Nurugai’s Teenage Girl Energy

Hell’s Paradise Episode 13 continues the trend of not actually explaining Tao. And for the person who tried to tell me that last week’s episode explained things, it didn’t. Saying that there are Tao strengths and weaknesses isn’t actually explaining anything.

How do the different types of Tao interact? What are the different types of Tao? As far as we know, Tao type is determined on an individual, case-by-case basis. So we have no idea how someone’s Tao will interact with other characters’ Tao until we’re told. And that’s precisely what happened in Episode 13.

Previously, we knew that Sagiri’s Tao was super effective against Mu Dan’s Tao. And I believe Mu Dan mentioned that Yuzuriha’s Tao wasn’t very effective against his own. In Episode 13, we also learned how Shion’s and Nurugai’s Tao types interact with some of these others, as well.

Shion’s Tao, like Sagiri’s, is supper effective against Mu Dan’s. So, does that mean they have the same Tao type? We don’t know because Mu Dan didn’t say that was the case. All he said was that Shion’s Tao was also effective against his own. It could be the same as Sagiri’s or it could be different.

But, one hint that they have the same Tao type is how their Tao interacts with Nurugai’s. Nurugai’s Tao compliments Shion’s and Sagiri’s and restores theirs. But, Nurugai’s Tao also has no effect on Yuzuriha’s. And, why does Nurugai’s Tao have the ability to restore Tao, anyway?

Does Nurugai have the same Tao type as Shion and Sagiri? If Shion hugged Sagiri, would it restore Sagiri’s Tao? Or is that just a trait of Nurugai’s specific Tao? We have no idea. And this is the major issue with Hell’s Paradise’s power system.

Affiliate

Affiliate

Godslayer Shion

In the final episode of the season, we witnessed the first of the seven Tensen die. Shion, Sagiri, and Nurugai fought and killed Mu Dan (with some support from Yuzuriha and Senta). And now that one’s down, the others don’t seem all that dangerous.

Well, I should say that the others don’t seem all that dangerous if our heroes fight them one by one. If the remaining Tensen all fought together, the humans may have a hard time. But, we should also keep in mind that humanity’s strongest didn’t go up against Mu Dan.

Shion and Sagiri are definitely strong. But, from what we’ve seen, Gabimaru and Choubei are the true monsters of humanity. So, if those two were also fighting alongside the other humans, the battle might not be so difficult. At this point, it seems like Gabimaru could defeat a Tensen solo.

But, are we really going to see the Tensen all work together? I doubt it. That’s not typically how shounen battle series work. There are usually one or two villains who are stronger than the heroes on an individual basis. And to defeat them, we see the heroes work together (or surpass their limits).

Even when there are groups of villains, they don’t fight as a group. Think about how the Akatsuki members fought in Naruto: Shippūden. They came at the heroes pretty much one by one and got defeated in turn. If they all worked together, they would have won.

And even when villains do work together, the fights often get broken up into groups. For example, if two of the Tensen fought “together,” we’d probably see them each take on a different group of humans. That turns what would be a team fight into two separate fights.

HobbyLink Japan

Shop Now

Affiliate

HobbyLink Japan

The best place to buy and ship products from Japan!

Shop Now

Affiliate

Everything Gabimaru Knows Is a Lie

Yuzuriha brought up a good point toward the end of Episode 13. It was in response to Sagiri saying that the Elixer of Life must be real because Gabimaru believes in it. As you’ll remember, Gabimaru told Sagiri that the leader of Iwagakure is immortal.

Since he’s immortal, the Elixer of Life must exist, even if it’s not on this island. Right? Well, Yuzuriha isn’t so sure. Her interpretation of that story is that Gabimaru was tricked. He witnessed the village leader’s immortality as a child. And what are children? Gullible.

By making the villagers believe he’s immortal, the leader can control them. They’ll never even consider rebelling because there’s no point — they can’t kill him. So, this is what Gabimaru believed for his entire life. But, there’s no proof that it’s true. It could all be an illusion meant to control.

And, I think Yuzuriha has a point here. Apparently, Iwagakure’s leader is coming to the island in search of the Elixer. Why would he do that if he was already immortal? To stop others from becoming immortal? That’s possible. But the more likely answer is that he’s not immortal and wants to be.

