Rating: 5/10

First of all, a quick writer’s note, as I’m writing this, it is June 30th, and it’s late at night, and I’ll be heading to bed right after I write this. The final episode of Hell’s Paradise airs in around nine to ten hours, and I’m just starting on my review. I did this intentionally though, to imitate a MAPPA style of production, rushing and submitting the work just a bit before it’s due to see how poorly this review will turn out. Studio MAPPA has been known for taking on big name action or shounen titles as of late, with the likes of Jujutsu Kaisen,Attack On Titan, Chainsaw Man, Vinland Saga, and now Hell’s Paradise. They've taken on so much that they have become a popular name amongst anime fans. While their shows generally look decent, it is clear that because they’ve taken on so much, their production schedule has been a literal hell, with very overworked staff, and poor working conditions. Of course, I’m sure many other studios experience these kinds of things too, but MAPPA has been brought into the limelight due to how many popular titles they’ve done recently. Clearly, Hell’s Paradise was not their favourite child, as this show looked considerably worse visually than their other shows. But before we get to all the production things, let’s talk about the story. On paper, this looks like a somewhat generic action shounen, with a death convict in Gabimaru being tasked, along with the rest of the death row convicts to find the “Elixir of Life” on an island called Shinsekyo, in order to escape their death sentence. Obviously, the convicts fight amongst each other, as only one can have this elixir to evade death. This island looked very interesting and colourful, with some scary creatures around them, all around a very intriguing, perhaps a unique setting. However, what this anime fails at is the most important narrative technique, which is “Show, don’t tell”. Time and time again, we are told about what this environment is like, the religion aspects, the creatures, how the world works, but we don’t really get enough showing of the environment itself, either through simple background shots, or just cutting back on the expository dialogue. There is no need to spoon-feed the viewers every single narrative detail about what is going on, people can figure things out. There was solid potential in what the environment could bring us, but I wasn’t really invested due to the overly saturated dialogue. The characters felt interesting at first, but slowly also devolved into being rather gimmicky or generic. Gabimaru is the typical protagonist who starts out cold but ends up warming up to people and becomes more kind. For the female characters, there is a sense of empowerment that they were trying to go for, especially with Sagiri looking to escape gender norms and become a samurai, instead of the “norms” that this anime instills upon women. While on its own this would be a cool concept, the fact that all the female characters were so sexualized, and somehow getting saved via princess carry, defying all logic of physics by the men just felt a bit hypocritical to the potential message the show was trying to convey. Furthermore, people died before we could even really have a chance to know them, and adding a sad backstory to try and make us feel emotions just felt like such a weak way for characterizing them. At least the backstories weren’t too saturated after the first few episodes. From a production standpoint, the show looks fine, but disappointing by MAPPA’s standards. Some of the fight scenes were genuinely very decent and tense, but the other moments of the show had this very weird filter where the characters didn’t really “fit in” with the background art. The compositing was awful at some points, and characters went off model a lot. It was clearly the product of rushed production, as most episodes were outsourced to between ten and twenty different anime studios and animation directors, which signalled how poor the production schedule was. It more or less just felt like MAPPA gathering up all their buddies to finish their homework just as the teacher was coming to collect it every week. This might feel a bit harsh and nitpicky, but if we’re comparing it to other MAPPA works, this is probably one of their worst productions, but from a wider perspective outside of MAPPA, the show looks average to fine visually. Overall, there is decent entertainment value to be seen here, but it could have been so much better with more time spent on production, and more showing instead of telling. This will undoubtedly get more seasons, so I just hope the next time this show comes around, it’ll be a much improved product compared to what we got this time around. MAPPA, you just got to chill with the amount of projects you got.

