It was the safest of safe bets that Mob Psycho 100 II was going to be great. Usually I feel a sense of relief when that’s proved out, but honestly that show was such a mortal lock that I never even worried about it – the euphoria is all from the brilliance of the series itself. Dororo, by contrast, was much more of an unknown quantity – which is certainly ironic given that it comes from the pen of the guy who basically invented both modern manga and anime, and is directed by the guy who helmed Rurouni Kenshin. But this was known as one of Tezuka’s lesser works, without a definitive ending, and Rurouni Kenshin was a long time ago now…
It really shouldn’t surprise me so much that Dororo is fantastic, even so. And even less so that it feels utterly timeless in the best sense of the word – a historical epic of the sort than anime has always been capable of producing, if the will is there to make it happen. For anime fans of a certain age (guilty) a series like this is like chicken soup for the soul – but only when they’re as fantastic as Dororo has been through two episodes. This is one of the faces of anime that made me an anime fan, truly. As I said about Kyousougiga, this series doesn’t just remind me of why I love anime – it reminds me of why I became a fan in the first place.
There’s something so timeless about the buddy picture – it transcends not just eras, but language and continents too. Make one of the duo a kid and you add another layer, and – as Tezuka was especially brilliant at – when you pair two characters who are stark opposites the dynamic can be really powerful. Dororo is a little chatterbox, a force of nature, Hyakkimaru the literal definition of stoicism and impassivity. As you would expect this kind of drives Dororo nuts, and he tries to break through the silent youth’s facade (a little less facade-like now that it’s skin instead of a mask, at least) to no avail.
Things start out in charmingly idyllic fashion, the adventures of this odd couple on the road – Hyakkimaru is good at fishing, Dororo at building a fire, another example of their symbiotic skill sets. But Dororo is forever an operator, and hears of an opportunity to cash in on Hyakkimaru’s combat skills – a local village is having monster trouble, and needs someone to slay the creature for them. It could be the terrifying (albeit slightly daikon-like) creature with the bell that the blind samurai-priest-musician we met in the first episode (Sasaki Mutsumi) encounters in the woods, but the old man doesn’t seem too alarmed – and it’s clear that like Hyakkimaru, he can see in ways sighted people like Dororo cannot.
Dororo is every bit the good salesman you’d expect, and the pair are soon well-fed ad comfortably lodged at the (acting) chief’s house. But it’s obvious that this is one of those “the real monsters are us” scenarios – especially when the bell-youkai visits the duo in the barn and asks its perpetual question, “Yarou ka?” and Hyakkimaru shows no inclination to answer in the affirmative. But when he and Dororo are taken to meet the village head Bandai (Koyama Mami) in the morning, Hyakkimaru immediately goes to DEFCON 1 and, much to Dororo’s horror (Bandai looks a bit like Mom) tries to attack her.
Dororo is truly like stepping inside a classic Japanese folk tale – it transports you so effortlessly to this turbulent time when death was life’s constant companion. A few travelers disappearing is nothing to attract attention in the Sengoku Period, but even in this dark world human beings still have consciences that torture them when they’re reminded of their sins – as the bell youkai does constantly to the villagers. Hyakkimaru can provide them no relief, for this is not the monster he’s come to slay – the sense is that the creature will haunt the village until all those who gave rise to it are dead and gone.
It’s interesting to speculate on the blind priest’s story – he obviously sees in the same way Hyakkimaru does, but there’s no indication of how he got that way. Hyakkimaru and the old man both “see the inside”, the color of one’s soul – but what does Hyakkimaru understand and feel? For most of the first two episodes there’s no indication of human emotion from him at all, but Dororo’s sadness seems to reach him in a way nothing else has so far, and he shares his name (via writing in the dirt, which the illiterate thief must ask the old priest to read by feel) – the first look we’ve gotten inside his soul so far.
