Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku (Volume 10) - Crime and Evil are Not the Same!

Hells Paradise Jigokuraku Volume 10 Cover

Shugen’s forces have entered Horai and are ready to execute any criminals they find and any Asaemon that side with them. The Shinobi, however, are only concerned with Gabimaru and they will do anything to find him.

Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku (Volume 10) – Crime and Evil are Not the Same!

What happened?

Shugen attacked the Doshi targeting their necks and navels. This was not a war. It was an execution. They split up, searching for the Asaemon and the criminals, all the while looking for the Elixir of Life. One by one, the Asaemon and criminals were found and each time, they were quizzed about their stances. By now, they were allies, but the new arrivals had not experienced the horrors they faced. They knew nothing of the evils that resided on this island. They were only concerned with justice… Well, what they perceived as justice.

Sagiri and Mei were reunited with Yuzuriha who had recovered from her last fight. They were confronted by Isuzu who tried to reason with Sagiri. She once looked up to her, but that was about to change. Shion and Nurugai were faced with Kiyomaro. Toma and Choubei were surrounded by Jikka who seemed concerned for his fellow Asaemon, but more so about the island since this was his second trip here. Fuchi and Gantetsusai drew the short straw and found themselves standing before Shugen. Fuchi tried to reason with him, but Shugen’s view of justice is unwavering.

Gabimaru was surrounded by shinobi from his village, all determined to be the one to kill Gabimaru or fall on his blade. Meanwhile, the next in line to inherit the title of Gabimaru the Hollow, Shija had found Rien and taken what he believed to be the Elixir of Life. With that in hand, they attempted to flee, however, there was still the matter of Gabimaru. Not to mention, the remaining Lord Tensen.

Hells Paradise Jigokuraku Volume 10 Divine Beast Banko takes over Horai

What did you think?

It was less than one book, but Yuzuriha has been returned to us. I just hope they don’t do anything silly like killing her off again. The relief I felt when she returned was similar to how I felt about Shion in That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. It’s great that she’s back and not just because she’s my favourite character, but because of the dynamic between her and Sagiri. That continues to be a highlight for me. Things definitely got a little more chaotic in this volume as we saw many fights progressing throughout Horai.

However, the real highlight for me was what I think the message is behind this story. Just to be sure, I used it as the title for this post. Crime and Evil are not the same thing. There has been a fantastic balance to this series. The hero, Gabimaru is a ninja who has killed an unknown number of people. He is as far from a hero as you might be able to get, but he doesn’t seem to be a bad person. He’s just been programmed to work a certain way.

Then, we have the contrast in Shugen. He is almost the opposite of Gabimaru. He kills not because that’s how he’s been trained to work but because he believes it is right. Now, that’s a slightly more frightening prospect. At least, Gabimaru knows he’s a monster. Maybe, that’s why he protects Mei and Sagiri and why he was able to team up with Yuzuriha so well. Shugen believes he is the hero and his actions are justified. Whether that’s killing an entire village or cutting down a close friend, it doesn’t matter because he was right… in his mind anyhow. Shugen certainly appears to be eviler than Gabimaru.