Rating: 5/10

Hell's Paradise, despite its promise of thrilling fights and a captivating world, stumbles out of the gate with a heavy reliance on forced exposition. The stage is set for a treacherous journey with an explanation of the processes of beheading from our main character, Gabimaru. Meanwhile, an executioner struggles to decapitate him with a sword—a seemingly invincible boy who just wants to die. He explains his history, motivations, and flaws to a stranger who randomly interviews him in prison. Almost all the information we learn about the protagonist is delivered lazily through forced exposition. Whether narration in non-diegetic form, flashbacks, or characters uttering their backstory,it's all forced. The anime’s saving grace is the grotesque monsters Gabimaru fights along with the ensemble cast, but subpar production quality and weak writing ultimately leave you cold. Gabimaru and many other criminals have been sent to a monster-infested island to find the "elixir of life." Upon achieving their goal, the nation would pardon their crimes. Every criminal has an executioner to monitor them. Gabimaru’s is Sagiri. She is a blank slate, a hard-working, disciplined rule follower known as an Asaemon. Sagiri's internal monologue spoon-feeds Gabimaru's character development. If they want us to understand how emotionless yet emotional he is, she will tell us painstakingly. Let's just say neither of them will make any "Best Character of the Year'' lists. It's not only Sagiri, either. Half of the screen time is devoted to people dumping exposition onto one another or, worse, the viewers. For an anime with such mature content, it treats us like children! We can handle visual storytelling, natural dialogue, and context clues. Is that asking for too much? Aside from its overly literal nature, the script is blander than an unseasoned boiled chicken breast. I like humor, wit, charm, irony, sarcasm, or flavor. There's none here! If there's one thing Hell's Paradise does better than its contemporaries, it's how it doesn't waste too much time on world-building. It keeps its terms comprehensive. The monsters on the island are just called monsters. The energy that monsters harness to fight is called Tao. Gabimaru’s ninja flame powers are efficiently named 'ninjutsu'—all pretty basic stuff. Aside from the Mcguffin storyline, I didn't care about the generic world. It's an exciting anime for the violent death island and increasingly grotesque monsters. There's some lore behind how the monsters came to be, but it's mostly an excuse for big bug battles and giant killer statues. Body horror lovers won't be disappointed. The most challenging enemies heroes encounter are the Tensen—seemingly immortal flower/human hybrids. The Tensen control the island's monsters and use Tao to slice and dice human trespassers. Early in the series, the writers establish that cutting off a Tensen's heads doesn't kill them, yet no one seems to share this information, leading to predictable outcomes. One of the side characters chops off a Tensen's head, then it regrows, and now they're disadvantaged. Marvelous, what else do you have for us? Hell's Paradise embraces a recurring theme of women's empowerment. A significant moment occurs when one of Sagari's superiors tries to belittle her by suggesting her weakness as a woman. He also urges her to leave the island. However, Sagiri courageously stands her ground, and it is refreshing to see the show firmly supporting her stance. As one of the few female Asaemon, she must demonstrate her combat prowess to silence misogynistic criticism. There are other female characters in the anime, and the overall portrayal can be deemed feminist in its approach. Caring about Hell's Paradise characters could be an Olympic sport. After a few minutes of development, the series dispatches them so quickly that you may wonder what's the point. The supporting character development resembles Demon Slayer's worst aspect—they develop right before dying. Usually in the form of a badly-timed flashback meant to make you pity or sympathize with the short-lived fighter. This first season offers plenty of unique faces with likable personalities. It's a shame it's over right before you get to know them. Thankfully, they don't do this with the Tensen monsters. Flashbacks work in moderation, but their overuse here looks like lazy writing. The series' only alternative to quick flashbacks is inserting a character whose sole purpose is to spew background information. Like Sagiri, random people will appear just when we need to hear about the person's life story. You'd have to be blind not to see the played-out formula. Speaking of played out, it's no surprise the production is mediocre. As the compositing shows, Hell's Paradise was a less significant production for MAPPA. Whether their productions will come out well is a coin flip. One of the problems is overexposed art and excessive brightness—this results in a loss of detail and a washed-out appearance like a low-budget anime. Additionally, the characters seem alien to their surroundings due to a significant disparity between the background art and characters. Instead of seamlessly integrating the characters into the environment, it looks like stickers haphazardly placed on wallpaper. The issue is made worse by slow fights. Combat constantly pauses for flashbacks, basic observations, or monologues. The battles aren't particularly well choreographed, relying on wild camera movements and close-ups to avoid animation. It's a lot of build-up for a fight that ends up being lame. Hell's Paradise falls short in many aspects, especially character development, scriptwriting, and art. The forced exposition and dependence on flashbacks hinder the story's natural progression, leaving little room for viewers to form a genuine connection with the characters. The lack of humor, wit, and charm further detracts from the overall enjoyment of the anime. However, the series succeeds in concise world-building and delivers on the promise of violent battles and grotesque monsters. The body horror elements and the Tensen enemies provide genuine excitement. Hell's Paradise deserves credit for highlighting the strength and determination of the female deuteragonist, Sagiri. Hell's Paradise falls short in production quality and writing competence, resulting in an irritating sense of disappointment.

Rating: 2/10

Jigokuraku is the newest member of MAPPA’s line of adaptations of Shonen Jump titles, and just like the previous two, this one is garbage. What I had heard from Jigokuraku before made me afraid, after all, I hear it being compared to Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man which is an immediate red flag, but I know some people recommend some series over the most superficial reasons, so maybe, this one won’t be actually that similar to those, maybe this one will be good right? Well, the answer is sadly no, I cannot even say I’m disappointed because I’m not, it turned out to be exactlyas to what came to my mind the second I hear it was compared to those series. The very first episode is already dumb, when the MCs changes his character abruptly by something he should have obviously known before, as you see Gabimaru started completely willing to die but no one could kill them because their methods were obviously bad, suddenly when the girl Sagiri talks a little to him he remembers that he has a wife and now wants to live. I don’t know if Gabimaru is dumb or simply has dreadful memory because the instant he remembered she existed he turned very differently from how he was introduced as if his wife suddenly materialized instead of her existing beforehand. And with that said, everything from Gabimaru is terrible he is the most OP character, so there is no tension when he fights, he won’t get stronger or develop because he is already the strongest and already has a clear goal in mind and his “development” was remembering his wife on the first episode. There some shinobi rules as well that he has to follow, but some of them are broken as much as they are said, stuff like “never get into a fight with an unknown enemy” is broken every single time, because he is in a completely unknown island. Sagiri is a person a girl executioner with a great fear of killing people and wants to achieve the same painless killing method her father could pull off, which is so painless that can cut the head of someone and that head would continue talking because the person didn’t realize they died or something, she gets subjected to people looking down on her for being a girl d that she clearly isn’t fit for the role of executioner, and while that is true, she tries to prove she has some worth, she is probably the only character that I can barely care what her development may be even if it will be pretty obvious and her personality is extremely uninteresting, sadly, she gets easily sidelined by the amount of characters introduced later so we are far off of seeing her actually achieving anything. This suffers the same syndrome these edgy series have always suffered, it kills character left and right without giving me a reason to care about them, this series killed so many of its characters in so many dumb ways and so quickly that I cannot remember their names. And sometimes when it wants me to care about them it gives them flashbacks the very second they are dying as if I was watching Kimetsu no Yaiba or something to tell me their whole story to feel bad for their deaths, but I don’t, because they are cardboard cutouts without much if any character whatsoever that talk like robots, I could only laugh after the death of a certain character because it came out exactly as I’m describing it. Characters not named Sagiri and Gabimaru are even more empty, Yuzuriha is literally just there doing nothing, deciding to not go into most of the fights and her ability which covers her in definitely-not-cum is made as if I’m watching some ecchi anime where it is trying to make me think the slimy white liquid she is covered in is cum. There are two edgy brothers, one more edgy than the other and when more edgy they have less character. I honestly cannot care to mention some of them, I remember more this character that was hyped in episode 2 just to die stupidly by the next episode, he didn’t get a flashback at least. There is this energy called Tao that some people within the island aled Tensen can use t and that makes them extremely powerful and unkillable and these unkillable person that can use it, they are what you can call the main villains, due to their Taos they are stronger than everyone and no one can face them in a battle, except Gabimaru, of course. And when the time comes where a little group of selected characters survive the dumb killings from the first part, they discover the way to fight the unkillable enemies they were facing because they just bullshited their way to their new powers unlocking Tao, and lacks a basic consistent power system that most action shonen series have. And I’m not impressed, what should I be impressed here anyways? I mean, I guess the body horror where people are turned into flowers is not so commonly seen? But I guess that’s the best things I can give credit for. I hope I can see MAPPA doing a good looking or even well animated show again, because I haven’t seen them doing it in years. Jigokuraku looks unsurprisingly ugly, it has the absolutely dreadful and soulless MAPPA’s filter just like Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man which immediately makes it visually appalling, it is also subjected to obviously bad animation having no impact on any of their actions outside of fights, janky movements, bad compositing, ugly backgrounds, even fights don’t look that good either, they are extremely lackluster even for MAPPA standards, it is just my usual MAPPA’s animation complain that they haven’t managed to get over. What was I expecting? Probably a series that is entertaining to watch, sadly Jigokuraku is as uninteresting as they come, it is just another ugly edgy schlock that MAPPA vomited out just like Chainsaw Man was and just like the next season of Jujutsu Kaisen will surely be. Thank you for reading.

