(CR) Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku

[Obelisk ze Tormentor]

Originally Posted by Tenzen12

Inspiration can be anything, but concept is much more similiar to Suicide Squad, then Ruorni Kenshin.

I did say that "It's like making an anime for the Juppon Gatana (+ female Battousai)". I'm not saying that the entire concept of the show is like Rurouni Kenshin. Just the fact that some of these "red seal" convicts are kinda similar to Juppon. You have the little man, the monk, the lady, the giant, the snarky girl & the blonde punk.

[Kanon]

I can't exactly tell why but I'm finding this anime riveting. Unless it goes completely off the rails once they get to the island, I'll probably read the manga once this season ends, especially since the art is great.

Originally Posted by Frontier

Oh hey, Takuya Eguchi! Playing what seems like the main Yamada Asaemon guy Eizen! He seems like kind of a mentor or older brother figure for Sagiri, someone who cares for her but still seems to underestimate her because of her sex and disposition. He seems cool enough otherwise, but I'm also suspicious of him .

He didn't seem suspicious to me. And I wouldn't say he underestimates Sagiri because she's a woman, it was made pretty clear he's been sensing fear and hesitation in her blade ever since she started the job and that's the reason he thinks she's not cut out for it. He was also obviously trying to protect her by having her step down, since it should be clear to anyone this is a suicide mission.

I have no doubt at least one of the Yamadas will turn out to secretly be a complete psycho but not him IMO. Hey, I just realized I'm watching two anime on Saturdays where the heroine's name is Yamada. But it is a very common name.

I love big boobs as much as the next guy but considering the courtesan is nicknamed "the cannibal", I would put my dick nowhere near her.

Originally Posted by serenade_beta

So how did they capture these superhuman criminals? Are the samurai that strong? All of them? And these samurais are at risk of getting turned into flowers too, right?

They're supposed to kill the criminals if they ever step out of line, so yeah, they're supposed to be as strong or stronger than them. Remember Gabimaru felt his head would have been cut off if he hadn't narrowly avoided Sagiri's blade in the first episode. In fact, she's the only one who managed to make him bleed.

[Wandering Soul]

Originally Posted by grecefar

If they had a list with the red seals on who were the best and the most powerful of the bunch then why make them kill each other?, just for the sick pleasure of the shogun?

Pretty much. Dude was enjoying the show while his retainers considered it wasteful.

[Alchemist007]

Much better ep 2, gore galore and I'm liking the female samurai's character.

[Frontier]

Originally Posted by Kanon

He didn't seem suspicious to me. And I wouldn't say he underestimates Sagiri because she's a woman, it was made pretty clear he's been sensing fear and hesitation in her blade ever since she started the job and that's the reason he thinks she's not cut out for it. He was also obviously trying to protect her by having her step down, since it should be clear to anyone this is a suicide mission.

That's fair. Just his composure + the eyepatch makes me suspicious .

I have no doubt at least one of the Yamadas will turn out to secretly be a complete psycho but not him IMO. Hey, I just realized I'm watching two anime on Saturdays where the heroine's name is Yamada. But it is a very common name.

There's even one male Yamada who has his name in the title of his show on Saturdays .

I love big boobs as much as the next guy but considering the courtesan is nicknamed "the cannibal", I would put my dick nowhere near her.

I'm guessing she devoured men both sexually and literally .

[FlareKnight]

I sure hope Sagiri's line near the end isn't meant to imply that the executioners are to kill the prisoners immediately after they secure the elixir of life and that the whole pardon thing is a total farce. Not that I'm concerned for Gabimaru's life since I'm sure he could kill Sagiri when armed and serious to do so. But the lack of a legitimate pardon would make the whole thing a waste of time for him.

If it's just her affirming that she could bring herself to kill him if needed that's fine. But just not a great idea to plan to betray people that could get this job done.

Eyepatch guy seemed ok to me. Mostly since he's been right. Sagiri hasn't shown herself to be mentally fit for the job and that hasn't improved over time. Things are looking better for her now, but fair enough for him to point it out. All the more so with this being a suicide mission risking a lot for the greed of the Shogun.

[Frontier]

Originally Posted by FlareKnight

I sure hope Sagiri's line near the end isn't meant to imply that the executioners are to kill the prisoners immediately after they secure the elixir of life and that the whole pardon thing is a total farce. Not that I'm concerned for Gabimaru's life since I'm sure he could kill Sagiri when armed and serious to do so. But the lack of a legitimate pardon would make the whole thing a waste of time for him.

