Dorohedoro – 07 [All Star Dream Game]

This is my new frontrunner for Best Episode of the Season. I had heard rumors about Dorohedoro’s legendary baseball chapters, but this thing surpassed my vague expectations by several miles. What’s most impressive about it is the huge number of genres and moods it cycles through, despite featuring one of the craziest sporting matches in anime history during its second act. Hell, the baseball game itself was a pitch perfect mix of action, comedy, drama, horror, and even a dash of romance. I usually take notes while watching episodes I plan to blog, but for this one? Not a chance. The whole thing ought to be experienced, rather than analyzed, but I’ll try my best to put out something decent. Hit the jump if you want to read my thoughts instead of just re-watching the episode, for some reason.

I do feel as though “All Star Dream Game” is great from start to finish, but the baseball portion is obviously the main attraction. It’s got undead leadoff hitters, remote-controlled baserunners, magic-infused pitches, and bottomless pits between second and third base. All of this insanity is entertaining on its own, but what takes the game to another level are the varying personal stakes held by each of the players. New character Thirteen wishes to impress Nikaido, on whom he has a very obvious crush. Caiman, being the jealous type, hopes for his failure. The heads of the hospitals fielding teams against each other are bitter rivals. Kasukabe uses the game as an opportunity to test two of his creations – a radio that controls a massive mutant cockroach, and a Frankenstein monster made from Matsumura’s limbs and organs. Most importantly, Fujita enters the game with the intention of murdering Caiman, but alters his goal when he sees that Matsumura is still “alive.”

It’s Fujita on whom the whole episode hinges. The very first scene places him at Matsumura’s grave, mourning the loss of his partner. Shortly thereafter, he learns that no other sorcerers want to pair up with him, and that Ebisu, his half-crazy temporary companion, has more magical ability than he does. The combination of grief and humiliation drives him to travel to Hole and take revenge on Caiman – and if he has to join a baseball team to get close to him, then that’s what he’s gonna do. It’s a carefully constructed setup, resulting in the baseball game feeling crucial to the story’s overall progression. The show tracks his state of mind and shifting priorities as the innings wear on, until he makes a break for the sorcerers’ realm with Matsumura (and Ebisu, still wearing her shark suit) in tow. And in the end, it’s Fujita who witnesses Ebisu’s reptilian transformation and learns of her connection to Caiman, though it costs him the corpse that he risked his life to save.

Shin and Noi’s partnership was put through a very weird test this week, too. The two of them are always being sent on missions, and the tracking device in Risu’s body points makes it obvious what their next job will be, but that was before Q Hayashida decided to throw one of her signature curveballs. I’ve read that she started work on Dorohedoro by drawing whatever the hell she wanted, then connecting the dots to form a coherent story. Based on the scene where Noi transforms into a giant lizard woman, then trades organ-rupturing blows with Shin until she passes out, I’d say reports about her artistic process are right on the money. Even the follow-up – a sort of sequel to Turkey’s doppelganger recipe from episode 4 – is so nuts that it couldn’t have come from a linear design philosophy. But the whole thing functions as an opportunity for Shin to reflect on their most cherished memory together, which was… when they drove off a cliff just after starting their partnership? Yeah, I’m giving up on this whole character examination thing.

This is one of those episodes where not even an album full of webms would be sufficient to transmit its appeal. You’d need knowledge of the source material, extensive notes, full scene breakdowns, and accompanying images/videos to get the job done. I don’t have the time, dedication, or skill necessary to put all of that together, so instead I’ll just encourage anyone reading this to watch Dorohedoro. If you’re a manga reader who’s opted to pass on this adaptation, episode 7 just made a hell of a case for your viewership. If you’re a lowly anime-only fan like myself, but you aren’t keeping up with this show for some reason, now is the perfect time to fix that issue. Hate the CG? Me too, but the show more than compensates for it in other ways. Don’t know how or where to download it? Do a bit of googling – your research will yield immediate benefits. And to those of you who are watching every week, I’m sincerely glad we were able to witness such finely-crafted madness today. Bring on the next batch!