Rating: 9/10

Out of all the big shonen shows MAPPA have done lately, Jigokuraku stands out to me as the most interesting story, characters and most entertaining experience. I know that’s going to come as a surprise to many considering the big name titles they’ve done of late, but with the exception of Vinland Saga s2, which I’ll count as a WIT production due to the staff involved, they’ve been “meh” for me. Overhyped animation spectacles with little in the way of a good story. Jigokuraku on the other hand actually has one of the coolest set ups in recent history for me. The idea of excons being thrown on an island with samurai, and made to search for an elixir, while fighting monsters and gods just clicks for me. The world feels alive and rich. Mystery and danger are around every corner and the threat of someone dying is a constant concern. The brutality of the show and gruesome reality of the island were amazing. I love a gritty anime and this delivered. The main cast of characters have good chemistry and bounce off each other well. Each of the main cons is assigned to a samurai chaperone who at some point develops a soft spot for the con. This allows for some good character development and bonding. Some characters were a little lacking, but I can excuse it because I know this is a longer running series and after 12 episodes I don’t expect to have everything done. I’ll say there’s an obvious path forward for everyone in the story, though and that’s enough for me. Also huge props to the author for not taking the easy way out and making an MC that falls in love with the samurai chaperone and become a generic battle shonen romance. Having Gabimaru be married and fully dedicated to his wife, as well as using his wife as his motivation to return home was a great touch that adds to the uniqueness of the story. I think it’s more challenging to show a platonic relationship between men and women in anime than creating generic ships, and this author does it perfectly. Now, the story is great, but one thing you’ll hear a lot from people is the production aspect of the show. I personally have no issues with it because story+entertainment> great animation, but there are a few moments in the show where it’s obviously lacking some polish. Particularly in the compositing of backgrounds and some character models looking really janky. There’s also a few episode ends that feel very jarring. I feel like that was down to creative intent as opposed to budget constraints, though. The last 3 episodes looked very solid to me and it was apparent that the week off they took helped the production tremendously. The action scenes down the stretch were much better. Again, the production side didn’t matter to me as I prioritise the substance of a show and my overall enjoyment over how it looks. But it is something that’s worth mentioning. Jigokuraku may not have the flashy lights and crazy action scenes of its fellow MAPPA titles, but what it lacks in spectacle it makes up for in story and substance. If you’re an action anime fan and looking for something different and more on the mature side, this is the one. You’ll get a really interesting world, fun characters and some good action scenes. I loved this one and I can’t wait for a season 2. Jigokuraku gets 9 out of 10.

Rating: 3/10

Each character is a surface-level cardboard cutout of an archetype, and none receive any meaningful development. Gabimaru the so-called hollow’s greatest feat as a shinobi is convincing fans that he is a deep and complex character by cramming down his love for his wife down the audience’s throat. He is a broken record of a character that knows two sayings, “I love my wife” and “I am hollow” (coping). Besides this master of illusions, the rest of the cast is blatantly one-sided in terms of characterization and development, no character really worth mentioning has emerged from the entire show. With how bad the main castis, its pretty surprising that the show managed to churn out even worse antagonists; they are terribly uninteresting in everything they do, they aren’t charismatic, they aren’t compelling, they aren’t complex, and the greatest offense is that all of them have terrible designs. The story is similarly uninteresting, from its bland plot to its lazily crafted mystery, not one bit of it is good. The premise is fairly simple and not too complex, and already unoriginal as it and the characters are loosely based on pre-existing historical and mythological figures and narratives. It doesn’t try to say anything new with these concepts unlike other series that incorporate these aspects better. In Hell’s Paradise, these aspects are simply just there, and not expanded on in any meaningful way. This is also done with the incorporation of Asian schools of thoughts like Daoism, as well as other concepts like reincarnation, these aspects are also not fleshed out or expanded on in any meaningful way, yet their presence gives off the illusion of depth. Their presence instead of adding anything of import to the series really just detracts from it, because it all comes off as pretentious and shallow. The production value of the show is mediocre, not much to critique but I don’t think that there is terribly much to praise, either. The art style is pleasant, the animation is decent, but those positives are slightly detracted from because of the directing. A lot of potential in action scenes are squandered by misplaced flashbacks and exposition, or just cutting the action sequence entirely. While being passable in this regard, it sadly cannot boast the title of “carried by animation” like demon slayer, which actually somewhat makes up for its lackluster story with good visuals. To make matters worse, Hell’s Paradise also falls into the typical shounen pitfall of sexism. Each female character in the cast is almost constantly being sexualized, seduced, or saved by a male character. Despite its blatant sexism, the series attempts to include a character arc of Sagiri breaking gender norms. The reason I say attempt is because nothing really resulted from it. The sexist character literally had to die to admit he may have been wrong about women not being able to fight, and after that scene, nothing changed. Sagiri went back to being the same character she was before, the lasting impact of it wasn’t that great, and it didn’t have any impact on other characters or their perceptions, so it feels pointless and ham-fisted. The lazy writing, bad characters, pretentious nature, and sexism of Hell’s Paradise are all perfectly packaged together with its exceedingly overhyped protagonist, Gabimaru the Shallow, to create the ultimate 2/10 anime.

