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+," is currently airing every Sunday from 11:45 PM on TV Tokyo and other networks. Set in the late Edo period, the story follows the strongest ninja, Gamimaru, who is betrayed by his comrades and taken prisoner, as he fights monsters in search of the elixir of immortality in order to be reunited with his beloved wife and be freed. The battle takes place on the unexplored island of Shinsenkyo. The anime has attracted attention for its eerie, mysterious, and beautiful portrayal of Shinsenkyo, also known as "Paradise" and "The Land of Eternity." We spoke to anime director Kaori Makita about the behind-the-scenes production.
◇How to create a Shinsenkyo using a spectacular view as a model
MAPPA will continue to produce the anime, as they did for the first season. In the first season, which aired from April to July 2023, the buddy duo of death row prisoners including Gamimaru and executioners including Yamada Asaemon Sakiri fought a fierce battle against the immortals who ruled over an island called Tensen.
Director Makita said that the first episode of the first season and the 13th episode, which was the final episode, left the biggest impression on him.
"The first episode took a long time to build up its worldview, and I was making it while thinking about what kind of work I wanted to create overall, so it's particularly memorable. As for episode 13, it was necessary to sow the seeds of an episode leading up to the second season. This is true for the relationship between Shien and Tenzo, and the second season starts with Gamimaru having lost his memory during the battle. We struggled with this from the script stage, as it involved resetting the relationship between Gamimaru and his wife, and it ended up being a memorable episode."
One of the key elements of the worldview of "Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku" is the unexplored island of Shinsenkyo. It is a beautiful place, with vibrant flowers blooming everywhere and butterflies fluttering about, but it is also an eerie place inhabited by strange creatures. Director Makita says that the model for Shinsenkyo is "a place that exists in reality but is impossible."
"Rather than creating a completely fantasy world, I used scenery that actually exists but is impossible, so-called 'breathtaking views' as references. Shinsenkyo is a place with a strong religious flavor, so I used cliffs and beaches with an equinoctial atmosphere as references. I also didn't use an unrealistic color for the sky, and instead used the sky of a southern island as reference for my creation."
Indeed, many of the world's most breathtaking views are described as "otherworldly."
"I want to express in the anime scenery that makes you feel like you've come to another world, or that places like this exist on Earth! The art and color teams have made that happen, and they always produce something amazing."
The sense of incongruity that exists within the beauty of the immortal land is also expressed based on actual scenery.
"Even in real-life scenery, there are times when you feel like there's something a little creepy about it, so I sometimes pick out that kind of creepiness from real places. I personally find huge buildings scary, so I tell the staff about the things that make me shiver and have them incorporate them into the story."
In the beginning of the first season, we were also conscious of differentiating the colors of the island from those of the mainland.
"In the first season, I wanted viewers to have a sense of anticipation for the visuals of the immortal kingdom, so I was particularly conscious of differentiating the colors. The mainland was made with subdued colors that reminded me of a period drama, and to contrast that, the islands were made with fantastical, vibrant colors."
◇Second Phase of Unity: Be considerate and considerate to the characters
In the first season, a buddy relationship was established between the condemned men, including Gamimaru, and the executioners, including Yamada Asaemon Sakiri, while in the second season they will face off against an enemy called Tensen. Director Makita and his staff said that the theme of the second season was "unity."
"The image of the Tensen, the enemy, which was vague in the first season, becomes clear, so it becomes easier for them to unite, and a sense of trust is born as they share a life-or-death experience. In addition, we will delve into the unknown aspects of each character, so I think the character-focused aspects will be stronger than in the first season."
He says that because he delves deeper into the characters, he places great importance on "facial expressions."
"I try to pick up on subtle nuances that I couldn't get from the original work alone, and create the characters by trial and error, asking myself questions like, 'What kind of face would they make when they're thinking this?' or 'Where would the wrinkles and distortions appear?' I also try to portray the enemy celestial immortals as human beings, so that their charm can be seen regardless of whether they're friend or foe, and I hope to be able to carefully create expressions that are in line with the characters."
◇ "I'll definitely come back alive" - Action scenes with "weight"
The second season will have more battle scenes, and the director is aiming to "make them even more powerful than the first season." He is conscious of the "gravitas" of the battle scenes.
"I want to create scenes with heavy swordplay and punches that have weight to them. Along with that, I would like the desperation of the characters when they are performing the action to be conveyed through their expressions. I want the desire to 'kill at all costs' and 'survive at all costs' to be conveyed not only through their expressions but also through their actions. In that sense, there is a sense of 'weight'. Unlike the Tensen who can move in zero gravity, Gamimaru and the others may move in a way that is inhuman, but they are still human after all. So I draw the storyboards with weight in mind and consult with the action animators as I create the characters."
He says that because "Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku" is "a work with a human touch," "the strong will to 'return alive' comes through in the action. Each and every one is a life-or-death battle, and they're all boss battles."
Director Makita himself says that when it comes to creating powerful action scenes, he has learned a lot from his senior staff members.
"When I saw a scene in episode 14 (the first episode of season 2) that a senior director helped me with, I noticed that they had deliberately omitted in-between frames (adding pictures between original drawings to make character movements smoother) to improve timing. I was always worried that the movements would skip, but I realized that the way the characters were positioned and the timing was right could make the acting seem more showy, so I thought, 'I see, I'll use that as a reference,' and learned a lot from it."
The second season will delve deeper into the charms of the characters and will also feature more powerful battle scenes. Director Makita talks about the highlights of the series, saying, "My main goal is for viewers to watch over the fate of Gamimaru and his wife, but it's also cool enough to feel the slogans of each character, so I hope viewers will get close to their favorite characters." Keep an eye out for the vivid battles between Gamimaru and his friends that unfold in the beautiful land of immortals. (Shiroinu/MANTANWEB)
