Dorohedoro

Chainsaw Man addpermalink

Dorohedoro is the older, less-famous version of Chainsaw Man (incidentally, it ended the same year as CSM started... Coincidence?! Probably)

The setups are slightly different, but the execution is nearly identical - Socially inept protagonist with a transformation that turns them into brutal monsters, check, dark urban setting, check, loads of dark comedy, check, the protagonist being tasked with killing hordes of destructive monsters, check and the list goes on.

Chainsaw Man's approach is slightly more psychological, balancing out the drama with brutal action more carefully compared to Dorohedoro's more stylish and somewhat less sentimental approach. CSM is a shonen, so it won't explore its dark themes with as much glee as Dorohedoro, as well as being somewhat less visually brutal, but both are dark and violent in much the same way and are more or less equally effective. I very slightly prefer Chainsaw Man's take on this type of setting, but if you like one, you should immediately go watch/read the other because you will almost certainly like both. read more 

reportRecommended by Vinum_Sabbathi

Read recommendations by 19 more users

Both have similar styles and presentations. Protags are similar in how they're a fusion of two things and tend to act like assholes. Lots of action, death, gore, cynicism, and dark humor. One deals with magic while the other deals with demons. 

reportRecommended by Realhumanbean

-They're both dark gritty series with a lot of violence, but it's all mixed together with great comedic moments from the character interactions.
-They both have similar presentation styles (art, character designs, setting)
 

reportRecommended by alpha_shadow

Both have amazing and unique art styles. Lots of violence. 

reportRecommended by TheRealMao

Both mangas have dark and gorey atmosphere paired with comedic parts.
Some aspects are explained by the bizarre nature of their settings and not really by cause and effect.
Both are great reads.  

reportRecommended by monitheronin

* Both have a unique, acid and irreverent style that blends horror and comedy well.
* They do not lack violence, blood, and guts.
* Both leads are kind-hearted, rude jerks.
* The plot always has room to develop crazy theories as it unfolds.
* Even the secondary characters are iconic. 

reportRecommended by Marcelo_Flores

Similar gritty, hopeless, style and another manga in which death happens pretty easily and are not as important as they are in other manga.
A lot of comedic moments.
A very original MC who's kind of an asshole sometimes. 
Relationships between characters are very entertaining (chainsaw and power/fujita and ebisu for example). 

reportRecommended by Asnwin

They both have a dark setting, but also applies humor. Both show gore and sometimes disgusting images.
Both have a world where people with special or magical abilities live. 
Both have protagonists who have weird heads (?), and are a special case in regards of what species they are.
Some character designs give off similar vibes. 

reportRecommended by javitaxy

Both are gory manga with unique styles. If you liked Dorohedoro, you might really like Chainsaw Man as well. 

reportRecommended by SebCyrSC2000

Chainsaw Man and Dorohedoro are both comedic and weird while still being dark and brutal. 

reportRecommended by Alpha_Nuova

Both stories have:
dark and gritty art
the protagonists' heads change
both protagonists fight, can be good at times, evil fantasy beings 
are dark comedys
protagonists sympathize with the enemies 


 

reportRecommended by JacksonScully

Large ensembles of colorful characters with a unique range of abilities and personalities. 
Both worlds have a group of creatures that have regular people at their mercy and the intensity of their powers vary. 
Dark, gore filled stories yet with humorous undertones.  

reportRecommended by jootawoo

Lots of gore, violence, cool character designs and interesting world plus some good comedy, all the good stuff. 

reportRecommended by rustycableguy

Dark Shounen 

reportRecommended by HeadyShitHead

What really ties together CSM and Dorohedoro imo is how well they mesh a dark, grisly world with goofy, lovable characters. Both are excellent at striking that balance of darkness and wackiness, and feature creative and fun world building.  

reportRecommended by joohii

Very zany and fast paced 

reportRecommended by itadoriyuji5

Dumb main character trying to find his place in a gritty and surreal world. Both have a relatively nice amount of gore. 

