The 48 Demons are one of the two main antagonists alongside with Kagemitsu Daigo in the Dororo universe. They were responsible for having taken Hyakkimaru’s 48 limb parts from his body but grant him demonic powers as a side-effect. In order to restore his body, Hyakkimaru searches to slay each of these powerful Fiends. However, Kagemitsu Daigo attempted to prevent his son by killing him only to end as a failure.
The 1968 manga and 1969 Anime TV Show mentions about the same 48 Demons, but not all of them are mentioned or named. However, the Video Game version for the PS2, Blood Will Tell, revealed all 48 named Fiends & what they appeared as.
In the 2019 Anime Series, the number of demons has been reduced from 48 to 12. So far, these 12 demons that are mentioned forth all ended up being slain by Hyakkimaru. Most of them might be the more important key roll types focused from in the manga, 1969 show and the video game.
48 Demons (1969 Anime)
(CURRENTLY IN NEED OF DEVELOPMENT)
| Demon | Body Part |
|---|---|
| Deiki | Unknown |
| Bandai | Left Leg |
| Nihil | Right eye |
| Kyubi | Unknown |
| Hakumenfudo | Unknown |
| Kajirinkon | Vocal chords/voice |
| Silver vine tree demon | Ears/hearing |
| Midoro | Unknown (presumably tear glands) |
| Donburibara | Left eye |
| Birabira | Teeth |
| Spider demon/Piggy-back Jizo | Spine |
| Maimai-onba | Left Leg |
| Ochii | Unknown |
| Man-eating tree demon | Unknown |
| Shike Nyuudou | Sense of touch |
| Tsuchibouzu | Skin |
| Woven sandal demon | Unknown |
| Giant clam demon | Unknown |
| Arijigoku | Unknown |
| Unknown demon | Unknown |
| Nue | Right Arm |
| Kagemitsu Daigo | Unknown |
Blood Will Tell
| Demon | Body Part |
|---|---|
| Great Horn | Voice |
| Homunculus | Left Eye |
| Hellcrusher | Esophagus |
| Grave Golem | |
| Inquisitor | |
| Ogress | Left Leg |
| Impaler | |
| Giant Fire Wheel | Kidneys |
| Demon Sword Dragon Brood | Spine |
| Twin Blade | Ears |
| Fire Golem | Stomach |
| Goliath | |
| Night Terror | |
| Gaping Maw | None |
| Mountainous | Sense of Pain |
| Three-Tailed Fox | Lymph Nodes |
| Six-Tailed Fox | Pancreas |
| Beast Fiend | |
| Dreameater | |
| Wind Fiend | |
| Hellcat | |
| Draconus | |
| Death | |
| Boar Fiend | Pectoral Muscles |
| Nine-Tailed Fox | Heart |
| Thunder Fiend | Lateral Muscles |
| Redcap | Left Arm |
| Legion | Nose |
| Blood Ape | |
| Giant Inferno Wheel | |
| Dragon Tank | Teeth |
| Maimai’ Onba | |
| Midoro | Right Eye |
| Soul Stealer | |
| Bloodgore | |
| Fiend Misaki | |
| Carrion Feeder | Anahata (4th Chakra) |
| Demon Ogress | Lungs |
| Three Face | |
| White Dragon | |
| Cursed Monk | Ajna (6th Chakra) |
| Minotaur | |
| Composite Fiend Chimera | |
| Fiend Tahomaru | |
| Anahata (4th Chakra) | |
| Sahasrara (7th Chakra) | |
| Behemoth | Right Arm |
12 Demons (2019 Anime)
In the 2019 Anime Series, the number of demons has been reduced from 48 to 12. Each possessed a limb or body part of Hyakkimaru with the exception of The Twelfth Demon who failed to take anything from him initially, nut ended up taking Hyakkimaru's eyes and arms after both Kyubi and Nue were slain. After Hyakkimaru killed all of the demons and the statues are destroyed, the twelfth demon is sealed away forever as well prevent anyone to make pacts with the demons for human sacrifices anymore.
| Demon | Body Part |
|---|---|
| Deiki | Skin |
| Bandai | Sense of touch |
| Lizard Demon | Right Leg |
| Nihil | Ears (Sense of hearing) |
| Arijigoku | Voice |
| Nokosaregumo | Nose (Sense of smell) |
| Kyubi | Eyes (Absorbed by the Twelfth Demon) |
| Maimai-onba | Spine |
| Shark Demons | Left Leg |
| Nue (Lion) | Arm (Absorbed by the Twelfth Demon) |
| Nue (Snake) | Arm (Absorbed by the Twelfth Demon) |
| Twelfth Demon | Nothing (Initially)
Arms (Originally belonging to Nue) (possessed by Mutsu & Hyogo) Eyes (Originally belonging to Kyubi) (possessed by Tahomaru) |
Trivia
- Many of the fiends/demons are related to Japanese tales & old legends.
- In the 2019 anime, after the reveal in episode 20, it is presumed that Hyakkimaru's both arms and eyes would be retrieved back once he slays the sealed demon. But turned out to be false, Killing Tahomaru and his servants is the only way to retrieve back his eyes and arms.