Can I Hold Your Hand Manga Update
Synopsis
Gabimaru the Hollow, a ninja of Iwagakure Village known for being cold and emotionless, was set up by his fellow ninja and is now on death row. Tired of killing and betrayal, he wants to die. However, no method of execution works on him because as much as the seemingly apathetic Gabimaru refuses to admit it, he does have a reason to live. He wants to return to his wife, who was the reason why he softened up and failed to be an effective assassin. Thus, he refuses to die.Asaemon the Decapitator, a famous executioner, sees this and has a proposal for the ninja. She wants Gabimaru to join an expedition to an island south of Japan in search of the elixir of life in exchange for a full pardon by the Shogunate. However, this island isn't a normal island: it's believed to be Paradise.
However the island is full of mysteries, and the exploring team—consisting of those marked for death—might not be fully prepared to handle them.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Background
Jigokuraku has been simulpub in English as Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku by VIZ Media since May 17, 2018,MALxJapan -More than just anime-
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Reviews
Feb 1, 2021
128 of 128 chapters read
| Overall | 9 |
| Story | 8 |
| Art | 9 |
| Character | 8 |
| Enjoyment | 10 |
Looking at the cover page of the very first chapter feels like opening the gate to Hell, matching perfectly with its title: Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku. This contrast of Hell and paradise is exactly what you will get in this manga. Suffer and joy, beauty and ugly, rough and smooth, all this at the same time! How could such a contrast story work? How is it possible to create a pure evil protagonist, but still be a kind-hearted hero? How can you make a total madness of action, but remaining sane? All these questions will be answered in this Hell's paradise!
Note: see below for a short overall review. - Story (8/10): - Art (9/10): - Characters (8/10): - Enjoyment (10/10): - Overall (9/10):
The story itself starts as simple as it could: a bunch of criminals go to an island where nobody came back from until now. Each of them gets an executioner to overwatch their doings. The mission: bring the Shogunate the elixir of life, which may lay on the island. However, just one of them gets a full pardon if she or he comes back… Until now, it sounds like any other battle royal story. Of course the action, the characters and art are nice to watch, but with such a simple story the joy remains simple… At least, that's what you may think! After the start it begins to develop and construct its own world on this island, literally!
The best way to show that, is the power concept. For example in Naruto or My Hero Academia the concept of chakra/jutsu or quirks are mentioned at best in 2-3 sentences, and it is there from the beginning. You just accept that is the power of this world. However, not in this manga! You will experience a new kind of power or the evolving of it at the same time as our characters. It is like seeing the birth of something new, but not like in a 'training arc', rather like fighting an undefeatable boss again and again, until you suddenly learn something which increases your chances to kill it. So you try harder and harder, until you finally win! This struggle makes it so exciting and real!
Okay-okay, these are the reasons for a really good action manga and a basic good story, but for an 8 out of 10 you need more… And you get it! After the roots of this power concept are deep enough, the main story, worldbuilding, character development and backstory trees can finally grow! Learning more about this living hell of an island, about our protagonists and antagonists, while the outstanding action keeps the whole natural and thrilling! Not to mention, that at every corner something sudden can happen, which holds the death tense permanently.
And while you learn more, your own morals get questioned. Are the criminals good? Are the Shogunate/executioners bad? Is being weak the true strength? Is the meaning of life to die? Of course, right now these sound like total nonsense, but this balance of contrasts is the core of this manga. It makes you think. And a story which does that, is truly outstanding!
However, there are some little stains on it. First, it touches the dark/mature surface, but at the end it fears to really dive in. So nearing the end the surprise elements get duller. The second problem is the enormous amount of action, which is amazing, but suppresses the story.
I saw some truly extraordinary manga artists in my life, like Boichi (Dr. Stone, Sun-Ken Rock) or Takeshi Obata (Death Note, Bakuman, Platinum End). To be such one, you have to have your own special style with long-term high quality. The speciality could be super realism, high variety or both (just to name some). For heavier/darker mangas the "rule" is, the more realistic, the more it devours you. If the mature parts of the story are not realistic enough it could easily feel childish and it won't convince you.
I wouldn't say that Yuuji Kaku is on the same level (for example) like Boichi, however it is still on a very high level. That is because of his outstanding artistic style. While other mangas feel like robotic drawings (even if some of them are really high quality) due to a too simple/uncreative world, this feels definitely more like art. As mentioned, the very first cover page catches the reader's eyes instantly! It looks like a surrealistic portrait. This is also true for the character designs (particularly the antagonists), the action scenes and the whole environment in it. It feels literally like a famous painter would have drawn a manga.
