Forum - View topicHell's Paradise: Jigokuraku (TV) (w/ index).
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Tony K.
 SubscriberModerator  Posts: 11440 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Season 01: Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku (TV) Season 02: Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku (TV 2) Source: Manga (completed @ 13 volumes, by Yuji Kaku) Demographic: Shounen Animation Studio: MAPPA Genres: action, drama, fantasy, psychological, supernatural Themes: dark fantasy, Edo period, gore, historical, monsters, ninja, swordsmen Plot Summary: Gabimaru the Hollow is one of the most vicious assassins ever to come out of the ninja village of Iwagakure. He’s ruthlessly efficient, but a betrayal results in him being handed a death sentence. He has only one hope—in order to earn his freedom, he must travel to a long-hidden island and recover an elixir that will make the shogun immortal. Failure is not an option. On this island, heaven and hell are just a hair’s breadth away. Air Date & Platform: Season 01: April 1, 2023 (Saturday) Available on: Crunchyroll Season 02: Pending Available on: (probably Crunchyroll) Episode Count / Runtime: Season 01: 13 episodes Season 02: Pending Total: 13 episodes ---------------------------------- EPISODE INDEX (Clicking on the episode will take you to my post that has a summary, comments, and screen-caps) - Season 01 Episode 01: The Death Row Convict and the Executioner Episode 02: Screening and Choosing Episode 03: Weakness and Strength Episode 04: Hell and Paradise Episode 05: The Samurai and the Woman Episode 06: Heart and Reason Episode 07: Flowers and Offerings Episode 08: Student and Master Episode 09: Gods and People Episode 10: Yin and Yang Episode 11: Weak and Strong Episode 12: Umbrella and Ink Episode 13: Dreams and Reality ---------------------------------- - Season 2 (Pending) Last edited by Tony K. on Fri Sep 08, 2023 10:54 pm; edited 22 times in total |
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Blood-
 Bargain Hunter Posts: 24125 |
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Episode 1
Wow that didn't take long. The season has barely begun and I've already come across a show that has all the earmarks of being a season favourite. The first episode super worked for me. It set up a very cool adventure and it gave the protog a motivation that I can actually get behind: a dude putting it on the line for the woman he loves. He doesn't really look old enough to be married, but I guess that's the way Japan used to roll. The Sword Tester seems pretty awesome, too. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2958 |
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#1
I've heard of this series by its reputation, but now that I've seen the episode I'm starting to agree it deserves an adaptation, by Mappa no less. They don't back anything except guaranteed winners lately, so if they've taken this on then expectations are high it's going to be for not just the action that brings people back for more. Gabimaru keeps referring to himself like an old man (he uses the personal pronoun わし, which no one except old men would use in general). He's got the white hair, but everything else about him indicates he's probably younger biologically and emotionally than his erstwhile executioner Sagiri. The whole episode besides showcasing the horrible methods of execution in the Edo period also acts as a character study into Gabimaru and Sagiri. The latter adopts a professional and emotionless manner which somehow sees through the elaborate lie Gabimaru has (unwittingly or otherwise) built around himself. It might be the case that Gabimaru is extremely efficient at cutting down other men, but is incapable of handling others of the opposite sex. That's why his wife (big VA for her voice which is surprising if it's going to be a bit part) looms so large in his consciousness. Although Gabimaru managed to bring himself to cross swords with Sagiri, he isn't his usual laconic self when killing. If the condemned criminals sent over include females as well, Gabimaru might find his quest more challenging than he might expect. The paradise they're sending criminals to is geographically south of Taiwan, mainly Indochina and the island chains currently occupied by Chinese military bases. I'm certain there's no elixir of life there nowadays, but the flora they've illustrated wouldn't look out of place. Riotous use of colours to disguise the tropical Hell the criminals have to navigate if they want their prize. Interesting how Sinsenkyou has somehow found a way to convert humans into compost beds for flower growing in this age, so if there is an elixir hidden somewhere they're not giving it up easily to the Japanese interlopers. |
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Edjwald
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My power was out all day yesterday, and I didn't get to watch this show until late, when I was tired. So I can't tell how much of it seemed a little surreal or incomplete because my attention was drifting in and out.
