#I love how physically affectionate Laios is with his friends :]

[fogmoo]

quick Kabru and Laios fanart 🌼^^

[tanoraqui]

Dungeon Meshi Liveblog: Some Much-Needed Downtime TBH

ok I kinda read these species-swap chapters quickly without commenting 2 nights ago bc I REALLY wanted to catch up to the show, and honestly I didn't have much to say? It was a fun showcase of some different species talents, and introduced multiple fun problems for the characters to solve [takes notes in DM]. But it didn't seem to move either plot or characters forward much. Some notes:

Honestly it's surprising that there's only been 1 count of food poisoning so far, when they're trying SO MANY new things. One must credit Senshi's cooking skills!

This might be the single funniest joke so far:

I've seen multiple posts saying Senshi's elfsona reveals him to be feminine by dwarf standards, and I'm genuinely BAFFLED by that take because it is SO obvious that Senshi's elfsona reveals him to be 1. the Hottest Man You Have Ever Met, and 2. HAIRY. We have seen 0 other elves with facial hair. I dug up that showcase of different elves and 0 of them have facial hair. In the Tolkienien lore from which all modern fantasy, or certainly this sort of fantasy, is derived, exactly 2 elves in the history of the world are said to have had facial hair. Elf!Senshi has a tiny little moustache. Elf!Senshi isn't feminine, he is the HOTTEST, HAIRIEST bear in the metaphorical gay club.

...it's possible that he's more of a himbo than we realize, though.

I don't know what's up with Kensuke and I AM worried that it's being directed by the demon. I want it to be Laios's friend so bad...

It occurs to me that "the winged lion is actually the demon at the root of all of this" is probably the biggest spoiler I've gotten, and I didn't even realize how huge a spoiler it was because I DIDN'T get spoilered for the fact that, so far as the characters know, the lion is supposed to be a helpful god. Don't play with spoilers, kids! Even if you want to read the juicy meta!

This initial fight with the gargoyles is probably my new second-favorite "Laios is really quickly analytical and problem-solving in combat" moment (the living armor fight is still #1). He sees how everyone is failing, prevents more problems as he can, realizes they can't win and puts together what pieces they need to get out. In group social dynamics, he's a mediocre leader at best, but he's a superb combat tactician.

Laios is just living in his own little after-school special, and I love him for that.

That first panel is definitely support for the theory that the 50-60yr life expectancy of "short-lived" races like tallmen, orcs, kobolds and halffeet is shorter than it should be, relative to their ages of maturity, because the long-lived races control and hold most of the resources. It's even possible that their ages of maturity SHOULD be even older, but social conditions force them to become "adults" at a younger developmental age than dwarves, gnomes and especially elves!

Panel 3 is Marcille mentally shoving Chilchuck higher on her list of Lives to Extend by Whatever Magic I Can Learn.

I love how the way they figure out that the mushrooms' effects are easily reversible is literally by thinking through the greater social worldbuilding implications of the effects.

^This is the single most Dad we've ever seen Chilchuck...topped only by that 'carry child like a football' a moment later. Actually, he yeets Marcille a LOT while tall - here, over the jump in the travel montage, with Laios to make a loop for the gargoyle...which I'm dead certain is an indication of how he physically treated his daughters. Those kids got casually, affectionately tossed like salad.

.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE CALL FRIENDSHIP.

...okay maybe I did have several thoughts about those 2 chapters.

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"[Falin] was much tougher than I was. I hear she and our parents still write to each other" is SUCH a line for painting a picture of Laios and Falin's childhoods, and Laios's feelings on it.

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you can keep your Kabru Wink(TM)s, I am weak only for the Laios Fond Little Smile(TM).

.

I love how Senshi is still musing on this soul = egg metaphor, and I LOVE how both times now that we've seen Laios genuinely lose his temper, it's because someone was saying "why are you just being excited about eating monsters when Falin is in danger?!", and he's snapping because he is fucking NOT dismissing his sister in favor of eating monsters, he is doing EVERYTHING IN HIS POWER to save her and it just so happens that the only plans with a smidgen of success involve leaning into eating monsters. And by trying to stop him from that, you're stopping him from saving Falin.

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Laios, how tf do you remember the Wink? I'm 99% sure Kabru never once winked in your interactions; I WAS looking for it. Was he just exuding wink energy? (I mean...yes.)

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The dramatic irony jokes in this chapter are on POINT. Chilchuck: "There's no way this thing still works" [tram door slams shut on his heels, cars immediately starts moving]. "You won't find a military company in the dungeon" [smash cut to Shuro, Namari and Kabru unhappily leading the Canaries into the dungeon]. Impeccable.

