List of Hell's Paradise episodes
Hell's Paradise (地獄楽, Jigokuraku) is an anime television series based on Yuji Kaku's manga of the same name. The anime series was first announced in late 2022 by Crunchyroll.[1] The story follows ninja Gabimaru and the executioner Yamada Asaemon Sagiri as they search for the elixir of life.[1] On April 1, 2023, it had premiered on the TV Tokyo television station's TX Network (TXN).
The first season was produced by Twin Engine and MAPPA and directed by Kaori Makita. With Akira Kindaichi writing the scripts, Koji Hisaki designing the characters, and Yoshiaki Dewa composing the music.[2] The season ran for 13 episodes. Crunchyroll had streamed the series internationally outside of Asia, while Netflix streamed the series in Asia Pacific (excluding Mainland China, Australia, New Zealand).[3][4] It ran and adapted the manga's "Island Arc" and "Lord Tensen Arc" story arcs. The episodes use two pieces of theme music: one opening and one ending theme.[5][6]
A second season was announced after the airing of the thirteenth episode,[7] expecting to adapt the manga's Lord Tensen Arc.[8] It is set to premiere in January 2026, with the cast and staff returning to reprise their roles.[9]
Series overview
[edit]| Season | Episodes | Originally released | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | |||
| 1 | 13 | April 1, 2023 | July 1, 2023 | |
| 2 | TBA | January 2026 | TBA | |
Episodes
[edit]Season 1 (2023)
[edit]| No. | Title [10] | Directed by | Storyboarded by | Original release date [11] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Death Row Convict and the Executioner" Transliteration: "Shizaijin to Shikkōnin" (Japanese: 死罪人と執行人) | Kaori Makita | Kaori Makita | April 1, 2023 | |
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A shinobi named Gabimaru foils attempted executions by beheading and burning and curses his inability to die. He explains to his interrogator that he underwent Iwagakure village shinobi training such that he developed a superhuman body and became an efficient killer. He says he was married to the clan chief’s daughter, but after he asked the chief for permission to leave, he was betrayed to the authorities. After more fruitless attempts to execute him, Gabimaru faces his interrogator who is revealed to be Yamada Asaemon Sagiri, a Yamada clan sword-tester and executioner. Sensing her skill as a calm and efficient executioner, Gabimaru experiences fear and fights back, especially after Sagiri asserts that he is still deeply in love with his wife. Sagiri abruptly offers a full pardon and government protection for himself and his wife in exchange for fulfilling a death-defying mission. He must go to Shinsenkyo, a legendary land rumored to hold the Elixir of Immortality and retrieve the elixir in competition with other death row criminals. The promise of a peaceful life with his beloved wife prompts Gabimaru to agree unhesitatingly. | |||||
| 2 | "Screening and Choosing" Transliteration: "Senbetsu to Sentaku" (Japanese: 選別と選択) | Yasuhiro Geshi | Kazuki Akane | April 8, 2023 | |
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Sagiri recalls her early training as an executioner and the difficulty she has had overcoming her fear and hesitation. The over 30 blindfolded condemned criminals who have volunteered for the mission are given their instructions by the 11th Sei-i Taishogun, Nariyoshi Tokugawa. They are shown an officer who returned from an earlier expedition but is no longer human, with flowers blooming from his body. They will be each be accompanied by a Yamada Asaemon; however, they are told to reduce their numbers which causes a killing spree. While the shogun delights in the carnage before him Gabimaru addresses him, saying there must be a better way to make the selection. The shogun’s head guard offers a place on the mission to anyone who kills Gabimaru who is then reluctantly forced to fight for his life, brutally killing his attackers with his tied-up hands. As the names of the ten prisoners selected to go on the mission are read out, including Gabimaru, Sagiri realizes that her problem is not overcoming her fear of killing, but accepting the burden of responsibility for the lives she takes. | |||||
| 3 | "Weakness and Strength" Transliteration: "Yowasa to Tsuyosa" (Japanese: 弱さと強さ) | Kayona Yamada | Soji Ninomiya | April 15, 2023 | |
