<p>I typically analyze each aspect of a manga (story, art, enjoyment, etc.), but you know what? This manga is so incredibly good that I'm just going to say: read it. I first discovered it through the Netflix anime adaptation, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you've watched the anime and liked it, then you must READ THIS MANGA. Once you know how it ends, you'll be DESPERATE for another season. Believe me, you won't regret it. The plot twists, character growth, and overall storytelling are fantastic. The author isn't afraid to take bold risks, and it truly pays off in a big way.</p>
A rough, dark comedy with plenty of action and a wildly eccentric yet lovable group of characters. Both the "villains" and the main protagonists share the spotlight, giving you a large ensemble of deeply developed characters to connect with. Additionally, the artwork is exceptionally detailed and engaging, with each panel offering something intriguing. The world-building is phenomenal, making it effortless to dive into this unique universe.
Dorohedoro is an extremely violent, high-octane manga that still manages to showcase heartfelt and emotional moments, including some genuinely touching and warm scenes.
I'd recommend giving it a few chapters to decide if it suits your taste, but personally, I found it impossible to stop once I began reading. Overall, it has become one of my all-time favorites, with great potential for re-reading, and it even delivers a satisfying conclusion.
The conclusion was a letdown. Maybe I expected the manga to take itself more seriously, but the ending came across as too flippant and left numerous threads unresolved, giving the impression that Q-Hayashida might have wanted to wrap up this series hastily to move on to other projects—a real slap in the face. After constructing such an intriguing world, memorable characters, and fascinating mechanics, to be left hanging with a lackluster ending full of underdeveloped ideas was quite disappointing.
Overall, I think I just really wanted closure for the cross-eyes and Dokuga. I was deeply dissatisfied with the revelation of Caiman's magic and would have loved to see the Demon Tyrants of the Magic World either overthrown or humbled. 7.666 Plessys out of 10.
DM me if you're reading this and want to share your thoughts!
The narrative is complex, unexpected, and utterly unique.
The characters are crafted so skillfully that readers develop a connection with nearly all of them. You find yourself deeply engaged in each character's personal journey and their role within the larger storyline.
The writing is flawless, blending a gripping plot with humor—ranging from quirky to nonsensical—that always lands at just the right moment.
In my view, the artwork is exceptional. At times, it resembles a rough sketch from the pages of a schizophrenic artist's notebook, but this raw style adds to the manga's allure. There are also beautifully colored scenes that appear to be created using watercolor and ink, enhancing its visual appeal. It's truly remarkable.
If you have a friend new to manga, this should definitely be near the top of the stack you recommend to them.
Dorohedoro is an exceptional manga that features a wide array of intriguing characters, each with unique motivations and compelling backstories.
The character designs are among the best I've encountered in any form of media, and the concept of not portraying anyone as purely evil truly sets the story apart. Characters who were attempting to murder one another in the previous chapter might find themselves sharing tea in the next. These elements combine to create a masterfully woven narrative, delivered through a raw and graphic art style that accentuates the manga's strengths.
I remember it being around 2005 or 2006 when I first encountered the term "anime." One Piece began airing on Portuguese television, billing itself as "the best anime since Dragon Ball." In school, the older kids in my class started talking about this new, edgy anime on TV called "Hellsing." And when I entered high school, with everyone obsessing over the Big 3, I finally started getting into the medium. However, due to a lack of a decent internet connection, I ended up opting for a static, black and white version of the stories that everyone was watching—manga. For people who know me in 2020, I'm a full-blown manga fan, one who respects the animated part of this culture but stays away from it. Over the years, I've become quite familiar with the genres, styles, and tropes of manga, especially those of Shounen and Seinen. A year ago, I found myself still enjoying the stories the medium could tell, but it had been well over five years since I had a manga that I truly could call a favorite that wasn't written by some of my long-time favorite mangaka, Asano and Urasawa.
But then, in January of 2019, I saw a picture of a man in a full body suit and mask with a ghost on his shoulders, and this picture was just... so captivating, so grotesque, yet beautiful. It's the kind of thing that I, as a Silent Hill and Alien fan, love. And in the corner, it said the word "Dorohedoro."
This wasn't the first time I heard about this manga; Dorohedoro has existed since Q Hayashida started it in 2000, and it was ongoing until September of 2018. Throughout its run, it was always decently famous, culminating earlier this year when it finally got the anime adaptation it deserved. But that was the first time that I REALLY felt like reading it, and I did as soon as possible. I was expecting a gory, horror manga, maybe trippy, with some steampunk elements, and to be fair, Dorohedoro is all of this, but as I found out, it's also much, much more.
