REVIEW: ‘Dorohedoro’ Season 2 Episode 5

Dorohedoro Season 2 Episode 5 dives into some of the backstory of Kasukabe (Mistuhiro Ichiki, To Be Hero X). We learn more about his practice and a particular incident involving someone close to him. We also see Ebisu (Miyu Tomita, DanDaDan) return home to an unexpected welcome. 

This episode jumps right into the past, filling us in on Kasukabe’s history with Ai (Kodai Sakai, Mario & Luigi: Brothership). Through these moments, we gain a better understanding of who Kasukabe was in the past, as well as of the ghastly work carried out by the neighborhood association against anyone it deemed a sorcerer.

Dorohedoro Season 2 Episode 5’s reveal about Ai is intriguing.

The torturous ways we see the group kill its targets go way beyond any semblance of protection, firmly crossing the line into outright cruelty. Given what we know about the horrors the Hole has been subjected to, anger and even vengeance are understandable, if not condonable. However, what we see here goes far beyond reason, as there is a joyous air in the infliction of pain and suffering, a hallmark of a group that has firmly crossed the line. It will be interesting to learn what ultimately befell the organization, as its presence has not been seen in the present-day storyline.

Ai’s outlook towards soccer and his desire to be one create a fascinating clash of perspectives that emphasizes how bad things must be in the Hole. Everything he knows says he should hate them, and yet he is willing to risk his life for the slim opportunity to become one of them. While what Dorohedoro Season 2 Episode 5 reveals about Ai is intriguing, there has to be more to the man’s story, which will hopefully unfold in the coming episodes. 

Ebisu’s fashion montage in Dorohedoro Season 2 Episode 5 is unexpectedly entertaining.

The back half of the episode shifts its focus to Ebisu’s return trip home, doggedly pursued by Fujita (Kengo Takanashi, The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic). The emotional display we get from one of the show’s most consistently weird characters brings an endearing moment to the episode.

As she nears her destination in Dorohedoro Season 2 Episode 5, she becomes painfully aware of how bizarre her chosen attire is. She searches her luggage for something more appropriate for the upcoming reunion, but comes up empty-handed. This leads her to the forced acceptance that her parents will be thrilled to see her, no matter what she wears. 

The montage of mermaid outfits and misassembled dresses leaves a chuckle in its wake. So out of character for Ebisu to worry about such things, seeing her fret now with her fashion disasters, though some not wholly her fault, is unexpectedly entertaining. 

The ending of Dorohedoro Season 2 Episode 5 feels so pointless.

Unfortunately, the happy reunion is short-lived as Ebisu discovers an unexpected resident at her parents’ house. She is welcomed home by a copy of herself, one that is unfortunately prone to violent acts. Shortly after learning about the situation from a beloved maid, the copy murders the individual before Ebisu’s eyes because she apparently burnt her cookies. Ebisu is left to fend for herself as her time in Dorohedoro Season 2 Episode 5 comes to an end.

This closing moment for Ebisu feels like one of the series’ weakest moments of pain. Not because what happens wouldn’t be terrifying, but it just feels so pointless. Ebisu already has plenty of trauma to contend with; heaping a bit more onto her in such an unceremonious way feels like nothing but empty cruelty. 

Dorohedoro Season 2 Episode 5 introduces new elements from both the past and the present for the series to explore. While some hit better than others, the series continues to deliver what fans have come to expect—plentiful moments of weirdness and violence, mixed with just a touch of something more.

Dorohedoro Season 2 Episode 5 is streaming now on Netflix.

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