Dororo

This is how a period shounen piece should be done. In terms of the story itself, this anime has two major strengths: (1) character development and (2) moral obscurity. Both Dororo and Hyakkimaru are intensely likable characters, and their relationship is appealing because they balance one another out so well. {SPOILER AHEAD} And the way the aspects of gender and identity were handled with Dororo was appropriate for the character and tactful--the fact that gender DIDN'T play a role in the relationship dynamic between Dororo and Hyakkimaru was refreshing and lovely. Hyakkimaru is also just such a likable character, especially given he doesn't speak for half the show? His transition into humanity is slow, gentle, and achingly real. He is a character you don't forget. Tahomaru is also a deeply engaging character. And secondly, the moral landscape of the show is phenomenal. Despite the fact that the Daigo family has had dealings with demons and sacrificed their own son, the show also highlights the disasters, pain, and loss felt by people throughout the countryside. The dual vision of the sacrifice, responsibility, and potential callousness of the Samurai and the helplessness, hunger, grief of their people is striking. You cannot help but have moments in which you think that perhaps Hyakkimaru's sacrifice is worth it. But it isn't. Is it? I cannot suggest watching this show enough; it is a space to learn more about yourself, your own humanity, and the relationships you create. It is a meditation on family, the one you're given, and the one you choose. Loyalty, kindness, the power of choice, the failure of aggression, the failures of unnecessary sacrifice or pain. Please enjoy this anime. It is definitely worth the watch.

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILER I actually don't know what to say about this anime. I feel soo empty after watching this because i enjoyed each and every moment of this masterpiece. The story is top notch like its very well made and why the characters do things is explained very correctly. Now about the animation... it gets a little bad around the middle of the series i mean not entirely bad but maybe that is obviously because of less budget and timeline issues but that doesn't stop anyone from watching this masterpiece of an anime does it. The sound quality is pretty decent eventhough i won't give it full marks it is satisfying enough towards the end Yeah also this anime will leave you depressed for 3-7 days after the first 4-6 episodes because<spoiler read at your own risk and eventhough it is not a full spoiler you may regret reading this if you haven't watched the anime> of Mio's death ..Like that particular death of that person makes you wanna cry soo hard like a motherfu**ing bit*h . Yeah many scenes in this series hit hard. You may want to feel to leave after the death of Mio eventhough that is not what the entire story is about. Overall it is actually pretty awesome and one of the classic storyline and anime in my list. Also this deserves atleast a OVA or a movie to see the interactions between dororo and hyakkimaru. Yep thats the end of the review folks

Being an Osamu Tezuka story. The anime adaptation had a lot to live up to. Those expectations were compounded by the amount of time it took to get this adaptation. So greatest for Dororo and its creators was to live up to expectations. They did somewhat. There where many flaws in the visuals. The compositing was below average. There were too many shots where the background and the characters where jarringly disjointed. The character weren't on model every time and the fighting scenes were lackluster, save for the first fight scene. It calls into question the directing, which was supposed to be first class. Dororo saving grace has to be the writing and music. The writers did a stellar job at adapting the scant source material into a 2 cour show. They transformed a manga that hadn't aged well, despite being a classic, to a modern action-adventure that could've been a classic. Themes were added that hadn't existed that over-hauled the quality. There were times where the story evoked classic Japanese legends. The only disappointment is that they didn't follow through with the mythic Esque storytelling. There wasn't a huge ironic twist (except for Hyakkimaru's quest to be human might turn him into a demon) or a huge lesson in morality. The depiction of samurai was quite different from your norm. Samurai haven't been romanticized in any way, instead they were quite the villains. It was very refreshing to see, maybe I haven't watched many historical anime but for me it was the first time seeing samurai as villains. Period appropriate music is always a safe bet and has to be commended when done well. I liked the minimalist approach to the soundtrack. It added an atmospheric mood that gelled well with the entire show. Dororo could've been a classic but ultimately didn't live up to expectations. Except for the story. It was quite dope.

Dororo was a very promising anime that i was really excited about but after finishing it i believe it was only average. The animations at times they were good at times they were bad. The story was very interesting but didn't live up to my expectations and the pace was really slow, it also made me watch the same thing over and over again, all that i was seeing was the main character being stuborn and fighting to get back his body without showing us any thoughts that he had and overall his character was really childish it was even mentioned in the anime that he acts like a child. So because i don't want to keep on draging this review, overall i believe if it had been done right the anime would have been a big hit but due to it's luck of good animation and character develpoment it let a lot of people down but i still think it is worth watching it, u might not like it but i believe it diserves a try. Sidenote: without spoiling anything the ending was really lame and and it didn't give me any fillings of happiness or sadness i were in a state of: oh that happend, because of the luck character development. I hope my review helped those who read it.

