Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku

Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku (地獄楽) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yuji Kaku. It was serialized weekly for free on Shueisha's Shōnen Jump+ application and website from January 2018 to January 2021, with its chapters collected in 13 tankōbon volumes. Set in the Edo period of Japan, it follows the ninja Gabimaru and the executioner Yamada Asaemon Sagiri as they search for the elixir of immortality. Viz Media has licensed the series for English release in North America. An anime television series adaptation produced by MAPPA aired from April to July 2023. A second season has been announced.

Plot
Captured during an assassination mission, Gabimaru the Hollow is sentenced to be executed, but nothing seems to kill him due to his superhuman body. Believing his love for his wife to be subconsciously keeping him alive, executioner Yamada Asaemon Sagiri offers him the chance to be pardoned of all crimes by the Shogunate if he finds the elixir of life on Shinsenkyo, a legendary realm recently discovered southwest of the Ryukyu Kingdom. After losing five expedition teams sent to the island, this time the Shogunate sends a group of death row convicts. The convicts are each given a Yamada Asaemon executioner, who they must return with in order to obtain the pardon.

Main characters

 * Gabimaru (画眉丸)
 * The strongest ninja from Iwagakure, where he was taken from his parents as a child by the village chief and trained to become a killer. He is known as "Gabimaru the Hollow" (がらんの画眉丸) for his lack of emotion during his gruesome work. However, he is very much in love with his wife, the village chief's peace-loving daughter who treats him with kindness. When he wanted to cut ties with the village and live a normal life with his wife, the chief arranged for him to be captured and sentenced to death.
 * The strongest ninja from Iwagakure, where he was taken from his parents as a child by the village chief and trained to become a killer. He is known as "Gabimaru the Hollow" (がらんの画眉丸) for his lack of emotion during his gruesome work. However, he is very much in love with his wife, the village chief's peace-loving daughter who treats him with kindness. When he wanted to cut ties with the village and live a normal life with his wife, the chief arranged for him to be captured and sentenced to death.
 * The strongest ninja from Iwagakure, where he was taken from his parents as a child by the village chief and trained to become a killer. He is known as "Gabimaru the Hollow" (がらんの画眉丸) for his lack of emotion during his gruesome work. However, he is very much in love with his wife, the village chief's peace-loving daughter who treats him with kindness. When he wanted to cut ties with the village and live a normal life with his wife, the chief arranged for him to be captured and sentenced to death.


 * Sagiri (佐切)
 * A master swordswoman from the famed Yamada Asaemon family of executioners, where she is one of the only two female executioners in the clan. She recruits Gabimaru for the expedition after seeing his talent and strong will to live. Sagiri is ranked last, 12th, in the Yamada Asaemon hierarchy.
 * A master swordswoman from the famed Yamada Asaemon family of executioners, where she is one of the only two female executioners in the clan. She recruits Gabimaru for the expedition after seeing his talent and strong will to live. Sagiri is ranked last, 12th, in the Yamada Asaemon hierarchy.
 * A master swordswoman from the famed Yamada Asaemon family of executioners, where she is one of the only two female executioners in the clan. She recruits Gabimaru for the expedition after seeing his talent and strong will to live. Sagiri is ranked last, 12th, in the Yamada Asaemon hierarchy.

Death-Row Criminals
Criminals that the Shogunate chose to embark on the journey to Shinsenkyo and find the Elixir of Life with an assigned Yamada Asaemon executioner.
 * Yuzuriha (杠)
 * A self-centered, female ninja who is known as "Yuzuriha of Keishu" (傾主の杠).
 * A self-centered, female ninja who is known as "Yuzuriha of Keishu" (傾主の杠).
 * A self-centered, female ninja who is known as "Yuzuriha of Keishu" (傾主の杠).


 * Aza Chōbei (亜左 弔兵衛)
 * A leader of a gang of bandits in Iyo Province, and Toma's older brother.
 * A leader of a gang of bandits in Iyo Province, and Toma's older brother.
 * A leader of a gang of bandits in Iyo Province, and Toma's older brother.


