Jigokuraku by Yuji Kaku, a grim, bloody alternative to popular shonen series, has made great achievements in the anime and manga industries. Hell’s Paradise is regarded as a member of the “Shonen Dark Trio,” along with Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen, because of its intensity.
These three programs reflect a particularly popular subgenre of shonen television that is more brutal in nature. The amazing adventure that Gabimaru the Hollow and Yamada Asaemon Sagiri find themselves on in Hell’s Paradise is in a class by itself, despite the fact that each of these series has its own special charms.
10 Loyal Protagonist
A shonen series’ popularity depends on having a distinct and compelling protagonist, and in this regard, Hell’s Paradise Gabimaru differs from both Chainsaw Man’s Denji and Jujutsu Kaisen’s Yuji Itadori. The main distinction between Gabimaru and the other members of the “Shonen Dark Trio” is that all he does is for Yui, his estranged wife from his own country.
The nature of Gabimaru’s relationship and his allegiance to this absentee person quickly reveal his more noble characteristics. Denji and Yuji are content to live their lives for themselves, however Gabimaru is dedicated to rebuilding his family.
9 Concentrated Kotaku Island Setting
Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen deliver compelling stories, but they can be a little too broad in scope at times. Both of these programs address the global implications of their battles and cover a lot of area. Alternatively, Hell’s Paradise confines its characters to Kotaku (also Shinsenkyo), a cryptic island of horrors.
Hell’s Paradise benefits from this concentrated concentration, as the animation is generally compelled to stay on the island rather than moving elsewhere. Because no one can leave Kotaku until the job is completed, this already generates an effective sense of claustrophobia.
8 Creative Monsters & Illnesses
Hell’s Paradise’s island setting pushes its characters out of their comfort zones. However, this island is also full of foreboding monsters, known as Doshi, who are meant to protect the island’s hidden treasures. These giant creatures become satisfying targets for Gabimaru, Sagiri, and the rest of the assembled assassins.
The variety in these beasts helps Hell’s Paradise stand out, which is also true for the series’ unique “arborification” illness that causes flowers to sprout out of corpses. The island’s unconventional flora and fauna, like the Paradise Butterflies of Kotaku that spread this illness, make sure that there’s never a dull moment in Hell’s Paradise.
7 Mature Depiction Of Female Characters
Shonen series, particularly those of a darker nature, can occasionally contain skewed gender dynamics that favor the male gaze. Although Jujutsu Kaisen does excellent work with Nobara, many of Chainsaw Man’s female characters feel like adolescent extensions of Denji’s id.
Hell’s Paradise takes an entirely different approach, with strong and empowered female characters. When it comes to female soldiers, Sagiri is a breath of fresh air. The same is true with Yuzuriha, who appears to be excessive in fan service at first, only to disclose deeper depths and objectives.
6 Every Character Is An Expert Assassin
Shonen series build themselves upon overpowered casts of characters, but they can sometimes struggle to create plausible scenarios for so many deadly individuals to be together. Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen choose not to worry over this, while Hell’s Paradise concocts a scenario that justifies such exaggerated characters being in proximity to one another.
Assassins who have been sentenced to death must instead fight on Kotaku island to find the Elixir of Life. Only the most dangerous and deadly warriors have been assembled here, which means that there are no weak links in the cast and everyone can hold their own in battle.
5 Immortality Elixir Quest & Ongoing Mystery
Shonen series are propelled by a variety of forces, and there are parallel agendas at work in Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen, where groups of heroes collaborate to avoid apocalyptic-level catastrophe. Hell’s Paradise does not jeopardize the fate of the entire world, instead obsessing over a mythical Elixir of Life that will bring immortality.
This mission has an almost mythical vibe to it, and it is very distinct from the other “Dark Shonen Trio.” The Lost-style mystery surrounding the elixir’s island is as captivating and keeps viewers going back for more.
4 Gabimaru & Sagiri’s Bond
Emotional character development is an important aspect of a shonen series and both Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen feature sizable casts of characters who are able to open their respective protagonists eyes and enrich their lives for the better.
Hell’s Paradise adopts a slightly different approach where its cast is more of a two-handed affair between Gabimaru and Sagiri as they fight to survive. These two encounter other similarly disadvantaged assassins during their time on Kotaku, but they still stick to themselves. Considering that Sagiri first meets Gabimaru as his executioner, the friendship that forms between them is such a delightful surprise and the secret weapon of Hell’s Paradise.
3 Unique Use Of Color
MAPPA Studio consistently goes above and beyond when it comes to their anime. The animation studio is responsible for some of this decade’s most successful anime, including all three of the “Dark Shonen Trio.” Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen are undeniably beautiful series with stunning art direction, but MAPPA employs some creative tricks on Hell’s Paradise.
There’s a muted color palette to the time that’s spent in Japan during the first episode before everyone arrives on the island. This contrast only makes Kotaku island feel more otherworldly. The same is true with the arborification illness, which uses vibrant bursts of color on macabre corpses that are drained of life.
2 Precise & Restrained Battle Choreography
There’s constant action and dismemberment present in each of the “Dark Shonen Trio,” but Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man push their battles to more supernatural places. There is magical sorcery and unexplainable transformations that fuel each of these series, while the battles in Hell’s Paradise are much more concentrated on martial arts fundamentals, swordplay, and genuine combat styles.
The characters in Hell’s Paradise are able to push their talents and bodies to exaggerated places, but they’re still humans who can’t fall back on superpowers. This added tension, plus the meticulous thought that goes into every slash of a sword, gives extra weight to Hell’s Paradise.
1 Its Manga’s Story Is Already Finished
One unique advantage that Hell’s Paradise has over its “Dark Shonen Trio” peers is that it’s the only one of the three manga series that’s actually reached its conclusion. Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen are said to be close to their endgames at 97 and 225 chapters, respectively.
However, Hell’s Paradise succinctly wrapped up its story in 2021 at 127 chapters. This means that Hell’s Paradise fans can at least get a sense of closure and the corresponding anime series is likely to benefit from the manga’s story already being finished, unlike Chainsaw Man and Jujutsu Kaisen.
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