Hell’s Paradise Episode 11

Tao Explained

For the second week in a row, Hell’s Paradise dumped a bunch of info on us. Episode 10 introduced Tao as a power system. And Episode 11 explained a lot more about Tao and how it’s used within Shinsenkyo.

So, as we already knew, all living things have Tao. But, not all living things can sense, see, or manipulate Tao. However, the humans who are on the island now are capable of learning to do those things. Shion can already “see” Tao. Choubei figured out how to manipulate it. And Gabimaru learned to do both.

I don’t know how long Hell’s Paradise is supposed to be. I don’t know if the manga is already over. But, I haven’t gotten the impression that it’s a very long series. After all, we’re already at Horai, which is where the Elixer of Life is.

With that said, everything to do with Tao has been happening way too fast. Both Choubei and Gabimaru figured it out in a matter of minutes. And as Gabimaru stated, he’s now on par with the Tensen. Where’s the character growth in that? Gabimaru saying that he now understands weakness isn’t real growth.

And the biggest issue with all this Tao stuff is how the explanations happened. The villains literally spelled it all out. As soon as our heroes defeated them, the villains explained everything about Tao. Suddenly, they didn’t care that this was going against the Tensen. What happened to their devotion?

Anyway, we also learned that normal people can “become one” with the plants on the island. Choubei fused with a few of the vines from the pit and can now recover his body like the Tensen. If he continues doing that, he may even turn into an immortal, too.

My Favorite Jutsu

Hell’s Paradise Episode 11 also explained what’s going on with Mei. As I predicted, she’s one of the Tensen. However, she appears to be a defective Tensen. Though, I suspect that’s not actually the case and Mei is secretly the most powerful of them all.

So, how is Mei defective? It turns out that there are five types of jutsu the Tensen and their followers can use. The most powerful of these jutsu is Bochu jutsu, which is just sex. Of course, I could have told them that was the best way to achieve enlightenment.

But, what makes the Tensen so special is that they can perform Bochu jutsu on their own. That’s what’s going on when they transition from male to female. The issue with Mei, though, is that she can’t do this. Mei can’t perform Bochu jutsu on her own by swapping her gender.

Because she’s “defective,” the leader of the Tensen scarred her body and banished her from Horai. But, being defective doesn’t make Mei useless. As part of her banishment from Horai, she was given to the followers of the Tensen. By using Mei, they too can perform Bochu jutsu.

Well, I’ve figured out my favorite jutsu. The Sexy jutsu from Naruto is so 2002. The Bochu jutsu is where it’s at now. And I wouldn’t mind performing it with Mei. In fact, that could be how Mei saves the day in the end. She might awaken some new kind of Tao through Bochu jutsu.

Bochu jutsu seems like it’s going to play an important role in the rest of the series. But, maybe not in the way you’d expect. I could see Yuzuriha want to perform Bochu jutsu with Gabimaru to get stronger. However, Gabimaru would decline.

Entering Horai

At the very end of Episode 11, Yuzuriha, Senta, Sagiri, and Hoko arrive in Horai. And when they open the giant doors, they come face-to-face with Mu Dan — one of the Tensen. Immediately, Mu Dan uses Tao to decapitate Hoko.

Did Mu Dan actually kill Hoko? We’ll have to wait until the next episode to find out. It’s very possible that he didn’t and this was just something he did because he and the Tensen are bullies. We know Hoko can regenerate, so he may be fine. But, I’m not sure if he can regenerate his head.

We know the Tensen can regenerate their heads. As Choubei learned, their navel is their weakness. However, we don’t know if the same is true for Hoko. If it is, he should be fine. But, if it’s not, he’s in a bit of trouble here.

I never got any sense that Hoko is able to use Tao. He knows what it is. But, he never claims to be able to use it. And he specifically says that his body’s regeneration is due to Tan, not Tao. Remember, Tan is the other name for the Elixer of Life.

My guess is that Hoko isn’t dead. Why? Because Yuzuriha, Senta, and Sagiri don’t know how to use Tao. As they are now, they have no way to kill Mu Dan — as far as we know. So, that’s why I’m pretty sure Hoko isn’t actually dead.

Even if Hoko can’t use Tao himself, he may be able to explain how to use it to them. Then, they’ll be able to stand a chance against Mu Dan. After that, Hoko can die. He already mentioned that he’s nearing the end of his life, anyway. So, it’ll happen at some point.

Conclusion

What do you think of Hell’s Paradise Episode 11? Did you think the villains explaining everything to our heroes was as stupid as I did? How do you feel about sex being the most powerful jutsu? And, do you think Hoko is still alive? Let me know in the comments.

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My review of Episode 12 is available now.