Forum - View topicHell's Paradise: Jigokuraku (TV) (w/ index).
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2864 |
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#12
This week sees the last trio get their crash course into Tao, what it can do and what the Tensen are capable of. It's also been the worth the wait to see what Yuzuriha and especially Senta are capable of in combat (they've been avoiding it all this time or fighting off-camera in Yuzuriha's case). When you've been immortal for over a millennium and have perfect understanding of why you're like that and everyone else isn't, it's no surprise you can be overconfident and let down your guard. That's exactly the case with Mudan, whose personal talent is controlling cadavers like a perverse puppet master. He soon finds that he should have gone hard like his peers did against Gabimaru and Shion. Turns out the weakness Gabimaru and the others discovered last week had conditions attached before it can be exploited, and fortunately for this week's trio they satisfied the prerequisites to win round one. Just as it looks like there won't be a round two, Shion arrives with perfect timing just like Yuzuriha wished. If this season is going to stop at next week's episode for a future quarter to finish up, then it's a good place to end with the conclusion to this set-piece. Yuzuriha's powers aren't just for fanservice fetishists; turns out she'll give Gabimaru a good run for his title as the strongest human visitor if they were to duke it out. It's very versatile, but limited by its need for preparation (without her vials she can't use it) and the speed in which she can release the fluids. Gabimaru doesn't have this, so she'd lose in a quickdraw against him. That said, she wasn't holding back with how she can wield her powers once the setup is complete. Senta's been the mascot character in this series for so long that viewers might forget he's on the island on merit. His name is finally introduced for real this episode, although it's unfortunate he's followed the template set by Tenza and doesn't live for long after he explains his own background to the audience. Interesting style as well; he uses his Katana like a rapier or epee with his lunges. He can slash as well, so a very different fighting style compared to Sagiri despite being members of the same school. After seeing his background, it's somewhat sad that he doesn't continue his journey with Yuzuriha. Sagiri in particular was badly affected by the shock at seeing what Mudan's attack had turned him into. This week's lesson on Tao hints at compatibility: some types of Tao are more dangerous to certain Tensen than others. In Mudan's case Sagiri is his weakness, yet Yuzuriha is assessed to be the same "type" so the latter cannot permanently kill Mudan no matter what she uses. Different case for Sagiri: slicing up his navel and dismembering him by her hand buys them time as the regeneration is slowed down for the monster transformation shown in previous weeks. Perhaps we'll learn more about this down the line, as well as why both Gabimaru and Sagiri appear to be hit particularly hard when they use their specific techniques for utilising Tao over an extended period of combat. |
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 Bargain Hunter Posts: 23812 |
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The big reveal for me this episode is that the Elixir doesn't exist. Well. Ain't that a pisser.
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Edjwald
 Posts: 1155 |
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It didn't have that much impact on me cos (1) I haven't once trusted that the...shogunate? would keep its word on sparing any of the convicts in the endgame whether they succeeded in getting the elixir or not. Everything done by the powers that be so far have been arbitrary or detestable. (2) It seemed highly likely that if there was an elixir, it would be something that would transform the drinker into a weed sprouting sociopath. (3) It's not like the guy saying there's no elixir wouldn't enjoy saying that just to cruelly toy with their emotions.
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Bargain Hunter Posts: 23812 |
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Well, excuuuuuuuuse me for being naive and trusting unlike some coldly skeptical peeps I could name...
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Edjwald
Posts: 1155 |
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No worries, I already gave you up as a hopeless case when you revealed that you would have been one of the female ninja's boob blinded patsies earlier in this thread.
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smurky turkey
Posts: 1978 |
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That was a great last episode of the season. One hell of a fight and plenty of hooks for the second season. Be it Gabimaru having lost his memories, wondering whether his wife is real or not, still having plenty of immortals to deal with, reinforcements(?) being sent and that one dude still slowly going insane due to his root tattoos. Plenty to look forward to.