Rating: 8/10

Hell’s Paradise was the best anime of Spring 2023 to me. It's like watching the mangaka write a love letter to Zen and Bushido philosophy. One of the easiest ways to sell myself on a show I know nothing about is by having a historical or mythological perspective, that way I’m entertained as I learn new things about a culture. The popularity of something like the Percy Jackson novel series or the game series Assassin's Creed speaks to this sentiment. Hell’s Paradise had amazing fights and beautiful and grotesque visuals that helped convey a sense of duality to this mysterious island. While Ireally like Gabimaru, he’s a white haired shinobi so what’s not to love. The main character that really impressed me was Sagiri. It’s no secret that Shounen’s track record for female leads isn’t exactly the best, here Sagiri is one of the categories' outliers; actively participating in the story. Someone that can appreciates Zen, many of the moments will remind you of the parables used for the art of swordsmanship, the samurai’s code of honor and conduct and lastly the mysteries and apparent paradoxes of Zen. The lack of prior knowledge about Zen or Bushido can take away from the subtleties of a moment, however at the end of the day I'd still recommend Hell's Paradise.

Rating: 4/10

At this point, I've grown tired of the statement "Jigokuraku is part of the dark shounen trio alongside Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen." just because it so happened to be animated by MAPPA. What else? People die in their respective stories, so it should add more to the stakes and make an intense action story, right? By this logic, let's look at Jigokuraku, the next addition to the shounen table. Before I start, I believe it is important to take note of the five core elements of good action for a better understanding of Jigokuraku as an action anime. 1. Clearly defined characters 2. Short-term and long-termgoals 3. Committed plan 4. Tangible and immediate obstacles 5. High stakes Unlike the other products made by MAPPA, this anime sets in the Edo period of Japan for historical insight, when no one wears dark uniforms or men in black suits to deal with dangerous threats. Jigokuraku starts off with a generic introduction to the fabled main character of the anime, Gabimaru, stoic and apathetic as many assumed, was given a second chance to go back to his McGuff- I mean cute wife by searching for the legendary Elixir, accompanied by their bodyguards or better said Executioners to accomplish the said mission. The first to complete their objective is rewarded with a full pardon for their crimes. Try to look at this out of context and let me describe to you this. It is a sick suicide plan attended by the most despicable criminals alive to journey to a mythical island. The classic by-the-book start for the story, but it does establish the character's motives effectively and create a long-term objective for our character since anything without a purpose is just torturously boring. However, it clearly lacks a coherent and committed plan, all the while facing ominous adversities never seen before, so we have no idea how bad shit can get to our characters. This is just one of the many blunders of Jigokuraku. If it does sound boring otherwise, don't worry, I also feel the same. While the historical approach is nice for a breath fresh of air other than your usual isekai fantasy world with generic RPG rules and cliche events, the story struggles to find the perfect balance between quality exposition to expand the creative lore of what the author had in mind and consistent character development throughout the series. After finishing every single episode, I have found none of that character development after the first few episodes. The story has an undying desire to spout lore knowledge as much as possible without any intention of slowing down or letting us being able to digest the information. To put it into context, it's like having your teacher fill the blackboard with the information, stressing the fact it might come out in the finals, only to erase it 5 seconds later. This is how they ensure you keep watching the story, making some of the events lack any emotional impact on the characters and instead utilize them as tools to explore the world of Jigokuraku, it's not watching a story, it's more like the plan told by the writer through its plot devices. In the end, it's exhausting to watch and it does this even during action sequences, which shouldn't be a problem, but because it happens during calm moments too, it sticks out like a sore thumb and becomes painful to watch. You begin to wonder if these characters actually do have a standpoint or not just some creatures equipped with the fight-or-flight response like animals. Speaking of characters, this is most definitely Jigokuraku's weakest aspect as a story overall. Did you know they keep showing flashbacks and long-ass monologues while the character is trying to perform some action? It's almost hilarious how often they resort to this formula knowing the anime has a lot of action scenes. While the animators knew it would be unthinkable to try and animate every single one of them without schedule and production issues, making not only the pacing of most of their fights terrible but even the visuals look like your average mediocre action anime, only with little spices of outstanding animation bits. Got to give them credit for salvaging what they could to deliver some delicious scenes but knowing MAPPA's previous works, I was quite disappointed with the anime. The second half is when it starts to pick up traction since we have received some sort of insight from all of the characters involved in this anime, other than unnecessary deaths just to prove it has gore. Albeit, by the time we reached the second half, the characters still seem to be 2nd-dimensional and boring to watch at times. All you see is their immediate reaction to the bizarre events that take place and pretty much moves on as the same person as before. It makes some of the actions they perform and the motivations behind them feel hollow and vacuous. You expect me to believe an executioner would put themselves on the line to protect a criminal without having any kind of conversations that may subtly change their perspective? Even if there is proof they understood each other, the progress required to reach that point of the story would take an entire cour to reach, so it becomes difficult to believe. So, what have we learned? Because the story is too busy with its exposition through the characters, it leads to a lack of character definition, which results in bad pacing and boring action. Whilst the 2nd half improved for having none to almost-nonexistent flashbacks; It later came at the cost of characters lacking any sort of development after reacting to bad consequences after another. It goes without saying, even if the lore is creative and outstanding or has some cool action, it is not a good action story. Jigokuraku would be better if it reduced the bombarding of exposition and exchange them for more character development. The same could be said for the action sequences, despite being an action anime. Without these kinds of changes, Jigokuraku is nothing more than an unimpressive run-of-the-mill anime plastered with MAPPA's name on it. Hence, thank you for reading.