reportRecommended by Ganji_No_Tensai

I’m aware that Chainsaw Man is a shonen manga & cannot reach the level of explicit content that Dorohedoro does as a seinen. That being said, there’s plenty of violence, gore, & dark humor in Chainsaw Man that make it similar in tone to Q Hayashida’s work.
Both contain complicated characters with broken personalities. A simple outline of the leads would be that Dorohedoro features a short-fused and violent man-child with a lizard head, while the other is a short-fused and violent teen with a chainsaw devil dog in his heart. There’s also the fact that the protagonists work with female partners in crime who embody the ‘hunters of their own kind’ trope. Of course, Nikaido is a lot more down to earth than Denji’s partner, Power, who is a high maintenance, cat-loving narcissist. Also, there are side characters that come with their own baggage of issues. 
Of course, these are in the horror-action genre which means there needs to be a terrifying villain pulling the strings. To avoid spoilers, the big bad is a lot more compelling in Chainsaw Man. From their terrifying ability and skill with manipulation, it’s separate from the simple motivation driving Dorohedoro’s antagonist. 
To conclude, these works have surreal worldbuilding, morally-questionable characters, & similar themes of identity & alienation. For design and aesthetics Dorohedoro is superior whereas Chainsaw Man has a better plot and story. read more 

reportRecommended by ItaiSenpai

Both series are urban fantasy with strong demonic/occult elements, modern-ish setting, and hyperviolence, featuring graphic jokes and rootable characters. 

reportRecommended by valgranaire

Crazy unhinged plot, interesting magic system, quite gorey and violent at times 

reportRecommended by IbanPlay

Manga: JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken Part 8: JoJolion

JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken Part 8: JoJolion addpermalink

Both titles revolve around the mystery of the main character's identity, feature a large cast of eccentrics, and feature some of the most absurdly inventive and disturbing imagery I've ever seen. 

reportRecommended by Lindle

Read recommendations by 4 more users

Dai Dark addpermalink

Both are made by the same person, so have a similar style. Both have a mixture of dark themes and comedy, as well as interesting world building and characters. 

reportRecommended by Woofle

Read recommendations by 4 more users

Pandora Hearts addpermalink

Although Pandora Hearts is considerably less violent and gritty than Dorohedoro, they are both mysteries revolving around characters with lost memories who want to find out who they really are and how their past relates to the present. Except that in Pandora Hearts, instead of one character having identity issues, it's practically the whole main cast. 

reportRecommended by Neiru2013

Read recommendations by 4 more users

Dorohedoro is definitely a lot more violent and brutal than Pandora Hearts, but the fact that the plots deal with similar things concerning memory, past lives etc etc, makes them both manga that one should read  

reportRecommended by mulatto

Thematically, both are very similar to one another, as each revolve around the concept of forgotten identities and a history that may have been better left disclosed. Character motivations and attributes are similar, and each of the settings boast original magic not seen in other series' in well crafted, oftentimes bizarre worlds. 

reportRecommended by LadyLillian

At first glance, Dorohedoro and Pandora Hearts have nothing in common. But once you get past the visual, and deeper into the minds of the characters and the themes of the story (missing memories, seeing how your past life relates to the world of the present), you begin to see many similarities. Pandora Hearts is considerably less violent, but hey, there's still decapitations, child murder, massacres and so on. PH also gets compared a lot to other irrelevant series because they look similar/have similar styles or settings while no no similarities in story content or character complexity, but make no mistake, this is the manga it should be compared to. And if you like both these manga, I also recommend you read Berserk, which is similar to both. read more 

reportRecommended by Red_Orion

Pandora Hearts and Dorohedoro both revolve around a main protagonist with lost memories. And throughout their perspective stories, more are uncovered about their character. Although different from a standard viewpoint (with Dorohedoro being much more violent), both of their worlds contain main abnormalities and phenomenons that defies the laws of nature. I recommend both series for those into supernatural fantasy with a taste of mystery involving the characters and their stories. 

reportRecommended by Stark700

Tokyo Ghoul addpermalink

Dorohedoro and Tokyo Ghoul involves a main protagonist whose life undergoes a drastic change. Their character becomes less of a human but more of a supernatural being with special abilities. Both series revolves around creatures who can do extraordinary things. At the same time, there's a dark mystery that revolves around the origins of these powers. Both series' story are thought provoking with a variety of themes. Recommended for fans of supernatural/fantasy/horror. 