If it's just her affirming that she could bring herself to kill him if needed that's fine. But just not a great idea to plan to betray people that could get this job done.

Eyepatch guy seemed ok to me. Mostly since he's been right. Sagiri hasn't shown herself to be mentally fit for the job and that hasn't improved over time. Things are looking better for her now, but fair enough for him to point it out. All the more so with this being a suicide mission risking a lot for the greed of the Shogun.

Sagiri doesn't seem like the dishonest type or the type of person who would lead someone on for her own benefit, unless she's a lot more complicated, though I guess it's entirely possible that not everybody knows what's really going on.

[grecefar]

I too seriously doubt that the pardon is real.

[frubam]

This second episode was a better than the first, most notably due to the direction they took with focusing on Sagiri. Gabimaru's introduction was false, with him acting like his wife was an annoyance(even though it was obv that it was the opposite). I think it would have given more insight to him as a character being introduced if he was just shown to be honest with himself. Seeing this in Sagiri made me empathize with her easier, and was more understanding of her perspective.

Action was on point. Gabi don't play, lol. Yamada members look remind me of a lot of squads you find in your Bleachs Narutos etc.... which means one of them gonna be a traitor . But seriously, the Yamada members + the criminals should make for some interesting friction. And I'm sure many of them have good backstories waiting to be revealed. Really looking forward to it =03.

Originally Posted by Frontier

Sagiri doesn't seem like the dishonest type or the type of person who would lead someone on for her own benefit, unless she's a lot more complicated, though I guess it's entirely possible that not everybody knows what's really going on.

Agree. That kind of character wouldn't have the weight of criminals on her conscious.

Originally Posted by grecefar

I too seriously doubt that the pardon is real.

This is why I was a bit disappointed the Shogun seemed like an idiot, by his own henchman's testimony. If he was shown to be more honorable, elegant, and/or intelligent, then at least I could assume he'd be a man of his word. And in the event he wouldn't be for this particular scenario, it would be quite the twist at the end.

Honestly, if the convicts CAN escape, they probably could get by just hiding themselves. No need to go back to the enemy headquarters and taking a risk of getting captured/killed/betrayed anyway.

[Tenzen12]

Originally Posted by Obelisk ze Tormentor

I did say that "It's like making an anime for the Juppon Gatana (+ female Battousai)". I'm not saying that the entire concept of the show is like Rurouni Kenshin. Just the fact that some of these "red seal" convicts are kinda similar to Juppon. You have the little man, the monk, the lady, the giant, the snarky girl & the blonde punk.

Hmm.... No, I don't think I can see it. well that doesn't mean it's not true, but
i do think it's arbitrary comparison.

[scififan]

Originally Posted by Tenzen12

Hmm.... No, I don't think I can see it. well that doesn't mean it's not true, but
i do think it's arbitrary comparison.

It is more as every viewer has his or her interpretation based the past viewing experience. For me, the show reminds me about 80's Japanese samurai movie, which is probably based on some novel. In the movie, the inmate on the death sentence are pardoned by shogun government, on term they have to work as their spies/secret police. The same plot has been used in the manga Blade of Immortal.

Also, the meaning of this show's title(and Tengoku Daimakyou) is ironic. Jigokuraku is usually translated as hell. Raku is either music or the state of happiness. Rakuen is usually translated as paradise, sometimes heaven. For some reason, translators decide to use paradise instead of happiness. Tengoku is usually translated as sky kingdom, or heaven. Dai means great, an makyou is usually translated as devil realm, or state of delusion.

[Kanon]

Originally Posted by frubam

Honestly, if the convicts CAN escape, they probably could get by just hiding themselves. No need to go back to the enemy headquarters and taking a risk of getting captured/killed/betrayed anyway.

We still know next to nothing about them but I'd wager most of the convicts are planning to off their assigned Yamada and be on their merry way. Either that or taking the elixir for themselves.

Gabimaru may just be the only one actually counting on the pardon.

[Frontier]

Originally Posted by frubam

This is why I was a bit disappointed the Shogun seemed like an idiot, by his own henchman's testimony. If he was shown to be more honorable, elegant, and/or intelligent, then at least I could assume he'd be a man of his word. And in the event he wouldn't be for this particular scenario, it would be quite the twist at the end.

Honestly, if the convicts CAN escape, they probably could get by just hiding themselves. No need to go back to the enemy headquarters and taking a risk of getting captured/killed/betrayed anyway.

