read: dungeon meshi
Dungeon Meshi - Ryoko Kui
10/10.
Dungeon Meshi begins by casually playing with the tropes of Forgotten Realms type fantasy, and then goes above and beyond answering the question of "Wouldn't cooking monsters be funny?" to complete satisfaction. I think the defining quality of Dungeon Meshi is the respect it gives to every corner of the story, from its breaks for humor, to its RPG inspirations, to the broad interactions of its world factions.
Each character is given their fair focus and moves forward with purpose, even within the minor cast. No chapter drags on too long or feels too short, and the concept of eating is used to connect it all together nicely. Dungeon Meshi recognizes that everybody hungers, and so the ancient lion and the hero-king are offered narrative sympathy for the same reason; they are simply acting on their instincts to eat.
As for the art, Kui draws many beautiful monsters, scenes of devouring, cute Marcille faces, and cute despairing Marcille faces. A lot of thought is put into the designs and it is rare to see this diversity done capably. I really recommend Kui's comic anthology "Terrarium in a Drawer" if you want to see more of her sharp artistic sense.
⚠️ Spoiler warning, click here for my favorite panel of the comic
he fucking that shit up eat eat eat
There's something in Dungeon Meshi for everyone. Catgirls. Hot dwarfs with a troubled past. The struggles of no one sharing your special interest. Food that makes you say "Anime food looks so good." Yuri. Please read.