The season as a whole was great with a fun mix of bloody action, colorful mystery and decent characters. I also liked how who survived and who did not so far was not all that predictable. I am still surprised that one guy with the eye patch went out as he did. It also makes me question their rankings once again, since Shion is one hell of a fighter. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2864 |
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#13
It would have been a shock if the show was going to stop at this episode and not get another quarter. So much more to say and cutting it off at this point would have meant the reception over the quarter was so negative the studio had to cut its losses. That's not been the case (most if not all viewers barring a hardcore minority who never forgave this studio for its output with Chainsaw Man are very satisfied with what has aired to date) and there's more to come in the near future. As for the episode itself, a good stopping point for the tale for now. They've come a long way too; from not being able to lay a finger on regenerating monsters to figuring out their secret and striking back with blows of their own shows how far the survivors have come and how much more they have to work towards if they want to survive. Even if the deal with the authorities back at home is off the table since what was promised can't be delivered with what they now know about the Tensen immortality, they aren't going to just lie down and let the Tensen claim them for their elixir. Shion has some idea of what they can do to appease the authorities back home if they all survive, but they need to get back home first. The final showdown with Mudan is the last chance for the animators to use up their budget before their well-earned break, and I think they succeeded. Very stylish, and watching Shion apply Tao in his own unique way to the same devastating effect as Sagiri is entertainment in its own right. Mudan's final words are interesting: he's waited a thousand years for someone to end his immortality and he wanted to show their leader Rien what the humans he had so recently derided were capable of (using he for convenience, Tensen being gender fluid as they are). Senta's final contribution with the years of knowledge he has carefully cultivated proves to be decisive, and he goes off with a smile thanks to Yuzuriha's surprisingly kind final gesture. Shion's final comments on Tao and their relationship with what the Japanese already know about the traditional Five Elements and their interaction with each other is the final piece of the puzzle to the concept which has taken several weeks to elaborate. Just as some elements are opposed to each other (fire extinguishing water for example), some elements will actually support another (water cultivating the growth of trees and woods). The phenomenon shown by Nurugai with Shion (and later Sagiri) indicates this is the case, so some pairs are highly compatible as at least one member can support the other with a minimum of physical contact. We are not told what elements our survivors embody, but Shion is the only one who can "see" the waves and their peculiar nature so he's probably best for identifying the elements, assuming his group and Gabimaru's can reassemble. Yuzuriha bombshell about Gabimaru throws a lot about his motivation on the island into serious doubt, and it appears Gabimaru himself has regressed to his previous mindset as the Hollow prior to his arrival on the island. However, Mei's sight reveals Gabimaru's Tao is impaired where his brain is, which leads me to suspect he's overused it in all of the fighting done to date and amnesia is something he'll have to bear with until they figure out a way to regenerate his Tao to "normal" proportions. They'll need it as well: Gabimaru figured out a lot in his previous fight and if amnesia prevents him from sharing his knowledge with the others it will endanger them all in future conflict with the Tensen. The post-credits scene realises the prediction made by Kisho earlier in the season: the authorities are sending in reinforcements and Shugen is the man in charge. We are not told who his compatriot is, but the next season should answer that eventually. If the authorities are sending in more Asaemon, it's highly likely more of Gabimaru's former clansmen are going to be sent to the island as well. Another reason for Gabimaru to recover quickly, or his clansmen will extinguish what faint hopes he had about returning. If his clansmen do arrive and they fight Gabimaru, it would also answer the question of Gabimarus wife definitively as a deception described by Yuzuriha wouldn't work on objective third parties if they know about her existence. I've enjoyed every episode of this adaptation to date (even the slower episodes) and am very pleased there's more to come (even if no release date has been given unlike sequels announced in this quarter's crop). This story isn't anywhere near done, and seeing it to its conclusion is something I'm very much looking forward to. |