This was a show that originally flew under my radar until I randomly stumbled across it on YouTube. After watching it, I can confidently say that this anime is definitely worth your time-- or to, at least, check out. The 2019 adaptation of the original manga/ anime of the 1960s improves upon an already interesting story by taking out a lot of the more cartoonish imagery that was present in the original manga, giving Dororo a more serious feel to it. The plot, story, and most characters are all phenomenally done. My only serious gripe with the anime is that there are points in it where the animation quality dips like crazy. It seems to me that either the animators were running out of time, were lazy, or both; however, that thankfully doesn't plague the whole series. All in all, this is definitely an anime that you should consider watching.

Dororo is an old classic manga written by Tezuka Osamu who is known as the god of manga.It is a great tale that probably inspired dark fantasy manga like Berserk. The story is great in my point of view ,there were not any plot holes or anything that could lead to dissatisfaction. The art was really good, the studio did a great job with dororo ,though there was a drop in half way in episodes 14-15 if I remember correctly ,it was fixed later on . The characters are amazing especially Hyakkimaru and Tahomaru , one can be confused about which side is right ,due to the fact that both are fighting for something that is precious for them. Taking the aforementioned into account ,Dororo is an amazing anime that i would highly recommend 9/10

-SPOILER FREE!- First of all let me start off by saying that I am very picky when it comes to giving an anime a 10 rating. However just because I gave it a perfect score doesn’t mean you might agree with me. What might be a 10 for me might not be attending for someone else, but for me, when I give an anime a 10, It means that it touched me in a unique way and had me captivated the whole time. Not too many shows manage to tick all the right boxes for me; most shows I enjoy come close, but it takes something really special for me to go ahead and mark it a 10. By no means is Dororo a perfect 10 in EVERY category, but to me, the story makes up for any minor imperfections that I noticed. I don’t think there is an anime in existence that is truly perfect; but this is one of the few shows I think is close enough in deserving a 10. I will explain my reasoning below. -STORY- (10/10) I’ve had discussions with my boyfriend about how some anime fall short in certain areas. To me the most important area to get perfect is the storytelling. A show can be beautifully animated, but if the story is stale or uninteresting, then what’s the point? Luckily, Dororo was never stale or uninteresting to me, but kept me on the edge of my seat every week. The “monster of the week” format helped I think, because the stories felt satisfyingly conclusive for the most part each episode, but left me curious and excited for the next episode! The length of 24 episodes was PERFECT as well, since they were able to take their time in progressing the story, and were able to sprinkle a few lighthearted episodes between the heavy ones to give the viewers a breather. It also made the impact of the heavy episodes much greater imo, since they never rushed them and gave you time to really digest what was going on! For me, what really made the story was the rich symbolism EVERYWHERE. From inside the episodes, to the creative uses of the OPs and EDs. Some scenes were more subtle than others, but each bit of symbolism enriched the lessons conveyed so beautifully! I had so many moments after I’d watched an episode where a parallel would finally register, and it never ceased to make me go “oh, wow.” The ending was quite satisfying and just what I was hoping for, and even though I don’t want the party to be over (heh), I definitely don’t want to see a 2nd season. It wrapped up absolutely perfectly. -ART- (6/10) Ok, now here is where I had the biggest problem overall. It’s not enough for me to knock my overall rating down, but it is what I would consider the show’s only real weakness. At times the animation could be janky as all hell, to the point where it really took me out of a scene. But credit where credit is due, there was also a lot of really well directed/animated, cleverly done scenes. If they decide to fix up some of the iffy scenes for the Blu-Ray, then that would definitely solve my biggest complaint. Honestly, it was perfectly fine up until about the halfway point, where there began a pretty sharp decline in animation quality. It picked back up towards the end, but that little dip is where most people seem to be put off. As I mentioned above, the story is the most important part to nail. I love to see top tier animation, but I can also forgive less than awesome animation as long as it has a strong story to carry my interest. This was definitely one of those scenarios, because even when some episodes had very questionable animation, I was able to get through it due to my emotional investment to the story. Also, I definitely would be harder on the art quality had this only been a 12ep show, because they had twice the amount of episodes to animate, and I can understand the need to stretch their assets out. Heck, I’ve seen TONS of anime that ARE only 12 episodes with worse overall quality, so the staff doing Dororo can be forgiven here in my eyes. -SOUND- (10/10) Really not much to say here; I think the sound was overall perfect. The voice acting was superb (especially the VA that did Dororo!) and the music was PHENOMENAL. The ED songs were both some of my favorite EDs EVER. Sound effects aren’t something I pay much attention to, but since nothing stands out to me in a bad way, I’d say that means they did a great job! -CHARACTER- (10/10) I fell in love with the main duo. They were fascinating to watch develop, and they developed WONDERFULLY. Their struggles and motivations were portrayed in a great way, and I truly felt conflicted WITH them. Even the villains I found myself sympathetic towards at times; they were realistically written and had REAL motivations and reasons to do what they did. It was never just “be evil for the sake of being evil”, but rather because they were doing what they truly thought was right. There were a lot of morally gray situations that really made me think, and have a hard time taking a single character’s side fully. Also, the designs were pretty great! -OVERALL- (10/10) I truly think Dororo is something special and it will be one of those shows that stand the test of time. (Especially since the source material already has!) It never felt empty; instead you could feel the lessons they were trying to convey. It provoked deep thoughts in me about morality and sacrifice, love and kindness. It was absolutely a story that will stick with me for a long time.

