Dorohedoro fans have been waiting a long time for Season 2. Back around the pandemic, Dorohedoro was one of the bigger shows for Mappa which aired before it put out the likes of JJK and CSM. For those unaware, the reason the series was put on hold for so long was because director Yuuichirou Hayashi was focusing on finishing the final season of Attack on Titan.
The series picks up with Caiman and Nikaidou reunited, and they move forward to discover who Caiman truly is. You also have a dynamic cast with En’s family as well as some notable characters from the hole. The cast is exceptional, and despite being dark and having a lot of gore, the comedy in this series is outstanding. Much like Golden Kamuy, it can be mature and gritty, but at the same time, it can have you laughing until you are winded.
For those that loved Season 1, Season 2 starts off right where it left off. In a way, Dorohedoro fans patience is rewarded because there is a good amount of improvement coming into Season 2. With juggernauts like JJK, CSM, and Attack on Titan, MAPPA has been able to evolve, which benefits the production of Dorohedoro in many ways.
First, to talk about the CGI. Despite airing back in 2020, the CGI back then still holds up, and it is strong. The only real point of issue is the character designs, and more so the faces that were awkward. Not bad by any means, but now the CGI is much improved. Where this really helps is the action because it makes the action very dynamic and leaves it as high impact for the action scenes. Which fits well with the manga since the action is concise and hits hard.
The sound direction is definitely a standout for S2, which comes as an improvement from season 1. Every use of it has been outstanding. It is really a standout.
Overall, S1 was a good adaptation of a manga by Q Hayashida, which honestly is not an easy series to adapt. But Mappa did a good job in Season 1, and Mappa has kept the momentum going for S2.
Dorohedoro is one of those manga that I consider a must-read. If you don’t read manga or you want to check the anime first, the anime is a great experience for the series. Enjoy Dorohedoro, as it is a phenomenal experience. Source readers will find a lot to love with the anime adaptation. Note that the anime offers a faster pacing compared to the manga, but the anime utilizes this well in the transition of the mediums.