 * Tamiya Gantetsusai (民谷 巌鉄斎)
 * A famous master swordsman on death row who is known as "Blade Dragon" (剣龍). Despite being somewhat lecherous and shallow, Gantetsusai's swordsmanship is unparalleled, as he can match many of the Yamada Asaemons in a duel. After the Shinsenkyo expedition, he is pardoned by the Shogunate and opens a swordsman dojo/medical clinic, the latter being a tribute to his executioner Fuchi.
 * A famous master swordsman on death row who is known as "Blade Dragon" (剣龍). Despite being somewhat lecherous and shallow, Gantetsusai's swordsmanship is unparalleled, as he can match many of the Yamada Asaemons in a duel. After the Shinsenkyo expedition, he is pardoned by the Shogunate and opens a swordsman dojo/medical clinic, the latter being a tribute to his executioner Fuchi.
 * A famous master swordsman on death row who is known as "Blade Dragon" (剣龍). Despite being somewhat lecherous and shallow, Gantetsusai's swordsmanship is unparalleled, as he can match many of the Yamada Asaemons in a duel. After the Shinsenkyo expedition, he is pardoned by the Shogunate and opens a swordsman dojo/medical clinic, the latter being a tribute to his executioner Fuchi.


 * Nurugai (ヌルガイ)
 * The last of the Sanka people. Nurugai was put on death row after she accidentally lured Shogunate samurai to her village—as the Sanka were a symbol of rebellion against the Shogunate, despite living normally. Due to her physique and behavior, she is often mistaken for a boy.
 * The last of the Sanka people. Nurugai was put on death row after she accidentally lured Shogunate samurai to her village—as the Sanka were a symbol of rebellion against the Shogunate, despite living normally. Due to her physique and behavior, she is often mistaken for a boy.
 * The last of the Sanka people. Nurugai was put on death row after she accidentally lured Shogunate samurai to her village—as the Sanka were a symbol of rebellion against the Shogunate, despite living normally. Due to her physique and behavior, she is often mistaken for a boy.


 * Rokurota (六呂田)
 * A fearsomely large and strong criminal. Nicknamed "The Giant of Bizen" (備前の巨人), Rokurota is a mentally undeveloped man as he possesses the mind of a baby—as he is unable to speak and cry as such when he is hungry. He is feared for his immense strength, having killed many people with his bare hands, often with a single strike, including his parents, several villagers, and Yamada Asaemons Eizen and Genji. Following an intense fight with Gabimaru and Sagiri, Rokurota gets beheaded by the latter.

Yamada Asaemon
The Yamada Asaemon (山田浅ェ門) is a prestigious swordsmen dojo in Edo. They train sword testers to become fully-fledged executioners for the Shogunate. Once fully trained, each swordsman has their name preceded by the title "Yamada Asaemon."


 * Tōma (桐馬)
 * The executioner assigned to Chōbei. He infiltrated the Yamada Asaemon in order to free Chōbei, who is his older brother.
 * The executioner assigned to Chōbei. He infiltrated the Yamada Asaemon in order to free Chōbei, who is his older brother.
 * The executioner assigned to Chōbei. He infiltrated the Yamada Asaemon in order to free Chōbei, who is his older brother.


 * Fuchi (付知)
 * The executioner assigned to Gantetsusai. He has a blond bob cut, a high level of medical knowledge, and is ranked ninth in the Yamada Asaemon hierarchy.
 * The executioner assigned to Gantetsusai. He has a blond bob cut, a high level of medical knowledge, and is ranked ninth in the Yamada Asaemon hierarchy.
 * The executioner assigned to Gantetsusai. He has a blond bob cut, a high level of medical knowledge, and is ranked ninth in the Yamada Asaemon hierarchy.


 * Shion (士遠)
 * The executioner assigned to Akaginu. He is blind and ranked fourth in the Yamada Asaemon hierarchy.
 * The executioner assigned to Akaginu. He is blind and ranked fourth in the Yamada Asaemon hierarchy.
 * The executioner assigned to Akaginu. He is blind and ranked fourth in the Yamada Asaemon hierarchy.