Stopping this one here in preparation for going nuts about implied elf-related worldbuilding in the next chapters!

[mobblespsycho100]

🍳 bc i love ur takes

I was wondering whether or not I should share a Kabru hot take, Mithrun hot take, or Okonomiyaki trio hot take, so I'm going to share all three (lmao)

Starting with Okonomiyaki trio, I think they should be in a QPR post canon. I think they should get married, but not married for benefits, but like. An intricate song and dance, courting rituals beyond traditionally romantic understanding. I think Toshiro should show up at Toshitsugu's place holding Kabru and Laios' hand and Namari his bestie should be there also and he should go "Oyaji-dono, here are my two partners, The King of the Golden Kingdom and his Royal Advisor, and my bestest friend ever Namari of Kahka Brud, and yes, I'm going to go live happily with them in Melini. Also, we're going to beat you to death. "

I think Kabru has low empathy. Hear me out. He's highly emotionally intelligent, but his affective empathy (feeling how others feel without direct emotional stimulation to oneself) is low while his cognitive empathy (the ability to recognize and understand another's mental state) is high. I think, a lot of people who like Kabru tend to like ignore/brush off the fact that he can be manipulative and cunning because they associate those traits with evil or abusive people. Like, no. I see a lot of NPD traits in Kabru, and he's still an ultimately good/kind person who cares for others. He's a great character, and he has sooo many complex issues. Like, as a Kabru lover with NPD I see a lot of traits in him, and people need to understand that NPD (and other personality disorders) usually develops from childhood trauma... He isn't an awful person because he's manipulative guys. He's very complex. He has layers. Also I think he was totally in the right for "killing" (they show up in the end) the corpse retrievers. Let him enact his justice, they literally JUST tried to get him and his friends to kill each other, and then offered to work together to kill inexperienced adventurers. I would've tortured those fuckers, but Kabru is so kind he just kills them quickly.

People who baby Mithrun or call him ugly, even if its in an "affectionate" way, should stop. Lmao. Like, its literally ableism. No other explanation. Mithrun is a grown ass man (gender neutral). He isn't even an old man by our standards, or elven standards (hes 185??? thats not even close to 400???) he's more like a young man with old man energy not an old man with young man energy. He's clearly a very capable individual, while also being physically disabled and visibly scarred/has facial differences. He even has a prosthetic eye and stuff. Like people who call him ugly... can y'all be normal about irl disabled people? Or does every fictional character exist to be "pretty" and always have to follow like the Western societal beauty standards. Please, just think about stuff before calling Mithrun a dying old disfigured dog or a sad little baby. He's 👏 a 👏 disabled 👏 and 👏 neurodivergent 👏 grown 👏 ass 👏 man who just happens to be a lil emo. or goth (vampirism) just.... goodness gracious. ��😭😭 stop being ableist people, it's really embarassing

sorry for how ranty / rambly this came off as , I just think. I should speak forever. LMAO Thanks for the ask :] I'm glad people like my takes

[cookiie-jpg]

So what was Aralei and Kabru’s first meeting like? How did Kabru develop feelings for her?

Ooo hello anon!! Yall are curious LMAO

Aralei and Kabru’s first meeting was very, very brief. He saw her performing at a tavern a little bit after her arrival on the Island. He’d never seen her before, so after the performance was over he got curious and offered to buy her a drink, to which she cheerfully said “no thanks!” and left the tavern to go home and sleep.

He was still curious after that. After another handful of failed attempts to converse with her, he settled with just hanging around the same tavern and watching her perform. Out of simple curiosity of course (💀)

Manga spoilers down there SORRY 😖😖

The events of dunmeshi happen, so on and so forth, and post-canon they grow closer because of their roles in the king’s court. Kabru takes on as something of a royal advisor studying under Yaad, and Aralei is like. a minstrel or something. I haven’t figured out the kinks yet

BUT ANYWAYS for now they’re just somewhat-friends. Until Kabru overworks himself to death one night, Aralei finds out and pulls some strings to get him a day off. At first he waves it off and says he’ll be fine (when was the last time he ate…?) but Aralei won’t have it. She drags him down to a random tavern and treats him to breakfast, and he tells her he doesn’t mind whatever she gets for him. It’s something tomato-based, probably, and he wonders if it was coincidence or if she remembered tomatoes are his favorite.

After that they hang out more often between their duties (even during, sometimes, when Kabru is with Laios running over his scheduled appearances for that month and Aralei is looking over his shoulder to read from the papers spread over the table).

