DanMachi: What is a Dungeon?

Key things

• The origins of the Dungeon are a mystery, possibly connected to ancient forces that preceded the gods, with myths suggesting primordial chaos.
• The dungeon has different floors, each presenting different challenges and dangers, with monsters constantly regenerating.
• The dungeon serves as the economic center of Oraria, integrating into society through ranks, families, and magical treasures such as magic stones.

Dungeon inside Is it bad to try to pick up girls in a dungeon? more popularly known as DanMachi, is undoubtedly one of the defining elements of the series, serving as both a central location and a mysterious world-shaping force with the city of Orario at its apex. As Orario is the only place with a Dungeon in the world, beings of various races gather there to explore this mysterious structure.

From the architecture of the Dungeon to the monsters within its depths, it functions as a crucible for adventurers, gods, and economic power. For a building of such importance, the Dungeon still has many mysteries surrounding it. How did Dungeon come about? What purpose does it serve? What is the ultimate goal of clearing a Dungeon? Is it over? Dungeon inside Is it bad to try to pick up girls in a dungeon? series, is such a treasure trove of mysteries to unravel.

Origin Of The Dungeon

Ancient Relic

The origin of the Dungeon is a question that has yet to be answered, both in the world DanMachi and in terms of storytelling. The dungeon is said to have existed for a very long time, even before the descent of the gods. Back then, in the absence of the gods, the adventurers fought against the monsters of the Dungeon with the help of spirits.

Although the anime and light novels suggest that his creation was due to divine intervention, his origin has never been officially explained. According to some myths and legends inside DanMachiThe dungeon may have originated as part of the primordial chaos from which the world was created. This leads to the theory that the Dungeon is a remnant of ancient powers that existed before the gods assumed their position as overseers of creation. It could even be connected to the world itself.

Dungeon structure

Multiple floors with different hazards

The dungeon that Orario was built on is anything but an underground cavern. The dungeon is divided into several floors, with each floor increasing in complexity, becoming more complex and dangerous. The floors are designed as a sort of multi-layered maze, each with its own unique texture and challenge. The floors are divided into four: upper floors, middle floors, lower floors and deep floors.

Upper floors

The upper floors serve as an entry point for novice adventurers. With levels numbered from 1 to 12, the upper floors are full of relatively weak monsters such as goblin spawn. Although this is considered to be the easiest set of levels, it is not a walk in the park. Adventurers are still preparing for traps, environmental hazards, and groups of monsters that spawn out of thin air. Many adventurers use these levels to train and gain experience.

Middle floor

The middle floors, ranging from level 13 to 24, start to show a different level of difficulty. The terrain of the levels is also increasingly complicated and much more difficult to survive in, forcing adventurers to adapt to the harsh environmental conditions. The monsters on the middle floors are slightly taller than the monsters on the upper floors, allowing the adventurers to move smoothly to this floor. Monsters such as Minotaurs and Hellhounds began to appear on these floors and also increased in number.

Lower floors

The lower floors, which contain levels 25 to 36, are known for being almost deadly, with high level monsters such as Wyverns and Goliaths hunting intruders. There are also monsters like the Rex Amphisbaena and the Juggernaut, extremely dangerous creatures that give even level 4 adventurers a hard time. Even the environment becomes hostile as these levels tend to have larger and more unstable terrain. Some areas may flood, earthquakes may occur, or traps may be hidden in ways unusual to the adventurer.

Deep floors

The difficulty of the other floors doesn't even hold a candle to the deep floors. These floors, floors 37 and beyond, contain monsters with such destructive power that they would destroy veterans in an instant. It would also seem that the very rules of the Dungeon begin to break down on these floors, with spatial anomalies and otherworldly phenomena making it difficult to clear such floors. It is in these deepest regions that the nature of the Dungeon begins to reveal its true face as more than just a labyrinth.

Monsters Of The Dungeon

Strong And Smart

One of the most interesting things about Dungeon is probably that it constantly regenerates monsters. Monsters don't spawn, but spawn endlessly from the walls and floors of the Dungeon out of thin air, presenting a constant challenge to the adventurers. Monsters come in all shapes and sizes along with different abilities. Some of them, like sprites, are rather weak and are usually used to gain experience for new adventurers. Others, such as the Wyvern, can pose a serious threat even to seasoned adventurers on teams.

The dungeon also features floor bosses that guard the transitions between levels. These bosses are downright terrifying and require entire teams of adventurers to defeat. Defeating them, however, offers rare and valuable rewards in the form of magical stones and special materials that make the high-risk battle worthwhile for the adventurers.

Monsters can also be classified by intelligence. Although most of the monsters that appeared down to the lower floors only act on their instincts, those in the deep floors show a higher level of intelligence and know the importance of retreat. Some monsters evolve into beings known as Xenos after being defeated many times by adventurers. Xenos, unlike other monsters, have intelligence and some are even capable of speech. However, neither monster nor human accept them. Even normal monsters see them as enemies and attack them. Every now and then a monster is created with an intellect comparable to Xenos, but these are driven by their predatory instincts.

The role of the dungeon in Orario's economy and society

Cave Of Treasure And Status

The dungeon is not just a place to seek power and glory; it also serves as the economic lifeblood of Oraria. Magic stones, which can be found at the core of most monsters, serve as a power source for various technologies such as lighting, weapons, and transportation. Being a renewable energy source makes the Dungeon of Orario an extremely valuable location, leading to the creation of industries such as blacksmiths, potions makers, armorers and so on that support adventurers. However, magic stones will not remain unregulated. The guild serves as the governing force for Dungeon Quests, keeping Oraria's economy in check by managing the flow of magic stones and materials.

However, the Dungeon not only affects Orario's economy, but also its society. A place that shows the true value of an adventurer. Adventurers strive to grow stronger, raise their rank, and even bring honor to themselves and their Familias, a group of adventurers who are bound to a god. Those in the Familia are gifted with the Falna, a blessing from a god that grants them enhanced physical powers. These adventurers, usually called heroes, often want to make a name for themselves by achieving great feats and going deep into the Dungeon, making the Dungeon a key component in judging social standing. This, combined with its economic importance, makes the Dungeon very indispensable to the citizens of Oraria and even to the world at large.

Deeper secrets of the dungeon

Is Dungeon Alive?

The Dungeon is shrouded in many mysteries, the most frequently discussed of which is the living nature of the Dungeon. Many adventurers have noticed that the Dungeon responds to their actions, such as regenerating walls and changing the difficulty of monsters depending on the strength of the people around them. It seems as if the Dungeon has a will of its own and seeks to test those who dare to walk through it. Sometimes it even reacts violently to certain actions, such as defeating a level boss, suggesting that the Dungeon is anything but a static labyrinth. Its very origin, which could answer this very question, is a mystery in itself. Its existence is a mystery even to the gods who descended to the mortal world.

Another mystery is the origin of the Xenos. Unlike normal monsters, Xenos have higher intelligence and a sense of purpose, yearning for freedom and the surface world. This suggests a deeper connection to the human realm or even a divine origin. Of course, the biggest mystery is whether the Dungeon has an ending. So far, no adventurer has been said to fail to reach the final level, making it seem like the Dungeon goes on forever as the Dungeon goes deeper and deeper into the ground. Does that mean it would connect to another world entirely? Is there some kind of treasure or catastrophic secret that can affect the world if the adventurers get to the bottom of it? That is, if it ends.

DanMachi is available to watch on Crunchyroll and Hulu.