Further on, the diversity. It isn't as simple as you may think, because you have a specific style, so to draw different characters is not easy. For example, delete 1-2 individual marks of a character and it looks equal to another one where you delete 1-2 particular marks. That's one of Boichi's weak points (in my opinion), but one of the strengths of Tite Kubo (Bleach), and also of Yuuji Kaku. Jigokuraku shows you many different character types, physically and mentaly. This is especially important for the villains, where the gender characteristic became meaningless.
However, the manga has one deficit. There are too many backgrounds which are empty or at least felt like it.
Continuing with the characters. Every character has its interesting and mostly individual backstory, development and goal – especially the protagonist, Gabimaru, is well-written, and his struggle represents the manga's contrast theme perfectly! – however, the problem is with this 'mostly'. We get a nice amount of characters, so we have enough time to focus on each of them. Learning their backstories and goals one after one, but with the 6th or 8th character you will get suspicious. Something doesn't feel right…
Thinking about it a bit, the solution was simple. Villains or heroes, side- or main-character, everyone has kind of the same development and backstory. Of course, they are all criminals or evil beings, so they have one certain point where they turn vicious, but I don't talk about that. And don't misunderstand me, their stories are different, but somehow still are the same. For example, one character's purpose is to fight and defeat as many as possible, and he doesn't care about others. But at the end, he is one of the team helping and fighting together. Okay… Then we have another one, she is rotten to the core, egoistic and wants an easy life. But at the end, she is one of the team helping and fighting together. Hmm… Sounds familiar… Then we have… I think you got the picture, so let's stop here.
So the best way to describe this, it's like all our anti-heroes, villains and heroes turn from pitch black/bright white to greyish. And yes, that's also somehow the concept of the whole story. Nothing is pure bad or good, everything is both. However, it still felt a bit uncreative, and I missed, like I mentioned at the beginning, the risk of going really dark and not just touching it.
One other thing which was disturbing is the amount of characters. As mentioned we have… or had a really good pool, but nearing the end 'suddenly' we get 3-4 new totally unnecessary personas. They had their own short backstory and even shorter developments, but their purpose was just to be there or to die, which felt like failed story dragging or deus ex machina events.
This manga has some weak points, yes, but none of them are really disturbing. The art is amazing, the action is overwhelming, the story concept is basic but modified to something interesting! Especially how the powers in this world got explained and constructed was very exciting,and that is what I loved the most.
The characters are also really enjoyable. I'm the kind of person, who is bored of all this shiny and perfect or super weak but with huge development protagonists. Also I love anti-heroes. So a manga full of them, plus brilliant designed villains and different ideologies are more than satisfying.
However, someone who is searching for a darker and more mature, or a less action manga I would rather recommend something else. You could still find it good, but not as good as a 10 out of 10.
Altogether, we get a great constructed story, especially if it comes to the powers in this world, but it is missing a scent more darkness and due to a lot of actions it gets a bit duller/predictable with time. The art is amazing, with an artistic style. Action scenes and character designs are positively unique, however, the backgrounds are time-to-time too empty for such a good fantasy. The characters are all individual and well-written, with good back stories and developments, but they show little similarities. But at the end, the enjoyment is at the maximum, if you can overcome these small mistakes. It's definitely a high-class manga and not some average work.
Feb 12, 2021
127 of 128 chapters read
| Overall | 9 |
| Story | 9 |
| Art | 10 |
| Character | 10 |
| Enjoyment | 9 |
Hell's Paradise is the least known member of what I've seen referred to as Shonen Jump's "Hell Trio", consisting of this manga, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Chainsaw Man. However, least known does not mean worst in this case, as I'd put Hell's Paradise on par with either of the aforementioned series (It's written by a former assistant of Chainsaw Man's author, and the eye for quality shows). While the action scenes are awesome, it's the character interactions and art direction that really distinguish this series from other Shonen Jump titles.
The main reason why I found myself so engrossed in reading this manga when I first picked it up last summer was just how likable all of the characters are. This may seem strange if you've only read the synopsis, seeing as half of the characters are death row inmates, but the author does an excellent job of explaining the circumstances surrounding each character's imprisonment. You can safely assume that any character that doesn't die immediately after they're introduced has redeeming qualities beyond their criminal history and genuine depth. This is especially true for the main character, who I kept forgetting is the most feared assassin in all of Japan due to how endearing he is. The samurai executioners who are assigned to each criminal are understandably biased against their partners in the beginning, so seeing them gradually begin to warm up to the criminals is also really fun to watch. The other aspect of the manga that really shines is the art and overall style. This series incorporates elements from several different religions, and blends them into a disturbingly beautiful island that looks as much like heaven as it does hell. Watching the characters be hunted by disturbing imitations of divine figures is both exciting and surreal, and each character having a unique fighting style and demeanor keeps the action scenes varied and interesting. I often found myself going back through a chapter after reading it just to look at some of the art again. One last thing I want to touch on is how different the character's attitudes towards death is in this series. Most typical Shonen has every death be drawn out and the characters have to be sad about it for a full five chapters before the story can get back on track, but not Hell's Paradise. Given that each character has seen their fair share of death in their lives, deaths tend to push characters forwards towards their goals rather than driving them to despair, which I really liked. This is necessary to the story as well, seeing as characters die pretty often in this series. TL;DR - Hell's Paradise is an exciting dark Shonen with beautiful art and one of the most interesting and likable cast of characters I've seen in any manga. I'd absolutely recommend this series to anyone looking for a new action manga to read, and I'm excited for what the author does in the future. I'm also excited for the upcoming anime to release, so if you're here from that then 100% give the manga a shot too.