 * Tenza (典坐)
 * The executioner assigned to Nurugai. He is ranked 10th in the Yamada Asaemon hierarchy.
 * The executioner assigned to Nurugai. He is ranked 10th in the Yamada Asaemon hierarchy.
 * The executioner assigned to Nurugai. He is ranked 10th in the Yamada Asaemon hierarchy.


 * Senta (仙汰)
 * One of two executioners assigned to Yuzuriha. He is studious, chubby, wears glasses, and is ranked fifth in the Yamada Asaemon hierarchy. He originally wanted to be an artist but was forced to train and become a Yamada Asaemon. He hated having to kill people which is why he turned to the study of religions and he becomes captivated by Yuzuriha's freedom of spirit.
 * One of two executioners assigned to Yuzuriha. He is studious, chubby, wears glasses, and is ranked fifth in the Yamada Asaemon hierarchy. He originally wanted to be an artist but was forced to train and become a Yamada Asaemon. He hated having to kill people which is why he turned to the study of religions and he becomes captivated by Yuzuriha's freedom of spirit.
 * One of two executioners assigned to Yuzuriha. He is studious, chubby, wears glasses, and is ranked fifth in the Yamada Asaemon hierarchy. He originally wanted to be an artist but was forced to train and become a Yamada Asaemon. He hated having to kill people which is why he turned to the study of religions and he becomes captivated by Yuzuriha's freedom of spirit.


 * Shugen (殊現)
 * Leader of the second team sent to acquire the elixir after the Shogunate becomes impatient with the first. He is ranked second in the Yamada Asaemon hierarchy.
 * Leader of the second team sent to acquire the elixir after the Shogunate becomes impatient with the first. He is ranked second in the Yamada Asaemon hierarchy.
 * Leader of the second team sent to acquire the elixir after the Shogunate becomes impatient with the first. He is ranked second in the Yamada Asaemon hierarchy.


 * Eizen (衛善)
 * The first ranked and the head of the Yamada Asaemon. He was killed early in the Shinsenkyō expedition by Rokurota.
 * The first ranked and the head of the Yamada Asaemon. He was killed early in the Shinsenkyō expedition by Rokurota.


 * Kishō (期聖)


 * Genji (源嗣)
 * One of two executioners assigned to Yuzuriha.
 * One of two executioners assigned to Yuzuriha.


 * Jikka (ジッカ)
 * The third ranked Asaemon who's known to be the laziest of the clan. After the Shinsenkyō expedition which involved the deaths of Eizen and Shugen, he became the current head of the Yamada Asaemon.
 * The third ranked Asaemon who's known to be the laziest of the clan. After the Shinsenkyō expedition which involved the deaths of Eizen and Shugen, he became the current head of the Yamada Asaemon.

Tensen

 * (Yang Form)
 * (Yin Form)
 * The Tensen are powerful beings living in the Horai at the center of the island who have mastered the five levels of Tao, culminating in their ability to use qi to shift between yin and yang, female and male humanoid forms. Through the use of the elixir which they call Tan, their plant-like bodies are able to regenerate themselves, making them virtually immortal. They are served by Doshi, sentient half-human beings who are on the path to mastering Tao, and are a level above the mindless Soshin, who are monsters with the appearance of various deities and attack anyone who arrives on the island. Rien is the leader of the group, while the other members are called Zhu Jin, Mu Dan, Ran, Gui Fa, Tao Fa and Ju Fa.
 * The Tensen are powerful beings living in the Horai at the center of the island who have mastered the five levels of Tao, culminating in their ability to use qi to shift between yin and yang, female and male humanoid forms. Through the use of the elixir which they call Tan, their plant-like bodies are able to regenerate themselves, making them virtually immortal. They are served by Doshi, sentient half-human beings who are on the path to mastering Tao, and are a level above the mindless Soshin, who are monsters with the appearance of various deities and attack anyone who arrives on the island. Rien is the leader of the group, while the other members are called Zhu Jin, Mu Dan, Ran, Gui Fa, Tao Fa and Ju Fa.