The adventure of Hyakkimaru & Dororo, and what an adventure it was. A weathered, angry sapling with its freshly bloomed makeup on; two companions whose goal is to not only survive, but to thrive and challenge the bane that is the land beneath their very feet. Underneath the sombre atmosphere that 'Dororo' (I'll quote the name of the anime to distinguish between the character) uses to tether the viewer's attention is a grand, beautiful & somewhat casual adventure. 'Dororo' is as raw and raw gets; but it has a pace. It's serene, yet condescending and that is what makes this anime adaption much more special than the manga & previous anime adaption. MAPPA have *almost* perfected an already perfect story. Love, loss, lust; despair, distain, dishonour; the dark reality that encompasses the world of 'Dororo' & that is the immediate impression we are given and the one that stole my attention. And that is why I must give the story at 10/10... Story (10/10): This is no fairy tale (I suppose you can take that as a homophone too) nor is it your standard "protagonist vs the world" redemption story, this is a gripping, thriving and illustrously gloomy story that refills its fountain pen with the blood it spills. I have never seen such a splendid dance between a dystopia & a utopia. And it's consistent! An adventure that does not one bit betray its roots, not even for moments where the slim chance of hope becomes a hyperbolic fragment in an arc. I never anticipated the first episode to become such a grand & bewildering story. As linear as the story is, that is what an adventure is supposed to be and 'Dororo' does not hesitate when sticking to that story. If you're a fan of becoming part of an adventure & experiencing two lost souls finding their place in the world, this story will bless you with a true feel of adventure unlike anything you've ever experienced before. Easily a 10/10. Art (9/10): And yet another consistent part of 'Dororo' (although there are only some incredibly minor inconsistencies) that cosies the ironic serenity of the story in an airtight container; the perpetual unknowingness seeps through the fixated rain clouds & breaks through as our two companions seek enlightenment. What a heartwarming & wholesome way to give an already wholesome story a platform... But yes, we do need to talk about the inconsistencies - one scene in particular which is just ridiculous and I hope whoever lazily animated it was fired immediately. Alas, it should not further taint an intentionally tainted story: 'Dororo's' art style is a visual symphony of horrors, glistened by the gory, rage-filled blades of Hyakkimaru. 9/10. Sound (10/10): Giiivveee meeee fiyyaaarrrrr!!! Wow, what a unique OP huh? Was not expecting a rap verse at all, but it worked and unironically suits Hyakkimaru's personality. Of course, it was met with yet another brilliant OP and therefore I cannot feel too much melancholy over no longer screaming along with the first OP and thus giving myself a sore throat. And if you thought the OP was too "op", you should hear the endings... I much, much prefer the first ending due to how brisk yet warming it is and it sunk in with the closure of every episode. The latest one carries a different beauty that befits the latter half of Dororo. As for the voice acting, Hyakkimaru has one of the best VAs I've ever heard. It fulfils the premise of his character fair better than his previous portrayal in the 80s production, but that's to be expected. 10/10 for me! Character (9/10): After refusing to pull several punches, you sort of "get it" with 'Dororo'. It's not going to let anyone off the hook and it certainly established that motif for me. But that's what made me, not only adore it, but mentally worship it. Worship it, because it is different and it completely owns it. You darn kids want to see some sort of "Mario rescues Princess Peach from the castle", well guess what: 'Dororo' will stab her through every artery in her body, roast her in lava, have her get ground-pounded by Bowser and let Mario discover her burnt, boneless corpse. That's 'Dororo' & that is how quickly a character can go from breathing to bleeding. Hyakkimaru & Dororo are the most ironically innocent and compelling duo, they were fated to meet by destiny it seems and their adventure was already set in motion from the moment they were born. Hyakkimaru is certainly a unique character, as after all he is the focus here. I use "unique character" elusively here, as he is a samurai and he is well-versed in sword fighting as you'd expect, but he is so brutal, he is so unrelenting. You can feel the fire burning in his polysterine heart and while he can't feel anything on the outside, he certainly can on the inside. And that is what distinguishes Hyakkimaru from other samurai characters: he refuses to let his disability define him and rather he takes full esteem of it. Excellent character, excellent development and excellent portrayal. As for Dororo, she needn't change all too much... the adventure was her's after all, and she developed with it. While the upsides overwhelm the downsides, there is one lingering thing I cannot get over: how does Hyakkimaru learn to talk properly right away? He couldn't hear anyone, he cannot possibly have learned it overnight... the lack of clarifaction there is what prevents me from giving it a 10/10. So that means it's a 9/10! Enjoyment (10/10): Easily a 10/10. I always keep a watch of countdowns to when a new episode would air on Amazon Prime & get even more excited after being reimmersed into the gorgeously gloomy world of 'Dororo'. The ambience surrounding the careful brew of adventure, action and tragedy is what allows this anime to thrive in my heart while leaving wakes of sorrow. The intensity from fight scenes showed no signs of limits and the animators definitely had a lot of fun displaying Hyakkimaru's exceptional fighting capabilities. Absolutely loved how overwhelmingly destructive he is with his swords, very much reminds me of Gintama's brutality and gore in fight scenes. 'Dororo' left a welt in the centre of my chest & let it overgrow with roses and tulips. Bittersweet is one way to describe it, however I would love to again revisit how consistent this anime is. Perhaps it was the adventure aspects followed by the linear quest of Hyakkimaru, but it felt so raw in a way where you don't really know who to empathise with. It never forgot the story it was portraying nor did it leave behind the important values of the two main characters. They grow together, they evolve together; they try to escape the cradle of fate and repaint the land with a fresh coat of red paint. If it's not the unrelenting gore of 'Dororo' that carves its name in your heart, then it'll be Dororo's wholesome smile that will transform your screen into a mirror. And for that reason, I have to give this absolute masterpiece a 10. Remember to always look forward & persevere together! Just like these two.

