After a somewhat more watered-down winter season, April has entered with a bang with some of the most anticipated anime releases of the year. And one of those who headed the list is ‘Hell’s Paradise’ (‘Jigokuraku’)which comes from the hand of MAPPA and has already released its first chapter.
The expectations are quite high for the series, because Crunchyroll has even included it in the list of its first Simuldubs in Spanish. And although it has not had a start to use, the truth is that for now the ‘Hell’s Paradise’ anime is very promising.
Ninjas and betrayals in feudal Japan
‘Hell’s Paradise’ It is set in the Japanese Edo period, with a curious mix between dark fantasy and historical setting. is the story of Gabimaru the Voida very powerful and deadly ninja who is sentenced to death.
The problem is that once law enforcement officers get down to it, it doesn’t matter what kind of technique or punishment they use, which Gabimaru is impossible to killr. After an in-depth investigation into his person, Gabimaru is offered a deal: if he travels to a mysterious island from which no one has returned alive and brings a miraculous elixir with him, he will be pardoned and forgiven for all his crimes.
MAPPA is taking care of the anime, and after ‘Jujutsu Kaisen’, ‘Chainsaw Man’ and ‘Vinland Saga’ he has already set the bar very high in terms of animation. So it’s time to say that if you expect ‘Hell’s Paradise’ to start off just as strong and action-packed, that’s not the case.
This first chapter of the anime has some more intense moments, most notably when Gabimaru unleashes his abilities, but doesn’t get off to an explosive start with a big show. On the contrary, It begins in a much slower way, with a dance between flashbacks and the present. during Gabimaru’s interrogation that gradually unravels his character and allows us to understand him perfectly.
The story still hasn’t fully gotten into the terrain of horror and psychological thriller, but it starts off on the right foot and has already been planting some seeds on these fronts. And of course, the structure and narrative of this first chapter are perfect to get hooked on the story and pull the thread.
Although it is not as action-packed, it does not mean that the anime of ‘Hell’s Paradise’ It has been badly stopped in terms of animation, only perhaps it seems that from the beginning it shines a little less than what the previous series of the studio have done. It is also true that the original drawing of the manga is a real beauty, but MAPPA has found a good balance with a really beautiful character design and has managed to resolve the most thoughtful and leisurely moments we’ve seen so far.
The first episode may not be a huge burst of action, but it lays the necessary groundwork and sparks the bug. If ‘Hell’s Paradise’ continues to maintain a good pace and a balance between action and thriller it will be able to stand out very well from the other action Shonen that are released this month, and it will come in handy to keep us hooked if we are looking for something a little different.
the sleeve of Yuji Kaku It was published between 2018 and 2021 and consists of 13 closed volumes. It has been confirmed thathis first season of ‘Hell’s Paradise’ will have 13 episodes, so we can expect at least a second season to fully adapt the manga. Every week we will have a new chapter on Crunchyroll… and now it’s time to see if the mysterious island is as terrible as it seems.
In Espinof | The most anticipated anime series of the year