However, while I agree with that part of Yuzuriha’s theory, I don’t agree with the rest. She also says that Gabimaru’s wife might not exist. His wife might be a false memory used to control him. And, to her credit, Yuzuriha has some good points about that, too.

But, I don’t believe that’s the case. The main flaw with this theory is that Gabimaru’s wife did the exact opposite. Her existence didn’t make Gabimaru a more loyal shinobi. It made him rebel against Iwagakure and renounce his shinobi ways. She showed Gabimaru that there’s more to life.

Conclusion

What do you think of the final episode of Hell’s Paradise (Season 1)? Would a hug from a cute teenage girl give you more energy? Do you see the Tensen as threats still? And how much of Gabimaru’s memory do you think is correct? Let me know in the comments.

I’ve also heard that Hell’s Paradise Season 2 was confirmed. However, I haven’t actually seen this confirmation myself. The only evidence I’ve seen news organizations pointing to is the teaser at the end of this episode. That’s not a confirmation. It didn’t explicitly state a new season was on the way. And there haven’t been any announcements on social media.

Of course, that doesn’t mean I don’t think a second season will happen. All I’m saying is that there’s no confirmation yet.

If you enjoyed this review, remember to click the like button down below. Also, follow me on your social media of choice — links are in the footer.

Finally, I’d like to thank Roman and JasonHK for supporting DoubleSama.com at the Heika tier this month. To learn more about how to become a supporter of this blog, check out Patreon.com/DoubleSama.

Join Server

Discord Community

Discuss anime, manga, and more with our members!

Join Server

The Elixer of Life Is a Lie

Hell’s Paradise Episode 12 revealed the truth about the island. It’s not the legendary Shinsenkyo and there is no Elixer of Life there. Instead, the island is a place for human experimentation. Oh, and the souls of the dead don’t get to go to Horai.

So, what does this all mean? Well, it’s not good news for any of our heroes. And Hoko has it worst of all. He believed that his soul and the souls of all the other villagers went to paradise. But, Mu Dan tells him that’s not true.

Mu Dan shattered Hoko’s entire belief system with a single sentence. Why did all the villagers turn into trees? They were being experimented on by the Tensen and their leader. They were prototypes. That’s all there is to it. They weren’t being blessed by gods.

For the criminals on the island, the fact that there’s no Elixer of Life on the island is bad news. If they don’t return with the Elixer, they won’t receive a pardon. And, I’m going to assume it would be bad for the Yamada Asaemon to return empty-handed, too.

But, despite what Mu Dan said, the Elixer of Life does seem to be real. The leader of Iwagakure is immortal. And from what we saw, he doesn’t have the same kind of immortality as the Tensen. His body isn’t made of plants. He’s just immortal. Though, there does seem to be a catch.

As Mu Dan mentioned in this episode, there are different kinds of “immortality.” Eternal life and eternal youth aren’t the same. Considering what the leader of Iwagakure looks like, he probably has eternal life. So, he could be heading to the island in search of eternal youth. But, does that even exist?

Affiliate

Affiliate

Tao Strengths and Weaknesses

We’re 12 episodes in, and the concept of Tao strengths and weaknesses now exists. The thing is, we don’t really know anything about it. We know there are different types of Tao. And we know Mu Dan is weak to Sagiri’s type of Tao.

So, here’s the part of the review where I complain. Hell’s Paradise is a shounen battle series. That means it’s like Naruto, One Piece, Dragon Ball, My Hero Academia, etc. And for a shounen battle series, the power system is kind of a big deal.

Naruto has chakra. One Piece has devil fruits and haki. Dragon Ball has ki or something (I don’t know, I don’t watch Dragon Ball). And My Hero Academia has quirks. Hell’s Paradise has Tao. But, we don’t know anything about it — and that’s a problem.

Without a well-defined power system, fights don’t aren’t very interesting. If there aren’t set rules, then anything can happen. And it’s not fun when things suddenly happen out of nowhere. You don’t want a fight to be predictable. But, you want it to have structure. Hell’s Paradise still doesn’t have that structure.

