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An Anime Review of 'Dorohedoro'

The doctor is a good boy.

By BoblobV2Published 4 years ago 3 min read
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Dorohedoro is an anime that is produced by studio MAPPA, and is based on the manga that ran from 2000 till 2018. The concept of the show is quite intriguing as it revolves around a man with a lizard head who is trying to find the person that cursed him so that he could reverse the spell. The caveat is that he does not remember anything from before the point he had his lizard head. This is Kaiman, and he is assisted by his friend Nikaido in his search for said magic user. What unravels is a fever dream that is both intriguing, and a fun time that will more often than not put a smile on your face.

While there is a solid throughline of Kaiman and Nikaido looking for the magic user, much of the first half of the show is quite episodic in nature as they travel through the world that the characters inhabit, and we get a sense for who the characters are. There is a tremendous amount of world building taking place so that when the narrative kicks into gear it is held up in a solid foundation where you are clear on what the rules of said world are. In addition the way in which magic is portrayed in this story is quite fascinating, and the uses of which are quite creative. No two people have the same ability and that makes for creative ways of fighting when conflict arises. The narrative is quite simple for the most part, and at no point are you lost, where the show truly shines is with the characters.

For a large portion of the show, I was rarely as engaged in the plot as I was with the characters that inhabit the story. They are all interesting, with a personality quirk that helps them stand out. This makes the interaction between them far more interesting than what the narrative is presenting. As a result I was riveted to the screen. Both the protagonists, and the antagonists of the show have a likability to them that is infectious, and the more of the show you watch, and the more of the characters you see, the more they feel like individuals trying to make the best of what they have, it just so happens that they are facing each other in this conflict.

What I also love about this anime is that it has so much personality, it oozes out of the screen and implants itself on your mind. It has a visual identity that really helps it to stand out from other anime. The character designs, the environment, and the colours that are used within make it a visual treat, the high energy music composed by (K)NoW_NAME perfectly compliments the show. So much so that the opening of the show is just as memorable as anything else in the show. I start to hum the song and the visuals flood the mind, that is how interconnected the music is with the visuals. What this show does really well is the integration of both 2D and 3D animation. In fact, the style created by combining the two types of animation fits the tone of the show like a glove.

Dorohedoro is an experience, it has sharp humor, a distinct visual style, great characters and dynamics within them, a great soundtrack, and violence galore. As I said at the start of this piece, this show is a fever dream in the best way possible, and by the time the season was done I was left wanting more from this world. As of the writing of this piece a second season has not been announced, despite the cliffhanger that is left at the end. Despite this, I highly recommend you trying the show. As I said, it is certainly an experience. Dorohedoro is available to watch on Netflix.

review
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About the Creator

BoblobV2

Writing about anime, and anything else I find interesting.

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