[REVIEW] Dororo, Baki and Megalobox. (1 Viewer)

[Ashla_K]

It really took me a while but I finally watched some really good anime and I want to share my thoughts, as well as recommend the following series, if you haven't seen them yet.

Dororo (2019): One of the best things that happened this year in term of anime, if not the best. It's based on a manga created by Osamu Tezuka in 1967 and later on, an anime adaptation in 1967. The story mixes dark fantasy with a historical setting and has 24 episodes.
I confess that I haven't seen the manga or the first anime adaptation but I absolutely loved Dororo. It is a pretty mature depiction of the beauty and cruelty of the world and into ourselves. Makes you think about the extent of the decisions we take, how far we will get to protect a loved one or something we want to archive. All the characters are pretty well constructed and the animation is very fluid and beautiful, esp. the landscapes, which sometimes look like paintings.
Highly recommended anime, although, it's not for the weak. Plenty violence and blood as well as tragedy, it'll break your heart more than once.

Megalobox: Another adaptation from an oldie. This one was created to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the manga Ashita no Joe (1968) and it also follows an anime adaptation from 1980. I haven't seen any of the previous work but Megalobox is one of the best things I've seen in years, eventhough is not revolutionary or deep in any aspect, there's something in those characters and their constant fight to prove their worth to themselves and the rest of the world, that I could not help but being hooked to every episode until the end. That and the fact the art style (and the animation in general) is very reminiscent of Cowboy Bebob and like CB, has a great soundtrack which I also recommend.

Baki: Oh well, where do I start... Craziness but craziness in a good way. I'm aware there is a manga (Baki the Grappler) but I wasn't interested in the slightest on it because I thought (silly me) that it will be your typical sports based anime... how wrong I was. I must admit it, while I was watching both seasons on Netflix, I didn't know what the hell was going on the half of the time but who cares anyways, this people were fighting and doing straight up outrageous shit so, I couldn't help myself but to keep watching.
Very entartaining anime although, the animation of the first season was a hot mess (that CGI is plain awful) but thank God, they fixed it on the second one. Another thing, the story is pretty basic and the characters too but as I said, who cares when they are beating the hell of eachother.

 

[blueberries]

I enjoyed both Dororo and Megalobox through out, but for some reason I actually didn't like ending of either that took away from my enjoyment. Like the characters just did some choices in the end that left me frustrated Apart from the endings though, both are great series. And i agree with Megalobox OST, i still listen it once a while especially main theme.

 

[Ashla_K]

I enjoyed both Dororo and Megalobox through out, but for some reason I actually didn't like ending of either that took away from my enjoyment. Like the characters just did some choices in the end that left me frustrated Apart from the endings though, both are great series. And i agree with Megalobox OST, i still listen it once a while especially main theme.

I agree to some extent. Tbh I was not expecting a happy ending (?) for Dororo, I thought it would be more sad.

 

[blueberries]

I agree to some extent. Tbh I was not expecting a happy ending (?) for Dororo, I thought it would be more sad.

Apparently it was quite different from original animes ending where Hyakki kills his father. I hoped they would have shown at least bits on what happened to Dororo after and Hyakki travelling it would have felt bit more fullfilling to me. Also i kinda didn't like

Spoiler

the scene of Tahomaru and Hyakki's two moms perishing in fire, or more like i didn't mind them dying in fire but i didn't like their actions and reasonings there like it looked like Hyakki's moms just gave up on life which was bit pathetic to me xd And also if they gave up, they could have at least tried to throw Tahomaru after Hyakkimaru and saved him. It was anticlimatic for Tahomaru to pass out and die while passed out if that makes sense ^^;

 

[Soleski]

I loved Dororo