Hell’s Paradise – Season 1 Episode 6 Recap & Review

Heart and Reason

Episode 6 of Hell’s Paradise starts with Rokurota attacking Genji. Before he harms Sagiri, Gabimaru attacks Rokurota. Sagiri informs Gabimaru that Rokurota is a criminal like himself, while Gabimaru asks Yuzuriha for assistance. However, she reminds him that her role in her group is to gather information. As Gabimaru fights Rokurota, Sagiri attends to Genji’s wounds.

After understanding Sagiri’s convictions, Genji offers her his sword and asks her to kill Rokurota. Sagiri slices off one of Rokurota’s fingers and promises to assist Gabimaru in the fight. Senta wants to assist too, but Yuzuriha says it’d be best for them to observe.

Sagiri finds it difficult to put down Rokurota, so she tells Gabimaru that they must get him to hunch over so she can strike with enough force to wound him. Rokurota slams Gabimaru to the ground with intense force.

Before Rokurota hits Gabimaru, Sagiri jumps in and blocks his attack with her sword. Before Genji passes, he informs the audience that Sagiri lacks experience. However, when her duty and goals align with her heart, her skill with a sword is better than first-rate. Rokurota backs off to give Sagiri and Gabimaru time to think.

Gabimaru unleashes his Ninpo technique, enticing Yuzuriha and Senta to flee the scene. Yuzuriha believes Gabimaru and Sagiri plan to set the forest on fire to murder Rokurota. She says that the smoke rising from the forest fire will cause Rokurota to experience shortness of breath since he has terrible crying habits.

Rokurota hunches over, allowing Sagiri to behead him. Gabimaru and Sagiri flee the area before the fire picks up. Gabimaru and Sagiri notice the monsters heading toward the fire, so Gabimaru suggests they travel in the direction the monsters came from because it’s their only lead to the Elixir.

Gabimaru and Sagiri reunite with Yuzuriha and Senta, where they notice a village up ahead and question if there are inhabitants there. Meanwhile, Touma and his Asaemon Choubei discuss hermits, who are said to live in Shinsenkyo and have magical capabilities. The episode closes with them finding two people kissing each other.

The Episode Review

This was a great chapter all around. Viewers will be pleased to see Genji understand Sagiri and her beliefs before he passes away. At the same time, many will adore seeing Sagiri showcase her skills at the blade in her collaborative fight with Rokurota. From blocking his attacks with her sword to planning things out with Gabimaru, she demonstrates a lot of likable traits that make her a person worth rooting for and praise for her accomplishments.

On that note, many should appreciate this battle for its mixture of strategy and physical strength. Gabimaru knew he couldn’t defeat Rokurota with brute strength despite having Ninpo techniques, so he used his wit and knowledge to craft an excellent strategy to take down this beast of a criminal. It adds depth to the fight, making it more captivating and satisfying for those who like intricate forms of combat. The final image of Sagiri caressing Rokurota’s head in her lap was saddening and chilling.

This should remind many shonen fans of Neferpitou’s assault on Kite in Hunter X Hunter. Although Rokurota’s backstory was a nice touch, his and Genji’s death didn’t carry much emotional weight. This is due to the anime not spending enough time fleshing them out before their demise. At the very least, Genji’s death helped Sagiri move forward and gave her more of a reason to become a stronger Asaemon. Overall, this was a great episode of Hell’s Paradise, offering enough delightful content to keep fans entertained.