To dive into the story of Dorohedoro, I should probably start with the setting. Here we have two dimensions: one is The Hole, a horrible place where humans, like us, live, and the Sorcerers' or Magical Users' world, where sorcerers live. There's also Hell, where devils live. What makes Dorohedoro amazing from the get-go is that the concepts of what is a devil and sorcerer are completely unique to this setting; you've never seen anything quite like it. It does things differently enough that a manga about "magical users" still manages to feel novel and unique. But this story is about Caiman, Caiman is a human from The Hole who has a lizard head which has a human head inside him, and to boot, he has amnesia, so he is as confused about this plot as you are right now. We follow him as he tries to figure out why him, out of all people, managed to get stuck with this bizarre head. With him is the ever-reliable Nikaido, restaurant owner and overall badass girl who helps him around to try to solve this mystery.
It's early in the story that they talk about a powerful family of sorcerers, called The En Family, ruled by, well... En. Look, the names in the manga are very straightforward.
I was expecting En and his family to just be your run-of-the-mill villains, but then you actually start following them as much as Caiman and Nikaido, and I think this is when I started noticing the strength of this manga: The characters.
This is my all-time favorite cast of characters in any medium. See, you don't get a hero and a villain in here; you get factions, each of them with their unique cast of marvelously and hilariously crafted characters, each of them with their goals, ambitions, and stupid behaviors. It's not separated that they are great; it's together, it's how they interact with each other that truly makes this worth a read.
You see, Dorohedoro has a depressing, dark, and edgy setting, one that is enhanced even more by Q Hayashida's rough, messy, and beautiful art style. But the characters, on the other hand, are all incredibly fun and wholesome. They are always having the time of their lives, and in return, they make me have the time of my life. It's a contrast that should not really work, but Hayashida does it in such a flawless way that it looks so easy to pull off, but I think only she could really write this.
Dorohedoro is a mystery, it's an horror, it's a comedy, and it's a slice-of-life with a weird small baseball arc in the middle, and it never really feels like the mess it should be. It manages to have a bit of everything for everyone and have it done well. It's an experience I never really felt in manga before or after.
If I'm pointed a gun at point-blank and forced to say a negative point to Dorohedoro, I would possibly say that it got dragged a bit. The last arc is around a third of the entire manga. It got extended longer than the author intended for, and I assume that was because it changed magazines near the end twice, and I assume magazines wanted to have it run at least a bit more in their pages, but since things around the mystery of Caiman do get a bit convoluted midway through, the length of this last arc actually helps explain everything in a digestible way that I'm not sure it would have otherwise.
The term genius is thrown a lot to describe some mangaka. Urasawa's thriller manga are definitely works of a genius, and One Piece's Oda has to be one too to write the story he's writing for so long and make it all connect so flawlessly, but Hayashida is a different kind of genius.
Dorohedoro isn't the most complex and well-realized thriller mystery, it's not the most complex of worlds either, but Dorohedoro is, to me, the definition of a fun, enjoyable manga.
In my 13 years of watching and reading things in this medium and in my 27 years of being alive and experiencing movies, series, books, comics, games, music, and even wrestling storylines, I didn't expect it to now have the best experience in storytelling ever in my life so far. But I did.
I love manga because of how varied it is, and how much fun and passionate and incredible some stories are. There's manga that makes me feel so much stuff, like happiness, anger, sadness, and horror, and I love feeling those emotions, but Dorohedoro? Dorohedoro makes me feel ALL of them. This manga is the embodiment of why I love this medium and why I'm so passionate about it.
(This review contains mild spoilers)
I'll keep it brief and focus on the second half since I already poured my thoughts into the anime adaptation, which closely follows the manga.
Pros:
● Excellent foreshadowing in the first half.
● Incredible worldbuilding—future punk mixed with magic? Genius!
● Nice tiddies—I give them a thumbs up.
● Nikaido's skill description is top-notch; it adds significant depth to her actions.
Cons:
● After the first half, the plot feels pieced together, as if made up on the go.
● The concept behind the final boss creation is a bit too cliché—another embodiment of emotions... ugh.
● The final arc dragged on endlessly and concluded with an underwhelming boss fight. Enter the Ass-pull Gyoza Wand—someone really dropped the ball here.
● The second half (i.e., the final arc) was overly action-packed until the very end, leaving little room for character development. There wasn't enough space for emotional exploration, and the intensity lasted for dozens of chapters without relief.
● Kaiman's past received far more attention than his present self. When Nikaido shows affection toward him, it feels out of place because she spent significantly more time interacting with other characters.
● The epilogue left much to be desired. It was a single slice-of-life chapter, but with such a large cast, many questions remained unanswered. Characters like Dokuka, Tetsujo, Kasukabe, and Kawajiri felt unfinished or unpolished despite their frequent appearances. They deserved a few more lines.