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Edjwald
Posts: 1155 |
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Lots of thoughts here
- I suspected from the start that something was up with Gabimaru's memories. For one thing, they were too idealized and fragmented and had a fever dream quality. For another, the opening segment made it look like Gabimaru and Sagiri's relationship was going to be a focal point. But I just thought his wife was dead and he'd gone a little nuts from denial. I didn't suspect that there might be some kind of ninja brainwashing in effect. - I also never suspected they'd pull out that old amnesia plot device, but at least it has a better rationale than being hit on the head. - It's gotten a bit harder to hate Yazurahozebag,after the last two episodes, but it's also hard to love her. I will says that she's interesting to have around. - Shion kicked some serious butt, and he wasn't the only one. With so many people developing talents for Tao, Sword Moustache is going to have an even harder time holding on to his conviction that he's the protagonist. And of all the surviving Yamada guards, that little piece of work with the blonde bowl cut seems like the last bad apple in the bunch. All in all, I loved this show. It started out strong and ended even stronger IMHO, which is a joyous thing when it happens. Hope next season comes around soon.. |
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ACｘS
 Posts: 891 |
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Final:
I actually gave this show a pass because at face value, it didn't interest me enough to watch the first episode. Although produced by MAPPA, the synopsis didn't capture my attention enough to be curious. But a friend of mine gushed about it, and so I picked it up. And glad I did, marathoning it until the final episode. It's a 7/10 for me. If I can describe this show in one way, it's deceptively good. When I watched the first episode, I thought "hmm, interesting". For a series by MAPPA, which is perhaps the hottest anime production studio right now, it seems... unpolished. Production values are a bit iffy. For a show by a studio that is doing Attack on Titan, Vinland Saga, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Chainsaw Man, it feels even a bit inferior. I guess it's one of the studio's lesser-budgeted shows, with its other high-profiled shows its, in video game lingo, AAA lineup. But story-wise? It's surprisingly addictive. My friend said he couldn't stop watching episode after episode. I can see why: every episode makes me very curious on each character's story and the nature of Shinsenkyo. The story is also very pacey, and the pacing never lets up; couple that with revelations of Shisenkyo's bizarrely eclectic Eastern Asian philosophical origins that raise more questions than answers, and we get a show that's bewilderingly fascinating. Every character has their own story and, more importantly, motivation for their "crimes" (for the criminals) and choosing to becoming part of the Asaemon (for the monitors). In an odd way, the characters are reminiscent of Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai; it almost feels as though they pay a loose homage to his famous work. Shinsenkyo is a remarkable example of world-building where an environment may seem completely senseless, but as the show progresses, you begin to see patterns that make the world a little more sensible. I know that a second season is in the works, but there are some things that still leave me hanging; for example, why is Gabimaru seemingly invulnerable during his execution, but more vulnerable only after arriving the island? Surely it's not just to prove that he wasn't ready to die (as much as he originally wanted to believe); seems exaggerated to me. Also, I felt like a few characters that were dead from the onset felt like a waste. I was hoping for some story for Akaginu (the cannibalistic criminal), Moro (the cult leader criminal; his influence did play a part indirectly), and Eizen (Rokurouta's Asaemon monitor). I actually like how the season ended with the gang finally defeating one Tensen. That just goes to show how difficult it is to defeat one. And now, they have to deal with the consequences of utilizing the tao, with Gabimaru experiencing one of its worst side effects: memory loss. Now we have a bigger spanner in the works when the Shogun is going to send more reinforcements to Shisenkyo... and this after Sagiri declares to abolish the monitor-criminal divide. What a mess this is going to be! I will definitely look forward to the second season. For sure! |
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Bargain Hunter Posts: 23812 |
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I rated this Very Good. To be honest, it lost a bit of steam for me towards the end what with battles against immortals and lots of tao-talk but the finale did pick up my interest with the various reveals that have already been pointed out. Definitely looking forward to the next chunk.
