Review of Dorohedoro

Dorohedoro is the best fever dream I've ever had. It definitely ties with Eizouken for best Winter 2020 anime, which is ironic, because going into this show, I absolutely wanted nothing to do with it. I again and again saw this anime recommended, so I decided to pick it up for winter, even if it took me days to just grit my teeth and start the show. My fear with absurdist anime is that they will make no sense, give me no plot to follow, and leave me more annoyed and confused than entertained. Dorohedoro, however, manages to use its absurdity right, and as the episodesprogressed, I found myself become more and more interested in the show and its characters, until it was one of my favorites of the season.

I want to start with the characters, all of which I absolutely enjoy, but none can compare to the "villains," of the show (aka En and his gang), who are, without a doubt, some of the funniest, most entertaining characters. All of their interactions are hilarious, and each of them is unique and offers a different type of humor to the show. I absolutely adore Ebisu. She is the biggest dumbass in this show and quite frankly, one of the best characters. Every scene she is in adds a big grin to my face. That shark cheer? Absolutely iconic. I would honestly be content just watching En's gang interact with each other in the course of this anime.

But of course if that was the case, we wouldn't have a real plot. now would we? I was afraid that the world and the plot would make no sense due to the show's absolute chaotic nature, but the anime does a good job of laying its worldbuilding foundations and guiding the viewer through a complex magical story. All the while, a looming mystery is at hand as the anime seeks to find out who was the cause of Caiman's condition, and what is his true identity? The story balances all these elements well, and though it can grow quite dark at times, there is always a fair share of humor to bounce back from that gruesomeness.

Though the animation is CGI, I wouldn't let that throw you off from watching. It's a bit clunky and takes a bit of adjusting. It is not as smooth or pleasing to look at compared to Studio Orange's Beastars, which premiered in the fall, but it is not bad by any means. The artwork is astounding, as you compare the elegant world of magic to the gritty, gruesome Hole. The art does a good job dividing these two cities apart and heavily adds to the tone depending on which city our characters are in.

The opening and MULTIPLE endings are absolutely great, so hands down to a 12 episode show that manages to fit in half a dozen endings or so in that time.

My few criticisms about this show? Yes, it does take a little bit to get into, and it may seem a bit too overbearing at first, but once you become familiarized with the characters and the plot, you fall in love with the world. I am amazed how indifferent I was to this anime in January to where I stand now, simply adoring it. I would also give a fair warning about the gore, as it is pretty intense and occurs nearly every episode. Wouldn't have minded it cutting back and censoring some things, but this is coming from someone who's a bit more squeamish. Those moments did sometimes take me away from the show, so be prepared for some nasty stuff if you do decide to watch.

Overall though, Dorohedoro is an absurd, comedic, mysterious anime that, while slow in the beginning, really picks up and introduces you to a whole world of fantastical and dark magic. Definitely one of the best of the season.