● The author teased multiple romances—Kaiman & Nikaido, Shin & Noi, Haru & Haze, Ebisu & Fuji—but never developed them. While avoiding couple formation has become a common trope, it feels odd after all the critical events they experienced. How do they maintain their "friend zones" so effortlessly? At times, their interactions feel robotic. This might be subjective, but I personally wanted more romantic tension or resolution.
Overall, I'm thoroughly impressed by *Dorohedoro*. After the anime ended on a cliffhanger, I devoured all 190 chapters (18 years of work!) in just 3 or 4 days. No regrets at all! It was a unique experience for me because I've never read a "gory" manga written by a female author before. The story didn't leave a heavy or dramatic aftertaste—it's gory and somewhat absurd, after all. I couldn't help but notice the significant improvement in artwork starting from Volume 3, which only got better over time. Despite its flaws, I was completely hooked by the end.
This is my first review, so it might not be great.
And spoilers for the manga I'm about to discuss—I'll mostly talk about the early part of the story. You've been warned!
**Dorohedoro** is one of my all-time favorite mangas.
**Story: 9/10**
It's a tale about a man with a lizard head named Kaiman and his best friend Nikaido. They're on a mission to find the person who cursed Kaiman. Along the way, they kill mages, which angers a powerful mage named En, as many of his followers have been eliminated.
**Art: 9/10**
I really enjoyed the art style. It perfectly complements the story, being dark and gritty, and that's exactly why I love it.
**Characters: 10/10**
This manga excels at making every character likable. It's one of its strongest points and a major reason why it's so highly praised. Even the antagonists aren't pure villains—they're flawed individuals who feel real and relatable most of the time.
**Enjoyment: 9/10**
I highly recommend this manga to anyone looking for a comedy-horror experience filled with gore but still plenty of laughs.
**Overall: 9/10**
Thanks for reading my review! Bye for now. I'll aim to write more reviews in the future.
Dorohedoro stands as one of the most unique and original stories I've ever encountered. It's a cyber-magic dark fantasy that blends horror, an intricately crafted mystery, action, and humor with remarkable finesse.
It masterfully employs two of my favorite storytelling techniques: multi-perspective narration and world-driven narrative. In terms of the latter, it ranks among the absolute best—pure genius.
The story revolves around multiple factions in constant conflict. Ultimately, what they're truly battling is the unaddressed hatred that has been normalized over time—"this is just how things have always been." This isn't a genuine human rebellion; rather, it's a deeper exploration of societal tensions.
Dorohedoro handles themes such as identity crisis, personality disorder, hate and redemption, friendship, and 'found family' with incredible depth and sensitivity.
Set in a tripartite world—one inhabited by magic users, another by humans known as "hole," and a third by devils in hell—the world-building here is second only to masterpieces like One Piece and Legend of the Galactic Heroes. It's extraordinarily detailed and fully fleshed out, making the story feel highly functional. The setting and plot are deeply interconnected, with elements introduced early on proving crucial later.
The artwork elevates the experience, bringing this imaginative and creative world to life. The messy, raw art style perfectly complements the tone, while the panel composition and overall layout elevate the artistic quality to near-perfection.
At first glance, the story may seem straightforward during the initial 30-40 chapters, but it soon escalates to a whole new level of complexity. It's wild, weird, creepy, and occasionally absurd, yet everything is executed brilliantly. Things that irritate me in other stories don't bother me here because everything is meticulously set up—from the origins of the world to the conclusion of the narrative. The mystery is outstanding, with clues scattered throughout from beginning to end.
The cast is one of my all-time favorites—lively, cheerful, and likable, each character possessing distinct quirks and relationships. There are numerous factions, and you grow to care about everyone within them since every group receives adequate attention. There's no singular antagonist in this tale.
While there are a couple of plot conveniences toward the end, overall, this was an incredible journey. The central mystery and its resolution are nothing short of magnificent.
ALL OF THIS UNFOLDS IN A WHIRLWIND OF CHAOS AND CARNAGE...
THAT IS DOROHEDORO.
Overall, a solid 10/10 and possibly one of my top 3 manga.
It began rather slowly for me, but starting from volumes 5-6, it began to gain momentum and I was really enjoying it. It was around volume 10 when I started to get a bit lost. I believe the author didn't do a great job revealing some really crucial aspects in the manga, particularly Caiman's identity... I found the part where Caiman changed from a lizard to a human rather anticlimactic. And from there, it started to go downhill again.
Honestly, this series could have been condensed into 15 volumes. The revival of En didn't really add much to the plot. And the ending, when Caiman turned into a sorcerer with the power of Gyoza Man... that was quite disappointing.