 * Mei (メイ)
 * A mysterious little girl with limited ability to speak who lives on the island. She has the powers of the Tensen but has been used by the yang Doshi as a yin sexual "training partner" against her will for centuries.
 * A mysterious little girl with limited ability to speak who lives on the island. She has the powers of the Tensen but has been used by the yang Doshi as a yin sexual "training partner" against her will for centuries.
 * A mysterious little girl with limited ability to speak who lives on the island. She has the powers of the Tensen but has been used by the yang Doshi as a yin sexual "training partner" against her will for centuries.

Iwagakure

 * Yui (ユイ)
 * The eighth daughter of the Village Chief and Gabimaru's wife.
 * The eighth daughter of the Village Chief and Gabimaru's wife.

Production
Yuji Kaku originated Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku from a framework that had "several pairs of people whose interests aren't aligned [being] thrown into an enclosed space and forced to work together." The story was initially about children sent to a youth detention center and the lawyers fighting for them. But through discussions with his editor, the setting was dropped and they added different characters to the same framework, which was kept because Kaku has always liked the way human relationships change and wanted to write a story about that. He felt a Shinsenkyo setting would work with any type of story and be easy to write, and thought it would be more interesting if a character "who isn't supposed to die" finds themselves in a near-death situation.

The storyboards for the first three chapters of the manga were brought to the Shōnen Jump+ editorial staff in 2017. A big fan of Kaku's art since Fantasma in Jump Square, Hideaki Sakakibara enthusiastically volunteered to take on the series and became its second editor with chapters two and three. He believed that Hell's Paradise was the "mainstream battle fantasy" series that Shōnen Jump+ was still lacking and could become a best-seller in print. Sakakibara was initially concerned with the "multi-protagonist story" of the prisoners, executioners, and the island's creatures. Although he thought having the Battle Royale-style story in a manga would be interesting, he worried it would cause a badly paced story where they would have to split up the pages between characters and be unable to show the main characters' actions as much. However, he credits Kaku's genius at quickly and simply introducing characters and his drawing talent for making it all work.

Kaku and Sakakibara planned out what was going to happen in sets of 10 chapters, or a whole volume. At first, Kaku wrote the story with Gabimaru as the protagonist and with a focus on his growth. But while writing, he realized the themes had shifted towards the Middle Way, paradoxes, and conflict and felt it should be Sagiri who deals with those, "so for me, Sagiri became the protagonist of the latter half". The editor gave Kaku free rein as far as illustrations were concerned. Sakakibara said that from the first chapter the series has had "extreme" illustrations, which has resulted in popularity among readers, but made it hard for new readers to get into. Towards the end of 2019, he and Kaku were trying to earn more female readers. With Kaku having been a former manga editor himself, Sakakibara said it is easy to communicate things to him as the artist is quick to figure out what he means. However, Kaku admitted that this has caused him to unconsciously hold back creatively by thinking objectively like an editor. As his first serial on a digital platform, Kaku said he was conscious of how speech bubbles and text needed to be larger for smartphones and drew double-page spreads so that looking at one page at a time did not feel strange.

Kaku created details and backstories for every character in Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku, regardless of whether or not they were actually included in the series. He always intended for Gabimaru, with his extreme attachment to love, and Sagiri, with her concerns about being a woman, to have the same values as someone living in the 2020s, saying, "Despite condemned criminals and executioners being difficult characters to empathize with, if they share our perspective, then we feel close to them, and they stand out as unique characters" in the Edo period, when people had totally different ideas about ethics and human rights. When Kaku first described the character Shion to Sakakibara, the editor imagined him like Kazuo Kiriyama from Battle Royale. But after talking it over, Shion became the kind teacher he is in the manga, while the crazy personality was given to Shugen instead.

Yukinobu Tatsu, the author of Dandadan, was one of the assistants of the manga.

