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.

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.

Hells paradise is the third of the dark shonen trio that includes jujutsu kaisen and chainsaw man. The darker and more adult themes have been all the rage lately and with good reason. Anime used to be almost exclusively directed to a younger audience but now the shonen genre (shonen literally translating to teen boy) is consumed by people of all ages leaving room for manga and anime that directly targets those demographics. Which personally as fan of shonen anime no longer in my early teens it's extremely refreshing to get away from the constant themes of friendship and perseverance for your 'dream'. With that said of the dark shonen trio hells paradise is easily my favourite which in my opinion couldn't be greater praise considering just how good the other two are.

Hells paradise follows Gabimaru "the hollow" a ninja and convict from the Iwagakure clan as he ventures to a mystic island in pursuit of the elixir of life. A simple premise but one that's enhanced so brilliantly by the general atmosphere of the show. The music, animation and themes of death, divine justice, redemption and spirituality create an entrancing experience that will grip you from the first episode only to blow your mind by the 3rd.

The music is fantastically absorbing never falling into j-rock cliches that take you away from the uniqueness of the setting (aside from the OP which I'll excuse for just how catchy that is). The animation is similar to both JJK and Chainsaw man with soft pastel colours, rich backgrounds brimming with detail and the occasional 3D model. If your familiar with studio MAPPA's work you'll immediately see the resemblance. Where the animation is truely able to rise above the competition is bringing to life the setting itself, bursting with colour the island is loaded with rich floristry and wildlife both of which are not of this world.

The story without giving away to many details is also brilliant. The characters all pop with a similar vibrancy to the setting in both personality and design. Gabimaru, the protagonist, being the obvious standout with his soft and aloof demeanour contrasting to his near otherworldly power. He'll almost immediately endear you to his cause and have you suckered in with his astounding coolness.

The core plot of the show basically works as a mystery, what is the elixir of life, what is the island and what resides on it? As you immediately grow attached to Gabimaru and the crew you'll be drawn in and desperate to get these answers and the show won't disappoint as it lays out more and more otherworldly concepts and creatures for the crew to encounter.

With all that said the strongest feature of this show is the directing and the pacing. Unlike other anime this will grip you immediately and not waste a moment of your time. The direction of the episodes will cross between the characters in almost a poetic way not fearing that what could be a whole episodes worth of content is shown in mere seconds. This along with the music and art style being so entrancing you'll enjoy every second of it. Genuinely one of the best anime I've seen in years and the only thing holding it back from a 10 is that this is only just the beginning.

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.

I ll make it clear from the start, Berserk fans are gonna love this one ! Well done, I was hooked from the start, great pacing, loveable "heroes", little bit clunky animation but overall, pure enjoyment.

Action is kinda interupted by flashbacks, but not in the measure to ruin the vibe of the show. I mentioned Berserk, in few instances, I felt that Berserk taste in certain scenes, especially with monsters design. It has those "hopeless moments" where you know trouble is inevitable and the end is near. Its been a while where the show reminded me that much of Kentaro Miura's masterpiece so I am maybe little biased but nevertheless, a warm recommendation to all anime lovers!