Review of Dorohedoro

The story takes place in a chaotic world of sorcery and devilish shenanigans. One of its unfortunate victims, Caiman, mysteriously loses his head and memory with it. He and his best friend, tomboy chef Nikaido, survive in a violent slum called Hole, occasionally attempting to find new clues about the sorcerer who "stole" Caiman's head. Unlike most action-heavy shows, there is no good side in the world of Dorohedoro. Sorcerers are elitist magic supremacists who treat weaker ones as guinea pigs for their demented designs, while tough environments in the Hole turned people into savages fighting for their survival. To keep characters on both sidesof the conflict relatable, the writing brings a generous portion of black humor and quirky dialogue(including Tarantino film references). No matter how nasty the main characters get, they always follow up with lighthearted moments to balance the excessive violence on screen.
MAPPA did a decent job animating the source material: colorful character designs, highly detailed backgrounds, and stylish editing. Unfortunately, the use of choppy CGI effects hindered Studio's adaptation of Hayashida Q's unique drawing style. The best part of the anime is the variety of great music that accompanies the bizarre journey. Eerie ambient, goofy accordion, and upbeat electro pop beats on the same track list.
This shows a great entry point to read the original, considering anime roughly covers 7 volumes of the manga. Aside from the intriguing main "stolen head" plot, there are still plenty of mysteries to uncover and wacky characters to meet in Hayashida's wonderland.