4 out of 5

We’re backed into a corner, and trusting our creator to navigate the way out. Ryoko Kui is up to the task, though volume 13 of the fantastic Delicious in Dungeon brings to the fore something that’s been itching at the book’s progressively more complex concepts: that despite what I believe is a good translation from Taylor Engel, there are ideas that are more ably expressed in the original Japanese that are, presumably, hard to fit into the space allotted. So we’re getting very, very out there with discussing the dungeon’s demon’s motivations, to the point where characters are talking about A Thing in slightly different, vague ways, and we get it – I think – but it also feels like there’s some greater understanding right around the corner.

That’s the nagging negative: we’re nearing the end, and the story is blowing up to massive proportions, and we’re following along visually, but otherwise somewhat intuitively – the text itself is a tic behind. This has always been there, but it’s easier to fuzz when the stakes have been a bit lower, or when it occurs during more conversational moments, when it comes across as quite organic. Here, though, it’s central, so that lag has some more focus.

The good news – that we-get-it story is amazing; Kui’s art and humor and pacing are all aces, and the comparative linearity of this tankobon to the previous ones (rather funnily lampshaded by having a silent panel hug of all our primaries opening the chapters) is a blessing.

A new dungeon lord has been named, and it’s not going smoothly, with all of our character prepping for war. But Laois, Chilchuk, Senshi, and Izutsumi have a plan, kinda sorta not at all, and it’s a charmingly on-point as always. And kudos, as-ever, to Kui, for always taking the more difficult route with the plot: while it’s led to the struggle I’m describing above, it’s worth it to get a story that’s been surprising throughout, cleverly working within the dungeon-crawler / RPG (and cooking) genre to find new ways of escalating matters, while maintaining some emotional hooks and grounding in character.