Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku (2023)

[地獄楽]

Season 1

Director: Kaori Makita
Studio: MAPPA
Starring: Chiaki Kobayashi, Yumiri Hanamori, Rie Takahashi
Episodes: 13

Synopsis:
A shinobi condemned to death is given a chance at a pardon from the shogun if he can find the Elixir of Life.

Impressions:
I fell well behind on my viewing in 2023, but it says something how this title stuck in my head that I went to pick it up amid my efforts to get caught up on current viewing. The basic premise is a sort of death game where you pit superpowered criminals and their executioner minders against all manner of twisted pseudo-gods and monsters. What I like best about this series is how the battle system/general philosophy of the world is very well thought out, permeating every aspect of the principal cast, especially how the concept of the Tao is approached from several different angles. The twisted amalgamation of Taoist and Buddhist philosophy on Shinsenkyo creates some fun puzzles to sort out and gels with Japan's own syncretism. Going back to the characters, the cast is colorful with an interesting skillset and personalities that interact in compelling ways. I particularly like the dynamic with Gabimaru and Sagiri. I will warn you, though, just because a character seems to be set up for a significant role in the story will not necessarily spare them from getting killed off unceremoniously. Don't get too attached. Moving on, the production values are excellent, as you'd expect from MAPPA, and the action scenes are beautifully rendered, so while this is a fairly intelligent, it also delivers as a battle story. It's an all-around great package and I'm eagerly looking forward to Season 2. In the meantime, add this one to your collection.

Rating:
Own It