It seems like the mangaka had a specific endpoint in mind when first starting the series but wrote past it and just had to piece something together. The ending would have benefited from revisiting all the past chapters and focusing on resolving all the open arcs. Characters were severely underutilized; there were so many possibilities for that final battle. Kaiman didn't need to have Gyoza magic—it was ridiculous.
Shin and Noi obviously just wreaking havoc, Shin getting completely obliterated and then immediately regenerated by Noi would have made for some incredible art. Dokuga and the surviving Cross-Eyes could have done something more at least; Dokuga's poison magic never gets addressed beyond being a cute character quirk for the most part.
Shou died so unceremoniously—I genuinely thought he would play a bigger role and there would be more revelations regarding his character. They could have revived him with Kikurage and used his OP dematerialization for some insane magic combos, but the joke was that nobody cared about him; they could barely remember him.
Nikaido's devil form was somewhat of a letdown, and it was never even explained how she used her magic to bring Kaiman back. Hell, even Chota could have contributed somehow, or he would have been a good candidate to sacrifice for stakes. I'm pretty sure Chidaruma in his new human form was never really even shown! The story just returned to the normalcy of the beginning to come full circle, which was a big disappointment considering how much richness was there to draw upon.
Pros:
Well-constructed mystery plot that doesn't drag or overstay its welcome
Great worldbuilding and a magic system that doesn't feel shamelessly borrowed from something that already exists
Enormous cast of likable characters where even minor characters get a chance to shine
Fun and memorable character designs
Gore and humor in equally welcome quantities
Cons:
Frequent POV changes mean that a lot of the chapters consist of other characters being filled in on stuff they'd missed out on
Art can make for some pretty confusing fights at times
The final fight felt deceptively simple considering how long the buildup to it was
Overall, I'm sorry—I know this manga is so hyped up, but the second half was a total miss for me...
Dorohedoro stands out as a manga that masterfully combines gore and comedy in an extraordinary way.
Story: 7
The series is undoubtedly unique, with remarkable world-building that plays a crucial role in the narrative. However, my main issue with the story lies in its pacing during the second half. It felt excessively slow until the very end, where it suddenly became too fast. In my view, the mystery element is the most compelling aspect of the story.
Art: 9
Dorohedoro boasts exceptional artwork. The author skillfully conveys vital information about the characters and the story through imagery alone.
Characters: 8
The characters are highly likable, and there isn't a single one I disliked—a notable achievement given the large cast. Still, no character truly stood out as uniquely memorable.
Enjoyment: 7
The manga is enjoyable overall. However, during the second half, I found myself struggling to stay engaged, primarily due to the pacing issues mentioned earlier and the frequent shifts in focus to characters I cared less about.
Overall: 7
In conclusion, Dorohedoro is a unique series worth reading. While it has some pacing problems, the intriguing mystery helps mitigate these issues and keeps the story engaging.
One of the key strengths of this story lies in its remarkable ensemble of characters. While Kaiman and Nikaido might initially appear as the main duo, as the narrative unfolds, more characters are introduced, each contributing their unique perspective across various narrative layers, thus forming a richly woven tapestry of a choral story.
If you watched the 2020 adaptation, you would have noticed this dynamic even then. Despite being antagonists, the EN family members emerge as protagonists rather than mere adversaries. This is achieved through the endearing qualities of each character—whether it's due to their distinct personalities like EN, Shin, or Kaiman himself, their eccentricities such as Ebisu or Kusakabe, their compelling backstories exemplified by Nikaido and Fujita, or simply because they're quirky creatures like Johnson the cockroach.
The diverse array of personalities and designs among the cast could give the impression of a chaotic tale, which is somewhat fitting—to an extent. One surprising aspect when comparing the manga's progression to my initial impressions from its animated counterpart was how regular the "irregular" elements within the story actually were. For instance, I anticipated that much of the plot would revolve around the famous baseball game; however, most related events occur during the first season.
From a certain juncture onward, all happenings will connect to the central storyline in some way. It doesn't lose its chaotic and bizarre essence but refocuses these aspects for storytelling purposes. Instead of wandering into inconsequential tangents, everything ties back either to a character's background or the world itself. I don't view this as either a flaw or advantage—it merely surprised me given prior perceptions about Dorohedoro shared by myself and others.
It becomes clear that beneath the strangeness and unpredictability at the start, there exists a structured narrative unfolding with every twist. The complexity and scope continue growing until, in its latter stages, each chapter brings forth unexpected revelations. Although some intricate mysteries or shocking truths may be hard to follow, the core situation remains engaging and intelligible.
This isn't to suggest the story turns grim and somber. On the contrary, the uniqueness of the characters persists throughout. There's a sense of humor embedded in the events—whether intentional or subconscious—which transforms even the most grotesque massacres into adrenaline-pumping moments instead of emotional downers, fueling your desire to keep reading and discover what new turn awaits.