What can we say? i have been watching this anime with my brother since january. Both of us loved it. The Story is quite good. And easy to understand. There are no complicated premises. But that doesn't mean is a bad and simple story. The music is quite good. And really helpful to immerse you in the Feudal Japan's atmosphere of the show. The designs are very good. And in the opening there are some sequence of animation with the original designs of the now very old anime and manga this show is based on. The characters are very interesting specially Dororo. Dororo is so cute sometimes but so brave in others. Maybe that's why the lowest point on the series is that some characters feel a little under developed. And their stories deserve more time in screen. Remakes and reboots are not quite often very good. But this one broke that rule. A beautiful anime with an interesting story. That made you want to be able to skip forward in time a week to watch the next episode right away. Maybe not a modern masterpiece. But definitely one among the best. A solid 9/10. And a must to watch.

This has been one of the greatest shows I have every seen, and I'm sad that it's over. Many shows lack a certain type of depth that Dororo has in spades, and most of it's most impactful moments aren't explained, they are shown. You would think that is the majority of cases in anime, but that just isn't so. Watching the characters grow, and feeling their struggle was something special. The animation and character designs are gorgeous, and although I didn't like the OPs, the ending was so satisfying that I never skipped it once. That song just ties each episode up and helps you unwind and drink it all in. It's hard to talk about the show without spoiling some of the most important and impactful moments... All I can say is that if you every want something animated to move you, I think Dororo is the one show that is most likely to do it.

