  By employing the methods of renormalized field theory we show that the
percolation behavior of random resistor-diode networks near the multicritical
line belongs to the universality class of isotropic percolation. We construct a
mesoscopic model from the general epidemic process by including a relevant
isotropy-breaking perturbation. We present a two-loop calculation of the
crossover exponent $\phi$. Upon blending the $\epsilon$-expansion result with
the exact value $\phi =1$ for one dimension by a rational approximation, we
obtain for two dimensions $\phi = 1.29\pm 0.05$. This value is in agreement
with the recent simulations of a two-dimensional random diode network by Inui,
Kakuno, Tretyakov, Komatsu, and Kameoka, who found an order parameter exponent
$\beta$ different from those of isotropic and directed percolation.
Furthermore, we reconsider the theory of the full crossover from isotropic to
directed percolation by Frey, T\"{a}uber, and Schwabl and clear up some minor
shortcomings.