That said, embracing this approach doesn't mean sacrificing depth. In fact, I believe the work offers valuable insights into its world-building and pacing worthy of deeper analysis upon re-reading.
In any case, during your first read-through, you'll enjoy an exciting journey where one primary message shines through: friendship and camaraderie. Beyond potential pairings between characters—all well-deserved—there's a broader theme celebrating friendship and mutual support. Even without blood ties, these individuals become family.
And it's especially poignant coming from a series renowned for its high levels of violence. Lastly, I must highlight Q's extraordinary talent evident in every aspect—varied yet unforgettable character designs, meticulously detailed backgrounds almost beyond belief in some panels, stunning cover art, and an exceptional style for battle scenes often described as "dirty" and "dark," which makes perfect sense once you dive into the material.
My sole critique pertains to the ending. Given the expectations and framework built up to that point, it could have been more memorable, matching other standout moments within the manga. However, it neither ruins nor diminishes the overall experience.
Dorohedoro presents itself as chaotic but truly boasts a complex and carefully planned narrative. Though its conclusion might not fully live up to preceding events, it doesn't detract from the components that made it special. Creativity and brutality coexist alongside heartfelt moments, reminding us that amidst a Hole under eternal rain, hope for a better future still lingers.
Popular Reviews
Dorohedoro is an extremely violent, high-octane manga that still manages to showcase heartfelt and emotional moments, including some genuinely touching and warm scenes.
I'd recommend giving it a few chapters to decide if it suits your taste, but personally, I found it impossible to stop once I began reading. Overall, it has become one of my all-time favorites, with great potential for re-reading, and it even delivers a satisfying conclusion.
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Overall, I think I just really wanted closure for the cross-eyes and Dokuga. I was deeply dissatisfied with the revelation of Caiman's magic and would have loved to see the Demon Tyrants of the Magic World either overthrown or humbled. 7.666 Plessys out of 10.
DM me if you're reading this and want to share your thoughts!
The narrative is complex, unexpected, and utterly unique.
The characters are crafted so skillfully that readers develop a connection with nearly all of them. You find yourself deeply engaged in each character's personal journey and their role within the larger storyline.
The writing is flawless, blending a gripping plot with humor—ranging from quirky to nonsensical—that always lands at just the right moment.
In my view, the artwork is exceptional. At times, it resembles a rough sketch from the pages of a schizophrenic artist's notebook, but this raw style adds to the manga's allure. There are also beautifully colored scenes that appear to be created using watercolor and ink, enhancing its visual appeal. It's truly remarkable.
If you have a friend new to manga, this should definitely be near the top of the stack you recommend to them.
10/10.
The character designs are among the best I've encountered in any form of media, and the concept of not portraying anyone as purely evil truly sets the story apart. Characters who were attempting to murder one another in the previous chapter might find themselves sharing tea in the next. These elements combine to create a masterfully woven narrative, delivered through a raw and graphic art style that accentuates the manga's strengths.
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But then, in January of 2019, I saw a picture of a man in a full body suit and mask with a ghost on his shoulders, and this picture was just... so captivating, so grotesque, yet beautiful. It's the kind of thing that I, as a Silent Hill and Alien fan, love. And in the corner, it said the word "Dorohedoro."
This wasn't the first time I heard about this manga; Dorohedoro has existed since Q Hayashida started it in 2000, and it was ongoing until September of 2018. Throughout its run, it was always decently famous, culminating earlier this year when it finally got the anime adaptation it deserved. But that was the first time that I REALLY felt like reading it, and I did as soon as possible. I was expecting a gory, horror manga, maybe trippy, with some steampunk elements, and to be fair, Dorohedoro is all of this, but as I found out, it's also much, much more.
To dive into the story of Dorohedoro, I should probably start with the setting. Here we have two dimensions: one is The Hole, a horrible place where humans, like us, live, and the Sorcerers' or Magical Users' world, where sorcerers live. There's also Hell, where devils live. What makes Dorohedoro amazing from the get-go is that the concepts of what is a devil and sorcerer are completely unique to this setting; you've never seen anything quite like it. It does things differently enough that a manga about "magical users" still manages to feel novel and unique. But this story is about Caiman, Caiman is a human from The Hole who has a lizard head which has a human head inside him, and to boot, he has amnesia, so he is as confused about this plot as you are right now. We follow him as he tries to figure out why him, out of all people, managed to get stuck with this bizarre head. With him is the ever-reliable Nikaido, restaurant owner and overall badass girl who helps him around to try to solve this mystery.
It's early in the story that they talk about a powerful family of sorcerers, called The En Family, ruled by, well... En. Look, the names in the manga are very straightforward.
