Hell’s Paradise: The Criminal Asaemon Pair With Deepens the Story – CBR – Comic Book Resources

The following contains spoilers for Hell's Paradise Episode 5, "The Samurai and the Woman," now streaming on Crunchyroll.

Hell's Paradise is a stunningly brutal anime that delivers on all fronts -- from its jaw-dropping fight scenes to its intricate worldbuilding. The first few episodes of the anime are proof of that. After all, each episode showcases multiple characters being mutilated in various ways. However, Hell's Paradise isn't just an action-packed franchise. It also offers interesting interaction between the characters, especially the ones between the Yamada Asaemons and their respective prisoners. And this is only made possible because they have granted the executioners the liberty of choosing their criminals.

There are two major groups of human fighters in Hell's Paradise. The first one is the group of criminals who have been sentenced to death. Given that their crimes have a wide range, they have different fighting styles and abilities. The other is the Yamada Asaemon, the executioners assigned to eliminate the criminals should they have any weird thoughts. Their goal is to find the Elixir of Life, which is said to grant immortality. The criminal who succeeds in finding it is then granted a pardon for their crimes. This dangling prize and the Asaemon's choices are what make their respective relationships compelling.

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The show's narrative benefits from the Asaemons' ability to choose their prisoners because it creates more opportunities for character development and exploration. This allows a dynamic and diverse set of relationships between characters, further adding depth to the otherwise shallow motivation of simply wanting a pardon.

As Hell's Paradise main characters, Gabimaru and Sagiri obviously benefit from this treatment. Sagiri has personally sought Gabimaru after hearing of his remarkable feats of survival. She experiences them firsthand and confirms Gabimaru's extraordinary abilities. After confirming and affirming his will to live, she extends the offer for a pardon. She tells him the mission of going to Shinsenkyo and fetching the Elixir of Life. However, that is not necessarily how Sagiri is saving Gabimaru.

The main reason Gabimaru can't accept death is his wife, who has taught him how to be human. He originally trained to be a stoic assassin incapable of feeling emotions, but ever since he met his wife, he slowly learns what it means to be human. However, his training isn't something to be completely forgotten. There are still instances where his dark persona comes out, and the one who reliably manages to reel him back to his senses is Sagiri. Similarly, Sagiri's choice isn't a mere act of goodwill. She chooses him in order to prove herself as an executioner and clear herself from her doubts. Albeit mostly unconsciously, Gabimaru offers her wisdom that clears Sagiri's doubts and also strengthens her resolve.

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Another pair who has benefitted from this setup is the bandit leader Aza Chobei and his executioner Aza Toma. While their relationship at present is that of a death row criminal and his executioner, the two shares a long history. The two are actually brothers who eventually became bandits. Unfortunately, Chobei is eventually captured. He sacrifices himself so that his brother can escape. Even so, he hasn't lost hope yet. He has instructed his brother to do his best to rescue him from captivity just as he is being captured -- and that's what Toma did.

Toma infiltrates the esteemed Yamada Clan and hones himself to become a fine executioner. Interestingly, he does so in just a mere one month. Toma is then eventually allowed to do an execution, and he chose his brother Chobei as his subject. However, it isn't a mere execution. He shows him the pardon that is being offered by the shogun to whoever finds the Elixir of Life. Naturally, that equates to Chobei being freed. And after eliminating other criminals, Chobei ultimately gains the right to head toward Shinsenkyo.

Chobei and Toma's greatest edge over the other pairing is their shared history. They have not only gone through numerous hardships together, but they are also blood brothers. Needless to say, they have each other's backs, which is definitely a very important asset as they traverse the dangerous island of Shinsenkyo. Even still, that's not all they have to offer. Toma is shown to have some sort of overdependence on Chobei as well as a hint of envy. Chobei, on the other hand, is headstrong but caring. This combination opens the path to numerous possibilities, like tests of brotherhood, sacrifices, and perhaps betrayal.

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One partnership that is arguably one of the most interesting ones -- even more than Gabimaru and Sagiri -- is Tenza and Nurugai. They have just been introduced in Episode 5, yet their stories already offer a new perspective on the show's narrative. While the show has already established a clear hierarchy of power between the Yamada Asaemons and the death-row prisoners, Tenza and Nurugai's introduction sheds light on the societal injustices that exist beyond that system. After all, Tenza doesn't just see Nurugai as a criminal he ought to slaughter. He actually wants to save the death row prisoner. And he has a good reason for it.

Nurugai is the last member of the Sanka, a peaceful group of people living in the mountains. But since the Sanka don't pledge their allegiance to the shogun, they are labeled as criminals. The shogun's samurai set out to massacre them, and without knowing any better, Nurugai is the one who pointed them to their settlement. The samurai then massacre her tribe, leaving her alive as a death row prisoner in the hopes of her leading them to the other Sanka settlements. But before she does get executed, Tenza appears and shows her an out to her execution.

Given Tenza's adamance and perseverance to save Nurugai, it is likely that he knows the unfortunate lass' backstory. As to how he has come to such knowledge is yet to be known. Nonetheless, their relationship offers a breath of fresh air from the others' past, as they are not bound by the usual power dynamics between Asaemons and prisoners. Instead, they share a common enemy in the corrupt government that labels innocent people as criminals and uses their power to oppress them. With their dynamics, they may also be the rare shippable relationship among Hell's Paradise's rowdy cast.

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Hell's Paradise: The Criminal Asaemon Pair With Deepens the Story - CBR - Comic Book Resources