reportRecommended by Stark700

Read recommendations by 3 more users

Berserk addpermalink

Both are violent, action-heavy series with plotlines that'll leave you much to question and think about. Both are fantasy worlds with very interesting cosmologies. Both have their share of massacres and badassery. 

reportRecommended by Neiru2013

Read recommendations by 3 more users

Golden Kamuy addpermalink

Both series have similar tones, they are very comedic but can get gritty, dark and occasionally gory. Characters of both series are extremely likable, and you want to see their relationships evolve.  

reportRecommended by wild842

Read recommendations by 3 more users

Voynich Hotel addpermalink

Dorohedoro is the more action-y, plot-oriented version of Voynich Hotel. Both of these series have very strange settings and characters, yet treat them like they're normal. 

reportRecommended by flomu

Read recommendations by 2 more users

Manga: JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken Part 4: Diamond wa Kudakenai

JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken Part 4: Diamond wa Kudakenai addpermalink

Both series contain very likeable characters, violent battles & a great sense of mystery. While Dorohedoro revolves around devil worshiping sorcerers, it does have the same level of "wtf bizarre moments" as JoJo. Part 4 of JoJo doesn't have the same scale of mystery as Dorohedoro but does have the same laid back attitude. 

reportRecommended by THEAnimeHERO

Read recommendations by 2 more users

Blame! addpermalink

The artist of Dorohedoro was an assistant to Tsutomu Nihei, author of BLAME!

That aside, you have a dystopian future with antiheroes, aberrant mutations and so on, but there are differences too.

For one, Dorohedoro has magic, and the story has a lot  of black humor and even a little charming romance thrown in. 

Another point is the art style of Dorohedoro: I can only describe it as 'unique', and it might take some getting used to .. it sort of evokes BLAME! but in its own way, you'll see if you check it out.
Now, the art is extremely well drawn & very detailed, it looks amazing in print but the online versions usually are not up to par so beware. read more 

reportRecommended by alcurad

Read recommendations by 2 more users

Keyman: The Hand of Judgement addpermalink

Both series adapts a more mature setting with dark fantasy elements. There is experimentation and super powers that exists in their world. The main characters become a key figure of mystery as we learn their role in the story. Both series also adapts graphic violence with its action and mystery. There is also an unique insight on some of the themes of both series that is well crafted by their storytelling. 

reportRecommended by Stark700

Read recommendations by 1 more user

No Guns Life addpermalink

- The protagonist is a big guy with amnesia and a weird head
- Their partner is a young and hot girl
- The setting is cyber punk
- The draw style is very similar
- Both contiains a lot of mystery 

reportRecommended by Metalerogreymon

Read recommendations by 1 more user

Hellper addpermalink

Full of action, comedy, friendship, and so much more. Unique universe with lots of characters and a great and reliable MC. Unique and really distinctive art. 

reportRecommended by aemiliuz

Read recommendations by 1 more user

Beastars addpermalink

A seinen work done by a female mangaka, with a sketch-like drawing style, with an unconventional story telling, in a unique world. Oh, and it’s totally awesome. Sounds very much like Dorohedoro and Beastars to me. The only big difference is that one work will turn your sexual orientation towards devils, and the other towards furries. 

reportRecommended by txrxgxu

Read recommendations by 1 more user

Ran to Haiiro no Sekai addpermalink

Ran to Haiiro no Sekai is not a blurred mystery but a light-hearted slice of life. It is not violent, dark or dramatic like Dorohedoro. The artstyle too is different, not gritty but clean and bright into a classical Josei fashion.
But both have a very bizarre and imaginative display of the magic, unique story telling and witty humour. Both share a pluri dimensional world built with original details and an overall flavour of a dream blended with modernism. 

reportRecommended by Bubi

Read recommendations by 1 more user

Baccano! addpermalink

you can not possibly hate any single one of the vast cast. 
no heroes nor villains, only people. living their lives! 

reportRecommended by AC23

Yakusoku no Neverland addpermalink

Dorohedoro is deceptively similar to Promised Neverland---both are about our main characters exploring an unknown, magical world where they face monsters and villains, only to discover the ultimate truth about their past and the nature of reality, in the process bringing peace to the land. 

