Parody Manga Daizenshuu – Taking a look at Hideshi Hino’s Doremon

Posted on by Javiera Vega

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Hi fellow weirdos! Javi here again to lead the way to a new Japanese media rabbit hole.

It is hard to imagine someone who does not know Doraemon at this point. The blue robot cat with a four-dimensional pocket is a beloved character not only in Japan, but worldwide. Created by the duo Fujiko Fujio in 1969, it is fair to say that Doraemon is the quintessential family-friendly Japanese work. Whimsical and just a tad cheeky, this manga is nothing but harmless fun. However, this inherent purity makes it even more alluring for those who love to tarnish it.

A darker version of Doremon by Mangaka Hideshi Hino

In 1981, Hideshi Hino, author of works like Panorama of Hell and director of the memorable second instalment of the Guinea Pig series, thought that Doraemon could use some of the horror treatment. In a manga anthology known as “Parody Manga Complete Works or Parody Manga Daizenshuu”, he, along with other famous authors, submitted their own take on different intellectual properties.

Known for his horror sensibilities that are often categorized in the realm of guro, one might expect that Hino’s touch would transform Doraemon into its most grotesque version. To be honest, since there are no explicit depictions of extreme violence, some might find this work a bit tame. Still, that does not mean his take on Doraemon is boring. On the contrary, it is extremely hilarious for those with a dark sense of humor.

In this universe, Doraemon gives Nobita a “mini-hell machine”. Through it, they can reduce the size of a person to be as tall as a peanut and force them to endure all sorts of torture, like needle mountains, blood ponds, bonfires, boiling pots, and more. After a month of delicious vengeance, things take a dark turn for the duo. They can’t pay the loan used to pay for the machine. Since the artifact is procured from Hell, they soon are visited by a giant, single-eyed demon that appears from a desk drawer. Not wanting to hear excuses, the demon boils both Nobita and Doraemon in a cauldron and later roasts them over a fire. Fun for the entire family!

There are many rumors online pointing to them as the reason why this one-shot has not been reprinted. Some say it is because of its horrific nature, and some point fingers to Fujiko Fujio, asserting they have “disowned” and “sealed” the chapter. Funnily enough, this is not the case at all, and the reason why Hino’s Doraemon cannot be reprinted is simpler.

Doremon goes to hell in Hideshi Hino's Doremon

In fact, Fujiko Fujio also participated in this specific parody anthology, and they were not against it at all as far as we can tell. The problem lies in copyright reasons. Getting the rights to publish parodies of well-known properties by also well-known authors would be a legal nightmare. Perhaps at the time it was easier since most of the authors had more control over the rights of their creations and copyright law was laxer. That is not the case at all now, and reprinting even one chapter would not be a hassle. Luckily, this specific parody has remained in the minds of fans since the 80s, and it was archived online for us to enjoy.

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