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Gabimaru believes that the elixir of immortality, Tokijiku no Kagunomi, does exist after seeing the chief of the Iwagakure survive a series of fatal injuries. As he and Sagiri arrive in the shore of their destination, he tells her that the elixir may not come from this place. Suddenly they come under attack from the condemned criminal Twisted Keiun, a weapons expert accompanied by the Yamada Asaemon Kisho. Gabimaru survives all of his attacks and brutally kills Keiun with his own weapons, even with his hands tied at Sagiri's insistence. As Kisho heads back to the boat with Keiun's severed head, he tells Sagiri that the criminals have already began killing each other and predicts that shortly almost all will be eliminated, however this only means that the Iwagakure will be sent in their place. After Kisho's departure, Gabimaru attacks Sagiri with a sword so he can find the elixir unhindered but finds himself unable to deliver the killing blow. They both realize that he is not hollow and still has emotions as a result of his love for his wife - that accepting emotions is not a weakness but a strength. Elsewhere, the criminal Tamiya Gantetsusai is stung by what looks like a human-faced butterfly and quickly severs his left-hand which withers and sprouts flowers. Both he and Gabimaru are confronted by strange monsters and simultaneously surrounded by bizarre creatures. | |||||
| 4 | "Hell and Paradise" Transliteration: "Jigoku to Gokuraku" (Japanese: 地獄と極楽) | Tetsuya Wakano | Tetsuya Wakano | April 22, 2023 | |
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Gantetsusai tells his Yamada Asaemon Fuchi why he was sentenced to death, and sets out to eliminate the other criminals to simplify his search for the elixir. Meanwhile, Gabimaru and Sagiri who are being menaced by various huge fantastical creatures with Buddha-like features. When one attacks and injures Gabimaru, he realizes that they are surrounded and confronted by numerous opponents with unknown abilities. He throws caution to the wind and acting only on instinct for survival, attacks them. He destroys most of them, uncharacteristically protecting Sagiri in the process, until Yamada Asaemon Genji arrives and assists, accompanied by Yamada Asaemon Senta with the ninja criminal Yuzuriha. Yuzuriha offers to work with Gabimaru in exchange for information she gathered on the creatures by experimenting on Moro Makiya the Apostate before she killed him, leaving Genji without his charge. As they talk, Sagiri loses consciousness and collapses. Meanwhile, Aza Chōbei and his younger brother Yamada Asaemon Toma face a similar group of monsters. Aza is feels he is in control of the situation until he is wounded and Toma is captured. He then cuts the monsters to pieces a berserker rage. | |||||
| 5 | "The Samurai and the Woman" Transliteration: "Samurai to Onna" (Japanese: 侍と女) | Shū Watanabe | Shigeyuki Miya | April 29, 2023 | |
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Sagiri wakes up to find they have moved away from the butterflies whose poisonous scales caused her to faint. Gabimaru tell the others that while exploring alone, he discovered that many plants on the island were former samurai sent by the shogun. Senta also shares knowledge he gained since arriving. Genji suggests that he replace Sagiri in guarding Gabimaru as she lacks battle skills but she refuses. Meanwhile, Yamada Asaemon Tenza tries to leave the island by boat with the criminal Nurugai, last of the Sanka people, but they are blocked by a graveyard of samurai ships. They are attacked by monsters and as they try to escape across the wrecks, they come across Yamada Asaemon Kisho, still alive but with flowers sprouting from his body. Nurugai loses heart with the guilt of feeling responsible for the demise of the Sanka and waits to die, but Tenza refuses to give up and together they fight their way back to the island. While drying their clothes, Tenza discovers that Nurugai is a young woman. They decide to circle the Island to see if they can find an escape route. Gabimaru gives Sagiri the confidence to stand her ground and become a samurai against Genji's instance that she should become a wife and mother. Suddenly Rokurota, the Giant of Bizen, appears and tears a large piece out of Genji's body. | |||||
| 6 | "Heart and Reason" Transliteration: "Kokoro to Kotowari" (Japanese: 心と理) | Yasuhiro Geshi | Yasuhiro Geshi | May 6, 2023 | |