They’ve only viewed each other as good friends for a long while, so it’s psychic damage for Kabru when he starts to feel fluttering in his stomach just from the thought of her. I’ll put that about 2 years post-canon…

DENIAL. DENIAL DENIAL DENIAL He denies it like his life DEPENDS on it omg. “Haha noo it’s just friendly banter” he says to Rin as if not seconds prior he was offering to take Aralei out on a date using the most subtle language possible so she thinks they’re just hanging out.

It takes him a while, but he slowly (miserably) comes to terms with his feelings, but he still downplays them to a silly little crush. Nothing to get stuck in a tizzy about (AAUUUGHHHHHHHH)

He thinks it should be illegal how affectionate she is. Hugging being a common greeting on the Island is now his biggest dread, especially with one of Aralei’s main love languages as physical touch.

Overall. For a long while, Kabru treats his feelings more like a horrid curse. He feels like tearing his hair out.

[twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat]

ari, i may or may not be plagued with laios thoughts so im sorry but im dragging u down with me. do u think baking with him would be fun?? (i just learned his fav food is apparently cheesecake and it got my mind running)

also!! i hope ur days been well <333 MANY KISSES MWAH

MOSS . HOW COULD YOU.

i went completely feral seeing this in my inbox btw YOU CAN’TTTTTT ENABLE ME LIKE THIS OK!!!!!!!!! I’M ALREADY SMITTEN W HIM AS IT IS 😭😭😭😭😭😭 ……………

but . sniffle . you’re a genius and ily. HE WOULDDDDD BE SO FUN TO BAKE W :(((((( i still haven’t gotten to know him completely so i’m going off the little i know + vibes + my prophetic blorbo vision BUT. i just feel like he’d eat from the batter. and get a tummyache. smh…….. butttt he also takes it very seriously!!! super seriously!!!!! so i think he could restrain himself .,…, he would look soooo cute wearing a cozy apron all covered in flour 🥺🥺 and he’s so focused on the baking . sits in front of the oven like a lil puppy so the cake doesn’t get burned….. and he’s so giddy when it’s finally time to eat. burns his tongue a lil i think 😭 but he doesn’t mind bc!!! it’s so tasty!!!! he’s so happy….

if it turns out to be a failure i think he’d get a lil depressed tho LMAO. so you have to take a big bite and coo abt how delicious it is :3 and then he feels a little better . whether you’re his s/o or friend i think he shows affection through food …. watches you dig in and just feels so content :((( wipes. a crumb from your lip. and eats it. very casually. personally i would Melt into the ground but he doesn’t understand the power he holds so he’s like . :) . completely oblivious ….. i can’t stand him (<- is so in love they can barely breathe)

AND . HIM LOVING CHEESECAKE. HE’S SOOOO FUCKING CUTE MOSS WHAT DO WE DOOOO 😭😭😭😭😭😭 sniffle ….. i just think he would go all 🥺🥺 if you made some for him …….. idk if he’d be the physically affectionate type or not bUT. i think he nuzzles into you like a big cat . bc he’s very thankful. and ofc he would also make lots of treats for you…… they may or may not include monsters but um . well . he did his very best so you HAVE to eat it and enjoy it sorry. that’s just how it is!!!!

[wasabi-gumdrop]

//edit//

manga spoilers!

giving in to my delusions and drawing parallels between this interaction and the party’s first encounter with succubi.

we know a few things about succubus from chapter 59-60. the first and most obvious is that they can take on a form that is the most sexually appealing to a person (as we see with Marcille and Chilchuck’s succubi).

but sometimes, it reflects something deeper in the subconscious.

the text in this description says that a succubus “mimics an idealized subject imagined by their victim.” so it’s not always a subject of sexual desire. we see that in the case of izutsumi when the succubus takes on the form of her mother (sick and twisted btw!!)

so in chp 60, when we see the Marcille succubus, we might be able to infer two things:

one, it’s possible that Laios, on an observational level, sees that Marcille is an attractive young woman (enough that the succubus can draw on that information for the mimicry). but he’s clearly startled by the monster’s intimate approach and more importantly the thought of his party misunderstanding the situation is a pretty big concern to him.

so i think what’s more likely is that the succubus has drawn on Laios’s idealized image of Marcille. which we’ve already seen! in the shapeshifter chapter:

his memory of her resurrecting Falin is what persists most strongly in his memory and subconscious. Marcille shapeshifter’s eyes and hair are the same as Marcille succubus. and you could say that Laios doesn’t really remember her hair very well — but he does remember it better at this point. in the panel where he’s worried about his party misunderstanding, the Marcille in his mind’s eye has the specific braided half up style that the real one is currently wearing. so the similarities of the succubus and shapeshifter seem to be an intentional choice for visual storytelling.

so yeah we could say there’s some recognition of Marcille’s attractiveness in Laios’s mind. but since it’s Laios, i would favour the reasoning going much deeper. to him, she has strong ideal qualities, tied to who she is as a talented spell caster, a loyal friend, someone that he and his family can count on.

and how could this parallel to his reunion with Kabru in the dungeon? well from our point of view, we know that this is the real Kabru. but Laios has every reason to have his guard up. to him, anything is possible at this point, but this being a real person seems the least likely.

