There will be Hell's Paradise spoilers ahead!
Though much of Hell's Paradise is shrouded in mystery and intrigue, the main protagonists, Yamada Asaemon, are pretty simple and transparent. Most of these samurai-like soldiers in charge of directing the search for the Elixir of Life may be single-minded in their aims, but Japanese history suggests that there is a lot more concealed behind the scenes. In reality, the real-life inspirations for this clan explain the one unanswered question concerning them.
Taking a serious look at feudal Japan and the historical icons of samurai and ninjas, it's not surprising that critical lore surrounding the Yamada Asaemon was a part of the country's genuine history. The Yamada Asaemon, a true clan name dating back to the late Edo Period, rose to infamy when their practises and customs changed in the eyes of society. Although the anime introduces these significant historical figures late in history, a quick check into the facts provides everything fans need to know to comprehend them in the anime's fictional storyline.
The One Missing Detail of Hell's Paradise's Yamada Clan
Focusing on the mythical Yamada Asaemon from Hell's Paradise, the Shogun orders this gang to assist him in finding the famous Elixir of Life. Rather of visiting the mysterious island of Shinsenkyo, the Shogun orders each of the twelve Asaemons to recruit a death row convict to fight for the Elixir. The convict who presents the Elixir to the Shogun will be pardoned for all of their crimes and will be able to enjoy a free life, regardless of what those crimes were. While this appears to be a good deal for the criminals and an excellent opportunity for the Asaemon to serve the Shogun, Shinsenkyo is far from paradise.
Not all Yamada Asaemon are guaranteed to survive—or even be offered a simple death—from corpses producing flowers to unstoppable monsters of unknown provenance. While the convicts are given their own personal reasons for participating in the voyage, only a few of the Asaemon have relatable reasons. Tenza justifies his danger by the potential to assist an innocent child, Fuchi has the strongest self-righteous convictions that the Asaemon serve society, and Toma lies to them all to save his brother. Many of the other Asaemon don't share much about their reasons, and as a group, there isn't a clear reason why they take such a great risk with their lives aside from the fact that this is just what they do.
In truth, Fuchi admits that their job for the Shogun isn't how they stay alive monetarily, but the clan nevertheless follows the Shogun's whims. As the anime progresses, the Yamada Asaemon looks to be a tool utilised by an uncaring Shogun who doesn't seem to understand the significance and weight of human life. With orders from an indifferent head above a community of people filled with nothing but contempt, it's difficult to understand why the Yamda Asaemon continue to do what they do.
Stark Approaches to the Art of Execution
One of the most notable characteristics of the mythical Yamada Asaemon is that they are executioners and sword testers who work for the Shogun. Though they evidently regard their macabre practises as honourable and justified, the rest of society appears to regard them as barbarous or a tool to be used. Without any other background, the Yamada Asaemon appear to be, for lack of a better phrase, obstinate in their quest to protect honour, which isn't necessarily a bad thing in and of itself. When you consider the deep origins of samurai tradition associated with this name, it takes on new meaning.
The historical Yamada Asaemon, like the fictitious clan, were well-known as executioners and sword testers in Japan's late Edo period. This samurai practise, known as "tameshi-giri" in the early Edo era, was reserved for the highest-ranking samurai. It was regarded as a totally normal practise sustained by tradition until the 1700s, when education became increasingly important, even for samurai. As the Edo period ended in the 1860s, so did the samurai's practises, including the once-honorable practise of "tameshi-giri." By the time the Yamada Asaemon's name becomes noteworthy in textbooks, there were drastic changes to what was remaining of samurai culture and the clan is one of the last practitioners of the art of execution. Though the added context certainly helps in understanding these characters, not including these historical details as lore within the series isn't wrong in the slightest. The Yamada Asaemon are still incredibly well-written and captivating characters regardless.
Perhaps behind the scenes of the anime, the clan is dealing with the changes from traditional and brutal Samurai practices to a more humane and perhaps less bloody society. While the world changes around them, the fictional Yamada Asaemon are literally unwilling to lay down their swords, which is arguably how it could have been historically. In this way, the Yamada Asaemon's search for the Elixir is more than just them accepting orders from a higher government official or believing they are such an asset to society. It's them holding onto their centuries of tradition that is clearly near and dear to their hearts and souls. In this way, the assumption that each of the Yamada Asaemon risk their lives to follow their sense of honor isn't that far off. However, with a more substantial source for that sense of pride, they become a brilliant example of perfectly fleshed-out characters, written with a careful balance of prose and real-life inspiration.