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Genji is fatally wounded but when Sagiri tries to help him, he tells her to run. Just as the monstrous Rokurota is about to attack her, she is saved by Gabimaru. Gabimaru tries to assesses Rokurota's abilities but he is unable to find any weakness. The dying Genji realizes that Sagiri as treading the middle path between, heart and reason, weakness and strength, and gives her his blade. She uses it to slice off one of Rokurota's fingers, and together she and Gabimaru attack him however they are completely overwhelmed. Gabimaru is forced to use his Ninpo Ascetic Blaze Mode techniques to attack Rokurota with balls of flame. The jungle catches fire, producing smoke which starves Rokurota of oxygen and he collapses to his knees, enabling Sagiri to decapitate him. The island's giant monsters are attracted by the flames so Gabimaru and Sagiri free from the inferno in the direction from which the monsters came. They both realize that the sooner they find the elixir, the more lives can be saved and the quicker they can leave the island. They meet up with Senta and the ninja criminal Yuzuriha and the small group arrives at a village. Meanwhile, after slaughtering the monsters who attacked them, Chobei Aza and his younger brother Toma come across two naked androgynous lovers kissing in the jungle. | |||||
| 7 | "Flowers and Offerings" Transliteration: "Hana to Nie" (Japanese: 花と贄) | Kento Shintani | Risako Yoshida | May 13, 2023 | |
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Chobei and Toma are confronted by the two Tensen who see as humans as interlopers. Gabimaru's group encounters a young girl, but when he pursues her he finds that she has powerful abilities and is protected by a large wooden being. After they are both defeated by Gabimaru and Yuzuriha, the being offers to take them to a village. At the village, the wooden being Hoko and his young companion, Mei, offer them fruit and he tells them that they call the place Kotaku on the island of Shinsenkyo. The island is divided into three regions, the shore and forest is called "Eishu", the village is in "Hojo", and the elixir "Tan" is located in the central region of mists called "Horai" which is inhabited by the god-like Tensen who are immortal. Meanwhile, Chobei and Toma are easily defeated by the two lovers who are Tensen, and the brothers are dropped into a pit to be turned into flowers and become the source of Tan. At Sagiri's prompting, Gabimaru takes time to bathe and recalls his wife's advice to relax in order to be prepared for the battle ahead. | |||||
| 8 | "Student and Master" Transliteration: "Deshi to Shi" (Japanese: 弟子と師) | Fumito Yamada | Kaori Makita | May 20, 2023 | |
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Tenza recalls his early life as a street urchin when he was taken in as a student by the master Yamada Asaemon Shion who recognized his potential. Tenza and Nurugai continue their circuit of the island, but are interrupted by an androgynous Tensen flame-colored hair which easily casts Tenza aside. Tenza uses his speed to slice at the Tensen, severing its head, but it regenerates itself and pursues them. They are saved momentarily by the blind but experienced Shion who again decapitates the Tensen. He explains that he killed the criminal Akaginu when she tried to seduce him, but then he could not find a current to lead him off the island. Suddenly, the Tensen strikes again, striking Shion in the throat and when Tenza attacks with his sword, he receives a fatal blow. In a last desperate effort to save Shion and Nurugai, Tenza attacks the Tensen with his bare hands giving his life so that they can escape. | |||||
| 9 | "Gods and People" Transliteration: "Kami to Hito" (Japanese: 神と人) | Ryūta Yamamoto | Jun Shishido | June 3, 2023 | |
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Gabimaru becomes impatient and heads off alone towards Horai at the center of the island, passing immobile trees chanting sutras. He reaches a temple where he is confronted by the same Tensen who killed Tenza. Gabimaru uses all his skills and techniques against the Tensen but it quickly regenerates itself, so in desperation he launches multiple rapid attacks which eventually succeed. As the Tensen expires, it is consumed by flowers which form a large half-plant and half-human monster. The monster attacks and grabs Gabimaru who recalling his training, uses his remaining energy to deal the strongest attack he can, creating a reprieve and is then rescued by Mei. Hoko offers to take Sagiri and the others to Horai and look for Mei. Meanwhile, the seven Tensen - Shangdi Samantabhadra, Dadi Aksho, Jiujun Amoghavajra, Sagacious Dasheng Ratna, Yuanjun Tathata, Gonggong Manjusri and Deified Dijun Cundi - gather to review the situation and partake of the elixir. Hoko offers to take the others to find Mei and Gabimaru, and explains that all humans who inhabited the island were eventually transformed into plants. As Gabimaru recovers consciousness he is met by Tamiya Gantetsusai and Yamada Asaemon Fuchi. | |||||