Mar 7, 2021
127 of 128 chapters read
| Overall | 10 |
| Story | 10 |
| Art | 10 |
| Character | 10 |
| Enjoyment | 10 |
Is a person really in any position to rightfully judge another person, being as flawed as all humans are?
Story:
The world of Jigokuraku is mind-boggling, be it visually or morally. The story is very interesting, and keeps the reader involved at all times. Once you start reading it, you just don't want to stop. The pacing doesn't seem rushed, nor is it too slow. Essentially, it's a 'good' vs 'evil' shounen-type story, packed with good action, interesting characters and a lot of plot-twists. However, it goes beyond that, in a sense that it portrays lives of the individuals pretty 'realistically'; although half of the cast is consisted of humans deemed criminals deserving of the capital punishment, we get to see the all too well-known human traits and emotions pouring out of them. This manga does not simply paint its world in black and white, rather, it serves to show how nothing really is just one or the other. Throughout the story, we get to see 'the beautiful', 'the ugly', 'the perfect', the 'abominal', 'strength', 'weakness', 'the good' and the 'evil', explored in such a way that it makes us wonder if anything is as it seems and whether we are worthy of judging the nature of things or not. It also touches upon topics of personal goals and to what extent is someone willing to go in order to achieve them, self-doubt and rebuilding oneself, finding new strength, loss, hate and forgiveness. The story also relies heavily on the principles of Tao, and such a religious motive gives it a whole new level of complexity. Art: Beautiful. No matter the scene type, the mangaka manages to preserve art's dominant beauty and a degree of consistency. However, when circumstances call for it, it goes very, very well with the overall vibe of the moment, adapting to the point it's trying to make. Character's outer appearances go pretty well with their personalities for the most part, and when it comes to panels that really focus on something or someone, the details are absolutely on point and done with a lot of care. Characters: It is a rarity to find such a fine mix of seemingly similar characters and their motives, but so utterly different at the fundamental level. It becomes pretty obvious early on that we can crudely divide the characters into two groups by many standards: social standing, status, gender, good and evil, intelligence, species. However, it is with the progression of the story that we see the tiny bits and pieces of their personalities and personal history that truly make it impossible to simply deem any one of them as purely 'good' or 'evil'. Enjoyment: This is a highly thought-provoking piece of art, there's just no other way for me to sum it up. Other than that, the battles are portrayed very well and little is left for discussion considering the outcomes. Character interactions and bonds are also very interesting to observe and follow, as well as their inner monologues and memories. Every time a comic relief scene is used, it is well thought-through and just in time to make the most of it.
I do, however, feel like the love is the biggest motive of all, in it's many shapes and forms.
Really, if you've ever loved any shounen manga, chances are you're gonna like this, since you will be reminded of a lot of good characters and lessons from them.
It interesting how even in those panels where the reader's supposed to get shocked or feel goosebumps, the art maintains its high level, in spite of the repulsive, eerie or gory nature of the scene.
Absolutely every character of any importance for the story gets character development, and most of the plot twists are character induced – be it due to their intelligence, resourcefulness or adapting power.
A person might be a villain in the eyes of the world, but the biggest hero to have ever lived in the eyes of a single person. Due to this, a lot of characters in this manga hold the MC potential, as well as the main villain potential. However, everything is well balanced, and in the end the respectful roles they end up having is story-wise justified one way or the other.
One thing that separates Jigokuraku's characters from others is how beautifully and tragically human they all are: be it a high-class samurai, a murderer or a god-like creature, all of them will show some type of imperfection at some point, being reminded in the process of just how nothing is ever carved in stone, nor is it forever.
You might find it hard to actually hate any character; you get their motives, stories, hearts and souls displayed in front of you, and as you follow them through their battles, getting attached to at least some of them is pretty much inevitable.
I must say, this manga really is not for everyone, since most of the fight scenes are pretty gory and graphic to an extent, while the surroundings or the story's setting fits the words eerie and creepy perfectly, as well as nauseating at times.
