The second season of the TV anime "Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku," based on the manga by Yuji Kaku that was serialized in Shueisha's "Shonen Jump+," will be broadcast on TV Tokyo and other networks every Sunday at 11:45 pm starting January 11th. The protagonist of the series, "the strongest ninja" Gamimaru, is played by popular voice actor Chiaki Kobayashi. We spoke to her about her acting style, behind-the-scenes recording, and highlights of the second season.
◇The eerie and scary but tempting land of immortals: The charms of Gamimaru and Sakiri
"Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku" was serialized in "Shonen Jump+" from January 2018 to January 2021. Set in the late Edo period, the story follows the strongest ninja, Gamimaru, who is betrayed by his comrades and taken prisoner. He fights monsters in search of the elixir of immortality in order to be reunited with his beloved wife and be freed. The anime is directed by Makita Kaori and produced by MAPPA. The first season of the TV anime aired from April to July 2023.
The first season attracted a lot of attention with its vivid and mysterious portrayal of the unique world of Shinsenkyo, an island said to contain an elixir of life.
"The creatures and plants in Shinsenkyo are very eerie, but when you look at the contrast with the flowers blooming among them and the light shining through the darkness, it's fantastical and beautiful. I think the visuals really represent the title ' Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku.' It's eerie and scary, but the worldview that makes you want to peek inside is one of the charms of the work, I think."
He is also intrigued by the buddy relationship between the death row prisoners, such as Gamimaru, and the executioners, such as Yamada Asaemon Sakiri.
"I think the setting and the way it's presented, where two people who are in completely opposite positions are paired up, is really interesting, and the relationship between each pair is different, so I wonder how things will develop from here on out. The pair of Tsukechi and Gan Tessai also seemed in danger of disappearing early on, but there were scenes that made you feel like their relationship was changing. In fact, about half of the characters in "Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku" die early on, so it feels real, like any character could disappear in the future."
Kobayashi says that the episode that left the biggest impression on him in the first season was episode 3, which depicted the changes in the relationship between Gamimaru and Sagiri.
"Even before that, Gamimaru had sensed that Sakiri was different from the other people who tried to kill him. But even so, when he had to cut down Sakiri in order to return to the mainland, Gamimaru couldn't bring himself to stab him with his sword. Sakiri responded to him by saying, 'That's not weakness. It's the seed of strength,' and I think that was the turning point that led to the Gamimaru he is today, so it left a strong impression on me, including the exchange with Hanamori (Yumiri) (who plays Sakiri)."
Some of these were brought out through the dialogue with Hanamori-san.
"Sagiri, played by Hanamori, can be very strict with Gamimaru, but you can also sense his pride as an enforcer. On the other hand, she also brings to the role a softness and femininity, as well as the immaturity that is typical of that age, so as Gamimaru, she naturally takes the lead, or makes you want to offer him a helping hand. However, when Gamimaru is weak, Sagiri also pulls him along, and there were many moments during the dubbing that I felt we had built a really good relationship."
He also said that he felt "comfortable cheering on" Gamimaru and Sakichi.
"The relationship that Sakiri was looking for, where they could face things together, regardless of the other person's position, age or gender, and where they could rely on each other, is really wonderful. It means that they trust each other's humanity and skills, so it's nice to see that neither Gamimaru nor Sakiri judge others by their appearances. I think that kind of relationship is great. They are a man and a woman close in age, but they're not even thinking about romance, and I think they both have very straightforward personalities."
◇The second season's recording is "fresh" - Behind the scenes of Gamimaru vs. Chobei
The second season will be broadcast two and a half years after the first. When filming began, there was great joy.
"I was very happy. The production of the second season was announced immediately after the first season ended, so I was always prepared, but when it actually started, I felt even more excited, including the fact that 'this person will be playing' a new character. For the first season, we recorded with 3 or 4 people in separate recordings, but for the second season, the set was packed with cast members, so it was a fresh experience. It wasn't the set I was familiar with, and the atmosphere felt like a new show had started (laughs)."
Among the new characters appearing in the second season, Yamada Asaemon Toka is his favorite.
"Personally, I really like Toka. Everyone on Yamada Asaemon's side is a righteous person, even if they have different views, but Toka is somewhat shady and full of self-love, which I think makes him different. Having (Koji) Yusa play this adds even more depth to the character. He gives off an unknowable air of dread, and the sense that he could easily become an enemy, so he's a character I'm keeping an eye on."
The first season ended with a shocking twist in which Gamimaru used up too much of his life energy, known as ki (Tao), causing him to lose his memory and even forget his beloved wife. In the second season, Gamimaru and Asato Tokubei will battle it out. Tokubei is played by Ryohei Kimura.
"Gabimaru's fighting style is different from that of the first season. He has completely forgotten about his wife's existence and is truly 'empty Gabimaru', with no desire to return to the mainland, live, or see his wife. He is willing to die if it means defeating the enemy, so he fights in a suicidal manner. Tokubei, on the other hand, feels that he has to protect his younger brother Kirima, but his fighting style is reckless to begin with. These two similar characters clashed mercilessly, using all their bodies and all their weapons, and it was really satisfying to act. I felt a kind of grittiness that I hadn't felt when playing Gabimaru before, so it was a lot of fun. If I did my best, Ryohei would act in line with that, and I think we were able to record while pulling each other along."
◇Changes in thoughts about "returning to his wife" - Season 2 is even more chaotic!?
Kobayashi's character, Gamimaru, is a charming character with strength and kindness. He says that what he is conscious of while acting is Gamimaru's strong desire to "return to his wife."
"'Returning to my wife' is the most important thing, and it's almost the only factor that Gamimaru has. However, as the number of comrades fighting alongside him has increased, he has become able to rely on others, and he has begun to express gratitude from his heart, which has made him more human. So, 'returning to my wife' remains his biggest goal, but on top of that, he also thinks it would be best if he could return with all the comrades who fought alongside him."
One of the difficulties in acting is that Gamimaru is always calm and collected.
"As the battle intensifies, Gamimaru often finds himself in a pinch, especially in battles with Tensen-sama. I try to portray that desperation, but the director sometimes holds me back by saying, 'Gamimaru must remain calm at all times.' I want to make sure I don't overdo it, but there are some things I won't know until I try it out. I can 'pull back a bit,' but it's difficult to 'add more.' So, my style is to first act within the limits of what I think Gamimaru can do, and then have the director and sound director make adjustments and create the story."
Kobayashi says that Gamimaru is "not the type of character whose emotions fluctuate greatly," and that he makes fine adjustments within a narrow range.
"Those fine adjustments are fun. Compared to the first season, I've become more attentive to the characters around me and I'm more considerate, so I think my tolerance and range have broadened."
In the second season, a full-scale confrontation between humans and celestial beings unfolds over the elixir.
"Will Gamimaru regain his memories? And does his wife really exist? We hope you'll look forward to that, but new characters will also be arriving in Shinsenkyo one after another from the mainland. The first season was hectic, but the second season will be even more lively and chaotic as the story progresses. I hope you'll watch until the end."
Don't miss the second season to see how Gamimaru and his friends' battle will turn out, and what mysteries lie hidden in the land of immortals. (Shiroinu/MANTANWEB)