| 10 | "Yin and Yang" Transliteration: "In to Yō" (Japanese: 陰と陽) | Tarō Kubo Yūki Nishihata | Tetsuya Wakano | June 10, 2023 | |
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In his present condition, Gabimaru is too weak to battle Gantetsusai and Fuchi, and after he describes the Tensen and their powers they agree to collaborate. Meanwhile, Senta concludes that the island is not the real Shinsenkyo, and the mixed-up deities are not real gods, similar to the construct of Moro Makiya, the founder of a new religion who is plotting to overthrow the shogun, thus theorizing that someone created the island. Gabimaru questions Mei about the Tensen and she mentions they possess Tao while at the same time Hoko tells his group about Tao and how it is like the flow of qi, a combination of yin and yang and centered on the lower dantian, below the naval. Elsewhere, while Nurugai presses Shion to teach her how to use a sword they come under attack from a group of mindless monsters. Meanwhile, Chobei slowly drags Tomi from the pit of grasping flowers where they are met by a Doshi, a sentient monster unlike the mindless Soshin, who has been sent to investigate the human interlopers. Chobei attacks the Doshi while Tomi slashes at an approaching group of Soshin, however the Doshi strikes Chobei a deadly blow. | |||||
| 11 | "Weak and Strong" Transliteration: "Yowai to Tsuyoi" (Japanese: 弱イと強イ) | Yasuhiro Geshi | Shigeyuki Miya | June 17, 2023 | |
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Even though Chobei was dealt a fatal blow, he recovers to attack the Doshi again. This time he seems to have acquired some regenerative ability after being in the pit of flowers and is also able to detect the Tao within the Doshi and defeat it. Elsewhere, as Gabimaru and Gantetsusai fight the Soshin, Mei repeats the words, strong and weak. Suddenly, a half-human, half-insect Doshi appears to capture Mei whom he wants to return to the Horai. Gabimaru uncharacteristically acts to protect her but he and Gantetsusai come under attack from swarms of insects. Fuchi understands what Mei is saying and explains to Gabimaru that Tao is a balance weakness and strength, so to see the Tao emanating from the Doshi, he must acknowledge his weaker side. Gabimaru struggles to do so, but he begins to see the Tao flowing around the two Doshi and is able to defeat them. Meanwhile, Hoko leads Sagiri and the others to the gates of the Horai where a Tensen with magenta hair summarily removes Hoko's wooden head. | |||||
| 12 | "Umbrella and Ink" Transliteration: "Kasa to Sumi" (Japanese: 傘と墨) | Teruyuki Ōmine | Jun Shishido | June 24, 2023 | |
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The Tensen is revealed to be the peony Jiujun Amoghavajra and says that Tan is not an elixir, because if humans consume it they turn into plants. In lightning fast movements, Yuzuriha slashes Amoghavajra to pieces, and then tries to poison it, but the Tensen regenerates itself each time. Eventually, Sagiri, Senta and Yuzuriha utilize their own knowledge and experience of Tao to jointly attack and defeat the Tensen although it leaves them injured and exhausted. Some time later, as Senta proposes that they find a way to save the other members of the expedition, the Tensen becomes a giant flower and fires a dart-like projectile at Yuzuriha. Senta throws himself in front of her and is hit instead. He begins sprouting flowers and imagines that he is painting a picture of a dancing Yuzuriha holding a parasol. The monster then fires a series of darts at the two women which are intercepted by Shion who suddenly appears to save them. | |||||
| 13 | "Dreams and Reality" Transliteration: "Yume to Utsutsu" (Japanese: 夢と現) | Kaori Makita Yasuhiro Geshi | Jun Shishido Teruyuki Ōmine | July 1, 2023 | |