Rating: 9/10

Prosaic as it may seem, a range of over 9000 inanimate shapes per episode is poetry echoed in animation, charming grotesquery in every single drop of blood, in every flower and petal, cloud and sky, every death in Paradise. Or is this Hell? Sentenced to death, a Shinobi defiled, Garan no Gabimaru, is offered a chance of pardon by the Shogun. Unwilling to die, unto his wife he finds, amongst riots of no valedictory, Gabimaru undoubtedly concurs to set sail to the mysterious Shinsenkyo island, along with several other convicts, in a quest into the unknown, with a promise of bringing back the Elixir ofLife. Is this mere fantasy? Belief or malady? For each captive, their respective captor – respectable swordsmen of the Yamada Asaemon family of executioners. Albeit Sagiri, Gabimaru’s captor, a master and most beautiful Swordswoman, calmly and fiercely as an ocean, will defy every dark and heartless principle of the Shinobi code, etched upon the assassin. While the heart of the narrative may be Samurai Swords most brilliant and vile spilling blood, obscure Ninja arts castigating souls and brutal strength breaking earth and sky, the unique element of 地獄楽 is a latitude of an incredibly mosaic of characters and a loggia of aberrancy. From aphotic pasts to futures’ above; women’s hearts (quintessential pure) and visceral men’s mercilessness; master and student affinity; love, tears, wishes. Lo multiverses of unfathomable, fantastical beings – immortal and hermaphroditic humanoids, varmint deities; beads most profaned, insects amongst behemoths and moving, millennial trees. Buddhism, Taoism, Immortality… a blessing or a curse? Spiraling down this surreal kaleidoscope, radiating a mystery often driven by an unnatural and malignant order, proved to be a provoking and portentous experience. An otherworldly view blooming and withering, in shadow and hue, a Paradise dyed in blood. Keep in mind that, abysmally, you’re going to witness a battle royal of Samurai swords and Ninja dexterity, between man and monster, that can only be described as massively gory, yet that is not all. Amidst the ethereal and capricious and mercurial canvas that studios MAPPA painted and spectacularly animated, you will contemplate profound thoughts of human living and titles casted upon the various characters. A nuance of reason and resignation, doctrine and demand linger throughout each episode, pensive and tenderly devastating. “The heart is such a nuisance.” To be able to confront one’s own emotions it’s not something easily done, thus this is also a story of self-reflection, self-doubt, and an Odyssey to become a better man. A work of art, undeniably, subtle and rare as immortality.

Rating: 8/10

One of three shows (also The Ancient Magus' Bride S2 and Heavenly Delusion) this season with a strong mystery element and this one most definitely gave us the most answers. On that level, I think this show is the strongest of the three, since the answers it delivers increase our understanding of the world and its inhabitants, and particularly of the lead, Gabimaru. The final episode is particularly effective in this regard, and probably the strongest episode of the whole season, IMO. That being said, I wouldn't say that this season was continuously successful. It's quick to dispense with a large proportion of its characters, whichis fine given just how many are present in this series, but it initially makes it hard to want to learn anything about them. A lot of them just feel like fodder. It's only as we get later into the series, focusing on characters we've spent a great deal of time with, that the experience of losing someone has genuine feeling to it. And then there are the various enemies. I like the presentation of this island, and particularly the gruesome way flowers grow on and in people who reach it one of its more spectacular elements. The main antagonists (I'll avoid spoilers for them) are intriguing as well, though beyond a couple of personality quirks and some very cool transformations, they largely feel interchangeable. The rest of the enemies they face look interesting, but amount to little. Particularly the large monsters that roam the island, which have intriguing appearances, just feel hollow and uninteresting the more of them are killed. This really is a series that's more about the journey than the destination and the McGuffin that kicks off the series (an elixir of immortality) isn't nearly as interesting as the journey to find it. The power system in this one is a bit one-note so far and understanding of it comes too late to fully appreciate its diverse use, but at least it's pretty well established in the end. Overall, it's a solid show with passable themes, some interesting character arcs and a lot of promise coming off of its finale. It ended strong enough that I'm intrigued to see more of it, and at least distinguishes itself in some ways through its power system. While not everyone develops (and most of them die), the development we do see is affecting and even beautiful in places. I think it will work better now that it has a solid core of characters that we're fully invested in, but it had a bit of a rocky road getting there.

Rating: 9/10

NO SPOILER REVIEW Recently finished Jigokuraku, and one thing I can say is "SPECTACULAR". Quite gory, not that I mind though. Animation-wise we cannot argue that MAPPA indeed delivers jaw-dropping visuals every time. That being said, there is no sakuga moments in this anime. So, that's a pity haha, and also the only reason I gave it a 9 instead of a 10. Regardless, the characters designs are visually beautiful, both samurais and villains. Similarly, the design of the world is so fantastical, incorporating various religion and heavenly principles are so novel in my opinion. World building is not bad, every episode left us with quitea cliffhanger after all, which consequently makes me binge a whole season in just 2 days. Characters developments are amazing either, some of them become stronger or wiser ever since their beloved died (in fact lots of characters died), backstories are there too, which lift the drama part of this anime. BGM is also on-point in the mystery part and battle part. Talking about music, OP song is mid, meanwhile ED is soothing. Story: 10/10 Music: 9/10 Art: 9/10 Character: 10/10 Overall: 9/10 All in all, I highly recommend you guys to give this anime a try, at least until the first 3 episodes.

