In this column, I feature comic book reviews written by my students at Oxford College of Emory University. Oxford College is a small liberal arts school just outside of Atlanta, Georgia. I challenge students to read and interpret comics because I believe sequential art and visual literacy are essential parts of education at any level (see my Manifesto!). I post the best of my students’ reviews in this column. Today, I am proud to present a review by Mandy Sun:
Mandy Sun is a second-year student at Oxford College and is majoring in Computer Science. Her home is Starkville, Mississippi where she attended The Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science. Her favorite comic book is Fun Home by Alison Bechdel. Mandy’s interests are largely art based, such as crocheting, painting, knitting, jewelry making, playing the bass, and more.
Dorohedoro (Vol. 1), written and illustrated by Q Hayashida
Dorohedoro, written and illustrated by Q Hayashida, is a fast-paced, explicit manga that began serialization in 2000 and is packed to the brim with action sequences and the supernatural that are not for the light of heart. But, despite its gory visuals, the writing mixes in casual interactions like slice-of-life scenes. In doing so, the manga creates a sense of familiarity by offering the reader enjoyable characters and relatable moments. The author Hayashida is best known for her uniquely grungy art style in Dorohedoro, alongside her newest manga series, Dai Dark, that began in 2019. Her work has since been featured in exhibitions showcasing her over 400 mixed media pieces, original artworks, and manuscripts from both Dorohedoro and Dai Dark. Since Dorohedoro’s ending in 2018, it has maintained its popularity as one of the most unique dark fantasy manga to date with recognizably explosive visuals and a fleshed-out world that has blended the right amount of easygoing personality and gruesome action. Over its 18-year runtime, it has accumulated a total of 23 volumes spanning 167 chapters and an anime adaptation on Netflix.
Dorohedoro Volume 1 introduces us to Caiman, a man with a reptilian head, who is set on exacting vengeance on the sorcerer that made him this way. With no memories of who he was or how he came to be, he interrogates sorcerers by half consuming them, allowing “the man inside” to see their faces and determine if they were the ones who transformed him. Nikaido, his best friend and chef of the Hungry Bug, aids him in his slightly directionless search for revenge. Despite Caiman’s loss in memory accompanying his mysterious transformation, he still maintains his upbeat and forward personality, accompanied by Nikaido who has fun in their adventures and is the more responsible of the two. Both characters, despite being non-sorcerers, are physically able enough to take on any opponents. Although Caiman is unrelenting in his search to uncover the mystery of his transformation, it doesn’t stop him and Nikaido from stopping for the occasional gyoza at the Hungry Bug.
As word of a lizard-headed man who kills sorcerers spreads in the sorcerers’ world, de facto leader En sends his team of “cleaners” Shin and Noi to locate and kill him. As a formidable duo, Shin, strangely fixated on the thrill of the fight, is contrasted by Noi, the more carefree and bolder of the two. The two are playfully competitive and are extremely talented in combat as two bulky, ruthless, and high-ranking magic users. Accompanying them are two lower-ranking sorcerers: Fujita and Ebisu, both with their own agendas against Caiman.
On the surface, Dorohedoro is gory, blunt, and brutal. The worlds that the characters inhabit are tough and unforgiving, with various magical customs being luck-based or requiring extensive sacrifices of money and time; similarly, The Hole, Caiman and Nikaido’s primary place of residence, itself is an embodiment of misfortune, plagued with magic pollution and poverty. Through its world building, the story touches upon themes of social inequity and class hierarchy as we see more of the societies within Dorohedoro. However, despite the dark reality of its world, the story maintains a lighthearted portrayal of the relationships between its characters. Caiman and Nikaido are particularly optimistic about avenging Caiman, spending their time casually together in the face of danger. Additionally, Dorohedoro emphasizes these themes of friendship through its portrayal of the duo’s loyalty to and platonic concern for each other. Plus, the manga has relatively casual dialogue that is a part of almost every interaction. Dorohedoro conveys a mood that is not exclusively depressing; instead, it never takes itself too seriously, and it humanizes each of its protagonists and antagonists in their universal struggle to simply exist.
In terms of illustrations, Hayashida is masterful in a visually unique style that has earned Dorohedoro its favorability amongst its fans. Particular spreads and volume covers exhibit her talents in a variety of mediums, such as charcoal, ink, paint, or markers. The messy line work that composes Dorohedoro immerses the reader in the grungy and grimy worlds that the characters inhabit, making already poor apartments seem even more lived-in, worn, and weary. Characterized by stitches, hatched lines, splatters, and other particular motifs, the world of The Hole seems to be visually entrenched in this corrosive and polluted atmosphere that Hayashida has created. However, it never becomes so messy that its scenes are unreadable; in fact, Hayashida clearly takes great effort in the purposeful placement of her lines, with recognizable character designs and readable action scenes that make chunks of flesh, blood, and bone fly across the page. This readability and attention to accuracy increases as the story progresses, with notable improvements in both readability and artistic style being identifiable by the third volume. As an action and dark fantasy manga, the fight scenes are epically gory, detailed, and finely grotesque in their illustrations of physical conflict. Hayashida is truly a master of multimedia in her artwork and deservedly brings to Dorohedoro its recognizability as a part of the dark fantasy manga genre.
Dorohedoro caught my eye because of its recognizable art style that, to this day, stands out and inspires other manga in the dark fantasy genre. Its punkish style is unparalleled as a perfect representation of the eerie and intriguing world that Hayashida has written. Simultaneously, the juxtaposition of its lighthearted characters to its darker scenes keeps the manga afloat from becoming too bogged down by depressing themes. However, its quick pace can sometimes rush through events in the story, leaving little time for the reader to fully digest developments that Hayashida presents. The first volume of Dorohedoro only introduces our primary characters to the readers, but, despite the fast pacing, their interesting personalities and the intriguing world of Dorohedoro will keep you wanting more. It’s a great foundational introduction to the world of Dorohedoro that can easily hook you in. Thus, Dorohedoro Volume 1 has earned itself a position as a four-and-a-half-star comic that I would recommend to readers as a must-see as a simultaneously fun and dark story with brilliant visuals within the dark fantasy genre.
I like the analysis of the artwork here–detailed and thoughtful. Thanks for sharing this review!