Dorohedoro World-Building Explained: Hole, Hell, and the Sorcerer’s World

The world-building in Dorohedoro might just be one of the most straightforward yet creative ones to ever exist, and the reason behind that is its well-thought-out presentation. However, if you do not pay enough attention and miss some of the key details, then it can get a bit confusing at times.

The anime does not spoon-feed you all the information, but rather lets viewers immerse themselves in its world and figure things out on their own. But worry not, here we have made things easy for you. To help you save the trouble, below are all the basics you must know about the three realms, their history, and the ecosystem that encapsulates the world of Dorohedoro. So, let’s dive right in.

Hole: The Dystopian World Where Humans Reside

Dorohedoro consists of three separate realms or worlds, and one of them is the Hole. This is where humans reside. Humans, in the sense that they are just like us, who cannot use magic & do not possess supernatural abilities.

The Hole is presented as a dystopian city where the sun never comes out. It is shown as a perpetually gloomy place, with even the residents often acting shady, distorted, and far from normal. Maybe because the Hole has basically become the testing ground for sorcerers to practice their magic on normal humans.

The Hole exists in a separate dimension from the other two realms. Interestingly, only in the Hole does it rain. However, other than humans, no other animal species has been seen in here. That says a lot about how unsustainable the Hole’s ecosystem is. So, the citizens of the Hole often want to escape the place.

The Sorcerer’s World: Where Magic Is Everything

The Sorcerers’ World was created by Chidaruma, the strongest of the devils. Just to quell his boredom, he created the world on a whim. However, the world itself, as it has become now, seems much more habitable than the human world. You can see greenery in many places, and even the sun is out.

Almost everyone in the Sorcerers’ World can produce smoke, which is the source of their magic abilities. To practice or improve their magic, there are dedicated schools. Advanced users can even practice on the citizens of Hole. Sorcerers use magic doors that let them travel between the realms.

The En Family is the acting head of the Sorcerers’ World, and En is apparently the strongest sorcerer right now, only surpassed by Chidaruma himself. The Sorcerers’ World looks cleaner and more civilized than the Hole. It is also filled with large artistic structures, such as En’s mansion, which is gigantic.

The people of the Sorcerers’ World worship and fear the devils. They can also become devils themselves after going through harsh training and a strict selection regime. The Sorcerers’ World also faces internal struggles, and the formation of factions like the Cross-Eyes proves it, which is explored in the series.

Hell: Devils’ Domain and Sorcerers’ Resting Place

Hell, as it sounds, is far from habitable. It is comprised of sorcerers who have turned into devils. Hell was also created by Chidaruma at the dawn of time, and just to pass the time, he made his own rules and regulations. For example, once dead, sorcerers are sent to Hell to maintain the life cycle between birth and death.

As for how it looks, it is like a barren land with almost no other creatures in it. Only weird-shaped dead sorcerers can be found. Funny enough, the Sorcerers’ World and Hell are often shown connected through toilets. Yes, that is right. But apart from all that, there is not much shown about Hell in detail.

Some quick info on the Dorohedoro anime:

RELEASE DATE	Season 1: January 13, 2020 Season 2: April 1, 2026
STUDIO	MAPPA
RATINGS (as of April 25, 2026)	IMDb: 8.0/10 (Overall Anime) MAL: 8.04/10 (Season 1)
WHERE TO WATCH	Crunchyroll, Netflix, Ani-One Asia

So, all in all, Dorohedoro does a fantastic job of establishing its atmospheric horror and the overall weirdness of its world-building. In fact, it might be one of the coolest, edgy dark fantasy worlds we have ever seen in anime. Also, the way the storyline connects all three realms to form a bigger mystery is phenomenal. Even all the characters from each realm are so unhinged, but they are extremely enjoyable.

So, what do you think about Dorohedoro’s world-building? Let us know your thoughts on it in the comments below.

Dorohedoro is currently available to watch on Netflix.