The acclaimed manga series “Meshi Dungeon (Tragions and Dungeons)”, created by Ryoko Kuifollows a group of characters who discover the world of food and cooking in a universe inspired by RPGs and Western fantasy. Although gourmet dishesoften strange, but appetizing, They are the center of attention in both the manga and its successful anime adaptation, their author is not a gastronomy enthusiast, quite the opposite.

In an interview with Denfaminicogamer, Kui revealed that while “Dungeon Meshi” is influenced by some of his passions, such as video games and Western fantasy, the main theme of the series is more connected to his personal struggles with food and interpersonal relationships. Although Kui has previously mentioned in Western media that she is more picky about food, the story behind it is much deeper.

Kui explained that he decided from the beginning that “Dungeon Meshi” would revolve around “shokuiku,” which translates to “food education.” While there were several manga series focused on food at the time, few focused on the educational aspect, something that had special meaning for Kui. «I have a strong resentment towards food», confessed the author. «Ever since I was a child, I have always been extremely picky about what I ate, and mealtimes were a struggle for me. I hated eating in front of others, and for a while, I even resented watching other people eat. I would look for places where there were no people, like bathrooms that were not very popular, so I could eat there.».

This last confession probably refers to the practice of eating in school bathrooms, an experience the author relates to the concept of “benjo meshi” or “bathroom food.” Kui mentioned that she was relieved to discover that she was not the only one going through this situation, as she had always felt deep discomfort about it.

Returning to the topic of nutritional education, Kui shared that although his parents did everything they could to instill in him knowledge about nutrition and eating techniques, such as the “nutritional pyramid”, he was never able to put these learnings into practice. This created a deep feeling of guilt in her regarding food and the act of eating. Kui's editor commented that, in some ways, “Dungeon Meshi” came from a very negative place. Fortunately, the author seems to be learning to enjoy food, although her ability to write and draw about something she so dislikes is intriguing.

Kui noted that, as with the things he is passionate about, he also spends a lot of time thinking about the things he dislikes. «There are many things I draw precisely because I don't like them.», he said, adding interpersonal relationships, clothing and “modern times” to the list. Furthermore, exploring the aspects you don't like up your sleeve allows you to “look for the positive in them” and sometimes make new discoveries.

In this sense, the author of “Dungeon Meshi” even mentioned that “she is afraid” of focusing only on what she likes. She summed up these feelings with a powerful message about creative work: “What you decide to capture with your camera is important, and of course you don’t have to focus on something unpleasant. But if you want to expand your world, I think it’s important to be aware of all the uncomfortable, dirty, and unpleasant things that are just outside your field of vision.».

Source: DenfaminicoGamer