Why you should be excited for the Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku anime

Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku released the key visual and promotional video for the upcoming anime adaptation of the manga series. While no specific release date has been revealed yet, it has been confirmed that the anime will air in 2022. Twitter exploded with tweets posted by dedicated fans expressing their excitement for the upcoming anime adaptation.

For those who haven’t read the manga and are debating if they should tackle the anime when it airs, here are some reasons this unique dark fantasy anime is a must-watch.

Note: Mild spoilers for the Jigokuraku manga.

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Here is why the Jigokuraku anime is worth looking forward to

Synopsis of the manga

The manga appears to be the usual dark fantasy series, with horror elements in the form of creepy alien creatures. The basic premise of the series also prepares the reader to expect a story about an overpowered protagonist going on a quest, who would move past obstacles to reach his goal and emerge victorious.

It follows the legendary ninja assassin, Gabimaru, who gets arrested and sentenced to death by the shogunate. Despite his apparent apathy towards life, Gabimaru keeps stalling and sabotaging the officials’ attempts to execute him. Yamada Asaemon Sagiri, an elite executioner from the Yamada Asaemon clan offers him the opportunity to win a writ of pardon from the shogun himself and go back to his wife, since it is his love for her that is stopping him from letting himself succumb to death.

Thus, Gabimaru and nine other death row convicts travel to the mysterious island that is rumored to be a paradise on Earth with the Asaemons as their escorts, in search of the fabled Elixir of Immortality. The title of the series foreshadows how far away from “paradise” the island really is,with “jigoku” meaning “hell” and “gokuraku” meaning “paradise,” referring to the island where hell and paradise seem to merge.

Despite leaning substantially towards the shonen category, the real beauty of the Jigokuraku series is not its action but rather the underlying human drama flourishing underneath. Every character blurs the lines between right and wrong, with black and white blending into an ambiguous gray. Kaku Yuji creates his characters masterfully, their beliefs, struggles and decisions resonating with readers.

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Art style and animation

One of the reasons for the Jigokuraku manga’s popularity is Kaku Yuji’s art style. His manga art is detailed yet clean, and aesthetically appealing despite the grotesque subject material. Many fans have compared the art style to be reminiscent of acclaimed horror manga artist Junji Ito’s work. The influence of Chainsaw Man creator Fujimoto Tatsuki is also prominent, which is not too surprising as Kaku Yuji had been Fujimoto’s assistant in the past.

During Jump Festa 2022, it was announced that Studio MAPPA would be animating the anime adaptation of Jigokuraku. With the studio’s fantastic treatment and dynamic animation of season 1 the Jujutsu Kaisen anime and the ongoing final installment of the Attack on Titan anime, the animation will likely be just as satisfying.

The promotional video for the Jigokuraku anime released during the Festa event features vibrant colors with smooth character shots and transitions, and the musical score in the background perfectly suited the scene. With Studio MAPPA also scheduled to animate the upcoming Chainsaw Man anime as well, fans have observed that the studio has bagged the holy trinity of shonen dark fantasy series.

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Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku has something for all viewers, be it well choreographed action, philosophical dilemmas and human drama, or horror elements. With the manga having ended in April 2021 and consisting of 127 chapters, the upcoming anime promises at least two seasons of riveting content.