Now, you might be thinking that’s fine. We’re only 12 episodes in, after all. The series is only getting started, right? Not quite. From my understanding, Season 1 is going to cover about 1/3 of the manga. And the manga is complete. So, we’re a third of the way into the series and still don’t have a defined power system.

Meanwhile, Naruto introduced us to chakra and jutsu in the very first episode. That’s the standard for shounen battle series. They pretty much all do that except for Hell’s Paradise. And because of that, I have no interest in the fights in this series.

HobbyLink Japan

Shop Now

Affiliate

HobbyLink Japan

The best place to buy and ship products from Japan!

Shop Now

Affiliate

Umbrella and Ink

Even though I have my complaints about Episode 12, one good thing did come out of it. Senta is dead. At least, I hope he’s dead. It’s very possible that the others somehow turn him back into a human with some magic. Hopefully, that doesn’t happen.

I’m going to guess Senta is gone for good, though. We got his little tragic backstory right before he died. So, there’s no real reason to bring him back. I could only see it happening for Yuzuriha’s character arc. But, she’ll probably develop fine without Senta’s involvement.

Also, I have to say, Senta’s tragic backstory wasn’t very interesting. He wanted to be a painter, but his parents said no. He had to become an executioner instead. So, he gave up on his dream of painting. That’s it. That’s his entire backstory. It was on par with a Demon Slayer backstory.

At this point, I’m wondering what’s going to happen to Yuzuriha. She’s the only human on the island without a partner. So, unless someone else dies and she partners up with their “other half,” she’s on her own. And being alone doesn’t seem very good on this island.

Of course, she’s not really alone. She has Sagiri and Gabimaru. But, she’s kind of a third wheel there. So, who else could she pair up with? The most likely option is Fuchi if something happens to Gantetsutai. Shion and Nurugai are already a new pair. And I can’t see Choubei or Touma teaming up with anyone other than each other.

But, I actually don’t expect Yuzuriha to find a new partner. My prediction is that she’s going to die at some point. I have a feeling she’ll sacrifice herself to protect Gabimaru (or Sagiri) so he can go home to his wife.

Conclusion

What do you think about Hell’s Paradise Episode 12? Were you surprised that the Elixer of Life isn’t on the island? How do you feel about Tao as a power system? And do you think Senta will ever come back? Let me know in the comments.

If you enjoyed this review, remember to click the like button down below. Also, follow me on your social media of choice — links are in the footer.

Finally, I’d like to thank Roman and JasonHK for supporting DoubleSama.com at the Heika tier this month. To learn more about how you can help support this blog, check out Patreon.com/DoubleSama.

My review of Episode 13 is available now.

Join Server

Discord Community

Discuss anime, manga, and more with our members!

Join Server

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.

Affiliate

Affiliate

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.

HobbyLink Japan

Shop Now

Affiliate

HobbyLink Japan

The best place to buy and ship products from Japan!

Shop Now

Affiliate

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.

If you enjoyed this review, remember to click the like button down below. Also, follow me on your social media of choice — links are in the footer.

Finally, I’d like to thank Roman and JasonHK for supporting DoubleSama.com at the Heika tier this month. To learn more about how you too can become a supporter of this blog, check out Patreon.com/DoubleSama.

My review of Episode 12 is available now.

Join Server

Discord Community

Discuss anime, manga, and more with our members!

Join Server

A New Alliance Is Formed

Hell’s Paradise Episode 10 starts off with the formation of a new alliance. Gabimaru, Gantetsusai, and Fuchi are going to work together to bring down the Tensen. And in a lot of ways, this alliance is better for Gabimaru than his alliance with Yuzuriha.

The big problem with Gabimaru’s alliance with Yuzuriha is that only one of them can come out on top. They both want to get their hands on the Elixer of Life so they can receive a pardon from the shogun. But, only one person can receive that pardon.

So, while they’re working together, for now, things can’t go on that way forever. At some point, one of them is going to have to betray the other and take the Elixer for themselves. Though, I don’t actually think that’s going to happen. I believe they’ll continue working together the whole time.

With Gantetsusai and Fuchi, Gabimaru doesn’t have to worry about a possible betrayal. All three of them can get what they want without stepping on each other. And, by helping each other, they’ll also each be working toward their own goal. In that sense, it’s a perfect alliance.

