Delicious in Dungeon Review – “Sea Serpent”

It’s oh-fish-ial, the second cour of Delicious in Dungeon is a dish best served cold! Episode 14, “Sea Serpent” diverts us away from Laios’ party to do some worldbuilding with Kabru and Shuro. The departure might feel abrupt for some audience members. However, it allows the series to take a beat to remind watchers that this world doesn’t revolve solely around Laios’ wants and desires. 

First though, about the new Delicious in Dungeon OP and ED. I can’t be the only one who thinks that both of them are straight bangers. The OP is a wonderful song by sumika, who also did an OP for Wotakoi: Love Is Hard for Otaku. It’s the perfect, upbeat type of song that reminds me of the shoujo anime I watched when I was younger. The second ED is by Regallily and once again features new artwork from Delicious in Dungeon creator Ryoko Kui. For those who know where to look, there are plenty of hints about where the story will go in both the OP and ED. So, my advice for any anime-only’s out there is to watch both of them very carefully! 

“Sea Serpent” spends its time focusing on Kabru and his party, the B team. This cut away from the Laios’ party gives Delicious in Dungeon a nice break to show the audience that there are other parts of the dungeon. Additionally, it serves as a jumping point for the second half of the season. 

Kabru is obviously more than meets the eye. While his party hasn’t exactly been successful so far, “Sea Serpent” proves that they’re not bumbling adventurers. Kabru has a lot of skill with a sword and is quick to think on his feet. Additionally, Mickbell mentions that Kabru has a knack for remembering a lot of information about the people that pique his interest. 

The rest of Kabru’s party also has a lot skill. Rin is an extremely powerful mage when it comes to offensive magic, Daya is a skilled fighter, as is Kuro, the Kobold of the party. Holm and Mickbell’s skills are not offense-based, but round the group out as a whole. They each trust in Kabru which, if you ask me, is the most important aspect of an adventuring party. Compare them to Laios’ party, who often do not trust Laios as much as he would hope so. 

It’s easy to write off Kabru and his party with what audiences have seen of them so far. But, it would be remiss to think that they are not a key part of the story. Kabru comes off as friendly or happy-go-lucky, but audiences finally catch a glimpse of who he is underneath the smile. And like he says himself, the converging of so many different adventurers is sure to have an effect at some point. 

Shuro finally makes his grand entrance at the very end of “Sea Serpent,” with the members of his crew serving as the opening act. At long last, audiences see Shuro in all his glory and it’s clear that he shouldn’t be messed with. His own adventuring party seems to be full of women — including two teenage girls, Inutade and Izutsumi. As a whole, the party prepares to fight the monsters that rove the dungeon. However, they’re missing a key part of information: where Falin is. This is where Kabru comes in after Shuro and his party help them out. 

Something small, but significant happens in “Sea Serpent.” When asked if she knows Shuro, Rin makes it a point that the Eastern continent is a large place. Just because the two of them are both from it, they don’t know each other. This might not stand out to some people, but it’s an interesting dynamic to include in the series. We already know that race relations between different species can be tense. This microaggression sheds light on what we can only assume to be racial stereotypes within the tall man race. This little bit of reality adds another layer to worldbuilding in a really subtle way that works, in my opinion, perfectly.

Delicious in Dungeon “Sea Serpent” is a great transition from the first cour. With a focus on Kabru’s party and an introduction to Shuro’s, the episode makes it clear that both of them will play major roles in the upcoming episodes. It also sets up an alliance that could harm the main party when we least expect it. The building blocks that “Sea Serpent” lay out shouldn’t be forgotten as the adventurers continue deeper into the dungeon. 

Delicious in Dungeon is available now on Netflix.

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Featured images: © Ryoko Kui / KADOKAWA / “Delicious in Dungeon” PARTNERS, Netflix