I was expecting En and his family to just be your run-of-the-mill villains, but then you actually start following them as much as Caiman and Nikaido, and I think this is when I started noticing the strength of this manga: The characters.
This is my all-time favorite cast of characters in any medium. See, you don't get a hero and a villain in here; you get factions, each of them with their unique cast of marvelously and hilariously crafted characters, each of them with their goals, ambitions, and stupid behaviors. It's not separated that they are great; it's together, it's how they interact with each other that truly makes this worth a read.
You see, Dorohedoro has a depressing, dark, and edgy setting, one that is enhanced even more by Q Hayashida's rough, messy, and beautiful art style. But the characters, on the other hand, are all incredibly fun and wholesome. They are always having the time of their lives, and in return, they make me have the time of my life. It's a contrast that should not really work, but Hayashida does it in such a flawless way that it looks so easy to pull off, but I think only she could really write this.
Dorohedoro is a mystery, it's an horror, it's a comedy, and it's a slice-of-life with a weird small baseball arc in the middle, and it never really feels like the mess it should be. It manages to have a bit of everything for everyone and have it done well. It's an experience I never really felt in manga before or after.
If I'm pointed a gun at point-blank and forced to say a negative point to Dorohedoro, I would possibly say that it got dragged a bit. The last arc is around a third of the entire manga. It got extended longer than the author intended for, and I assume that was because it changed magazines near the end twice, and I assume magazines wanted to have it run at least a bit more in their pages, but since things around the mystery of Caiman do get a bit convoluted midway through, the length of this last arc actually helps explain everything in a digestible way that I'm not sure it would have otherwise.
The term genius is thrown a lot to describe some mangaka. Urasawa's thriller manga are definitely works of a genius, and One Piece's Oda has to be one too to write the story he's writing for so long and make it all connect so flawlessly, but Hayashida is a different kind of genius.
Dorohedoro isn't the most complex and well-realized thriller mystery, it's not the most complex of worlds either, but Dorohedoro is, to me, the definition of a fun, enjoyable manga.
In my 13 years of watching and reading things in this medium and in my 27 years of being alive and experiencing movies, series, books, comics, games, music, and even wrestling storylines, I didn't expect it to now have the best experience in storytelling ever in my life so far. But I did.
I love manga because of how varied it is, and how much fun and passionate and incredible some stories are. There's manga that makes me feel so much stuff, like happiness, anger, sadness, and horror, and I love feeling those emotions, but Dorohedoro? Dorohedoro makes me feel ALL of them. This manga is the embodiment of why I love this medium and why I'm so passionate about it.
I'll keep it brief and focus on the second half since I already poured my thoughts into the anime adaptation, which closely follows the manga.
Pros:
● Excellent foreshadowing in the first half.
● Incredible worldbuilding—future punk mixed with magic? Genius!
● Nice tiddies—I give them a thumbs up.
● Nikaido's skill description is top-notch; it adds significant depth to her actions.
Cons:
● After the first half, the plot feels pieced together, as if made up on the go.
● The concept behind the final boss creation is a bit too cliché—another embodiment of emotions... ugh.
● The final arc dragged on endlessly and concluded with an underwhelming boss fight. Enter the Ass-pull Gyoza Wand—someone really dropped the ball here.
● The second half (i.e., the final arc) was overly action-packed until the very end, leaving little room for character development. There wasn't enough space for emotional exploration, and the intensity lasted for dozens of chapters without relief.
● Kaiman's past received far more attention than his present self. When Nikaido shows affection toward him, it feels out of place because she spent significantly more time interacting with other characters.
● The epilogue left much to be desired. It was a single slice-of-life chapter, but with such a large cast, many questions remained unanswered. Characters like Dokuka, Tetsujo, Kasukabe, and Kawajiri felt unfinished or unpolished despite their frequent appearances. They deserved a few more lines.
● The author teased multiple romances—Kaiman & Nikaido, Shin & Noi, Haru & Haze, Ebisu & Fuji—but never developed them. While avoiding couple formation has become a common trope, it feels odd after all the critical events they experienced. How do they maintain their "friend zones" so effortlessly? At times, their interactions feel robotic. This might be subjective, but I personally wanted more romantic tension or resolution.
Overall, I'm thoroughly impressed by *Dorohedoro*. After the anime ended on a cliffhanger, I devoured all 190 chapters (18 years of work!) in just 3 or 4 days. No regrets at all! It was a unique experience for me because I've never read a "gory" manga written by a female author before. The story didn't leave a heavy or dramatic aftertaste—it's gory and somewhat absurd, after all. I couldn't help but notice the significant improvement in artwork starting from Volume 3, which only got better over time. Despite its flaws, I was completely hooked by the end.
And spoilers for the manga I'm about to discuss—I'll mostly talk about the early part of the story. You've been warned!