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Shion explains to Sagiri that he is using his awareness of Tao to counteract the power of the Tensen, however he is unable to defeat it himself and is wounded by its darts. Nurugai cuts the sprouting flowers from Senta, temporarily reviving him, then Sagiri and Nurugai both attack the Tensen from the front enabling Shion to attack from behind. They are unsuccessful until Senta suggests they attack its ovule which is the vulnerable point of the plant-like Tensen. The badly wounded Shion manages to then strike a killing blow with his sword, and Yuzuriha consoles Senta as he dies. Sagiri proposes the Yamada Asaemon and criminals must cooperate if they are to leave the island alive. As they discuss their next steps, both Shion and Yuzuriha question Sagiri's relationship with Gabimaru, and speculate that what motivates him may be a deception. Meanwhile, Gabimaru awakens after collapsing from exhaustion and finds that he cannot remember the name or face of his wife. | |||||
Season 2 (2026)
[edit]A second season was revealed after the release of the thirteenth episode.[12][9][13]
Home media release
[edit]Japanese
[edit]Season 1
[edit]| Vol. | Date | Discs | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 4, 2023[14] | 1 | 1–6 |
| 2 | October 25, 2023[14] | 7–13 |
English
[edit]Season 1
[edit]| Vol. | Date | Discs | Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 27, 2024[15] | 1 | 1–7 |
| 2 | 8–13 |
References
[edit]- ^ a b Cardine, Kyle (November 19, 2022). "Crunchyroll to Stream Hell's Paradise Anime". Crunchyroll News. Retrieved August 5, 2025.
- ^ Pineda, Rafael (December 19, 2021). "Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku Reveals Anime's Teaser & Visual, Stage Play's Fall 2022 Debut". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved December 19, 2021.
- ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (December 18, 2022). "Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku Anime's New Promo Video Reveals 7 Main Cast Members, April 2023 Debut (Updated)". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 18, 2022. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
- ^ Cardine, Kyle. "Crunchyroll to Stream Hell's Paradise Anime". Crunchyroll. Archived from the original on November 19, 2022. Retrieved December 20, 2022.
- ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (February 26, 2023). "Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku Anime Reveals Opening Theme Artists, April 1 Debut in New Promo Video". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on February 26, 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
- ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (April 2, 2023). "Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku Reveals Anime's Ending Artist, Manga's New 1-shot". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 2, 2023. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
- ^ Mateo, Alex (July 1, 2023). "Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku Anime Gets 2nd Season". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on July 1, 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
- ^ John-Day, Michael (July 3, 2023). "Hell's Paradise Anime Gets Second Season". CBR. Retrieved August 6, 2025.
- ^ a b Hodgkins, Crystalyn (December 21, 2024). "Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku Anime's 2nd Season Reveals January 2026 Debut in New Video". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on December 21, 2024. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
- ^ "Monogatari | "Jigokuraku" Kōshiki Saito" 物語|「地獄楽」公式サイト [Story | "Hell's Paradise" Official Website]. jigokuraku.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 25, 2023. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
- ^ "Hōsō | "Jigokuraku" Kōshiki Saito" 放送|「地獄楽」公式サイト [Broadcast | "Hell's Paradise" Official Website]. jigokuraku.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on March 25, 2023. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
- ^ Chapman, Paul (April 1, 2023). "Hell's Paradise TV Anime Season 2 Officially Announced". Crunchyroll News. Retrieved August 6, 2025.
- ^ Donohoo, Timothy Blake (April 20, 2025). "Shonen Jump's Most Underrated 'Dark Trio' Anime Is Finally Coming to Hulu". CBR. Retrieved August 6, 2025.
- ^ a b "Vol. 1–2". jigokuraku.com (in Japanese). Retrieved October 25, 2023.
- ^ "Hell's Paradise - Season 1 - Blu-ray + DVD". Crunchyroll. Retrieved August 7, 2025.
External links
[edit]- Official anime website (in Japanese)
- Official website at Crunchyroll
- Hell's Paradise at IMDb