Manga
Written and illustrated by Yuji Kaku, Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku began weekly serialization on the Shōnen Jump+ application and website on January 22, 2018. The series ended with the 127th chapter on January 25, 2021. The chapters were collected and published into 13 tankōbon volumes by Shueisha between December 4, 2020 and April 30, 2021. Shueisha also simultaneously published the series in English for free on the Manga Plus app and website. Special chapters have been published in Weekly Shōnen Jump, in issue No. 27/28 on August 6, 2018 and issue No. 28 on June 10, 2019. A special one-shot, titled "Forest of Misfortune" (勿怪の森), was published on Shōnen Jump+ on April 8, 2023.

Jigokuraku ~Saikyō no Nukenin Gaman no Gabimaru~ (じごくらく 〜最強の抜け忍 がまんの画眉丸〜), a comedic spin-off manga created by Ōhashi, began serialization on Shōnen Jump+ on January 20, 2020. It ended with the 21st chapter on June 29, 2020. The chapters were collected and published into one tankōbon on September 4, 2020.

Viz Media began publishing Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku in English digitally on their website for free on May 17, 2018. They released the 13 volumes in print from March 17, 2020, to March 15, 2022.

Anime
An anime television series adaptation was announced by Weekly Shōnen Jump in January 2021. It is produced by MAPPA and directed by Kaori Makita, with Akira Kindaichi writing the scripts, Koji Hisaki designing the characters, and Yoshiaki Dewa composing the music. The series aired from April 1 to July 1, 2023, on TV Tokyo and other networks. The opening theme song is "Work" by Ringo Sheena and Millennium Parade, while the ending theme song is "Kamihitoe" by Uru. Crunchyroll has licensed the series for streaming in America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, and CIS, while Netflix has licensed the series in Asia Pacific (excluding Mainland China, Australia, New Zealand).

A second season was announced after the airing of the thirteenth episode.

Other media
A novel adaptation, Jigokuraku: Utakata no Yume (地獄楽 うたかたの夢), was written by Sakaku Hishikawa and published on September 4, 2019. A second novel, Jigokuraku: Namima no Tsuioku (地獄楽 波間の追憶), followed on April 4, 2023. Shueisha published Jigokuraku: Kaitai Shinsho (地獄楽 解体新書) on April 30, 2021. The "fan book" includes character profiles, concept art, new manga stories, and an interview with Tatsuki Fujimoto.

An exhibition of Kaku's manuscripts and illustrations from the series was held at Tokyo Manga Salon Trigger from November 3–9, 2018. Another exhibition was held at Tower Records in Shibuya from August 29 to September 22, 2020, where collaborative goods designed just for the event were sold.

Gabimaru is a playable character in the July 2022 Nintendo Switch video game Captain Velvet Meteor: The Jump+ Dimensions.

A stage play adaptation of Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku ran at Hulic Hall in Tokyo from February 16–26, 2023. A second play, titled Hell's Paradise -Final Chapter-, ran at Theatre 1010 in Tokyo and at the TT Hall of the Cool Japan Park in Osaka from February 15–25, 2024.

Sales
In August 2018, Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku was cited as the most popular series on Shōnen Jump+. Over 1 million copies of the series were in circulation by June 2019, a number that grew to 2.5 million by August 2020, and more than 3.6 million by April 2021. By December 2022, the manga had sold over 4 million copies. Volume two of the series sold 16,328 copies during its first week of release. Volume four sold 20,139 its first week, while volume five sold 45,912 copies. The thirteenth and final volume of the series sold 39,759 copies in its first week.

Critical reception
Publishers Weekly wrote that the mysterious first volume and Kaku's detailed illustrations, which they found to be reminiscent of Junji Ito's horror manga and give the series an unsettling, gruesome charm, start the series off with promise. Reviewing the first chapter for The Fandom Post, Chris Beveridge gave it a B grade for its artwork, interesting ideas and covering a lot of ground in its setup so it can move forward. The end reveal reminded him of the novel Annihilation. However, he felt the structure was a little awkward and expressed concern that it would fall into the "usual manga storytelling traps." In a review of the second collected volume, Beveridge's colleague Richard Gutierrez said that while the nightmarishly beautiful images and action might be what initially draws in readers, it is the "underlying complex character construction within this sadistic story which forces us to stay."

