Is Hell’s Paradise Anime Any Good? Here’s What We Think

There are a lot of different anime series getting released nowadays, and all of them are equally great in the quality of their animation, storyline, and visuals. Hell’s Paradise, however, seems to be one of the more intriguing titles released in recent memory due to the popularity of its manga. Of course, while we know that anime titles are usually adapted from their manga counterparts, there can be some differences in the delivery of the anime with respect to what happened in the manga.

In Hell’s Paradise, people already expected it to follow the same dark and gritty atmosphere that comes with its original manga version. But those who’ve never read the manga are blind to the anime and what it’s about. So, is Hell’s Paradise any good? Let’s see what it’s all about and what we think so you can make your own judgments.

The Good

First, Hell’s Paradise is a story that revolves around a ninja named Gabimaru the Hollow. He is said to be the most fearsome ninja of his time but was captured during a mission because his people betrayed him for trying to escape his life as a ninja. In that regard, he was sentenced to be executed. But while there were numerous attempts to kill him (and most of them should have killed any ordinary person), Gabimaru was able to survive all of those execution attempts even though he claimed that he wanted to die.

However, he realized his love for his wife made him strong enough to withstand execution. One of the executioners, Yamada Asaemon Sagiri, gives him a chance at a free life if he journeys to Shinsenkyo, a legendary land, to find the elixir of life. In exchange, he would be given a pardon and a chance at a free life with his beloved life.

The thing is that, as much as this legendary place is often revered as the land of the gods, the expedition teams that went there all lost their lives. But because Gabimaru’s will to live gave him a seemingly immortal body that wouldn’t allow him to die, he was the best man for the job. Nevertheless, he was one of the many death row convicts assigned to this mission, and they were all required to return with their own Yamada Asaemon executioner if they wanted to be pardoned for their crimes.

Due to its horror-packed scenes, the manga took Japan by storm and provided a completely unique storyline that many people haven’t seen before. Of course, the anime provided top visuals during the first few episodes, but the way it starts out tends to be quite mellow in a way that can entice many people to watch it. But the storyline will take a dark and horrific turn later on when things become a lot bloodier.

Of course, while there are a lot of bloody and horrific scenes, the one thing that makes it stand out is how character-driven it is. From the very start, the story makes it a point to allow us to know what drives Gabimaru and why he wants to take on this deadly mission. Meanwhile, Sagiri’s own character is also placed under the spotlight a few times as the story progresses, as it is clear that the relationship between the two main characters grew and improved as they faced multiple challenges that were clearly similar. In a manner of speaking, the way that the storyline was delivered in relation to the roles of the main characters was precise and was given a lot of thought by the author.  

Meanwhile, the visuals do not disappoint because we know what MAPPA can do with anime with similar dark tones. We are talking about the likes of Attack on Titan, Chainsaw Man, Vinland Saga, and Jujutsu Kaisen. As such, the company was able to translate the gruesome visuals in the manga into the anime in a way that only this studio could. And that’s why those who love to focus on the visuals of the product would enjoy what MAPPA has to offer with Hell’s Paradise.

The Bad

The only thing we can say that’s bad about Hell’s Paradise is its overall dark and gory tone. There are a lot of horrific themes and bloody scenes that some anime fans might not enjoy. While plenty of anime titles aren’t necessarily devoid of violence and bloodshed, Hell’s Paradise takes it to the extreme, much like Chainsaw Man does. 

Because of how bloody Hell’s Paradise can be, it is safe to say that it isn’t a title that will appeal to everyone. Some anime fans who love the bright, colorful, and light storylines that some shonen anime titles carry won’t enjoy how dark and gritty Hell’s Paradise is.

There are some lighthearted and emotional scenes in Hell’s Paradise. But such scenes go hand-in-hand with the dark atmosphere that comes with this anime. That is why Hell’s Paradise was never meant for kids or the faint of heart, as its storyline and visuals can be pretty heavy.

Should You Watch It?

While we cannot deny the fact that Hell’s Paradise is dark, gritty, bloody, and violent, we also cannot deny that this anime series comes with a storyline and a delivery that perfectly fits its atmosphere. There are a lot of anime titles that come with the same kind of bloody and violent scenes that you can see in Hell’s Paradise. But some of those titles tend to be gory for the sake of gore. However, Hell’s Paradise is the one title that blends the delivery of its storyline and themes with the gory and bloody atmosphere that it comes with.

So, if you don’t mind watching something incredibly violent, horrific, and dark, then Hell’s Paradise should be right up there in terms of how it was able to deliver its message perfectly. But you wouldn’t enjoy this title if you aren’t the type that would enjoy an anime that tends to be quite gory.

That means that Hell’s Paradise really isn’t for everyone, and the people behind this manga and anime know that for a fact. Still, the best part about this title is that, while the author and the animators know that it isn’t going to appeal to anyone, it was able to reach its target market in a manner that’s perfectly executed. That’s why those who don’t mind the horror and gore behind Hell’s Paradise shouldn’t hesitate to follow it.