After MAPPA’s last incredibly successful project in 2018, Banana Fish, the studio is back to breathe life into another iconic classic manga with a modern interpretation. This time it is the great “father of manga” Osamu Tezuka’s series Dororo. However, MAPPA and director Kazuhiro Furuhashi, of Rurouni Kenshin fame, took more liberties with the source material than usual this time around. Most of the time when this happens, the changes are made to cheapen the source material, to make it shallow enough to fit a large television audience. But with this series that is not the case, MAPPA’s version of Dororo is a refreshingly modern take on Tezuka’s work which deepens its thematic content and more subtlety develops its characters while still staying true to the spirit of the original. It is very rare to see an adaptation take so many liberties with source material while being so successful. Dororo is a dark historical fantasy set near the beginning of Japan’s Sengoku period. The series begins with a samurai lord, Daigo, sacrificing his first-born child to demons in exchange for prosperity for his land. However, his son, Hyakkimaru, survives despite missing most of his body. Years later, he is on a quest to get parts of his body back by killing demons and meets a young orphan named Dororo who accompanies him. This basic premise is kept in common with the original 1969 series and Tezuka’s manga, yet many large changes are also made. Beyond obvious differences in art style, while the original Hyakkimaru could still (in a matter somewhat straining suspension of disbelief) speak to the spirit of those around him, this adaptation he is kept mostly silent at first. This was an excellent decision because it means through much of the series Hyakkimaru’s character is developed extremely subtly, allowing his facial expressions, well-placed flashbacks, and his actions to show the story rather than having him directly tell everything right off the bat like the original series did. This also means the story progresses in a far slower, though more believable manner, with both Dororo’s and Hyakkimaru’s revealed several episodes in at spots that make more sense. That slow, subtle, subdued style of storytelling is ultimately the theme that makes this series so successful. As the series progresses, it takes on a more episodic style through the central bulk of the series, like the original. Hyakkimaru defeats a new demon and gains back his body parts each episode, while slowly developing Dororo and Hyakkimaru’s compelling friendship that keeps the whole series so compelling. This episodic nature is sometimes viewed negatively as mere filler, derisively called a “monster of the week” format. But this take somewhat misses the point. A few of extra stories are added by MAPPA, and they are “filler” in the sense that they do not have huge repercussions for the rest of the story. However, this is filler at its best. Most of the largely stand-alone episodes, both Tezuka’s originals and MAPPA’s additions, with very few exceptions, are compelling stories in their own right. But, more importantly, they are not merely stand-alone filler. They serve the important purpose of relatably, slowly, and subtly developing the main characters in ways that is so rarely successful with filler. It is reminiscent of what made the early episodes of Fullmetal Alchemist so good, but carried on through a larger portion of the series. I will strongly defend episodic so-called “filler” when it is done for the purpose of building characters beautifully, and this is this concept executed at its finest. This is not to say the series is merely episodic and character-driven series like Natsume’s Book of Friends. After some refreshingly good episodic adventures that develop Hyakkimaru and Dororo’s characters so well, you’ll encounter a key turning point that unveils the backstory of one of the main characters, unveils some fact or character that will become important later on, or will feature a key confrontation that will drive forward the engaging plot of Hyakkimaru’s quest to regain his body and Dororo’s struggle to deal with his traumatic past. Further, this series has extremely well-presented philosophical themes. Through exploring Hyakkimaru’s quest it asks questions like: does one persons’ right to their own life and body supersede the basic well-being of an entire nation? Is it conducive to the cultivation of personal virtue for one to kill even when one is morally permitted to take back what they have rightful ownership over? What would it even mean for one to become a full person if one’s only way of doing so is through morally questionable means? These questions were not taken up quite as explicitly in the original series, but MAPPA’s interpretation also presents the themes the original presented so eloquently on the horrors of war and gender roles in Japanese history. Overall, the plot drove home the themes in a way that intertwines with the dialogue very well and that really hits home the difficulty of the questions. As compelling as the plot and its thematic questions were, what really keeps made this series so enjoyable was its great, dynamic cast of characters. Taking the best cues from the source material, Hyakkimaru and his friendship with Dororo is the obvious case here. Rarely have I ever seen a friendship between two characters be so compelling. The dynamic between Dororo’s childish tendencies as he playfully tries to overcome his past contrasted with the dark and brooding Hyakkimaru on a morally grey quest who also has childlike experiences as he regains parts of his body is a breath of fresh air. There really is little as enjoyable in a series as seeing Hyakkimaru have a normal, everyday experience for the first time after regaining a body part and having a child guide him through it. That perhaps is only matched by the subtle changes to his character as he develops, such as going from speaking barely complete sentences to briefly yet so beautifully articulating some of the darkest themes of the show. Yet it’s not just the main two who are so well-developed, there’s also Hyakkimaru’s brother and his entourage we meet later who become some of the most compelling antagonists in recent memory, Hyakkimaru’s mother who becomes sort of a tragic foil for Dororo, and flashbacks to Dororo’s family and her father’s rivals who appear that develop those characters very well. With a few exceptions, almost every minor side character who even appears for just one episode are believably written and well-fleshed out. Even a pair of blood-thirsty sharks who only appear for two episodes somehow become gripping characters. The only major character who is somewhat underdeveloped that we never really get the chance to relate to was the main antagonist, Lord Diago. The richness of the characters was helped along by some pretty good animation. For the early episodes, Hyakkimaru barely talks and very subtle but stellar character design did almost all the talking. In all, the character design was one of the strongest features of the animation team, which seems to be a reoccurring feature of MAPPA’s work. This is not to say the character was flawless. There were various nods to Tetsuko’s distinctive style that did not mesh very well with the modernizations taken, particularly the inconsistent level of detail in limbs (especially feet). Like some other MAPPA series, there were also noticeable dips in quality during some of the filler episodes, especially towards the end of the series. Framerates would drop to painfully low levels and background sets would be disappointingly devoid of all detail during transition shots. Yet, when the animation was on it was great, stellar even. Do not expect photorealistic levels of set design, it instead opts to match its subdued storytelling with more impressionistic background sets—a style that matches the tone of the series rather well. As a whole, the directing of the se…