I find myself questioning the wife angle and wondering if the narrator's memories or sanity are reliable. Like, for example, is it possible that the wife died of old age and he went a little nuts? I like the tense but somehow respectful dynamic between the hollow dude and the swordswoman, who kicks some serious ass in terms of ability and presence. The odd juxtaposition between some horrific fairy tale and real historic details is kind of interesting. There seem to be some gaping holes in the story that the walking dead guy is being sold, but that might be intentional. So, yeah, I'm in. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11440 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Episode 01: The Death Row Convict and the Executioner
Summary: Gabimaru is a shinobi who has developed a superhuman body and is married to the clan chief's daughter. Yamada Asaemon Sagiri, a Yamada clan ssword-tester and executioner, offers him a pardon and government protection in exchange for fulfilling a death-defying mission to retrieve the Elixir of Immortality from Shinsenkyo. Comments: Hear ye, hear ye! Any shounen or seinen anime from here on out produced by MAPPA will be considered bad ass! I thought the whole gauntlet of executions was darkly funny. But then, Gabimaru had to go and show off his ninjutsu at the end and put this show on the brink of JJK and CSM levels of stylish. At this point, I think even low-level MAPPA can still manage to impress way beyond what most studios are putting out, in terms of art and animation quality. I'm also a sucker for characters who are down in the gutter, then finding some kind of noble or redeeming path to pull them out. The fact that the manga is finished has me even more excited that they'll probably tell the whole story in one season. Gabimaru seems to have re-awakened and found a pretty stout resolve to set the plot in motion. I'm interested to see how many other cool characters they introduce (and probably kill off in some glorious fashion). Screen Caps:  
 
 
 
 
Last edited by Tony K. on Tue May 30, 2023 12:22 pm; edited 4 times in total |
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Edjwald
Posts: 1555 |
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Yah, the Suicide Squad angle (2nd movie) is what's going to make it or break it for me. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2958 |
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#2
If the first episode was a character study into Gabimaru, this one is more about Sagiri's background amidst an exercise to prune the number of condemned criminals gathered for the latest expedition. Looking at the initial shot, it was roughly 40-50 criminals gathered in the encampment, so to get it down to 10 took all afternoon. Quite a bit of the episode is devoted to her background, especially the reason why she has the red hands grasping at her in the ED animation. As expected from someone desiring an elixir for immortality, the reigning Shogun is not someone who could be considered normal. A taste for bloodlust and a warped sense of enjoyment from sating it wouldn't put him on the list of anyone who deserved immortality. Yet even he is appalled when Gabimaru finally shows what he's capable of, even with his hands bound. Roasting the magistrate guards alive with Ninjutsu is one thing, ripping throats out with his bare hands and teeth is on another level of indiscriminate slaughter. He definitely earns his "Hollow" moniker, although the other nine who survived the cull are no slouches themselves. Sagiri has had to face prejudice for most of her life, but she's determined to face it head on even if the fear which weighs her down each time she beheads someone holds her back. Eizen (we don't know if he's related to her since everyone in the executioner clan has the same Yamada Asaemon surname) doesn't think she's cut out for her line of work, but doubters like him didn't stop her from fighting back against her chosen profession so perhaps this journey with Gabimaru will help her in more ways than one. After all, he has long since accepted the consequences of killing regardless of the motive. Now that the setup is in place, time to see what awaits the ten pairs once they arrive on the island which turns humans into plant chimeras. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber Moderator Posts: 11440 Location: Frisco, TX |
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Episode 02: Screening and Choosing
Summary: The 11th Sei-i Taishogun, Nariyoshi Tokugawa, instructs over 30 blindfolded criminals to reduce their numbers, leading to a killing spree. The shogun's head guard offers a place on the mission to anyone who kills Gabimaru, who is forced to fight for his life. Comments: Turned into a small Battle Royale, there. And now, we've narrowed the roster to our 10 pairs. I'm sure only half of them, if that, will even make it towards the end of the journey. Looking at the caps from Episode 01 and thinking of the plant-mutation effects and how colorful it looks, I'm reminded of the film Annihilation (2018), where all sorts of strange mutations happen to people who enter the "Shimmer" zone. Maybe this island has something in the air, a creature that infects its prey, or some other other kind of supernatural force that resonates from a person's aura that causes the flower thing to happen. I liked the backstory for Sagiri. I think we have enough information for, what seems like, our two main characters, now. You've got Gabimaru being driven by the love for his wife, but at the same time, being a cold-blooded killer. And then Sagiri who seems good at killing, but is a bit wavering in her resolve for carrying out the executions. I'm hoping there's a cool dynamic between the cold-blooded ninja and seemingly warm-blooded swordswoman and how their personalities clash, possibly rubbing off on one another. Screen Caps:  
 
 
 
 
Last edited by Tony K. on Tue May 30, 2023 12:22 pm; edited 4 times in total |
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Edjwald
Posts: 1555 |
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Yah, it's hard to tell if this Eizen character is a friend or foe. Well, he's functioning as a foe, but it's hard to tell how he considers himself. He seems to be solicitous, and it's not like telling someone who's got the shakes that they ought to consider another line of work is being an asshat when that work is literally life threatening and depressing as hell, and the person in question has the financial means to pursue other options. But he doesn't seem to understand her situation (internal or external), or if he does understand it, he's sabotaging her intentionally. Feel free to plug in a male/female dynamic here. Time will tell what his deal is, I suppose, since I'm definitely all in on this anime after episode 2.
