English Dub Review: Delicious in Dungeon “Giant Frogs/Aboveground”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
The crew avoids a stinging descent to the castle town, where the Red Dragon lurks. But to defeat it, they need a tight plan and a morale-boosting meal.

Our Take:
It’s hard to believe they’re already one step closer to the Red Dragon. But that doesn’t mean our quest to explore more edible monsters is nearly done. Besides, it takes more than a hearty meal to defeat the impenetrable creature and rescue Falin from its digestive tract. Beforehand, the crew tackles the stairway to the fifth floor, infested with poisonous ivy tentacles and giant frogs. Fortunately, Chilchuck’s intelligence helped the team prevail against the massive amphibians, resulting in a batch of cooked frog skin for them to consume. But that’s not the only thing helping the team progress through the staircase. They also used the frogs’ skins as protection suits to avoid getting paralyzed by the tentacles’ poison. Unfortunately for them, it came with the downside of having the frogs’ blood stuck to their clothes.
As Laios and the others reach the castle town, the episode shifts back to Nimari and her crew as they exit the dungeon for a short break. At first glance, it may seem like the episode is dragging on with unnecessary details. However, that’s not the case. The events in the episode establish that Nimari and the gang are not just a one-time occurrence—specifically, Namari, Kaka, and Kiki plan on returning to the dungeon to search for Falin. The episode also provides vital world-building information from Mr. Tansu, including the war between the dwarves and the elves. The war resulted in the dwarves keeping their lands hidden, which could become a significant plot point in future episodes.
The episode displays that the stakes have been raised for the protagonists as they’re nearing the ultimate showdown against the Red Dragon. But, of course, it’s not without a few humorous moments providing some levity amid the tension, including Laio’s cringe yet heartwarming speech. With their strategy planned out and enough food in their stomachs, the crew is all prepared for a do-or-die rematch that could spell victory or defeat.