Ep. 23: Hyakkimaru kämpft gegen einen von einem Dämon besessenen alten Baum, der Dorfbewohner und Holzfäller verschlingt, bevor er ihn zerstört.

23

Villagers refuse to cut down a 2,000 year old tree to make space for the construction of a samurai fortress. Hyakkimaru believes the tree is possessed by a demon and tries to cut it down with his sword, but his sword and then his arm is swallowed into the tree. Woodcutters are then ordered to chop down the tree, but when one agrees to help Dororo, he is also absorbed into the trunk. Later, when the trunk splits after floating downstream, the woodsman and Hyakkimaru are released, and the demon finally shows itself inhabiting the tree. The demon tree seems almost invulnerable, but Hyakkimaru sees its weakness and throws a spear into the spot housing the demon, killing it and causing the tree to burst into flames. (Source: Wikipedia)