungeon episode 20 is the weakest for me. While the barometz is exciting and to see Izutusmi’s story in animation, the pacing was off enough to take me out of the episode. Additionally, Izutsumi’s attitude does get annoying. The audience is used to a level of maturity within the main party—this includes Laios’ negative traits and Marcille’s outbursts when it comes to eating monsters—but the audience isn’t used to a character acting so selfishly. “Hag/Nightmare” shows how Izutusmi only cares about herself, but “Ice Golem/Barometz” makes it clear.
Delicious in Dungeon episode 20 slows things down in order to take the time to explore new character dynamics. This slower pacing does get in the way of the overarching plot, but it’s a necessary pause so the focus can be on Izutsumi, her history, and how she fits into the party. Even though it was on the weaker side, it set up the next episode for my favorite characters to be introduced.
Delicious in Dungeon is available now on Netflix.
Featured images: © Ryoko Kui / KADOKAWA / “Delicious in Dungeon” PARTNERS, Netflix
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