Leroy Douresseaux called Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku volume 1 as one of the best first volumes of a manga tankōbon/graphic novel that he has ever read in a 9/10 review for Comic Book Bin. He stated that Kaku enthralls readers with the mysteries of the island while his illustrations are "like taking some of the most shocking art from the legendary EC Comics' horror titles and multiplying it by the power of 10." Kiara Halls of Comic Book Resources called the first volume a "great, emotional bloodbath" that provides "bloody, classic shonen action with uncommonly sincere emotional depth." She explained that while establishing the relationship between Sagiri and Gabimaru forms the crux of the volume, it's an uncommon one as their bond is "of mutual respect formed by an emotional connection," not of dominance or lust. That coupled with "solid, detailed art and supernatural intrigue," had Halls call the series a potential breakout hit.

Reviewing the first volume for Anime News Network, Rebecca Silverman and Faye Hopper both gave it 3.5 stars out of 5. Both critics praised the main characters Sagiri and Gabimaru and their relationship, with Hopper stating the way their struggles mirror and allow each other to empathize and grow despite their opposed roles is executed with "thoughtfulness and real power, and imbues a gritty, gory seinen with heart." Silverman felt that despite containing some elements derivative of other works, Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku manages to make them into "a story worth paying attention to" and is entertaining. Hopper wrote that while the violent manga is not for everyone, it has terrific, macabre art, a solid hook, and rich characters, and she admires it for showing how "casual, uncritical brutality hurts the soul, and that revulsion to it is normal and should be accepted."

Accolades
With 16,510 votes, Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku came in at eleventh place in the Web Manga Category of the 2018 Next Manga Awards, organized by Niconico and Da Vinci magazine. The series ranked fourth on Honya Club's Nationwide Bookstore Employees' Recommended Comics of 2018 list, compiled by surveying 1,100 professional bookstore employees in Japan. In the 2019 edition of Kono Manga ga Sugoi!, which surveys people in the manga and publishing industry, Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku was one of the three series tied for sixteenth place on its list of the best manga series for male readers.

Critical reception
Digital Spy's Ali Griffiths described in his review of the series' premiere that Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku makes up a group affectionately known as the "dark trio of shōnen" by anime fans along with Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man due to their similar tone and themes, especially compared with their peppier peers. Ali praised the show's character-building, action, animation, visuals, humor, and the handling of Gabimaru's versions of his story which tells about "how he's feeling and what he wishes he'd done differently". He felt that some fans might found that the opening episode of the series was a little slow, but stating that "the way it centers the backstory of its protagonist and immediately emphasises the relationship between Gabimaru and Sagiri is emblematic of the kind of character-first action show they're hoping it will be."

MrAJCosplay of Anime News Network reviewed the first three episodes of the series. While praising the anime for its colors, sound design and animation, he considered Sagiri's character as "strong" and endeared on how she can see right through Gabimaru's façade. He felt that "her decision regarding walking down the path of an executioner and characterization as a stickler for the rules wasn't the direction he expected the show to go." Her introduction in episodes two and three was considered to be a "little inconsistent", although he needs more time to root her. He also noting that Gabimaru was one of his favorite characters, while he found the character's backstory as "sweet" due to the subversion of his mentality.

Accolades
Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku ranked third in the anime category of Yahoo! Japan Search Awards, based on the number of searches for a particular term compared to the year before. The series was nominated at the 8th Crunchyroll Anime Awards in eight categories: Best New Series, Best Fantasy, Best Art Direction (e-caesar), Best Character Design (Kouji Hisaki), Best Opening Sequence and Best Anime Song ("Work" by Ringo Sheena and Millennium Parade), Best Voice Artist Performance – English (Marisa Duran as Sagiri Yamada Asaemon), and Best Voice Artist Performance – French (Yoan Sover as Gabimaru).