I went into Dororo not sure about how much I'd enjoy it, since I've never been too much into the whole samurai themes etc. Needless to say, I was much more than pleasantly surprised. Dororo is probably the first anime I got this attached to, having me on the edge of my seat while watching. So long as you appreciate a good story, it's totally worth a watch, even if you're not into the genre. (SPOILERS AHEAD, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK) Dororo is a story about a boy whose body was sacrificed for the sake of his land. Essentially you can say he was never given a chance in life, since his body was devoured by demons at the very moment he was born. Sixteen years later, that boy, Hyakkimaru, goes after the demons to reclaim his body, meeting Dororo, an orphaned kid, along the way. The two slowly create a strong, almost familial bond, with Dororo considering Hyakkimaru somewhat of a brother and Hyakkimaru, while initially indifferent, soon becoming extremely protective of the little kid. As well as the demons, Hyakkimaru has to face the harsh reality, such as a person he loved getting killed and his family turning him down and trying to kill him. This leads him to killing humans along with the demons, leaving Dororo scared he too will become a demon. Instead of turning away due to that fear, however, Dororo always takes care of Hyakkimaru, trying to prevent him from getting out of control, losing who he is. In many instances, Dororo is the only one whom Hyakkimaru will listen to, showing how much value Dororo has to him. Eventually, Hyakkimaru has to go up against his own brother and father in order to regain his last few body parts, leaving Dororo worried as ever that Hyakkimaru will return no longer human. And as you look deeper into this story, that's what it's all about: being human. It portrays how there is humanity inside everyone, and it's people's choice whether or not they stay true to that. More so, it's about not losing yourself despite the circumstances you're going through. The show does not push this meaning into your nose too much though, instead leaving it up to the viewers to interpret it (or leave it be) however they please, which is why I believe it's a great anime: you can enjoy it for what it is superficially, an extremely well written story, but you can also look deeper into its meaning. When it comes to its animation, it had a couple issues here and there, but overall most of it was great. It had some outstanding fighting sequences, and the art never hit badly to the eye. The character designs were simple to an extent, but also distinguishable and interesting. I really liked the colors they used, they always created a certain mood that was right for the show. The animation in both of the openings was outstanding as well: it fitted with the songs, the mood of the show, and thankfully didn't give away too much of the plot, something I've seen many shows do. My complaints? There were a couple episodes in which the animation felt like the budget fell to zero and they had to animate on MS Paint, the movements were stiff and awkward, and details were nonexistent. Other than that though, I have no problem with it. When it comes to the sound, there were some great openings and endings, but not much more. Other than that I don't think there's any memorable track, however background sounds did create a certain, somewhat hollow atmosphere that did kind of fit the theme, so I can't really complain about that choice. The characters are nothing short of amazing. All of them develop along the show, even less memorable or important characters. Again, the whole point of the show was about being human and moral, leaving a lot of space for that to be portrayed differently by each character. Hyakkimaru, fighting both demons and his somewhat destructive urges. Tahoumaru, who was caught between morals and sense of duty. Their father, whose choices ultimately lead to his absolute defeat, and therefore to a scene of him rethinking all of his choices and trying to imagine how things would be if he hadn't turned to the demons, casting morals aside for so long. Itachi, who, despite his arrogance and love for gold, ended up protecting Dororo in the end. I could go on, but you get it: despite it being clear who are the villains and who are the good guys, there's a duality in all of them, except maybe Dororo to some extent. It's overall a pretty enjoyable show for anyone, whether you're here for the genre, themes or story, it's absolutely worth your time.

TL; DR Review This was good. Very good. It seems like a lot of animes these days are very predictable, but this is not one of them. It's interesting to see the original Dororo, but modernized, and I would have to say, a damn good job was done. Following the journey of Hyakkimaru trying to get his body parts back to become more human, in some ways he is becoming less human. This storyline, along with his friend Dororo, makes a very interesting and entertaining anime to watch. That being said, I did not rate this anime 10/10 because of the following: 1. Some fights end too abruptly/shortly/awkwardly. 2. There's an illogical coherence that sometimes pops up here and there. 3. Inconsistencies (occasionally) with Dororo's face when it's a close-up. Overall, I am happy that I decided to watch this modernized take on Dororo and could not recommend it any further. - Spacecraft555 UwU

This is my first review ever, with that being said its not going to be very detailed. However, I wanted to review this anime to say that i really enjoyed this show and am very grateful they remade this anime! Based on first episode i was instantly hooked and loved every aspect of this anime, though i will say waiting each week for this anime had somewhat of a downfall. The reason it has a downfall for me is the fact that midway through the show i became a little uninterested because of the pacing. I believe if this show was no more than 15 episodes it would have been perfect. The reason for that is i got tired of the same concept of them traveling then another demon would appear. Explains why i mentioned the pacing, if the pacing was better this show would be a top 3 for me. The ending was amazing i would have just rather it come quicker that is all. Story - 9 Art - 8 only because midway through some of the animation got sloppy. Sound - 10 Character - 8 Enjoyment - 10 Overall - 9