Dorohedoro is self-evidently a one-of-a-kind manga, it's bizarre, absurdist, insane, hilarious, and so much more, while the Promised Neverland is far more contained, taking the idea of the "demons" and expanding upon it to its logical extreme. Nonetheless, both take the reader on similar journeys. Both are similarly violent and disturbing. Both have world-altering stakes and a cast of sympathetic villains. I think that what really sets these two apart is quality, as Dorohedoro is simply so much better in its conception and execution. While there's a general consensus that Promised Neverland falters hard in its final arc, Dorohedoro provides an extremely satisfying conclusion. Nonetheless, if you like one, you'll no doubt enjoy the other. read more 

reportRecommended by Silbo

Dandadan addpermalink

Action packed crazy stories with a lot of light humor on the side. 

reportRecommended by datadog

Akame ga Kill! addpermalink

Similarities:
- tons of violence and gore
- art style is between realisitc and cartoony
- interesting power systems
- plot focuses on a conflict between two groups
- relatable characters (including the antagonists)

Differences:
- the two groups are separate species in Doro
- AGK uses weapons for powers and Doro has real magic
- the main protag is Killer Croc 

reportRecommended by OnyxSaiyan

Soul Eater addpermalink

These series have rather unique art styles and can get rather violent, but I'll at least say that the characters in both series are understandable and relatable.  The humor in both series is rather similar too if anyone is interested. 

reportRecommended by OnyxSaiyan

Manga: JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken Part 6: Stone Ocean

JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken Part 6: Stone Ocean addpermalink

I loved the feeling of both of them a lot, quite dark and adventurous, but with comedy mixed in there too.  

reportRecommended by FatCaiman

Hunter x Hunter addpermalink

Art styles is rather similar, and the characters aren't total angels or devil at all but are at least relatable.

And both series can get rather gory but they both have rather interesting power systems 

reportRecommended by OnyxSaiyan

Vagabond addpermalink

Both stories feature different protagonists that sometimes do not share the same occasion or even story. Thus you will often have one arc dedicated to one character and then one arc to another; and finally they will cross each other! 

reportRecommended by Ebobab

Jagaaaaaan addpermalink

both have sense of comedy.
both are edge and gore
both are horror and psycho to some degree
both are bizzare.  

reportRecommended by Hussin

Dungeon Meshi addpermalink

It’s been noted that there’s a noticeable overlap between the fans of these series.

Dorohedoro and Dungeon Meshi share a similar type of situational humor based on human morality being challenged and characters being deranged. Absurdist dark humor if you will, beyond just wacky shenanigans. A notable narrative similarity is that the further it goes on, the more the story jumps around from group to group, all whose morals become increasingly less black and white and less good guys vs bad guys, and whose storylines neatly end up intertwined together. They also share common themes and plot points such as hate, survival and social hierarchies, consuming, identity and sense of self, wishes and desires and dreams, mind control, cosmic horror powerful entities… Come for the comedy and vibes, stay for the thickening plot and worldbuilding!
Also characters are lovable. The plot department isn’t lacking at all, but the cast is also a big part of the appeal. Dorohedoro is more of a gore fest, lots of body horror, so be aware of what you’re strapping in for, even if Dungeon Meshi also has a mature tone and its pretty gorey moments as well. You know there is just an innate difference between getting really acquainted with a character’s spine and entrails and seeing broken bones and gouged eyes, and Dungeon Meshi is more tame even with the latter. Dungeon Meshi can be enjoyed with your brain turned off, Dorohedoro too if you’re up for a very confusing ride, but whereas Dorohedoro is an high adrenaline puzzle, Dungeon Meshi is more of a philosophizing fun dungeon crawling adventure with existential horror sprinkled in.
… They’re comedies trust me. 

Both will give you an unique experience of "what the hell is going on" and I mean that in the best, most impressive way. Plot twists ahoy! read more 

reportRecommended by Fumiku

Arte addpermalink

Are you perhaps tired of seeing weak girls who are basically living sex dolls in your mangas? Both of these mangas feature strong women that fight against the rules of society. 

reportRecommended by Ganji_No_Tensai

Tongari Boushi no Atelier addpermalink

If you like intricate hard magic systems, Atelier is a good one, it's more Harry Potter and less gore-murdery, but it does also revolve around a group of wizards and in both worlds there's a drastic difference between maigc and non-magic users.

