Dororo and Hyakkimaru

Before the TV series was created, a pilot film was produced to give sponsors and networks a sense of the show's overall tone and style. This is the pilot for "Dororo," where the characters more closely resemble those from the original story, unlike the TV series, which adjusted their appearances and personalities over time to appeal to audiences. These changes were sometimes well-received but didn't always land as intended. While the pilot was made in color, the TV series had to be filmed in black-and-white due to budget constraints. The story follows a young thief named Dororo and a cursed man, Hyakkimaru, as they hunt monsters. Hyakkimaru can only become fully human again by defeating 48 demons.