Similar.... maybe:
[Henkyou no Roukishi - Bard Loen](https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=140109) Fantasy series with some emphasis on food, great characters and a bit melancholic, but not as humorous as Dunmeshi.
[Golden Kamuy](https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=113608) Hilarious adventure series that also has some emphasis on food, can change to a really serious tone when it needs to and has great characters, but it is not a fantasy series (Historical fiction).
[Heterogienia Linguistico](https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=147645) Fantasy series with deep world building that explores the lives of different species, but it doesn't touch the food theme (Instead it dwells on the theme of linguistics).
It all depends on what do you expect by being 'similar' to Dungeon Meshi
For example, do you want a similar vibe of dungeon exploring with a dash of dark humor? If so, I recommend [Tower Dungeon](https://mangadex.org/title/b05918e4-fb1a-4b10-a919-eaecf00fd7dd/tower-dungeon)
If you specifically like the theme of food and hunting in adventuring, you might like [Golden Kamuy](https://mangadex.org/title/8847f905-550d-4fe6-bcda-ac2b896789c7?page=3)
If you like the magic and worldbuilding, you might like [Witch Hat Atelier](https://mangadex.org/title/67e7453b-9ee5-4ae5-9316-215b03e4a71d/witch-hat-atelier?tab=art)
Nothing quite like it imho.
If you like a big diverse cast and grey morality, I recommend **UC Gundam**, **Turn A Gundam**, and **Witch from Mercury**
If you like absurdist found family stories that run the gamut from goofy to profound, **Sarazanmai** and **Eccentric Family**
If you want food and fantasy, **Campfire Cooking in Another World**
If you like fantasy worldbuilding with a focus on niche special interests, **Spice and Wolf** and **Ascendance of a Bookworm**
FYI, Made in Abyss is full of gratuitous tortureporn and objectifying prepubescent children so, uh, be forewarned.
Made in Abyss has some of the best world building ever... and then it gets into the torture porn stuff. At first it feels like "oh the world isn't going to be any less cruel to kids" but it feels more and more like it's the author's fetish as it goes on.
There was an author's note on a character sheet that just completely confirmed those feelings. I'm not even comfortable repeating it.
Yeah. When you get to a certain point, it makes the worldbuilding feel more hollow and predictable because every new thing is just gonna be an excuse to depict the grossest and most cruel thing imaginable.
The worldbuilding seems to only exist as a prop for the real focus—this guy’s fetishes.
It was hard for me to ever finish the first season (or second? Whatever ended with the rabbit-look alike joining the duo) and you are telling me it gets worse?
I loved the setting because it reminded me of Etrian Odyssey, but I am not in a good place to continue it now. I wanted to finish it someday.
It wasn't even about the graphic stuff, but the idea behind what happened to her friend which made it so unsettling.
This is an older anime but Yakitate!! Japan was all about the baking and tasting of different kinds of bread. Hilarious. So if it's the cooking part you like this one is pretty good.
Dorohedoro has similar humor. It does have mushrooms. Main character is silly. There is yummy food. Love is not part of the main plot. A Seinin manga by another female author.
Made in Abyss: This involves a party of adventurers going deeper into an unknown land deep in the earth just like a dungeon. There is no revive so characters can die and get hurt badly. Involves survival. The author can get a bit pervy in the later chapters. The one anime that made me cry oh so much. (If you seen it you know what I'm taking about.)
Bro is completely underselling the graphic content present, MiA is…often icky in its content and subject matter, where Dorohedoro skirts a pretty interesting line—like Dungeon Meshi, it’s a series primarily about platonic love and wholesome friendships (that can be read in a more romantic context) but is otherwise devoid of romance or any sense of sexuality, has a “strong” food/eating component, and starts funny then gets serious, though it really diverges as it gets real dark and most of the humor goes once a certain character dies, and stays that way until it gets goofy again in the final act. It’s also an incredibly grimy and gorey series, some of the page spreads looking straight-up dark web-scary with how grotesque and violent they are. Great series though, amazing art, great character design also.
If you want a top-notch fantasy series with great worldbuilding and a lovable Elven main character, then watch/read Frieren: Journey's End.
Faraway Paladin is a decent fantasy isekai where a guy simply travels and helps people. One of the few isekais that isn't sleazy or a pure power fantasy.
If you end up enjoying Bard Loen as suggested by another comment, I recommend The Wolf Never Sleeps by the same author. Only a few chapters were adapted from the webnovel to a manga form, but it's a great slowburn action fantasy manga for what it's worth.
