Delicious in Dungeon - Laios and the ethics of eating monsters

Delicious in Dungeon is a new generation anime that has gained popularity because of its unique premise. The creator, Ryoko Kui, crafts a narrative that intertwines survival, gastronomy, and moral philosophy. This series follows the story of Laios Tunden, who is an adventurer, and his character challenges those who follow the conventional approach to explore the dungeon, and is unapologetically obsessed with his ideas.

Laios eats all the monsters he encounters and questions traditional concepts of right and wrong. Through Laios's journey, the series delves deep into the ethics of consumption, the nature of monstrosity, and the complexities of human desire.

The act of consuming the monsters is seen to be more than a means of survival. After losing his sister to a dragon, Laios did not flee or fear the monster. He comes up with an innovative plan to rescue her, by encouraging adventurers to consider eating these same monsters on their rescue mission.

In Delicious in Dungeon, some monsters, like slimes, living armor, or mandrakes, are perceived as mindless or purely instinctual. These creatures lack the ability of higher reasoning or self-awareness, posing little ethical conflict when used as food sources.

But then there are a few like merfolk, dragons, and even demons demonstrate intelligence, and have complex behaviors. Eating them then becomes equivalent to cannibalism or exploitation of another intelligent species, something deeply upsetting to several members of Laios's party, particularly Marcille.

Interestingly, what is striking about Laios is, he sees all of these monsters beyond morality. And it is because he expresses a deep fascination and even admiration for monsters. This admiration blurs the ethical lines further. In this story, whenever he chooses to eat a monster in Delicious in Dungeon, it is not simply because he wants to satisfy his hunger. He has put in efforts to study them, admires their biology, and often treats their remains with a scientist’s research.

The biggest moral dilemma Laios in Delicious in Dungeon had to face was to eat the monstrous parts of his sister to remove the curse and save what remains of her humanity. While this act might look grotesque, it comes from the need to give his sister a second chance at life. It’s a moment that transcends logic and tradition, forcing readers to reconsider what it means to love someone unconditionally.

Therefore, some characters sometimes question the ethics of eating monsters in the story, but Laios has blurred the boundary between human and monster and made the right choice given the situation.

Laios Tunden’s fate in Delicious in Dungeon

Laios’s journey in Delicious in Dungeon has an oddly fitting conclusion. After going through a long quest to save his sister, he was finally able to fight against the final boss. The final confrontation was against a demon born of desire. This fight was both desperate and insightful.

Moreover, the only way to defeat it was to consume this embodiment of desire, attempting to understand it and use its knowledge to bring peace to the dungeon and save his sister. However, this final act does not come without consequence.

During the final moments of the demon, he cursed Laios that monsters would no longer come near him. For someone like Laios, this punishment is existential. Ironically, it is this curse that sets the stage for him to become a wise and effective king.

In a sense, his character arc's ending is just and unjust at the same time. Because in the end, Laios gets everything he fought for, and that is a happy ending in its own way.

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In conclusion, at the end of Delicious in Dungeon, Laios was able to defeat the main villain by eating its embodiment of desire, seeking to understand the very essence of longing. The downside of these actions was, he became a monster himself. The most ironical part of his journey is that no monsters will approach him, effectively severing him from the very beings he cherishes.

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