Quick Summary • Best Moment • Setup • Delivery • Other Posts
Hell’s Paradise Episode 5 – Quick Summary
In Hell’s Paradise Episode 5, “The Samurai and the Woman,” Sagiri regained consciousness and learned that even the butterfly’s scales are dangerous – they had poisoned her. Now, they have to decide their next move. And all the while, Genji kept urging Sagiri to leave. Senta wasn’t sure that was a good idea. Senta had seen Sagiri’s effect on Gabimaru. Whose advice will prevail? Does Gabimaru have a say? And what’s going on with the other guards and prisoners?
Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious.
Favorite Quote from Hell’s Paradise Episode 5
She even seemed happy about it. Yuzuriha, I mean. Not Sagiri. She didn’t seem to have an opinion on the matter. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
You might say that Yuzuriha is a bit of a cliche. What with her trying her Sexy Attack(™) on Gabimaru in the previous episode and her lounging around while Senta mended clothes and Gabimaru prepared the meal in this episode, and all. But she still makes me laugh.
And she seems to take care of her skin. I can tell. She shows off a lot of it.
In this episode, she proved she can also draw conclusions from data. She can also summarize her conclusions succinctly and in a way that’s easy to understand. Case in point: my favorite quote.
Sagiri tried to describe how the life on this island was wrong. She talked about how she had examined the organs of the creatures she had killed. She saw some of the organs she expected, but the reproductive organs seemed to be missing.
“So they don’t have dicks,” Yuzuriha said (05:32).
Short and to the point. That’s Yuzuriha.
Favorite Moment from Hell’s Paradise Episode 5
Sagiri decided that a demonstration might get her point across to the ever-dense Genji. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Setup: When Terminology Becomes Unclear
What did you think of the conversation Sagiri, Senta, and the others had about the island’s ecology? It’s one thing to show weird monsters just for the effect they have on the viewer. It’s quite another to have that weird appearance actually be part of the world building. I’m really excited to see how that all develops.
I’ve had to deal with people like Genji in real life. If you think I’m about to go on a Politically Correct (PC) rant, relax. I don’t do PC. But I do (at least try!) to do rationale and, even on occasion, polite. And Genji isn’t in the least bit rational. Or polite.
Look, I could just call the guy a sexist and be done with it. But given the Clash of Agends(™) in media, that word has lost all meaning. So, please let me enumerate the ways Genji is wrong:
- They’re in the middle of a combat situation, and he’s trying to reduce the unit’s capabilities
Look, I think everyone’s free to believe what they want. At the same time, I think having beliefs align to an occasional fact is a big plus! Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
There. That’s it.
I could list several others, like the fact that she’s obeying the shogun’s orders and he ain’t the shogun, but I think that one fact is enough. The island is deadly. Gabimaru is deadly. And if Genji thinks he could take out Gabimaru where Keiun could not, well, that’s just another reason for me to assert that Genji ain’t thinking clearly.
Which is why my favorite moment is what it is.
Genji had just finished – again – Genji-splaining why Sagiri should take off her shoes, get herself pregnant, and start making sandwiches. Sagiri is a respectful, patient solider. She tried to explain her perspective without resorting to histrionics or other forms of emotional outburst. She even bowed before him to demonstrate her sincerity.
Delivery
But Genji isn’t the sort to be moved by honesty, sincerity, or really anything this side of a good swift kick (well, he listend to Rokurouta, which we saw later, but that’s an extreme — and finale — case). He sneered at her one final time and tried to hack her where she knelt.
Was he really trying to kill her? Or only maim her to teach her a lesson? We’ll never know. Because she demonstrated why Gabimaru was right when he said earlier that she was strong. “Stronger than me,” Gabimaru had said (19:28).
Sagiri seemed surprised that Gabimaru praised her strength. But she should not have been. He had just told her the equivalent of “One plus one equals two, you know!” Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Genki stood in shock. His sword had disappeared. Not disappeared – had been taken. A few paces away, Sagiri stood holding his sword.
“Weapons can be procured on the battlefield,” she said to him (22:33), throwing his own words back at him.