Rating: 7/10

This anime isn't something I normally gravitate towards but one of my friends is super into the manga and so I thought I'd give it a shot. I'm glad I did. The characters are interesting, the situation is compelling, and it's fascinating to see what twists await. One of the biggest strengths of the story is that the character feel rather real, their motivations are deeper than your average shounen cast. I'm really looking forward to a continuation of the anime. If you like stories about survival, corruption, and an exploration of morality then you'll like this anime. If you're looking for something witha bit more hope and sunshine then this might not be for you

Rating: 9/10

I would like to give this anime a score of ten, it has more text than many very prestigious anime, but it has a production well below its enormous potential. By that I'm also not saying that it has terrible production and direction. All the time in this anime something important is always happening, all with frantic action and consequences. That's good, because it wins the favor of the general public, but the anime would have been frantic in the same way if the rhythm was a little slower in the number of chapters adapted per episode, because in the manga everything is fast and fullof fights. I don't think it's a good decision to speed up what is already hectic, not least because the manga only has 128 chapters and the anime adapted 43 and a half chapters. To stay with the rhythm of three chapters per episode, which is the most usual and considered the closest to the ideal, I would need about 3 more episodes. The fact that the anime had a lot of content to adapt in a few episodes, resulted in cuts of the original material in the adaptation and not increasing almost anything. Basically what the direction did was a copy and paste of the manga, even giving the same framings, with practically no improvements. In other words, it was a pretty lazy direction, belonging to an overcrowded studio that offers visually reasonable animations and nothing else. This issue of the visual part is a disappointment, because although the anime has beautiful scenes, I confess that from the trailer I imagined that they would be something spectacular. Especially in the fight scenes where I expected a lot more improvement, but the production fell short of my expectations and what they delivered was just acceptable. The director has not improved anything on the battles over the source material in any possible sense. Not even with a more decent soundtrack that would better pass the drama and give the atmosphere an impact. I can say that with this directorial work, perhaps they even made the fights worse, considering that they didn't know how to give heights to the potential that this story offers. The anime considerably censored the ecchi, greatly diminishing the scenes, but what will really mark this work will be the breasts without nipples, which became a joke. This is ironic and quite unexpected, because from the beginning and the whole time the anime is very violent. The blood is red and gushed out with all kinds of gore. It's clearly not a work for children, it won't be on many channels around the world, and it won't receive a low rating to justify certain decisions. Another censure that the anime made was the omission of a joke with a blind man, the scene is strange because soon after they talk about the joke that did not exist in the anime. Obviously censoring just a few things is contradictory, letting it be a clear sign of "virtues" for the politically correct agenda. The story was definitely not what I expected from a shounen battle anime, but the work far exceeded my expectations in that regard. Precisely what I was most afraid of proved to be the great asset. It's not an extremely complex story, but it has subtexts and good content with a certain philosophical and religious depth. The main theme of the anime is the quest for immortality, which the work gradually gives its own contours and perspectives. The anime also deals with the philosophy of balance (yin and yang), very present in eastern culture and already portrayed several times in anime, but this work is explored in depth, daring in the relationship it has with the sexes. I lamented not giving this anime a ten because it is an immersive plot that deserved a studio that treated it better. What makes this plot most engaging are the characters, with their developed pasts, with psychological depth, with purposes, with personalities that evolve during the journey, with very distinct identities, with layers that are revealed, with dimensions that make them human, and all this is a combination to pass many emotions. One of the most explored points of the characters are their motivations, of which their weaknesses can be a strength, this being directly linked to the philosophy of this work, proving to be a cohesive text that feeds itself, therefore, it is a wonderfully well written plot. Other interesting points addressed about some characters are their determination to take on burdens, their empty interiors, their empathy for the lives taken, their doubts, their fears. It is a work full of surprises, fascination, suspense and drama.

Rating: 10/10

This anime is a masterpiece but not for everyone. It's not suitable for this generation. This is one of the most balanced anime without any doubt. (Skip the part if you know what the anime is about) So Hell's Paradise starts with a badass criminal protagonist and a shinobi named Gabimaru of the Hollow, who is sentenced to death. But the executioner can't behead him and other execution methods don't work on him. In the end, an executioner from the Yamada clan, Yamada Asaemon Sagiri, went to decapitate him. Before then Gabimaru said he wanna die but this time he resisted. Then Yamada offered him anofficial pardon. He has to bring the Elixir of Life from an island named Shinsenkyo. No one has returned from this island, so they're sending criminals with monitors from the Yamada Asaemon clan. From here Gabimaru's journey begins. Let's talk about the plot — an island, maybe where immortal creatures live, you can find an elixir to be immortal. Is it even possible? This fantasy is quite good. The power system is well-balanced and it's a masterpiece. Anyone can be a superhuman by mastering their "Tao". It's not like something which is decided the moment you are born. The episodes were continuously becoming more & more exciting. Each episode ended with a bang and the ending was paradoxical. I'm waiting to see what happens next. Although this anime has a problem. It has unnecessary profanity. This kinda anime shouldn't have a fan service like that. This isn't for simp after all. I'm telling you again it's not for everyone. Especially for this generation of anime fans. This is the darkest anime of the dark trio and also the best. If you are an average Shounen anime fan who loves to see just fierce fighting but don't give a thing about the story then it's not for you. There are also other types of average fans rn. It's not for you guys either. Skip the anime if you don't have a neutral perspective. By the way, my actual rating is 9-9.5 but I enjoyed it so I'm giving it a 10.

