Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku (Volume 11) - Searching for a New Normal!

Hells Paradise Jigokuraku Volume 11 Cover

Zhu Jin has merged with the Banko flower and is turning Horai into a hellscape. In order to defeat it, they will need everyone they can get, but can they willingly defy Shugen? Jikka seems to be fine with it!

Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku (Volume 11) – Searching for a New Normal!

What happened?

Shugen is determined to stop the chaos and bring the Elixir of Life back to the Shogun. However, that plan just got a little harder as Zhu Jin merged with the giant Banko flower and is making the Tao go crazy. Horai has become the monster and they are all trapped within. Sagiri and Yuzuriha are desperately trying to convince Isuzu but she is prepared to commit Seppuku rather than disappoint Shugen. Gantetsusai is prepared to help her, revealing that Fuchi sacrificed himself to save him.

That’s when Jikka arrives with Shion, Chobe, and the others. He has decided that they will need to all work together if they are to get off the island alive. Isuzu and Kiyo decide to play along, but they aren’t convinced. Anyhow, it would appear that Zhu Jin has filled the air with Tao and if they don’t act soon, they will all face arborification. However, to defeat Zhu Jin who has five Tandems they will need to split up and simultaneously destroy them.

As if that wasn’t enough, Shiji is still searching for Gabimaru and there’s just no way of telling how they’ll react when they find him. Shion and Nurugai have made it to one Tandem. Chobe and Toma have found another. Isuzu and Kiyo are ready to attack theirs. Gantetsusai and Jikki appear to be taking a break. Gabimaru and Sagiri arrived at the one furthest away and found Shiji waiting for them.

Hells Paradise Jigokuraku Volume 11 Gabimaru versus Shiji

What did you think?

I know I’m glad that Yuzuriha survived and I won’t have it any other way, however, it does feel like the author realised that they shouldn’t have killed Yuzuriha for whatever reason and decided to bring her back and sacrifice Fuchi in her place. Look as long as Yuzuriha survives, I’m good, but the entire scenario does feel a little weird. Having conviction in the story you’re telling is vitally important.

This was a much slower volume to get through as there was a lot of talking. They spent a lot of time preparing for the possible final showdown and while it was all still very entertaining, it wasn’t as intense as some of the previous volumes. Hopefully, this will set things up for a thrilling conclusion over the next two volumes. I did like that it mentioned how this was all for the Shogunate’s amusement as he would have sent Shugen first if he really wanted to acquire the Elixir of Life quickly.

I have absolutely no idea how this is going to end. I can’t imagine that everyone will survive, but I’ve also not seen too many death flags. Shion has raised a couple, but I feel like he will survive as he is one of the few people to really change his outlook on life. That alone could be fatal! Anyhow, it should be intense.