Yah, the first two episodes of this anime were much less heavy handed in progressing the story while fleshing out the character backgrounds than Adventurers Who Don't Believe in Humanity lass season. Although to be fair, the latter had four lead characters instead of two. It is interesting that even though Gabimaru is a cold blooded killer, he first tried to stop the killing, And even though Sagiri is far more recognizably human, she wants to get to a point where she can keep on killing without the emotional backlash. |
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 24125 |
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Cool episode, bro. Man, as job interviews go, that was a pretty rough one. Notice that no one asked the convicts, "So where do you see yourself in five years?" 10 convicts and 10 guardians. I suspect that "Paradise" will whittle down those numbers pretty quickly. Not to mention inter-prisoner conflict.
Gotta say, I love these gentle "healing" slice of life shows (...and I do mean "slice" of life...) |
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Edjwald
Posts: 1555 |
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Are you thinking spoiler[ the guards are really there to kill the convicts once the mission is over and they aren't needed anymore? It's not like the shogun has come across as a man of integrity thus far. Cos if you aren't, reading that made me wonder about it.] |
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 24125 |
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Actually, I wasn't thinking that, but it makes sense. Thing is the guardians would have been needed no matter what. Scum like those convicts could never be trusted so yeah ya, you need to have someone literally standing over them with a drawn sword to keep them on the straight and narrow.
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Edjwald
Posts: 1555 |
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S' true. It's also true that we've got an awful lot of the other kind of slice of life right now. But not a lot of awful other-kind-of-slice-of-life shows right now. Which means I've been watching a lot of it lately. In this schedule, this show sort of feels like a...I dunno...breather? Spice?
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2958 |
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#3
If the animators are trying to adapt the entire franchise in one sitting, then I can understand the approach taken. There's a lot in this episode which could have been elaborated further, but it appears to be intentionally cut with just the bare summary provided into what happened shortly after the ship made landfall. The focus is still on the main pairing of Gabimaru and Sagiri, but the other pairings will get airtime provided they are involved in some way with the main pairing. Otherwise what happens outside of their interactions with the main pair is not prioritised for animation. Despite this, there's even time for the episode to add in a dash of world-building as well. The Asaemon clan's motivations in sending 12 of their disciples into a high risk expedition is clear, as is the nature of the 12 they dispatched. Sagiri has mental issues, which is probably why she's not ranked higher in the hierarchy despite her skills. Her peer Kishou like Eizen doesn't really rate her, but he does give his advice on how to handle Gabimaru as well as letting the two in on what has happened since the trial. Although the latter sparked Gabimaru to try and expedite his mission by force, it was something that was better revealed sooner rather than not at all so that Gabimaru has more motivation to proactively search the island despite the paucity of aid. He obviously knows what his former kinsmen are capable of, and if they arrive on the island before Gabimaru reaches his goal he might well lose out and never see his wife again. Speaking of Eizen, looks like he lacks Gabimaru's physical durability and is the first of the Asaemon to perish. A few of the other criminals tried their hand at either killing other criminals like Keiun or trying to eliminate their monitors like Akaginu; those who made the first move all failed with the exception of Rokurouta. Infighting is indeed pointless as Gabimaru pointed out; although there's only one pardon to be won all of them are going to die unless they work today as it's quite clear the island is responsible for 60 deaths and one irreversible transformation. Gantetsusai has figured out the latter, albeit at the cost of his left hand. Our main pairing would do well not to be stung by the local fauna, even as it turns on the interlopers. The duel between Gabimaru and Sagiri was the main focus for the action this week, but it looks like there's going to be more as Gantetsusai and Gabimaru turn their attentions against the locals. The latter is much more than the stereotypical ninja, he could tell at a glance that the island's ecosystem wasn't natural. This is borne out by Gantetsusai's observation, not least the enormous foes now facing two pairs. If Gabimaru's skills apply equally well to taking on non-human foes, then the main pairing has a fighting chance to survive in their quest. Kishou's prediction is proving eerily accurate so far, but I doubt only one pair will remain as not everyone is out to eliminate the competition or minders at landfall. |
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Blood-
Bargain Hunter Posts: 24125 |
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As expected, the island is majorly messed up. Which is to be expected if it truly does house the Elixir of Life. A boon that powerful isn't gonna be protected by nice big arrows on the ground pointing out the route to it and a comfy pillow to rest your head on. I was sorry to see Gabimaru try to off Sagiri, because I like both characters and would like to see them work together as opposed to being at loggerheads (which is coming, no doubt). From Gabimaru's ruthless perspective, I get why he thinks he needs to get rid of her. But his scarred wife has really done a number on his head, heh-heh-heh. More proof, lads (as if we needed it) that chicks make you weak.
It seems the show is burning through convicts/executioners pretty fast. Perhaps even faster than I'd like. It seems like one of the hotties whose name I don't even know met her end. I guess this isn't gonna be one of those "slow burn" shows. |
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