Dororo is an anime that could have been a true masterpiece with a little more refinement. Its pacing, storytelling, and fight scenes are all remarkably well executed, making it a highly enjoyable series. However, considering it was released in 2019, I expected stronger animation and a more memorable soundtrack. One of the series' greatest strengths is how vividly it portrays the darkest aspects of its era, immersing the audience in feudal Japan. I especially appreciated this atmosphere. At the same time, the story presents its moral conflicts through shades of gray, making it difficult to completely side with either faction (with the exception of Hyakkimaru's father). Since I haven't read the manga, I couldn't compare the adaptation directly, but it felt as though the story had been compressed into just 24 episodes. If the original manga follows a similar pace, I think the story could have benefited from a longer adaptation. //// Dororo üzerinde biraz daha çalışılsaydı tam bir sanateseri olabilecek bir anime. İster temposu, ister hikaye akıcılığı, isterse de savaş sahneleriyle oldukca kaliteli bir seri. Lakin 2019 yılında yapılan anime için daha iyi çizim ve muzik beklentim vardı. Dönemin en çirkin noktalarını çok güzel bir dille işleyib izleyiciyi o dönemin japonyasına hapsede bilmişler. Bunu çok sevdim. Öte yandan seri gri tonlarıyla insanı iki tarafa da (babası dışında) hakk vermemize neden oluyor. Ben mangasını okumadığım seriyi 24 bölüme biraz zorla sıkıştırmışlar gibi hiss ettim. Orjinal çizimlerde de böyleyse biraz uzatmak mümkün olurdu diye düşünüyorum.

Dororo is an incredible mix of emotion, tragedy, and raw storytelling. It follows Hyakkimaru .. a boy born without body parts because of a dark pact and Dororo, a spirited orphan who travels with him. Together, they carve their way through a cruel world, piece by piece, both literally and emotionally. The story is powerful and beautifully paced, with every episode showing how much humanity can cost and how much it’s worth. The characters are deep, the moral questions hit hard, and the art style fits perfectly with the grim yet hopeful tone. I’d honestly call it near perfect ..the only reason it’s not a 10/10 for me is the ending. It felt a little strange and rushed compared to the build-up, but it still fits the themes and emotion of the story. A dark, emotional journey with amazing characters and a story that sticks with you long after it ends. 9/10 ...would’ve been a 10 if the finale hit just a bit cleaner.

The worst thing that could possibly happen to a certain anime is to have a much more popular show that airs in the same season. In other words, if your show isn't a brainless battle shonen it will definitely be overshadowed. But a lot of times it only takes the show itself to make even fans fall out of love with it. And Dororo fans can blame Demon slayer for hogging all the attention, but there is more to this. The story takes place in medieval Japan where all the feudal lords decided to play Civilization 6 IRL instead of doing something meaningful. One of them being on the verge of loosing resorts to cheating; it is asking demons for help and promising everything in return. Later on, his wife gives a birth to his son, who have no eyes, no nose, no skin, and no limbs. The son became a victim of his father's promise and Daigo happily accepts this outcome in anticipation of prosperity the demons will give him, which makes him the worst father since Evangelion. In the end, the newborn baby is adopted by a craftsman who replaces all the missing parts with prosthesis. After growing up, Hyakkimaru embarks upon a journey to recover his body parts, but given how superior these prosthesis are in this setting I wander why he would risk his life to recover them. The story structure of finding and killing demons is the only thing this anime has in common with Demon slayer. The fight scenes aren't the selling point here but rather the wholesome sibling-like ( not anime-like ) relationship between Hyakkimaru and Dororo, the side stories, which greatly affect the main duo, and the emotional satisfaction from seeing Hyakkimaru recovering his senses and experiencing rain for the first time. In addition all of that is complemented by the confidence of the direction, the amazing cinematography, and the music. The technical execution can't be separated from the story and vice versa. They complete each other just like pineapples complete the pizza. And if you had to suppress your urge to vomit upon reading my analogy, there is a chance you are not going to enjoy the first part as much as I did. During the production of the second part, Mappa employees realized that they are doing Attack on Titan next year so Dororo was handed to art college students as their assignment. Only this can explain why the anime has lost all its charm. "Bad" would be a wrong word to describe it, "unimpressive" is more fitting. The story got repetitive, the character development got stale, the first opening could've been used in the second cour, but it was replaced with the forgettable one. The biggest issue is probably the "central" storyline, which despite having the most screen time made no impression on me. This is just a bunch of sticks duct-taped together that was supposed to morally challenge the viewers but, unfortunately, it fell short. One arc shows the exact same situation, where few innocent people get sacrificed in order to keep the rest save, and the show never tries to build a conflict out of it and doesn't justify anyone. The "core" storyline, on the other hand, where Hyakkimaru is learning the difference between being a human and having a human appearance is much more personal and thus more captivating. The high quality gets back in the third part. And even if the second part already left a bad taste in my mouth, I still can't say that the weakest parts eclipse the strongest ones. I will forget the lows anyway but I will still remember Dororo for its highs. It's also nice to see a finished anime every once in a while, although, the ending is open so there can be a sequel, I would prefer Mappa to make OVAs which would fix the middle part.