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Edjwald
Posts: 1155 |
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That’s usually my line, so I get where you’re coming from. When I get multiple episode combat fatigue, it’s usually because of two main reasons: A feeling that the anime isn’t making any real progress story wise, and a ton of exposition that doesn’t feel necessary. I didn’t really have that problem here. For me, the action was laced with bits and pieces of the character’s backstories and tidbits of info that either changed the way I perceived the plot thus far, or advanced it a little further. So I dealt. As to the Tao stuff, Senta said earlier in the series – I forget the episode – that the island’s myth was based on an artificial religion because it was just a hodgepodge of different belief systems. And ever since then, I’ve enjoyed all the Tao rambling even though It might just be the Eastern philosophical equivalent of science fiction techno babble. “Quick, fire a positronic beam on an ionic feedback loop…” It’s like a game where I can identify different bits and pieces from the hodge podge of trivia at my command. Oh, that’s like the Qi in Xianxia novels. Oh, that’s like a yoga chakra. That’s the yin and yang concept from Taoism…etc. It keeps me from getting bored. |
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InfiniteJest
 Posts: 136 |
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Heck if a cliffhanger at Ep 13. Seems like they really shifted from Gabimaru to everyone else. I am liking the series a lot but it seems to be experiencing a tonal change and season 2 May feel a lot different.
I am enjoying the fight scenes though some of them have too many long pauses with monologues explaining the tai and chi focusing etc. The false memories is an almost M.Night level switch and parts of it make sense. One thing I am not understanding. In the initial episode Gabimaru was immortal. They tried to kill him like 10 times in different ways and he just shrugged it off. It now seems like that angle just disappeared and now he’s fighting for his life. Did I miss an explanation somewhere. I get why he has to fight to live now. But did they just over sell his invulnerability earlier? Anyway looking forward to season 2 |
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Bargain Hunter Posts: 23812 |
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@ InfiniteJest - I'm not the best person to answer your question given my crap memory and the fact there were chunks of this show that I didn't understand, but I'll give it the old college try. I think the answer is that Gabimaru is not immortal but, thanks to his training, experience and mindset (including potential brainwashing), subconsciously manipulated tao (without even being aware of its existence at the time) in a way that makes him very hard to kill.
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Edjwald
Posts: 1155 |
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I seem to recall Gabimaru snapping out of his funk and breaking the cycle because he sensed that Sagiri could actually kill him. And then later, when she started using Tao against that giant nutjob, he called back to that moment, saying this was why she could kill him.
So yeah, it wasn't that he was immortal so much as he was pulling some kind of Tao trick whether he called it that or not. Now as to whether he was creating some kind of barrier around his skin, enhancing his body's toughness or what, I dunno. |
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Harleyquin
Posts: 2864 |
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Attempted executions of Gabimaru in episode one: 1. Decapitation. 2. Burning at the stake. 3. Ripped apart by bulls. 4. Death by boiling oil. 5. Decapitation by Sagiri. How he gets away with it: 1. His skin hardens sufficiently to stop the blade from cutting his flesh (he admits it in episode one). The sword used by this executioner is poor quality compared to the Sagiri's, and the executioner doesn't have the beheading techniques the Sagiri clan employs. 2. He avoids death by carbon monoxide poisoning by holding enough oxygen in his lungs until the stake collapses and he can walk out. As for the flames, most of his Ninjutsu revolves around using fire so being set on fire by regular means is less of an issue for him. Watch the end of episode one when he agrees to Sagiri's request to show off Ninjutsu and episode four when he takes on the giants, his signature move literally immolates him. 3. He's physically strong enough to exert a pulling force with his bound legs that exceeds the pulling force from the bulls. 4. Same deal as the stake. 5. THIS would have killed him, but he evaded Sagiri's initial strike and then fought back. Only when she presented the offer did they stop fighting. No one else appears to have plausible alternatives, so take or leave the above as you see fit. He's definitely not immortal, and the injuries he sustains on the island are of a completely different category to the attempted executions which his training to date allows him to survive with relative ease. Post should be an easy reference for myself if I forget later on and ask the same question. |
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