Dorohedro is much more intense and elaborate, although the magic system is more limited it is indeed very interesting. 

reportRecommended by gautrstafr

Colorless addpermalink

While "Colourless" unfolds in a world drained of color, "Dorohedoro" immerses readers in a chaotic, surreal cityscape known as "The Hole." This place is rife with magic, mutated creatures, and a distinct lack of order. The stark contrast in settings adds a layer of diversity to your manga collection.

In "Colourless," our hero, an ex-college professor, stands against a powerful syndicate. In "Dorohedoro," Kaiman navigates a world of sorcerers and enigmatic figures. The characters in both manga offer distinct perspectives on resilience, morality, and the pursuit of their goals. 

reportRecommended by Renji2303

Kyou kara Ore wa!! addpermalink

An ensemble cast of characters living their daily lives, packed with a lot of funny and gritty moments. 

reportRecommended by Ganji_No_Tensai

Fullmetal Alchemist addpermalink

Start out as pretty simple adventure stories but eventually lead you down this gigantic rabbit hole of mysteries.
Both have amazing world building and a great cast of characters 

reportRecommended by ResetAfrin

Chrno Crusade addpermalink

Both mangas have a strong female and male leads and the story is about the bond they create. Dorohedoro does it way better, though. (Even because it has more time to flesh out the characters, CC feels a little bit rushed.) 

reportRecommended by ssiasme

Monster addpermalink

Well thought out mysteries with tons of dark and gruesome moments but still managing to be wholesome and hopeful and full of human expressions that are beautiful. 

reportRecommended by KuroGFX

Gantz addpermalink

Crazy mega violence with lots of crazy shit as well 

reportRecommended by KuroGFX

20th Century Boys addpermalink

Both of these mangas will make you question what’s real and what isn’t. Both are mysteries, which is to say that the goal of the characters is to learn things and every piece of the puzzle shows itself with time. Both place big importance in masks and face reveals. Learning the identity of someone is the whole point from start to end, but the stakes keep getting bigger and bigger until it culminates in a world-ending battle against evil. Social dynamics are an important theme as well, hierarchy being observed and critiqued, though neither works are pretentious pieces. 
You may very well enjoy both of these simply as a puzzle that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Mangas that make you go "what the hell?" in an intrigued and endeared manner, that hooks you in and doesn’t let go for 150+ chapters. read more 

reportRecommended by Fumiku

Kekkai Sensen addpermalink

The two possess similar analogous setting where its normal, for example, in dorohedoro, the setting is a dark, gritty disorderly district where killing is an ordinary occurrence! In kekkai sensen, its more chaotic because you see explosion, accidents and all weird creatures! The characters in both series have unique personalities and shares the strong chemistry to the group. I definitely recommend dorohedoro if you like kekkai sensen 

reportRecommended by Zonuk

Tonari no Kinniku Joshi addpermalink

Do you like strong, muscular women? Then you might enjoy these manga. 

reportRecommended by abystoma2

Maken X Another addpermalink

Both are twisted, violent fantasy manga by the same author. 

reportRecommended by TVC15

Manga: Kiba no Tabishounin: The Arms Peddler

Kiba no Tabishounin: The Arms Peddler addpermalink

Similar atmosphere in many ways. Both are grotesque and the fight scenes have similar pacing, that is to say good pacing. The fight scenes also have an emphasis on weapons. The plots are also similar in a basic way, with a guy looking for someone, which makes for good episodic storytelling. The biggest difference is that there is hardly any comedy in kiba no tabishounin, but i often would like to read things with similar atmosphere and overall quality. 

reportRecommended by chig

Fourteen addpermalink

Great mangas in horror genre. Both are bizarre, full of mysteries and feature an ugly,filthy but good art. Main characters in these seires have a animal head (lizard head in Dorohedoro and chicken head in Fourteen). They are dark and have great world-construction. Stories centers not in only one character, but in diferent point-of-views about what is happening to the world. 