Rating: 9/10

English: "Jigokuraku" is an action-packed anime that takes viewers on an exciting journey alongside Gabimaru, a condemned ninja in search of redemption and the opportunity to reunite with his beloved wife. The series offers a unique combination of fantasy, adventure, and historical elements that will captivate fans of the shounen genre. One of the strengths of "Jigokuraku" lies in its well-developed characters. Gabimaru, the protagonist, is a complex and intriguing character. His apathy and desire to die after a life filled with bloodshed make him a captivating character to follow. As the story progresses, we witness his transformation and growth, driven by his love forhis wife. This emotional core adds depth to the narrative and creates a strong connection between the audience and the main character. The world-building in "Jigokuraku" is also noteworthy. The island of Shinsekyo, where the story unfolds, is full of mysteries and dangers. The monsters born from an unknown life force and the challenges that the characters face create an atmosphere filled with tension and excitement. Furthermore, the anime explores themes such as redemption, sacrifice, and hope, adding additional layers to the story and making it more meaningful. In terms of animation, the studio MAPPA does an excellent job in bringing the action scenes to life. The battles are fluid and visually stunning, with detailed character designs and captivating art direction. The soundtrack also appropriately complements the scenes, intensifying the emotion and suspense. Gabimaru's companion, Yamada Asaemon Sagiri, is also a standout character, slowly revealing her story and depth. Overall, "Jigokuraku" offers an exhilarating anime experience with its action, fantasy, and character development. The series manages to strike a balance between fantastical elements and a touch of magical realism as the combat system evolves from initially appearing simplistic to revealing the origins of certain attacks. With its immersive world, compelling characters, and engaging soundtrack, "Jigokuraku" deserves a score of 9/10. Español: "Jigokuraku" es un anime lleno de acción que lleva a los espectadores en un emocionante viaje junto a Gabimaru, un ninja condenado en busca de redención y la oportunidad de reunirse con su amada esposa. La serie ofrece una combinación única de elementos de fantasía, aventura e históricos que cautivarán a los fanáticos del género shounen. Una de las fortalezas de "Jigokuraku" radica en sus personajes bien desarrollados. Gabimaru, el protagonista, es un personaje complejo e intrigante. Su apatía y deseo de morir después de una vida llena de derramamiento de sangre lo convierten en un personaje cautivador para seguir. A medida que avanza la historia, presenciamos su transformación y crecimiento, impulsados por su amor hacia su esposa. Este núcleo emocional añade profundidad a la narrativa y crea una conexión sólida entre el público y el personaje principal. La construcción del mundo en "Jigokuraku" también es destacable. La isla de Shinsekyo, donde se desarrolla la trama, está llena de misterios y peligros. Los monstruos nacidos de una energía vital desconocida y los desafíos que enfrentan los personajes crean una atmósfera llena de tensión y emoción. Además, el anime explora temas como la redención, el sacrificio y la esperanza, agregando capas adicionales a la historia y haciéndola más significativa. En cuanto a la animación, el estudio MAPPA realiza un excelente trabajo al dar vida a las escenas de acción, como siempre. Los combates son fluidos y visualmente impactantes, con un diseño de personajes detallado y una dirección artística cautivadora, tambien su sistema de pelea empieza como simple, pero a medida que se van desvelando situaciones, se entiende de donde salen ciertos ataques, deja de ser fantasia y se convierte en un realismo magico. La banda sonora también complementa adecuadamente las escenas, intensificando la emoción y el suspenso. Su compañera , Yamada Asaemon, Sagiri , es muy buena tambien, de a poco nos cuenta su historia y su profundidad. Puntaje: 9/10

Rating: 5/10

The dialogues in this show consist of: More than a dozen times, Gabimaru mentioning his wife as his sole reason moving forward. More than a dozen times, Sagiri battles with her own dilemma, while saying that "she thinks Gabimaru is dangerous". And more than a dozen times, Gabimaru acknowledges that he is hollow and shouldn't feel anything, but he does. And if that doesn't convince you, that Jigokuraku is somehow even more narcissistic and edgy than Eminence In Shadows, I don't know what will. And before you think that those are good qualities, because you too do enjoy show like Eminence in Shadows, let me break it down for you,this anime has 0% self awareness!. I imagine the scenario where the author keeps coming back with drafts of incompetent stories, and the tired old editor just chooses the one that somehow has the most unique premises, and basically gives up trying to fix the structure. Because this story has one of the worst examples in anime on how to do: Tell don't Show. All the characters basically have to explain again and again about their motivations and goals, as if we audience are so dumb, that we forget how to distinguish all of them. Expositions are everywhere, to the point that I can't help but laughing my ass off at how obnoxious this anime is. Too bad, my rating system on MAL is leaning more into the technical qualities as a whole. So a story as generic and hilariously bad as this is, still won't drop from 5, because the animation department are doing such a great job keeping the vibe and the aesthetic afloat. But i feel bad thinking about the fact that they have to be overworked for this.

Rating: 6/10

MAPPA continues to take interesting projects under its wing, and this time it's Hell's Paradise, a manga that has repeatedly made it to the top of the best shōnen. The manga itself is written and illustrated by Yuji Kaku, and its chapters were published in the Shōnen Jump + supplement magazine. The plot of the show is simple enough, from the beginning it feels like you know what to expect from the finale (or even the entire work). Here's a pack of heroes, they're sent with a set goal to a place from which (almost) no one has ever returned alive. The mood is set,and then it's classic: fight, flashback, sadness, fight, flashback, sadness. That leaves a lot of questions that either won't be answered or will only be answered in the sequel, as season 1 of the anime absorbs those chapters that only briefly explain the gist of the plot stuff. Well, if there is no sequel, it will be a big failure. There are a lot of characters here. There's a girl with boobs for show, a samurai from the deep past, a giant, and even a schizophrenic from the everyday manga, all there is...though, no, there's a lack of any interest in them. The characters are literally absent for most of the screen time, then it appears out of thin air and we're shown a flashback showing a difficult past, and that should set the audience up for empathy. Okay, fine. Some people will find it touching, but people who don't immediately get used to the new characters will find it as superfluous and empty as possible. Also, the secondary characters don't develop at all (at least in season 1 of the show), as they were in the first episodes, so they remain in the last episodes. This is also a rather unpleasant point. We're done with the secondary characters, let's move on to the juiciest part... the main characters. The main character is a young man named Gabimaru, a talented shinobu who has a large number of other people's lives to his credit. He has a cold character of a killer, but his story, his motive to live, is put in contrast to this, and it looks quite interesting, it is safe to call him an original character. The second character is the girl who accompanies Gabimaru to the wonder island, Sagiri Yamada Asaemon. The character has a good reveal, and you can really empathize with her. Yuji Kaku has outlined the structure of the piece as "several pairs of people whose interests do not coincide, thrown into a confined space and forced to work together. If you look back on it, the Gabimaru-Sagiri pairing could well be called a success. The abundance of blood is a characteristic for which many have come to love the show. The author of the manga tried to make a whole fighting game out of a simple plot and an abundance of characters, and he succeeded in making a meat grinder. We had a lot of fans of the anime adaptations and a lot of meat, so if you're a fan of blood you go to the anime adaptation and if you're a fan of meat you go to the source material. The same goes for the erotic scenes. If female nipples are the only reason you watch anime, you're better off not wasting your time. What about the nice bonuses of the anime adaptation: the music and the graphics? The backgrounds are not rich in variety (there's no need to look closely), but the color palette is perfectly suited to the historical times of Japan. The initial splash screen is unusual in style, it's hard to understand what's going on there at all, but the rest of the compositions are not memorable in any way, but that's okay. In the end, we are here for the meat, not the music! In the anime, if you consider it to be a fighting game, it was pretty good, but if the development of the characters and the storyline are important to you, you're more likely to be disappointed after watching it. But I think it's worthwhile to study it for a personal evaluation.

