Hell’s Paradise is having an incredible run as viewers see new characters appearing on the screen every other week. What started out as a story of death row convict Gabimaru the Hollow in his adventures in the land of Shinsenkyo, gradually progressed to accommodate other interesting characters. Among the host of faces that have made their mark on the screen, the members of the Yamada clan have been superior, not only in their moral conduct but also in their impression on the viewers.
The Yamada Asaemon ronins are the vanguards who are seen accompanying the convicts to Shinsenkyo so that they can retrieve the Elixir of Life for the shogunate. They are, first and foremost, sword testers and decapitators who use a specific style to execute their enemies. However, the clan members follow a ranking system that goes from 1 to 12, which is based on one’s intellect, expertise in a specific field, and their skill with the Tameshi Ittō-ryū.
The ronin in the first rank is the most able and capable member who is suited to replace the present head of the clan should any such situations arise. Meanwhile, the 12th ranking ronin is often considered the weakest. Strangely enough, the rankings that these characters have are not correct to judge their actual strength, as in some cases, the social limitations may hinder their promotion.
With so many Yamada Asaemon members populating the series, it is often difficult to keep track of one’s ranking, even though they are properly introduced with their name and ranking in the series. So here’s a list of all the Yamada Asaemon ronins along with the head of the clan.
Note: This article contains spoilers from Hell’s Paradise anime and manga.
In Hell’s Paradise, Yamada Asaemons are not ranked by their strength or combat skills
Yamada Asaemon Eizen (Rank 1)
Despite holding the first rank among the Asaemons, Eizen is believed to have had mediocre combat skills. The demonstration of this was seen during the Island arc when he was killed by Rokurota, the convict he was assigned to monitor.
Even so, Eizen’s outstanding influence and legacy continued even after his death. Moreover, despite having inferior combat skills, Eizen was considered suitable enough to be the next head of the clan due to incredible qualifications.
Yamada Asaemon Shugen (Rank 2)
Eizen’s protégé, Shugen is a minor antagonist who is yet to appear in the Hell’s Paradise anime. Within the Yamada clan, Shugen was perceived as the strongest Asaemon, whose battle acumen and combat skills were seen when he single-handedly killed a group of Soshin, a Moshin, and even a Doshin in Kotaku.
Moreover, he became one of the few people in 1,000 years to have made out of the trails that the island had to offer. However, Shugen dies due to exhaustion following his battle with Rien and Jofuku, where he is able to cut the latter into two.
Yamada Asaemon Jikka (Rank 3/ Current Head of Yamada clan)
Jikka was assigned to be the vanguard of criminal Horubo, who was killed by convict Aza Chobei. Although he was allowed to return to the mainland, he was once again sent to Kotaku with a second party to search for the Elixir of Life.
Aside from being a good tactician, he is a skilled swordsman, whose achievements are acknowledged by death row convict Gantetsusai. The latter observes how Jikka could fare the sea currents and defeat its creatures to return to the mainland – a feat that wasn’t accomplished by anyone before him. Later in the Hell’s Paradise manga, it is shown in the epiolg that Jikka takes the role of the current head of the Yamada clan since the other two before him were killed.
Yamada Asaemon Shion (Rank 4)
Being assigned the criminal Akaginu, he was the master of Yamada Asaemon Tenza. Like Shugen, he was also one of the few humans who was able to face the ordeals of the island and make it out alive. Shion possessed great reflexes, strength, and agility, which were seen in his fight against Zhu Jin and powered-up Mu Dan.
Moreover, Shion has great levels of endurance, having been able to hold off strong monsters of Kotaku on his own. In the epilog of Hell’s Paradise, it is revealed that he left the clan to travel with Nurugai. Together, the two were called the ‘Blind Wolf and Cub.’
Yamada Asaemon Senta (Rank 5)
Senta was the monitor of kunoichi Yuzuriha, but he met his death at Kotaku while protecting her. Although his combat skills got limited limelight, Senta exercised good control over his sword that allowed him to deliver forward slashes like his clan members. Senta was smart and sensible, showing his social awareness and knowledge when Genji asked Sagiri to leave the island.