**Dorohedoro** is one of my all-time favorite mangas.
**Story: 9/10**
It's a tale about a man with a lizard head named Kaiman and his best friend Nikaido. They're on a mission to find the person who cursed Kaiman. Along the way, they kill mages, which angers a powerful mage named En, as many of his followers have been eliminated.
**Art: 9/10**
I really enjoyed the art style. It perfectly complements the story, being dark and gritty, and that's exactly why I love it.
**Characters: 10/10**
This manga excels at making every character likable. It's one of its strongest points and a major reason why it's so highly praised. Even the antagonists aren't pure villains—they're flawed individuals who feel real and relatable most of the time.
**Enjoyment: 9/10**
I highly recommend this manga to anyone looking for a comedy-horror experience filled with gore but still plenty of laughs.
**Overall: 9/10**
Thanks for reading my review! Bye for now. I'll aim to write more reviews in the future.
Dorohedoro stands as one of the most unique and original stories I've ever encountered. It's a cyber-magic dark fantasy that blends horror, an intricately crafted mystery, action, and humor with remarkable finesse.
It masterfully employs two of my favorite storytelling techniques: multi-perspective narration and world-driven narrative. In terms of the latter, it ranks among the absolute best—pure genius.
The story revolves around multiple factions in constant conflict. Ultimately, what they're truly battling is the unaddressed hatred that has been normalized over time—"this is just how things have always been." This isn't a genuine human rebellion; rather, it's a deeper exploration of societal tensions.
Dorohedoro handles themes such as identity crisis, personality disorder, hate and redemption, friendship, and 'found family' with incredible depth and sensitivity.
Set in a tripartite world—one inhabited by magic users, another by humans known as "hole," and a third by devils in hell—the world-building here is second only to masterpieces like One Piece and Legend of the Galactic Heroes. It's extraordinarily detailed and fully fleshed out, making the story feel highly functional. The setting and plot are deeply interconnected, with elements introduced early on proving crucial later.
The artwork elevates the experience, bringing this imaginative and creative world to life. The messy, raw art style perfectly complements the tone, while the panel composition and overall layout elevate the artistic quality to near-perfection.
At first glance, the story may seem straightforward during the initial 30-40 chapters, but it soon escalates to a whole new level of complexity. It's wild, weird, creepy, and occasionally absurd, yet everything is executed brilliantly. Things that irritate me in other stories don't bother me here because everything is meticulously set up—from the origins of the world to the conclusion of the narrative. The mystery is outstanding, with clues scattered throughout from beginning to end.
The cast is one of my all-time favorites—lively, cheerful, and likable, each character possessing distinct quirks and relationships. There are numerous factions, and you grow to care about everyone within them since every group receives adequate attention. There's no singular antagonist in this tale.
While there are a couple of plot conveniences toward the end, overall, this was an incredible journey. The central mystery and its resolution are nothing short of magnificent.
ALL OF THIS UNFOLDS IN A WHIRLWIND OF CHAOS AND CARNAGE...
THAT IS DOROHEDORO.
Overall, a solid 10/10 and possibly one of my top 3 manga.
It began rather slowly for me, but starting from volumes 5-6, it began to gain momentum and I was really enjoying it. It was around volume 10 when I started to get a bit lost. I believe the author didn't do a great job revealing some really crucial aspects in the manga, particularly Caiman's identity... I found the part where Caiman changed from a lizard to a human rather anticlimactic. And from there, it started to go downhill again.
Honestly, this series could have been condensed into 15 volumes. The revival of En didn't really add much to the plot. And the ending, when Caiman turned into a sorcerer with the power of Gyoza Man... that was quite disappointing.
It seems like the mangaka had a specific endpoint in mind when first starting the series but wrote past it and just had to piece something together. The ending would have benefited from revisiting all the past chapters and focusing on resolving all the open arcs. Characters were severely underutilized; there were so many possibilities for that final battle. Kaiman didn't need to have Gyoza magic—it was ridiculous.
Shin and Noi obviously just wreaking havoc, Shin getting completely obliterated and then immediately regenerated by Noi would have made for some incredible art. Dokuga and the surviving Cross-Eyes could have done something more at least; Dokuga's poison magic never gets addressed beyond being a cute character quirk for the most part.
Shou died so unceremoniously—I genuinely thought he would play a bigger role and there would be more revelations regarding his character. They could have revived him with Kikurage and used his OP dematerialization for some insane magic combos, but the joke was that nobody cared about him; they could barely remember him.
Nikaido's devil form was somewhat of a letdown, and it was never even explained how she used her magic to bring Kaiman back. Hell, even Chota could have contributed somehow, or he would have been a good candidate to sacrifice for stakes. I'm pretty sure Chidaruma in his new human form was never really even shown! The story just returned to the normalcy of the beginning to come full circle, which was a big disappointment considering how much richness was there to draw upon.
