Studio Trigger‘s adaptation of Delicious in Dungeon will air on Netflix this coming January. However, in advance of this, the first three episodes were repackaged into a limited theatrical release in Japan—giving us the chance to check it out nearly a month early. So, read on to get my non-spoiler thoughts on the story’s beginning.

The first three episodes of Delicious in Dungeon are about setting up the status quo and learning about each of our four heroes. Laios is an armored knight with a secret passion for monsters—and is eager to eat whichever they encounter. Chilchuck is a halfling rogue—usually easy-going but super serious regarding his job. The spellcaster of the group is Marcille, an elf who often worries about her place in the party (as magic is precious, powerful, and therefore rarely used). Lastly, the three are joined by a new party member, Senshi, a dwarf warrior who has lived in the dungeon for years—and knows how to turn nearly every monster into a delicious meal.

The story’s biggest issue is that it has an odd tonal juxtaposition. On the one hand, we have a lighthearted comedy. The group comes across a new monster, kills it, and then works to turn it into dinner. The joke is always the same. Senshi and Laios are excited to dig in, Chilchuck is open to trying the monster meal, and Marcille throws a fit about not wanting to eat something so disgusting—but reluctantly finds it as delicious as anyone else once she has tasted it. Between meals, there are lots of wordplay jokes and slapstick comedy.

However, on the other hand, this is supposedly the story of a frantic rescue mission. They are moving through a dungeon full of traps where even the plants feed on humans—and if the group doesn’t hurry, Laios’ sister Falin will be digested by the dragon that ate her, and they won’t be able to resurrect her. Every moment the party gets sidetracked by some new monster (or the possibility of a new dish) feels at odds with their life-or-death rescue mission.

Visually, nothing stands out positively or negatively in these early episodes—which is a bit of a surprise considering Studio Trigger animated it. The various biomes of the dungeon unquestionably come to life, but there is little action beyond a few quick and straightforward fights. Moreover, the characters’ designs are quite basic—to the point that thanks to his massive beard, Senshi doesn’t even need to be animated when he talks. The music likewise falls into the “fine” category—the only exception is the catchy new BUMP OF CHICKEN song that plays over the ending credits.

With these three episodes, Delicious in Dungeon is one of those anime I want to like more than I do. While I enjoy the Dungeons & Dragons-inspired world with an importance placed on the logistics of adventuring, I’ve never been one for food anime—especially when all the food in question is purely fictional. Add to that the tonal dissonance, and we get something with a mixture of comedy and character building but very little in the way of tension—despite the supposed stakes. Perhaps I’ll give Delicious in Dungeon another chance when the entire series comes out, but as things stand after three episodes, I have yet to be hooked.