Biwamaru

Biwamaru is an older man who is blind. He always carries a lute, which hides a sword inside. His look is simple and traditional, which lets him blend in as a wandering priest or musician.

Biwamaru is calm, wise, and a bit mysterious. He often uses his words to teach or challenge others, especially Hyakkimaru and Dororo. He shows care for people in trouble but lives by his own sense of right and wrong, sometimes pushing others to face tough truths. He seems to have left personal happiness behind, dedicating himself to helping others.

Biwamaru was a samurai in the past, though he hints at this rather than saying it directly. Now, he travels alone, offering healing with acupuncture and fighting demons when needed. He isn't part of Hyakkimaru or Dororo's group, but fate keeps bringing them together. He also appears in “Black Jack” as a famous blind acupuncturist with a strong sense of justice, curing thousands with his skills.

Biwamaru is blind but has the rare ability to see the color of souls as flames, just like Hyakkimaru. This power lets him sense good and evil in others. He is a master swordsman, fighting monsters using the sword in his lute. He is also a talented healer, using acupuncture to cure many patients. While he is proud of his skills, he can be stubborn and prefers acupuncture over other treatments.

Biwamaru is not a regular companion to Hyakkimaru and Dororo, but he cares about them and appears when they need advice. He sees the demon color in Hyakkimaru’s soul from when he was a baby and pays close attention to his journey. He sometimes helps Dororo understand her parents’ hope and guides her on using the treasure they left.

Meeting Hyakkimaru and Dororo

Biwamaru’s meetings with Hyakkimaru and Dororo happen by luck or fate. He meets Hyakkimaru at his birth and can sense the demons near him.

Warning and Guidance

He teaches both Hyakkimaru and Dororo important lessons. When Hyakkimaru begins to kill people, Biwamaru notices this and tries to make him think about the results of his actions. With Dororo, he talks about her parents’ bravery and how to use the treasure they left wisely.

Impact on Their Journey

Biwamaru points out a hard truth: when Hyakkimaru gets his body back by killing demons, bad luck may fall on the Daigo lands instead. He worries what Hyakkimaru will do once all the demons are gone, which leads to a period where Hyakkimaru and Dororo split up.

Helping in Battles

He saves Dororo when she is trapped after Saburouta of the Dice and a monster called Nue throw her and Hyakkimaru off a cliff. At the end, he helps Dororo, and together they watch the Daigo castle fall.

Final Advice

Later, when Dororo is thinking about what to do with the gold, Biwamaru hints that he was a samurai before, showing he also left a warrior’s life behind.

• In the original “Dororo,” Biwamaru is called Biwa Priest and is a strong, blind swordsman who appears to help Hyakkimaru in difficult times.
• In the anime remake, he becomes even stronger and can see souls like Hyakkimaru.
• In the “Black Jack” story, Biwamaru is a blind master of acupuncture and has saved 2000–3000 people, though he does not consider this a big achievement.
• His needles were made by the same blacksmith who made Black Jack’s surgical scalpel.
• Even with his amazing skills, he cannot overcome every challenge in medicine.

Biwamaru is a unique character who appears in different stories by the same creator. He acts as a wise guide, strong fighter, and caring healer, showing up whenever someone needs help finding the right path.