Product Description

Dororo is Tezuka's classic thriller manga featuring a youth who has been robbed of 48 body parts by devils, and his epic struggle against a host of demons to get them back.

Daigo Kagemitsu, who works for a samurai general in Japan's Warring States period, promises to offer body parts of his unborn baby to 48 devils in exchange for complete domination of the country. Knowing the child to be deficient, Kagemitsu orders the newborn thrown into the river.

The baby survives. Callling himself Hyakkimaru, ge searches the world for the 48 demons. Each time he eliminates one, he retrieves one of his missing parts. Hyakkimaru meets a boy thief named Dororo, and together they travel the countryside, confronting mosters and ghosts again and again. This the second in a 3 - volume series.

Tezuka's manga and animated films had a tremendous impact on the shaping of the psychology of Japan's postwar youth. His work changed the concept of Japanese comics, transforming it into an art form and incorporating a variety of new styles in creating "story comics."

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #91287 in Books
• Published on: 2008-06-24
• Released on: 2008-06-24
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781934287170
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
The late master manga storyteller Tezuka (Astro Boy; Phoenix) returns with the next volume of his 1967–1968 horror/samurai epic, and the dire doings escalate to horrifying levels as young swordsman Hyakkimaru continues his quest to reclaim his stolen body parts from a gaggle of demons, accompanied by the self-described world's greatest thief, the diminutive Dororo. This time their wanderings bring them into carnage-laden conflict with fearful villagers, carnivorous fox spirits, opposing actions in a border war, a face-stealing evil Buddha statue, unrestful child ghosts and a nobleman whose loving marriage to a moth demon brings about shocking tragedy. Along this journey of despair, vengeance and the darkest of magic, Hyakkimaru encounters long-lost members of his family—with devastating results—while secrets from Dororo's past are revealed in the presence of a monk who persuades Hyakkimaru that an aspect of his thieving companion may offer a hint to his mission in life once he completes his odyssey of righteous killing. As per the previous volume, this is compelling stuff and notable among Tezuka's works for being almost relentlessly downbeat, gruesome and genuinely creepy, all elements somehow enhanced by the artist's appealing animation-influenced visual style. (June)
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Review
“It's the pioneer of the manga tradition wading neck deep into the mire of freakish swordsmen, ghouls and historical messiness: Kurosawa and Leone meets Romero... Dororo stands as a classic that showcases Osamu Tezuka's unique approach to manga and to the world.”
—Ain't It Cool News

“Platinum Award. Tezuka blends high-adventure plotting with deep and thoughtful themes in his inimitable style... It seems a shame it's only all been in Japanese until now.”
—Advanced Media Network

“Sleek in design and swift in pacing, the story's blend of mayhem and laffs and depression creates a uniquely chaotic world… The monster designs are excellent, ranging from detailed etchings to gargantuan masses of doomy scribbles.”
—Jog-The Blog

“Simply put, Vertical’s English translation of Osamu Tezuka’s late '60s swords-and-goblins saga is a work of such genius that one must term it not only inspired but also inspiring—it's a reminder of why one reads manga in the first place. Exquisitely rendered and mind-bogglingly creative.”
—Firefox News

“By far Tezuka’s edgiest work at that point in his career, this series is riveting and, frankly, creepy as hell, with Tezuka’s signature ‘cute’ style offering a welcome counterpoint to the visceral horrors depicted.
Highly recommended.”
—Publishers Weekly

“The premise and Tezuka's eerie renditions of larval Hyakkimaru and the monsters that come after him is unusually effective and chilling.”
—The Onion A.V. Club

About the Author
Osamu Tezuka (1928-89) is the godfather of Japanese manga comics. He originally intended to become a doctor and earned his degree before turning to what was then a medium for children. His many early masterpieces include the series known in the U.S. as Astro Boy. With his sweeping vision, deftly interwined plots, feel for the workings of power, and indefatigable commitment to human dignity, Tezuka elevated manga to an art form. The later Tezuka, who authored Buddha, often had in mind the mature readership that manga gained in the sixties and that had only grown ever since. The Kurosawa of Japanese pop culture, Osamu Tezuka is a twentieth century classic.

Customer Reviews

A great work from the kamisama no manga
Dororo is an amazing story about a petty thief and a cursed warrior with a synthetic body who must slay demons to become more human.
Lots of awesome monster fighting in Osamu Tezuka's lighthearted style.

A lesser Tezuka work, but it really hits its stride in Volume 2
Dororo Volume 1 fell a bit short of the high standard we've come to expect from Tezuka: the artwork seemed rushed and relatively simplistic, the story was largely introductions and we'd seen similar characters in other Tezuka works...

But in Volume 2, as in many Tezuka stories, Dororo really hits its stride. The artwork is top-notch, pivotal events occur in the lives of both main characters, and a big picture seems to emerge in the episodic story of these two wanderers in feudal Japan.

In sum, if you like other Tezuka works, you'll like the momentum Dororo builds in Volume 2 which brings the series closer in quality and importance to Buddha, MW, Ode to Kirohito, Apollo's Song, and Phoenix.

Excellent Story
This volume, of course, continues volume one. Once again it's Tezuka at his best with both a compelling storyline and little bits of interspersed humor. The only complaint is that the books ends too soon and now I need to wait for the third volume.