Dororo

The greedy samurai lord Daigo Kagemitsu's land is dying, and he would do anything for power, even renounce Buddha and make a pact with demons. His prayers are answered by 12 demons who grant him the power he desires by aiding his prefecture's growth, but at a price. When Kagemitsu's first son is born, the boy has no limbs, no nose, no eyes, no ears, nor even skin—yet still, he lives.

This child is disposed of in a river and forgotten. But as luck would have it, he is saved by a medicine man who provides him with prosthetics and weapons, allowing for him to survive and fend for himself. The boy lives and grows, and although he cannot see, hear, or feel anything, he must defeat the demons that took him as sacrifice. With the death of each one, he regains a part of himself that is rightfully his. For many years he wanders alone, until one day an orphan boy, Dororo, befriends him. The unlikely pair of castaways now fight for their survival and humanity in an unforgiving, demon-infested world.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Hyakkimaru Main

Suzuki, Hiroki Japanese

Dororo Main

Suzuki, Rio Japanese

Mio Supporting

Mizuki, Nana Japanese

Biwamaru Supporting

Sasaki, Mutsumi Japanese

Tahoumaru Supporting

Chiba, Shouya Japanese

Jukai Supporting

Ootsuka, Akio Japanese

Nuinokata Supporting

Nakamura, Chie Japanese

Midoro Supporting

Mutsu Supporting

Munakata, Mariko Japanese

Itachi Supporting

Satou, Setsuji Japanese

Yamamoto, Kouji Producer, Planning

Ootsuka, Manabu Producer, Planning

Matsunaga, Masato Producer, Production Coordination, Production Assistant

Furuhashi, Kazuhiro Director, Episode Director, Storyboard

Reviews

Mar 30, 2025

uchu_no_otaku

Recommended

A Playful Spin on Demon Slayer That Delivers Laughs but Lacks Depth
– A visually polished but ultimately shallow comedic detour.

Dororo (2019) reimagines Osamu Tezuka’s classic with a darker, more emotionally charged narrative. At its core, it’s a tragic journey of a boy reclaiming his stolen body, but beneath the sword fights and supernatural battles lies a deeply human story about identity, sacrifice, and the cost of revenge.

The series excels in storytelling, blending episodic adventures with overarching themes of morality and survival. Hyakkimaru’s silent rage contrasts beautifully with Dororo’s unwavering optimism, forming one of anime’s most compelling duos. While the animation lacks a consistent "wow" factor, ... its atmospheric art direction and strong emotional weight compensate for any visual shortcomings.

What Stood Out?
- Engaging Storyline: A gripping journey of revenge and redemption.
- Complex Themes: Explores humanity, morality, and the consequences of power.
- Strong Character Dynamics: Hyakkimaru and Dororo’s evolving bond adds emotional depth.

What Could Be Better?
- Uneven Animation: Some action sequences lack impact or fluidity.
- Pacing Issues: A few episodes feel rushed or less engaging than others.
- Simplified Demon Encounters: Some fights resolve too quickly without much buildup.

Final Verdict
Dororo (2019) delivers a powerful and emotionally resonant tale that lingers long after the final episode. Despite its animation not always reaching breathtaking levels, the strength of its storytelling and character development makes it a must-watch for fans of dark fantasy and historical drama.

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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Jan 6, 2025

JeChante

Mixed Feelings

I have decided not to focus too much on the references the anime has given us about the history of Japan and more on the story the anime has given us. The story feels like an action shonen. In this series, there's a bit of character growth, literally and figuratively, although it's mainly the two protagonists who've gained this benefit it seems. The plot is very straightforward as are the characters' actions, which makes it very easy to follow. The art style is also very fitting for the anime, the landscapes especially capture the essence of Japan's history. The animations are also sufficient.

Considering how long ... ago the manga for the anime was first serialised, it makes sense that there's a massive pile of flaws in the anime. The adaptation has done a good enough job of conveying the intentions from the original manga.

(Yapping section)
Definitely would've liked more gore from this series but seeing that MAPPA's in charge of animating it would've been too much to ask for.
Except the two protagonists of the story and maybe a few other nobodies with sob stories that I've forgotten about because they were that uninteresting, the rest of the supporting cast have the most predictable actions and are so linear with their thinking, that you'd think they were the created using a chatbot. Because the action and the story is both lacking, I then try to console myself in the spectacular animation that MAPPA has to offer for me. In the early episodes the graphics seem to be alright, but every episode that goes on after, it seems to be diminishing in quality until the faces are so obscure, you're better off drawing a stick figure.

Reviewer’s Rating: 3

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Jun 29, 2024

colelouch

Not Recommended

Funny

After a 12-hour marathon of the series with Gigguk, I found that while the show has a lot of potential, it's hindered by a low budget, inconsistent animation, and poor pacing in the storytelling. The initial concept is straightforward yet rich with potential: A daimyo sacrifices his firstborn child to demons in exchange for power and prosperity, and the child must battle 12 demons to regain his humanity. The title "Dororo" doesn't hold much significance for me, even though some argue that Dororo is Hyakkimaru's reason to fight and stay sane. In truth, it's his family's rejection and his adoptive father's world that ground Hyakkimaru. ... Aside from treasure hunting and a tragic past, Dororo doesn't add much to the story.

The anime can be divided into two arcs. The first 12 episodes are definitely the high point. Despite some inconsistent animation and odd pacing, the plot has a clear focus, and each standalone episode is memorable with just the right amount of brutality and fatality. The animation quality in the second arc decreases significantly; episode 15 has become a meme in the anime community, even though plot-wise, it's a good episode. The latter half's animation quality is acceptable, but the plot feels somewhat aimless. The final climax is also dull, with many characters making questionable decisions. Overall, with a better budget, animation, and pacing, this show could be much better because some standalone episodes have really good plots. I was surprised to see it has such a high score on MyAnimeList.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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	Poll: Dororo Episode 24 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) Stark700 - Jun 24, 2019	455 replies	by Monster3M »» Mar 27, 9:56 AM
	Poll: Dororo Episode 5 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) Stark700 - Feb 4, 2019	394 replies	by 8bitslegado »» Mar 26, 1:35 PM
	Poll: Dororo Episode 15 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) Stark700 - Apr 22, 2019	268 replies	by CMxWasom »» Mar 23, 8:29 PM
	Poll: Dororo Episode 6 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) Stark700 - Feb 11, 2019	344 replies	by JoJoLion3106 »» Mar 23, 6:02 PM
	Better or same as Demon Slayer? ( 1 2 ) BestWeebOT - Nov 27, 2021	83 replies	by AkaiSanji »» Mar 9, 3:08 PM

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