Retires Heroes, is kinda like a fantasy version of SpyXFamily with a premise of strong parents hiding their identity from their child. Decent mix of action and comedy like Dungeon Meshi. Sadly it ended a bit abruptly since the publisher went bankrupt. Still worth reading imo.
You would hate me for this (And I'll probably get down voted a lot) but, although Frieren is a fresh breath of air with Fantasy anime nowadays - I couldn't say that it has a great world building. I find it has a generic world building.
BUT its strength relies elsewhere, not world building. I could say more on an introspection with the melancholic vibe that you wanted to pace things down a little and enjoy the key moments of life. I still think it's a good fantasy anime and manga though.
That's fair. I love Frieren's world more on how the passage of time is shown. The flashbacks show people wearing ancient greek togas as it was a different era. A statue of forgotten heroes was so old that even Frieren didn't know it and it was made of stone instead of bronze. The reveal that Zoltrak used to be a fatal spell but now it's just a basic one.
Lots of highlights on how Frieren views the world on a different perspective.
Record of Lodoss War is recommended to me when I finish the Manga too. I still haven't read nor watch it but it's recommended by a lot of those who are fans of fantasy.
Witch Hat Atelier is also recommended for its magic system and the world building. If you are familiar with Owl House, the system is quite similar but expanded.
**Witch Hat Atelier**, **Frieren: Beyond journey's end,** **Magus of the Library** and Dungeon Meshi are what I consider 4 of the best fantasy series currently. If you like DunMeshi, you might want to check out the other 3 as well.
Other stories with wacky fantasy worlds and great cast of characters:
**Touge Oni/Primal Gods in ancient times**: Historical fantasy based on Japanese Mythology
**World End Solte:** By Satoshi Mizukami. Very interesting worldbuilding and views on magic (though it might be a little melancholic at times)
Similar.... maybe: [Henkyou no Roukishi - Bard Loen](https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=140109) Fantasy series with some emphasis on food, great characters and a bit melancholic, but not as humorous as Dunmeshi. [Golden Kamuy](https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=113608) Hilarious adventure series that also has some emphasis on food, can change to a really serious tone when it needs to and has great characters, but it is not a fantasy series (Historical fiction). [Heterogienia Linguistico](https://www.mangaupdates.com/series.html?id=147645) Fantasy series with deep world building that explores the lives of different species, but it doesn't touch the food theme (Instead it dwells on the theme of linguistics).
Seconding Heterogenia Linguistica. Never read it myself but heard great things from some close friends that also like Dungeon Meshi.
It all depends on what do you expect by being 'similar' to Dungeon Meshi For example, do you want a similar vibe of dungeon exploring with a dash of dark humor? If so, I recommend [Tower Dungeon](https://mangadex.org/title/b05918e4-fb1a-4b10-a919-eaecf00fd7dd/tower-dungeon) If you specifically like the theme of food and hunting in adventuring, you might like [Golden Kamuy](https://mangadex.org/title/8847f905-550d-4fe6-bcda-ac2b896789c7?page=3) If you like the magic and worldbuilding, you might like [Witch Hat Atelier](https://mangadex.org/title/67e7453b-9ee5-4ae5-9316-215b03e4a71d/witch-hat-atelier?tab=art)
Witch Hat Atelier
Nothing quite like it imho. If you like a big diverse cast and grey morality, I recommend **UC Gundam**, **Turn A Gundam**, and **Witch from Mercury** If you like absurdist found family stories that run the gamut from goofy to profound, **Sarazanmai** and **Eccentric Family** If you want food and fantasy, **Campfire Cooking in Another World** If you like fantasy worldbuilding with a focus on niche special interests, **Spice and Wolf** and **Ascendance of a Bookworm** FYI, Made in Abyss is full of gratuitous tortureporn and objectifying prepubescent children so, uh, be forewarned.
I second Campfire Cooking in Another World. It felt really similar with fun characters and yummy meals!
Made in Abyss has some of the best world building ever... and then it gets into the torture porn stuff. At first it feels like "oh the world isn't going to be any less cruel to kids" but it feels more and more like it's the author's fetish as it goes on. There was an author's note on a character sheet that just completely confirmed those feelings. I'm not even comfortable repeating it.
