Studio Trigger, the renowned animation powerhouse, celebrated their highly anticipated anime adaptation of Ryoko Kui's beloved manga, Delicious in Dungeon (Dungeon Meshi) at Anime Expo 2023. Following the world premiere episode screening, our team had the privilege of learning more about the series through a roundtable press interview with Kentaro Kumagai, the voice behind the young swordsman Laios, and Sayaka Sembongi, who lends her talents to the skilled magician Marcille. Join us in our interview transcript to discover their thoughts and experiences working on Delicious in Dungeon.
Transcript editing by: Alysa McWilliams
Can you please talk about the voice-casting process?
Kumagai: I first made an audio file and then they chose the candidates which lead to auditions in the studio. From there they came up with a couple of candidates they were really interested in.
Sembongi: It was really interesting because my character and another were already decided. So then the characters who were already chosen acted in a scene where we would interact with Laios and they chose the best sample voice actor. They chose who would best fit with the team so Kumagai was decided after.
How did you prepare for your respective roles?
Kumagai: First I looked into where I can relate to this character. Laios actually has a younger sister, and I actually have a younger brother. So I focused on being the older brother. But Laios is a very interesting character, so I started to change my perspective to being a flatter one as I began to learn more about him.
Sembongi: First I read the manga, and my character actually doesn’t like to eat monsters so I thought what are the closest foods in real life that I can find that is similar to dungeon food. Slime would be similar to kanten (seaweed jelly) or other jello-like foods and I imagined other foods in a similar process.
What character do you find interesting in the anime you would like to play?
Kumagai: After reading the manga, I knew that Laios would be the only character that fits me so I only thought about him. I was very happy that I got to play him and he was the only character that I could think of.
With my face, it would be weird if I were playing Senshi. I am too young. [laughs]
Sembongi: Marcille was the character I really wanted to play. She’s very ditzy and also has a habit of overimagining things. The girly parts of her are really cute. As I was doing the audition, I thought it would be really great if I could get the part. I am very honored that I was picked.
What do you think is the difference in the comedy of this series from others?
Sembongi: Compared to other comedy-type anime, this is more subtle and you will hear more small snickers compared to big laughters. Laios is unique and strange so due to this, his interactions with the other characters will bring up questions if it is supposed to be funny or not.
Kumagai: Laios is always serious so he is not trying to be funny. He truly likes eating [monster] food. But compared to the people around him, it is different so he wonders why it is so weird.
Since voicing your respective roles, how has your perspective of food changed?
Kumagai: In Japan, we say itadakimasu and it’s a big part of the Japanese culture. I have been taught since a child by my parents to always say itadakimasu before eating and it’s almost become a routine. Doing that for 27 years, it becomes something you just do without thinking. You don’t realize the importance of the underlying meaning behind it. Now that I am working on Delicious in Dungeon, things that the character kills to eat, they are taking a life. That aspect adds a whole new definition to this phrase we’ve become so used to. It’s given me a whole new perspective.
I also ate lots of steaks yesterday due to this perspective. [laughs]
Sembongi: For the first time on set, I ate insects. The directors bought them for us which was a great experience. It was a little grotesque, but also unique to it was very interesting and a great experience.
Is there any dish from the series you’d like to try?
Kumagai: I would want to try the "huge scorpion and walking mushroom hot pot". Because it has a Japanese theme to it, I want to try it.
Sembongi: There is more that I don’t want to try, but I would really want to try the hot pot too. One dish I definitely don’t want anything to do with is parasites.
Photo courtesy of @dun_meshi_anime via Twitter
Is this your first time at AX? What are your impressions of the fans at AX? Any surprises for you in America?
Kumagai: This is my first time at AX, and it is also my first time in America. It’s been a fresh perspective and a new experience for me. Just walking around I wasn’t expecting to interact with Japanese content like anime and manga made by American fans which made me really happy. I could feel the love and passion with my skin so it was a great experience.
As for surprises, everyone drives on a different side here and I panicked each time being in a car that turns left.
Sembongi: This is also my first time at AX and in America. The thing that has stood out the most to me is the lack of humidity. I got off the plane and felt so relieved. It’s dry! I’m not sweating. It doesn’t matter how hot it gets, it’s the humidity that really gets to you.
I feel very similar to Kumagai-san, I feel so honored and impressed with the love and support from the American fans. I would love to sit down 1 on 1 with some of the fans if I could and ask them questions like “Who do you like?” and “What do you like about this character?” I am going to take this experience back with me to Japan and do a better job and use it as fuel for my work.
Were there any directions provided by the staff?
Kumagai: Before the first episode we got together with the production staff in the lobby to greet each other. For the first recording, the 4 main characters were in the studio with the director and sound engineer on one side and the actors on the other. As we were working on the voices, the director would go into the recording booth and give feedback and it was like a back-and-forth direction.
Keeping in mind the original manga, I felt it was important to keep in mind the distance my character had from other people.
The first recording is extremely important in building that synergy with the director.
Sembongi: The director instructed us to bring our voices down a notch. He wanted it to sound a little more mature and that was the direction that really stuck with me.
What do you expect the audience to get from watching the series?
Kumagai: There are a lot of comical parts that will make you laugh but there is also a much more complicated underlying theme. I’m looking forward to taking this journey with the viewers as they watch the anime, but also the journey as a human, I am very interested in watching how they grow as characters and I hope the viewers will enjoy that as well.
Sembongi: My character is very much into eating. The whole aspect of taking a life to receive life and its significance is important. It is also about the journey of about 4 characters on how they interact as a group and grow, rely on, and depend on each other. There’s a lot of humor and comedy you’ll find, but themes such as one not being able to live alone and needing each other during their journey are very important.
Would you consider cosplaying your own character if you went to another anime convention?
Sembongi: Yes!
Kumagai: I would love to but I think I need to work out a little bit first.
Were there any difficulties you had in the series?
Kumagai: Laios is a difficult character and there were a lot of scenes that were hard for me. There’s a particular scene that stands out from the first episode where Laios eats a huge scorpion and I had to do a “bleh” sound many times. It was difficult.
Sembongi: A lot of the gag scenes were difficult because I had to react like “yada!” and I had to keep in character without going too high. I delved into different voices including my natural voice to balance it.
Delicious in Dungeon is set to stream in January 2024 worldwide on Netflix.
Follow:
Official Delicious in Dungeon Anime
https://twitter.com/dun_meshi_en
Studio Trigger
https://twitter.com/trigger_inc
Kentaro Kumagai
https://twitter.com/k_kumagaihk
