One of the most successful projects by MAPPA this year, Hell’s Paradise: Jigokurarku season 1 conclusion was marked by anticipation for the next one. The first season of Hell’s Paradise saw many developments happening, setting a right tone with the introduction of each character and then taking it off by placing them in fierce battles. Moreover, the setting was incredible, and the presence of Lord Tensen as major antagonists was icing on the cake.
Among all the twelve Yamada Asaemon members, the majority of them have already been introduced. On the other end are the 12 death row convicts, of which only a few remain. Now, amidst all the death and adventure, the remaining survivors traverse through the mysterious island to achieve their goals. However, while we know about the Yamada Asaemons, have you considered what was the past professions of each death row convict before they arrived on the island of Shinsekyo (or Kotaku)?
Yuzuriha, Aza Chobei, and other Hell’s Paradise death row convicts whose profession have been explored
Rokurota – Criminal
Assigned to Yamada Asaemon Eizen, The Giant of Bizen, Rokurota, was a criminal before he was arrested by the authorities. Born as a large infant, his gluttony was large. However, his hunger never seemed to be satisfied. After he consumed his parents, he slaughtered people as a way to eat them, that is until he was captured and given a death sentence. Soon after, he was selected as a candidate to be sent to Shinsenkyo along with other death row convicts to retrieve the Elixir of Life. He died while fighting against Sagiri and Gabimaru.
Akaginu – Courtesan
Another criminal on this list with a cannibalistic tendency, Akaginu served as a courtesan who devoured male human flesh. Sometime after being caught by the authorities, she was also selected as a candidate to be sent to Shinsenkyo. Yamada Asaemon Shion was selected as her vanguard for the mission, whose flesh she had aimed to consume. However, she failed as soon after she seduced him, Akaginu was killed by Shion.
Yuzuriha – Female ninja/Kunoichi
Having a jovial and carefree disposition, Yuzuriha earlier worked as a kunoichi for the Kai clan before joining others on the expedition to Shinsenkyo. She was assigned Yamada Asaemon Senta, with whom she developed a close bond. The reason for her to become a female ninja was so that she could provide for her sister Kaya, who died eventually. After that, she continued to be a ninja. However, sometime later, her issues with the Kai clan may have led to her arrest by the authorities.
Moro Makiya – Cult Leader
Also known as The Apostate, the ambitious and manipulative Mori Makiya was a cult leader before being put on the death row. At some point in the past, he formed the cult that taught the philosophies of various religions. This was formed so as to overthrow the Shogun of that time, but that didn’t become successful as he was arrested shortly after. To grant a pardon for his crime, he was sent on the expedition with Yamada Asaemon Genji. However, he fell to Yuzuriha’s charms and died as an experiment by natural means.
Tamiya Gantetsusai – Master Swordsman
A famous personality of his time, Tamiya Gantetsusai was a master swordsman who was known by the name Blade Dragon and Eight Provinces Unparalleled. The reason why he was arrested and initially sentenced to death was because he cut down the damiyo’s property. Loud and boisterous, he was assigned to Yamada Asaemon Fuchi. Tamiya Gantetsusai was also one of the few members of the Vanguard Party who made it out of the island to live a normal life.
Nurugai – Unemployed
At age 12, Nurugai is the youngest death row convict on this list. Given her age, she was unemployed and lived happily as Sanka in the mountains. However, since her tribe refused to follow the Tokugawa’s dictatorship, the Sanka tribe was decimated by the officials. As such, she was wrongly accused, put to prison, and was later selected as part of the expedition team to Shinsenkyo. She was assigned Yamada Asaemon Tenza, who she had shown a romantic interest in. However, he was killed in a battle with Zhu Jin. Later on, she teams up with Shion, Tenza’s teacher, to avenge his death.
Warped Kieun – Sohei (Japanese Buddhist warrior monks)
Although he was called Hunter of the Hundred, Warped Kieun failed to make it past the initial episodes as he was soon killed by Gabimaru during their conflict. He was assisted by Yamada Asaemon Kishō. As for his history, he was sohei who had a bloodthirsty obsession with weapons. To further his training, he started slaughtering martial artists and fanosh swordsmen and collecting their weapons. Following his arrest, he was granted the chance to be pardoned through the proposal of going to Shinsenkyo to retrieve the Elixir of Life. However, that didn’t work out well for him.
Gabimaru – Ninja/Assassin
The protagonist of Hell’s Paradise, Gabimaru the Hollow was a famed ninja of the Iwagakure village. Under the training of Iwagakure chief, he was made to carry out missions related to espionage and assassination. As a reward, he was later asked to marry the chief’s third daughter, Yui, under whose influence he sought to become a better man and husband. However, given the bloody nature of his profession, it spooked his wife and compelled him to leave the village to lead a peaceful life with her. However, the chief wrongfully convicted him. He was later recruited by Yamada Asaemon Sagiri with a chance to be pardoned if he takes part in the expedition to Shinsenkyo, which he eventually does.
Horubo – Presumably a monk
“Killing Buddha” Horubo was presumably a monk who committed horrendous crimes. Like Kieun, he also didn’t have much screen time in Hell’s Paradise. Under the surveillance of Yamada Asaemon Jikka, Horubo was killed by Aza Chobei as soon as they reached Shinsenkyo.
Aza Chobei – Leader of the bandits
A bandit leader, Aza Chobei was assisted by his brother, Yamada Asaemon Aza Toma, to Shinsenkyo. Presumably, before being arrested by the government officials, he committed several crimes in association with his bandit group, which included murder. As a result, he was arrested and put on death row. However, his brother infiltrated the Yamada clan to help out his brother, which he was successful at as he was able to select Chobei as one of the participants of the Elixir of Life expedition team. Interestingly, later in Hell’s Paradise, Aza Chobei even becomes a minor antagonist by serving the Lord Tensen, but he betrays them eventually.
