I love Hayashida Q's Mind

I don't really remember the first time I picked up Dorohedoro. I think it was during first year of highschool or so. It was one of the moments where I did not have friends who I can talk about anime or manga, and I started losing touch with F at that time. I don't remember when I picked up the manga, but I remember not having anyone else to gush it about. 

It was such an amazing experience, reading Dorohedoro. At first, being still in teenage-adolescent minded that I was, I remembered the gore being one of the most interesting aspect that manga could offer. Gore was cool! So edgy! 

But Dorohedoro was much more than that. The gore happened, yes, but it's part of the bleak world (Hole) that the characters are living at. The gore and some nudity happened, yes, but it's part of the character's everyday lives. And what that series has to offer is actually much more than that.

It's the friendship, the thoughtfulness for others, the badassery of how each character carries out their actions, how they think, how they pursue their goals. The affections each characters have for their closest ones.

Oh, and definitely how all characters are so silly despite living in an actual shithole.

I remember dropping it for some time bcs I catched up with the ongoing part. Then some time later on around 2019 I think? It ended and I marathoned the manga again. Wow, Q did not dissapoint.

Reading Dorohedoro to the very end feels like solving a mathematical equations. Everything just sorta 'clicks' at the end. It made me thinking "ahh yeah, this is the most logical ending. and it make sense"

I didn't just read Dorohedoro, of course. Maken X and Sofa Chan works sorta like her prototype or blueprint on how to make a compelling story. 

Then the anime aired. The OST slaps. I really appreciate how the team made like 4 different endings for a 12 episodes series, that shit takes time to make, I know, and all of them are great! 

Around 2020 during COVID, I remember the Dorohedoro marketing team released this 8-bit video game only available online, for a limited time. It was a silly and creative game, I adored it very much. Then turns out it was later distributed as a bonus for the Blu-Ray box set. Damn...

Okay, then fast forward to about 3 year or so, Dai Dark began its serialization.

It is much tamer than Dorohedoro, I think... Like there isn't any 'Parental Advisory' label on the Sevenseas version. Unlike Dorohedoro.

Follows the story of fantasy space adventure of the 'Four Little Shits', hated all across the Galaxy. The main character, Sanko, is believed to have bones that can grant any wish, so everyone longs to kill the guy. He's only 14 for god's sake! Poor Sanko's been on the run since he's gained consciousness, accompanied by his trustful paggy Avakian. Then he met the representation of Death (I didn't know death was so attractive!) who became his only friend ever since childhood... The first arc consist of the grou being constantly being pursued by a big shady corporation that owns literally everything on space called Photosphere.

It starts a bit comedic, and slow at times (theres a flashback chapter for Sanko every 5 chapters or so) but I think Q is sets the pace perfectly for now. 

I can't wait to read more of it! Of all the Four Little Shits, my most favourite one is the butt of the joke, the ever-dying loser, firstborn failson Hajime Damemaru <3

Q understand my type of men, truly.. With her character design on Aikawa/Kai on Dorohedoro, now Damemaru too?? 

And not just being butt of the joke, I truly believe Q prepared something much more for Damemaru's character. Theories floating online is that he is actually Chidaruma who loses his bet at the end of Dorohedoro, cursed to become human for at least 5000 years... There are lots of hints being thrown so far, some that's literally under our noses! 

Aah, I'm gonna fall in love all over again!!