All in all, be it deep philosophical thoughts and ideas, or just sheer bloodshed and chaos, there is enjoyment in every layer of this manga, depending on your personal preference.
Feb 7, 2021
127 of 128 chapters read
| Overall | 9 |
| Story | 8 |
| Art | 10 |
| Character | 10 |
| Enjoyment | 9 |
"That's not weakness. It's a type of strenght."
I'm really impressed with Jigokuraku, I didn't expect that much from a shounen, since shinobi fights are not my favorite style. But this one got me.
This review should begin talking about the characters.
When they say this is a story about Gabimaru, or an adventure-fantasy-fight story, I tend to disagree. It's about every character, their relationships and their redemption. While the shogun must give one pardon, we are open to pardon all of the worst outlaws from Japan. Those characters are beautifully shown to us through flashbacks, casual moments and fights. No, the fights are not simply fights, but an excuse to show what's happening at the character's mind - and we would hardly know them if it was not the fights. Forget the condemnations, the bushido. Now they are exposed, we can see them clearly. We can see their motivations, the flow of their thoughts, and because of that, the change is evident. Most of them are not plain; they change wonderfully and humanly, almost tangible. The terrible Gantetsusai, or the egoistic Yuzuriha, Gabimaru the Hollow - they are not the monsters we think they are. They can change, and they are good, but their development is hard, not a miraculous that turns the bad guy into a good guy. They must suffer, love, hate and see other's suffer, and only then they can change. On the other hand, we have those strict, close-minded samurai, who walk through the same path of suffering until they can open their mind to see goodness inside criminals - in such a way they even renounce their samurai duties! Because they are more than samurai who follow rules - they are human,, and see how the criminals are similar to them. I can't forget the villains, who also show a potential of changing. Of course, not all of them could be good, but the glimpses of humanity that those immortals deities reveal is an indicative that they are also open to change, and they could be good if the conditions were different. It doesn't mean you'll love them, or every character, but your judgement won't be that limited. Next, the story: to summarize, Jigokuraku is about a group of condemned to death super-criminals who are sent to an island - from where it's impossible to come back - where, supposedly, they could find the elixir of life. The one who brings it to the shogun will be pardoned. With each criminal, there is a highly-trained samurai to kill him if necessary. The problem is: the island is ruled by immortal deities who control the Tao, and whose immortality comes from a juice made from humans. If the criminals and the samurai want to come back to Japan, they have to fight together, kill those deities and their monsters. I must admit, I didn't expect the story to be so deep. I mean, I thought it would be a battle royale of criminals and samurai. But it's about how the criminals and the samurai must adapt to defeat immortal beings. It can be a bit complex, because taoistic references are everywhere, and westerners may not understand it well, so you'll have to pay attention, or you'll get lost. Besides the characters, other subjects made me very glad: the author doesn't explain everything about the power of the characters. Oh, why are the shinobi that strong? Oh, how can they can see Tao? Oh, how the samurai can be that strong without knowing the Tao? It doesn't matter. Actually, it would take more time and brain cells to explain it. This is not Naruto, you'll have to suspend your disbelief and let things go. The narrative technique of telling character's past through flashbacks during fights is really nice, and the story doesn't seem rushed; the flashbacks can hold the fights, explain the characters, and then give the fight a deeper meaning. On the other hand, I didn't like how the fights were developed sometimes; the willpower saves them more than I could deal with, and there should be more deaths if it was not because of that. Maybe I have said before that it's not necessary to explain everything, but "the Tao" is not the answer to everything! It's just deus ex-machina. The fights should have another rhythm if the villains should die. What balances this problem is how hard things get through the story, with more problems coming until the end. They always have a dilemma to solve, so the psychological pressure on the characters is always at the peak. Now, the art. It's gorgeous. Even when the manga is black and white, I can see the colors through that psychodelic hell's paradise. The characters design is really remarkable, and reflects well their personalities. The contradiction between beauty and brutality in the scenery fills our eyes, and we can understand why the characters say it seems "artificial". The influences of Chinese and Japanese aesthetics, as well the Taoistic and Buddhist imageries turned into monsters and scenarios is astonishing. You see how Eastern this manga is. The eroticism is also attractive, but not vulgar, what means it's done correctly; and this same eroticism counterparts the brutality and blood, following the concept of yin and yang. Finally, remember to spend some time admiring the watercolor paintings before each chapter, and the huge canvas covering entire pages. I don't think that is necessary to waste more time talking about the enjoyment, as I stated my impressions through this review.
Story: 8/10
Art: 10/10
Character: 10/10
Enjoyment: 9/10
Overall: 9/10
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Can I Hold Your Hand Manga Update
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