It is a truth universally known that neither Alex, Philip, nor Sherin can resist a cooking show that is also an anime that is also an isekai. And why would we? For no other reason than these, the anime Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill—or Campfire Cooking ’round these parts—is now an irresistible favorite at Geek Girl Riot and RIOTUS. We may or may not have zombified while waiting for Season 2. But today, my sweet Rioters, we’re eating once again.
Season 2 Description from Crunchyroll:
One day, an ordinary office worker named Mukouda Tsuyoshi is suddenly summoned to another world. He uses his unique skill, Online Grocery, to cook and eat meals using items from his own world. He enjoys his life in another world with the legendary monster Fel and the slime Sui. With the addition of a new companion, another delicious journey begins!!
Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill is back for season 2, and there’s already a cute new familiar in Tsuyoshi Mukouda’s pack. Dora-chan the pixie dragon (Hiro Shimono) joins Mukouda (Yuma Uchida), “uncle” Fel (Satoshi Hino), and the beloved “baby” Sui (Hina Kino) for a whole new season of the best monster cooking reality series out there. Yes, we know Delicious in Dungeon exists, but like Doja Cat, “we said what we said…”
Speaking of what must be said, we three couldn’t wait to talk about Season 2 of Campfire Cooking. So grab your skewers, your Fenrir, and your pew pew, and join us for a discussion we call CAMPFIRE & Chill:
Sherin Nicole: Y’all. I never thought cooking up orcs, goblins, and other nightmare beasts would bring out heart eyes this big. But, for reasons unknown, Campfire Cooking gives me the same warm-fluffy feelings as The Great British Bakeoff, but for the epic fantasy girlies (and I guess you too, Philip). Maybe that’s it, there’s not much out there that brings together multiple fandoms—anime, epic fantasy, comedy, isekai, cuteness/kawaii, and cooking—in one satisfying bite. What is it for y’all?
Alex Bear: I can’t believe the S2 premiere has me enjoying the sight of spider legs as a tasty snack. Do you know how hard it is to make such a monstrous source look weirdly delicious? I should’ve been hiding behind my couch, but instead I had to turn up the volume to hear the show over the sound of my stomach rumbling.
Anyway, back to your point, one of the many things that I really enjoy is the low-stakes coziness within such a dangerous fantasy world. Having a Fenrir in your party—who is essentially a god-like creature who can chomp up anyone & anything like it’s nothing—would usually mean there’s no tension. In any other story, the writers would have to invent an even bigger enemy to give the show something to strive for—but with this one, it works. Because it’s much more about the food and the friendships formed through it. So instead of worrying whether the characters will survive each episode, you get to sit back and enjoy the group’s adventures and see what tasty treats Mukouda comes up with next.
Philip Jean-Pierre: Campfire Cooking totally snuck up on me too—I, as the kids would say, slept on this show. I was just looking for something to fill the hole left in me after finishing Food Wars, and I definitely didn’t expect to vibe this hard with a slice-of-life isekai. At first, I thought it’d just be another food-meets-fantasy gimmick (and for the record, Delicious in Dungeon didn’t quite hit the spot for me, either), but there’s something so genuinely comforting about Campfire Cooking. It’s like if Julia Child wandered into The Witcherverse and decided to start monster-cooking instead of monster-slaying—Yes, there’s a difference hehe. The show has this soothing rhythm where even the most dangerous beasts end up looking delicious. Sure, the spiders gave me pause, but you can’t help rooting for Mukouda as he whips up full-course meals in the middle of his chaotic little “family.”
It’s one part cozy kitchen show, one part This Is Us—minus the trauma but with all the flavor. Watching Mukouda and his “fam” of familiars bounce around the world feels like a fantasy-flavored Eat, Pray, Love—except the “pray” is mostly to the gods of meat, carbs, seasoning, and the occasional offerings. There’s something really special about how Campfire Cooking turns the mundane into magic; it’s less about saving the world and more about savoring it.
Sherin Nicole: That last line is the perfect description, Philip. I don’t know how manga-ka Ren Eguchi and studio MAPPA pull it off, but Campfire Cooking turns low stakes into something enthralling. We never wonder whether Mukouda and the Familiars will win a fight. We’re more concerned with what they’re going to do with all that monster meat (and money), and when they’re going to eat. Along with that, we keep watching to see how much kindness they can spread throughout the world. It’s enchanting.
I’m not in the dungeon-crawling fandom, so I was worried about whether I’d enjoy S2. Worrying was a waste. Watching Mukouda learn the rules and get tricked by those mystery box monsters kept me giggling. I also can’t resist the developing personalities of Fel, Sui, and Dora-chan. We love a found family around here and Mukouda’s kids are better than yours.
The quirky chosen family, the jokes, the kindness-maxxing, and the cooking as a side quest format; this is soothing anime at its peak. These days, I make sure I have lunch ready before I press play. It’s my attempt at an immersive experience…
sidebar: Hey, Crunchyroll, let’s have a Campfire Cooking dinner party. You pay, we’ll cook.
To wrap things up, what were your favorite parts of the season so far?
Alex Bear: “Sui go pew pew!” Okay, for real though, I also didn’t think dungeon crawling could be as cozy and low stakes as this (although my experience with it only comes from playing The Legend of Zelda rather poorly). I don’t know if this counts as a *moment* (it totally doesn’t), but I love the new additions—Dora-chan is precious and lovable in a Scrappy Doo kinda way, while Elrand (Daisuke Namikawa) is everything an elf should be in my books. His enthusiasm and love for dragons might be on par with my own.
As for a particular favorite moment, it’s gotta be when they all try ice cream. Part of me was like, “Y’all have never had ice cream before???” …before I remembered that most of the party are fantastical monsters. Still, it was such an adorably funny moment that it brought me joy to watch them experience something we all take for granted. Campfire Cooking in Another World not only makes you happy & hungry, it also reminds you of the joy of sharing food with the ones you love.
Now, who’s up for some ice cream?
