The Vampire Prince's Pretend Bride

Bruh I wish  if I finish a novel, it'll have my review
I didn't read this one (yet)
I have around 30 reviews

Goodness, I'm so invested, can even put this story down, Nice Job author

The number of mangaka who place Dororo at the top, or near the top, of their list of favorite manga speaks volumes about its timeless influence. From Inuyasha to Berserk, and even video games like Sekiro, the demon-slaying yet character-building elements of Dororo have gone on to define entire genres. Beyond mere plot points, which were already incredibly boundary-breaking for their time, the way Dororo is fundamentally a story about trauma and its intergenerational effects is its strongest suit.  
  
Both Dororo and Hyakkimaru are incredibly charming yet deeply troubled characters, striving to survive and find their identities in a pseudo-mythological feudal Japanese setting. The demons drawn from Japanese mythology are vividly realized, and the visual storytelling is as sharp as any of Tezuka's other works. However, as the story progresses, you can sense the pace slowing down as Tezuka begins to noticeably lose interest in Dororo. As mentioned earlier, Dororo is a story about trauma and its lasting impact, but it is also a story about characters. These two aspects often clash, leading me to believe that Tezuka understood he would be creatively limited to "telling a story about demon slaying" and eventually gave up. To fully explore the story of Dororo would require telling it over years, but with Phoenix already underway, Tezuka had little incentive to write a second decade-long shonen-like epic. This mantle was clearly taken up by the generation that followed him, successfully building upon the patterns and themes laid out by Tezuka.  
  
In the end, Dororo feels a bit truncated. Unlike many other manga with 3 or 4 volumes that leave readers realizing there isn't much material to sustain another 15 volumes, Dororo is a story that makes the reader say, "There is so much here; I need to keep this alive." In many ways, that's precisely the message and lesson Dororo embodies, and ultimately why, despite its lack of a proper ending and somewhat lazy final chapters, Dororo remains a classic.  
  
Dororo's often underappreciated influence on modern classics has begun to gain recognition in recent years. This was hindered by limited online access to the manga, but with Vertical's release of the Omnibus edition, it is now affordable and easily accessible, making it essential reading for anyone interested in the history of manga.

I initially came across Dororo through the anime adaptation (Dororo, 2019), which was one of the standout shows of that year, albeit somewhat overshadowed by Kimetsu no Yaiba (2019). The original material is a manga by Osamu Tezuka, published from 1967 to 1968.  
  
Among the few Tezuka works I've read, this is undoubtedly the darkest. Dororo tells the story of a child whose organs were sacrificed by his father to 48 demons in exchange for power. Despite losing these body parts, the child retains an unyielding will to live and survives with the help of various prostheses, embarking on a mission to reclaim his organs by defeating each demon responsible for their loss.  
  
The name of this child is Hyakkimaru, while Dororo refers to the orphaned thief who becomes his companion on this quest.  
  
The manga's dark tone is balanced by the author's inclusion of numerous puns, jokes, and fourth-wall-breaking references, adding levity to the narrative. While it may not be Tezuka's finest work—partly due to its rushed ending caused by cancellation—it surpasses many modern mangas. This is because Tezuka employs or originates several manga tropes and storytelling techniques showcased in this piece.  
  
The 2019 anime adaptation offers the best way to experience this story. It expands on several background characters and adds more depth to the central family conflict. The pacing issue is addressed by reducing the number of demons from 48 to 12, providing the tale with the satisfying conclusion it merits.  
  
If you're interested in reading the original manga, I recommend the all-in-one omnibus English edition published by Vertical. Having all the Dororo chapters compiled in one book makes it a convenient addition to any collection.  
  
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Intro:  
Dororo stands as one of Tezuka Osamu's darker creations, and honestly, I'm uncertain about what the author intended with this work. This edition was published by Vertical in three volumes instead of four. Vertical’s release flaunts a new cover design, which might just be the worst I've encountered. How would you describe it? Picture randomly selected panels from the manga haphazardly pasted onto human skin. Sounds cool, right? Not even a little bit.  

Art:  
What happens when Disney aesthetics meet violent combat sequences? You end up with a manga like Dororo. The monsters are fantastically designed, whereas the human characters appear rather dull and uninspired. The violent action scenes lack detail, hindered further by overly small panels. Yet, this combination does manage to craft an intriguing atmosphere.  

Character:  
I wouldn't label them as extraordinary, but Dororo is undeniably a cute character—more than can be said for the rest of the cast. Hyakkimaru could be considered cool, though he lacks depth. As for the side characters, they're merely present without much substance to discuss.  

Story:  
It's engaging and fast-paced. Dororo brims with action and fascinating monsters, structured episodically with minor continuities tying it together. However, these praises apply only to the first two volumes; the third volume unravels into a poorly written chaos. New potential allies are introduced, only to be mercilessly eliminated at the last moment, likely due to the difficulty of developing new characters. Overall, it feels unfinished.  

Enjoyment:  
It was enjoyable, but certainly not worth the cost. There's plenty of superior samurai versus yokai/monster content available elsewhere.  

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At times when the trend is to dive into action-packed, mecha-filled, or romance-heavy series, stumbling upon a manga like Dororo feels truly special. Many of us adore Osamu Tezuka's works, yet only a handful may have heard of or taken the time to read this lesser-known gem. Condensed into four volumes totaling around 870 pages (or three volumes with roughly 850 pages in the translated edition), this tale unfolds during Japan's tumultuous Sengoku period, following the journey of a samurai and a pint-sized samurai-hater.  

