First aired on May 28, 2020, Dorohedoro is nothing short of amazing. If you are a fan of violence and action, then this show is the one for you.

Dorohedoro was created by director Yuuichirou Hayashi, also the director of Attack on Titan, and MAPPA studios.

Dorohedoro, based on the manga started in 2002, takes place in a dystopian world ruled by powerful and rich people who are called “Sorcerers.” They practice their powers on the poor people who live in the slums of a place called “The Hole,” either flat out killing them or leaving them with a horrific mutation. 

The story focuses on one of the main characters, Kaiman, who got his head transformed into that of a caiman crocodile. This gyoza, Japanese dumpling, loving antihero loves nothing more than to get in a rumble with some magic users. With help from friends along the way, they set out on a bloody journey to find the mystery of what happened to Kaiman’s head.

Dorohedoro features some of the best artwork I have ever seen in an anime. With a psychedelic style of animation, this show wows the viewer with its pallet of vibrant and neon colors. A specific example would have to be the introduction of the show, with a half cat half hooved animal creature frantically chasing around a bug, and the entire known color scheme being displayed; this is only a taste of the chaos that the viewer will experience.

The show also has an amazing cast of original characters. In the time that it has taken me to find a show as well put together as this one, it has taken me equally as long to find an immensely great cast of characters. Such as Kasukabe, a 60-year-old scientist who was turned young by the “Sorcerers,” my personal favorite. His cool thinking ability, matched with his dry sense of humor, really made me connect with this character on a personal level. With his knowledge of the sorcerers and his giant bug companion named “Johnson” by his side, there isn’t a sticky situation that he can’t get out of. Such as getting imprisoned by the main antagonist in his mansion or getting his arm sliced off and then mended back together.

Most shows gear the attention solely onto the one or two main characters that are in it, but the great thing about Dorohedoro is that the attention doesn’t need to always be on them to be interesting and fun. Whether it’s fighting off the living dead in their annual Zombie Night, or meeting with the Devils’ to renew a soul contract, this show keeps the viewer engaged in the action as well as the story.

In the annual Zombie Night killings, people of the Hole must kill the dead that have risen due to the Sorcerer’s magic; which pollutes the Hole, causing the dead to rise once again. Citizens equipped with axes, knives and homemade concoctions flood the street, slicing through the dead as if they were butter. Citizens drench covered in blood and guts is a sign of victory, knowing that the living dead are finally laid to rest once more.

The soundtrack is another major aspect of the show. Composed by R.O.N of  (K)NoW_NAME., the soundtrack could not have done a better job of encompassing the feel of the dystopian world. With aspects of heavy head-banging guitar riffs and psychedelic/ambient influence, I could not imagine watching the show with any other type of soundtrack.

With many fans, such as myself, eagerly waiting for the official release date of season two, Netflix still has not released any news on whether or not it will indeed get another season. However, fans do speculate that it will be back in the fall of 2021 according to hitc.com.

This show fulfills everyone’s need for action and a great story, I only wish I could go back to the time so I could see it for the first time again. Dorohedoro can be watched on Netflix.

Elliot Rodriguez is the Entertainment Editor for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories email him at [email protected]  or Instagram @elliotyaknow. 

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