Popular Netflix Anime Proves the Fantasy Genre Has Outgrown Isekai

A fairly popular anime that’s currently airing on Netflix is Studio Trigger’s Delicious in Dungeon. The anime follows protagonist Laios and his party of adventurers as they traverse a dungeon to revive Laios’ sister after she’s eaten by a terrifying red dragon, and to survive the dungeon with limited funds. To increase their chances of survival, Laios convinces everyone to eat the monsters they encounter, something Laios is all but stated to have just been looking for an excuse to do.

If there’s anything to take from Delicious in Dungeon’s popularity, it’s that it’s a sign of anime’s take on the fantasy genre outgrowing the staples of isekai. Besides the fact that Delicious in Dungeon is a rare fantasy anime without the isekai gimmick, Netflix’s Delicious in Dungeon goes against the typical staples of isekai anime through its handling of its monsters and gaming elements.

The isekai genre doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon, but Delicious in Dungeon does show a newfound willingness not to be over reliant on it.

Delicious In Dungeon’s Worldbuilding Puts It Above The Typical Isekai Anime

Produced by Studio Trigger, based on the original manga by Ryoko Kui

One of the most notable differences between Delicious in Dungeon and the typical isekai anime is the thought and care Delicious in Dungeon puts into its worldbuilding. Most isekai anime are focused primarily on the characters and the often overpowered abilities the protagonist develops, so the inner workings of the fantasy world often end up being underdeveloped, if they receive any at all. Delicious in Dungeon, however, greatly delves into the biology of its monsters by exploring the proper ways to kill and eat them, and that adds far more to the fantasy setting than most isekai anime.

Delicious in Dungeon’s stellar worldbuilding goes beyond the biology of the monsters, of course. Classic fantasy monsters like basilisks, golems, and undines are given unique and often funny twists on their standard depictions, and Delicious in Dungeon even adds a political angle to the story through race relations and having characters try and control the dungeon. It’s with those elements and others that Delicious in Dungeon’s worldbuilding becomes far more developed than the average isekai anime, and that’s sure to only increase as the story continues.

Delicious In Dungeon Avoids The Video Game Aesthetic Of Isekai Anime

While clearly being inspired by Dungeons & Dragons and other TTRPGs, the series keeps reference humor to a minimum

What also sells Delicious in Dungeon’s worldbuilding is how it avoids the typical video game aesthetic of isekai anime. A common element in isekai anime is having the powers of the protagonist and others take after video game mechanics with things like status screens and characters talking about skills and leveling up, and there’s often very little variation on the trope. Delicious in Dungeon, meanwhile, never uses the typical video game mechanics seen in isekai and other anime, instead simply having characters engage in the aesthetic of a Dungeons & Dragons-style TTRPG, thus making it feel far more engaging than its contemporaries.

Netflix’s Delicious in Dungeon’s video game aesthetic also plays into the great character writing. Many isekai anime have all the writing and dialogue revolving around the video game mechanics, thus leaving the characters feeling hollow, but Delicious in Dungeon’s video game elements are simply a backdrop to the world instead of being the main focus, and it always makes the characters feel more engaging. It all goes into how excellent the overall worldbuilding in Delicious in Dungeon is, and it would be a breath of fresh air to see more anime like it instead of the typical isekai affair.

Delicious in Dungeon releases new episodes every Thursday Netflix.

Watch On Netflix