Unfortunately, this beloved character breathed his last when he was struck by the stinger that emerged out of Mu Dan’s corpse. However, unlike most Asaemons, Senta received a farewell as he died peacefully and with a smile in Yuzuriha’s arms.
Yamada Asaemon Gagaimo (Rank 6)
Not much is known about Gagaimo who mostly stays back in the mainland to look after the household. Even though he had requested to accompany Shugen to Kotaku, the latter refused it. Gagaimo is a social person, but he lacks strength and combat finesse, which Jikka wondered if he was even worthy of holding the position.
However, one thing is guaranteed – he can perform the Tameshi Ittō-ryū as this is one of the determinants of one’s ranking within the Yamada Asaemon hierarchy.
Yamada Asaemon Tsumutsumu (Rank 7)
Like Gagaimo, Tsumutsumu doesn’t get much attention in the manga. He was another Asaemon who requested Shugen to take him to Kotaku but was refused. After that, he focused on managing the domesticated chores of the Yamada household.
His hobbies include cooking rice and ikebana, but given he is a member of the Yamada clan, it is predictable that he also possesses the ability to execute convicts using the trademark style of the Asaemons.
Yamada Asaemon Genji (Rank 8)
By episode 6 of Hell’s Paradise, Genji unexpectedly meets his end at the hands of Rokurota. Generally a proud person, he is a misogynist who doesn’t value Sagiri’s rank within the clan as significant. Genji was assigned to monitor Moro Makiya in their expedition to Shinsenkyo.
Besides being a master swordsman who is capable of landing striking blows, Genji had brute strength who was seen defeating Tamiya Gantetsusai, one of the strongest death row convicts.
Yamada Asaemon Fuchi (Rank 9)
Gantetsusai’s vanguard, Fuchi, was quite agile as a ronin, having easily manoeuvred Tao Fa’s attacks. Besides his physical skills, Fuchi had outstanding expertise in medical art, having been able to create drugs out of dissected corpses and possessing great knowledge of anatomy, which was not just limited to humans as he was able to understand Soshin’s corpses after thoroughly examining them.
However, Fuchi was gravely injured after being attacked by Shugen. As he gained consciousness, he used the last of his strength to heal Gantetsusai, the effect of which eventually led to his death.
Yamada Asaemon Tenza (Rank 10)
Tenza was one of the most beloved characters in the series who died fighting Zhu Jin. Episode 8 of Hell’s Paradise was especially significant as it gave background on Tenza, the disciple of Shion. As he fought bravely despite sustaining fatal injuries, he made sure that Shion would protect Nurugai, the criminal he was assigned to look after.
In his dying moment, viewers got to see how the Asaemon had dreamt of an alternate reality where he was the master of the Yamada Dojo and was married to Nurugai. As for his ronin capabilities, Tenza was known for his swift swordsmanship, endurance, and stamina, which was displayed when he fought the sea creatures and put up a strong battle against Zhu Jin.
Yamada Asaemon Kisho (Rank 11)
Kisho was tasked to look after Warped Keiun, who died pretty early in the series at the hands of Gabimaru. After the battle, it was Kisho exercises foresight, where he uses his nerves of steel disposition to predict his enemies’ attacks and play defensive.
Later, having understood his assignment to return back, Kisho sets sail towards the mainland. However, at some point during his solo voyage, he gets infected with Arborification and eventually dies. His blooming corpse was later found by Tenza and Nurugai.
Yamada Asaemon Sagiri (Rank 12)
The deuteragonist and the only female Yamada Asaemon in Hell’s Paradise, who stands at the below of the hierarchy ladder. However, her low rank does not mean she lacks in strength or skill. In fact, she is one of the strongest swordsman in the series, having shown the ability to almost decapitate Gabimaru, the death row convict that she was assigned to monitor.
In the anime, her quick reflexes helped her quickly disarm Genji in episode 5 or hold off against Rokurota in the following episode. Like Tenza, her Tameshi Ittō-ryū has two styles: Gusokuwari and Futa wa no Tsuki. She also develops the sixth sense to see through people’s emotions in their dying stage, which makes her empathize with them.