Rating: 10/10

Hell’s Paradise or Jigokuraku, emerges as a standout anime, weaving a tapestry of gripping narratives, rich character development, and visually stunning animation. From the opening scenes to the climactic moments, the series delivers an engaging and immersive experience that kept me hooked. At its core, the plot is a masterclass in storytelling, seamlessly blending elements of action, fantasy, and psychological drama. The narrative unfolds with a perfect balance of mystery and revelation, kept me guessing while gradually unveiling the intricate layers of the plot. Every episode introduces new twists and turns, ensuring that monotony is never an issue. What truly sets this show apart is its diverseand well-crafted characters. Each member of the ensemble cast contributes to the overall depth and complexity of the story. The protagonists are not mere caricatures but rather multifaceted individuals with unique backgrounds, motivations, and vulnerabilities. Witnessing their growth and facing their internal struggles adds a profound human touch to the fantastical setting. The animation quality is nothing short of breathtaking. The vibrant color palette, fluid motion, and attention to detail in both character design and world-building elevate the visual experience. Action sequences are choreographed with precision, making each battle a spectacle that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats. The animation team's dedication to bringing the source material to life is evident, creating a visually cohesive and captivating world. This anime delves into thought-provoking themes that elevate it beyond typical anime fare. Exploration of morality, survival instincts, and the consequences of one's choices adds intellectual depth to the narrative. The series challenges viewers to contemplate the blurred lines between right and wrong, good and evil, in a way that transcends the boundaries of traditional anime storytelling. The soundtrack deserves special mention for its ability to complement the narrative beats perfectly. The haunting melodies during intense moments and the uplifting tunes during moments of triumph enhance the emotional impact, creating an immersive auditory experience that resonates with the overall tone of the series.

Rating: 9/10

What if Naruto and Sasuke were actually badass ninjas instead of crybaby edgelords with relationship issues. The anime. Animation / Art / General Visuals - 8/10 ----------------------------------------------- Looks pretty good. Features lots of fantasy combat, and the animation does a good job keeping up. Sound / Music / Voice Acting - 8/10------------------------------------------ Solid across the board. OP and ED tracks are great, and we get solid action music through-out. Voice actors all do a good job at capturing the essences of the various characters. Story - 8/10 ------------- Quite interesting. A group of prisoners sentenced to death are given the option to travel to a mysterious island to seek the elixir of life, said to give eternal youth. If they find it, they get a pardon for all their crimes. The island however is a serious horror shop, and things get really bloody, real fast. But the story keeps giving us exposition to slowly help us piece together the mystery of the island. Characters - 9/10 --------------------- Not gonna lie, this show has the perfect cast. Tons of highly competent individuals. Both in physical skills and intelligence. And none more than the Protagonist, who is titled as the greatest Ninja to live. And boy does he deliver on that. Aside from considerable competence from a wide variety of secondary characters, we also get a fair amount of intriguing backstory on most of them. And the main character and another one at their side, both get a lot of exploration. Their minds are explored, what makes them tick. Why they are the way they are, and what can be changed. Above all else, it's just really refreshing to see a bunch of intelligent characters in a shounen show. Because too often, it's a battle between the idiots. And for a more serious themed show, that's just a big no-no for me. Luckily Jigokuraku doesn't stumble here. --- Total - 9/10 --- For me the show is better than the sum of its parts. Lots of great action scenes, and a bunch of characters you can cheer for, and feel bad for when they end up pushing up daisies too soon.

Rating: 10/10

Hell's Paradise is the type of show that I've been longing for. Loose plot armor, meaningful character deaths, philosophy and etc. It's one of the Shonens that tries not to follow the trend of many modern anime adaptations nowadays. I can't recommend it enough. Every character has a personality of their own and we as the audience get to sympathize with most of them and their pasts. All the horrible reviews that are being made for this anime, don't listen to them. I'm giving this anime a generous 10/10, it had made me interested enough to read the manga. Anyone with a basic understanding ofAsian philosophy will get how a character's powers would work in this show. It would be interesting to see more of the world before the story started. Including the journey to get to the island. We don't really get to see that, Hell's Paradise island a big deal in the first place. This is not a spoiler as it shows at the start of the anime. Other than that, it is a relatively short anime give it a watch. Not going to type a whole essay on this it's a straightforward story. Look forward to future episodes/seasons.

Rating: 7/10

The action and animation are good as you would expect any Mappa production to be, and the opening is really something else. It takes a really long time to feel any investment in any of the characters, however. A lot of the characters get killed off before we can get any real attachment to them. Yuzuriha is probably my favorite character, and Gabimaru is not the most interesting protagonist. So far, I am kind of ambivalent to the setting and the antagonists. They are different, but they don't really keep my attention. This show also really leans into showing gore during the fights. The powersystem, so far, seems really basic, and I hope it gets expanded into something a little more varied. It's good enough that I will watch season 2 after it comes out, but I won't be holding my breath.