To me what stood out was how much of a sadist the Shogun is, which is probably part of the appeal to him to sending all these people condemned to die to a place where a bunch of them are likely to die for his benefit even if he can't personally see it.

Originally Posted by Kanon

We still know next to nothing about them but I'd wager most of the convicts are planning to off their assigned Yamada and be on their merry way. Either that or taking the elixir for themselves.

Gabimaru may just be the only one actually counting on the pardon.

Considering how dangerous some of them are, I'm genuinely curious how they even got caught in the first place. We know Gabimaru basically got tricked and surprised by a bunch of people I assume were of similar level to him, but I doubt any normal scrub could catch a lot of the Red Mark convicts.

Considering the way she acts I was starting to wonder if Yuzuriha let herself get caught. Or maybe she went through something similar to Gabimaru.

[Tenzen12]

i doubt that's the case. It wouldn't make lot of sense if only criminals had "super powers", while actual standing army of rulling class was completely made of noobs. If anything rich and influental people would have better means to find and nurture talents.

Yamada people were already proven to be at least on a par, and that's only single clan.

[Guardian Enzo]

This is well done and the premise is interesting but this episode mostly just felt like violence porn to me. The less that's the case in future the better it'll be.

Not everyone knows but in the Tokugawa era Japan's caste system was as rigid as India's. It's theoretically abolished now but "untouchables" (kemare) are still heavily discriminated against. That term was applied to anyone whose work involved death, and executioners were very much included in that. The entire Yamada clan would have been shunned by the higher castes.

[frubam]

Originally Posted by Frontier

To me what stood out was how much of a sadist the Shogun is, which is probably part of the appeal to him to sending all these people condemned to die to a place where a bunch of them are likely to die for his benefit even if he can't personally see it.

Ah, yeah, the way he was enjoying the fighting. I was thinking it was standard trope for a high-ranking member of the shogunate to enjoy brutal combat, which may(or may not) be seen as "civil" in their hierarchy, but on second pass, the way his eyes was, I guess it was more than just that. Still, it reinforces the notion that he is an idiot(and probably a puppet) that can't be trusted.

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

Not everyone knows but in the Tokugawa era Japan's caste system was as rigid as India's. It's theoretically abolished now but "untouchables" (kemare) are still heavily discriminated against. That term was applied to anyone whose work involved death, and executioners were very much included in that. The entire Yamada clan would have been shunned by the higher castes.

Ahh.... I wonder if this could be the reason these seemingly "powerful" members of their clan are being used to watch these high level criminals. If these criminals are this powerful, I wouldn't suspect a shogun to send such(assumingly) powerful members of a clan that they have control of, to their deaths. Even if they were very powerful, their role would mean they would be treated as disposable commodities. It does make me wonder if there are other "clans" that have different responsibilities, but are of equal footing to the Yamadas in terms of strength, but not social status(assuming what I said would be true).

[Kanon]

I ended up marathoning the manga and I have to say it didn't live up to the expectations the first two episodes set for me. It's pretty much 90% fighting past this point, with 10% being spent on solving the mystery of the island. Standard shounen fare through and through that mostly stands out thanks to its amazing art and violence. It does have really good fights and aesthetics though, so if Mappa brings up their A game it should be good. I'm looking forward to seeing some parts animated.

Should also add the characters are also great, though pretty much all but one are bound by tropes. I won't say anything more than that.

[Wandering Soul]

Originally Posted by Kanon

I ended up marathoning the manga and I have to say it didn't live up to the expectations the first two episodes set for me. It's pretty much 90% fighting past this point, with 10% being spent on solving the mystery of the island. Standard shounen fare through and through that mostly stands out thanks to its amazing art and violence. It does have really good fights and aesthetics though, so if Mappa brings up their A game it should be good. I'm looking forward to seeing some parts animated.

Should also add the characters are also great, though pretty much all but one are bound by tropes. I won't say anything more than that.

As someone that also read the manga, mind PMing me which one character you felt wasn't bound by tropes. I'm trying to figure out who you're referring to and I can't pin down any one for certain.

[HandofFate]

I kind of agree with all the other characters talking down to Sagiri.
Don't think she's cut out for the job she thinks she wants at all.

[Obelisk ze Tormentor]

I like that we already see some characters dying in the background this soon in the game (if they're really dead). It's a good twist but now the story needs to do something compelling & thrilling with the remaining characters that we have left to justify getting rid of some characters with potential.