She had tried to be nice about it. When he didn’t listen, she demonstrated it to him. He is slower than she was; he had less situational awareness. And he had completely underestimated her. That’s why it’s so annoying dealing with Genji-type men in real life. They’re just not capable. And worse — they insist I praise them for not being capable. What a pain.
So, what did you think of Tenza and Nurugai’s battle against the sea monsters? What were your favorite moments in this episode? Feel free to share in the comments!
Hell’s Paradise Episode 5: Other Posts
Other Anime Sites
- Reddit: Jigokuraku • Hell’s Paradise – Episode 5 discussion
- AngryAnimeBitches: Hell’s Paradise Episode 5
- Lost in Anime: Jigokuraku – 05
This Site (Crow’s World of Anime!)
- Hell’s Paradise Episode 1: Criminal and Executioner
- Hell’s Paradise Episode 2: Screening and Choosing
- Hell’s Paradise Episode 3: Weakness and Strength
- Hell’s Paradise Episode 4: Hell and Paradise
- Hell’s Paradise Episode 5: The Samurai and the Woman
- Hell’s Paradise Episode 6: Heart and Reason
- Hell’s Paradise Episode 7: Flowers and Offerings
- Hell’s Paradise Episode 8: Student and Master
- Hell’s Paradise Episode 9: Gods and People
- Hell’s Paradise Episode 10: Yin and Yang
- Hell’s Paradise Episode 11: Weak and Strong
- Hell’s Paradise Episode 12: Umbrella and Ink
- Hell’s Paradise Episode 13: Dreams and Reality
I liked the whole sequence with Tenza and Narugai. Their escape attempt made it clear that everyone is going to have to work together at least until they’re all the way off the island. Which, really, it should have been an obvious move for the shogun to offer more than one pardon, so these criminals would work together and improve their chances of success, but, as is, it looks like treachery will have to wait until they’re practically back home, which is going to get very interesting.
I did a little double-take when they used the word, “Emishi,” which I learned from Princess Mononoke waaaaay back in referring to a tribe which the emperor had destroyed and driven far away. It’s interesting having a samurai executioner who is 1) “stupid,” and 2) decent enough not to slaughter an innocent kid. And, of course, the kid is a girl, and one who takes a shine to him by the end of the episode.
And with all of these dangers on and around the island where the elixir supposedly is, I find myself wondering more and more… how the HECK did that head ninja guy ever get it?!
Speaking on Genji’s behalf, I could be wrong, but I *think* that he just wanted to protect Sagiri, and was going about it the only way he knew how, with the only rationale he knew. Yes, sending her away might theoretically diminish their fighting force, but, then again, she could also be a dead weight as well. Either way, if she was off the island, she should be safe (in theory, which is now proven wrong). I was rather expecting Genji to acknowledge Sagiri at the end there, before he got jumped by a monster, but we may never know.
You’re right — the shogun was being very short-sighted by offering a single pardon!
I generally don’t like the strong/dumb type, but Tenza stands out. Like you said, he’s decent. He actually knows he’s dumb, and best of all, he knows when someone else isn’t dumb. Seeing him insist that Nurugai explain things to him was an aweseome scene.
I didn’t know about Emishi, though the concept was familiar after I watched Golden Kamuy — and by being a history-knowledgeable citizen of the United States. I like that added, realistic component.
“how the HECK did that head ninja guy ever get it?!”
That is a great question. Do we know what happened to him? I don’t remember if we saw how he came to an end of not. Last I remember, he was sliced half apart, and he was still fighting.
Your interpretation of Genji is way more charitable than mine! I guess I’m so done with attitudes like his that I’m struggling to even listen to people who talk like that. Even if they’re fictional!
Sagiri would be an obvious ship for Gabimaru except that he is married. I think that sets up an interesting dynamic. Even if there’s nothing at all between them, people will have fun imagining it.
That dynamic sets the show apart! I like their teamwork. It reminds me of what I’m trying to accomplish in my books between the characters Melchizedek Conrad and Matsushita Sachi. I’m not discounting sexuality as a driver; but I’d like to try something a little different for a change!