Started off strong, good introduction, we immediately get thrown into the times of samurai, how brutal and unforgiving war is, and also the main goal of the MC (Hyakkimaru), killing demons to regain himself. The first half or so is really good, both MC's travel around the country, witnessing the outcome of war, whilst also on the hunt for demons, we slowly get introduced to a couple of characters that through out the show return once in a while. It was a good balance between reality and fantasy.... for the 1st half at least. Not sure about the exact episodes, but it kinda started going down hill, the episodes started to feel more like fillers than story episodes, they just featured some random event, with random villains, who hurt innocent people, and the story somehow tries to make us sympathize with them. And slowly but surely the line between reality and fantasy started getting thinner, though it was more towards the very end, the good mix of both turned into a mess. The way the plot was handled was kinda... just bad, again, especially during the 2nd half of the story, you could see a ''plot twist'' coming from a mile a way, although id call it less of a ''plot twist'' and more of just.... plot, characters just kinda spawned in exactly where they needed to be, with all the information they needed, without any explanation as to how they got there, or how they got the information. But then at the very end, everything snapped back to reality, the line between reality and fantasy reappeared and everything was normal. The ending was meh though, could have been done more tastefully. Now, in terms of art.... it was pretty solid, demons look sick, design was out of this world... no pun intended, the demons were designed to represent some sort of animal, except the animal had a couple of extra limbs and stuff like that.... pretty gruesome. And the other part where the art shined, is combat, whether it be limbs getting cut off, ears getting sliced through like paper... you get the point, it was done tastefully, just the right amount of blood and detail, not too much, not too little. Characters were meh, everyone was just kinda meh, some characters were too annoyingly ignorant, but then in the snap of the fingers became fully understanding, even though a second ago they were trying to kill the opposing side. Some characters were just purely there for the plot... which was sad, a few of them had potential to pull at the viewers heart strings, but their deaths and actions during the last part of the show were done very poorly... so they just kinda died.... meaninglessly. Overall, the show had potential, but it just kinda died off, like a drug addict with no drugs, or a gambling addict with no money, or something along those lines.

Yesterday i finished the anime i wanted to watch for awhile, Dororo. I'd high expectations since i heard mixed reviews but positive one's were super positive. But after watching it i think my friends whom praised the show was right. I was hooked into the show from the start. It was slow paced character building but you'll gonna enjoy the character development. Every main Character has their own perspective if you see from each of their perspectives they were right on their own way. There's a point you might doubt our main guy Hyakkimaru, does he's own good matters more than thousands of others but you know he's right from start (atleast i believe that from start). Hyakkimaru and Dororo's journey and adventure is the heart of the show. But the best was from animation studio 1st they took the dicesion to adapt 1960's manga story. They've seems pretty good habit of adapting older classics in modern anime. Like their ushio to tora and Bannah fish anime though i didn't watched it yet but I've intention to start those. The animation is great with some pretty good sword fight scenes. They did a pretty great job at adapting this old Japanese folktale which mixed with the genre of drama, mystery, action and adventure. I was hooked fron the start and enjoyed every bit of the show. Don't know everyone gonna like it or not it's a bit slow paced and you have patience enough for best scenes so end of the it depends on your tastes also.

I haven't been this impacted by an anime in a LONG time. I do tend to look too much and put slightly unnecessary meaning into things that don't seem like a big deal, but this hit close to home (btw this is spoiler free) Dororo starts slightly slow in the beginning. It was great, don't get me wrong, but for the first 6 or 7 episodes it didn't click with me as much. Passed that things REALLY picked up. I started doubting how I felt about a lot of the characters and who to really support. From the beginning I absolutely adored Dororo and felt for him because he went through so much, and this didn't change throughout the show. I LOVED the character progression and in the end I kinda loved all the characters in one way or another (especially Hyakimaru <3). There is a pretty big age gap between Hyakimaru and Dororo but I REALLY want to believe that they end up with each other in the far future. I really really would love a sequel, but then again I have no idea if there will ever be one, and besides, as much as the ending pulled on my heartstrings so goddamn much, it honestly felt fitting. I will say, there is a LOT of graphic imagery, which I wasn't too fazed by because it seemed to be mostly realistic (aside from the supernatural aspect ofc) of how the world was in Feudal Japan. Then again I'm not too versed in Japanese history even though I want to learn more about it. I loved how the anime really drew on religious themes, especially within the context of Japanese mythology and history. I also loved how the show drew on moral and almost existentialist themes throughout (especially at the end) that really made me think. I've always been a pessimist at heart, and the show may seem EXTREMELY pessimistic with all that happens, but there's still a flicker of hope that's always there. I also feel like the message that "Humans may never be perfect, but we can at least try to find a middle between violence and peace" was by far the most impactful for me, since it seems like people always stick to one perspective or the other. I wasn't sure whether to give the show a 9/10 or a 10/10 since I rarely give shows a perfect score, but to me this was a pure masterpiece.