Hell's Paradise

Episodes 1-3

Once again, studio MAPPA is adapting another up-and-coming hit shonen manga. Hell's Paradise, at first glance, didn't seem like something that was going to be on my radar but considering that it feels like Jujutsu Kaisen set in ancient Japan (and you can argue that's precisely what it is), I found myself having an incredibly good time with this premiere. Outside of the fact that the series is absolutely gorgeous with vibrant colors, sharp sound design, and spectacular animation sequences, there is a genuinely intriguing story here. Not only is there a larger mystery tied into the world-building with this pursuit for the elixir of life, but there are some rather nice conversations about the idea of taking a life.

Yes, a lot of this introspection is a little “been there, done that,” and at worst, I did notice some instances where it felt like the writing was almost a bit inconsistent. I'm still trying to figure out whether or not I like the character Sagiri. Her introduction is strong, and I like how she can see right through Gabimaru's façade. Her decision regarding walking down the path of an executioner and characterization as a stickler for the rules wasn't the direction I expected the show to go with her character. I almost feel like what we see in episodes two and three was a little inconsistent with her introduction, but maybe I need more time to be won over by her compared to Gabimaru.

He is one of my favorite characters of this season, and I like how the show keeps subverting his mentality. The first episode misdirects you into thinking he's just an invincible guy who wants to die, only to realize that he's really sweet deep down because he genuinely loves his wife. She gave him a brighter worldview on life was very satisfying. I like the internal struggle he has about wanting to fulfill this quest so he can live a quiet life without killing, but to do that, he needs to be an efficient killer for survival. There's also a lot of deprogramming that needs to be done throughout this journey, and I loved that symbolism in episode three, where the chief that trained him has such a firm grip on his heart that the love of his wife could only heal. Is it cheesy? Yes, but I don't care. I found it sweet, and that's enough to get me through any gripes I might have so far.

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Hell's Paradise is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.