Pros:
Well-constructed mystery plot that doesn't drag or overstay its welcome
Great worldbuilding and a magic system that doesn't feel shamelessly borrowed from something that already exists
Enormous cast of likable characters where even minor characters get a chance to shine
Fun and memorable character designs
Gore and humor in equally welcome quantities
Cons:
Frequent POV changes mean that a lot of the chapters consist of other characters being filled in on stuff they'd missed out on
Art can make for some pretty confusing fights at times
The final fight felt deceptively simple considering how long the buildup to it was
Overall, I'm sorry—I know this manga is so hyped up, but the second half was a total miss for me...
Story: 7
The series is undoubtedly unique, with remarkable world-building that plays a crucial role in the narrative. However, my main issue with the story lies in its pacing during the second half. It felt excessively slow until the very end, where it suddenly became too fast. In my view, the mystery element is the most compelling aspect of the story.
Art: 9
Dorohedoro boasts exceptional artwork. The author skillfully conveys vital information about the characters and the story through imagery alone.
Characters: 8
The characters are highly likable, and there isn't a single one I disliked—a notable achievement given the large cast. Still, no character truly stood out as uniquely memorable.
Enjoyment: 7
The manga is enjoyable overall. However, during the second half, I found myself struggling to stay engaged, primarily due to the pacing issues mentioned earlier and the frequent shifts in focus to characters I cared less about.
Overall: 7
In conclusion, Dorohedoro is a unique series worth reading. While it has some pacing problems, the intriguing mystery helps mitigate these issues and keeps the story engaging.
If you watched the 2020 adaptation, you would have noticed this dynamic even then. Despite being antagonists, the EN family members emerge as protagonists rather than mere adversaries. This is achieved through the endearing qualities of each character—whether it's due to their distinct personalities like EN, Shin, or Kaiman himself, their eccentricities such as Ebisu or Kusakabe, their compelling backstories exemplified by Nikaido and Fujita, or simply because they're quirky creatures like Johnson the cockroach.
The diverse array of personalities and designs among the cast could give the impression of a chaotic tale, which is somewhat fitting—to an extent. One surprising aspect when comparing the manga's progression to my initial impressions from its animated counterpart was how regular the "irregular" elements within the story actually were. For instance, I anticipated that much of the plot would revolve around the famous baseball game; however, most related events occur during the first season.
From a certain juncture onward, all happenings will connect to the central storyline in some way. It doesn't lose its chaotic and bizarre essence but refocuses these aspects for storytelling purposes. Instead of wandering into inconsequential tangents, everything ties back either to a character's background or the world itself. I don't view this as either a flaw or advantage—it merely surprised me given prior perceptions about Dorohedoro shared by myself and others.
It becomes clear that beneath the strangeness and unpredictability at the start, there exists a structured narrative unfolding with every twist. The complexity and scope continue growing until, in its latter stages, each chapter brings forth unexpected revelations. Although some intricate mysteries or shocking truths may be hard to follow, the core situation remains engaging and intelligible.
This isn't to suggest the story turns grim and somber. On the contrary, the uniqueness of the characters persists throughout. There's a sense of humor embedded in the events—whether intentional or subconscious—which transforms even the most grotesque massacres into adrenaline-pumping moments instead of emotional downers, fueling your desire to keep reading and discover what new turn awaits.
That said, embracing this approach doesn't mean sacrificing depth. In fact, I believe the work offers valuable insights into its world-building and pacing worthy of deeper analysis upon re-reading.
In any case, during your first read-through, you'll enjoy an exciting journey where one primary message shines through: friendship and camaraderie. Beyond potential pairings between characters—all well-deserved—there's a broader theme celebrating friendship and mutual support. Even without blood ties, these individuals become family.
And it's especially poignant coming from a series renowned for its high levels of violence. Lastly, I must highlight Q's extraordinary talent evident in every aspect—varied yet unforgettable character designs, meticulously detailed backgrounds almost beyond belief in some panels, stunning cover art, and an exceptional style for battle scenes often described as "dirty" and "dark," which makes perfect sense once you dive into the material.
My sole critique pertains to the ending. Given the expectations and framework built up to that point, it could have been more memorable, matching other standout moments within the manga. However, it neither ruins nor diminishes the overall experience.
Dorohedoro presents itself as chaotic but truly boasts a complex and carefully planned narrative. Though its conclusion might not fully live up to preceding events, it doesn't detract from the components that made it special. Creativity and brutality coexist alongside heartfelt moments, reminding us that amidst a Hole under eternal rain, hope for a better future still lingers.
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