Jigokuraku

Nevertheless for me it's a bit of a middle-feeder, what with all the enormous competition from series I know in manga form and sequels to previous top 10 series ...

The Shogun seeks the elixir of life purported to exist in Shinsenkyo, and after his search parties all met with [gruesome fates](https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Jigokuraku-01-45.jpg), his plan is to send condemned prisoners to retrieve the elixir, earning themselves a [pardon](https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Jigokuraku-01-38.jpg) in the process. [Shinsenkyo](https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Jigokuraku-01-42.jpg), the mythical paradise which apparently in this reality is a real place somewhere south of Okinawa. He marries the chief’s daughter (a married Jump protagonist is a rare thing to be sure) [Yui](https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Jigokuraku-01-33.jpg) ( [Noto Mamiko](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=3166)) and claims that he tried to leave the village because he hated his life with her. [Asaemon Sagiri Yamada](https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Jigokuraku-01-10.jpg) ( [Hanamori Yumiri](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=118609)). [Gabimaru](https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Jigokuraku-01-28.jpg) ( [Kobayashi Chiaki](https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/people.php?id=176057)), an Iwagakure ninja who claims to be tired of life and ready to die. His body says otherwise, however – much to the frustration of the [local magistrate](https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Jigokuraku-01-04.jpg) – and resists and any all attempts to kill it. Nevertheless the setup here is very interesting, and I found Gabimaru to be a pretty compelling figure to build a story around. Gabimaru’s life story unspools: his parents were killed by the [village chief](https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Jigokuraku-01-18.jpg), he learned the secrets of the Iwa ninja and eventually became the strongest in the clan. It’s pretty obvious that “Garan” (Hollow) Gabimaru is deceiving himself. Opening with a botched beheading is certainly a choice. For a week at least, and there’s no reason to suspect it’s a mirage. I only have the anime to go on but I liked that there was a certain trust in the audience here, showing us instead of telling us what was happening for the most part.