Kabru shows up alone in one of the deepest dungeon levels — not a feat you can accomplish by yourself. so Laois is suspicious.

but. if there was even a slight risk of this Kabru being a monster, why does Laios immediately reach out for a handshake? his first reaction is to welcome the physical contact — and then assess the threat level?? this strikes me as more than a little bit careless. Laios loves monsters but he also deeply respects them and is always aware of their potential to be dangerous.

so then … what is actually happening here lol.

Kabru grasps his hand in both of his. he notices this is odd. perhaps too familiar? too forward or affectionate? doesn’t seem like monster mimicry but he’s still not entirely sure at that point. and his first guess is: could be a succubus. his very first guess. BUT he doesn’t react the way he does with the Marcille succubus.

now this interaction is taking place in the span of seconds — so i’ll be the first to admit there’s not a lot to go off here. especially when Laios makes some very quick deductions right after: not a succubus, not a slime, not a shapeshifter — ah so you’re real. therefore you got here with the help of other people, even if I can’t see them right now. and he ends up being right.

but those very few seconds of hesitation can mean the difference between life and death in the dungeon, especially at their current level.

so why would Laios take that risk?

we know his instincts are very good, so perhaps deep down he’s aware that this is the real Kabru. but anything short of absolute certainty means unnecessary risk taking.

based on Laios’s previous experience with the succubus, we can observe two crucial things. 1) he doesn’t react with embarrassment the way he did with the Marcille succubus, so to him it doesn’t seem far fetched or unreasonable for a succubus to take Kabru’s form. 2) and this is probably the strongest evidence of something deeper here: he has his suspicions when meeting Kabru but he drops his guard anyway, during a moment of very high stakes. his party is counting on him to assess the danger and had Kabru been an actual monster, this could have led to a very troublesome error.

so, real or not, Laios foregoes self preservation and takes Kabru’s hand.

now i don’t really know what that could truly mean. but it’s too big of a tactical misstep for Laios especially. your guess is as good as mine, but it could be several things stirring in his subconscious because that’s the only way he’d go against his own instincts.

the first and safest guess is that Kabru has some ideal qualities that Laios admires and is very drawn to. it’s definitely not his skills in monster combat (lol sorry Kabru). it could be his people skills but Laios hasn’t really seen much of that (at least in terms of Kabru’s wider influence on the narrative). his core experience with Kabru so far has been very personal: Kabru’s willingness to connect to him based on his passion for monsters. so for Laios to even think that a succubus could take his form, well, Kabru’s show of enthusiasm must have left a pretty strong impression. but is that enough for Laios to drop his guard?

the other possibility is that Kabru’s charm actually does work on Laios. real or not, it’s enough to disarm him even for a few seconds.

with someone like Laios, charm registers very differently. it’s not a conscious thought. he’s probably not thinking ‘oh handsome guy i need to make a good impression and not be rude, i should greet him like a normal person.’ nope. Laios fully drops his guard, no thoughts, just takes his hand. you fool, what if he had actually been a monster??

Laios just wouldn’t prioritize the need for polite appearances over his own safety. so reaching for Kabru’s hand definitely wasn’t out of politeness or obligation.

anyway this response has clearly run away from me atp. so we’ll conclude with this:

Shipping Goggles Off - Reason Succubus Might Look Like Kabru: Laios admires some ideal quality of his, probably related to the personable impression he left during their first meeting

Shipping Goggles Fully On, Resident of Delulu Nation - Reason Succubus Might Look Like Kabru: Kabru Hot. worth risking it all. sure i’ll take the sexy guy’s hand, if i die then i guess i die

Aw what a sweet reunion! Both are so happy to see each other and--wait. Hold on a second lemme just look a little closer...

Does that say...

LAIOS WHY DID SUCCUBUS COME TO MIND AT ALL WHATSOEVER???? Like yeah, you were crossing off monsters on a list that might be him, but succubus was on that list? Even if it was very fleeting, you considered it???

Laios.

I know what you are.