Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku

From the beautiful well crafted opening with an amazing song to the story and the characters themselves - not to mention the out of this world aesthetic to the genre - Hell's Paradise is set to become something we didn't know that anime could be. We're only three episodes in and this anime continues to stun me. Brace yourselves, you're in for a hell of a ride. This is top of the tops, creme de la creme entertainment.

I'm speaking as someone who's never read the manga and just watched the anime - as this is how I went about every anime I've ever watched.

I thought that Naruto would have a monopoly on the ninja-genre but somehow Hell's Paradise is able to reframe that notion to all of us, Naruto fans, have in our minds, and keep it fresh and moving forward.

I'm hyping the hell out of this anime because that's the impression it left on me. And hey, I've just come out of rewatching all of Demon Slayer in anticipation of season, and somehow Hell's Paradise animation is able to entice my heart with even more emotion than the likes of Kimetsu no Yaiba.

We should all just be glad that we can sit down and revel on these anime's as we're currently living in the golden age of anime.

Hell's Paradis is 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 an official 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.

Hell's Paradise has been an absolute blast from the very 1st episode. It's been a while since I enjoyed an action shounen anime this much. Even with a season full of so many great animes, Hell's Paradise just stood out to me. I don't think it's like an absolute masterpiece that's going to be universally loved by everyone. But it's an anime that I immensely admired.

So why exactly? Why did I love it so much? I guess because it was a bit of everything. I think the title - "Hell's Paradise" is fitting for this story. Because it somehow manages to be dark yet gentle at the same time. It's sad yet wholesome at the same time. It's emotional yet full of thrills and action. It's disturbing, yet kind at the same time. When you can achieve that specific tone, then add so many different characters into the mix, each of them being likeable in their own way, each of them having their own past, their own motivations, with different bonds between all of them, you are bound to make a great story. And then, as icing to the cake, when you can make the story suspenseful, action-packed, filled with so many savage, cheer-worthy moments (mostly because of the likeability of these characters), well then I'd have no doubt in making this my favourite pick of the season.

I'm impressed by Studio Mappa's work too. The art during the action scenes is very appealing, the soundtrack is brilliant, the direction too is great. The animation isn't exactly perfect, but you know what, I'll take it. When everything else is so good, I'll take it. The voice acting is great for all of these characters. There are so many great characters to root for here that every one of them gets a moment to shine. Even the villains are actually pretty good. They might not have much motivation, but they're never dull. I liked that they gave a disturbing, suspenseful vibe, while being a bit quirky at the same time.

I really can't wait to see the 2nd season. I can't wait to see how all of these characters are concluded. I hope Studio Mappa does a great job once again.

The storyline seems pretty simple at first. The MC is a killer with superhuman abilities and lacks remorse or empathy until he is forced to marry his chief's daughter and falls for her. The first 6 episodes or so are just okay. The fighting and animation is still really good so they're entertaining. However, the last half of the show the storyline really picks up and it gets more and more interesting every episode. The power system is really cool, the way the characters interact and build off each other is very natural and their relationship dynamics feel real. Some of the side characters' stories are REALLY good and in my opinion even better than the MC's story. I found myself very invested in them and wanting to learn more about their lives. Any character can die at any moment so the show keeps you on edge. The world building is amazing. I love the aesthetics of the island and the soundtrack is incredible. This show has so much potential and I think it can become bigger than demon slayer if people give it the attention it deserves. I came in not expecting much and now I can't wait for season 2.

Although I've only watched 9 episodes, I can easily say this is one of my favorite anime. The characters all have personalities that the voice actors do VERY well at. The intense action scenes are very entertaining. The animation is good. The art style is good. The story seems basic on the outside but is actually quite an interesting concept. Its like there isn't anything to hate on this anime. If you are a fan of anime, I'll say that this anime is one you should not skip. Besides that, the anime does have quite a bit of blood/gore so if that kind of stuff makes you uncomfortable, you might want to watch with caution.