6 Years Later, The Best Modern Dark Fantasy Anime is Officially Back

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Published Mar 8, 2026, 1:00 PM EDT

An experienced Editor representing Canada via Screen Rant's Team Anime, J.R. has been reading manga since the first printing of Shonen Jump in North America. This passion drove him to write about anime, manga, and manhwa since 2022, having recently served as Lead Anime Editor for ComicBook.com.

His favorite moments in media coverage include reviewing the series premieres of Zom 100 and Bleach: TYBW Part 2 back-to-back and briefly meeting Junji Ito at a VIZ gallery event in 2023.

Netflix and Tokyo MX brought an utterly strange dark fantasy gem in 2020 with Dorohedoro's anime debut, and the genre has felt the void of its absence of future seasons since. But with the newest trailer dropped by Toho Animation promising Dorohedoro season 2's return on April 1 to both Netflix and now Crunchyroll, MAPPA hasn't skipped a beat.

MAPPA's Biggest Seinen Dark Fantasy Anime Is Returning on April 1

In possibly the most exciting April 1 release to offset a day of tomfoolery, perhaps second only to Classroom of the Elite season 4, Dorohedoro's season 2 trailer is a promising glimpse of the anime's return. It bears MAPPA's signature dedication to quality in its 2D animation alongside the intricate CGI to capture Caiman's outlandish anatomy.

But it's not all visual treats and fan service: Dorohedoro is moving the plot forward in season 2. There are still questions needing answers, primarily, what caused Caiman's lizard appearance, and there is greater focus on another syndicate, the Cross-Eyes, and their leader. With exciting glimpses of familiar faces including the En Family's Shin and more, peak MAPPA has returned.

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The anime has been aware of its absence, too, sporting a similarly cheeky ending with Caiman, bathed in the light of an open doorway, saying the classic Japanese greeting, tadaima. It not only translates to "I'm back", it is more classically used to say "I'm home", all the more exciting with more dedicated viewers available than ever, thanks to Crunchyroll joining the mix.

Caiman Grasps at the Truth While Another Mystery Surfaces

Warning: Spoilers Ahead for Dorohedoro Season 1!

While Dorohedoro season 1 may not have answered the primary questions about Caiman, it's certainly introduced exciting twists for newcomers who haven't read the manga. Perhaps most intriguing, just as season 1 ended, was Dorohedoro's revelations about Nikaido, Caiman's closest friend and ally, and that she hides in the Hole to prevent being exploited by the En group and others.

Specifically, Nikaido is revealed to be a particularly powerful sorcerer who, after accidentally killing her friend with her time magic, swore off using her powers. Despite Caiman's initial impulse to shove her into his mouth like all others to see if she's the one he seeks, he keeps her alive, convinced she's innocent, a testament to their bond's strength.

With the anime not precisely adapting every chapter of Q Hayashida's wild Shogakukan classic, it's perhaps best to go to the manga from the start until chapter #40-41, where season 1 of the Dorohedoro anime leaves off. Season 2 will continue by investigating the Cross-Eyes gang, and their relationship with Caiman, which promises to complicate the plot going forward.