reportRecommended by Petyr11

Zetman addpermalink

Both of them are seinen and have amazing artwork and rather gory content. Also both have superp storylines. 

reportRecommended by Gangankuroi-sama

Hellsing addpermalink

Similar partnerships with Victoria, Alucard and Nikaido, Kaiman. Both present very violent and gruesome battles and engagements. While both manga have supernatural aspects, Dorohedoro is more of a post-punk sort of setting, opposed to hellsing's more or less realistic approach.  

reportRecommended by reluctantbeeswax

Shingeki no Kyojin addpermalink

Both are violent mangas in a dark fantasy setting with a lot of fights. The main characters can't remember parts of their past. Dorohedoro however contains more humor. Both are great mangas. If you liked one, give the other one a try! 

reportRecommended by Xiob

Jigokuren: Love in the Hell addpermalink

Both contain alot of dark humor, massive amounts of gore, and glorify the devils to some degree. The worlds of both mangas feel very similar. 

reportRecommended by amat_24

Fire Punch addpermalink

Silly dark humour, a lot of gore, messed up setting. 

reportRecommended by Hidorai

Soil addpermalink

Soil and Dorohedoro are both mysteries with extremely chaotic plots that actually are thought through from the beginning to the very end. Soil is a bit more mature in it's plot and humor, but just as Dorohedoro's messy first volume, it's really worth trying to get through the massive wall of salt that will keep you from reading Soil. 

reportRecommended by txrxgxu

Akira addpermalink

• Post-apocalyptic setting with shades of cyberpunk and biopunk
• Mystery-driven narrative
• Explicit imagery of violence and gore
• Antagonists with similar purpose
• Fascinating roster of characters 

reportRecommended by Ophiomorphos

Freesia addpermalink

The art and world-building its very similar, main characters live in their own reality in a messed up world where all values have been lost. 

reportRecommended by Bhaam

Franken Fran addpermalink

If you're looking for a rather peculiar series with experimentation and dark humor, then these two series could be something to invest into time with. Dorohedoro and Franken Fran not only adapts their premises with a great degree but also has a memorable cast of characters. These characters are involved in highly unusual roles in a story with many twists and turns.  

reportRecommended by Stark700

Kamiyadori addpermalink

Violent and bizarre with a healthy dose of body horror. 

reportRecommended by SquirrelLuvsPnut

ReMember addpermalink

A powerful protagonist who doesn't remember his past tries to figure out who he is in a rather original story with stylized art and plenty of violence. 

reportRecommended by AfterGlow

Hells Angels addpermalink

The style of surreal, bizarre and macabre dark comedy reminiscent of Tim Burton's grotesque artistry -- especially when it comes to visuals, weird characters and plot twists. If you liked this side of Dorohedoro you might like Hell's Angels as well. Dorohedoro seems to be a bit more morbid and generally mature though (like with all the violence), while Hell's Angels is more of a comedy at the core. 

reportRecommended by Xuchiel

Nicola no Oyururi Makai Kikou addpermalink

NOMK is like a cute version of Dorohedoro, with its intricate demon world, and all the interesting personalities inhabiting it.  

reportRecommended by txrxgxu

Huvahh addpermalink

Both are manga by Q Hayashida. They have similar art and eerie atmosphere, which is both scary and funny at the same time.  

reportRecommended by BohemianRhapsody

Gunnm addpermalink

I do not even get how anybody else thought something else is more similar than these two. A lot of the basic character art and setting art are extremely similar, and the world concept seems pretty clearly inspired by Battle Angel. 

reportRecommended by Rampant

Dorohedoro
Edit

What would you like to edit?

Alternative Titles

Information

Statistics

Available At

Resources

Recommendations
Make a recommendation

MoreTop Anime

MoreTop Airing Anime

MoreMost Popular Characters

Dorohedoro Edit What would you like to edit? SynopsisBackgroundAlternative TitlesPictureChapters/VolumesPublishing DatesRelationsTypeExternal Links

Alternative Titles

Information

Statistics

Available At

Resources

Recommendations Make a recommendation

MoreTop Anime

MoreTop Airing Anime

MoreMost Popular Characters

Dorohedoro
Edit

What would you like to edit?

Recommendations
Make a recommendation