While the title suggests otherwise, the central protagonist seems to be Hyakkimaru rather than the orphan Dororo. To achieve his ambition of conquering the land, Hyakkimaru's father struck a deal with 48 demons, offering them parts of his unborn son's body in exchange for power—clichéd as it may sound now. Consequently, Hyakkimaru is born missing 48 body parts and internal organs. Upon discovering her son's condition, his mother places him in a basket and sets it adrift on a river. The formless infant is later discovered by Dr. Honda, who believes he will survive and takes him in. As Hyakkimaru grows, he learns to move by crawling on his stomach and even speaks from his stomach. However, he soon becomes plagued by malevolent demons seeking his soul, prompting Dr. Honda to send him away.  

Dr. Honda equips him with prosthetic limbs, each containing a unique weapon—a sword in one arm, a skin-burning spray in another, among others. With these tools, Hyakkimaru embarks on a quest to slay the 48 demons responsible for his plight. Along the way, he meets the young thief Dororo (later revealed to be a girl despite her own disbelief) who joins him. Together, they assist villagers in ridding their lands of demons while gradually retrieving Hyakkimaru's lost organs, one by one.  

Despite its age, Dororo remains an excellent manga overall. Its main flaw lies in its ambiguous ending. We are left largely uncertain about what happens next, save for a cryptic line: "Where Hyakkimaru went from there, no one knows. It is said that fifty years later, the flames of war destroyed the hall of hell housing the 48 sculptures." Dororo merely calls out to him from afar, but Hyakkimaru never looks back. While I personally would have appreciated additional pages exploring the immediate aftermath, the story stands strong as it is.  

A must-read for Tezuka enthusiasts. The art style is quintessentially vintage, so if that's not your cup of tea, just overlook it and enjoy the narrative!

Dororo – Spoiler Free – Mixed Feelings  

TLDR  
Story – 6/10 – 6 x 0.275 = 1.65  
Art – 7/10 – 7 x 0.2 = 1.4  
Characters – 5/10 – 5 x 0.225 = 1.125  
Enjoyment – 6/10 – 6 x 0.3 = 1.8  
Total: 5.975 -> 6  

Story – 6/10  
There isn't much to say about Dororo's story. It is short, unengaging, and clearly rushed from a certain point onward. The narrative starts with the familiar "monster of the week" trope, allowing Hyakkimaru to reclaim his body parts each time he defeats demons. However, this doesn't seem to propel the plot forward in any meaningful way. The story remains largely static due to Hyakkimaru's regained body parts, which is disappointing as it missed an opportunity to enhance the narrative significantly. On a positive note, believability isn't an issue in Dororo, thankfully. The premise is intriguing, and the story is coherent, making it entertaining until it becomes rushed. There are some imaginative sequences and ideas that likely inspired later works like Fullmetal Alchemist (parallels with Dororo’s backstory) or even Berserk (the relationship between Hyakkimaru and Dororo mirrors Guts and Isidro). Unfortunately, one of the manga's biggest flaws is its rushed ending, where events lack clarity. A seemingly trivial request by Dororo drives the conclusion, something that felt out of place and unnecessary. Instead of refining the ending, the author opted for brief panels summarizing what happened afterward, suggesting fatigue with the series. The 2019 anime adaptation addresses some of these issues, making it a preferable choice over the original manga. Additionally, Dororo misses a chance to explore an interesting gender-related question in its final volumes, another wasted opportunity.  

Art – 7/10  
Dororo's art is commendable, being easy to follow and occasionally detailed. Character designs are excellent, ensuring characters are easily distinguishable from one another. Fight scenes are well-executed, showcasing the author's skill—Osamu Tezuka's reputation as the "Godfather of Manga" is well-deserved. While page composition isn't perfect, it's important to remember this manga was created in the 1960s, when many modern techniques hadn't been developed yet.  

Characters – 5/10  
Most characters lack depth, with only Hyakkimaru and Dororo standing out. Supporting characters fail to contribute meaningfully to the story, despite their potential significance in driving the plot—as seen in the 2019 anime adaptation.  

Enjoyment – 6/10  
Dororo isn't a terrible manga, though it is somewhat bland. The "monster of the week" format isn't overly dull, though it's not my favorite. Problems emerge in the second half, where the pacing falters. Despite having some enjoyable moments, they don't outweigh the negatives. As a classic, it holds historical value, but I can't fully endorse it. Given its brevity, I can only give it a mixed review: it had potential to be far better, but it doesn't warrant a negative recommendation.

My first attempt at reading a work by the "God of Manga" was quite enjoyable overall. The pacing was excellent, particularly in the initial part of the narrative.  
The artwork, though dated and occasionally simplistic—especially in terms of character design—has an intriguing and distinct style that sets it apart from contemporary manga, which I appreciated. I especially liked the depictions of the monsters, as well as the landscapes and architecture.  

The storytelling was solid; the characters and their arcs were engaging. That said, there were a few issues with the overarching story. I felt that Volume 2 hinted at a plot direction that never fully materialized. Additionally, there was some repetition in the conflicts involving the main characters, and the ending seemed hurried and somewhat unresolved.  

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