As we know, Gabimaru wants to get the Elixer of Life, receive a pardon, and save his wife from her father. Gantetsusai’s goal is to become immortal, but not in the literal sense. He wants people to talk about him and his exploits for generations. And Fuchi just wants to learn things because he’s a nerd.

How do these goals align, though? Well, in order to get his hands on the Elixer of Life, Gabimaru needs to go through the Tensen. If Gantetsusai can kill an immortal Tensen, that would add to his mythos. And Fuchi wants to dissect a Tensen to learn how they work.

Affiliate

Affiliate

Master of the Island

Episode 10 dumped a lot of information on us. I’ll go over most of that information in the next section. But, for now, I want to focus on the info dump we got from Senta, the worst character. Senta determined that the island they find themselves on isn’t Shinsenkyo.

Shinsenkyo is a legendary paradise on Earth. But, the island our main characters are on isn’t some legendary paradise. It’s a real place with a lot of man-made structures. Even the beings that live on the island come from man-made religions.

And, sure, you could argue that if a religion is real, it’s not man-made. A religion could believe in a specific god or afterlife that actually exists. But, that’s not what we’re seeing here. Instead, we’re seeing parts of a variety of religions mixed together. And since these parts of religions are incompatible, the island must be man-made.

Senta’s revelation makes sense based on other information we have. For example, we know that people lived peacefully on the island until around 1,000 years ago. This information comes from Hoko, a native of the island. So, we know that 1,000 years ago, this wasn’t “Shinsenkyo.”

1,000 years ago is when the Tensen appeared. And rumor has it that the Tensen actually split off from a single original being. So, when Senta says that there must be a master of the island, that’s likely who he means. Whoever this person is, they turned the island into what we see today.

Interestingly, Moro Makiya’s name also popped up during this part of the episode. Moro Makiya was the criminal Yuzuriha tortured to death to gain information. But, apparently, he led a religion with a lot of mixed beliefs that match what we see on the island.

HobbyLink Japan

Shop Now

Affiliate

HobbyLink Japan

The best place to buy and ship products from Japan!

Shop Now

Affiliate

Info Dump After Info Dump

After Senta’s rambling, Episode 10 just kept dumping more and more info on us. And, to be honest, not much of it made that much sense. It felt like the author was trying to explain things they didn’t understand themself. Tao, not to be confused with Tao Fa, is the big one.

According to Hoko, “Tao is the power that flows through all things.” So, you can think of it like chakra from Naruto. And just like chakra, Tao seems to have many uses. Basically, Tao is the power system of this series.

Hoko mentions that you can use Tao to strengthen your body. It may also be how the Tensen alter their bodies. And, Mei and the Tensen seem to use Tao in their attacks. So, if Gabimaru — or anyone else — is going to defeat a Tensen, they’ll likely have to use Tao to do it.

Of course, Tao isn’t only for offense and defense. Shion uses Tao to see his surroundings despite being blind. He doesn’t know that what he’s using is Tao. Instead, he says that he can sense the “waves” coming off objects around him. But, the implication is that he’s using Tao.

Now, something that’s a bit unclear to me is the difference between Tao and Tan. Tan is the local name for the Elixer of Life. It’s what the Tensen produce by sacrificing humans who land on the island. And until now, I assumed the Tensen’s powers came from their consumption of Tan.

However, that doesn’t make as much sense now that we know about Tao. Tao seems to be what gives the Tensen their superhuman abilities. To me, it kind of sounds like drinking Tan gives a person more Tao. Tan might be Tao in liquid form.

Conclusion

What do you think of Hell’s Paradise Episode 10? Will the Gantetsusai be able to kill a Tensen? Is the island the legendary Shinsenkyo or not? And how do you feel about the introduction of Tao as a power system? Let me know in the comments.

If you enjoyed this review, remember to click the like button down below. Also, follow me on your social media of choice — links are in the footer.

Finally, I’d like to thank Roman and JasonHK for supporting DoubleSama.com at the Heika tier this month. To learn more about how you too can become a supporter of this blog, check out Patreon.com/DoubleSama.

My review of Episode 11 is available now.

Join Server

Discord Community

Discuss anime, manga, and more with our members!

Join Server