Today’s Dorohedoro episode was quite lore-heavy. Sure, there were many revelations throughout, through incidents like Kasukabe’s past, Ebisu’s homecoming, and the final conversation between Nikaido and Caiman, but you know what? It felt like less was answered and more questions were thrown at us.

Well, that is not a complaint, by the way. It only increases the immersion, at least that is what I felt from the episode. But if I were to talk about everything that actually happened, it might take a while. So sit back and keep reading.

ANIME TITLEDorohedoroSEASON 2 EPISODE 5 DATEApril 15, 2026STUDIOMAPPARATINGS (as of April 15, 2026)IMDb: 8.0/10 (Overall Anime)MAL: 8.04/10 (Season 1)WHERE TO WATCHCrunchyroll, Netflix, Ani-One Asia

Doctor Kasukabe’s Past May Hold More Secrets Than I Can Imagine

The episode starts with a very enticing backstory of Doctor Kasukabe. Earlier, in the previous episode, we saw how he was searching for the identity of a certain wax figure that he came across during his search for his wife. In fact, Shin and Noi are both helping him in this hunt.

Their goals do align, after all. However, what we see in the first half of the episode is completely unexpected. In this backstory, a new figure is introduced into the series. Kasukabe calls him Ai, Ai Coleman. But why is he so relevant to the storyline?

As it turns out, Ai was an inhabitant of the Hole who longed to escape this dreadful place. He wished to become a Sorcerer, despite being a normal human, which was theoretically impossible. However, coincidentally, when he met Kasukabe, the doctor was researching Sorcerer corpses. His research also included studying how to turn a human into a Sorcerer.

Then, a tragic incident takes place, and Ai gets heavily injured. As a result, he asks Kasukabe to turn him into a Sorcerer. He believes that if he has to die anyway, it should at least be through the doctor’s experiment, as a last hope. And surprisingly, the treatment is successful. Ai does become a Sorcerer. But soon after, he disappears without a trace.

Now, fast forward to the present. Kasukabe realizes that the wax figure he saw was none other than Ai. But why was he there? Where is he now? And who is he really? None of this is known.

Ebisu’s Homecoming Turned Into a Scene Straight Out of a Horror Film

Ebisu in a still from Dorohedoro Season 2 | Credits: MAPPA

The second half of Episode 5 takes a bit of a breather and slows down the pace, mainly because it focuses on Ebisu’s homecoming. After regaining some of her memories, she cannot wait to return home. But Fujita keeps following her until the very end.

However, when she arrives at her mansion, which is quite extravagant, things do not go as she had hoped. First, her parents are found missing. Next, she comes across a mysterious figure who claims to be Ebisu. And when the mask is removed, the two look exactly alike. I was like, is this another case of doppelgangers like in Fire Force?

But no. It turns out that Ebisu’s parents summoned a sorcerer to get their daughter back, who, in return, created this abomination of a creature. When it reveals its true appearance, it looks hauntingly terrifying. It almost felt like watching a horror scene.

That was indeed terrible for Ebisu. But what happens next? The narrative shifts its focus back to Caiman and Nikaido. Things seem to go well at first, but the very end of the episode completely caught me off guard. When Nikaido says that it was the last time she would be talking with Caiman, it leaves you wondering. What does she mean? What is going to happen next?

Dorohedoro Season 2 Episode 5: Final Verdict

Nikaido from Dorohedoro Season 2 | Credits: MAPPA

The sheer audacity of that cliffhanger earns the episode a much higher score than it originally deserved. Not to say the episode was bad before, but the conclusion really spiced things up. It was filled with cool lore drops and crucial revelations. In fact, I am very invested in finding out what happened to Ai Coleman after that, and how Kasukabe will get his next lead.

Apart from the story, even the animation in the episode felt exceptionally better for some reason. But what was truly impressive was the atmosphere the episode created, especially during the Ebisu segment. So, all in all, Dorohedoro Season 2 Episode 5 definitely deserves a higher rating. What are your thoughts on it?

Dorohedoro Season 2 is currently airing on Crunchyroll.
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