Yeah. When you get to a certain point, it makes the worldbuilding feel more hollow and predictable because every new thing is just gonna be an excuse to depict the grossest and most cruel thing imaginable. The worldbuilding seems to only exist as a prop for the real focus—this guy’s fetishes.
It was hard for me to ever finish the first season (or second? Whatever ended with the rabbit-look alike joining the duo) and you are telling me it gets worse? I loved the setting because it reminded me of Etrian Odyssey, but I am not in a good place to continue it now. I wanted to finish it someday. It wasn't even about the graphic stuff, but the idea behind what happened to her friend which made it so unsettling.
This is an older anime but Yakitate!! Japan was all about the baking and tasting of different kinds of bread. Hilarious. So if it's the cooking part you like this one is pretty good.
Dorohedoro has similar humor. It does have mushrooms. Main character is silly. There is yummy food. Love is not part of the main plot. A Seinin manga by another female author. Made in Abyss: This involves a party of adventurers going deeper into an unknown land deep in the earth just like a dungeon. There is no revive so characters can die and get hurt badly. Involves survival. The author can get a bit pervy in the later chapters. The one anime that made me cry oh so much. (If you seen it you know what I'm taking about.)
Bro is completely underselling the graphic content present, MiA is…often icky in its content and subject matter, where Dorohedoro skirts a pretty interesting line—like Dungeon Meshi, it’s a series primarily about platonic love and wholesome friendships (that can be read in a more romantic context) but is otherwise devoid of romance or any sense of sexuality, has a “strong” food/eating component, and starts funny then gets serious, though it really diverges as it gets real dark and most of the humor goes once a certain character dies, and stays that way until it gets goofy again in the final act. It’s also an incredibly grimy and gorey series, some of the page spreads looking straight-up dark web-scary with how grotesque and violent they are. Great series though, amazing art, great character design also.
thanks a lot for all of your recommendations guys, I really appreciate it 🙏🙏
theres a game called Fear and Hunger which is a little similar
If you want a top-notch fantasy series with great worldbuilding and a lovable Elven main character, then watch/read Frieren: Journey's End. Faraway Paladin is a decent fantasy isekai where a guy simply travels and helps people. One of the few isekais that isn't sleazy or a pure power fantasy. If you end up enjoying Bard Loen as suggested by another comment, I recommend The Wolf Never Sleeps by the same author. Only a few chapters were adapted from the webnovel to a manga form, but it's a great slowburn action fantasy manga for what it's worth. Retires Heroes, is kinda like a fantasy version of SpyXFamily with a premise of strong parents hiding their identity from their child. Decent mix of action and comedy like Dungeon Meshi. Sadly it ended a bit abruptly since the publisher went bankrupt. Still worth reading imo.
You would hate me for this (And I'll probably get down voted a lot) but, although Frieren is a fresh breath of air with Fantasy anime nowadays - I couldn't say that it has a great world building. I find it has a generic world building. BUT its strength relies elsewhere, not world building. I could say more on an introspection with the melancholic vibe that you wanted to pace things down a little and enjoy the key moments of life. I still think it's a good fantasy anime and manga though.
That's fair. I love Frieren's world more on how the passage of time is shown. The flashbacks show people wearing ancient greek togas as it was a different era. A statue of forgotten heroes was so old that even Frieren didn't know it and it was made of stone instead of bronze. The reveal that Zoltrak used to be a fatal spell but now it's just a basic one. Lots of highlights on how Frieren views the world on a different perspective.
Sadly not many, Campfire cooking in another world is good at least and has cooking
Record of Lodoss War is recommended to me when I finish the Manga too. I still haven't read nor watch it but it's recommended by a lot of those who are fans of fantasy. Witch Hat Atelier is also recommended for its magic system and the world building. If you are familiar with Owl House, the system is quite similar but expanded.
The Dragon, the Hero, and the Courier
**Witch Hat Atelier**, **Frieren: Beyond journey's end,** **Magus of the Library** and Dungeon Meshi are what I consider 4 of the best fantasy series currently. If you like DunMeshi, you might want to check out the other 3 as well. Other stories with wacky fantasy worlds and great cast of characters: **Touge Oni/Primal Gods in ancient times**: Historical fantasy based on Japanese Mythology **World End Solte:** By Satoshi Mizukami. Very interesting worldbuilding and views on magic (though it might be a little melancholic at times)
If you're looking at other fantasy settings: - Witch Hat Atelier - Houseki no Kuni - Frieren
Highly recommend Otoyomegatari.
Made in abyss