English Dub Review: The Dungeon of Black Company “Welcome to the World of Corporate Grunts”



Overview

The show begins as we meet Kinji Ninomiya a determined slacker who got lucky by investing in a real estate empire and manages to become wealthy without ever having to work. At least until a mysterious black portal suddenly transports him to the world of Amuria populated by otherworldly demi-humans. Here the Age of Heroes is over and the dungeons they once explored are mined by modern corporations for the ore Demonite.

Kinji is forced to become a miner but soon incurs enormous debts. He befriends Wanibe, a Lizard creature, and volunteers to prospect deeper in the dungeon where monsters are more dangerous but Demonite is plentiful. But everything changes when Kinji reveals to Wanibe a major discovery that could benefit helping both of them in the mines…


Our Take

As previously stated in past reviews I’ve done, “Isekai” is a subgenre of anime that’s become heavily popularized over the years thanks to shows such as Rising of the Shield Hero, Overlord, Sword Art Online, and Inuyasha. Much in the same way Shield Hero and “So I’m a Spider” have been taking a non-traditional approach to the genre, this one also follows in those particular footsteps in a different way, as it further emphasizes that being forcibly zapped into an otherworldly fantasy setting isn’t always the paradise it’s cracked up to be.

The visuals and art style are well designed and colorful while reflecting the contrasting lifestyles of various characters. But on the subject of characters, the main three are interesting too, especially our semi-likable protagonist Kinji comes across as an extremely insufferable jerk with subtle sociopathic tendencies who at times is occasionally a charming scoundrel whenever he street smarts his way out of danger. We also get his kind Lizard friend Wanibe, and later on a small Dragon Girl Remu who only has Kinji’s back out of a special arrangement with hilarious consequences.

The first episode, has a bit of a rough start. In some ways, it almost feels like social commentary about the intense toxic work culture of Japan when it comes to the infamously brutal work hours certain workplaces have. But at the same time, so many questions flooded my mind as I watched this. Aside from why a jerk like Kinji is being forcibly thrust into this world of unforgiving hard labor, who the fuck is this show made for? What is this show trying to tell its audience? That being a successful self-made investor isn’t considered actual work and is something the writers want to demonize? Kinji may be an asshole, but it’s not like he was raised into upper-class royalty or became famous out of celebrity nepotism to get where he was. I truly hope that the writers are smart enough to have a point they’re trying to make or accomplish in later episodes…