Really, it’s the supreme ease and confidence both Tezuka’s source material and Furuhashi’s direction bring to Dororo that make it the burgeoning classic that it seems to be. It’s easy to tell when, as a viewer, you’re in the care of master storytellers – without realizing it you’re mesmerized, a door within the fire creaks and all you wish for is to hear the tale told to the end. That’s an experience that’s not unique to anime of course, but for someone who loves the medium there’s a real sense of privilege at being able to immerse yourself in a show capable of delivering it.
DauntingOverlord
January 16, 2019 at 5:17 amYou hit the nail on the head. This show makes me feel very nostalgic. Might be because I was raised on Inuyasha, but that’s me.
Guardian Enzo
January 16, 2019 at 6:47 amInuyasha wasn’t my first gen, but it was definitely a big series for me back in the day. Underrated IMO, though Dororo is a somewhat different sort of series tonally.
Kurik
January 16, 2019 at 11:04 pmFeel exactly the same….this is proper old school at its finest and definitely the sort of stuff that made me a life long fan of anime. I kept thinking I am too old for it and then I get gems like this.
Dein
January 16, 2019 at 6:38 amHeh, I guess I’m going to mirror a popular sentiment, but this show also made me remember my younger years , when I was only starting to acquaint myself with anime. And it really pulled me in, too. Sometimes, even with the best shows, I need an episode or two to really be invested. This one just clicked right away.
You mentioned it doesn’t have a definitive ending. Was the manga abandoned?
Guardian Enzo
January 16, 2019 at 6:47 amI’ve chosen not to pursue that angle too closely for fear of spoilers, but that may be the case.
Earthlingzing
January 16, 2019 at 8:44 pmI’m kind of glad they didn’t choose to follow Tezuka’s art style too closely with this series, I was really distracted by it during Atom and Young Black Jack.
Guardian Enzo
January 16, 2019 at 8:50 pmDid you watch Atom: The Beginning? That’s another sort of modern spin on Tezuka designs, albeit closer than what we’re seeing in the anime here.
Earthlingzing
January 17, 2019 at 1:17 amI did, but the big noses bothered me for some reason…
Guardian Enzo
January 17, 2019 at 7:10 amWell, that’s 100% canon, though.
Lost Link
January 17, 2019 at 12:08 amWell said.
A.Sade
January 17, 2019 at 3:18 pmThanks to these reviews, I went and watched these first two episodes, and needless to say I’m already itching for the next one.
I don’t think this is a spoiler, but I peeked at the first two manga chapters that correspond with the episodes and I was really surprised to see that the adaptation had taken a lot of liberties with the source material, especially with regards to Hyakkimaru’s portrayal. They’re almost tonal opposites! It definitely feels like the anime is updating it for modern and perhaps more mature audiences, though, so for once I’m going to be patient and hold out for the anime instead of gorging the manga.
Guardian Enzo
January 17, 2019 at 3:38 pmYeah, not spoilers but this is a potentially dangerous area so let’s be careful.
I do know there have been some changes to the manga, but without going into too much detail (I was already spoiled about one element) I think there are circumstances surrounding the manga’s serialization that necessitated that some changes be made.
Nadavu
January 17, 2019 at 11:26 pmWhen a show written in the ’60s makes us nostalgic for a show from the ’90s…. 😀
I really like the structure so far, episodic but with a clear sense of an overarching plot.
Color2413
January 18, 2019 at 10:39 amI think that this may end up being the top anime of the season. What I particularly like is the extent to which it stands on its own, timeless terms without a hint of otaku pandering. It’s absolutely solid.
Romy
January 19, 2019 at 4:38 amI sort of had a break with anime in 2018……not many shows got me ticking and I sort of gave up…………but this one just pulled me in so hard! I feel excited and expectant again! I feel like 2019 will be a good year!
GC
January 19, 2019 at 12:20 pmSpring 2019 has Shingeki no Kyojin Season 3 Part 2, One Punch Man 2nd Season, Bungou Stray Dogs 3rd Season, Chihayafuru 3, Persona 5 the Animation: Stars and Ours, and Strike Witches: 501 Butai Hasshin Shimasu! and those are just the sequels to popular series.